The Future is in the Past

by Dominic StarWave87

Rating: everyone
Tags: Adventure, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Main 6
Length: 2009

A strange mission with an unclear goal, and Spike didn't get to come.

Twilight Sparkle, Clover the Clever, Rarity, Princess Platinum, Fluttershy, Private Pansy, Rainbow Dash, Commander Hurricane, Applejack, Smart Cookie, Pinkie Pie, Chancellor Puddinghead. Twelve unexpecting friends on a strange mission in the name of friendship.

Published 2016-02-17 06:30:02 UTC
Last updated 2016-02-20 00:29:15 UTC

The Message

My Little Pony
Friendship is Magic

The Future is in the Past
Chapter 1

"Anyone who watches the very first episodes of My little Pony: Friendship is Magic will undoubtedly come across a number of intriguing coincidences directed by Celestia."

- DRWolf001, 1/1/2016

Twilight Sparkle, her faithful assistant Spike on her back, soared through the Equestrian sky at top speed. Her destination? Canterlot Palace. Her – strange enough – former mentor turned royal half-sister had requested her presence. Her six best friends, - one newly acquired – were to meet her at the Canterlot city train station before heading to the palace together.

“Uh, Twilight,” Started Spike. “Don’t you think this is a little sudden? I mean, we defeat/befriend Starlight, only get five days of Pinkie’s welcome parties to relax, and now we have to come see Princess Celestia again?” He asked.

“Not nearly as whiplash inducing as last year was.” She told him. And she had a point. In one year and a half, she had moved from an urban to a suburban area, made five new long-lasting friends, defeated a fallen royal sister, been invited to the most regal event in the world (and trashed it), resealed an evil chaos spirit in stone, befriended the fallen royal sister, saved the one friends farm from industrialization, saved her brother’s wedding from a Changeling invasion, saved her brother’s newly reborn empire from its long lost evil dictator, befriended the previously evil chaos spirit, stopped her faithful assistant from quitting twice, and become a god. (Narrator catches breath)

Then they had stopped the world’s largest and darkest forest from having a temper tantrum, saved the farm from a swarm of vampire fruit bats, saved the world’s largest sports competition from certain doom, and sent an all-powerful criminal back to Tartarus. (Narrator catches another breath)

“Hmm.” The baby dragon pondered. “I guess you’re right. Though, thinking back, how did we survive any of that?” He inquired.

“I don’t know Spike. All I’m thinking about right now is what Starlight’s reaction’ll be to Canterlot.” She said with a smile on her face as she set down near the train station.

About a minute later, the Ponyville train arrived, and out of the third car down came a mare with a bright lavender coat, dark lavender and light blue mane, and the most elated expression across her muzzle. “Wow!” Exclaimed Starlight Glimmer at the highest of cities. It was all that she could say at such a sight. She then proceeded to stand and gawk at the amazing architecture.

The rest of the princess’s friends exited the train and Applejack put a hoof around her shoulder. “I know how great it is sugar cube. You do get used to it after a while though.” She explained.

“I’m not sure what beauty-deft world you’re living in Applejack, but I still haven’t gotten over this simply divine city.” Exclaimed Rarity, the fashion designer of the group. “I wonder if we’ll have time to stop by Canterlot Carousel and check up on Sassy Saddles.”

“Either way Starlight, just try and keep your excitement as controlled as possible until we get to the castle. And, yes Rarity, there will be time to see Sassy later.” Explained the Princess.

“Oh how wonderful.” Continued the designer as they made their way toward the castle. “I would love to see some of the marvelous designs she’s come up with in my absence.”

You see, mere hours earlier, the group had been . . .

"Wow!" Exclaimed Starlight Glimmer, after a lengthy explanation of the groups experiences. "You six have been on so many adventures." She said, sipping a cup of lemon-honey tea at the lunch table. They'd been having quite a scrumptious round of hayburgers while recounting everything that had happened since Twilight came to Ponyville. Suddenly Spike, from the stool on which he had sat beside Twilight's seat at the table, began to gag. No doubt about to belch up a new letter from Princess Celestia.

Starlight, who had no experience with dragons, youngster, or young dragons, began to freak out in her crystal chair. "Is he alright? Does he need to see a doctor?" She asked.

Twilight chuckled. "He's fine. If he wasn't, he'd need to see a veterinarian. Not a doctor. When I became Princess Celestia's personal student, she cast a spell on Spike, so that she can send and receive messages through him. Though I don't know why she would send a scroll instead one of the royal guard. I can be alerted from the horse's mouth now." Spike finally let the letter up, and she immediately grasped it with her magical aura. She pulled it over to herself, and opened it, to read.

Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle,

The presence of the former bearers of the Elements of Harmony is required here at Canterlot Castle. An urgent Matter has arisen. That is all I may tell you as of yet. Please come as quickly as possible.

- Princess Celestia

And so, they went on their way to the castle, and when they got there the royal guard seemed a bit on edge. Each guard could be seen nervously twitching and looking around, as if there was something paranoia inducing inside.

Once they found themselves in the throne room, they discovered that Princess Celestia and Princess Luna had been pacing back and forth for some time, obviously expecting the group’s arrival. Twilight was immediately worried herself, and in turn moved ahead of the group to ask of Celestia her troubles.

“Princess Celestia? What’s wrong?” She asked. Celestia then proceeded to pull a beaten-up, yellow envelope from a pristine, clean chest nearby.

“The enclosed letter will explain everything, but is for your eyes only.” Explained her majesty before letting Twilight’s aura grasp the envelope as opposed to her own.
Twilight turned to her friends with a nervous look, but they all responded with similar looks that begged the question, What are you waiting for? She tore open the royal seal, pulled out the letter, and read.

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

You must be wondering what the special occasion is. And why this paper has had so much time to rot and decay. Well, have you ever wondered why you and your friends looked so good in the historical figure costumes from the annual Hearth's Warming Eve play?
My name is Clover the Clever, speaking to you through this note from the ancient past. The day it reaches you, will be the day a brand new adventure begins. Go to the Starswirl the Bearded wing of the Canterlot royal library, and search for a scroll on the third shelf up, case forty two, that looks a lot older and dustier than any other in the whole library.
The spell can only handle six ponies, so Starlight will have to stay behind and keep an eye on Ponyville in the timeline wherein the return trip is overshot by about a week.
All will be explained once you use that spell. Until then, simply tell the gang you’re going on a trip to a far off land.

Good luck, Twilight Sparkle

To Be Continued . . . ?

Author's Note

An idea a friend gave to me.

The Meeting

My Little Pony
Friendship is Magic
The Future is in the Past Chapter 2

“Found it!” Exclaimed the confused Princess, as she pulled the strange, wrinkled scroll from the designated shelf in the Canterlot Royal library. She unfurled it, scanned it quickly with her reader’s hawk-eye, and discovered it was yet another adaptation of Starswirl-the-Bearded’s time travel spell.

Every preparation had already been made: Starlight had been sent home with Spike in tow, Rarity had had time to stop by her friend’s boutique and catch up, and the elements had been arranged in an almost perfect circle around the large hourglass in the center of the library. The ever energetic baker being the one exception to said circle, bouncing up and down just behind her friends.

“Back through space, back through time,” Recited the Princess of Friendship. “We shall commit no crime. Back to events long retold, to assist such events unfold!” As she finished, a strong spark of light emanated from the center of the hourglass, grasping each individual pony, as if it were a unicorn’s aura.

It wasn’t uncomfortable. In fact, they didn’t feel a thing. They didn’t see, hear, or even smell a thing either. It was as if they had ceased to exist. At that moment, if anypony else were to walk into the room, they would see six three dimensional, pony-shaped outlines slowly fading away. . .

Then, they existed once more, but not yet. Not for thousands of years would any of them be born. They were now in what anyone from Ponyville would call “The ancient past”. But they still did not know it yet.

The six lay near crippled, on the ground, in an unfamiliar snowy forest. It took them quite a while to regain enough strength to move, let alone speak to one another.

“Uh, Twi,” Began the Wonderbolt. “What the heck was that?” She asked.

“Whatever it was,” Interjected the farmer. “It is dang cold out here. I think I see some kind o’ tower over there. Looks like our best bet for shelter, so let’s get movin’.”

And so, they made their way towards a bright light at the top of a stone tower, shaking and shivering through what felt like the strongest blizzard any of them had ever been through. Of course Applejack wouldn’t admit it. Twilight knocked on the spruce wood door on the ground level of the large, round stone tower, and when it was answered, she knew when they were, as her eyes met a face she thought she’d never see.

“Yes yes, what is the matter?” Came the slightly raspy voice of a much older stallion, bearing a very easily distinguishable facial feature, whose indoor attire seemed quite … out of place. A blue robe and pointy hat, adorned with brilliant patterns of only the most notable constellations, and bronze bells like no others. When he finally assessed it in his mind that there were six young mares freezing their plots off outside his open front door, he said, “Oh, do come in please. That’s quite a nasty storm out there.”

Twilight made her way in the door cautiously, never taking her eyes off of him for fear that if she did, he’d vanish. Soon after the other five had come in, the wizard closed his front door tight, locked it, and then magically sealed it, as it had been mere moments ago. The interior featured shag rugs of bear fur, which made Fluttershy uneasy, dozens of bookcases, an iron spiral staircase leading both up and down, wall-mounted candles for light, and a large red armchair, perfect for relaxing in on such a cold night. Of course the armchair could only fit one, and there were seven in the room. “Uh, sir?” Twilight began.

“Sir?” He retorted. “No one’s been that formal with me in years. Call me by my name. Starswirl the Bearded.” He explained.

At that moment, Twilight’s pupils narrowed, she began to spasm, and she almost fainted before fully regaining her composure. “Ok.” She squeaked, grinning ear to ear as if it were Hearth’s Warming morning.

“I’ll be as hospitable as need be.” He said to the other five, who were still warming up near the invisible fireplace on the far wall of the room. “If you’d like to take a seat, I’ll bring something down from upstairs.” Suddenly, his aura, of pure milky white, teleported two large leather sofas into the center of the room. They fit perfectly, as if he had tested it out before-hand. “Now, miss Sparkle.” He directed his attention toward the Alicorn eventual-Princess in the opposite corner of the room, who still hadn’t taken her eyes off of him. “Come with me downstairs. We have much to discuss.”

To Be Continued. . .?