The future of harmonyby Storm RivalChaptersChapter 1: summons of a princess.Chapter 2: Science and morals.Chapter 3 :The Element of Loyalty.Chapter 4: The element of MagicChapter 5 and the hilarious element of laughter.Prologue: the vision.Chapter 1: summons of a princess.Doctor Whooves Oh, what a beautiful day it is. Not a cloud in the sky, perfect weather to solve some scientific mystery. Hmm, but what to do. I've done most everything that's interested me. Maybe I could make those volatile explosives that Derpy set off during Cranky and Mulia's wedding. "Hey doc," I hear Derpy yell. "I brought you a letter!" "Ah, hello there." I said "How are you today?" "I'm doing fine, however, today I seem to be having a stroke of scientists block." "Say no more." She said in a peculiar way. "Why, what's going on?" I asked "You've got a letter from the princesses," "WHAT!!" I yelled flabbergasted. "They told me to deliver it posthaste so, I did." She said giving me the letter. "Have a nice day doctor," she said flying off. Normally, I don't get nervous at all, the only thing I'd gotten nervous about before was my suit needing to be tailored for Cranky's wedding. The letter I now hold in my hoof brings a new meaning to the word, nervous. I untied the letter and read what it said. Dr. Whooves, It has come to our attention that you are the closest earthpony to crack the secret of time travel with that, We are in need of your service. I, princess Celestia, have recently had a vision pertaining to a very devastating future. I do not wish that future to come to pass and request your assistance in that undertaking. To accommodate you, we are sending a royal chariot to meet you in the center of ponyville, it will arrive at 1pm. Sincerely, Celestia, Luna. Me, the only pony to prevent a catastrophic future. I simply can't believe it. Usually it's Twilight and her friends who do the sort. The way they stopped the changeling invasion for the royal wedding, or even just recently defeating Tirek. I honestly don't believe Twilight's claims as far as alternative timelines and her shenanigans with starlight glimmer, but I support her nonetheless. The clock chimed 12, and it usually takes me about an hour to get to the center of town. I must hurry to that chariot and Canterlot at once. Celestia Such a boring average day. Ruler of equestria has some big horseshoes to fill, I just wish just something out of the ordinary would happen. All these ponies asking for royal stamps of approval, photographs, settlements legal issues and other sorts of activities. all of that just fills my boring day. I wish at some point my I'd get a letter from my student, talking about some solved friendship problems, good times and other things. That would really get my mind off of things. I really don't like thinking this way, but it's possible she's moved on... I sighed. "Princess Celestia," I heard the guards outside the throne room door say. "Yes," I reply "The pony you requested is here." "Bring him in." Doctor Whooves "Bring him in." Was what I heard from the room ahead. "Go on ahead," the guards said to me. I walked slowly into the throne room. As I did, I saw the glass art panes decorating the place, each detailing the fierce battles Twilight and her friends have fought. The last window had a picture of Tirek and Twilight facing each other and a beam of energy being shot between them. I continue towards the throne and stop just shy of touching it and bow. "How can I be of service your majesty?" I asked. "Please rise good stallion." The princess commanded in a soft yet authoritative voice. I rose and looked at the princess. "You've been called forth to make a time machine." "I must ask, why me and not your royal scientists?" "My royal scientists are all unicorns and this machine must..." She trailed off. "'The machine must,' what?" "The machine must be comparable with unicorns Pegasai earthponies and alicorns all alike." I now wanted to voice my concern for how this would be done, "how do you-" I was cut off. "I, myself plan to test this machine, once it is built of course." She said. There was a silence about the room. "Your highness, I beg you to reconsider." "How can I when the fate of Equestria counts on this?" There was silence yet again. Celestia started to give a tear, "I have been forced, so many times before, to leave the fate of Equestria in the fine hooves of Twilight and her friends," the princess said. "And now I have a chance to help them save it from certain doom. I'm not going to sit idly by while Twilight saves Equestria again. That will bring about our destruction." Taken aback by what she'd said, I now know that I must help in anyway possible. "In that case your majesty, how can I be of service?" Author's Note These two beginning chapters are written as best as I can get them to be. On multiple occasions I've asked for help on certain edits and whatnot and well so far this is only the beginning to what I hope becomes a pretty good fan fiction. I thank you all for reading what little I have as of now. I do plan to work on this piece as best I can. I will also take constructive criticism on Edits and grammar use. I wish you all an excellent day/night. Storm Rival. Chapter 2: Science and morals.Entry 1: Princess Celestia has asked me to do something very improbable, build a time machine. Sure the antics of time travel have both plagued and intrigued me for some time, however, I’m not sure that even working in conjunction with Cloudsdale’s elite scientists and the royal scientists here that we can pull this off. Sure many hands make light work, however if that work is beyond the reach of our hooves… “Dr. Whooves.” I hear Celestia say. “Yes, your majesty.” I replied. “It is time to extract the elements.” she said to me. “Understood.” I replied back to her, grabbing my crystal chipper. The device was small and precise able to chip the littlest bit off of any crystal. The royal guards, with a chariot attached to them awaited Princess Celestia’s orders and took off as soon as the pegasus and unicorn scientist as well as me and Celestia were aboard. They took off with both haste and precision. The ride took about a couple of hours. The breathtaking scenery could be enough for any earth pony’s life, however, instead of looking down I looked to my side and began to converse with my cohorts. “So, how are you chaps doing?” I ask both the Pegasus and unicorn along for the ride. “Eh, its kinda stuffy here,” the Pegasus said in a gruff voice. “I’d love a chance to stretch my wings, but given the position i work, that chance is very hard to come by. I can’t be flying off now, especially when i get an opportunity of a lifetime, that is sitting right next to you your highness.” he said first to the group, then looking at Princess Celestia. “Why, I’m flattered you’d give up a golden opportunity to do something you like on my behalf,” Celestia said looking at the pegasus. “Though I don’t want to hinder what you like to do.” “You mean,” he started. Celestia merely shook her head. And with that the Pegasus scientist opened his wings letting the high altitude air drag him back. “Wooooo Hooooo!” he yelled flying through the sky with as much skill as Rainbow Dash. While he was flying without a care in the world, the unicorn turned and spoke to me. “I’m quite interested in the subject we’re researching as well as performing. Though, i can’t help but feel if we do this we’re going to cause more trouble than good.” The pegasus caught up with the chariot. Cutting off what i was about to say. “My name’s Bill, though most ponies I work with call me Redbull, because of how stubborn I can be.” “Well,” The unicorn next to me said, “if we’re introducing one another My name is Nyer.” she said “Well, I’m Whooves, Dr. Whooves…” “Were you named that way by your parents?” Bill asked. “Quite frankly, I was” I replied. We land at the edge of Everfree forest after that. I am quite frankly ready to do research on these elements. Tirek These Shackles are too tight. I was not ready to receive my penance when Twilight had sent me to Tartarus. And now these chains are too tight, They feel like the nooses I would have put on all those ponies had I gotten my way. I wish these chains were looser, If they were I’d be back in Equestria in no less than five thousand years. Enough time to have Twilight and her ‘Friends’ dead by time, and enough time to see those two who had first imprisoned me die by my hand. Hell hath no fury like what I’m going to have upon Equestria, and it’s precious princesses. I shall be the sole ruler of everything and there is nothing that those ponies can do about it… if only these chains were looser. I hear Cerberus bark and growl as though he knew what I was planning. A thousand years to start biding my magic to break free, I can do this. All of a sudden I feel my shackles loosen. Yes… Five hundred years and I shall have my revenge. Enough time to catch the princesses off guard, Have Twilight and her gone and enough time to prepare an army should my plans fail again. Entry 2: Now with the smallest shards of the Elements of harmony we can determine what energies connect them. Sure Earth pony science will not be able to crack this therefore I leave this to Nyer to figure out. His expertise of Magic and science is almost unrivaled. The only few who could outmatch him would be Twilight Sparkle, whom this entire operation is for, and Starswirl the bearded. I must say I am excited for the chance to test the time machine. I can only hope though that this doesn’t end in failure. That day Bill, Nyer and I were going to ask participants of the scientific community to test out our first prototype. This prototype was the conventional sort of time machine. Pony gets in pony goes to future pony experiences future much like, well, Back to the Future. This will be interesting. “Hello all,” I began and Nyer took over “and thank you all for participating in these tests.” There was chatter among those here. And then. “We don’t guarantee anything except the possibility of seeing the future” There was once more chatter, and a few very astute ponies had left the building. Knowing what I know now I too would’ve left. They were all good ponies even that one guy who was with Twilight that day all the school ponies just had to get a picture of her. However nothing could prepare us for: “The Time field is breaking down! Its either pull them back now or have them trapped in the future.” The one decision that no pony could make. There wasn’t enough time to unplug all the time distorters and there wasn’t any way I’d leave somepony trapped in the future. Though the inevitable happened. Entry 3: Nopony was prepared for what had just happened. Today in the experiment we lost three ponies to time traveling. I'm just happy that the princess didn’t know about this attempt, and wasn’t there to see the horrible failure. We were able to see the ponies we sent to the future however what we weren’t aware of was once you set hoof in the future, you can’t head back to the past unless it was the product of some magic spell that only lasts a few minutes. The same spell Twilight had used when she worried about nothing on a Tuesday. If I can’t sent the whole pony to the future, perhaps I can send part of the consciousness to the future instead. This will take some time and research. Thanks to Tirek we know that all ponies have some form of magic. The pegasai flight, the unicorns latent magic, and the Earth pony, well I just don’t know it’ll take a while to figure out. “Whatcha’ writing doc?” Nyer asked levitating my journal over to herself. “Just some scientific journal Nyer." “You should not include the part about today,” he said. “I’m sorry Nyer, but in the pursuit of science everything must be documented. Failure or not, I plan to keep this in the journal.” “Just know that eventually when this journal is published ponies will question all of our credibility. Do you want to be known as the doctor that had to kill for time travel?” That last statement stung. Sure I wanted to be the one to potentially create time travel aside from the spell Starswirl created many years ago, but I didn’t want to have the title Nyer so creepily put on it as well. Work continues as planned with the time machine, Though, this time with our secret setback we know that we must not send ponies to the future the 'conventional' way but rather another way entirely. perhaps these elements hold the key. I, for a moment, take an apple and hook it up to a wire then I hook the wire to both an element of harmony and the monitor. At first there was nothing but static, However as I wiggled the wires closer and closer to the core of the apple and to a seed I saw that the image got more clear as I saw not an apple but an apple tree. Entry 4 There has been a success, however, I have only tested this on merely an inanimate object that isn't anything like a living pony. Tomorrow perhaps I'll be able to test this on a living being perhaps a lab rat. So far going to the future via spell seems to be different if you're going to the future via machine. I must continue more projects upon this matter and hope that we are not too late to complete the time machine. "Hey, hey, there doc," I hear bill's voice behind me. "Still working on those science journals of yours?" "You bet I am." "Well, good job," he said. "Listen I heard about your 'success' today if you'd like to call it that in your journal." "hmm, Yes. The next step is to test it on a live animal or being." "which I'd like to be apart of." There was a silence. "I don't think-" "I don't care." "but you'd" "I. Don't. Care." "Celestia would still need us if this is yet another failed experiment." Bill was silent. "Listen, if I'm not in that test thing when its being tested," He started "you'll learn the meaning of my nickname." Bill Where am I what's happening? who am I? I feel different I no longer have my wings but what do I have? I feel my 'new' torso, and find indeed that I have no wings I feel the top of my head and find that I have instead a horn. a unicorn. I Redbull have been reincarnated as a unicorn. I look around this unicorn's home and find a lot of pictures of family and such. Meow. I hear from a cross the room. "Cat! I'm allergic to cats." I yell "No, I'm not." I hear another pony's voice say to me. "Who are you?" I asked. "Well, mind pony, if you don't mind me asking, who're you first? I mean you did intrude my mind." Was... Was that the truth? Am I in somepony's mind in the future? "W-what year is it?" I ask. "Geez one thing at a time mind pony what's your name?" "Bill," I say. "Well, Bill, My name's Jaxx, and as far as the year its 2516." five hundred years in the future... My mind is in the clouds as Jaxx continues with his evening. I hear a knock at the door, and hear my future say "who is it?" I only heard half of the name "Sugar..." the view faded out, I saw nothing but black. "Bill, Bill?" I hear a voice talking to me. "Whasoinhnere."I murmur incoherently "What's going on here?" I say more coherently. "What happened is that I saw that you were in somepony's house and all I heard was their voice and yours." Doctor Whooves said. "Huh..." "And I can say that it worked." "Ha! I knew it!" I said excitedly "Though one of the side affects of this seem to be that the subject remains unconscious for about a few minutes to an hour." "I was out for an hour?" "Yep," Dr. Whooves said to me. "I was quite worried about you chap that you'd succumbed to well... The inevitable." "Well, Thanks for worrying about me buddy, but I know now this thing goes five hundred years into the future. "Five hundred?" "Did I stutter?" "No, No you didn't." he replied. "Good." I said slapping him on the back. Whooves Entry 5: Bill did something today that puts science to a dead halt and starts making it something more along the lines of fillies with explosive fireworks. Sure what 'Redbull' and I did today was indeed a success, though I fear what would've happened had it gone horribly wrong. I fear to think that time travel could be an instrument of death, however I am relieved that it is instead a temporary jump to the future and nothing more. I am interested in seeing if this could be in some way a temporary jump to the past, However I must do tests to see what I can do to strengthen the response time of the pony getting out of the machine. "So," after about a year's work on the machine. "Are you sure its ready for Princess Celestia to test?" I ask Bill and Nyer. "Doctor Whooves," Bill said. "I'd say after being sent in that machine more times than I'd like to have been, its ready." "After testing it this past year, I'd say a Royalty visit is best." Nyer said. With the past year we have finally completed the time machine. With this we've figured out that it takes at least a day for a pony to completely recover from the side affects of it. The time machine also takes about three days to recharge the element that slightly corresponds to you. Reading once that Celestia and Luna had both wielded the elements of harmony together, I'm anticipating that Twilight and her friends will be able to use the machine sometime this coming week. Her Rainbow mane flows as she enters the room, She cordially greets us as she passes by. Bill Nyer and I head to our stations to prepare the machine for her departure to the future.With the past year we have finally completed the time machine. With this we've figured out that it takes at least a day for a pony to completely recover from the side affects of it. The time machine also takes about three days to recharge the element that slightly corresponds to you. Reading once that Celestia and Luna had both wielded the elements of harmony together, I'm anticipating that Twilight and her friends will be able to use the machine sometime this coming week. Her rainbow mane flows as she enters the room, She cordially greets us as she passes by. Bill Nyer and I head to our stations to prepare the machine for her departure to the future. As we do so, the machine sparks and sputters. The elements of harmony, that were used to power the device, completely shatter and Celestia's Rainbow like flowing mane slowly change to a burning hot white as both on the screen and in here we some reminisce of the sun. The dial that showed we were only 500 years in the future spiked and showed that this was more than three thousand years into the future. Celestia living that long or less. That is indescribable, aside from temporary immortality as it seems to their subjects. Would Flurry Heart also be able to live that long? and what about Twilight? as for now there are more pressing things to worry about. Bill and Nyer are working on the power supply as I work to remove the head brace from Celestia's burning mane. the fire singes my fur just a bit as I get close to the mane however, her mane slowly returns back to its original state; Flowing rainbow like. She gets up from the machine and simply asks: "Why's it so hot in here?" All of us laugh as we prepare the play back of what just happened. Celestia stared wide eyed at what she had just witnessed on the tapes. Author's Note It was suggested by a Facebook group that I use the names of the character whom was being portrayed rather that the centered five dash to mark a page ending to signify the change in perspective. I would like to know what the preference is in the comments as I plan to change it soon as I know. Also this chapter and the two others before this are unedited and proofread to the best of my ability. I will say that this story will get more interesting as time goes on, and expect a little chaos to arise. I am sorry for that year in a chapter bit as well knowing that a lot of characterization is lost by me doing this. I've felt that this chapter has dragged on and I should at some point just get to the story apologies for this though I do plan to go back through this and correct sections that need to be as well as adding more to the building of the time machine. Finally, Sugar Paws is the Facebook group and Tumblr that is helping me a bit with the fic as well as others somewhat associated with the group and good friends of mine. Their credit to this will be added by the time each of them is introduced as well as they will be added slowly but surely in the long description Thank you for viewing this fic and I hope you have an excellent day. Storm Rival. Chapter 3 :The Element of Loyalty."Um, Rainbow Dash," I hear my soft spoken friend say, "Twilight wanted us to go to the castle straight away." "Huh?" I ask slowly waking up from a good night's rest. I saw her yellow coat. Her pink mane was just about resting on my cloud as she was a good yet talking distance away from me, at least for her. "Oh. Hey Fluttershy." I say yawning. "Hey, um, Twilight wanted us all to head to the castle. She got a letter from Princess Celestia." I thought about it for a moment stretching out from a good night's sleep. "It has been a while since she got one from her." I said to my shy friend. "It really has been that long," Fluttershy replied to me in her usual whisper. "I haven't heard about Twilight getting a letter from Princess Celestia since she was crowned Princess of Friendship." "It's been that long huh?" I asked not really paying attention to the details. "It really has." "Man if I were Twilight, I'd feel a bit left out by now." "Well, uh, Twilight wants us to go to the castle," my soft spoken friend said. I started flying and said "Let's go then." I kept pace with Fluttershy as we both went to the castle. It was a slow but easy flight. I could circle the world 100 times at this speed. Fluttershy's been my friend for the longest time and yet, I still show her the utmost kindness I can. We open the doors to the castle and find that our friends are already here, but what can I do, I like flying with Fluttershy. "Glad you two could make it." Twilight said "I just got a letter from Princess Celestia and it seems very urgent. "Well what are you waiting for go ahead and read it!" I blurted ready for any kind of action. Twilight began reading what the letter from Celestia said: "Twilight and friends, I have written you on account of a vision I had on my little ponies of the future. I foresaw that Tirek would return and bring Tartarus with him. He wants nothing but revenge on everything and the most unfortunate news of this is that you won't be there to put a stop to his mayhem. I, in response to this, have made a machine to help see the future and help bring the future element bearers together and stop his madness, once and for all. I need you and your friends to come to my castle to rewrite history and hopefully bring tirek to his future justice Princess Celestia. "So, is everyone ready to go to Canterlot?" Twilight asked we all replied, "Yeah!" The train ride to Canterlot was as anyone could expect of it being that it was going to a widely familiar place being Twilight's new status in Equestria. The summer breeze was as good as a dip in a pool the sky just nearly devoid of clouds though from what was heard there was a storm coming ,a storm said to last a few days in Ponyville. A storm Rainbow Dash and her friends wouldn't see... The train stopped and Rainbow Dash and her friends stepped off the platform to let other ponies go where they needed to. They all knew where to go as they've had many events happen in Celestia's Castle. The fight against the changelings, the first and second time they all went to the Grand galloping gala, Discord... All those events raced past in Dash's mind as she visited the castle where the fate of Equestria hung in the balance. The air though being calm had a hint of tenseness to it as everypony slowly made their way through the fancy mountain streets of Canterlot. The city its self is home to many rich ponies and those of high class society. the streets were quite active as any other Monday would be. as the castle loomed closer, Twilight and company could see that this was only the beginning of their adventure. "Come on guys let's go already!" Ranbow dash said ready and rearing to go. "Hold on now Dash," Applejack said pulling Dash's tail. "I've been going too slow all day." she said back to Applejack "Just wait for us a bit longer sugarcube and you'll be the first to use that machine." "I just hope this goes faster." Dash said Rainbow Dash and company finally made it to what seemed to be quite literally an inner sanctum to what was a great science experiment. All about the room, electrical current flowed. There were beds with helmets at the top of them. There were six total beds and six small shards of each of the elements embedded into the helmets. the atmosphere was something indescribable. "Ah, welcome to the precipice of the future." A somewhat familiar yet unfamiliar voice said. "Who's there?" Twilight asked "Its me Doctor Whooves." the colt said revealing himself at the far end of the room. "Y-you've been here this whole time?" Fluttershy asked. "Derpy's been wondering about you for ages about where you've gone, thinking you hopped on some time machine to go places." Dash said. "What!? That's completely absurd she knows far too well that I don't have a time machine." he said. "Anyhow, without further ado I wish to present the way you will save Equestria. "This thing," Applejack asked puzzled. "How the hay does this even work?" "Ah, That's the thing it needs the Elements of Harmony to work and each one of these beds here has been fitted to your specific element. When Bill, Nyer and I tested it, it took a combination of each of the elements for us to only get about an hour or so glimpse of the future. I'm assuming that you each have a good link with the Elements of Harmony that it will give you more time to do what you need to for the sake of Equestria." There was a slight creepiness of the atmosphere, this creepiness was something that had all the ponies' hair stand on end for just a moment. "Well, uh, Totally not going first." Rainbow dash said immediately. "Oooh no, you wanted to go first, I remember it." Applejack said to Rainbow dash. "Well, alright," Dr. Whooves said. "As soon as you're ready I'll prepare your time jump." Dash gulped as she was just about ready to take the 'first' jump to the future. "See you guys on the other side?" She chuckled laying down. The helmet came down and Dr. Whooves fastened it around her head. "Tell me when." Dash took a few deep breaths and said "Ready." The machine powered up and as it did, everything in Dash's vision faded to black... Suddenly Dash couldn't move or feel much of anything except the new somewhat bulkier body as well as the wings of a pegasus. "That was weird." Dash thought, Though that thought its self was more aloud than in her mind. "Ugh," dash hears a colt's voice say. "I knew I shouldn't have read with a headache." "Who are you?" Dash asked aloud this time. "Me?" the colt asked. "who are you and why are you interrupting me and where are you?" Dash tried to move about but was confined where she was, the stallion though could feel some movement. "So, you're in my head?" "I think so." Dash replied. "How do you not know?" he asked. "And who are you?" "You might be a bit shocked at this, but I'm Rainbow Dash." "You're one of the element bearers of harmony?" "You bet. And I'm twenty percent cooler than the rest of them." "Yeah right," he said. and I'm quite honestly the foal of Celestia herself." Eclipse replied sarcastically. "No seriously, I'm Rainbow Dash." "Prove it." he said. "Tell me who saved the crystal empire when the first natural born alicorn was born." "It was Starlight's friend, I Can't remember his name sunbeam, Starburst." Dash thought for a moment. "I'm kinda drawing a blank." "Uh huh." he said. "Alright if you really are dash without looking what element do you represent, and what happened during the event of the Magical mystery cure?" "The what what what?" dash asked. "I know I'm the element of Loyalty, but I don't know what the magical mystery cure is." "What happened to Twilight when your cutie marks got all rearranged?" "Oh, I was trapped by animals, Rarity was working the weather, Pinkie worked AJ's farm Aj made dresses, and Fluttershy tried being Pinkie." Dash said. "What?" eclipse simply asked. "Oh and Twilight grew wings and became an alicorn." "That's the answer I was looking for, sort of." "What happened to the crystal empire after the crystaling?" "That I don't know buddy, and no spoilers please." Dash said. "Alright, what just happened to you?" "Starlight just became a friend of Princess Twilight." Dash replied. I kinda don't trust her, but I know that Twilight trusts her and that's enough for me." "Alrigh-" Suddenly, out of nowhere, a large gray unicorn with a black coat came through with a sword made of crystal ready for action. "engarde!" He yelled. The stallion pulled his own sword and maneuvered it pretty well considering he only had his mouth and wings to hold the sword with. Slowly but surely the features from the fast moving motions between both the combatant and Dash's host. A red horn a red cape this all seemed too familiar. "Sombra?" dash asked. "Be careful whoever-you-are, Sombra's attacking the crystal empire and-" Dash was cut off. "Quiet he's teaching me, and no not attacking the Empire," He said "I'll fill in the details after this small practice is over." The battle between him and Sombra was intense full of many nearly connecting hits from Sombra's end. finally after about five minutes back and forth, Dash's stallion pulls a second sword that pokes Sombra. "Haha, I was wondering when you'd pull that one Eclipse." he said kindheartedly to him. "I'll see you in the court yard for another bout ok," Sombra said "Son?" "Yeah I can't wait." "Son!" Dash said. "Well, Rainbow Dash, being that you don't know what happened a few years after the crystling, I might as well say that if I said who I was, that it'd shock you." "Well go a head and say it." "I am Sombra's son, Eclipse." Dash shook Somewhat in her tightly held restraints that were courtesy of the time machine. "What just happened?" Dr. Whooves asked "Knowing Dash, she just received some shocking news." Apple jack said, with the rest of her friends aside Rainbow Dash nodding in agreement. "What! How! why! When!" Dash frantically asked. "Geez, calm down." Eclipse said "I want to know how!" Dash exclaimed. "But I thought you didn't want to know your future." Eclipse retorted back. "Bu-" "No buts this is my world and I'm the prince and I command silence." Dash was angrily silent. "So, what is it, why are you here?" Eclipse asks. "Equestria in some grave danger again?" "Yes it is, Tirek is going to return and... "Tirek's already here, and even said himself that he 'wants to turn over a new leaf." "Wha- how? why?" "Shouldn't you know?" "All I know is what not why." "Ok, all I know is that he's back from his banishment from tartarus, and that's just about it." Eclipse says. "My father trusts him completely though I have my doubts that he's really here for 'turning over a new leaf'. He's probably here to get revenge on Celestia Luna and Flurry." "Flurry..." Dash thought again. "Do you mean Cadence and Shining's baby?" "Baby!" Eclipse said astounded. "Guess you really are five hundred years old then." "Hey don't you know its rude to talk about a mare's age?" Eclipse blushes, then suddenly, Sombra comes into the room. "Son," he says. "Are you ready for the sword lessons?" Dash remains silent and is somewhat confused by how Sombra is alive and she and her friends aren't. "I will be in just a few minutes." Eclipse said. "Alright, I'll be waiting at the practice ring when you're ready." Sombra replied. "Ok Dad." Eclipse replied. "How's he still alive?" Dash asks. "There's a red rock at the edge of the crystal empire out where the snow is, its a portal to the world of the Umbrum." "Umbrum?" Dash asks. "They're the species my dad is derived from, they're nothing but pure hatred and malice and were banished to the snow. That is until they made my father, a solid umbrum." "What happened after that?" Dash asked "Too much to cover now." Eclipse put an end to that. "One thing I can tell you now is that My father and I are currently overseeing things in the Crystal Empire as Flurry Heart receives her training from Princess Celestia and Luna themselves being that they all share the fact they're all natural born alicorns." "What's he doing now?" "He's been obsessed with reforming the Umbrum, much how you have reformed Discord in the past." "It really wasn't me it was actually Fluttershy who 'friendshipped' him into submission." Eclipse chuckled a bit. "What? What's so funny?" "I thought it was you, you're said to be the only one cool enough to deal with Discord's chaos." "Why would it be, I don't trust him as fast as I can fly," Dash said "And quite frankly, I don't trust Sombra nearly that much either." "I know how you feel," Eclipse said. " I feel like he's going to try to wage a war against Celestia and Luna." "I wouldn't put it past him," Dash said. "But no matter what, the Lives of your Empire and your family matter most." The last part dash blurted for no reason whatsoever. "I know that." Eclipse said. "But to be truly loyal you must prove it." Dash said again for no reason "I suppose so." Eclipse said. There was a knock at Eclipse's door. "your father's waiting Eclipse!" A mare's voice protruded through the door. "Coming!" he said Things for dash started to become dark. "I think I'm going back to my time 'Clipse." she said. "Alright, suppose I'll hear you sometime later then right?" There was no response. Dash was now again in darkness. She felt as though there was a light pulling her through the void. When she opened her eyes, she saw her friends again. "Dashie!" Pinkie said excitedly "What was the future like?" "Well, I'm not sure how to put it," she started. "But we all kicked the hay sometime before five hundred years." "Well for us all I'd understand, but Twilight, I thought with your transformation you'd become well..." Applejack somewhat couldn't bring herself to say it given her past. "Immortal?" Twilight asked. "Yea." Applejack said. "Well," Pinkie blurted "This just isn't right." "I know and even worse, Tirek's already there in the future waiting for us." Dash said. Everyone in the room paused and looked at Dash. "You mean he isn't there threatening everypony?" Fluttershy asked. "No, and somehow Sombra too is alive then." Dash said. "Well that's a double negative future." Pinkie yet again blurted. "I don't know." Dash said "All i know is what happened, not how." "I need to talk to Princess Celestia." Twilight said walking out of the room. "I need some rest." dash said getting up from the machine and flying out in search of a high cloud for a nap. "This is very important for all of you and the state of future affairs of Equestria." Dr. Whooves said " I need you all back within the hour!" he yelled the last one out was Pinkie, who said "Okie dokie" before bounding off. Sombra and Eclipse were fencing in the court yard, each round would last a long time neither of them gaining an edge nor parrying the other's sword out of their good grasps. "Father," Eclipse asks. "Yes," Sombra said going for a strike. "What would you do if I told you I was the element of loyalty?" "I'd-" Sombra was hesitant at the sudden question, that hesitation caused his sword to be flung out of his magical grasp. "I'd say those are nothing but a rumor, but given how you rule when I'm away on business with my own ponies, I'd say you do a mighty fine job and would totally fit the bill of Loyalty." "Thank you," Eclipse said "What's the deal with Tirek?" "He's merely staying until I can be sure he completely has 'turned over a new leaf.'" "And why am I being sent to that ' insect horde of changelings for a treaty?" "Because, even though Ponies and Changelings don't get along even now there has been moves for acceptence and our move towards that will prove that they are ready for such an undertaking." "Alright, When am I leaving for that?" "In about a week," Sombra finished. Author's Note So, Thanks to a poll done on Facebook I know who I'm starting with first and who's going next to last. Also I thank those who've contributed their oc's to this fic as well, the first of which being ChaosDeathBlade who has the character Eclipse, and Rainbow Dash's future element bearer. As for those who argue that Sombra is dead, I put AU for a reason that being I'm using a blend of the IDW comics and show for this fan fiction. Sorry for the bluntness and such, though I feel there are some things in the show that the comics should show but don't; considering they're separate cannons from themselves. Also, Sorry for the involvement of a somewhat major character terms of familial stature, however this fic would've been very different and much weirder had things gone the initial way I first planned and not at all as well thought out too. As for the change to third person, in future chapters it'll make sense as for now I suppose its just a random thing. I hope you can be both understanding and forgiving as this series presses on. I've tried many stories and so far this is my first step outside of my usual OC and Crossover works. As per my usual, thank you so much for viewing my fic and I hope you all have a good day. Storm Rival. Chapter 4: The element of MagicAfter Seeing what had happened to Rainbow Dash, Twilight couldn't help but feel a bit worried about the mysteries of alicorn ascension and mortality. It'd been said that there was about an hour wait every time the machine powered up to do so again, so Twilight decided to pay a visit to Princess Celestia. When Twilight had first become Celestia's pupil, she didn't know anything about Celestia's castle except for the very important pony or ponies who lived there. Slowly as she studied to master magic, she also slowly wondered about new areas of the castle, slowly learning every corridor and hall that this place had to offer. This hobby of hers always kept her mind wondering on the studies of magic. It also gave her time away from her study too. She and her Sister-in-law, Cadence used to play all the time here as well as back at Twilight's house. Here at Canterlot castle, Twilight and Cadence would usually play hide and seek in the lengthy maze-like corridors. Cadence being somewhat abandoned royalty knew the castle like the bottom of her hoof and would usually win this game; thought there have been times when Twilight was able to hand a very humiliating loss to her sister. This hobby today, served as a distraction as she wondered the corridors.keeping her mind off the impending question; 'are ascended alicorns lives as long as any other pony's?' Twilight knew the path she'd take to Princess Celestia and this time, She knew that it would both put her mind at ease and also wonder due to the pressing question at hoof, though as she went she first something she didn't ever expect to hear, music. The music of a guitar, which was a wonder, considering it was a very rare instrument and that hooves and hands don't quite work the same on them. She continued past the corridor and into a cross section. There was a blue unicorn there playing the music. "Ah, a rare sight," he said. "Usually I come here to get away from ponies, However today, I suppose I have stumbled upon a princess." He had hoof bands on all four hooves, and as he put down his guitar, to bow all four slid down to his horseshoes. "I was hoping to get the same thing out this way today." Twilight said. "Well, care if I play something? Its the least I could do for royalty including the Princess of friendship." he replied "Maybe," Twilight replied somewhat apprehensively. "Ah, I get it, not quite used to the title, Neither was I when I took over My father's business." This was perhaps the first time Twilight met someone who was just as uncomfortable with their own title. "Well," Twilight started again. "If something is true, I'd like to if you could, pass down an old lullaby to somepony in the future." " Ah well, who's the pony?" the bard asked somewhat knowing what was going on. "I don't know..." Twilight said somewhat in tears. "Look, I'll do what I can to make sure this song is preserved in time." The colt said. "I'll make sure its passed down to my foals and theirs after." "That would really help." Twilight said wiping away her tears and clearing her throat to start to hum. The song was peaceful, harmonious, and something not too many colts or fillies knew. The guitarist slowly hummed along to the chores and soon after, began to strum accordingly. The song as well as the question slowly brought tears back to Twilight's eyes as the ending reprise hit. It was a somber yet happy note one that words alone can't describe. "I know this song, Miss Twilight," he said to her. " Thought I don't usually have it requested. I do play it after every single pony is gone for the day to know that my job of entertainment is done. Much like how a doctor I know in Ponyville does the same but in a different way." "Thank you," Twilight paused then looked up at the pony who'd played her lullaby. " What's your name?" "Derek Beauregard." He replied. "And Miss Sparkle, I hope that whatever the answer you're satisfied with it." Twilight and Derek shook hooves, "I'll try to make it so you can come here more often," she said to him. "Thank you," he replied. Both, from their brief experience just now, bid farewell to one another Twilight, after the long walk, finally made way to Celestia's throne room and saw that she was busy signing important legal parchment. She slowly walked forward and Celestia, after a few moments, finally noticed her. She waved off the other ponies here for important issues and such then called as a mother would a child; "ah Twilight." "Celestia, it's been a while." Twilight said somewhat shyly "Indeed it has, Princess Twilight." Celestia replied with no angry voice but rather a calm and understanding one. "Rainbow Dash went into the machine and..." "I'm supposing that you weren't in the future." Celestia said to me "I'm not too sure why." "I was going to ask if you knew why," Twilight said with the tension building in the room. "I knew that day would eventually come and I'd tried to wrap my head around alicorn ascension myself," she said. "It is a mystery how you'd ended up where you had. I've only ever done that two times before. Each time I did it gave me more questions than answers." "I didn't know." Twilight said. "Neither did I when it came down to everything," Celestia said. "I can't seem to remember whether or not we're natural born like your niece, Flurry heart or weather we ascended Like you and your sister. Luna and I have been alive for nearly three thousand years." She sighed. "What's wrong?" Twilight asked knowing something was wrong from her first magic mentor "Its Nothing." Celestia replied. "No, Princess, I think something's wrong." "Must you press the issue?" Celestia asked somewhat angrily. Twilight was silent now, struggling for words, knowing that both Celestia and Luna had lived for that long defiantly gave more thought into the question at hoof. Twilight then thought about it and surmised that she'd never know the answer. "I-I'm sorry..." Celestia said a little flustered. "Its this whole time travel business." "I get it," Twilight said trying to wrap her head around living for three thousand years. "What happened when you tested the machine?" "How do you know I tested it?" "How else by the scientific process would you make it work for me?" "Well, very astute of you my old student," Celestia said somewhat concerned. "As for what had happened, an old lore that is only passed from natural born alicorn to natural born alicorn was proven to be true when I had tested it." "What's that?" Twilight asked curiously. "Something, I'm afraid, you can't know my young princess." "Why?" "Because; that's why, only Flurry Heart must know for now what happens after..." "After what?" Twilight said somewhat angry and upset that the only pony who would take her in and teach her any sort of magic had now kept a tight lip. Twilight opened her mouth to ask why once more, but then was silenced by Celestia. "You mustn't ask questions that you don't want the answers to." Celestia said looking shiftily from side wall to Twilight to floor even. Twilight wondered the room her head swimming in questions: 'if Celestia doesn't know who does?' 'If I'm not immortal I'll live as long as my friends but does that mean that friendship will end?' 'What does Celestia mean by what she said?' "Celestia," Twilight said before turning to leave the throne room. "Yes," Celestia said sternly, with some tears coming from her eyes. "I've missed you." she said leaving the throne room. Those words that were said to Celestia hadn't been uttered to her in such a long time. she felt nostalgia and at the same time, sorrow. She waited until Twilight left, then burst into something she'd done all too often in recent times, tears. Dr. Whooves was working diligently on preparing the machine for anypony else who'd wanted to go next. He suddenly felt that he was being watched from the opposite corner of the mad science lab. "Hello? Who's there?" he asks. "Its just me Doc." Twilight said. "Ah, I said it'd be an hour before this is ready to roll. Why have you come so early?" "Just to ask a small Question." Twilight said determined to get an answer "Alright I'm sure I can give you an answer." Dr.Whooves said "What did Celestia see when she used this machine herself?" Dr. Whooves was silent. "Aren't you even going to give me an answer? I am a princess after all," Twilight said. Dr. Whooves continued working on the preparations for the time device. There were several clicks whirs and beeps along with it, and still even with the authority card being pulled from Twilight's arsenal, there was still silence. Twilight began to feel as though she is left out of everything as though she were back in Magic kindergarten. "Come on, Answer me!" she yelled out, in utter frustration. "Twilight," Dr. Whooves said. "Princess Celestia helped me make my dream of time travel without a spell come true; and since then I've been keeping what she wants kept secret just that." Twilight stayed there waiting for time to pass by until, "Miss Twilight, The machine is ready for another use," Dr. Whooves said "I choose to go next." "Are you sure you won't let one of your other friends go ahead of you?" "I'm sure, especially with how much I still don't know given the fact of alicorn ascension and natural born alicorns." "Alright then," Dr. Whooves said. "This seat is ready for the Element of Magic. The seat was a purple hue, the helmet was a lot bigger than Twilight was expecting. she felt a chill run down her back causing her wings to ruffle and her whole body to slightly shake. She slowly approached the machine and finally laid down on it. Taking a few deep breaths before the helmet was attached, Twilight let her mind go blank and wanted nothing more than the next few moments to give her clarity. She fell into the darkness that is the realm between present and future. As she began to find herself in the future, she couldn't help but hear laughter. "Kids, seriously magic is not supposed to be used that way!" There was a harsh scolding from her future self. "Wait, no, where am I?" Twilight asks. It was then she saw she was among foals of many sizes and colors all running about the room. "No, anything but Magic kindergarten." Twilight said in terror, and anger. All the foals in the room were playing magic blast tag, a game Twilight couldn't do back when she was that age. Back then, she wasn't too skilled with magic and usually ended up loosing what was called the funnest game of the time. One day Twilight was chosen out of everypony else to start the round however, being that she couldn't summon magic, she wasn't able to tag anypony else. Somepony lost their lunch of quesadillas that day, while twilight, was unfortunate enough to get called purple cheesy and be the laughing stock of the school that entire year. Soon after Twilight was chosen to be Celestia's pupal, things changed from laughing stock to high and mighty respect from those whom had done the humiliating bulling. Twilight was uneasy being back here, she felt at any moment a little foal could tag her and the 'fun' would begin. Though she looked at a clock and saw that it was nearly lunch and Recess time, she breathed a sigh of relief. After the little game Twilight's future self, the teacher of the class, brought the fillies and foals to attention and continued the lesson until a bell was rung. "Alright, kids, go have your recess." she said at the ring of the bell. After that Twilight was at a loss as to how to ask the teacher something considering she was back at the place that gave her horrible memories. "Uh, Hello?" The teacher stopped grading papers handed in by her students thinking somepony was in there, though, as she looked around she saw nopony. She looked somewhat frustrated as her foals usually did cause mischief. "Excuse me, miss?" Twilight yet again tried to get the attention of the teacher. "Who's there and who's doing a very good Twilight impression?" The teacher asked. "Well you kinda won't believe it if I told you but I am Twilight from the past," there was an extension of Kinda "Oh, Really and if you 'Twilight' from the past, who was your pet before Tirek came through Ponyville?" the teacher asked. "Owlowiscious, an owl." Twilight said "Alright," The teacher said believing Twilight "If you are from the future, where are you physically?" "eh..." Twilight didn't want to answer that question, however knew that it was inevitable to answer it. "I'm, uh, ..." "Well, Spit it out." "I'm in your head." Twilight said "How is that possible?" "Look don't dwell on it, and don't ask questions you don't want to know the answer to." "Alright then, Since you're Twilight, it might surprise you who I am." "Who are you?" "I'm a relative of yours, Glitterlight Sparkle." Twilight was astounded, knowing that there was somepony related to her in the future. "what how, How is it that I'm somepony you know?" Twilight questioned. "I honestly don't know, and all I can say is its a weird experience having you in my head." "How's ponyville? I know it can't survive a disaster alone!" "Oh, I know. and trust me, Ponyville get a lot better in the 'handling disasters' department a while ago." "How long ago?" "Hard to say being that Equestria had for a while everlasting harmony." How'd that happen?" Twilight asked. "Discord disappeared some time after his friends left." "Really?" Twilight asked somewhat annoyed, however somewhat complacent. "Yep." "Ok, I need to ask this Glitter; have you heard anything about Tirek or Sombra?" "No I can't say i have," Glitter replied. "I heard that they were up in the crystal Empire plotting something." "Last I heard Flurry Heart was receiving training by Clelestia and Luna to control her power completely being that she was stripped of it as a baby. As for who is ruling the Empire in her steed while she's gone I have no clue, I'm practically stuck out here in Ponyville, with no bits to ride the train with." she said with a hint of jealousy in her voice. "Well, if there were a way to do it, I'd find a way to help you." Twilight said. "Thanks, But I like my humble abode." "Alright." "I hope you don't mind, but I brought Quesadillas for lunch." Nervously, Twilight replied with a shudder, "Uh its quite alright." As soon as Glitter opened her lunch box, there was an explosion of cheese from the teacher's desk to the black board. "Well there goes my lunch..." Twilight shivered "what did you pack for a lunch?" "Quesadillas, Why?" Twilight shivered even more, this had caused a chill down Glitter's spine. "Hey, what's the deal with quesodillas?" Twilight didn't answer however, as soon as she could feel herself being pulled back to her time: "Hey, Glitter," she said braving the sensation of being covered in cheese again. "I've got to get going for a bit here, I'll be back though I'm sure of it." "I hope so, Great Grandma," was the last thing Twilight caught before completely being pulled to present day Equestria. "Hey! Twilight!" Dash yelled. "AAH!" she screamed from the shock of both quesadillas and Magic kindergarten combined. "I don't want cheese!" "What was that for?" Dash asked Twilight looked around the room and saw that her friends were all staring at her. Nervously chuckling, Twilight apologized to Rainbow Dash. "So, Sugar cube, what did ya find out?" Applejack asked "Well, for starters what dash saw did happen though, the pony I saw didn't know who took over the Crystal Empire, which it could still be usurped by Tirek and Sombra." "That's still uberificly bad." Pinkie blurted. "I also went back to magic kindergarten..." Twilight said under her breath "Indeed I can't wait to go, I must know what fashions are absolutely divine so I can keep with the times. Though, knowing things I'm willing to bet Pinkie will go next." Rarity said. "You betcha," Pinkie said all hyper. "There's an order to this and not even Discord can disturb it." "Alright, Miss pie if there's an order who's next after you supposedly?" Applejack asked "Fluttershy Rarity then you," she replied. "Why am I last?" Applejack asked "dunno, maybe fate?" Pinkie said. The group left things at that, Fluttershy then asked, "how long until the next jump to the um, future Dr. Whoves?" "About an hour now," Dr. Whooves said. " I hope you have a lovely day Miss Fluttershy." Author's Note As for this chapter there are two people to credit, Rebecca Hymers, who has the unicorn some time to be alicornGlitter; and SilverFlare11 for Derek Beauregard. These two are good friends of mine and have both wanted to be apart of this in some way. I must also thank Antonio Martinez for not only the editing of this chapter, but the previous one as well. Finally I wish a shout out to a good friend of mine, who had offered me a lot of insight into future chapters to this; NightLocke,who as of now only has a You tube channel. Being that things for alicorns are up in the air, I must ask: what is your thought on the question brought up in this fic? I'm interested in your opinion. with that I hope everyone has a good day. Storm Rival Chapter 5 and the hilarious element of laughter.With Twilight done in the time machine, Pinkie felt her usual 'sense' kicking up again. She could feel the horrible future encroaching on her when suddenly, she heard Twilight speak about the horrific future at hand "That's uberifically bad," she said. Feeling a dark aura or something flowing about the lab. Soon after, she couldn't help but jump about wondering who was going to be next in the machine. Dashie and Twilight already went, now it was, she looked about the room then looked at herself as Rarity said "Though, knowing things I'm willing to bet Pinkie will go next." Somehow peering into the future itself, Pinkie said, "you betcha!" "Alright, Miss Pie, if there is indeed an oreder, what is it?" Pinkie said the order as stated in the previous chapter... Applejack questioned the order and asked how Pinkie knew it. "I dunno, fate I guess." she replied Dr. Whooves then dismissed them all. Pinkie skipped out as per her usual and now needed to do something to pass the time for an hour. Skipping about, she couldn't help but notice all the high class ponies of Canterlot just go about in a dressy casual way. Pinkie usually was an odd one always skipping about, not totally caring about problems but how much fun there would be rather solving them. As she continued to skip through she noticed that somepony wasn't smiling, she skipped over then felt a small tingle as though she's possibly met this pony before, though how was totally a mystery. The pony Pinkie approached was in tears. "Hey, what's going on?" Pinkie asked as friendly as can be. "Oh, great, not just any authority to apprehend me but Pinkie pie herself; this day has just been the worst of my life." The mare said. "Hold on, I'll be back in a flash!" Pinkie said disappearing then reappearing with a cupcake in her hoof. "Here's to lighten up your day," she said with an enormous grin on her face. The mare simply slapped the cupcake out of Pinkie's hoof. "Look, Pinkie Pie, I know what you're trying to do and no matter how much you try, its quite honestly not going to work." she said. "Why's that huh?" Pinkie asked as though she were challenged. "Come closer to the corner." she said. "Okie dokie." Pinkie replied Once the mare and Pinkie were in the corner, the mare started glowing a green hue as the fur evaporated by the magic. Slowly Pinkie's smile let down a little as she saw one of her old adversaries. "Somepony come qu-!" Pinkie shouted out but was blocked by the hoof of the changeling Pinkie then somehow managed to fit her muzzle through one of the changeling's leg holes. "Some-!" Pinkie's shouts were quickly blocked by the changeling's other front hoof. "See why I'm having a bad day already?" she said just letting Pinkie go. she walked close to the edge of the mountain and tucked in her insect-like wings. "they make it hard enough for changelings like me with the immigration laws and such." "No, wait," Pinkie said. "Why, going to spread your laughter?" she said with a look that said, 'I'm serious about this. "No," Pinkie said. "I just want to know what's been bothering you and why?" "The fact that changelings are just so..." she paused and contemplated the next words. "different, unaccepted." she said. Pinkie thought about what she did just recently, then, "I'm sorry." she said simply the changeling feigned a laugh. "Well, for starters, I thought I knew you and I think I know from where now." Pinkie said, "with that how about we start from the beginning. What's your name?" "What does it matter, I'm just a changeling." "No, you're part pony weather you accept it or not," Pinkie said. "So, what's your name? The changeling looked at pinkie for a bit, then after thinking for a moment she then said; "The name's shifty," she said. "Well, you already know me, so, how about you tell me about your day." "Where to begin," shifty pondered. "Oh, That's where. I was trying to find a job today and well there was a place hireing and that place, even though I really wanted to work there just didn't accept changelings." "What was the place?" Pinkie said "A bouncy house place," shifty said sighing, "I suppose you can say I like bringing a smile to ponies just like you." Pinkie was flattered somewhat the same way with Cheese Sandwich with that last comment. "Well, one thing that'll help is keeping a good attitude no matter what." "How can I do that when all I get are stares from other mares and colts just thinking I'll attack Canterlot again?" Pinkie was silent then said "at some point you'll find somepony who'll be glad they met you, thought to make that happen you've got to keep staying positive." "How?" shifty asked with a slight hiss. "Don't worry about what others think of you, because at the end of the day you are the only pony you have to live with," Pinkie said.somehow not even knowing the words she said. "Besides, who'd want to meet an angry changeling over a very happy one?" "You do have a point Pinkie, though, what should I do?" "Just keep your goal in mind and try to cheer up everypony you meet," Pinkie said "Its what I've done and its worked so far." "I'll try that too, though what would you do though if no pony wanted to be near you?" That question hit Pinkie in a hard place, after her pupils went to each side of her head as she remembered her party of one she then replied "If those ponies shrug you off, shrug them off til they have a chance to cool off." "But what if they don't or I rush things?" "You are you and you're special no matter what anypony else thinks of you." Pinkie said disappearing once more. "would you like a cupcake now?" she asked shifty. Shifty laughed, "yeah, I suppose I would." Pinkie bounded back and fourth happy that she was able to make somepony, even if it was a changeling, laugh. That was a good hour she had, Pinkie had even learned a few things about the hive that she otherwise would have never known before; especially considering Queen Chrysalis has it out for Twilight. Suddenly, her pinkie sense tingled. It was time to head back, Though along the way, she saw yet another sad foal… It took Pinkie a while to get back considering she had uplifted two fillies on the way. as she headed back, she noticed that nopony was at the lab, spooky as it kind of is there was a job that needed to be done and she was going to do it. Bounding closer she could hear some banging and clanging coming from within the lab. Hearing Pinkie Pie's distinct bounding, Dr. Whooves looked up "Oh, Pinkie Pie, its good to see you, Though I've got to say this time machine has a lot of bugs with it." "Oh hey, I have something that will help," Pinkie said "Oh, what is that?" Pinkie fluffs her main a bit and out pops a book with an illustration of a Deloren. "Time travel repair, it'll come in handy given, you know." she said letting the book fall into the doctor's hooves. "Wait what?" Dr. whooves asked. "Don't question it." Pinkie said. Doctor whooves looked at the book and after a couple of minutes then said, "Pinkie, I don't think this time machine falls under the category of a 'conventional time machine'." "Oh, right, you've been using the Ancestral type, not very many companies or anybody I know even uses them. Except you doc and those other assassin guys." "What?" he asked dumbfounded by what Pinkie said. "Look Pinkie all I need to know is what's wrong with it." "That's the thing doc, these Ancestral machines are so finicky that it could be anything." "Well, think you could lend me a hoof, being that you know this sort of thing?" "you got it buster, on one condition." "That is?" "You must Pinkie promise me that you won't tell anypony." "Um how does it go again?" Dr. Whooves asks feeling as though he is a hostage. "Cross my heart hope to fly," Pinkie started. "Cross my heart hope to fly," the Doctor repeated "Stick a cupcake in my eye," Pinkie finished sticking her hoof very close to her eye. "S-stick a cupcake in my eye." Dr. Whooves said with the feeling of his hostage crisis being averted. "Good," Pinkie said feeling satisfied; she then got up and looked around at the machine. "Try flipping the switch doc." "Which one?" "The one that's the on switch." Pinkie said. As Dr. Whooves did, there were sparks flying all about the room. "So, discover what the problem is Pinkie?" "Yepey I did." she replied bouncing in place. "Well, what do I need to do?" Pinkie bounced like a ball all about practically doing all the work Dr.Whooves should have saying, "you put this here that there jiggle this switch and twirl around in a circle." as she said the last part she twirled Dr. Whooves. "I have no Idea what just happened." Dr. Whooves said somewhat dizzy. "I just fixed your time machine buddy." Pinkie said brushing off her hooves. Dr. Whooves flipped the power switch again and the machine whirred and purred to life. "By golly, you really did do it, but how? its not like you're a-" Pinkie put a hoof to Dr. Whooves's mouth. "They must never know, just like Celestia's secret, got it." "Mmhmm." he said with his mouth closed by a hoof. "Now say the promise chant." "Cross my heart hope to fly, Stick a cupcake in my eye." he said somewhat frightened by Pinkie. "Good," she said bounding to her seat. "Now Crank this sucker to the future cos I'm ready to go!" Dr. whooves hit the future button. As Pinkie quite literally fell unconscious, she dived off the board of the present and cannonballed into the future. It was an instant transition, considering that she's done this before. The pool of the future to Pinkie seemed as though it was like an un-chlorinated unsalted pool. Even though it was dirty, she did her best to get to the bottom and swim up to somepony's subconscious. "Hey there!" she said. "Wow who's this?" they asked. "Its Pinkie Pie!" "P-Pinkie Pie?" they said astonished. "Yep indeedy do." she said I can't believe I'm meeting Pinkie, the top party pony was the pony's only thought. "Well, you can't just get there by doing nothing." she said as though she read thoughts. "How did you-" "Don't question it." Pinkie simply said cutting the colt off. "That said, who are you? Its just so that the audience knows" "My name is Spirited winds, though most call me, Up Spirits." "Well, alright then." Pinkie said waiting for the acknowledgment of the audience. "I would still like to know though, how did you get everypony presents when they thought you bucked the hay?" Spirits asked "Its my secret and a secret I'll keep til' I know that you're the element of laughter for sure." "Why would you say that?" "the type of machine I'm in can be kinda…" Pinkie tried to think of a word. "Glitchy." she said. "Oh, I see, time traveler." "Who said that?" Pinkie asked rhetorically. "Oh would you please keep that quiet?" "Maybe." "I need your Pinkie Promise before I go," she said. "How's that go?" he asked. Pinkie starts and Spirits says what Pinkie does right after: "Cross my heart hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." "Done," Pinkie said to Spirits. "Alright, what now?" "If you break your Pinkie Promise, I'll make sure the next time we meet will be…" she paused "A painfully, sugary one." Spirits shuddered to think that Pinkie would actually put a cupcake in their eye. "Alright, I absolutely won't." "Good." Pinkie said. suddenly she felt the effects of the time jump pulling her back. "Hey, Spirits" "Yes Pinkie," he said. "What do you know about current events and such?" "Well, I know that Sombra and some Tirek fellow have control of my present crystal empire though, after the things you six did there the crystal ponies are somewhat accepting of Sombra but a hateful air surrounds Tirek, and none of the crystal ponies trust him; even though he says he's 'turning over a new leaf'." "Very suspicious." Pinkie said. "I'll be in contact with you sometime in your future." "Alright, I just hope you don't stick a cupcake in my eye." "Its only if you break my pinkie promise." "deal," Spirits said slightly scared of Pinkie Pie yet also hoping he'd get her power of 'ultimate party pony!' Pinkie was slowly being pulled by the ebbing hooves of time. "I gotta go " "Okie Dokie Pinkie." Spirits said. Swimming through the pool of time Pinkie slowly returned to her 'sanitized' part of it. as soon as she was on her side of things she hopped up. "Man oh man is the future bad." Pinkie said said. beside her, were Fluttershy, Applejack and Rarity. "What happened?" Applejack said "The-crystal-Ponies-are-in-danger-Tirek-is-there-and-he's-not-really-causing-danger-" "Wow slow down darling." Rarity said. Pinkie took a deep breath, and released it. "Tirek is at the crystal empire and he's scaring all the folks in the crystal Empire." "O-Oh my." Fluttershy said. "That wouldn't be too good being that the crystal heart feeds off love." "And Tirek is slowly draining that love." Applejack said. "We have to do something!" Rarity said. "And I know exactly what to do!" "After the time machine recharges and all." Applejack said. Rarity chuckled a bit "Right." "Welp I'm outta here til another chapter." pinkie said bounding off just as carefree as before. Author's Note Pinkie pie is the fourth wall breaker, physics don't apply to Pinkie pie. Lastly as for how she transitions easily to and from future and past, my good friend Nightlock suggested that Pinkie pie herself is a bit of a time traveler, as she has planned her parrent's 50th and even 100th anniversary in advance in the episode with the Yaks. I also wish to point out that this chapter may have a few grammatical errors. this is due to new time constraints that have come up, As for the Ancestral time machine, I was thinking on a different type of time machine (more like dreaming about it). As I slowly connected the dots, I came up with this story. The characters were defiantly different, however, with some time to think this series over, I finally got the main cast for this. Pinkie's original future character for this was going to be the best, I suppose, school teacher, Though this was changed to what it is now. I hope you've enjoyed the story as it is so far and I plan to finish this. (Unlike the other things I've made on this site. ) Sorry This chapter took a while to get out, I've been busy as well as just debating on weather or not my own oc should be in this. I've already put him in considering its been months since the last update and I'm wondering what your thoughts are to this. No matter what though, I wish you all a good day. Storm Rival. Prologue: the vision.Night in Equestria is the most beautiful thing. I used to not know how ponies could sleep through such beauty. It wasn't until I was sent to the moon that I understood. I spent 1000 years in a blind rage over it, 'twas not til I met twilight that my rage was quelled. I regretted what I did all those years ago for a long time. So long in fact I created Tantabus to torment me as I had done so to many others in the wake of my rage. My torment would have been everypony's torment had it not been yet again for Twilight and her friends. I do not wish to dwell upon what could have happened had Twilight never been as Important as she is, however I know if I'd never met those fine equine, my future would be dark. "Nooooooooo!!!" I hear my sister scream. "I'm on my way sis!" I yell flying into her room Celestia I was in a panic, never before had I seen such bloodshed, never before had I seen such hell for my little ponies, never before had I seen the true terror of Tirek. Why was it that he plagued my nightmares this rather fine evening, and why when he doesn't pose any threat whatsoever in his prison down in Tartarus? It was the elements of harmony that kept his lock and chain upon him so securely, so, why now when all is peaceful and calm? The only possible way for him to escape would be if the elements of harmony were to fall to other users. Though when... "Sister!" I hear luna call out my name concerned. "Is everything alright?" "I had a nightmare." I said still in shock about how hellish the dream was. "It was not my doing, sister" "Then it was a vision of what's to come..." I said not wanting what was witnessed to come and pass. I told luna what was to come, she had this to say: "Tirek escape Tartarus And ending your life sis. That's impossible." "Luna, I remember you saying that once when you were Nightmare moon, refusing to be my sister again." Luna had eyes that showed remorse as I had said that to her. Then, realizing the gravity of what I said, she asked, "what do we do now sister?" "For now, if harmony is to survive the trial of time, we must plan. For even we, dear sister, are not truly immortal."
Chapter 1: summons of a princess.Doctor Whooves Oh, what a beautiful day it is. Not a cloud in the sky, perfect weather to solve some scientific mystery. Hmm, but what to do. I've done most everything that's interested me. Maybe I could make those volatile explosives that Derpy set off during Cranky and Mulia's wedding. "Hey doc," I hear Derpy yell. "I brought you a letter!" "Ah, hello there." I said "How are you today?" "I'm doing fine, however, today I seem to be having a stroke of scientists block." "Say no more." She said in a peculiar way. "Why, what's going on?" I asked "You've got a letter from the princesses," "WHAT!!" I yelled flabbergasted. "They told me to deliver it posthaste so, I did." She said giving me the letter. "Have a nice day doctor," she said flying off. Normally, I don't get nervous at all, the only thing I'd gotten nervous about before was my suit needing to be tailored for Cranky's wedding. The letter I now hold in my hoof brings a new meaning to the word, nervous. I untied the letter and read what it said. Dr. Whooves, It has come to our attention that you are the closest earthpony to crack the secret of time travel with that, We are in need of your service. I, princess Celestia, have recently had a vision pertaining to a very devastating future. I do not wish that future to come to pass and request your assistance in that undertaking. To accommodate you, we are sending a royal chariot to meet you in the center of ponyville, it will arrive at 1pm. Sincerely, Celestia, Luna. Me, the only pony to prevent a catastrophic future. I simply can't believe it. Usually it's Twilight and her friends who do the sort. The way they stopped the changeling invasion for the royal wedding, or even just recently defeating Tirek. I honestly don't believe Twilight's claims as far as alternative timelines and her shenanigans with starlight glimmer, but I support her nonetheless. The clock chimed 12, and it usually takes me about an hour to get to the center of town. I must hurry to that chariot and Canterlot at once. Celestia Such a boring average day. Ruler of equestria has some big horseshoes to fill, I just wish just something out of the ordinary would happen. All these ponies asking for royal stamps of approval, photographs, settlements legal issues and other sorts of activities. all of that just fills my boring day. I wish at some point my I'd get a letter from my student, talking about some solved friendship problems, good times and other things. That would really get my mind off of things. I really don't like thinking this way, but it's possible she's moved on... I sighed. "Princess Celestia," I heard the guards outside the throne room door say. "Yes," I reply "The pony you requested is here." "Bring him in." Doctor Whooves "Bring him in." Was what I heard from the room ahead. "Go on ahead," the guards said to me. I walked slowly into the throne room. As I did, I saw the glass art panes decorating the place, each detailing the fierce battles Twilight and her friends have fought. The last window had a picture of Tirek and Twilight facing each other and a beam of energy being shot between them. I continue towards the throne and stop just shy of touching it and bow. "How can I be of service your majesty?" I asked. "Please rise good stallion." The princess commanded in a soft yet authoritative voice. I rose and looked at the princess. "You've been called forth to make a time machine." "I must ask, why me and not your royal scientists?" "My royal scientists are all unicorns and this machine must..." She trailed off. "'The machine must,' what?" "The machine must be comparable with unicorns Pegasai earthponies and alicorns all alike." I now wanted to voice my concern for how this would be done, "how do you-" I was cut off. "I, myself plan to test this machine, once it is built of course." She said. There was a silence about the room. "Your highness, I beg you to reconsider." "How can I when the fate of Equestria counts on this?" There was silence yet again. Celestia started to give a tear, "I have been forced, so many times before, to leave the fate of Equestria in the fine hooves of Twilight and her friends," the princess said. "And now I have a chance to help them save it from certain doom. I'm not going to sit idly by while Twilight saves Equestria again. That will bring about our destruction." Taken aback by what she'd said, I now know that I must help in anyway possible. "In that case your majesty, how can I be of service?" Author's Note These two beginning chapters are written as best as I can get them to be. On multiple occasions I've asked for help on certain edits and whatnot and well so far this is only the beginning to what I hope becomes a pretty good fan fiction. I thank you all for reading what little I have as of now. I do plan to work on this piece as best I can. I will also take constructive criticism on Edits and grammar use. I wish you all an excellent day/night. Storm Rival.
Chapter 2: Science and morals.Entry 1: Princess Celestia has asked me to do something very improbable, build a time machine. Sure the antics of time travel have both plagued and intrigued me for some time, however, I’m not sure that even working in conjunction with Cloudsdale’s elite scientists and the royal scientists here that we can pull this off. Sure many hands make light work, however if that work is beyond the reach of our hooves… “Dr. Whooves.” I hear Celestia say. “Yes, your majesty.” I replied. “It is time to extract the elements.” she said to me. “Understood.” I replied back to her, grabbing my crystal chipper. The device was small and precise able to chip the littlest bit off of any crystal. The royal guards, with a chariot attached to them awaited Princess Celestia’s orders and took off as soon as the pegasus and unicorn scientist as well as me and Celestia were aboard. They took off with both haste and precision. The ride took about a couple of hours. The breathtaking scenery could be enough for any earth pony’s life, however, instead of looking down I looked to my side and began to converse with my cohorts. “So, how are you chaps doing?” I ask both the Pegasus and unicorn along for the ride. “Eh, its kinda stuffy here,” the Pegasus said in a gruff voice. “I’d love a chance to stretch my wings, but given the position i work, that chance is very hard to come by. I can’t be flying off now, especially when i get an opportunity of a lifetime, that is sitting right next to you your highness.” he said first to the group, then looking at Princess Celestia. “Why, I’m flattered you’d give up a golden opportunity to do something you like on my behalf,” Celestia said looking at the pegasus. “Though I don’t want to hinder what you like to do.” “You mean,” he started. Celestia merely shook her head. And with that the Pegasus scientist opened his wings letting the high altitude air drag him back. “Wooooo Hooooo!” he yelled flying through the sky with as much skill as Rainbow Dash. While he was flying without a care in the world, the unicorn turned and spoke to me. “I’m quite interested in the subject we’re researching as well as performing. Though, i can’t help but feel if we do this we’re going to cause more trouble than good.” The pegasus caught up with the chariot. Cutting off what i was about to say. “My name’s Bill, though most ponies I work with call me Redbull, because of how stubborn I can be.” “Well,” The unicorn next to me said, “if we’re introducing one another My name is Nyer.” she said “Well, I’m Whooves, Dr. Whooves…” “Were you named that way by your parents?” Bill asked. “Quite frankly, I was” I replied. We land at the edge of Everfree forest after that. I am quite frankly ready to do research on these elements. Tirek These Shackles are too tight. I was not ready to receive my penance when Twilight had sent me to Tartarus. And now these chains are too tight, They feel like the nooses I would have put on all those ponies had I gotten my way. I wish these chains were looser, If they were I’d be back in Equestria in no less than five thousand years. Enough time to have Twilight and her ‘Friends’ dead by time, and enough time to see those two who had first imprisoned me die by my hand. Hell hath no fury like what I’m going to have upon Equestria, and it’s precious princesses. I shall be the sole ruler of everything and there is nothing that those ponies can do about it… if only these chains were looser. I hear Cerberus bark and growl as though he knew what I was planning. A thousand years to start biding my magic to break free, I can do this. All of a sudden I feel my shackles loosen. Yes… Five hundred years and I shall have my revenge. Enough time to catch the princesses off guard, Have Twilight and her gone and enough time to prepare an army should my plans fail again. Entry 2: Now with the smallest shards of the Elements of harmony we can determine what energies connect them. Sure Earth pony science will not be able to crack this therefore I leave this to Nyer to figure out. His expertise of Magic and science is almost unrivaled. The only few who could outmatch him would be Twilight Sparkle, whom this entire operation is for, and Starswirl the bearded. I must say I am excited for the chance to test the time machine. I can only hope though that this doesn’t end in failure. That day Bill, Nyer and I were going to ask participants of the scientific community to test out our first prototype. This prototype was the conventional sort of time machine. Pony gets in pony goes to future pony experiences future much like, well, Back to the Future. This will be interesting. “Hello all,” I began and Nyer took over “and thank you all for participating in these tests.” There was chatter among those here. And then. “We don’t guarantee anything except the possibility of seeing the future” There was once more chatter, and a few very astute ponies had left the building. Knowing what I know now I too would’ve left. They were all good ponies even that one guy who was with Twilight that day all the school ponies just had to get a picture of her. However nothing could prepare us for: “The Time field is breaking down! Its either pull them back now or have them trapped in the future.” The one decision that no pony could make. There wasn’t enough time to unplug all the time distorters and there wasn’t any way I’d leave somepony trapped in the future. Though the inevitable happened. Entry 3: Nopony was prepared for what had just happened. Today in the experiment we lost three ponies to time traveling. I'm just happy that the princess didn’t know about this attempt, and wasn’t there to see the horrible failure. We were able to see the ponies we sent to the future however what we weren’t aware of was once you set hoof in the future, you can’t head back to the past unless it was the product of some magic spell that only lasts a few minutes. The same spell Twilight had used when she worried about nothing on a Tuesday. If I can’t sent the whole pony to the future, perhaps I can send part of the consciousness to the future instead. This will take some time and research. Thanks to Tirek we know that all ponies have some form of magic. The pegasai flight, the unicorns latent magic, and the Earth pony, well I just don’t know it’ll take a while to figure out. “Whatcha’ writing doc?” Nyer asked levitating my journal over to herself. “Just some scientific journal Nyer." “You should not include the part about today,” he said. “I’m sorry Nyer, but in the pursuit of science everything must be documented. Failure or not, I plan to keep this in the journal.” “Just know that eventually when this journal is published ponies will question all of our credibility. Do you want to be known as the doctor that had to kill for time travel?” That last statement stung. Sure I wanted to be the one to potentially create time travel aside from the spell Starswirl created many years ago, but I didn’t want to have the title Nyer so creepily put on it as well. Work continues as planned with the time machine, Though, this time with our secret setback we know that we must not send ponies to the future the 'conventional' way but rather another way entirely. perhaps these elements hold the key. I, for a moment, take an apple and hook it up to a wire then I hook the wire to both an element of harmony and the monitor. At first there was nothing but static, However as I wiggled the wires closer and closer to the core of the apple and to a seed I saw that the image got more clear as I saw not an apple but an apple tree. Entry 4 There has been a success, however, I have only tested this on merely an inanimate object that isn't anything like a living pony. Tomorrow perhaps I'll be able to test this on a living being perhaps a lab rat. So far going to the future via spell seems to be different if you're going to the future via machine. I must continue more projects upon this matter and hope that we are not too late to complete the time machine. "Hey, hey, there doc," I hear bill's voice behind me. "Still working on those science journals of yours?" "You bet I am." "Well, good job," he said. "Listen I heard about your 'success' today if you'd like to call it that in your journal." "hmm, Yes. The next step is to test it on a live animal or being." "which I'd like to be apart of." There was a silence. "I don't think-" "I don't care." "but you'd" "I. Don't. Care." "Celestia would still need us if this is yet another failed experiment." Bill was silent. "Listen, if I'm not in that test thing when its being tested," He started "you'll learn the meaning of my nickname." Bill Where am I what's happening? who am I? I feel different I no longer have my wings but what do I have? I feel my 'new' torso, and find indeed that I have no wings I feel the top of my head and find that I have instead a horn. a unicorn. I Redbull have been reincarnated as a unicorn. I look around this unicorn's home and find a lot of pictures of family and such. Meow. I hear from a cross the room. "Cat! I'm allergic to cats." I yell "No, I'm not." I hear another pony's voice say to me. "Who are you?" I asked. "Well, mind pony, if you don't mind me asking, who're you first? I mean you did intrude my mind." Was... Was that the truth? Am I in somepony's mind in the future? "W-what year is it?" I ask. "Geez one thing at a time mind pony what's your name?" "Bill," I say. "Well, Bill, My name's Jaxx, and as far as the year its 2516." five hundred years in the future... My mind is in the clouds as Jaxx continues with his evening. I hear a knock at the door, and hear my future say "who is it?" I only heard half of the name "Sugar..." the view faded out, I saw nothing but black. "Bill, Bill?" I hear a voice talking to me. "Whasoinhnere."I murmur incoherently "What's going on here?" I say more coherently. "What happened is that I saw that you were in somepony's house and all I heard was their voice and yours." Doctor Whooves said. "Huh..." "And I can say that it worked." "Ha! I knew it!" I said excitedly "Though one of the side affects of this seem to be that the subject remains unconscious for about a few minutes to an hour." "I was out for an hour?" "Yep," Dr. Whooves said to me. "I was quite worried about you chap that you'd succumbed to well... The inevitable." "Well, Thanks for worrying about me buddy, but I know now this thing goes five hundred years into the future. "Five hundred?" "Did I stutter?" "No, No you didn't." he replied. "Good." I said slapping him on the back. Whooves Entry 5: Bill did something today that puts science to a dead halt and starts making it something more along the lines of fillies with explosive fireworks. Sure what 'Redbull' and I did today was indeed a success, though I fear what would've happened had it gone horribly wrong. I fear to think that time travel could be an instrument of death, however I am relieved that it is instead a temporary jump to the future and nothing more. I am interested in seeing if this could be in some way a temporary jump to the past, However I must do tests to see what I can do to strengthen the response time of the pony getting out of the machine. "So," after about a year's work on the machine. "Are you sure its ready for Princess Celestia to test?" I ask Bill and Nyer. "Doctor Whooves," Bill said. "I'd say after being sent in that machine more times than I'd like to have been, its ready." "After testing it this past year, I'd say a Royalty visit is best." Nyer said. With the past year we have finally completed the time machine. With this we've figured out that it takes at least a day for a pony to completely recover from the side affects of it. The time machine also takes about three days to recharge the element that slightly corresponds to you. Reading once that Celestia and Luna had both wielded the elements of harmony together, I'm anticipating that Twilight and her friends will be able to use the machine sometime this coming week. Her Rainbow mane flows as she enters the room, She cordially greets us as she passes by. Bill Nyer and I head to our stations to prepare the machine for her departure to the future.With the past year we have finally completed the time machine. With this we've figured out that it takes at least a day for a pony to completely recover from the side affects of it. The time machine also takes about three days to recharge the element that slightly corresponds to you. Reading once that Celestia and Luna had both wielded the elements of harmony together, I'm anticipating that Twilight and her friends will be able to use the machine sometime this coming week. Her rainbow mane flows as she enters the room, She cordially greets us as she passes by. Bill Nyer and I head to our stations to prepare the machine for her departure to the future. As we do so, the machine sparks and sputters. The elements of harmony, that were used to power the device, completely shatter and Celestia's Rainbow like flowing mane slowly change to a burning hot white as both on the screen and in here we some reminisce of the sun. The dial that showed we were only 500 years in the future spiked and showed that this was more than three thousand years into the future. Celestia living that long or less. That is indescribable, aside from temporary immortality as it seems to their subjects. Would Flurry Heart also be able to live that long? and what about Twilight? as for now there are more pressing things to worry about. Bill and Nyer are working on the power supply as I work to remove the head brace from Celestia's burning mane. the fire singes my fur just a bit as I get close to the mane however, her mane slowly returns back to its original state; Flowing rainbow like. She gets up from the machine and simply asks: "Why's it so hot in here?" All of us laugh as we prepare the play back of what just happened. Celestia stared wide eyed at what she had just witnessed on the tapes. Author's Note It was suggested by a Facebook group that I use the names of the character whom was being portrayed rather that the centered five dash to mark a page ending to signify the change in perspective. I would like to know what the preference is in the comments as I plan to change it soon as I know. Also this chapter and the two others before this are unedited and proofread to the best of my ability. I will say that this story will get more interesting as time goes on, and expect a little chaos to arise. I am sorry for that year in a chapter bit as well knowing that a lot of characterization is lost by me doing this. I've felt that this chapter has dragged on and I should at some point just get to the story apologies for this though I do plan to go back through this and correct sections that need to be as well as adding more to the building of the time machine. Finally, Sugar Paws is the Facebook group and Tumblr that is helping me a bit with the fic as well as others somewhat associated with the group and good friends of mine. Their credit to this will be added by the time each of them is introduced as well as they will be added slowly but surely in the long description Thank you for viewing this fic and I hope you have an excellent day. Storm Rival.
Chapter 3 :The Element of Loyalty."Um, Rainbow Dash," I hear my soft spoken friend say, "Twilight wanted us to go to the castle straight away." "Huh?" I ask slowly waking up from a good night's rest. I saw her yellow coat. Her pink mane was just about resting on my cloud as she was a good yet talking distance away from me, at least for her. "Oh. Hey Fluttershy." I say yawning. "Hey, um, Twilight wanted us all to head to the castle. She got a letter from Princess Celestia." I thought about it for a moment stretching out from a good night's sleep. "It has been a while since she got one from her." I said to my shy friend. "It really has been that long," Fluttershy replied to me in her usual whisper. "I haven't heard about Twilight getting a letter from Princess Celestia since she was crowned Princess of Friendship." "It's been that long huh?" I asked not really paying attention to the details. "It really has." "Man if I were Twilight, I'd feel a bit left out by now." "Well, uh, Twilight wants us to go to the castle," my soft spoken friend said. I started flying and said "Let's go then." I kept pace with Fluttershy as we both went to the castle. It was a slow but easy flight. I could circle the world 100 times at this speed. Fluttershy's been my friend for the longest time and yet, I still show her the utmost kindness I can. We open the doors to the castle and find that our friends are already here, but what can I do, I like flying with Fluttershy. "Glad you two could make it." Twilight said "I just got a letter from Princess Celestia and it seems very urgent. "Well what are you waiting for go ahead and read it!" I blurted ready for any kind of action. Twilight began reading what the letter from Celestia said: "Twilight and friends, I have written you on account of a vision I had on my little ponies of the future. I foresaw that Tirek would return and bring Tartarus with him. He wants nothing but revenge on everything and the most unfortunate news of this is that you won't be there to put a stop to his mayhem. I, in response to this, have made a machine to help see the future and help bring the future element bearers together and stop his madness, once and for all. I need you and your friends to come to my castle to rewrite history and hopefully bring tirek to his future justice Princess Celestia. "So, is everyone ready to go to Canterlot?" Twilight asked we all replied, "Yeah!" The train ride to Canterlot was as anyone could expect of it being that it was going to a widely familiar place being Twilight's new status in Equestria. The summer breeze was as good as a dip in a pool the sky just nearly devoid of clouds though from what was heard there was a storm coming ,a storm said to last a few days in Ponyville. A storm Rainbow Dash and her friends wouldn't see... The train stopped and Rainbow Dash and her friends stepped off the platform to let other ponies go where they needed to. They all knew where to go as they've had many events happen in Celestia's Castle. The fight against the changelings, the first and second time they all went to the Grand galloping gala, Discord... All those events raced past in Dash's mind as she visited the castle where the fate of Equestria hung in the balance. The air though being calm had a hint of tenseness to it as everypony slowly made their way through the fancy mountain streets of Canterlot. The city its self is home to many rich ponies and those of high class society. the streets were quite active as any other Monday would be. as the castle loomed closer, Twilight and company could see that this was only the beginning of their adventure. "Come on guys let's go already!" Ranbow dash said ready and rearing to go. "Hold on now Dash," Applejack said pulling Dash's tail. "I've been going too slow all day." she said back to Applejack "Just wait for us a bit longer sugarcube and you'll be the first to use that machine." "I just hope this goes faster." Dash said Rainbow Dash and company finally made it to what seemed to be quite literally an inner sanctum to what was a great science experiment. All about the room, electrical current flowed. There were beds with helmets at the top of them. There were six total beds and six small shards of each of the elements embedded into the helmets. the atmosphere was something indescribable. "Ah, welcome to the precipice of the future." A somewhat familiar yet unfamiliar voice said. "Who's there?" Twilight asked "Its me Doctor Whooves." the colt said revealing himself at the far end of the room. "Y-you've been here this whole time?" Fluttershy asked. "Derpy's been wondering about you for ages about where you've gone, thinking you hopped on some time machine to go places." Dash said. "What!? That's completely absurd she knows far too well that I don't have a time machine." he said. "Anyhow, without further ado I wish to present the way you will save Equestria. "This thing," Applejack asked puzzled. "How the hay does this even work?" "Ah, That's the thing it needs the Elements of Harmony to work and each one of these beds here has been fitted to your specific element. When Bill, Nyer and I tested it, it took a combination of each of the elements for us to only get about an hour or so glimpse of the future. I'm assuming that you each have a good link with the Elements of Harmony that it will give you more time to do what you need to for the sake of Equestria." There was a slight creepiness of the atmosphere, this creepiness was something that had all the ponies' hair stand on end for just a moment. "Well, uh, Totally not going first." Rainbow dash said immediately. "Oooh no, you wanted to go first, I remember it." Applejack said to Rainbow dash. "Well, alright," Dr. Whooves said. "As soon as you're ready I'll prepare your time jump." Dash gulped as she was just about ready to take the 'first' jump to the future. "See you guys on the other side?" She chuckled laying down. The helmet came down and Dr. Whooves fastened it around her head. "Tell me when." Dash took a few deep breaths and said "Ready." The machine powered up and as it did, everything in Dash's vision faded to black... Suddenly Dash couldn't move or feel much of anything except the new somewhat bulkier body as well as the wings of a pegasus. "That was weird." Dash thought, Though that thought its self was more aloud than in her mind. "Ugh," dash hears a colt's voice say. "I knew I shouldn't have read with a headache." "Who are you?" Dash asked aloud this time. "Me?" the colt asked. "who are you and why are you interrupting me and where are you?" Dash tried to move about but was confined where she was, the stallion though could feel some movement. "So, you're in my head?" "I think so." Dash replied. "How do you not know?" he asked. "And who are you?" "You might be a bit shocked at this, but I'm Rainbow Dash." "You're one of the element bearers of harmony?" "You bet. And I'm twenty percent cooler than the rest of them." "Yeah right," he said. and I'm quite honestly the foal of Celestia herself." Eclipse replied sarcastically. "No seriously, I'm Rainbow Dash." "Prove it." he said. "Tell me who saved the crystal empire when the first natural born alicorn was born." "It was Starlight's friend, I Can't remember his name sunbeam, Starburst." Dash thought for a moment. "I'm kinda drawing a blank." "Uh huh." he said. "Alright if you really are dash without looking what element do you represent, and what happened during the event of the Magical mystery cure?" "The what what what?" dash asked. "I know I'm the element of Loyalty, but I don't know what the magical mystery cure is." "What happened to Twilight when your cutie marks got all rearranged?" "Oh, I was trapped by animals, Rarity was working the weather, Pinkie worked AJ's farm Aj made dresses, and Fluttershy tried being Pinkie." Dash said. "What?" eclipse simply asked. "Oh and Twilight grew wings and became an alicorn." "That's the answer I was looking for, sort of." "What happened to the crystal empire after the crystaling?" "That I don't know buddy, and no spoilers please." Dash said. "Alright, what just happened to you?" "Starlight just became a friend of Princess Twilight." Dash replied. I kinda don't trust her, but I know that Twilight trusts her and that's enough for me." "Alrigh-" Suddenly, out of nowhere, a large gray unicorn with a black coat came through with a sword made of crystal ready for action. "engarde!" He yelled. The stallion pulled his own sword and maneuvered it pretty well considering he only had his mouth and wings to hold the sword with. Slowly but surely the features from the fast moving motions between both the combatant and Dash's host. A red horn a red cape this all seemed too familiar. "Sombra?" dash asked. "Be careful whoever-you-are, Sombra's attacking the crystal empire and-" Dash was cut off. "Quiet he's teaching me, and no not attacking the Empire," He said "I'll fill in the details after this small practice is over." The battle between him and Sombra was intense full of many nearly connecting hits from Sombra's end. finally after about five minutes back and forth, Dash's stallion pulls a second sword that pokes Sombra. "Haha, I was wondering when you'd pull that one Eclipse." he said kindheartedly to him. "I'll see you in the court yard for another bout ok," Sombra said "Son?" "Yeah I can't wait." "Son!" Dash said. "Well, Rainbow Dash, being that you don't know what happened a few years after the crystling, I might as well say that if I said who I was, that it'd shock you." "Well go a head and say it." "I am Sombra's son, Eclipse." Dash shook Somewhat in her tightly held restraints that were courtesy of the time machine. "What just happened?" Dr. Whooves asked "Knowing Dash, she just received some shocking news." Apple jack said, with the rest of her friends aside Rainbow Dash nodding in agreement. "What! How! why! When!" Dash frantically asked. "Geez, calm down." Eclipse said "I want to know how!" Dash exclaimed. "But I thought you didn't want to know your future." Eclipse retorted back. "Bu-" "No buts this is my world and I'm the prince and I command silence." Dash was angrily silent. "So, what is it, why are you here?" Eclipse asks. "Equestria in some grave danger again?" "Yes it is, Tirek is going to return and... "Tirek's already here, and even said himself that he 'wants to turn over a new leaf." "Wha- how? why?" "Shouldn't you know?" "All I know is what not why." "Ok, all I know is that he's back from his banishment from tartarus, and that's just about it." Eclipse says. "My father trusts him completely though I have my doubts that he's really here for 'turning over a new leaf'. He's probably here to get revenge on Celestia Luna and Flurry." "Flurry..." Dash thought again. "Do you mean Cadence and Shining's baby?" "Baby!" Eclipse said astounded. "Guess you really are five hundred years old then." "Hey don't you know its rude to talk about a mare's age?" Eclipse blushes, then suddenly, Sombra comes into the room. "Son," he says. "Are you ready for the sword lessons?" Dash remains silent and is somewhat confused by how Sombra is alive and she and her friends aren't. "I will be in just a few minutes." Eclipse said. "Alright, I'll be waiting at the practice ring when you're ready." Sombra replied. "Ok Dad." Eclipse replied. "How's he still alive?" Dash asks. "There's a red rock at the edge of the crystal empire out where the snow is, its a portal to the world of the Umbrum." "Umbrum?" Dash asks. "They're the species my dad is derived from, they're nothing but pure hatred and malice and were banished to the snow. That is until they made my father, a solid umbrum." "What happened after that?" Dash asked "Too much to cover now." Eclipse put an end to that. "One thing I can tell you now is that My father and I are currently overseeing things in the Crystal Empire as Flurry Heart receives her training from Princess Celestia and Luna themselves being that they all share the fact they're all natural born alicorns." "What's he doing now?" "He's been obsessed with reforming the Umbrum, much how you have reformed Discord in the past." "It really wasn't me it was actually Fluttershy who 'friendshipped' him into submission." Eclipse chuckled a bit. "What? What's so funny?" "I thought it was you, you're said to be the only one cool enough to deal with Discord's chaos." "Why would it be, I don't trust him as fast as I can fly," Dash said "And quite frankly, I don't trust Sombra nearly that much either." "I know how you feel," Eclipse said. " I feel like he's going to try to wage a war against Celestia and Luna." "I wouldn't put it past him," Dash said. "But no matter what, the Lives of your Empire and your family matter most." The last part dash blurted for no reason whatsoever. "I know that." Eclipse said. "But to be truly loyal you must prove it." Dash said again for no reason "I suppose so." Eclipse said. There was a knock at Eclipse's door. "your father's waiting Eclipse!" A mare's voice protruded through the door. "Coming!" he said Things for dash started to become dark. "I think I'm going back to my time 'Clipse." she said. "Alright, suppose I'll hear you sometime later then right?" There was no response. Dash was now again in darkness. She felt as though there was a light pulling her through the void. When she opened her eyes, she saw her friends again. "Dashie!" Pinkie said excitedly "What was the future like?" "Well, I'm not sure how to put it," she started. "But we all kicked the hay sometime before five hundred years." "Well for us all I'd understand, but Twilight, I thought with your transformation you'd become well..." Applejack somewhat couldn't bring herself to say it given her past. "Immortal?" Twilight asked. "Yea." Applejack said. "Well," Pinkie blurted "This just isn't right." "I know and even worse, Tirek's already there in the future waiting for us." Dash said. Everyone in the room paused and looked at Dash. "You mean he isn't there threatening everypony?" Fluttershy asked. "No, and somehow Sombra too is alive then." Dash said. "Well that's a double negative future." Pinkie yet again blurted. "I don't know." Dash said "All i know is what happened, not how." "I need to talk to Princess Celestia." Twilight said walking out of the room. "I need some rest." dash said getting up from the machine and flying out in search of a high cloud for a nap. "This is very important for all of you and the state of future affairs of Equestria." Dr. Whooves said " I need you all back within the hour!" he yelled the last one out was Pinkie, who said "Okie dokie" before bounding off. Sombra and Eclipse were fencing in the court yard, each round would last a long time neither of them gaining an edge nor parrying the other's sword out of their good grasps. "Father," Eclipse asks. "Yes," Sombra said going for a strike. "What would you do if I told you I was the element of loyalty?" "I'd-" Sombra was hesitant at the sudden question, that hesitation caused his sword to be flung out of his magical grasp. "I'd say those are nothing but a rumor, but given how you rule when I'm away on business with my own ponies, I'd say you do a mighty fine job and would totally fit the bill of Loyalty." "Thank you," Eclipse said "What's the deal with Tirek?" "He's merely staying until I can be sure he completely has 'turned over a new leaf.'" "And why am I being sent to that ' insect horde of changelings for a treaty?" "Because, even though Ponies and Changelings don't get along even now there has been moves for acceptence and our move towards that will prove that they are ready for such an undertaking." "Alright, When am I leaving for that?" "In about a week," Sombra finished. Author's Note So, Thanks to a poll done on Facebook I know who I'm starting with first and who's going next to last. Also I thank those who've contributed their oc's to this fic as well, the first of which being ChaosDeathBlade who has the character Eclipse, and Rainbow Dash's future element bearer. As for those who argue that Sombra is dead, I put AU for a reason that being I'm using a blend of the IDW comics and show for this fan fiction. Sorry for the bluntness and such, though I feel there are some things in the show that the comics should show but don't; considering they're separate cannons from themselves. Also, Sorry for the involvement of a somewhat major character terms of familial stature, however this fic would've been very different and much weirder had things gone the initial way I first planned and not at all as well thought out too. As for the change to third person, in future chapters it'll make sense as for now I suppose its just a random thing. I hope you can be both understanding and forgiving as this series presses on. I've tried many stories and so far this is my first step outside of my usual OC and Crossover works. As per my usual, thank you so much for viewing my fic and I hope you all have a good day. Storm Rival.
Chapter 4: The element of MagicAfter Seeing what had happened to Rainbow Dash, Twilight couldn't help but feel a bit worried about the mysteries of alicorn ascension and mortality. It'd been said that there was about an hour wait every time the machine powered up to do so again, so Twilight decided to pay a visit to Princess Celestia. When Twilight had first become Celestia's pupil, she didn't know anything about Celestia's castle except for the very important pony or ponies who lived there. Slowly as she studied to master magic, she also slowly wondered about new areas of the castle, slowly learning every corridor and hall that this place had to offer. This hobby of hers always kept her mind wondering on the studies of magic. It also gave her time away from her study too. She and her Sister-in-law, Cadence used to play all the time here as well as back at Twilight's house. Here at Canterlot castle, Twilight and Cadence would usually play hide and seek in the lengthy maze-like corridors. Cadence being somewhat abandoned royalty knew the castle like the bottom of her hoof and would usually win this game; thought there have been times when Twilight was able to hand a very humiliating loss to her sister. This hobby today, served as a distraction as she wondered the corridors.keeping her mind off the impending question; 'are ascended alicorns lives as long as any other pony's?' Twilight knew the path she'd take to Princess Celestia and this time, She knew that it would both put her mind at ease and also wonder due to the pressing question at hoof, though as she went she first something she didn't ever expect to hear, music. The music of a guitar, which was a wonder, considering it was a very rare instrument and that hooves and hands don't quite work the same on them. She continued past the corridor and into a cross section. There was a blue unicorn there playing the music. "Ah, a rare sight," he said. "Usually I come here to get away from ponies, However today, I suppose I have stumbled upon a princess." He had hoof bands on all four hooves, and as he put down his guitar, to bow all four slid down to his horseshoes. "I was hoping to get the same thing out this way today." Twilight said. "Well, care if I play something? Its the least I could do for royalty including the Princess of friendship." he replied "Maybe," Twilight replied somewhat apprehensively. "Ah, I get it, not quite used to the title, Neither was I when I took over My father's business." This was perhaps the first time Twilight met someone who was just as uncomfortable with their own title. "Well," Twilight started again. "If something is true, I'd like to if you could, pass down an old lullaby to somepony in the future." " Ah well, who's the pony?" the bard asked somewhat knowing what was going on. "I don't know..." Twilight said somewhat in tears. "Look, I'll do what I can to make sure this song is preserved in time." The colt said. "I'll make sure its passed down to my foals and theirs after." "That would really help." Twilight said wiping away her tears and clearing her throat to start to hum. The song was peaceful, harmonious, and something not too many colts or fillies knew. The guitarist slowly hummed along to the chores and soon after, began to strum accordingly. The song as well as the question slowly brought tears back to Twilight's eyes as the ending reprise hit. It was a somber yet happy note one that words alone can't describe. "I know this song, Miss Twilight," he said to her. " Thought I don't usually have it requested. I do play it after every single pony is gone for the day to know that my job of entertainment is done. Much like how a doctor I know in Ponyville does the same but in a different way." "Thank you," Twilight paused then looked up at the pony who'd played her lullaby. " What's your name?" "Derek Beauregard." He replied. "And Miss Sparkle, I hope that whatever the answer you're satisfied with it." Twilight and Derek shook hooves, "I'll try to make it so you can come here more often," she said to him. "Thank you," he replied. Both, from their brief experience just now, bid farewell to one another Twilight, after the long walk, finally made way to Celestia's throne room and saw that she was busy signing important legal parchment. She slowly walked forward and Celestia, after a few moments, finally noticed her. She waved off the other ponies here for important issues and such then called as a mother would a child; "ah Twilight." "Celestia, it's been a while." Twilight said somewhat shyly "Indeed it has, Princess Twilight." Celestia replied with no angry voice but rather a calm and understanding one. "Rainbow Dash went into the machine and..." "I'm supposing that you weren't in the future." Celestia said to me "I'm not too sure why." "I was going to ask if you knew why," Twilight said with the tension building in the room. "I knew that day would eventually come and I'd tried to wrap my head around alicorn ascension myself," she said. "It is a mystery how you'd ended up where you had. I've only ever done that two times before. Each time I did it gave me more questions than answers." "I didn't know." Twilight said. "Neither did I when it came down to everything," Celestia said. "I can't seem to remember whether or not we're natural born like your niece, Flurry heart or weather we ascended Like you and your sister. Luna and I have been alive for nearly three thousand years." She sighed. "What's wrong?" Twilight asked knowing something was wrong from her first magic mentor "Its Nothing." Celestia replied. "No, Princess, I think something's wrong." "Must you press the issue?" Celestia asked somewhat angrily. Twilight was silent now, struggling for words, knowing that both Celestia and Luna had lived for that long defiantly gave more thought into the question at hoof. Twilight then thought about it and surmised that she'd never know the answer. "I-I'm sorry..." Celestia said a little flustered. "Its this whole time travel business." "I get it," Twilight said trying to wrap her head around living for three thousand years. "What happened when you tested the machine?" "How do you know I tested it?" "How else by the scientific process would you make it work for me?" "Well, very astute of you my old student," Celestia said somewhat concerned. "As for what had happened, an old lore that is only passed from natural born alicorn to natural born alicorn was proven to be true when I had tested it." "What's that?" Twilight asked curiously. "Something, I'm afraid, you can't know my young princess." "Why?" "Because; that's why, only Flurry Heart must know for now what happens after..." "After what?" Twilight said somewhat angry and upset that the only pony who would take her in and teach her any sort of magic had now kept a tight lip. Twilight opened her mouth to ask why once more, but then was silenced by Celestia. "You mustn't ask questions that you don't want the answers to." Celestia said looking shiftily from side wall to Twilight to floor even. Twilight wondered the room her head swimming in questions: 'if Celestia doesn't know who does?' 'If I'm not immortal I'll live as long as my friends but does that mean that friendship will end?' 'What does Celestia mean by what she said?' "Celestia," Twilight said before turning to leave the throne room. "Yes," Celestia said sternly, with some tears coming from her eyes. "I've missed you." she said leaving the throne room. Those words that were said to Celestia hadn't been uttered to her in such a long time. she felt nostalgia and at the same time, sorrow. She waited until Twilight left, then burst into something she'd done all too often in recent times, tears. Dr. Whooves was working diligently on preparing the machine for anypony else who'd wanted to go next. He suddenly felt that he was being watched from the opposite corner of the mad science lab. "Hello? Who's there?" he asks. "Its just me Doc." Twilight said. "Ah, I said it'd be an hour before this is ready to roll. Why have you come so early?" "Just to ask a small Question." Twilight said determined to get an answer "Alright I'm sure I can give you an answer." Dr.Whooves said "What did Celestia see when she used this machine herself?" Dr. Whooves was silent. "Aren't you even going to give me an answer? I am a princess after all," Twilight said. Dr. Whooves continued working on the preparations for the time device. There were several clicks whirs and beeps along with it, and still even with the authority card being pulled from Twilight's arsenal, there was still silence. Twilight began to feel as though she is left out of everything as though she were back in Magic kindergarten. "Come on, Answer me!" she yelled out, in utter frustration. "Twilight," Dr. Whooves said. "Princess Celestia helped me make my dream of time travel without a spell come true; and since then I've been keeping what she wants kept secret just that." Twilight stayed there waiting for time to pass by until, "Miss Twilight, The machine is ready for another use," Dr. Whooves said "I choose to go next." "Are you sure you won't let one of your other friends go ahead of you?" "I'm sure, especially with how much I still don't know given the fact of alicorn ascension and natural born alicorns." "Alright then," Dr. Whooves said. "This seat is ready for the Element of Magic. The seat was a purple hue, the helmet was a lot bigger than Twilight was expecting. she felt a chill run down her back causing her wings to ruffle and her whole body to slightly shake. She slowly approached the machine and finally laid down on it. Taking a few deep breaths before the helmet was attached, Twilight let her mind go blank and wanted nothing more than the next few moments to give her clarity. She fell into the darkness that is the realm between present and future. As she began to find herself in the future, she couldn't help but hear laughter. "Kids, seriously magic is not supposed to be used that way!" There was a harsh scolding from her future self. "Wait, no, where am I?" Twilight asks. It was then she saw she was among foals of many sizes and colors all running about the room. "No, anything but Magic kindergarten." Twilight said in terror, and anger. All the foals in the room were playing magic blast tag, a game Twilight couldn't do back when she was that age. Back then, she wasn't too skilled with magic and usually ended up loosing what was called the funnest game of the time. One day Twilight was chosen out of everypony else to start the round however, being that she couldn't summon magic, she wasn't able to tag anypony else. Somepony lost their lunch of quesadillas that day, while twilight, was unfortunate enough to get called purple cheesy and be the laughing stock of the school that entire year. Soon after Twilight was chosen to be Celestia's pupal, things changed from laughing stock to high and mighty respect from those whom had done the humiliating bulling. Twilight was uneasy being back here, she felt at any moment a little foal could tag her and the 'fun' would begin. Though she looked at a clock and saw that it was nearly lunch and Recess time, she breathed a sigh of relief. After the little game Twilight's future self, the teacher of the class, brought the fillies and foals to attention and continued the lesson until a bell was rung. "Alright, kids, go have your recess." she said at the ring of the bell. After that Twilight was at a loss as to how to ask the teacher something considering she was back at the place that gave her horrible memories. "Uh, Hello?" The teacher stopped grading papers handed in by her students thinking somepony was in there, though, as she looked around she saw nopony. She looked somewhat frustrated as her foals usually did cause mischief. "Excuse me, miss?" Twilight yet again tried to get the attention of the teacher. "Who's there and who's doing a very good Twilight impression?" The teacher asked. "Well you kinda won't believe it if I told you but I am Twilight from the past," there was an extension of Kinda "Oh, Really and if you 'Twilight' from the past, who was your pet before Tirek came through Ponyville?" the teacher asked. "Owlowiscious, an owl." Twilight said "Alright," The teacher said believing Twilight "If you are from the future, where are you physically?" "eh..." Twilight didn't want to answer that question, however knew that it was inevitable to answer it. "I'm, uh, ..." "Well, Spit it out." "I'm in your head." Twilight said "How is that possible?" "Look don't dwell on it, and don't ask questions you don't want to know the answer to." "Alright then, Since you're Twilight, it might surprise you who I am." "Who are you?" "I'm a relative of yours, Glitterlight Sparkle." Twilight was astounded, knowing that there was somepony related to her in the future. "what how, How is it that I'm somepony you know?" Twilight questioned. "I honestly don't know, and all I can say is its a weird experience having you in my head." "How's ponyville? I know it can't survive a disaster alone!" "Oh, I know. and trust me, Ponyville get a lot better in the 'handling disasters' department a while ago." "How long ago?" "Hard to say being that Equestria had for a while everlasting harmony." How'd that happen?" Twilight asked. "Discord disappeared some time after his friends left." "Really?" Twilight asked somewhat annoyed, however somewhat complacent. "Yep." "Ok, I need to ask this Glitter; have you heard anything about Tirek or Sombra?" "No I can't say i have," Glitter replied. "I heard that they were up in the crystal Empire plotting something." "Last I heard Flurry Heart was receiving training by Clelestia and Luna to control her power completely being that she was stripped of it as a baby. As for who is ruling the Empire in her steed while she's gone I have no clue, I'm practically stuck out here in Ponyville, with no bits to ride the train with." she said with a hint of jealousy in her voice. "Well, if there were a way to do it, I'd find a way to help you." Twilight said. "Thanks, But I like my humble abode." "Alright." "I hope you don't mind, but I brought Quesadillas for lunch." Nervously, Twilight replied with a shudder, "Uh its quite alright." As soon as Glitter opened her lunch box, there was an explosion of cheese from the teacher's desk to the black board. "Well there goes my lunch..." Twilight shivered "what did you pack for a lunch?" "Quesadillas, Why?" Twilight shivered even more, this had caused a chill down Glitter's spine. "Hey, what's the deal with quesodillas?" Twilight didn't answer however, as soon as she could feel herself being pulled back to her time: "Hey, Glitter," she said braving the sensation of being covered in cheese again. "I've got to get going for a bit here, I'll be back though I'm sure of it." "I hope so, Great Grandma," was the last thing Twilight caught before completely being pulled to present day Equestria. "Hey! Twilight!" Dash yelled. "AAH!" she screamed from the shock of both quesadillas and Magic kindergarten combined. "I don't want cheese!" "What was that for?" Dash asked Twilight looked around the room and saw that her friends were all staring at her. Nervously chuckling, Twilight apologized to Rainbow Dash. "So, Sugar cube, what did ya find out?" Applejack asked "Well, for starters what dash saw did happen though, the pony I saw didn't know who took over the Crystal Empire, which it could still be usurped by Tirek and Sombra." "That's still uberificly bad." Pinkie blurted. "I also went back to magic kindergarten..." Twilight said under her breath "Indeed I can't wait to go, I must know what fashions are absolutely divine so I can keep with the times. Though, knowing things I'm willing to bet Pinkie will go next." Rarity said. "You betcha," Pinkie said all hyper. "There's an order to this and not even Discord can disturb it." "Alright, Miss pie if there's an order who's next after you supposedly?" Applejack asked "Fluttershy Rarity then you," she replied. "Why am I last?" Applejack asked "dunno, maybe fate?" Pinkie said. The group left things at that, Fluttershy then asked, "how long until the next jump to the um, future Dr. Whoves?" "About an hour now," Dr. Whooves said. " I hope you have a lovely day Miss Fluttershy." Author's Note As for this chapter there are two people to credit, Rebecca Hymers, who has the unicorn some time to be alicornGlitter; and SilverFlare11 for Derek Beauregard. These two are good friends of mine and have both wanted to be apart of this in some way. I must also thank Antonio Martinez for not only the editing of this chapter, but the previous one as well. Finally I wish a shout out to a good friend of mine, who had offered me a lot of insight into future chapters to this; NightLocke,who as of now only has a You tube channel. Being that things for alicorns are up in the air, I must ask: what is your thought on the question brought up in this fic? I'm interested in your opinion. with that I hope everyone has a good day. Storm Rival
Chapter 5 and the hilarious element of laughter.With Twilight done in the time machine, Pinkie felt her usual 'sense' kicking up again. She could feel the horrible future encroaching on her when suddenly, she heard Twilight speak about the horrific future at hand "That's uberifically bad," she said. Feeling a dark aura or something flowing about the lab. Soon after, she couldn't help but jump about wondering who was going to be next in the machine. Dashie and Twilight already went, now it was, she looked about the room then looked at herself as Rarity said "Though, knowing things I'm willing to bet Pinkie will go next." Somehow peering into the future itself, Pinkie said, "you betcha!" "Alright, Miss Pie, if there is indeed an oreder, what is it?" Pinkie said the order as stated in the previous chapter... Applejack questioned the order and asked how Pinkie knew it. "I dunno, fate I guess." she replied Dr. Whooves then dismissed them all. Pinkie skipped out as per her usual and now needed to do something to pass the time for an hour. Skipping about, she couldn't help but notice all the high class ponies of Canterlot just go about in a dressy casual way. Pinkie usually was an odd one always skipping about, not totally caring about problems but how much fun there would be rather solving them. As she continued to skip through she noticed that somepony wasn't smiling, she skipped over then felt a small tingle as though she's possibly met this pony before, though how was totally a mystery. The pony Pinkie approached was in tears. "Hey, what's going on?" Pinkie asked as friendly as can be. "Oh, great, not just any authority to apprehend me but Pinkie pie herself; this day has just been the worst of my life." The mare said. "Hold on, I'll be back in a flash!" Pinkie said disappearing then reappearing with a cupcake in her hoof. "Here's to lighten up your day," she said with an enormous grin on her face. The mare simply slapped the cupcake out of Pinkie's hoof. "Look, Pinkie Pie, I know what you're trying to do and no matter how much you try, its quite honestly not going to work." she said. "Why's that huh?" Pinkie asked as though she were challenged. "Come closer to the corner." she said. "Okie dokie." Pinkie replied Once the mare and Pinkie were in the corner, the mare started glowing a green hue as the fur evaporated by the magic. Slowly Pinkie's smile let down a little as she saw one of her old adversaries. "Somepony come qu-!" Pinkie shouted out but was blocked by the hoof of the changeling Pinkie then somehow managed to fit her muzzle through one of the changeling's leg holes. "Some-!" Pinkie's shouts were quickly blocked by the changeling's other front hoof. "See why I'm having a bad day already?" she said just letting Pinkie go. she walked close to the edge of the mountain and tucked in her insect-like wings. "they make it hard enough for changelings like me with the immigration laws and such." "No, wait," Pinkie said. "Why, going to spread your laughter?" she said with a look that said, 'I'm serious about this. "No," Pinkie said. "I just want to know what's been bothering you and why?" "The fact that changelings are just so..." she paused and contemplated the next words. "different, unaccepted." she said. Pinkie thought about what she did just recently, then, "I'm sorry." she said simply the changeling feigned a laugh. "Well, for starters, I thought I knew you and I think I know from where now." Pinkie said, "with that how about we start from the beginning. What's your name?" "What does it matter, I'm just a changeling." "No, you're part pony weather you accept it or not," Pinkie said. "So, what's your name? The changeling looked at pinkie for a bit, then after thinking for a moment she then said; "The name's shifty," she said. "Well, you already know me, so, how about you tell me about your day." "Where to begin," shifty pondered. "Oh, That's where. I was trying to find a job today and well there was a place hireing and that place, even though I really wanted to work there just didn't accept changelings." "What was the place?" Pinkie said "A bouncy house place," shifty said sighing, "I suppose you can say I like bringing a smile to ponies just like you." Pinkie was flattered somewhat the same way with Cheese Sandwich with that last comment. "Well, one thing that'll help is keeping a good attitude no matter what." "How can I do that when all I get are stares from other mares and colts just thinking I'll attack Canterlot again?" Pinkie was silent then said "at some point you'll find somepony who'll be glad they met you, thought to make that happen you've got to keep staying positive." "How?" shifty asked with a slight hiss. "Don't worry about what others think of you, because at the end of the day you are the only pony you have to live with," Pinkie said.somehow not even knowing the words she said. "Besides, who'd want to meet an angry changeling over a very happy one?" "You do have a point Pinkie, though, what should I do?" "Just keep your goal in mind and try to cheer up everypony you meet," Pinkie said "Its what I've done and its worked so far." "I'll try that too, though what would you do though if no pony wanted to be near you?" That question hit Pinkie in a hard place, after her pupils went to each side of her head as she remembered her party of one she then replied "If those ponies shrug you off, shrug them off til they have a chance to cool off." "But what if they don't or I rush things?" "You are you and you're special no matter what anypony else thinks of you." Pinkie said disappearing once more. "would you like a cupcake now?" she asked shifty. Shifty laughed, "yeah, I suppose I would." Pinkie bounded back and fourth happy that she was able to make somepony, even if it was a changeling, laugh. That was a good hour she had, Pinkie had even learned a few things about the hive that she otherwise would have never known before; especially considering Queen Chrysalis has it out for Twilight. Suddenly, her pinkie sense tingled. It was time to head back, Though along the way, she saw yet another sad foal… It took Pinkie a while to get back considering she had uplifted two fillies on the way. as she headed back, she noticed that nopony was at the lab, spooky as it kind of is there was a job that needed to be done and she was going to do it. Bounding closer she could hear some banging and clanging coming from within the lab. Hearing Pinkie Pie's distinct bounding, Dr. Whooves looked up "Oh, Pinkie Pie, its good to see you, Though I've got to say this time machine has a lot of bugs with it." "Oh hey, I have something that will help," Pinkie said "Oh, what is that?" Pinkie fluffs her main a bit and out pops a book with an illustration of a Deloren. "Time travel repair, it'll come in handy given, you know." she said letting the book fall into the doctor's hooves. "Wait what?" Dr. whooves asked. "Don't question it." Pinkie said. Doctor whooves looked at the book and after a couple of minutes then said, "Pinkie, I don't think this time machine falls under the category of a 'conventional time machine'." "Oh, right, you've been using the Ancestral type, not very many companies or anybody I know even uses them. Except you doc and those other assassin guys." "What?" he asked dumbfounded by what Pinkie said. "Look Pinkie all I need to know is what's wrong with it." "That's the thing doc, these Ancestral machines are so finicky that it could be anything." "Well, think you could lend me a hoof, being that you know this sort of thing?" "you got it buster, on one condition." "That is?" "You must Pinkie promise me that you won't tell anypony." "Um how does it go again?" Dr. Whooves asks feeling as though he is a hostage. "Cross my heart hope to fly," Pinkie started. "Cross my heart hope to fly," the Doctor repeated "Stick a cupcake in my eye," Pinkie finished sticking her hoof very close to her eye. "S-stick a cupcake in my eye." Dr. Whooves said with the feeling of his hostage crisis being averted. "Good," Pinkie said feeling satisfied; she then got up and looked around at the machine. "Try flipping the switch doc." "Which one?" "The one that's the on switch." Pinkie said. As Dr. Whooves did, there were sparks flying all about the room. "So, discover what the problem is Pinkie?" "Yepey I did." she replied bouncing in place. "Well, what do I need to do?" Pinkie bounced like a ball all about practically doing all the work Dr.Whooves should have saying, "you put this here that there jiggle this switch and twirl around in a circle." as she said the last part she twirled Dr. Whooves. "I have no Idea what just happened." Dr. Whooves said somewhat dizzy. "I just fixed your time machine buddy." Pinkie said brushing off her hooves. Dr. Whooves flipped the power switch again and the machine whirred and purred to life. "By golly, you really did do it, but how? its not like you're a-" Pinkie put a hoof to Dr. Whooves's mouth. "They must never know, just like Celestia's secret, got it." "Mmhmm." he said with his mouth closed by a hoof. "Now say the promise chant." "Cross my heart hope to fly, Stick a cupcake in my eye." he said somewhat frightened by Pinkie. "Good," she said bounding to her seat. "Now Crank this sucker to the future cos I'm ready to go!" Dr. whooves hit the future button. As Pinkie quite literally fell unconscious, she dived off the board of the present and cannonballed into the future. It was an instant transition, considering that she's done this before. The pool of the future to Pinkie seemed as though it was like an un-chlorinated unsalted pool. Even though it was dirty, she did her best to get to the bottom and swim up to somepony's subconscious. "Hey there!" she said. "Wow who's this?" they asked. "Its Pinkie Pie!" "P-Pinkie Pie?" they said astonished. "Yep indeedy do." she said I can't believe I'm meeting Pinkie, the top party pony was the pony's only thought. "Well, you can't just get there by doing nothing." she said as though she read thoughts. "How did you-" "Don't question it." Pinkie simply said cutting the colt off. "That said, who are you? Its just so that the audience knows" "My name is Spirited winds, though most call me, Up Spirits." "Well, alright then." Pinkie said waiting for the acknowledgment of the audience. "I would still like to know though, how did you get everypony presents when they thought you bucked the hay?" Spirits asked "Its my secret and a secret I'll keep til' I know that you're the element of laughter for sure." "Why would you say that?" "the type of machine I'm in can be kinda…" Pinkie tried to think of a word. "Glitchy." she said. "Oh, I see, time traveler." "Who said that?" Pinkie asked rhetorically. "Oh would you please keep that quiet?" "Maybe." "I need your Pinkie Promise before I go," she said. "How's that go?" he asked. Pinkie starts and Spirits says what Pinkie does right after: "Cross my heart hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." "Done," Pinkie said to Spirits. "Alright, what now?" "If you break your Pinkie Promise, I'll make sure the next time we meet will be…" she paused "A painfully, sugary one." Spirits shuddered to think that Pinkie would actually put a cupcake in their eye. "Alright, I absolutely won't." "Good." Pinkie said. suddenly she felt the effects of the time jump pulling her back. "Hey, Spirits" "Yes Pinkie," he said. "What do you know about current events and such?" "Well, I know that Sombra and some Tirek fellow have control of my present crystal empire though, after the things you six did there the crystal ponies are somewhat accepting of Sombra but a hateful air surrounds Tirek, and none of the crystal ponies trust him; even though he says he's 'turning over a new leaf'." "Very suspicious." Pinkie said. "I'll be in contact with you sometime in your future." "Alright, I just hope you don't stick a cupcake in my eye." "Its only if you break my pinkie promise." "deal," Spirits said slightly scared of Pinkie Pie yet also hoping he'd get her power of 'ultimate party pony!' Pinkie was slowly being pulled by the ebbing hooves of time. "I gotta go " "Okie Dokie Pinkie." Spirits said. Swimming through the pool of time Pinkie slowly returned to her 'sanitized' part of it. as soon as she was on her side of things she hopped up. "Man oh man is the future bad." Pinkie said said. beside her, were Fluttershy, Applejack and Rarity. "What happened?" Applejack said "The-crystal-Ponies-are-in-danger-Tirek-is-there-and-he's-not-really-causing-danger-" "Wow slow down darling." Rarity said. Pinkie took a deep breath, and released it. "Tirek is at the crystal empire and he's scaring all the folks in the crystal Empire." "O-Oh my." Fluttershy said. "That wouldn't be too good being that the crystal heart feeds off love." "And Tirek is slowly draining that love." Applejack said. "We have to do something!" Rarity said. "And I know exactly what to do!" "After the time machine recharges and all." Applejack said. Rarity chuckled a bit "Right." "Welp I'm outta here til another chapter." pinkie said bounding off just as carefree as before. Author's Note Pinkie pie is the fourth wall breaker, physics don't apply to Pinkie pie. Lastly as for how she transitions easily to and from future and past, my good friend Nightlock suggested that Pinkie pie herself is a bit of a time traveler, as she has planned her parrent's 50th and even 100th anniversary in advance in the episode with the Yaks. I also wish to point out that this chapter may have a few grammatical errors. this is due to new time constraints that have come up, As for the Ancestral time machine, I was thinking on a different type of time machine (more like dreaming about it). As I slowly connected the dots, I came up with this story. The characters were defiantly different, however, with some time to think this series over, I finally got the main cast for this. Pinkie's original future character for this was going to be the best, I suppose, school teacher, Though this was changed to what it is now. I hope you've enjoyed the story as it is so far and I plan to finish this. (Unlike the other things I've made on this site. ) Sorry This chapter took a while to get out, I've been busy as well as just debating on weather or not my own oc should be in this. I've already put him in considering its been months since the last update and I'm wondering what your thoughts are to this. No matter what though, I wish you all a good day. Storm Rival.
Prologue: the vision.Night in Equestria is the most beautiful thing. I used to not know how ponies could sleep through such beauty. It wasn't until I was sent to the moon that I understood. I spent 1000 years in a blind rage over it, 'twas not til I met twilight that my rage was quelled. I regretted what I did all those years ago for a long time. So long in fact I created Tantabus to torment me as I had done so to many others in the wake of my rage. My torment would have been everypony's torment had it not been yet again for Twilight and her friends. I do not wish to dwell upon what could have happened had Twilight never been as Important as she is, however I know if I'd never met those fine equine, my future would be dark. "Nooooooooo!!!" I hear my sister scream. "I'm on my way sis!" I yell flying into her room Celestia I was in a panic, never before had I seen such bloodshed, never before had I seen such hell for my little ponies, never before had I seen the true terror of Tirek. Why was it that he plagued my nightmares this rather fine evening, and why when he doesn't pose any threat whatsoever in his prison down in Tartarus? It was the elements of harmony that kept his lock and chain upon him so securely, so, why now when all is peaceful and calm? The only possible way for him to escape would be if the elements of harmony were to fall to other users. Though when... "Sister!" I hear luna call out my name concerned. "Is everything alright?" "I had a nightmare." I said still in shock about how hellish the dream was. "It was not my doing, sister" "Then it was a vision of what's to come..." I said not wanting what was witnessed to come and pass. I told luna what was to come, she had this to say: "Tirek escape Tartarus And ending your life sis. That's impossible." "Luna, I remember you saying that once when you were Nightmare moon, refusing to be my sister again." Luna had eyes that showed remorse as I had said that to her. Then, realizing the gravity of what I said, she asked, "what do we do now sister?" "For now, if harmony is to survive the trial of time, we must plan. For even we, dear sister, are not truly immortal."
