Things were getting heavy, and confusing. A lot of competing thoughts were raging through your mind. One thing seemed more certain than the others, but not by much. You had to run. You could always come back.

Starlight grunted at the notion. "I hope this trip was worth it. Let's get out of here before we mess anything else up."

Luna gave a light nod. She seemed to be at least a little dazed, mind reeling with the implications as your own was. "Mark my words, we will return. There are questions that must be answered."

Starlight set your group free of time's grasp. There were infinite groups in that moment, as before. Some were terribly injured, others looked haunted. You wondered if you looked like one of those? You felt a tingle in your rump, where the new mark resided and with it came intuition. You knew with certainty that freeing Nightmare Moon would have created a new shard where she ruled supreme, and she would not have been grateful to her weak future self, or her companions. There was a good chance Luna would have stopped you, but not 100%.

How did you know that? You had no idea.

You were 'home'. If Luna's room could be called home.

Luna let out a breath before she pulled herself to her full height. "Methinks it is time to question mine sister." She did not wait for reply, and was already walking with purpose from the room.

Starlight glanced at you before rushing to follow the dark princess. "Let's not storm in there in a tizzy."

"And why shouldn't I?!" demanded Luna.

Well, for one, that may not actually get you the answers you want.

Luna cocked a brow at you and took another, more measured, breath. "Perhaps there is wisdom there. The fact remains that this requires an answer. This cannot wait."

As one, you headed out of her room and through the castle towards... You weren't sure where you were headed towards, so you asked.

Luna glanced sideways towards you. "She is either in the garden, or seeing court. I pray it is the garden, where we may have some privacy."

She nudged a door open with a hoof, allowing the scent of fresh flowers to waft free. Light spilled in from the sun high in the sky. As if a miracle to sooth your weary spirits, Celestia was seated at a small table, sipping tea and enjoying a small slice of cake.

Celestia looked up at you all and gave a gentle nod before gesturing to the other cushions around the low table. "We have much to discuss."

Luna blinked, startled. "How much do you already know?"

Starlight rolled her eyes. "You let her spy on ponies, what makes you think you're immune?"

Celestia gave a gentle smile at Starlight. "I'm afraid I'm guilty as charged. Please, sit. We have many words that need saying. Where did you go, or should I say, when did you go?"

You sank onto a cushion beside Celestia. So, she couldn't tell that much then?

"Neigh." Celestia gave the slightest shake of her head. "Time magic is allowed to be forgotten for a reason. It is perilous on the best of days." She looked to Starlight. "A fact I would have thought you had learned well and truly."

Starlight snorted. "Dire situations... You haven't been complaining about the results so far."

Celestia paled. "You mean? Please tell me they aren't..."

Luna gestured at Starlight. "The humans are from the past, sister."

Celestia's composed face faltered, cracking around the edges with worry. "The Stud Program is hereby cancelled."

Luna blinked softly. "Just like that?"

You didn't mean to be selfish, but... what about you?

Celestia shook her head more violently. "You are welcome to stay. The damage is already done. We will find another way."

You felt another one of those intuitions come over you. You could just let it go at that, accept the ending and live on as the last human in Equestria. Perhaps an answer would be found, but you wouldn't be involved.

That was not satisfying.

"No," you said, and it shook your body and soul. You felt more in control than ever before, as if you had a direct will that would no longer be denied.

"No?" Celestia raised a brow.

"It won't end like this. We're too close to an answer. I also made a promise to Trixie I plan to keep. So, no. Let's fix this, properly." Your face was a grim mask of determination and your fists were balled in defiance. "Celestia, what were you doing with that tablet when you gave everyone a cutie mark?"

You had thought Celestia couldn't look more frazzled, but she managed, her mane losing some of its luster and natural flow as she recoiled. "Then? Why then? Luna!"

Luna scowled at her. "His question deserves an answer, sister. Tell us. No more secrets, not today."

Celestia lowered herself back to her cushion. Her eyes closed and her breath slowly evened out. She was calming herself and soon appeared almost normal. "I am unsure you want the entirety of the truth, but I will speak no lies. As you likely ascertained, cutie marks are an inherent facet of ponies. They were... a failsafe. From what, I could not say, for I was never told. A pony would get one if they needed it, and that was that."

Starlight shook her head. "So you took an emergency tool and flipped it on all the time, forever?"

Celestia leveled her gaze at Starlight. "That is one way to phrase it. It brought happiness with it. Harmony... We grew by leaps and bounds. Every pony could find their purpose, and pursued it with a clear conscience. Our society changed, for the better."

You put a hand to your face a moment. It seemed to be coming together. "Whatever the cutie marks were supposed to protect you from eventually got around them since they were everywhere, like overusing an antibiotic."

Celestia blinked at you. "It has been many years since I heard that word."

"Oh? Ponies have them?"

She nodded. "We do, to a limited extent. We have different names... Let's not be distracted."

The answer, like much of your life, seemed to be becoming clearer by the moment. "We need to know what they were protecting against, then we can solve this once and for all." That was an ending you could be satisfied with. Somehow, in your deepest heart of hearts, you knew it had to have an ending, and you'd make sure it was a good one.

Starlight cocked a brow at you. "What's biting your rump? You've got a fire in you all of a sudden."

Luna nodded in agreement. "Be that as it may, he is correct. Starlight, when can we go?"

Starlight put a hoof to her chest. "Give me a day or two. I told you this is far from easy." She turned to hoof to you. "You gave him a day off between mares and I'm pulling at least as much magic off, violating all the 'laws' of time and space."

Celestia sat up. "About that. You are no longer required to act in that fashion, with the Stud Program cancelled."

"I have a promise to Trixie," You said with certainty. "There is also one other pony at least that I'm not just leaving to rot. She deserves better than that."

Luna quirked a smile. "Just know that whatever you do, you do out of love or lust, not duty. We are mildly curious which it may be... Come. There is little more to be gained today."

Author's Note

https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-2RPCGW8F/

Nothing over 50%. Certainty is not there. What you've seen has clearly dazzled you, or maybe it's the mark on your bottom.

Time for choices:

1) oihwgiugvlwfej
2) h9832ohnlkohnvo
3) ionlofhj0p;.123hndki
4) ?????
5) !!!!!!!
6) Let it go.
7) Emergency Failsafe
8) Abort