"Ditzy!" Doctor Turner shouted, seeing the cross-eyed pony, as he opened the door to his cottage, "Come in, come in!"
"Hey, Doc!" Ditzy said with gee, entering the cottage. "Ready for our weekly tea and muffins!"
"He can get to that later," Turner replied, "I have something remarkable to show you!" He trotted over to his workshop, Ditzy following him, and walked toward a curtain on the left side of the large room, with a rope hanging down. He straightened his crimson bow-tie, and then grabbed the rope, but, didn't pull it.
"As you know, Ditzy, I have been working on a machine to travel through time for quite some time," Turner said with his eyes closed, "or even a machine to make time come forward to you. And, I think I may have achieved a breakthrough!" He opened eyes, and saw Ditzy playing with his mind reader, a failed invention he'd tested on Pinkie Pie several months back. Testing it on Pinkie Pie was a bad idea in itself, as the machine nearly exploded with being overwhelmed with information. Turner had decided to put it away, considering it for a future invention.
He trotted over to Ditzy, taking the machine off her head, "Granted, there is a magic spell for it, not everypony can use it, only unicorns and alicorns, so I decided to try again. Because of the fact that unicorns have a genetic advantage when it comes to time travel, and alicorns are so rare, I figured pegusi and earth ponies deserve a chance to do the same thing!" He pulled Ditzy over to the front of the curtain, and walked toward the rope. "So, because of this, I bring you," he pulled the rope, opening the curtain, "The Time Bringer 7000!"
Ditzy looked at the remarkable bronze machine in front of her. Easily fifteen feet tall, the top was a sphere, attaching to a cylindrical translucent column, which attached to a circular console on the bottom. It had cables going everywhere on the machine with several levers and switches on the console. Turner trotted over to her. "What do you think?" He asked.
"It's so...um..." Ditzy was at a loss for words, which was a rare occasion, "Big."
Turner scratched his chin, "Yes, well, the size isn't very convenient for common use, but, I'm sure there's a way to shrink it, after all, this is just the prototype."
"There's so much stuff on the console." Ditzy said, dreamily. She eyed one of the things on it. "Is that a bicycle pump?"
"I had a limited budget." Turner replied. "But, come on, this is a huge breakthrough! Assuming it works, it could change the entire future of ponykind!"
"You mean, you haven't tested it?" Ditzy asked.
"Well, that's why I invited you here, my dear. After all, you are my best friend, I could think of nopony better to help me test fly it!" Turner said. Ditzy turned to him.
"I'm your best friend?" She asked, her lazy eye looking upward.
"Well, yes, who else would it be?" Ditzy rushed over and hugged him tightly.
"Oh, thanks Doc!" She said, "You're such a sweetheart!"
Turner gasped. "Ditzy! Can't...breath!"
Ditzy let go of him, "Oh, sorry Doc."
"It's fine," the good doctor said, "you were just expressing your excitement." He straightened his bow-tie, and walked back into the main room of his home, Ditzy following him.
Turner opened the oven, and pulled out a row of muffins, and removed the tea pot from the stove. "You see Ditzy, I've spent centuries trying to figure out how time works, and how to manipulate it, and since I've hit a breakthrough, I should be happy, shouldn't I?"
As he placed the muffins onto a large serving plate, Ditzy replied, "I would think so."
Turner placed the plate on the coffee table, and waltzed back into the kitchen area. "Then why don't I?" He poured the tea into two cups. "I should be ecstatic with relief, and cheerfulness, so why don't I?" He passed one cup to Ditzy, while grabbing his own, and sitting on the love seat, while Ditzy sat on the couch.
"Maybe it's because you're worried it won't work?" Ditzy replied, taking a bit out of a muffin. "Maybe you just need to test it."
Turner rubbed his chin. "Perhaps you're right." He took a drink of his tea. "I'm probably just anxious."
"Yep." Ditzy agreed, and took a drink of her tea. "Oh, yum! What kind of tea is this?"
"Peach and apple!" Turner said with pride, "My very special blend! I used some home grown peaches, as well as some of Sweet Apple Acres' fresh apples and combined them into a special kind of tea! It's brilliant!"
"Yeah, it really is!" Ditzy agreed. "So, when will you test the uh..."
"Time Bringer 7000!" Turner finished for her.
"Why not something catchy, like Time and Relative Dimension in Space?" Ditzy asked.
"Time and Relative Dimension in Space?" Turner asked, scratching his chin. "It's a bit long, isn't it?"
"Well, you could call it TARDIS for short!" Ditzy said, gleefully.
"Eh..." Turner said, making a face, "But, the title doesn't really explain the machines purpose, or even what's it's supposed to be in the first place! Don't get me wrong, TARDIS sounds nice, but, it doesn't really apply to a time machine. It more sounds like your exact point in the space-time continuum. Hm, I'll have to look into that."
"So, it's still the Time Bringer 7000?" Ditzy asked.
"Yes, I believe so." Turner replied, finishing his cup of tea.
"When will you test it?" Ditzy asked, finishing the last muffin on the plate.
"I was thinking, now would be a good time." Turner said.
"Are you sure?"
"Well, you know what they say, no time like the present." Turner said, carrying the tea cups and plate back to the kitchen.
"Even when it comes to a time machine?" Ditzy asked.
Turner chuckled. "Yes, by dear, even when it comes to a time machine." He placed the dishes in the sink. "Although technically, it's not a time machine, it's a time bringer, meaning it brings time toward you." He walked back toward Ditzy. "Now then, you want to test the Time Bringer 7000 with me?"
"Of course!" Ditzy said, hugging him.
Turner let go. "Alright then, let's get to work!"
The two trotted into the workshop, and Turner began hooking up the Time Bringer 7000 to the power systems in his home. He and Ditzy placed on goggles, and walked toward the console. "Hold on! I nearly forgot!" Turner shouted. He opened his closet, and grabbed a camera attached to a tri-pod. He set it up, turned it on, and began talking.
"Hello. I'm Doctor Time Turner, and I am standing in my home at about 11:42 AM, and this is temporal experiment number 1!" Turner trotted back over to Ditzy, who was standing near the console.
"You're recording this?" Ditzy asked.
"But, of course!" Turner said, "After all, I want to remember this for all time! And, if this is a success, I can send it to the Equestrian Science Academy, and maybe they'll finally acknowledge my work! Didn't I tell you this?"
"No." Ditzy said.
"Oh, I must've left it out..." Turner shook his head violently, and then shouted, "Right then, Allons-y!" He pressed several switches.
A loud screeching, groaning sound filled the room. "Activating the temporal calculations!" The noise changed pitch. "Modifying space coordinates!" It changed pitch to a higher tone. "And, adding sound frequency!" The sound returned to it's original pitch. "Commencing Time Merging...NOW!!!" The sound grew louder, and louder and louder, and then there was a loud sparking sound. "What?" Turner asked himself, rushing over to the console monitor, as the console caught fire.
"What's happening?!" Ditzy asked, over the loud screeching sound.
"The Time Bringer...it's over loading! There's too much stress on it!" Turner gulped, and his eyes widened, as he stared at the screen.
"What does that mean!?" Ditzy shouted.
"DUCK!!!" Turner shouted, and pulled Ditzy over to a desk a few yards away from the machine. He flipped the desk on it's side, and held Ditzy tightly, as there was a bright light, followed by a deafening explosion.
Turner opened his eyes, and looked over the desk. "Great whickering stallions!" He shouted.
"What is it?" Ditzy said, looking over the desk.
"Well, that!" Turner said, pointing toward his machine. Or what was left of it.
Only a singed console remained, while the rest of it was in debris spots scattered about the room. "What happened?" Ditzy asked, as Turner walked over to the console.
"The stress the machine was put under caused it to overload," Turner explained, looking about the ruining time machine. "It buckled under the stress, and exploded." He stopped once he got to the console. "Do you know what this means?" He looked toward Ditzy, who shook her head. "It means, that this damn thing doesn't work at all!" He kicked the console. "OW! Son of a..."
"But, you can rebuild it, right?" Ditzy said.
"Oh, what's the point? I've clearly failed." Turner walked over to another desk, looking at his notes.
"Maybe, you just need a good muffin from Sugar Cube Corner." Ditzy offered.
The doctor sighed. "Perhaps you're right, Ditzy." Turner said. "Maybe I just need a little pick-me-up." He began trotting toward the door.
"Well, at least it was just in this room, right?" Ditzy asked.
"Yes, that's true." Turner opened his front door, and stopped in his tracks. "I'm afraid this has gone beyond my simple cottage, my friend." He looked on, as it seem that all of Ponyville had disappeared.
"What happened?" Ditzy asked, joining Doctor Turner at the entrance.
"It seems," Turner explained, "That all of Ponyville, and it's population, had vanished." Turner stepped out of his home, looking about his surroundings.
"But, how?" Ditzy asked, flying out of the home.
"Well, there are two possibilities." Turner said, and turned to face Ditzy. "One: The machine actually worked, and we've simply brought time forward, my house remaining in the same place."
"Well, that doesn't sound too bad." Ditzy said.
"The problem is, the machine overloaded, meaning I'd have to rebuild it from scratch." Turner said.
"But, you still have the console." Ditzy said.
"That's true, so I don't have to start completely from scratch." Turner said. "But, that's only one possibility."
"What the other one?" Ditzy asked.
"Well, it's possible that the machine overloading caused a temporal disturbance, whipping all of Ponyville from history, as well it's population." Turner explained.
"What does that mean?" Ditzy asked.
"It's means everything that existed in Ponyville at the moment of the temporal disturbance, is gone from reality. It never existed." Turner shivered at the thought.
"But, if it never existed, why are we here?" Ditzy asked, landing next to Turner.
"We are at the center of the explosion, we weren't affected." Turner said.
"So, how do we fix it?" Ditzy asked.
"We can't." Turner replied. "So, let's believe option one happened, shall we?" He looked up. "Well, it seems Canterlot is still here."
Ditzy looked as well. "It looks like someone's coming." She observed.
"What?" Turner looked harder. "Oh, this is what I get for not having a vision test!" The ran back into his house, and, came out wearing a pair of glasses. "Oh dear."
"What is it?" Ditzy asked.
"It looks like we're getting a visit from Princess Luna."
Luna was simply flying toward their location, rather than having a carriage take her there, which was odd for Luna. She landed a few feet away from them, with a frown on her face. "Doctor Turner," she said, nodding toward the doctor, "Ditzy Doo," she nodded towards Ditzy. "It's good to see you again, though I wish the circumstances were better."
"Circumstances?" Turner asked, taking off his glasses.
"Are you not aware that all of Ponyville has disappeared, or are you like every other pony, and have forgotten that the town even existed?" Luna asked.
"Hold on, what?" Turner asked, starting to sweat, loosening his bow-tie.
"Yes, it appears that the entire town has vanished, along with everyone in it." Luna said.
"Oh dear, it's the second theory." Turner said, sweating worse.
"Second theory?" Luna asked.
"Yes, my theory was that all of Ponyville, along with it's population, has been erased from existence." Turner said. "And, that seems to be the correct one."
"Then, why can we remember it?" Luna asked.
Turner scratched his chin. "We were at the heart of the explosion," he explained, gesturing to the wall-eyed pony behind him, "so, we weren't affected. However," he turned toward Luna, "I'm struggling to find a way to figure out how you remember."
"Hold on," Luna interrupted, "What do you mean, 'heart of the explosion?'"
"I was testing a time machine, and it overloaded." Turner said.
"So, this is your fault?" Luna asked, eyeing him.
"Um..." Turner stuttered, "I-I'm afraid so, yes."
Luna winced. "I should have through thrown in the dungeons for this." She said, surprisingly calm.
"What for?" Turner asked. "For eliminating a town that never existed?"
Luna frowned. "You have a point. But, you haven't explained why I remember."
Turner thought for a moment. "You can enter ponies dreams, yes?"
"Correct." Luna replied.
"Then, it's possible your infinite knowledge of ponies dreams has given you the ability to remember Ponyville's existence." Turner hypothesized.
"Hm... I suppose that makes sense." Luna said.
"Hold on!" Ditzy interrupted, rushing toward them. "If Ponyville never existed, doesn't that mean that anything that included it never happened?"
Turner thought for a moment, and then his pupils shrank. "Great whickering stallions, I hadn't even thought of that!" He rushed into his home, entering his workshop, checking his notes. Luna and Ditzy entered the room behind him. "If Ponyville, and all the ponies in it at the time of the explosion, never existed the whole world should've changed!"
"How so?" Luna asked.
Turner turned toward them, a look of panic on his face. "Any moment that included Ponyville, and an exterior factor, still happened, but without the town, and it's population. Consider this: When Nightmare Moon returned, trying to plunge the world into eternal night, it was Princess Twilight, and the other five who defeated her, yes?"
"Yes, I remember..." Luna said, a look of sorrow appearing.
"If they never existed, then all of Equestria should under eternal night. And, with no sunlight to grow produce, there was no food for ponies, causing them to starve to death. And, that's just Nightmare Moon's attack. That's not including anything else. Discords return, the Changeling Invasion of Canterlot, King Sombra's return, Tirek's escape from Tartarus, even the Bug-Bear, they were all stopped by the same ponies, but, if they never existed, then all of Equestria should be in ruin!"
"Then, why isn't the world affected?" Luna asked.
"Time hasn't caught up with it yet." Turner explained. "Slowly, but surely, time will catch up, and as it does, Equestria will fall into ruin."
"But, that means..." Luna said, her voice trailing off.
"I'm afraid so." Turner replied.
"What?" Ditzy asked, facing Turner.
"As time catches up, night will fall." Turner turned to face Luna, her eyes swelling with tears, "And, when night falls, the moon rises, and fillies have nightmares."
"Meaning?"
"As reality shifts around us, Luna will slowly shift back into Nightmare Moon." Turner looked in sorrow, as Luna, slumped down, knowing what was to come.
"So what happens to us?" Ditzy asked, turning to face the doctor.
"We were at the center of the temporal implosion." Turner said. "So, we will remain the same, while everything else deteriorates."
"But, Luna remembers," Ditzy said, "why wouldn't she stay the same."
"Her dream ability let her keep the memories." Turner explained. "But, she wasn't at the heart of the explosion. Thus, she will deteriorate with the rest of Equestria."
Luna stepped toward them, blinking out tears. "How...how do we fix it?"
"I... I don't know."' Turner said, looking at the ground.
"WHAT HAPPENED?!?!" A voice boomed a few yards away.
The three ponies looked to their right, and saw a large draconequus standing a few yards away, with a massive look of anger on his face. "WHAT HAPPENED?!" Discord shouted, stepping toward him. "WHERE'S FLUTTERSHY?!?"
"Discord, you must calm down..." Luna said, stepping toward him.
"THEN TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED?!" Discord shouted.
"Discord!" Turner shouted, and walked toward the draconequus. "My name is Doctor Time Turner, expert in temporal mechanics. Tell me what happened. From your point of view."
Discord breathed heavily, and began to explain what happened. "I was sitting in my home, doing the laundry, making sure it was dirty, when I felt a magical imbalance, as if something dreadful had taken place. I tracked it down to Ponyville, and wen I came here, the entire town was gone!"
"Why wasn't he affected?" Ditzy asked, walking up alongside the Doctor.
"His chaos magic must've protected him from the changes in the timeline." Turner explained.
"Would somepony care to tell me what happened?!" Discord asked.
"Listen, why don't we go into my cottage, and chat about this over a good cup of tea?"
