Chapters He opens the door regretfully. Holding back his tears, he enters his house. Wanting to sleep, he walks towards his room. A chill enters his house, which makes him freeze. Despite himself, he falls on the ground, and starts to cry. That is when he was surrounded. They do not say a word at first, not until the pony is finishes his confession of evil he had done, and they tell him the verdict.
The Four Ponies of Riotousness stand over him. One Stallion and three mares. All wearing brick red cloaks hiding their faces. "I see, you went back to change the past," The say in unison. "Have you ever thought that your presence may be why history is as we know it?" They ask finally. "You are the straw that Broke the pony's back!" They shout fiercely at him. The first time they show the stallion any emotion.
Crimson Tail looks up at them from the floor showing them his tear stained face, and red eyes. "It was just one mistake!" He pleads. He is trapped. With no way out. so he tries to make them see it his way, but that makes them more threatening and furious!
"A mistake that cost her the sanity she once had, and her sister one thousand years of loneliness" they shout once more before they vanish in to smoke. The entities had done their job. Now for their words to settle in the pony's head.
The room is once again warm. The room is silent once again. The room is empty once again. Crimson Tail's depression is settling in his mind. "It was just one mistake," he says again. "A mistake filled with ignorance and pain," Crimson says.
They leave Crimson Tail alone to reflect about what he had done, and tried to fix. He didn't mean for this to happen, it was of the purest reasons, he truly didn't want any of this to happen. He truly didn't! It just, happened. And now the guilt will forever hold him hostage. Crimson Tail had always been taught never to try to fix the mistakes of friends and family, but she needed it. She needed his help. Even though she is not a relative, nor friend, he knew her heart break and tried to fix it. With little use. He is the cause of everything. He never wanted to hear about it again. The shame, humiliation, guilt, devastation, it seems all to travel through his mind and heart all at once. Crimson feels defeated.
Her heart break was just too great! After losing the only family he ever known, Crimson felt like he knew what her pain was like, that's why he did it. Crimson Tail looks desperately into the mirror in the entry way. His red fur, his thick, course dark brown mane, and his light blue eyes stare back at him. Some how more desperately than he. He decides to look up towards where his horn sits upon his face, and curse it. He then turns away from the pony in the in the mirror, and instead decides to curse his cutie mark. It just sits there, on his flank. for all the world to see. And he hates it.
"You're the reason I'm in this mess with the entities, not my magic!" He growled. It's not like the cutie mark could respond, but it gives him some, if any, satisfaction. "It was you who cursed me, who promised me this fate! Why'd I have to get a time traveling cutie mark!? I like pottery, why not a vase as a cutie mark!?" Crimson starts to pace his living room/ entry way frivolously. With immense passion he glares at the ground.
The cutie mark in question is a melted clock signifying his talent for traveling through time. It seems along time ago when he got it, and the thing that once gave him ever lasting joy, now gives him only sadness and regret. Crimson, looking at the kitchen, quickly debates whether to redo what he has done, but instead looks out his window to see the moon still high in the sky. He looks at it sadly, and walks to his couch, and sleeps. But he is swamped with memories of what happened. It seems he is unable to sleep. He debates once again to redo his mistake, but he decides to try to fight for exhaustion once more.
"Ha," A thought had ac-cured to him, it lightens his terrible mood. "1010 years, and it still hurts to think about..."
His mind takes him to his idea to move to Ponyville to try to cast the spell there, and quickly shakes it out of his mind. "The very thought was stupid and careless. Why must I be so stupid?" he asks himself. Then he thinks of the cause of not going back. Of not causing what happened. They would never have met, she would never need saving, now that Crimson Tail thinks about it, this was a good thing that he did, he still feels guilty though. He knows that the Four Ponies of Riotousness didn't visit him to award him, he knows that the guilt and the heaviness was their way of punishment. "I don't think they intended for me to end up glad that I was the on that did this," Crimson thinks gladly.
In truth, if he didn't do it all of history could have been completely different, and as consequence, the present too. Time is delicate that way, and Crimson Tail knows it. He get up from the couch cheerfully, goes to his fridge, and pours himself a glass of milk. He looks at the night sky and smiles at it. Watching the stars dance in the vast, dark blue, beautiful void, he smiles. "This was a good thing that has happened," Crimson thinks, still staring at the sky. He then finishes his milk and goes back to the couch and sleeps.
It has always been part of a foal's curriculum to be taught of Nightmare Moon and her 1000 years of banishment. And very recently the Bearers of Harmony were added to the history books. Crimson Tail knew of the two stories very well, and each of them fascinating. Growing up in Fillydelphia, he wasn't used to any excitement so he read about it. In history books, and fiction books, there was always something exciting to read about. When Crimson Tail was three, his parents Silver Stream and Brooke divorced forcing him to live with his mother Brooke. Brooke herself was an Marine Scientist and worked at nights often leaving Crimson Tail home alone. So he'd often read quietly in his room until bed time. Because his mom was a Marine Scientist, they moved a lot for months at a time for her work.
Crimson Tail, though, was always left in a library for hours until his mother was finished for the day. And on one of these trips touring Equestria he discovered a book about a time traveling scientist in a carriage accompanied by a young stallion. He absolutely loved this book. So much in fact, he never gave it back to the library he borrowed it from. Every night before bed he would read it. Every time he would re-fall in love with this idea of time traveling. Nothing else had ever excited him more than the idea of time traveling. He started to read spells that would bend, stretch, manipulate, and travel through time. Then, he had accomplished it! At the age of five Crimson Tail had traveled back exactly a month before and traveled back with ease! He was overwhelmed with excitement and happiness so much so that he had forgotten how to speak! He danced and cheered with all his energy. The librarian had to remind him where he was and Crimson settled down.
When his mother picked him up that evening, she was shocked to see the cutie mark on his flank. Crimson Tail never noticed the cutie mark, which made him even happier! Telling his mother about everything that happened seemed like the right thing to do, but ended up being a lecture on the safety of time travel. When he was thirteen, he made his first mistake. He was visiting his grandparents in Fillydelphia because his grandma was getting very ill and was in hospice. Crimson was always very close with his grandparents and was very upset that his grandma was about to die. His mother and Grandfather warned him against using his magic to change anything about this situation, but his emotions got the better of him, and he traveled back in time to do what ever he could to fix the situation.
He went back a week ago, landing in the same hospice room he cast the spell in. Disturbing several ponies in the room, he ran out towards his grandparents' house. His grandpa explained that she took too much sugar when she wasn't supposed to have any, so all Crimson Tail had to do was convince her that taking the sugar was a bad idea. But how? He ran through the streets of Fillydelphia pondering just what to say to his grandma when he meets her. "Hello, Grandma! I am Crimson Tail from the future, and you get incredibly ill and in hospice from putting that sugar in your tea. So, would you please not put that sugar in your tea," he thought. "Yeah, that is a smart way to go about things," He mumbled to himself. But after fifteen blocks, he got to his destination. "Grandma! Grandpa! Open the door!" He yelled, knocking on the door. "Just a minute!" His grandma called.
A moment later, she was at the door. "Crimson Tail!" Exclaimed the old mare. "You're supposed to be in Ponyville!" She said again. "Can i come in, Grandma?" Crimson asked. "Yes, I was about to make up some tea, would you like some?" his grandma explained. "That's actually why I'm here," Crimson Tail explained. She lead him to the sitting room, and looked at him quizzical. Crimson sighed, and was about to explain the situation, but his grandma interceded. "You are from the future, aren't you," said his grandma. He nodded. "Celestia damn it, Crimson Tail! What have we warned you about time traveling!?" Demanded the mare. "But, Grandma, I'm saving your life!" Crimson Tail protested. "Today you mindlessly put sugar in your tea, and get sent to the hospital, and in only six days, you get moved into hospice! You know you're not supposed to have sugar, Grandma! It ruins your digestive system," explained Crimson Tail.
His grandma is shocked, but is stern. "If I am meant to die, that is the course of nature. You can't tamper with the nature of things, Crimson, serious consequences will fallow. If I don't die, then some pony else will! Like a stranger on the street, or a store clerk, or even your own mother," His grandma warned. "But you won't, that is what matters to me, grandma." His grandma sighs in defeat. "Fine, i won't add the sugar. But let this be a lesson you will never forget," His grandma explained. Crimson Tail didn't leave his grandma until she both made, and drank the tea to make sure the sugar wasn't poured. When he was satisfied, he zapped to his own time line.
His grandma wasn't in hospice, it was true, but saving her life meant killing another pony. Who? He didn't know yet, but on he and his mother traveled, him only knowing what had happened. But then he and his mother were visiting Canterlot a month later and there was where he learned his lesson. The pony he killed was none other than his Dad, whom they were visiting at the time. The funeral was three days later, but he didn't want to confront his grandma for fear she would tell him off. She found him, but said nothing, instead she gave him a look saying, "What did I tell you?" He felt the weight of shame slam itself upon him. For a full year he couldn't stop blaming himself. He wanted to go back and kick his past self in he butt for doing what he did, but he knew it was a bad idea.
He knew though, that the time line was all messed up and it had to slowly mend itself before he could do another travel through that time period. So he just waited for the pain to leave. His mother did too. She quite her job, and they settled on Appleoosa as a temporary home. But they ended up staying there for a little over four years. When Crimson Tail was eight-teen, he moved out of his mother's house and moved back to Fillydelphia. He got a job as a librarian and bought a house right in the middle of town. He met a mare named Star Light Dreams, an earth pony working as a play director for the theater there. He was twenty, she was eight-teen. They started living together after a year of dating. After many years of misery, Crimson Tail was finally happy and living normally.
Star Light Dreams was perfect to him, and he actually thought that maybe they would be married someday. His second mistake was when he was twenty-three. Four years with Star Light Dreams and everything was perfect. So, he had an idea to go forward in time one year to see how happy he might be. He did so. He was in their bedroom exactly a year in the future. Star Light Dreams was fast asleep in their bed. He smiled and was about to go back to his time when his eyes got more used to the dark and saw Star Light dreams, not sleeping, but having sex! She was having a good time by the looks of it, "I must be covered by the sheets," Crimson said, slyly. "Oh, Chilly Pepper!" She screamed.
And he came out of the covers, it was one of the actors that worked for her! "Do you want me to do that again?" He asked, smiling. "Yes! Yes! Oh, Celestia yes!" Crimson Tail could not believe what he was seeing! Star Light was going to or was already cheating on him! "When did you say your husband was going to me home?" asked the stallion. "Not until tomorrow," Star Light explained. Crimson then left. Disgusted, and not thinking straight, He broke up with Star Light Dreams, and kicked her out of his house. He then did what he used to do when he was upset, read the story of Nightmare Moon. He always felt connected with Princess Luna's pain somehow, and always felt like he and she could compare tragedies and ultimately become friends.
Once reading the story several times, he went to bed. He totally forgot that it was the Summer Sun Festival. He woke up to what he thought was only an hour of rest, because of what he saw in the sky, but really it was 8:00 A.M. Shocked, he looked up in the sky once more. The Mare on the Moon had vanished! Nightmare Moon had returned! Panic deluded Crimson Tail. He had no idea how it happened, or what was going on! How long would the sky be like that? Would Princess Celestia banish her back to the moon? He, along with everypony else on his street, walked into the street and stared at the sky. A minute passed, an hour passed, and on the third hour a glorious glow from far, far away. If he squinted, Crimson could almost make out a rainbow. But the rainbow looked like it came from the ground. It was too far away for him to even conform it was a rainbow. But a bright light had disturbed the night. Minutes after the mysterious light, much bigger and brighter, rose. Everypony cheered in happiness and re-leaf. It was the sun! Celestia had risen the sun.
News of what happened quickly spread all around Equestria. A Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Apple Jack, and Pinkie Pie from the small town Ponyville stopped Nightmare Moon with "The Elements of Harmony" the gems said only to be rumors. An idea came to him that morning. A brilliant plan. The plan to stop all of this from happening. The good and the bad. Forever. He didn't know how to do it exactly, but he knew that he couldn't wait even a month. He would leave for Ponyville the next week. He packed the week before and bought a 'Vacation home" in Ponyville. He was gone the next week. The idea of a life time.
On the train to Ponyville, Crimson planned out what exactly he was going to say. He thought it would be best not to say when he was from, and just keep it simple. Mostly tell her the truth. She needs to know that she is being cared for, and is loved. Princess Luna deserved that much. And he wasn't about to let his princess down. He always thought of going to the castile and meeting the princesses, "I guess this is my big break," he thought. With a sigh of ease, he looked out the window at the sky. The sun was glowing brightly, as usual, the clouds were scattered lazily turning a slight grey. Crimson Tail was excited because he would set things right, for every pony. He over heard the gossip of the six mares who saved the ponies and he new that he wouldn't go into the history books for the cunning and bravery he would do. In a way, he was saddened by this, but it didn't waver on his decision of doing what he came to Ponyville to do.
The reason he was going to Ponyville and not Canterlot is because it is dangerous to go back that far in time, so if you cast the spell directly where you want to be, there is a higher risk of serious injury. Being further is less risk. Crimson Tail was ready though and when the crowd of ponies exited the train, he fallowed confidently. He wanted to look unsuspicious, so he blended in to the crowd as they trotted into the town. He was greeted, surprisingly, by several ponies there. He thought that they were just being nice and that he shouldn't get cold feet or suspicious about anything. He met with a pony named Thunder Crash who was looking for a renter for a house he had bought. Naturally, Crimson Tail had explained that he needed a place to stay for a month or so. They shook hooves on it, and arranged Crimson to move in the next night. Admittedly, it was a small house. The entrance way was the main living room. There was a doorway- with no door- at the end of the room leading to the kitchen with an opening where ponies could visit with guests as they cooked. There was a small hallway with a washroom at the very end of the hall and a closet at the beginning of it and a bed room in-between the two doors previously mentioned.
The walls were mint green and the couch in the main room was red brick color the floors were wood and the front mat was a burgundy color with a pale yellow framing it. There was one mildly too noticeable window in the main room, a small one to fit the door, and one in the bedroom. Crimson just rolled his eyes at how visually unpleasing the house looked, but had to deal with it for a month. The next day was spent quizzing himself on Shakesponian language. It consisted of him pacing back and forth with his head down with a pile of q-cards levitated in front of him. At sun set, he had them all memorized. Crimson Tail conjured the spell, but not before he left the house, and went slightly out of Ponyville so not to be seen by the ponies living there.
He was suddenly in a place where Ponyville should have been, but wasn't. "The past," Crimson thought. It was true, for instead of houses, there were bails of hay. Instead of stone roads, where was trampled dirt. Everything was so different, Crimson almost didn't realize where he was. Where the Everfree Forest should be, there stood a large stone wall circling a kingdom. He walked curiously and timidly towards it, not knowing what he would expect, but the sun was setting, and he needed to see Luna. He walked up to a tall, menacing tree log gate that was as tall as the massive stone wall. He knocks three times.
"Who art thou?!" Demanded a guard upon the gate.
"I am an ally of the princesses!" Crimson called back.
"An ally of the princesses?! Is't thou upon a solution that I was born yesterday?!" He laughed.
"No! I do not speak falsely!" Crimson replied.
"Ay, I think thou do! Thine words are false, good pony, I must ask thee to leave," The guard demanded once more.
"Please, good pony, wouldst thou send an ally away from an audience with the princesses?" Crimson asked.
"Thine words are poison! Hence from this place!" The guard demanded.
It was very dangerous for Crimson to teleport to the entrance to the castile, but he had no choice. Before the guard could stop him, Crimson was at the doors. The doors looked about the same as the doors in Canterlot, but inside was stone. With tapestry and candles of course, but is was dark. Very Dark. He opened the doors with his magic and walked into the great hall where Princess Luna was sitting on her throne.
"Who comes forth?"
"Some pony with a question to ask thine majesty," explained Crimson as his head was lowered and walking towards the princess.
"Why has't thee come at such an hour? Why not ask my sister?" Princess Luna asked.
Crimson Tail, after reaching the edge of the stairway to the thrones explained, "Because I want thine answer."
He looked up and asked the princess, "Doth thou want to see the moon rise with me?"
Shock and delight showed on her face. Crimson knew that she was never asked that in her life, and it must have filled her with such joy. She nods.
"Come with us," She ordered. Crimson bowed as she left her throne and turned left. He fallowed her at a respectful distance as she lead him to a plaza. There was a statue of both Luna and Celestia facing each other. They were on there back hooves while raising their fore-hooves in a triumphant pose. and the stone under Crimson's hooves depicted a sun in a crescent moon. It was surrounded by leafy trees and stone arches. It was beautiful. There, Luna flew up to the sky and lit her horn. All at once any small indication that the sun was setting diminished and the light blue/purple sky ascended. Until the stars appeared twinkling and shining like spot lights, and the full moon rose higher in the sky until settling among the stars. Now the sky is a simple dark blue canvas with a masterpiece upon it. "Isn't it lovely?" Luna asked, please at what she had done.
"Ay, but come with me, Princess. I know a place where we can appreciate the sky better," Crimson explained, referencing the field where he landed merely five minutes before.
"Where?" asked the princess.
"Outside the city, but still safe near the city's walls," Crimson explained as he bowed.
Luna reluctantly fallowed as he leads her away from the city. The town was completely silent and no one was awake, there no sign of any movement but the two ponies walking by. It saddened Crimson, but it gave him more determination to do what he was doing. He looked up to the princess, she was smiling and looking forward. She knew what he was doing for her, and it filled her with glee. For centuries she raised the moon wanting at least some recognition of the night's beauty and not any, but now this stallion whom she has never met asked her to watch the night sky with her. It was more than she could ever ask for.
Finally, they got to the wall, and the princess hailed to the guard to open the gates. He was shocked to see that Crimson tail was telling the truth about knowing the princesses, also shocked to see one of them out of the castle. He nodded hastily and opened the gate. The sky was bigger, and more illustrious out of the city, and they could see the moon more clearly than in the castle grounds. Luna sighed in wonderment.
"It is beautiful, my friend," She said to Crimson.
"Let us sit upon a stack of hay to rest our legs," Crimson suggested.
They walk towards the first stack they find and rest. Soon, a wave of exhaustion had overcome Crimson. After teleporting many over 1000 years in the past, and then walking an entire city to get to this bail of hay, it was mentally exhausting. He looked up at Luna, and she was happy. He had done it. He had shown Princess Luna that some pony cares about her. But he couldn't fall asleep. He had to show her until sun rise, then he could leave.
