Chapters Prologue pt.2: Royal Pin, Guardian
Royal Pin was sweating bullets, for placement in the Academies, Chronomancy and Temporal Mechanist, classes. He had to pass not only with a certain grade, but had to give a three page report on time and or chronomancy. Looking at the blank pages before him he started to panic, taking deep breaths he closed his eyes and focused his thoughts. Okay Pins. Don’t freak out. Pokes is trusting me to pass this. Our folks have a lineage leading all the way back to Milky Fen. CORE members are in our blood, and while Piercey won’t tell me what his real dream is.
I’m going to pass and work hard to show him how much of a hero I can be. Since he for some strange reason is adverse to our families work.
He was distracted by the clearing of a throat, looking over he saw a wispy, waif of a unicorn mare looking at the clock showing he had an hour left. Giving a grin he said, “Just thinking of the amazing paper I’m going to write for you.” I’m the proud, the brave, and the bold! I’m going to be Super Pin! The most amazingest Power Pony ever! Saving the future-past-present verb thingie and everypony! So no freaking out over a test me!
And with that he dove into his paperwork with a furious vengeance.
~5 years before Corona’s escape~
Royal Pin couldn’t believe it. He was finally entering the hallowed halls of his lineage, and peers. He had finally gotten into CORE, it took a year for his parents to pull enough strings. All part of the process of bringing in kids, but one year out of the Academy, and he was moving on to the Technical College aspect of his training. As an undergraduate of the Agency, he wasn’t quite a full member, but one step closer to seeing his dreams coming into fruition. And knowing that his family was there for the special occasion as well as those of the other undergraduates who were getting prepared for a full time job in CORE gave Royal Pin the feeling of being a part of something bigger than himself.
He entered a large ornate auditorium, the size of Luna’s throne room. And standing upon the center dias was the biggest stallion he’d ever seen. He was a deep green Earth Pony, with a shock of black hair that looked like he was a victim of the lightning cloud prank with a very, full, bushy mustache. His lilac eyes scanned the ponies entering with family members upon rows of seats set up for them.
After everypony stood there waiting for the ceremony to start, the Earth Pony spoke, his deep, rich voice carrying throughout the Auditorium with crystalline clarity, “Hello my little ponies, I’m W, and the Head of Office here at CORE. All of you, have passed a strict vetting process to test your mettle, as well as have shown either the ability to work with temporal mechanics or sensitivity to causality.
“Most importantly you’ve proven yourself to those in the field, as well as those whom we interviewed of your character as well as the ability to keep a secret. Now I want all of you to look to your left, and your right.” He said, addressing everypony.
Royal Pin like everypony else looked around. To his left was a red pegasus mare with a golden mane and ‘stop your heart’ blue eyes, twitching nervously as wings fluttered anxiously at her sides. To his right was a lavender unicorn with a shockingly vivid neon green hair that looked, for lack of a better word, slept in. As if he rolled out of bed and however his hair landed was how it stayed. His teal eyes glinted merrily and he gave a friendly nod, before looking past him and whispering, “Chillout Glitterbug, I told you that nothing bad will happen here. You got me to protect you,” He said with a cocky grin.
“Time Saver! Don’t call me that around other ponies. They might start thinking we’re a couple or something,” she hissed with a shudder, that Time Saver copied.
“Yeah, you're too much like a sister to me. But it worked anyways, you stopped looking like Corona was about to come down and cook you or something,” He replied his grin going from cocky to sheepish.
“It’s okay. Just don’t call me Glitterbug, I’m not six anymore,” the mare to his side responded with an embarrassed blush, “Oh sorry, I’m Glint Spark, and that derpl is Time Saver.”
“Derpl?”
“Oh sorry, inside joke,” Glint Spark facehooved.
Before she could respond, W continued, “Now those ponies, are your new friends, extended family, and support group. Regardless of where you go, what missions, or paperwork you end up doing. All of you are to support one another and have each other’s flanks. So with that out of the way. I’ll start the introduction ceremony.”
There was a creak as he, from all appearances, pulled a lever. There was an explosion of light and color as large tapestries fell down from the rafters, and the flag of Equestria dangled above them, then he spoke up once the stomping of hooves in applause from the display, W waiting until it died down before continuing, “This I’ll admit is a thankless job for most. You won’t get your names in the newspapers for your work in the CORE, no pony will be singing your praises, or even know that you stood between them and death.
“The only ponies who know will be those among you that you just looked at just now. The very ponies in this room, and in this agency. But that makes the thanks I give to you ponies all the more heartfelt. If it was thanks, and recognition you wanted you could’ve could’ve been a guard, or a courier, or any number of other jobs where your name would be known to everypony. As a member of CORE we are and act as one.
“I’ll admit most days you will be drowning in paperwork, and come home only to dream of paperwork. Other times you’ll have adventures that most ponies will never believe, but mostly what we do is ensure that time works. That the mechanisms of the multiverse and causality are working as they are supposed to. As well as do maintenance of the timeline. But if you think you can’t handle it. You can leave once the ceremony ends. Nopony will think less of you, and I wish you the best life you can possibly have. But if you stay, I can say that the job can be very rewarding.
“Now I’ve said my intro. Now a short talk from our special guest, then it’ll be time to talk to your families and get acclimated to our facilities. So without further ado, Princess Luna!”
He walked back, giving a bow. And from nowhere a mist formed, slowly stretching, twitching, throbbing. Forming moment by moment into a pony that became more discernible as Princess Luna.
Royal Pin’s jaw dropped, as he gazed upon the pinnacle of pony perfection that was the Princess of the Night. After all what straight/bisexual young stallion, or for that matter homosexual/bisexual young mare, didn’t at least once fantasize about the indigo alicorn who guided and helped their nation? But seeing her in the flesh was something entirely different. As he closed his mouth, he heard a resounding clicking of teeth of a multitude of mouths doing the same as himself. Followed by a mirthful grin of Princess Luna.
“Hello my little ponies. It has been a tradition since the Guardians of Forever formed oh so many millennia ago by my sister and I. That the Princesses, and now the Princess,” Luna said with a hint of sadness, “greet those members who are about to join and talk to them. Now it has been said that the world will not know of your work. And that to those who do not know what you do it is thankless.
“But know that I, your princess, am proud of you coming this far. Your gifts, just like those who came before you are every bit as important to our planet, as the Earth Ponies who make our crops to feed our nation, or the Pegasi who master the skies and control the weather for the land to flourish, and the Unicorns who assist and touch upon many facets of society.
“Your abilities, while they might not be the norm for others, have always been a source of great help to me. And to the planet, so never doubt that I am eternally grateful for you and the work that CORE does. Now onto some advice and warnings, to help prevent you from falling into the problems of your forebearers.
“When outside of this building, be careful of whom you tell what you do. When acting as field agents and others see the hourglass enchantment they will ask you what it means. Simply tell them you ‘work with time’ or another thing on the list of acceptable ‘special talents’. Also you may never interfere with events, unless given authorization to. Too many problems have cropped up from your forebearers trying to control events and causing us to go on branches that took ages to fix.
“As for the secrecy. Not every prophecy, future event, or even temporal anomaly is clear cut. Some such as the one made by Mad Prophet turned out disastrous, when he claimed and spread the rumor that my sister was getting freed from the sun and that she was being reborn. It turned out that it was Mi Amore Cadenza’s ascension. The problems that spreading of prophecy unchecked caused more anguish than I have ever experienced in many centuries.”
Luna took a moment to compose herself, and Royal Pin was torn in two. On one hoof he was honored that Luna was sharing this event with ponies at the expense of herself, but on the other, he would’ve loved not to have this example seeing her sad as she was.
“But that is one outcome of trying to manipulate events. What you see, such as that, which will never happen. It may be entirely different than what you think you saw. But on the other hoof, if others knew about the CORE’s foreknowledge they’d expect you to fix every wrong and would be angry when you can’t. After all even with the hundreds of thousands of collections even with our sight and skills we can’t know or even prevent everything.
“So keeping yourselves a secret, and being unnoticed is a way to save you from being a puppet of the nation’s pain and fears. Now for my last bit of advice. To those of you who either can’t stay for long and leave early. Or those whom this job is not meant for you. I want to say, I am still proud of you for making it this far. And all I wish from you, as I wish for all my little ponies is to be happy and true to yourself. If you can look back on your life in your twilight years and be happy with how you lived it. That’s all I can ask of you. Now with this ceremony done and over with. I bid you adieu!” And with that there was a flash of smoke, when it cleared. Luna was gone.
Royal Pin waited as everypony was walking off to either leave, or meet their own folks. When Time Saver and Glint Spark trotted over to him, Time Saver was the first to speak, “Wow! Talk about a rousing speech. As Glinty over there mentioned, I’m Time Saver. I actually talked that one into coming to CORE with me, she might not show it but she'd be useless without me looking out for her.”
“Time, I’m not Glinty either. I swear you’re as bad as a foal sometimes,” Glint Spark said, hiding her face in her mane.
“You wouldn’t want it any other way and you know it. Anywho, I’m the pony you’re going to want to go to when it comes to getting anything. If you need something, I more than likely know how to get it cheap or can find a way to get it done faster.
“Glint Spark here, she’s kinda stuffy and shy sometimes. But she’s dedicated and if your hay bacon’s in the fire, there’s no better pony to get it out before you’re cooked.” He said in lieu of an introduction.
“It’s nice to meet you two, I’m Royal Pin. I’m sure we’re going to be close co-workers.” He said with a smile.
Author's Note
Now these are things brought up in the comments section of GDocs that I'll clarify here:
-Derpl: Dork. It's an in joke, based around an old friend of mine who tried calling me a dork!, but was so tired they wrote derl/. And I haven't let them live it down since, that and it sounds funny to say.
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-Would there be Time Classes in school: Well even though Time Shenanigans aren't going to be a thin really in L!Verse. Star Swirl has an entire wing dedicate to him, and has lots of time spells with in it. And ponies in Both L! and FIM! Verses have prophetic abilities, if any of those prophesies were to be written / stored somewhere, then you'd have a place to train fledgeling prophets.
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-W: In my head, every person who heads the CORE agency is known by one letter. Starting with A, and going up a letter with each new head. It was also asked if W wouldn't play it up and make the job seen as more interesting. And in my opinion, W's more honest than not.
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Dangers of Prophesy: The example given. Was based off of not only the Prophesy that stated Celestia's coming, but corresponded to Cadance's arrival. And with the pain it caused, and Luna having traveled to another time line were Tia went crazy for a bit. Luna would think that any further attempts at saying Celestia is returning as hogwash. Since in her state, she'd have seen "proof" that her sister is beyond saving.
Of course her words bite her in the butt when Celestia does come back.
I enjoyed writing Glint Spark and Time Saver, a bit sad that these three ponies aren't canon but it was fun to watch these ponies organically grow over the series. Any comments, critiques, or thoughts are welcome.
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Chapter 1 pt. 1: Before the Droppings Hit the Fan
~The Night of the Winter Solstice:~
Royal Pin cantered over to Glint Spark with three steaming mugs of coffee, as she was busy looking over spreadsheets of the morning shift. Giving her a playful nudge, she squawked in shock before looking at Royal Pin, “Sorry sir. I was busy making sure everything was in order before the Agency Winter Solstice Celebration.”
“Glint, we don’t have to be formal when we aren’t technically working, you know?” Royal Pin joked.
“I know, it’s a habit of mine. Although I can’t believe I understudied with a member of the Royal Guard for my post-technical graduation. I swear that pony was nuts,” Glint Spark said, rubbing the back of her neck with her left forehoof.
“It’s no problem, although Time Saver takes more pleasure from ribbing you about it than I do,” he replied, as he handed her a mug.
“Thanks, so I’ve been going over everything, and other than Warpers being overly active as most tend to be on major holidays, a few knots in time space that those in the field are working on taking care of, and Trixie for some reason being more problematic than usual. Things are rather slow,” Glint Spark reported.
It had been five long years, but Time Saver, Glint Spark, and Royal Pin made quite the Trio. Although he’d still not gotten farther than friends with Glint Spark due to his own fears of advancing things, and exasperation on the loopholes Time Saver could find to sleep during the job. But it was a plus on having the ability to time travel, in a building storing time workers. Was his stable loops didn’t actually interfere with work. As he put it, if he works his shift and time travels back into the past. Technically he’s still working.
Of course it was Royal Pin who was stuck with the paperwork of his shenanigans. But as the office joke went one couldn’t use a sheet of toilet paper without filling, in triplicate, the necessary forms. Then waiting a month for a reply. And Luna help you if you have to use the sheet for the job lest you get stuck with even more forms and reports on why you had to destroy government property to wipe your plot.
But Royal Pin wouldn’t have it any other way. He was the Coordinate Administrator of Field and Office activities. The very hub of where all the work happened. It was also the hub of the most grueling paperwork, oversight, and administration duties in CORE. Although he bet that the Sectional Captains who answered directly to the Head of Office had it worse sometimes having to deal with the paperwork and needs of several CAs.
There was a ritual most workers did when starting a shift or throughout the day. A small picture, trinket, or what have you of somepony special to them. Whether it was family, friend, or special somepony. Was kept near them, and they would use that to reflect on.
It was a way to remember that what they were doing was worth it. As well as motivation to get the job done right. As Time Saver and Glint Spark sat by the table before their shift started, Royal Pin gave a happy sigh, “You know I’m the luckiest pony in the world.”
“How so?” Time Saver asked.
“I got two of the best ponies a pony could know working with me, and I got a job in the easiest vocation in Equestria. Nothing major happens, we’re hundreds of feet beneath a mountain so there’s no chance of getting hurt from external events, and the co-workers are phenomenal.”
Glint Spark looked abashed, and if Royal Pin didn’t know any better he’d say she was blushing, “D’awwww! Thank Pins. You aren’t too bad yourself. I think the only reason everything seems easy is because you’re a great boss. Charismatic, compassionate, and you aren’t afraid to do the hard stuff yourself.”
Not having the benefit of a darker or red based coat, his blush was visible, which drew a laugh from Time Saver, “I’d say you two should just kiss already. But seeing you two play around the issue is too adorable.”
“Time Saver, if you’re not careful I’m gonna buck you to the sun,” Glint Spark groused.
“And yet neither of you two deny it when I tease you,” Time Saver said giving Glint Spark a playful punch on the foreleg.
“Okay! Different subject,” Royal Pin said fishing for a topic to dispel the awkwardness, “What do you guys think about us drawing the short straws this year?”
“Meh! I don’t mind working for the Winter Solstice, just as long as I get my Nightmare Night time off, and Hearth’s Warming, I don’t mind the work,” Time Saver said, “That and technically I just woke up an hour ago. So I’m all ready to go.”
“Time Saver one of these days you’re going to tell me how you are sleeping in a stasis pod in the infirmary and working here at the same time without entering an infinite loop,” Glint said with more than a tiny hint of annoyance.
“Glitterbug, if I did that then there would be no mystery. That and I’m not called Time Saver for nothing,” Time Saver replied cockily.
“I swear I’ll find out one of these days. There’s a betting pool and I put down a lot of bits that you aren’t in fact some time clone from the future, and that it doesn’t involve a forbidden artifact from the Dungeon. But then I might’ve put more money on a top secret spell you made somehow,” Glint said with an embarrassed scuffing of her forehooves.
“You’ll find out sooner or later. Hint, my Cutie Mark,” Time Saver said with a wink.
As Glint Spark gasped and ran off, Royal Pin looked at him with a raised eyebrow, “you never did tell me the story behind your Cutie Mark or why Glint Spark’s nickname was Glitterbug. You just laugh at me or anypony who asks.”
“Ah! You’re catching on, and I promise you’ll find out someday. But I like a bit of mystery. It makes me look better with the mares if you get what I’m saying,” Time Saver said with a cheesy grin.
“Not really, I mean you’re no Solid Snake, or Ace in Clover,” Royal Pin ribbed Time Saver.
Saver responded by placing a hoof over his heart and swooning, “You wound me good sir! Now I shall bleed to death from the pain you have inflicted.”
“I’m sure I’ll say a nice eulogy,” Royal Pin snarked, which earned him a laugh. If there was one thing Royal Pin knew, this was the best job in Equestria. And nothing truly bad ever happened inside the walls of CORE.
Author's Note
Time Saver's Special Talent is using Time Manipulation for time management, as well as a knack of finding ways to do more results with less work. That includes cloning oneself and letting quantum entanglement, and a time glitch to allow one of himself to sleep while the other works. Beats coffee any day of the week.
Liked this chapter. My editors / pre-readers wanted more than just the events, and to give more meat to the story. So I came out with the idea of a part 1 and part 2. Then After Chapter 2 came out I did the prologue which Ikept on the same spirit as the previously made chapters.
Chapter 1 pt. 2: The Corona Event
~Winter Solstice, Several Months ago~
Royal Pin, a greyish azure coated stallion, twin brother to the greatest brother in the world Pokey Pierce, sat at his oaken desk as the world around him came crashing down. It was another day at the Chronotopology Ontology and Relativity Ensemble, CORE for short. A government division that ages ago Luna had set up to ensure time worked as it was supposed to.
Ponies clocked in, the unicorns who specialized in Time magics ran their magic over a miniature globe, Sun and Moon to watch out for fluctuations, anomalies, and distortions. Various officials and civil servants who passed the tests Luna had set up centuries ago went about their business as usual. And for the most part it was the easiest job in the world. Then all of Tartaros broke loose.
“Sir! There’s a massive anomaly happening between the Sun and the Earth!” Glint Spark yelled.
“Alright, I need forms A-13U, P-100-B, and a message to those in the field to co-ordinate with any efforts the Guards take up! Also I need someone to tell the Prophecy Branch to locate any prophecy about the Sun, and whatever happens between now and then,” Royal Pin yelled.
“On it!” The mare in question said as several other employees went about carrying out his orders.
Lighting up the Scrying Viewer, the sun came into view as it rose above the sky. Clicking the intercom, and pressing the switch for PB, he waited to relay what was going on, and for his part he was as calm can be in the face of a major temporal anomaly. Then Corona showed up.
And everything dissolved into blind panic around him. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I was supposed to just sit here, watch out for the few time travelers that pop in every now and then, usually from those students looking into Chronomancy. Ensure that the few temporal blips that happen are stable. Fill out the proper reports, and have a nice cushy job.
Not watch as the world gets consumed by Corona! I swear … wait!
As Royal Pin was about to speak a loud booming voice that could rival the Princess if she was a stallion roared, “QUIET! THIS HERE IS GOVERNMENT AGENCY! WE AREN’T NICKNAMED THE GUARDIANS OF FOREVER FOR NOTHING!” The light purple coated Earth Pony stallion yelled. His black mane and mustache jiggled furiously.
“W, sir! It’s Corona!” Glint Spark yelled.
“I don’t care if Tirek breaks out Discord and they decided to party in the Night Court, Glint Spark, paperwork doesn’t care, and even if Corona wins then burns us to ashes or feasts on our bones! By Luna’s beard we will at least die knowing everything was in order!”
“Yes sir, sorry sir,” Glint said dejectedly.
“Good, now has anyone checked out the Overlay of the sun and cross reference it to known types of magics?” W asked.
“It seems to be … Zebra? How is that possible?” Glint Sparks asked as the rest of the workers were a furious hustle of paperwork, communication, and panic.
“Don’t know, throw in a report to request to ask how a Zebra can do this. Not much is known about their magic,” W replied, “Pin! I need you to ensure that everything’s in order. I have several other departments that I need to calm down before they decide to cause a riot. Also that A-13 form better be a Z.”
“Yes sir!”
When Luna was banished to the moon the temporal anomaly that formed the bindings to her prison was a massive blow to CORE. Everypony stopped their work in disbelief, the rock that made up everypony's existence, the Goddess that protected them for as long as the agency had existed. Was gone. Sure there were prophecies alluding to that, but everyone of them was counting on it being a false branch one of the many thousands of probabilities that never came true because an event just didn’t happen.
That and with how vague prophecies could be, it was one of those things whose wording had been argued and for all purposes dismissed. Even if they had to collect it for the Repository of Prophecies that was part of their many jobs. But to see it in action was like a knife made of ice piercing their very souls.
“PB, I have news. Luna has been trapped on the moon. TA is similar to the one that happened when Corona was released. I’ll transfer you to a new pony. Keep us updated on necessary prophecies to ensure maximum survival of innocents.”
This can’t be happening! This can’t be happening! Not now! No! Pin, it’s time to stand up to the plate. Piercey’s counting on me. Even though that lug wouldn’t listen to reason and join the family legacy of serving, where he’d be safe-ish right now. Keep it together till this passes, one way or another then get utterly blitzed until I think two plus two equals fish.
Sure his puns and irreverent humor takes sometime to get used to, but he’s always been so full of life. That and not only were our folks last wish was for me to look after Piercey, but he’s always there when you need him. Other than when time work is involved. But he’s always counted on me, and it always made a nerd like me feel like a superhero. That’s what’s on the line here.
Pressing the button for the CT department, or the ChronoTopology Dept. he gave said in a shaky voice, “Listen I need you to go over all data and input on the nature of the release of Corona. I want to know if it can be replicated, and I want all spare Chronomages working on trying to assist with things on Luna’s end. She’s been placed on the moon, and I fear that we are all boned six ways to sunday.”
“Um … RP, I know that you like your jokes but now’s not the time,” A voice on the other end replied.
“THIS ISN’T A JOKE! LUNA’S BEEN BUCKING SENT TO THE MOON!” Royal Pin yelled, trying to keep the hysterics from his voice.
“Horse feathers! Alright, don’t know what we can do. Probably be only a drop of water in the ocean, but we can see what we can do.”
“Alright,” Royal Pin said as he clicked the button off. His job as an administrative co-ordinator was a rough one at times. But it had never been this bad. Even when Trixie was in Canterlot, and worked her way through five entire drawers of forms dedicated to the problems she created purely by being herself was nowhere near as bad as Corona entering the world. And it was a bad day indeed when one wished for Trixie over anything else.
“Report,” Royal Pin said wearily.
“Well there are 4 prophecies on Corona’s entering Ponyville. Well 3 now they said. But PB’s saying it all falls down to whether Trixie makes it to the Everfree before a wave of the pony’s wrath descends upon her or she makes it in. If she makes it in, Corona can be … quenched?” A green unicorn asked the com, “yes quenched. Although that doesn’t mean anything if the 14 branches concerning Corona outside of Ponyville go udders up.”
“Tartaros! Okay. Streamline it for me, Time Saver. What do we need to do?”
“Well Canterlot must not fall. We need every available unicorn in the city to pump magic into it’s defender. If that shield breaks it doesn’t matter much if Trixie … Luna preserve us … succeeds or not. The heart of Equestria will fall and the land will fall with it.”
Giving a nod, he used the rarely used line to the outside. A line that was only to be used for extreme emergencies much like this one, he contacted the Royal Guards, “Hello! Hello! Answer the bloody thing already!”
“No time, we are in a state of emergency,” A gruff voice answered the other end.
“I know! That’s why I’m calling you. This is a member of Guardians of Forever, Represen .... well you know what! Now listen this is of great importance if you don’t want Equestria doomed!”
“What is it?”
“You need every available Unicorn that can generate a field to pump their magic into whoever’s defending the city from Corona.”
“Captain Shining Armor?”
“Yes! If that’s who it is! Every pony who can help needs to reinforce whatever he’s going to do if you don’t want Canterlot to become a crater! You have 4 hours if you’re lucky.”
“If we’re not?”
“Since we’ve been wasting time on pleasantries, twenty-five minutes.”
There was a click on the other end, and Royal Pin told himself to thank Luna for keeping their organization fitted with new toys. He would’ve hated to think of the old method of sending messages through a messenger in this mess. Now all he had to do was sit back and watch events unfold. All in all, this made up a majority of the job. Sit back and observe, don’t meddle unless you fill out the paperwork, help keep things stable.
It sucked now more than ever.
Time Saver and Glint Spark were having a discussion in a volume that spoke that Royal Pin was going to hate what was coming next.
“Sir?” Glint said in a tone that belied that she hoped he didn’t respond. Unfortunately for her, he had to.
“What is it?”
“Well now that Trixie made it out of the house while the town is demolishing it. And if she gets into the forest … well we have to put our fate in her.” She said.
“What? Well … PB’s gone through diagnostics, our residential prophets, and reviewed with our Time Scryers, and before things get fuzzy. They said Trixie’s most definitely the “Moon’s Chosen”.”
“So … all of our hopes, all of our lives are in Trixie’s hooves?”
“Yes.”
“And you’re sure that her living isn’t just to get those others into the Everfree and act as a meat shield?”
“I’m sure ... well they seem pretty sure.”
“Great! Wonderful! The Immoral and Catastrophic Trixie is who all of Equestria’s depending on. We are utterly boned!”
“I agree. And I’m out 60 bits,” she responded.
“I’m out a paycheck. I bet 450 that there was no way she’d ever be a force of good in the multiverse. But … buck it, get me a TP-6 … are we on drawer six yet?”
“I think we still only have five. I’ll have somepony check,” Glint said flapping out the door to check the Trixie Files.
“Now we wait to see how boned we truly get. I swear some ponies drop pebbles into the river, Trixie’s loaded with an army of boulders while metaphorically intoxicated. I’d hate to see what she does when she’s actually drunk. Other than that time she went to Oaton, now that was a wreck.”
Royal Pin couldn’t believe it. Not even with the Prophecy Branch keeping things up to date, and going through everything. Even with foreknowledge that if Canterlot didn’t fall things would work out. Trixie, that arrogant, selfish, stuck up, trainwreck of a mare not only saved the world with the five others, but did so through the power of friendship.
Although the CT Dept. worked their hardest to help Luna, it turns out that their help as guessed was little. Nonetheless Luna had returned, the event had only generated five hundred forms, and all members were pulling serious overtime. But at long last the event was done, and Royal Pin hoped that things would be a much weaker splash than today. Looking at the photo he started and ended every shift working at. He looked at the younger versions of him, his brother, and their parents right before Pokey decided to throw his future away living a ‘normal pony's’ life, “I hope you’re alright Pokes.”
The hardest part of his job was not the paper work, or ensuring the flow of time was stable or the very, very rare times the Princess needed help ensuring temporal stability. No the hardest was once out of this office he couldn’t tell ponies what he did, or what happened. Till the day he died. But thankfully he could still be vague in his letters he wrote his brother. Even if he rarely got replies back. Sitting in his hotel room, overlooking the city he put all the worries and fears of the last day onto paper.
Hey Pokes,
I just wanted to make sure you are alright. Work as you could probably guess was insane. I really wish that you’d embrace your lineage and come work in the family business. At least I would’ve known that you weren’t in danger. I promised mom and dad before they passed that I’d look out for you.
I know it’s a conversation that you don’t like having, and I might’ve been too pushy about that in the past. But I couldn’t stop thinking about you when Corona arrived. I saw it as it was happening. The shop was in a state of panic, but then so was all of Equestria. None of that matters though, I know we don’t see eye to eye on a lot any more. But please, I just need you to send me something to let me know you’re okay. We're all we have left in the world, and well just reply, and let me know that you are least happy.
KIT,
-Pins
Author's Note
GDoc's tab feature isn't wanting to carry over fully. Either it doesn't and I have to tab it here. Or it carries over, but has less spacing then when I tab it on this fic. So if you notice that the tabbing isn't even in some spots I tried doctoring it to make it more gradual. But I didn't feel life backspacing, then retabbing the entire fic.
Anywho:
A-13 [massive, world changing =, temporal anamoly]. [U=unknown; Al= Unicorn; Pr = Alicorn; Z = Zebra / Zebrony].
P 100-B [Prophesy, 1000's century [grouped by 100 yr groupings]; Branching]. I see, and saw time travel a lot like the Shin Megami Tensei PErsona 3+ series / Devil Survivor. Where all events happen, but depending on actions / branching events taken only one is ever experienced at a time.
And in head canon, the "Multiverse filled with worlds" was her touching upon one of many probable branches where the planet never formed life [since life on any given planet is a longshot, or like Equestria Girls, a totally different series of branches]], rather than her finding temporal paths / "roads". Which is more on line of ChronoTopologists.
TP-6. Trixie Problem drawer #6.
I think that's all the extra tidbits I can / was requested Iput into the A/N.
Chapter 2 pt.1: Another Day, Another Bit
Author's Note
Indentation came in wonky when I moved it from GDocs, and it doesn't want to come out right. So I apologize for this chapters weird indentation.
Chapter 2 pt.1: Another Day, Another Bit
It had been almost a six months since the Corona Event. The big message that all CORE workers and the Princess learned. Never say never. Now there were all those prophecies about ponies that might allude to her. As well as other big bads. That mostly were ignored till now and had to be gone through. And never mind the fact that in about a month or two months, Tambelon was scheduled to make a return. Something that they would have no power over working on, and had to be the Princess herself and the Element Bearers who were going.
But the biggest problem was that could wait until his shift started. He sat in the employee lounge nursing a hot cocoa, secretly thinking if it would be worth it to sneak a shot of vodka. Between Luna’s horrible advice in his dreams, to a lack of movement on a rather startling series of temporal events, or more specifically the paperwork for said events. He wasn’t sure what would kill him first.
Trixie in real life through his dreams, or fact that the world he was supposed to keeping safe for his brother was now on a constant state of danger being in close proximity to that mare and he couldn’t hoof wave it away.
Glint Spark saddled to his left, while Time Saver yawned and sat to his right. They gave each other knowing glances, “Hey, we were talking,” Time Saver said in the same tone of voice one would use to talk a pony from not jumping off the edge of Mount Canterhorn.
“Hmmm?” Royal Pin hummed noncommittally.
“Well we haven’t officially been on a vacation in a few years. So me and Glinty here thought that someday soon, a few months at the latest. We’d take you over to Ponyville, you told us Pokey said it was a great town. We can be where it’s nice and quiet, and well you know. Vacationy stuff?”
“Listen I know you two are trying to get me to go over to Ponyville. Luna says the same things in my dreams, but I can’t yet. Pokey doesn’t want to listen to reason, and I haven’t saved the world yet. I want to live up to that image that he has of me you know? I can’t let him down,” Royal Pin said wearily. It would be nice to finally have some more personal time with Glint, but who am I kidding, a mare as wonderful and gorgeous as her is way out of my league. But it’d probably be ruined by Pokey, being head strong on putting himself in danger. He has even greater sensitivity than I do, but still says that the CORE isn’t for him. But on the third hoof, Glint Spark … Royal Pin let loose a dejected sigh.
Only for Glint Spark to smack him upside the head with a food tray, “Okay that’s it. We’re taking you, kicking and screaming to Ponyville after the mess the Grand Galloping Gala generates. And if you try to do that one thing where you say you’re swamped with work. Know that we know that trick, and we know who to go to, to make that magical extra work go away,” she huffed.
It turned out working 5 years with an ex-Royal Guard, on top of her two ‘friends’, had helped her know when to put her hoof down. Unfortunately for Royal Pin, she put hers down hard when she was helping those she cared about or thought they were being stupid.
“Alright, sheesh. Cut down on the beatings, I need my face for work.”
“Only parts of it,” she replied giving him a hug that Time Saver joined in on.
“We need to get to work soon. I’ll let my brother know I’ll be coming and I’ll let you two be a surprise, “Royal Pin said rubbing the sore spot on his head. A part of me wants to find a different way to avoid this. But I don’t know how to get past Time Saver … he’s a wily one, and I don’t want to risk angering Glint Spark. Besides that she’s hot and out of my league … she’d also knock me out and drag me there regardless.
Royal Pin couldn’t believe his string of bad luck. Other than his brother speaking to him now, even if he still wouldn’t listen to reason. At least he was close enough to Trixie for him to drop hints to try steering that walking temporal disaster in the right direction. As well as look out for her. Now that she was the Element of Magic, she was not just a boulder launching maniac in the timeline. But was verifiable hurricane. A maelstrom of probability along with her friends that filled his days with enough work that he dreamt of working when he slept.
At least he did for the first five months, before Luna thankfully intervened and let him know that he wasn’t the only ones dreaming of the paperwork Trixie generated. After that it was dreaming of Trixie, for some strange reason in a puppy costume, throwing boulders made of form requests upon him. And for an even stranger reason Pokey, his own flesh and blood, was helping her.
But alas even that soon faded into a tedious eventuality. And he was dead set against Luna’s advice of visiting his brother and Trixie. Not only did she not have clearance, to his knowledge, to know about CORE. But the farther he stayed away from her the better. Even if she was becoming more and more of an actual equine. And was developing into a mare that he could almost consider worthy of being his brother’s friend, rather than just a boss that his brother worked with because he thought he saw something salvageable in her if his letters were to be believed.
Chapter 2 pt. 2: The Fracture Event
Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. Prologue Part 1: Time and CORE
~Intro into the “History of Time and Time Mechanics. Yr.1”
The nature of time is a complicated one. But for you, one of the few, the proud, and the bold. Whom have been chosen to become a member of CORE. It is one that you will learn about in time. For now this chapter shall be a crash course. Regardless of whatever division you’ve been or will be placed in.
There are many philosophies and words used to describe whatever particular branch of the multiverse we are in. Some call it the timeline, or timestream. Both are inaccurate, but colloquially understandable, but take away from the beauty of the nature of time. For convenience we shall use timeline in the book. And remember any underlined words will be most definitely coming up on future tests.
Now the Multiverse was formed by a point of origin billions of years ago. Nopony has ever managed to see the beginning of all creation. But it has been agreed that once it happened all core, or prime universes were formed. With preset laws of physics and magic that govern reality as we know it. And from those primes, all subsequent realities are formed.
Time as we know it is never linear, there is no true point a to point b. For every action there are a finite alternative choices an individual can make. For the most part those small discrepancies have very little to no impact on others outside themselves. Thus, on the whole have no impact on the timeline in general. But as those variables line up, and those interactions affect the right entities at the right time. A timeline is chosen, and that individual and almost all individuals on that timeline are only aware of that individual timeline only. But there are timelines existing alongside that one were the other variables combine to alternate universes.
Alternate universes or AU’s are one of the many mechanisms in the Multiverse to ensure stability. They will be covered later on to show how certain temporal events that could cause said events don’t really change the starting timeline, as much as open up the things to that alternate series of events. Most notably the famous “kill your own grandmother” paradox.
Because of this, while time travel to the past is simple enough, changing events is difficult. For the “butterfly effect” is false. Since it’s rarely if ever, one event that causes everything to become different, unless that event is pivotal to the futures and lives of many. But finding such an event is difficult. Rather it should be called the “Migration Effect”, for one butterfly flapping does very little unless it flaps very hard a majority of the time. But like with entities in a time line, if one butterfly alters its path slightly, it could alter the entire flight path of all others in its swarm.
Same with ponies going into the past, changing one thing. It rarely if ever changes the future, but if a change was to cause a different outcome it would use that change as a variable for a pre-existing alternate timeline. Thus forming a stable loop. A timeline where it didn’t, and thus the traveler goes back, and a series of alternate timelines where that traveler would be in a totally different timeline that formed from those actions. Now before you go time traveling willy nilly it is hard if not nigh impossible to go to the original timeline after altering events. Since time likes to go on the path its currently on.
This is also another mechanism to ensure that time runs stable. And now that the basics are under the way. I hope you shall enjoy the rest of this book.
~Notes from Chapter 2, Rise of CORE.
It’s been said in the records of our previous incarnations. That’s when the princesses, when we had two of them, arrived. They noticed the Equine Races. Earth Ponies they saw had a deep connection to earth, were able to see meridians and ley lines, could sense connections, and could help things grow. Pegasi had mastery of air, weather, and water. As well as could feel the very currents flowing around them. While Unicorns were beings in tune with magic and while they could replicate the other races magics with training and loved pushing their limits of the dominance of reality their Cutie Marks represented to their whims.
But amongst their little ponies there were ones that, like them, had a special connection to time. Their pony magics giving them access to temporal mechanics that others did not, or had no interest in training in. The Earth Ponies could feel the warps, fluxes, flow, and connection of time. And they could make physical use of those redundancies and mechanics. Pegasi could feel the winds of time, or the distortions that temporal events gave off, and could touch and mold them just as they could weather. And Unicorns could manipulate and touch it in ways most other pony races could only dream of.
These early pioneers were the first ChronoOntologists, working with and touching upon the physical nature and state of being of time and time magics. The princesses saw a class of ponies that could be used to watch after and help the timeline, just as their less time orientated relatives could. They brought them together to help them in keeping stability as well as watching out for problems if they should arise. Thus the ‘Guardians of Forever’ were born.
The first iteration of CORE was rather unorganized. Being in the Paleopony Era, they had very few needs to write things down, or deeper organization with such a small world. They simply tended to the world’s most beautiful force of nature. When problems arrived, they were reported as needed, and if they could help then they did so with an eye always towards the future.
It was sometime during this first iteration that ponies from the future came into the past and while investigating, left behind items. Some of these were rather harmless, timeline appropriate cloth, paper, the like. But others were careless and either on purpose or by design left behind things that the timeline wasn’t and in some cases still isn’t ready for. Things like advanced technology, metallurgical alloys, notes or even spells.
They came to the princesses with these tidbits. The princesses decided that they should hide them. As the Guardians of Forever started recording what they found, reporting to the princesses more often, and took a less passive approach to their love and duty. COOP was formed, standing for ChronoOntologists On Patrol.
COOP from that point forward made it a duty to collect all forms of prophecy, things left behind by travelers, and actively explore, monitor, and map all parts of the multiverse they could get their hooves on. And in this came alongside it a greater amount of paperwork, more accurate recordings, and a safe spot deep under Canterlot’s mountain where they could do their work in peace. Unfortunately they were formed just as Equestria was founded, so that iteration was not to last for long. For in the madness of Corona’s imprisonment many COOP members went into hiding, and even more than a few lost their lives in the twelve years between Corona’s final battle, and Luna’s grief.
It was Greybeard the Wise, Newton, Milky Fen, and Mad Prophet. They gathered what little of COOP that could be recovered after fourteen years from the members to the gutted building that once belonged to the Guardians of Forever, and from the ashes came a new group. Merging the sciences that had been developed. Of map making, machinations, and relativity, and newer states of chronomancy. To form CORE, or Chronotopologist Ontologist and Relativity Ensemble, although their start was filled with rocky stumbles, such as the Mad Prophet running loose and fanning the flames of a Celestia freed from the sun and reborn. Which we now know as Princess Mi Amore Cadenza rather than Corona’s actual freedom.
Although the Mad Prophet said that the prophecy was unfulfilled, and after leaving behind his collection of prophecies disappeared. From then 16 LR onwards things slowly became what they are today.
~ 10 years before Corona’s escape~
Royal Pin sat with the book of the CORE members open before him with a thick pile of notes beside him. His family had raised him and his younger twin for great things for the future of Equestria’s temporal stability. Their family had been members of CORE since its inception after the founding members rebuilt the organization. Even though Pokey Pierce didn’t have an interest in it, he still sat beside his brother poking his ribs, “So Pinhead, any other points of interest we need you to go over before your big test? You need to be sharp as a tack if you want to get into the advanced placement.”
“No Piercey, I think I’m good. But why aren’t you taking the tests? I’m sure you could get into CORE like mom and dad?” Royal Pin asked his twin who was now sharpening his horn on the edge of the table.
“But it’s so boring, and they always get so busy with work, and can’t abuse time travel to have more time with us. That and I don’t know …” Pokey Pierce said rubbing his horn with a fetlock, “I think I’d be happier not having to worry about time. You know just live life to the fullest, and know that you’re looking out for me like Wonder Stallion, or Supermare … but a colt not an icky filly,” Pokey said sticking his tongue out in disgust.
“But fillies aren’t that bad,” Royal Pin said with a blush.
“Uh-huh! They have cooties! And if you had cooties then I couldn’t be your twin and who’d always be looking out for me and making sure I don’t get stuck horn first in something?” Pierce said in genuine panic.
“Fine!” Royal Pin said with an eye roll before giving his brother a hug, “I’ll be like a Superstallion than. Wish me luck lug head.”
“I’ll lug your head for you,” Pokey said pulling back from the hug to give a noogie before going back for the hug, “Good luck, Pinhead, I’ll be sure to have a foalhood you can live vicare-ee-ously through.”
“Vicariously, Piercey. And thanks, ” Royal Pin replied as he fixed his hair. I’m going to make all of you proud of me. Just like a superhero. You, Mom, Dad, Gran-gran. And I got your lucky noogies, so there’s no way I can fail.
Author's Note
While this fic is non-canon. Originally I thought up the idea for CORE as a way to introduce Royal Pin, which about a year ago I mis-read on a mlp.wikia pony list. Then thought it'd make a good twin for Pokes.
The idea of time badges replacing Cutie Marks was based off of Trixie's se of a glamor to "alter" her Cutie Mark when posing as Lyra that one time, as well as the shows habit of changing a CM betwee scenes every now and then.
Every Sunday I'll be posting two chapters, until all 6 chapters of this mini-series are posted.
