Starlight was finally getting over the shock of it all. She had been living with Princess Twilight Sparkle for a while now and had been forgiven for some truly damnable actions just like that. The only thing Twilight asked was that Starlight become her personal friendship student and work to be a better pony. Starlight had been accepted by Twilight's friends and the community of Ponyville with open hooves. They had shared their homes, thoughts, joys, skills, and loves with her; Starlight still couldn't understand how she could have become so wrapped up in her hurt to think differences were bad. They had shown her the beauty that she had been ignoring and then actively working against for the majority of her life. However, she could still tell that not everypony trusted her or were comfortable with her around; but she wasn't about to criticize them and they kept their opinions to themselves. This whole helping lead the villain into the light of friendship thing was apparently becoming regular with Twilight.

Next thing Starlight knew, she would replace Luna as the leader of Villainy Anonymous. Telling the latest batch of conversions about the wonders of being good while Tirek scowled at her for being so weak as to cave to friendship, Luna would sit there in full Nightmare Moon garb and just drool over the others in attendance letting the legends of the alter ego's diet do the rest, or it might be Celestia while Luna slept in. Then Discord would sit across from her in a bathtub full of suds, singing or having the chairs for the meeting fight a monstrous potted plant, while a changeling or two looking on. Yes, Starlight thought meeting her peers would be an interesting experience when the time came.

Shaking the day dream from her head Starlight turned her gaze from the book sitting in front of her that had failed to keep her attention to the fading day outside. She couldn't help but frown a little. Spending a beautiful day inside, studying was something that she wouldn't have objected to when she was trying to rid the world of cutie marks and reading was her new mentor's favorite way to spend any amount of time. However, now she lacked the hurt-fueled drive to read endlessly and felt that she had wasted the potential day. Especially since this was the third day in a row that she had spent this way.

Twilight had gone to Canterlot on "Royal Duties". Starlight hadn't been told point blank what that meant but Spike had revealed that she was checking up on some old friends that lived in the city and making sure that Celestia and Luna were OK with her taking in Starlight. At Starlight's anxiety about the Royal Sisters' letting her pardon stand, Spike had told her that she shouldn't worry: if they really wanted to get rid of her, they already had a whole platoon of clandestine guard in Ponyville that could take Starlight out at the princesses' slightest whim. Starlight hadn't been amused and in protest (and no fear what so ever) she had spent the whole time Twilight had been gone holed up in the library looking through her teachers old friendship reports, magical experiments, ancient tomes, and eventually her collection of Daring Do novels.

Starlight had made it through several of them before finally becoming numb to even the humorous, nerve-fraying writing of A.K. Yearling. She had finally gone stir crazy but couldn't face the idea of going out on her own. Couldn't face what ponies would do without Twilight at her side. The community had a right to be suspicious about some cutie mark stealing, cult leader and Starlight hated playing the role of outcast.

Starlight hated to admit, but she also still kinda hated Twilight deep down but the princess was the closest thing to a friend she had gotten in years. Twilight had spoke on her behalf, given her a place to live, and forgiven her completely; still pinning any amount of pain, anger, or discontent on that mare was being petty and foalish, and Starlight hated that about herself. How could she be such a pathetic excuse for a pony. She ripped away the identities of others and warped the fabric of time when driven by spite and misplaced hatred. She had ruined ponies lives and stole away years that they will never get back. She was a true monster. But, without those feelings to drive her, she couldn't even bring herself to go outside. What kind of basically evil pathetic...

Knock. Knock.

Her brooding was interrupted by knocking on the door.

"Starlight? Are you in there?"

The baby dragon on the other side didn't wait for a response before he opened the door to Starlight's citadel and walked in with three mares in tow.

"Starlight, have you been in here all day again?" Spike asked.

Starlight looked over to the dragon with a forced smile forming on her lips, "Well-"

"Pfff. She spent the whole day in a library? Twilight's really wearing off on you."

Starlight looked up at the rainbow pegasus overhead and frowned slightly.

"Well," Starlight said in a defensive tone, "Twilight has a very interesting collection as well as an extensive catalog of her findings on friendship. I figured that I should study for when she gets back and we start my lessons."

"Oh, please, darling. Rainbow is just jesting." Rarity was immaculate as she trotted over. "However, spending this much time indoors isn't good for a pony. It simply ruins the coat's complexion.

"Now, come, darling. Twilight's train is arriving this afternoon and we are all going to meet her at the station."

Starlight perked up a little at that.

"YES! Then, we're totally having a welcome-back-even-though-you-where-only-gone-for-like-three-days party."

Starlight could feel and see as everypony (and dragon) in the room was moved away from the pink pony with the thunderous voice. She returned to bouncing up and down when continuing:

"I figured that Twilight would be tried after traveling all day and you're kinda' scared of other ponies so its just going to be us and Twilight. I always say 'the more, the merrier' but you guys are a really merry bunch. So, it'll make up for there being so few of us."

Starlight gave a little gulp and put on a small smile.

"It sounds wonderful."

"That's the spirt!" Pinkie exclaimed with a wink and sweep of her hoof. "Now, lets GO!!!"

With that the mare raced out of the room and down the hall. Leaving her companions to sit in the now deafening silence.

"Well, it sounds like we should get going," Starlight said looking down at the floor.

There was a murmured consensus and the group followed the pink pony's contrail out the library and toward the train station.

Starlight was in much higher spirits on her way back to the castle.

The evening had started off awkward enough, not only had Starlight felt unsure of being out and really just desired to be alone, but she just couldn't have a discussion with any of these ponies. She knew almost nothing about stunt flying, farming, dressmaking, baking, party planning, comics, gemstone quality, local weather scheduling politics, or anything else that the group babbled about walking to the train station. However, Starlight had eventually found solace with Fluttershy; caring for animals was something she had done as a filly and yellow pegasus was the only pony that Starlight felt even remotely OK being around other than Twilight. Of all of Twilight's friends, Fluttershy had never gotten hateful of Starlight, even at her most furious she had only looked disappointed. In what Starlight didn't know, Fluttershy hadn't had any reason to think that Starlight could do better when she had taken her prisoner at the village, peeled off her cutie mark, or when she caught the mare trying to expose her as a fraud. Yet, Fluttershy was the one who had thought that what she had been doing wasn't bad, she had believed in Starlight's philosophy and now Fluttershy still stood by, quietly encouraging her to do better and filling her with hope.

The similarities had allowed Starlight to open up just a little and from there Fluttershy had helped guide her into the discussions of the others. By the time they had all arrived at the train station Starlight was as much a part of the exchanges as anypony. After that the group had gone to Rarity's boutique for dinner and fun. It wasn't Pinkie's best but still much more then Starlight thought necessary for such a mundane event. Twilight had told about her trip and became very cross with Spike after Starlight told her about his stories of Celestia's hit squads.

Eventually, the get-together wound down and the girls departed Rarity's for home. Applejack and Rainbow had trotted along with Starlight and Twilight, who had Spike napping on her back. The group discussing their takes on whether Nightmare Moon was Luna being a spaz or if it was some exterior being, maybe even somewhere in between. Starlight had to choke down being a bit jealous of Luna, who could pin all of her wrongs on possession by a maleficent spirt or bipolar disorder.

Eventually, AJ and Rainbow bid there "good nights" and headed off to their respective homes. Leaving the remaining three walking on the road alone.

"You seem to be doing better today, Starlight," Twilight said after a while.

"Really?" Starlight's voice was hopeful but still unsure.

"Yes, you seem to really have made a connection with the girls."

Starlight stopped and rubbed a hoof on the ground.

"It was really just Fluttershy. I still don't think Applejack and Rainbow like me very much. And Pinkie still kind of scares me. It's like she knows my deepest darkest secrets and my very fate under that bubbly exterior."

Starlight shivered a little. "I really don't know if I can do this whole friend making thing, Twilight."

"Oh, Starlight." Twilight looked back at her ward, smiling solemnly. "I know that you had a rough time while I was gone and maybe I wasn't thinking straight when I left you here, but you just admitted to making a friend. AJ and Rainbow are both about as stubborn as you can get, but they'll come around eventually. As for Pinkie Pie, I think it would be better if you just stop worrying about it and enjoy the bubbly exterior." The smile turned more genuine as she added: "Trust me, trying to figure that mare out will only end badly."

Starlight gave a little smile back and Twilight went on.

"I think you're making great progress on friendship. You've apologized to everypony that you've hurt, you're starting to grow on the girls, and you just had a great time, right?."

"I guess so," Starlight stopped and her smile grew. "Thanks, Twilight."

The two embraced briefly before Twilight let out yawn.

"Now, I think getting to bed sounds like a wonderful idea."

Starlight simply smiled as they trotted home.

The rest of the trip back to the castle had passed in a quick, content silence. Twilight had proceeded right to Spike's room to deposit the snoozing dragon while Starlight headed to her bedroom. She settled down on her matress and was laying there, staring at the ceiling, reflecting on the day as her eyelids grew heavy. She was almost asleep when she heard her door open.

"Starlight?"

'Seriously?' Starlight thought. 'She's tucking me in? I know I've been having a rough time but I'm a full grown mare. I don't need to be coddled like some foal. Why doesn't she just go to bed? She sounds horrible.'

Stretching and rolling onto her side she looked to the door. "Yes, Twilight? What is it?"

"I need you to come with me."

That got Starlight to rise up in bed. "What? Why? Is there something wrong?"

"Yes. I need you to come with me right now."

Starlight rubbed her eyes and looked fearfully at the silhouette of the mare in door. Twilight's tone had cut through her drowsiness and was now putting her on edge. Twilight's voice wasn't just devoid of its usual friendliness but had taken on a raspy, gravely tone that gave the impression that she had gargled with rocks. She raised a hoof to her muzzle and gave a vicious cough.

"Are you OK, Twilight? What's wrong?" The fear and confusion in Starlight's voice obvious.

"Yes, I'm fine. I need you to get to the thrown room. I'll meet you down there, I have to get Spike and send a letter to Princess Celestia first."

Venom dripped from her voice as she said the last few works. However, in an instant Twilight vanished from the door before Starlight could voice any more questions. She stared blankly at the open portal for several seconds before she rolled out of her bed and glanced about her room wondering if she would need anything. Twilight hadn't really told her anything about the problem so she didn't know how to prepare. Starlight decided urgency would have to take precedence over preparedness and she would have enough trouble finding her way down to the thrown room. Navigating the labyrinth of a castle would require time.

She started out her room and down the hall in the direction of the staircase down to the main level.

xxXXxx

Twilight was very annoyed to be amongst the waking again. She had barely even made it to her room after tucking in Spike and had been seriously tempted to just go to bed on a pile of books and mail piled my her door. However, she had persevered and been rewarded with the soft embrace of her bed and fallen asleep almost instantly.

Now she was awake again, some sensation keeping her from going back to sleep.

Twilight heard a shuffling from her door and opened her eyes just fast enough to see a tail swish out of the slit into the dark hallway.

Twilight hadn't really gotten around to closing the door properly when she had stumbled into her room and didn't really make a point of doing it in general. Its not like she did anything suspicious or embarrassing in her sleep, the outside of reciting classical literature and drooling a little. If Starlight or Spike needed anything they were free to ask. For Starlight have come to her door just to run off with out saying anything wasn't good.

'She must still be beating up on herself', Twilight thought.

She climbed out of her bed and gave an enormous yawn accompanied by a cat-like stretching of her back, legs, and neck; her wings arcing up in the air. Exiting through her door, Twilight just caught a shadow fleeing down the hallway toward the staircase and she set off after it

xxXXxx

Starlight had been waiting just long enough to start breaking down. Was Twilight angry? Had the meeting in Canterlot not gone as well as she had said? Was Celestia going to show up and give her a one-way ticket to the moon or Tartarus? She didn't want to spend the next couple centuries as a marble lawn ornament in the palace gardens. Maybe Equestria under attack? She knew she should have at least grabbed her towel. What could have happened? It would have had to be a real mess to get Twilight as irritated as she sounded. Oh, what if-

"Starlight?"

Starlight's train of thought came to a crashing stop as the thrown room door opened and Twilight walked in. She looked about as well as she had sounded. Her face was dominated by a scar that ran underneath her right eye and around the side of her head. The larger scar was joined by a multitude of smaller ones all across her face and neck and maybe even her body. Starlight couldn't tell, Twilight was wearing... a black, rubbery jump suit. Rarity must be on a tare again. Twilight's mane looked about the same as it always did but her tail wasn't even half its usual length.

"Uhh. Hello, -uhh... Twilight," Starlight was still kind of stunned by what she was looking at and her brain reacted before she could get her wits together. "What are you wearing?"

"Just a static dissipating jumpsuit with a few enchantments to reduce my detectability, the last thing I would want is getting zapped by the air-born organic matter of my temporal counterpart."

"Oh... uhh. OK. What is it that you wanted?"

"You. I've spent years studying the hole you punched in time and I have to say it is an honor to finally meet you face to face. Tell me, is it fun to hold power over time in you hooves?"

Starlight was now in total shock. Twilight's tone was not bookish, nerdy glee that usually accompanies such discussion of magic but one of hateful, sarcastic spite. She gave another painful, wet hack and turned back to her saddle bags, levitating out a scroll. It was then that Starlight focused on Twilight's back, where a certain set of supernatural appendages should have been. There were no holes for wings, no lumps under the fabric, just no wings. This fact worked its way through Starlight's brain, changing the unease and confusion from the whole encounter into full blown fear. She took a single step back and spread her front hooves in to a defensive fighting stance.

However, 'other Twilight's' head spun around, faster then could really be seen, and shot a bolt. Starlight took a stunning spell to the face and fell flat on it. It wasn't, unfortunately, a strong one and sensation returned to Starlight's face to get the full brunt of the impact with floor. Starlight looked up to see 'other Twilight' strutting over talking, voice dripping with contempt:

"You really are something. You some how perfect Starswirl's time spells and become god to reality and the first and ONLY thing you do with it is harass some snot-nosed, brain-dead, Pegasus, BRAT. And you still manage to ruin dozens of timelines, without even realizing it. I really thought the 'Master of the Universe' would be a little bit more impressive. And that she would have put up a better fight."

The 'thing' was standing over Starlight now, it's guard down and belly open to a more powerful stunning spell. Starlight shifted her head aiming her horn at its target and felt nothing; the numbness that had consumed her face for such a brief time still had its grasp on her horn. She couldn't feel the appendage at all and magic simply wouldn't flow through it. Her horn was useless for only this fiend knew how long.

The fiend in question placed a hoof on Starlight's face and shoved her back down to the floor, her expression and voice now locked into a neutral, professional attitude.

"Listen, I need you to cooperate because if you don't when we go through the portal you might get me killed and will meet a far worse fate yourself. We go through and you hit the dirt. When I pick you up off the dirt, you stick on my tail like it was true love. Don't stop. Don't get distracted. There will be other ponies there, don't talk to them or even look at them. Understand?"

Starlight stared blankly, the worlds slowly penetrating. This complete change attitude was downright scary. This Twilight had gone from the classic monologging, wait-for-the-elements-ex-machina-to-defeat-me villain to some stone cold terror who would kill her with out the slightest provocation or remorse. Even now she could feel her scream for the real Twilight or another attempt at attack weathering under that glare. She wasn't however going to give who ever this was the satisfaction of breaking her.

"Twili-hehh...."

Starlight's call started hoarse and only got worse as she went on before the outburst faded to a hack. The same numbness in her horn was also clamped around her vocal cords and from the way she had tried to shift her weight, her legs weren't responding properly either.

"That wasn't very clear, Miss Glimmer. You and I are the only ones awake in this castle and I really don't think you want to get your friends and this time lines me hurt, do you? Now, I want to know if your going to cooperate or if I should just stun you and heave you around like a bag of oats?"

The expression hadn't changed. Still cold. Still uncaring. Just expecting, a hint of irritation seeping in, like her train was running late during a commute. That face was still scary but fear was starting to be suppressed by curiosity. Who and what was standing in front of her? Where or when did she come from? And taking the cake, how in Celestia's green Equestria was she there? All of these questions were repressed by one that Starlight felt would be the obvious place to start.

"What do you want with me?"

That was most definitely the wrong question to ask. Twilight's eyes exploded in rage and before Starlight could so much as flinch, was back-hooved. The limb hit Starlight like a train and sent her sprawling across the thrown room, coming to a rest under the large circular table at the center.

Twilight didn't press her attack and instead started charring up her horn, Starlight would be making their journey as a sack of oats.

"STOP!"

The thrown room doors burst open as Princess Twilight charged in.

"Don't you dare lay another hoof on her,... uh.. ME!"

Twilight had been sitting outside since following her other self down. Confusion, curiously, and caution had been driving her thought process to just sit there. This thing defiantly wasn't a really stupid changeling and the last time she let the wonders of time travel get the better of her hadn't ended well. She really hadn't liked the way that this Twilight was acting, this was a mare who didn't just look the part of a survivor of (or even warrior in) an epic pony war. This mare was just a little scary and probably really dangerous if one got in her way. Twilight knew that the time traveler had not wanted her to be around and she seemed like she was going to get talkative with Starlight. So, Twilight had seen no issue with simply lurking and listening, learning as much about the visitor as she could before finally confronting her about helping her solve her issues and letting Starlight go.

That was until she was treated a smack of hoof on skin and crack of bone. Now she didn't really care what this mare wanted or even what she might need, other then a plot kicking.

Twilight charged in, horn flaring, as she shot a beam at where the other her was standing over Starlight. The doppelganger turned, a shield building instantly to block the incoming shot, the rage on her face melting away to be replaced with calm, neutral, determined focus. Twilight's bolt was reflected with little trouble, and than her double returned fire.

Twilight dodged to her right and gave a little gasp as the bolt of magic tracked toward her still. She reflexively threw up a shield. Her brother had taught her and he was the best there was, shields were draining but hers were pretty much impregnable to anything under another alicorn.

The bolt hit the shield focused into a point and with a pin-prick of light punched right though the protective bubble and delivered a stunning spell right to Twilight. Fortunately, punching through the shield had eaten up most of the bolt's energy and it delivered little more then a moments dazing. However, the spell delivered a crippling scaring to Twilight. Her experience in magic based combat was really just limited to a dueling class she had taken for a semester, she knew the bare basics of fighting at best. Her wit, intellect, and vast knowledge had always helped her avoid direct confrontation and on the few times it had come to blows she could rely on her natural strength and talent.

Now, however, she was facing off against herself; another self that seemed to have been to Tartarus and back on tasks far more taxing than getting a lost dog home. To have cast a stunning and shield-dispersion spells with a tracking enchantment, all in one swift, clean motion with out even breaking a sweat after blocking her own attack was beyond Twilight's comprehension. This combined with the mare's cold, resigned actions brought Twilight to one unpleasant conclusion: she couldn't beat this other self. This was a full blown battle-mage; there was no hoping to take advantage of her arrogance, no way to just over power her, out witting her sounded just as unlikely. Just her winning and making a clean getaway.

In the time it had taken Twilight to recover from her slight dazing her counter part had taken her scroll and cast a spell in the table in the center of the thrown room. The table glowed briefly before ripples of energy flowed up into the air collecting at one point where a bell of magic formed sucking away at the fabric of the world around it.

The other Twilight turned to Starlight who was still laying on the floor clutching her face as it turned black and blue. She didn't say a thing as she hoisted Starlight onto her back and placed a hoof on the table, raising herself and her passenger up to toward the portal.

Twilight acted rapidly and called on a spell learned in dueling class. Her horn flared and a single point in the air next to the time travelers glowed pink. The other Twilight tried to throw up a quick shield but wasn't fast enough as the point exploded out ward in a concussive blast, throwing back 'Other' Twilight and Starlight. Princess Twilight didn't take time to celebrate getting a hit in as her double turned and shot at her. Another bolt of skillfully woven spell work sent off without a moment of thought. Twilight countered it by simply shooting a beam of pure magic at it and smashed it away in a flash. She wasn't given the opportunity to return fire as another bolt came flying, so she focused on a spell. In a moment Twilight had blinked out of and into existence, now twenty hooves above the floor looking down on the scene, hovering with her wings.

Other Twilight was hoisting Starlight back up as she backed toward the portal.

"Stay out of this, Twilight. You don't owe her anything and I really don't want to hurt myself. Just let me get her out of your mane"

Twilight glared down at her. "I'm not going to let you just take my friend. Starlight may have made mistakes and she has harmed ponies but your not going to fix anything doing this. Only the everypony working together is going to fix your issues."

"Gosh." Other Twilight turned back to Starlight, "am I really just that preachy in this time?" Turning back up to Twilight. "I am leaving with Starlight and seeing to it that she fixes what she did to me and my world, her personal wellbeing be damned."

She shot another bolt up at Twilight, turned, and jumped up onto the table, Starlight in tow. Twilight decided to take a leaf from Rainbow's book and just tucked her wings in, dropping out of the air like a brick. The bolt, not being fast enough to catch her motion, overshot. Twilight fell for a split second before flaring her wings and flying straight at her alter persona.

Twilight plowed into herself as she was hoisting Starlight up to the portal. Together the three ponies where all thrown forward by Twilight, caught up in the gravity of the portal, and sucked in. Twilight reminisced about the odd sensation of traveling through time and worried about the tingly numbness she was getting where her body came close to the other Twilight. Her mind started to blur and memories started drifting forward.

Getting her cutie mark in a classroom in the royal academy. Playing with Shining Armor. Getting foalsitted by Cadence. Talking with Celestia. Wondering countless libraries. Talks with her friends. Her family looking on as she was presented with an award for stopping Nightmare Moon, Discord, the changelings at Foal Mountain, zebras in the Hayseed Swamps. The faces of the group of unicorns that were her best friends. Fighting crystal ponies in the frozen north. Presenting a folded Equestrian flag to a distraught yellow earth pony that was still lacking her cutie mark. The rainbow pegaus that she hatted with a passion and missed dearly. A horrible burning in her very soul.

Twilight's mind swam as she was released from the time vortex's grip, bouncing off the table and hitting dirt. She clutched her head as her mind tried and failed to purge itself of the memories that it should not have had. Her mind finally cleared enough to take in her surroundings. The table sat next to them but everything else had changed.

Twilight looked out over an empty field. The sky grey, the ground barren, she realized that the dirt she had landed in was ash. She remembered this world, it was where she had originally been able to convince Starlight that her revenge was ruining the future.

Before she could express her observations she was treated to a hoof smacking her across her face with the force of a train.

"You IDIOT!!!"

Author's Note

This is my first piece of real creative writing so thanks for wasting your time with it. I would love some constructive feed back from anyone who can give it.

PS I hate how little sense time travel has too.