Author's Note

I am so sorry this is really late. I didn't have time to write anything and when I did have the time I had writer's block. I had wanted to make this sooner but it didn't happen. So forgive me and enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

You know those mornings when you feel as if nothing could go wrong.? Yeah, I didn't have that today. I don't have a clue who did this to me, but when I looked in the mirror this morning I found my face had hand drawn graffiti on it. I found a evil, curly mustache drawn on me, a monocle around my eye, and random scribbles on my cheeks. I will find the people who did this to me and I will prank them back tenfold . I have an idea of who it was, either Skittles or Pinkie. Anyway, I gotta do stuff today. I gotta get clothes from Rarity because I am not sleeping in this outfit for the rest of my life.

I try my best to wash this “art” off my face which is really hurting because I'm rubbing this wash cloth really hard. After my shower I look in the mirror and see that I got most of it off but I can still slightly see the drawings.

“Well this sucks. I hope it isn't noticeable otherwise I'd look like an idiot. *sniff *sniff * smells like food! My favorite!” I get dressed and wake down stairs. As I wake in the dining room is see the Apple siblings are eating cereal.

“Wait, I smelled food being cooked. What happened to that?” I ask.

Big Mac swallows his food and tells me a tale of woe. “Well, Granny had made biscuits and gravy but it got knocked over by someone,” Big Mac stares Apple bloom with a look that could scare a dragon, “And since we didn't have enough time ta make some more and get ta work on the chores we made ourselves some cereal.”

“Doesn't Apple Bloom need to get to school?” I ask.

“Nah, today is Saturday so ah don't have school.” Apple bloom said.

“Where is the cereal?” I asked.

“It's in the cupboard.” Applejack said.

“Thanks.” I walk into the kitchen and I find the cereal boxes right where Applejack said they would be. I grab the box that I'm assuming has cheerios in it and make m bowl of cereal. I sit down with the Apple siblings.

“Where is Granny Smith?” I ask.

“She had ta clean herself up because she got gravy all over her.” Big Mac said.

“Yeah! She got a lot of gravy in her hair too!” Apple bloom said while trying to hold in a laugh.

“Oh. Sounds unpleasant.”

“Do ya have plans today Raider?” Applejack said

“Yeah, I do. I need to go get some new clothes because I don't want to start smelling funny.”

“Okay.”

“Why do you ask?”

“No reason, just curious.”

“.....Okay.” I said.

I don't know how this happened but right after Apple Bloom had finished eating The CMC knocked on the door and had borrowed Apple Bloom for the day, talk about convenient timing. After I finished breakfast I put the bowl in the sink and walk to Rarity's store after asking directions from Applejack. I leave the farm with an unknown journey ahead and high hopes of a epic victory that will make me a- ah who am I kidding, it's just a walk into town. Why do I do this sometimes when I have a plan? Eh, who knows.

As I’m walking through town I’m looking at all the of the people, really taking in my surroundings. I look to my left and I see a Frisbee get thrown into an open window and I stop to make sure I saw what I thought I saw.

“Wait! We can't go in there!” I here a familiar voice say. I see the CMC run toward the window the Frisbee got lost in.

“Yeah we can. We just need to do it really fast.” Scootaloo said. And this is when I step in. I walk over to the CMC to talk to them.

“What's up Apple Bloom? Did ya loose your Frisbee?” I ask.

“How did ya know?” Apple Bloom said.

“I saw it fly in there. Who are these two?

“This here is Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo and we're THE CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS. Girls, this is Raider. The guy from outa town that's stayin' with us.”

“Your not thinking of going in there, are you?” I ask.

“We need to! It's my favorite Frisbee!” Scootaloo said.

“We can't break into people's houses! It's not right!”

“Come on! Pleeeeeaaaassseeeeeee?” Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle give me the puppy dog pout.

“Gorramit. Fine, I'll help you. Who's place is it?”

“YES!” Scootaloo cheers.

“It's Time Turners.”

“Time Turner? Is he the guy who wears the brown stripped suit and the sand shoes?” I ask.

“Yeah, that's the guy.” Sweetie Belle said.

“Is he home?” I said.

“No, he works at the clock store even on weekends for some reason.” Scootaloo said.

“Okay, good. Now I'm gonna hoist you through the window and you're gonna look for it.” I said

“Wouldn't it be faster if we all looked for it?” Scootaloo said.

“I guess you're right.”

“Of course I am.” Scootaloo said proudly.

“Alright, then I'll get all of you in then I'll get in. Don't touch anything, got it?” I said.

“Let's just get in.” Scoots said impatiently.

“Fine.” I kneel down and cup my hands to let Scoots put her foot in. when she does so I get her in and I do the same with the other two before I climb in there myself. The room is bigger than I thought it would be. It filled with machines and contraptions shut down. It looks like steam punk paradise in her and I'm loving every moment of it.

“Found the Frisbee!” Scootaloo yells.

“Where is it” Apple Bloom said.

“It's on the big pad right here.” We all run to the pad to meet up with Scoots.

“Now that we got it let's get out of here.”

“What's this button?” Sweetie Belle asked pointing the big red button next to the pad.

“What? Don't press-”, I didn't get to finish the sentence because guess what she did., “The button.” Now the pad is getting brighter.

“We need to get off this thing!” I said.

“Ya think!” Scootaloo snaps back. Before we can do it we see a bright then nothing.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I see nothing but darkness. AH, I'M BLIND! Wait........no, my eyes are closed. Maybe I should open them. I open my eyes and see the four of us are in a field.

“Ugh. What happened?” I say getting up.

“I ache all over.” Scootaloo said getting up.

“You alright?” I ask her.

“Yeah.” I see the other two get up rubbing their heads.

“What happened? Where are we?” Apple Bloom asked.

I look around to see if there was anything familiar but all I found was a little, little town to the right of me about 200 feet away.

“I don't know, but there is a town over there. Hey Scootaloo, did you always have those numbers on your arm?” I ask Scootaloo pointing to her left forearm.

“Huh? What! That wasn't there before! They're counting down! What does that mean?!” Scootaloo is now freaking out. I don't blame her, I mean we are in a new place without any knowledge of what happened and there is a number counting down on her arm. Do I have them too? I take off my jacket and check my forearm. Yep, crap. I wonder if this is the count down to our deaths. That would really suck!

“Do you two have them too?” I asked Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. They look at their arms and their eyes go as wide as saucers. They do apparently.

“Okay, there's a town over there so we can go over there and ask where we are. Sound like a plan?” they all nod in agreement.

“Good, come on.” I said walking to the town.

It took us thirty minutes to get there. We would have gotten there faster if Sweetie Belle hadn't hyperventilated from her “What ifs”. You know, like what if we can't get back or what if we die before we get home. A child's imagination is very creative when they get really scared. She got really graphic for our deaths so I’m now a little scared for and of Sweetie Belle.

We walked into the town and it looks very, very familiar. It looks like a town you would see in western movies and even the clothing that the people were wearing looked western. There were old stores that sold nick-knacks and who knows what, there is a good number of people but not enough to make you really uncomfortable, I can see the train stop at the station and give a whistle that could make you deaf if you were next to it, and I see the most beautiful thing I could ever see...........a hat booth! It's a booth with a counter in front of the guy, then the guy and behind him is a wall of beautiful stetsons. I want one and I know how I’m gonna get it.

I look around to see if there is anything the girls can do and I see a candy store to my left. Perfect! “Hey girls? There's a candy store over there. Why don't you go into it and check out the candy while I do something that I need to do. Sound good?” they nod in response and rush into the store.

I walk over to the booth see which hat I want. You know what? Just for fun I’m going to ask how much they cost. “Excuse me sir? How much are these hats?” I ask.

“All these hats are ten bits, sir.” he responded.

“Okay, thanks.”

“Are you knew in town?” he asked me.

“.....Uh, yeah. Why?”

“How would you like a hat for free? As a welcome to Ponyville gift.” I said to me.

“That would be great thank you! Do I get to choose which one?”

“Yep, pick one out.” he said gesturing to the hats. I look at the selection of hats and find one that I like the most.

“I would like that one.” I said pointing to the hat that looks like the Doctor's stetson.

He grabbed the hat and handed it to me. “Alright, here you go. You know this was a one time thing right? I can't be doing this all the time.”

“Yeah, I understand. Thanks.”

“Your welcome and tell your friends about Happy Hats Stand!”

I walk to the candy store to get the girls back. As I’m walking to the store I talk my steam punk goggles off and put them on top of the hat, then put the hat on. I look so cool! I open the door to the store and see the girls watching a guy stretch taffy of a hook.

“You girls ready to go?”

“Raider, look at how he's making the taffy! I didn't know they did it like that!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed.

“You didn't know? That's how they always do it, I think. Come on we gotta go now.” they walk over to my side and we head out.

“What's with the goggles on the hat?” Scootaloo asked.

“I thought it was cool.” I say proudly.

“Eh, looks weird.”

“Oh shush you. I think it's cool and that's all that matters.”

“Whatever you say, Buttercup.”

As we're walking down the street I begin to wonder about the numbers on our arms. What are they supposed to be?

“Hey Apple Bloom, Scottoaloo? Can I see your arms with the numbers on them?”

“Sure.” Apple Bloom said. They stuck out they're arms and they both say 00:06:54:47, now 46, 45, 44, ah you get the gist of it.

“It looks like a timer of some sort, but I still don't know for what. Sweetie Belle? Does your arm say the same thing?”

Sweetie looks at her arm. “Yep, the same thing!” so now it's same to assume that I have the same numbers.

“What do they mean?” Apple Bloom asked.

“If it is a timer than the six is hours, fifty four is minutes and the numbers counting down are seconds so something is gonna happen in about seven hours.” I said.

“Is it our deaths?!” Sweetie exclaimed.

“I don't know, but we can't assume that until we know exactly what happened.”

“Hey! That looks like granny smith!” Apple Bloom said pointing over to a girl with white hair in braids , green skin, and wearing a plaid dress.

“Kinda, but she's young and Granny Smith is old.” I said.

“No, no. it looks like her when she was young! It looks just like her!” she said. Wait, Time Turners place, light pad, numbers counting down on our arms, old timey town, and a young Granny Smith look alike. WE'RE IN THE PAST! I should have known it! Time Turner, the Equestrian version of the time traveler, The Doctor! I'm so thick! I'm a pudding brain!

“Raider, are ya okay?” Apple Bloom said.

“Uh? Oh, yeah. Why?”

“You had a scared and surprised look on you're face.” Scootaloo said.

“Girls, I just figured out where we are.”

“Where are we?” Sweetie Belle said.

“We're in Ponyville-”

“No we're not!” Scootaloo interrupted.

“-In the past.”

“What?” Sweetie Belle said.

“We were at Time Turner's place, who I'm assuming is time traveler, we were on a pad that lit up and put u sin a new place, and we now have numbers counting down on our arms. I think these numbers tell us how long we have left in the past. I'm not exactly, but it's a hunch.” I said.

“So what you're saying is, we are in Ponyville's past?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Yes. So you see, that Granny Smith look alike is actually Granny Smith in her youth.”

“Awesome! I wanna go talk ta her!” Apple Bloom said

“No!”

“Why not?” Apple Bloom said confused.

“There are certain things you must know before you do stuff all willy-nilly. There are the rules of time you need to know.” I said.

“Ugh, now comes the stupid rules.” Scootaloo rolled her eyes.

“Hey, this stuff could mean your life. One rule is, you cannot interfere with your own time line. If you do that will create a paradox and either rip a whole int the fabric of space and time or summon these creatures that will eat everybody so the universe can start over. Kinda like white blood cells only loose the restart the universe bit.” I said.

“Okay, I'll be careful.”

“Good. Another rules is don't kill anyone because killing the, could change big things in the future. Third, don't give out information because changing the past is kinda a bad thing and you could un-alive yourself.”

“Un-alive?” Scootaloo asked.

“Yeah, it's kinda a mental thing about me, I can't really say the k-word, but yeah, could sleep with the fishes, destroy your life, un-alive your body, you could K-word yourself.”

“.....okay.” Apple Bloom said.

“Another ruler is you can make ripples but not tidal waves. Meaning you can make little, unnoticeable changes but not big ones that can affect the future.”

“So, like, I can take an apple but not steal a whole cart?” Scootaloo said.

“Yeah, something like that. Yet another rule is don't believe that what has already happened. It hasn't if you're in the past so you can still change things.”

“I have a question.” Sweetie Belle said.

“Go ahead.”

“What if someone from the future came to the past, is it still not allowed to kill them?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“In that case, yes you can kill them because it won't affect the future.”

“Okay, thanks.”

“This one is kinda important too. Don't interfere in anything because it could cause major repercussions in the future and change almost everything thus creating a new time line.”

“Seems simple enough.” Sweetie Belle said.

“This is one of the last rules I can think of for time travel. Have fun! You're in the past or the future! You're seeing things almost no one else can see, learn things you never knew!” I said.

“That rule seems out of place because the other ones were about not dying and this one is about fun. Seem weird.” Scootaloo said.

“It is but it's true.”

“There are a lot of rules fer time. My head hurts now.” Apple Bloom said.

“It's not really a lot but thee is a good number of them.” I said.

“How do you know so much about time?” Scoots asked me.

“I watch a lot of Doctor Who.”

“What's Doctor Who.” Scoots asked.

“It's a show about a time traveler and I like it!” I pump my fist in the air.

“Sounds stupid.” you-know-who asked.

“It's come in handy now, hasn't it? So no judging!” We then hear people screaming from the building behind us. As I turn around I see there's a sign above the door that says BANK. That sucks.

“What's happening?” Apple Bloom asked. She walked over to the window to see what's up. “*GASP * It's robbery!”

“What?! How do you know?” Sweetie Belle said.

“The two robbers are holding guns and are wearing bandanas over their faces!” she said.

“We gotta stop them!” Scootaloo said.

“We can't! This would count as interfering so it's against the rules!” I said.

“forget the rules, innocent lives are at risk! I'm not letting them die!” she rushed into the bank to stop them. I run after Scoots to stop her, but as I run to the swinging doors to the bank and I see her punching one of the robbers leg. It isn't even fazing him one bit!

“Looks like we got ourselves a little hero girl, Big Time.” the robber getting the punches said.

“Waste the girl.” the other one said.

“NO!” The robber didn't have time to react as he got a punch in the face.

He dropped his gun to hold his face. I picked up the gun and shot him in his kneecap dropping him to the floor. I look over to the second robber as he aims his gun at me. I grab Scoots and jump behind the counter. The bullets fly and wiz past Scoots and I are hiding. I look in the gun to see I have five bullets left. That should be enough!

I rise and shoot at the robber missing him. He shoots back and I fall back down. I rise and shoot again and I graze his right shoulder. He grabs his shoulder and aims at me again and fires. He missed again but got so close I could hear the bullet wiz by my ear. I crawl over to the end of the counter, jump out and fire again. I missed again but he grazed my right hand, which happens to be the one hold the gun. I drop it but grab it with my left hand and cower behind the counter once more.

“Alright, if ya don't come out I'll shoot this lady!” The robber said. I rise from the counter and aim the gun at him. I see he's holding a women with a gun to her head. “Drop your gun and I let her go. What do ya say?” he says with the crazy eyes. I want to do it but I see his hand, the one holding the gun, isn't in front of her so if I shoot it he'll drop the gun.

“I said drop the gun!” he yelled. Aim small, miss small. I aim at his hand and fire. The bullet flies from the gun, cuts through the air and embeds itself in his his. “AH!” he dropped the gun and holds his hand in pain. I walk over to him, flip the gun so I’m holding the barrel and hit him as hard as I can with the butt of the gun knocking him out.

I walk over to the women. “Are you alright, Miss?” I give her my hand to help her up.

She takes it and I help her up, “Apple Pie, My name is Apple Pie. Thank you for saving me! I don't know if he would have killed me!.” she hugs me as hard as she could and DANG that girl has got some strength!

“And what would be the name of my savior?” Apple Pie asked.

“My name is Raider.”

“Thank you, Raider.” she smiled and gave me a quick kiss in the cheek and quickly left the building for some reason.

“LE GASP! Scoots!” I run over to where she was hiding and see her crawled up in a ball.

“Scoots, are you alright?” She slowly turns her head to me and I can see the look of terror on her face. Tears start to form in her eyes. She leaps at me and hugs me, crying as if there was no tomorrow.

“It's okay, you can let it out.” I rub her back to make her feel better. The police or sheriff, since we're in the past, run into the bank.

“What happened?! Is everyone alright?!” He yells he looks down and see s the subdued robbors on the floor bleeding, “Oh.”

“Where were you when all this happened?!” I yelled.

“I was.....uh...... indisposed.” He said.

“So you were on the pot. Good to know when there is trouble the sheriff won't be there.” I complained.

“Now who are you and where do you get off in disrespecting me?!” he yelled.

“I'm the guy who stopped the robbery and saved all the people and the money here! So you shut your gorram mouth!” I replied, “Come on Scoots, let's get out of here.” I pick up Scootaloo and walk out of there angry at the sheriff, satisfied for saving someone, and a little scared for interfering and braking a rule. Eh, what's done is done and I can't change it.

When we walked out the other two CMC run over to us. “Are you two alright?! We heard gunshots and were too afraid to watch.” Sweetie Belle said.

“We're fine, but Scoots here is shaken up.”

“Is she alright?” Apple Bloom said.

“She'll be fine. I didn't see her shot anywhere, she just needs some time.”

“Where the two robbers fighting each other?” Sweetie asked.

“No. I took one of the guns and took out the two robbers.”

“Did you kill them?” Sweetie Belle asked me with a scared tone.

“No, shot one in the knee and knocked out the other one. Then I got into an argument with the sheriff so we better leave before he does something.”

“But you were only in there for a few minutes. How did you take care of them that fast?” Sweetie Belle asked

“Luck I guess. Well, that and I'm fast and pretty accurate with weapons.”

“Sounds more like skills than luck.” Apple Bloom said.

“Hey you! Young man, get back over here and fight like a man instead of running away after a few words!” Yelled the sheriff.

“Run.” I said. And off we ran into the unknown world possibly facing dea- and I did it again.

_____________________________________________________________6 hours and 30 minutes later______________________________________________________

“How much longer are we gonna be in the past?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Look at your arm.” I said. She and I looked and it said 00:00:24:23.

“So we have twenty four minutes left?” She asked.

“Yep.” Apple Bloom pulled on my jacket arm, “Yeah?”

“Scootaloo is still kinda shaken up. Could ya make her feel better?” I look over to the little one and she has her head down hugging herself and I think I see her shaking a little. She looks more cold than scared.

I walk over to her to try my best, “Hey Scootaloo. Are you alright?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“I nearly died and you almost got killed you and others in the process because I wanted to be a brave hero and help the people, but all I did was hide while you fought them off. I'm nothing but a scared, helpless chicken.” She said while tearing up.

“You're wrong.” She looked up at me with a confused face, “You knew you had to help them because you didn't want them to die. On top of that, you actually ran in there to fight them and that took a lot of courage. I know you may not have done what you wanted to do, but if you hadn't gone in and had me follow someone would have died. So because of you they are alive and well. You're more of a hero than you think and I admire that about you.” she started to smile and hugged me.

“Thank you.”

I let go and knelt to her level, “You're welcome. I'm your firend, so if you have anything you want to talk about I'm right here.” I said.

“Hey, guess what. We only have about twenty minutes left here.”

“Really? Awesome because I’m hungry!” she said.

“Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle! Ya hungry?”

“YES/YES!” they said in unison.

“You three wait here. I'll get us some food.” I walk Scootaloo over to the other two and walk off to find food. Where was that apple cart? Ah, there it is. I see young Granny Smith manning the apple cart. I walk over to the cart and young Smith sees me.

“Can I help ya?” She asked.

“How much are these apples?”

“One bit per apple.” I don't have any money so I've got to get creative.

“Alright, thanks. Whoa!”

“What's wrong?” She asked.

“There's a dog balancing on a ball while spinning a plate on it's nose right behind you!”

“Where?” she turns around to see what isn't there. I grab four apples and since I have big pockets on my jacket I put two apples in each pocket.

“I don't see anything.” She turns back around to see a dust cloud in the shape of me, “That was strange.”

I run back to the CMC to give them their apples. I dodge people, carts and animals to make it back where I left them. When I come back, guess what! They're gone! This ain't good. How much time is left? I look on my arm and there is ten minutes left! I really need to find them!

“Apple Bloom! Sweetie Belle! Scootaloo! Where are you?! Huh, man I sounded like Shaggy calling for Scooby. No time to laugh about it right now, I need to find them before time runs out!” I frantically run and search and call their names looking for them. Where are they! If I were a kid, wait, I am a kid. Where do I want to be right now besides the future? I GOT IT! The candy store! I run to the candy store in hopes they are there. When I make it there I burst through the door and find the CMC mesmerized by the guy stretching the taffy.

“Again?!” Me saying this broke the taffy trance and made them look at me.

“Huh? Oh, hi Raider!” Apple Bloom said.

“Dude, why did you run off?!” I ask.

“You were gone awhile and we didn't know when you'd come back so we came here to pass time.” Scootaloo said.

“Look at your arms! We only got a few minutes left.” I look at my arm and it says 00:00:03:23, “about three minutes left. I didn't know where you had gone to, I was worried when I came back!”

“Did you get the food?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Yeah, I got the food.” I take the apples out of my pockets and toss them to the girls. They happily grab them and begin to mutilate the food with their teeth.

“Shesh, you must have been hungry.”

Scootaloo swallowed then replied, “Well yeah. We haven't eaten since breakfast and it's evening now.”

“It is? Huh, so it is. Must have not been paying attention.” BEEP BEEP BEEP.

“Huh?” I look at my arm and it's all zeros., “Welp, time's up.” There's another bright, blinding light then nothing.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I regain conciseness with everything aching again. “Ugh.”

“I hurt again.” Sweetie Belle said.

“Time travel without a capsule. That's a killer.” I say standing up and popping my neck, “Come on girls, we got to get you home. Look at that! The window is still open!”. the CMC stand up and I can hear the joints popping and their groans of uncomfortableness. We walk over to the window and climb out.

“You girls need to get home before you get in trouble. And you-” pointing to Apple Bloom, “you're coming with me. Bye girls!” I grab Apple Bloom's hand and we walk off to Sweet Apple Acres.

“Hey, Apple Bloom?” I said.

“Yeah?”

“Why do you and the other two call yourselves the 'Cutie Mark Crusaders'?”

“Because the girls and ah are tryin' ta find our cutie marks!”

“And what are 'cutie marks'?”

“they're these symbols that tell ya what yer special talent are. When ya find yer talent, they appear on yer shoulder, but we haven't found ours yet so we go out on adventures ta find 'em!”

“Sounds like fun! You know, I don't have a cutie mark. Do you think you'd let me join?” I ask.

“Really?! Sure! We're gonna have a whole ceremony fer ya! Ah can't wait fer ya ta be one of us!”

“Me too.” I said with a smile. As we walk through present day Ponyville I begin to respect the things we have now and how much larger it got. A lot of things have changed since then. I hope Granny Smith doesn't recognize me. We walk back to the farm and u see Applejack with the dinner bell.

“COME AND GET IT!” she yelled. Apple Bloom and I rush to the house to get some grub.

“Howdy Raider, Apple Bloom. Glad you made it in time.”

“Same here, we're starving.” I said in reply. When dinner is set on the table Apple Bloom and I gorge ourselves on it.

“My, my you two. Ya seem as if you'd just came off a famish.” Granny Smith said.

“We're just really hungry.”

“Ah can seem that.” she replied.

“What did ya two do today?” Applejack asked.

“I joined the Cutie Mark Crusaders on an adventure.”

“Really? Ah thought you had ta get clothes?” She replied.

“I did start to go but I joined up with them before I got there, guess I'll have to do it tomorrow.” I said.

Dinner went by faster than I thought it would, but I guess that happens when you're hungry. After dinner we all did our own thing for a while. When the time came I said my “good nights” and went up to my room to get some sleep. After the day I've had some sleep will do me some good. When I get to my room I take my clothes off, get under the covers and have a nice sleep.