The Chrono Shifter

Chapter 1:

Time Turner (though everypony knew him as Doctor Whooves) had prepared an important meeting. All around his table I saw the four princesses: Twilight Sparkle (an old friend of mine from school), the princess of the sun, Celestia, her sister and princess of the moon, Luna, and the princess of the Crystal Empire, Mi Amore Cadenza. Next to the princesses, I also saw Ditzy Doo, the doctor’s assistant, sitting there.

“Minuette, my most faithful apprentice,” the doctor said, as he approached me. “I’m so glad you finally made it. If you would have a seat with everypony else, I can begin telling you all about my greatest creation.”

I took a seat across from Twilight, who gave me a welcoming smile. As Doctor Whooves happily walked in front of us to begin a speech of some sort, I had to admit I was getting more curious by the minute; to get all four princesses here, this had to be something serious.

“I’m happy to see that you all accepted my invitation for this,” Doctor Whooves said as he turned to a large object under a tarp that I hadn’t noticed when I first came in. “ Now, I’m sure you all remember the story Princess Twilight told everypony about her time traveling journey? Well, it gave me the motivation I needed to finish this.” As he finished those last words, he removed the tarp and reviled a strange device that looked like a mechanical throne. To the side had a dial with many numbers, and below it was an ebony lever and an ivory lever.

“It took me many years of trail and error, but I have developed a device that is capable of allowing time to come to you. I call this beautiful device, the chrono shifter. By pulling the ebony lever, you control the past, and with the ivory lever, you control the future.  These numbers you see above are to show you the time and date you have arrived in. For the first time in history, time travel has become possible without the use of a spell. I’m sure you are all wondering how such a feat was achieved, well it was thanks to the power of pure science.”

Everypony looked at it very curiously, Celestia and Luna began discussing with one another the pros and cons of using the machine. Mi Amore Cadenza looked at it for a few minutes, and then looked around at everypony else to see what their reactions were. Ditzy appeared to have been lost in her own fantasy about what she would do with it; considering the expression she had on her face, it must have been something best left a mystery. Now Twilight had a look on her face I knew too well, a look of fear of it getting in the wrong hooves.

I remember when the doctor was close to creating this device the first time; I had told him about a spell for this already existing from the Starswirl the Bearded archives. I didn’t like the look he gave me when I told him this (and I couldn’t tell him only strong magic unicorns like me or Twilight could use it) but I believed this device was something best left unmade.

“Doctor Whooves, I need to know what you intend to do with this device.” Twilight said with a worried tone. “ I had seen Equestria’s demise in countless ways. Everypony we know and love, gone because you wanted to do what you thought was a harmless good deed for a scared filly. If you plan on changing anything in the past, I hate to tell you I won’t allow it.”

Doctors Whooves began to laugh at that statement, which made Twilight a little annoyed. “I sorry for laughing Princess, it’s just I have no interest in changing the past. At one time, I admit I would have thought about it, but after learning about your adventure in the time stream, I realized the dangers of changing past events.”

“Then what do you plan to do with it your new invention,” Mi Amore Cadenza said in a curious tone.

“He plans to travel to the far future and asks Princess Celestia and Luna what happened throughout time.”

Suddenly, all eyes turned to see the pony that stated the intention, Ditzy.

“So you merely intend to ask Luna and myself what happens in the future? Celestia said with a interested tone.”

“Indeed my beautiful rulers” he stated, as if they won a prize for that statement. “As a foal, I’ve wondered what events would happen long after I faded away. Would Equestria face a new war, would there be an uprising and we have new rulers? That is the whole purpose of this device. I don’t intend to let anyone else see this device or know of its existence. All I want out of this machine now is to know the future.”

“How far do you intend to take this device subject?” Luna said curiously.” How far in time do you need to know? Where do you intend to meet us?”

“ I intend to merely go to where your castle stands my dear princess,” he said with confidence. “Now then, Ditzy, could you make sure the vegetable roast and stew don’t burn while I’m gone?”

“ You’ve got it Doc,” she said with assurance,” I promise nothing bad will happen on my watch.” As she said that, she accidentally ran into a desk and dropped a vase. Lucky for her, I knew how she was and caught it before it hit the ground.

“Good,” he said as he made it to his device, “I’ll be back in a few hours, do make yourselves at home and if you need anything, just ask Ditzy and Minuette. I’m sure they can help.”

He pulled his ivory lever and waved us good-bye as he faded away. We were astonished at what we saw happen before our eyes. We all just sat there and waited, excited to hear what he would be witnessing on his journey.