Time to Shineby Silver InkwellChaptersPrologueDay 1Day 2Day 3Part FivePart SixThe Last and Final DayWednesdayThe Wedding DayEpiloguePrologueTime to Shine Prologue Trixie took a very long slow deep breath in. Okay, you can do this, you’ve got this thing, I thought to myself. I grabbed my cape and slowly put it on, okay, you can do this, you’ve got this. I took another deep breath in and then saw my cue, “It’s show time,” I quietly whispered to myself as I went onto the stage to face the whole entire crowd of loving and adoring fans. “Thank you!” I said taking a very deep bow, “But please, hold your applause until after the end of the show, but if you must then I won’t stop you, after all, I am Trixie the Great and Powerful!” As I said this last part I threw some smoke bombs onto the ground and then reappeared somewhere else for my first act. “For my first act, I will be doing…” “You suck!” some pony shouted out loud in the crowd. “Yeah, Twilight Sparkle is a way better pony at magic than you’ll ever be!” “No, please, that’s not true, please stop!” I shouted out desperately, but my cries fell on vain ears as all the ponies booed and threw food at me. “No, I’m better now! I’ve changed! My best friend Starlight Glimmer showed me the real true value of friendship!” I said trying to reason with them, but they wouldn’t listen, and that’s when I tried to hide from them by running away, but they chased me, they always did. But that’s when I heard a very familiar voice again, “ENOUGH!” Princess Luna shouted as all the ponies suddenly vanished along with the stage too leaving us on a wide-open grass field under the moon. “I’m dreaming again, aren’t I?” I said sighing as I sat down on the very soft freshly trimmed green grass, it felt so real even though it was just a dream. “I’m afraid so, it’s getting worse now, isn’t it?” Luna said coming over to my side and also sitting down. “Yes, I’ve been having the nightmares for three weeks now, and I just don’t know what I can do to stop or change them, can you help me out?” I said. “I can only do so much to help you out, but know this, you can always change for the better even if you only start out tomorrow, it’s never too late to start changing, I learned this very valuable lesson from the ones who freed me from my eternal nightmare state, you can change too as I once did so long ago, and while the pathway may not be very easy and may be long, in the end it, will be worth it, for example I am now loved and valued and treated as I should be, and I’m very glad for that, but I have something even more important too as well, the love and attention of my sister, don’t make the same mistakes that I once did, learn from the past and keep moving on, but don’t try to run away from your problems, just face them head on instead,” Luna said. “But how can I face my problems when all I’ve been doing my whole entire life is running away?” I said. “I know your past and I can only advise this, talk to your very best and closest friend first, start with them and then work your way onwards, okay?” “Yeah, sure thing, you’ll come back though if I have another nightmare again, right?” “Trixie, I will always return to those who need my help, that is what I have promised you and many others before you as well too, but I hope that you may have a good night’s sleep in the future, rest well and face your problems and we will see if you need my help again at all,” Luna said with a smile as she got up from the grass and slowly started to fly away. “Remember my words well.” And with that said she slowly faded out of the distance and my sight, and that’s when I suddenly woke up to hear my typical music playing again. It was “Wouldn’t It Be Nice?” by the Beach Poniez. Ugh, why couldn’t it be something else like “I Got You Babe”? I groaned and quickly switched the radio off. Great, another day, another annoying pop culture hit song. Same old usual stuff and things, nothing new, nothing strange, nothing unusual, nothing weird at all, well not at the moment at least. Boy was I sure in for a great big shock and surprise then. I slowly groaned as I went around the castle looking for the kitchen, where was that thing anyways? I needed my morning oatmeal with apples. I saw that Twilight and Starlight were already there eating breakfast when I did finally manage to get there eventually. “Well hello there, Trixie,” Twilight said greeting me very politely and nicely, but I doubted her kindness and generosity since it was mostly due to the hard efforts and time and energy of my best friend Starlight Glimmer that I was even allowed to stay here in the castle. “Hello there,” I said walking over to one of the cupboards and pulled out the oatmeal so find and see that it was completely empty. “Why’s the oatmeal gone?” I said holding it up for them to inspect. “Sorry, that would be me, I took the last of it,” Starlight said with a very nervous smile. “That’s fine, it was about time to refill it anyways,” I said sighing as I put it down on a counter, “The only question now is who should go get it?” “Well it’s my castle and you’re my guest, I’ll go get it of course.” “Well that’s very nice of you Twilight,” I said. “No problem, after all, what are friends for?” she said smiling as she grabbed her bag full of books and pens and quills (what was it with that pony and her books and writing tools anyways?) and then she started to leave before I stopped her. “Uh, I was wondering if I could spend some time with Starlight all alone today, I mean I know that you want her to continue in her friendship lessons, but I think that I actually might have a new one for her, and wouldn’t it be nice if she could spend some more time with her best friend?” I said. Twilight put her hoof to her chin and contemplated this for a very long moment. “I suppose that you’re right, I guess that I’ll allow it I suppose, but make sure to be back here at the castle before dark, okay?” “Yeah, sure thing, why though exactly?” “I have something very important to show all of you and my other friends too as well, so stay safe and have some fun!” she said as she left the castle. “Well, at least that’s taken care,” Starlight said coming over to me on my right side and placing her left hoof over my body in a very seductive and romantic manner. “Yeah, we can finally get to spend some time alone together.” “Yeah, and we can have some fun if we want to, have any good ideas yet?” “No, I only have great ideas since I’m powerful,” I said putting my own hooves around her body and turning towards her with a smile on my face, “And I know just how to start,” I said leaning over to kiss her very gently and softly. Starlight started to pull me towards her closer making our embrace tighter as we now stood opposite of each other yet so close as well too, but I stopped her, “Hey, I don’t want to go there just yet, remember I like to take things by surprise and shock, but I don’t like it very much when some other pony else tries to fool or trick me instead,” I said. “Sorry, I just thought that after a month of dating that we might just be ready for it, you know, because we’re still friends and all, right?” “Sure we are, we’re the very best of friends, with some slight benefits included.” “Oh I like how your naughty little mind works,” Starlight said looking very deeply into my eyes as I did with hers too as well. “Are you sure that we won’t be disturbed if we do it?” I said very nervously looking around the castle. Starlight laughed a little bit before eventually managing to respond. “No, Spike is going to be doing a boy’s game with Big Mac and Discord, we’ll be just fine, no pony else will disturb us if we don’t want them to do so,” “Oh, well that’s just wonderful and excellent, because maybe I’ll just show you how amazing and awesome my whole entire world is later on,” I said licking my lips in a furious seductive passion. “Well only if you’re ready for it, but do you think that we should tell Twilight and the others that we’ve been dating?” Ah, there it was, the question that I feared and had been running away from, should I tell other ponies one of my greatest darkest deepest secrets and fears? Should I tell them about us? I wanted to say no and wait just a little bit longer, but then I remembered Luna’s words, okay, I had to face my fears no matter what the cost was. I sighed in defeat, “No, not yet, let’s talk about it tomorrow first okay? We can talk in detail about it.” I waited for her answer and hoped that she would accept it, oh please do accept it, I thought to myself in my head. She sighed in defeat, “Fine then, I’m just glad that you actually want to talk it about it now, you’ve been running away from this problem for over a month now, and speaking of problems is something bothering you lately?” “Yes, the nightmares…” Her smile suddenly turned into a frown as she lifted my chin up to let my face stare into her eyes, “Are they still bothering you?” I slowly nodded doing the best that I could do. “It’s getting worse, isn’t it?” I nodded again. “As there anything at all that I can do to help you out?” “Maybe, I really honestly don’t know…” “Well maybe you should try to let others in your life and heart so they can help you out, what do you say, do you want to try to improve and be better?” “Yes Starlight, I do, I really do, I just don’t know how to though exactly…” “Then maybe you should take my advice and let me teach you.” “Alright, fine then, you win, what should we do first though exactly?” “Well I was thinking about going through town and visiting all of your favorite spots, locations, and areas,” she said. “Really? You would do that for me?” I said lifting my face up so that she didn’t need to hold it anymore. “Yes, of course I would, after all, what are best friends for?” she said putting her hoof behind my head making me look into her eyes. I slowly started to smile finally recovering from my great shock and surprise. “Thank you, Starlight, you’re the best marefriend that a pony could ever possibly ask for,” I said smiling as I slowly leaned over and kissed her again. We stood there in our embrace kissing for quite some time until Starlight finally manage to break us apart, “Okay,” she said smiling and trying to stop her bursts of laughter from coming out, “Let’s not stand here all day just kissing each other and making love, let’s actually go out and explore now, shall we?” “Yes, of course, my love,” I said taking her hoof in one of my own and thus we walked out of the castle together hoof in hoof held tightly together. We explored the town first going to a concert being held by Octavia and even I had to admit that she was quite impressive, grand, and great too as well. Other adjectives varied depending upon the pony, don’t believe me? Well just ask Rainbow Dash then, she would probably use awesome, amazing, cool, and radical as well too to describe her performance. Anyhow after that we went to the park and sat on a bench together just watching nature, we also saw Lyra and Bon Bon there too as well, but oddly enough Lyra was sitting upright and not sideways, weird and strange, I thought to myself after we left. We didn’t get the chance to speak to them sadly enough, but after that, we went to my favorite restaurant and had my favorite meal. “Oh my, this is just wonderful,” I said midway through the day and our meal, “But you really don’t have to do all of this just for me.” “Oh don’t be so silly and ridiculous, I would do anything at all in the whole entire world for you my love, so why don’t you just sit there and enjoy yourself?” “With you here always at my side I already am,” I said smiling as I dove right back into my food as she smiled and merely just watched me eat in my own bizarre eccentric way and even had to stop herself from laughing out loud. After lunch, we went over to Fluttershy’s to have some tea and care for the animals. After that, we went over to the spa and stayed there until the time finally eventually and slowly approached dinner time. And then we went to dinner at the same restaurant before and enjoyed ourselves there. And then finally we went back to the castle as the moon slowly rose behind us as we talked together. “That was just the most wonderful perfect day that I have ever had,” I said. “I know one way that I could make it even better for you,” Starlight said smiling very seductively as she winked one of her eyes. I laughed very slightly at this. “No, still not yet I don’t think so at least,” I said. “Why not? Don’t you want to explore and know my whole entire world? After all, I may not be good at theater, but I think that I have a few tricks up my-,” “I’m not going to let you finish that thought or sentence,” I quickly interrupted. “What? I was only going to say sleeves even though we don’t normally wear clothes, which technically means that I’ve already seen you naked so…” “That would be a good great start to having sex?” I said finishing off her sentence. “Yes, precisely what I was going to say exactly.” “Look Starlight, I can understand why you want to rush this, you don’t like waiting for things that you really want, but you’re just going to have to.” “I know,” she said with a very slight sigh, “But I can live with that.” “Good then, now I think that we should go inside and see what Twilight has to show us, shall we?” I said holding my hoof out for her. “Gladly my love,” Starlight said taking my hoof as we entered the castle together. “Right on time,” Twilight said once we entered the front castle doors, “Follow me and I’ll show you to my very latest and most recent science project, I think that you’ll find it very exciting and interesting!” “I highly doubt that I will,” I said slowly following her. “You won’t if you keep thinking like that way,” Twilight said winding us through a maze of doors and hallways. “Where is this thing anyways exactly?” I said. “It should be around here somewhere…” “You really should consider getting a map for this place for all of us,” I said. “Or some signs instead,” Starlight said. “Ah, here we are,” Twilight said opening the door to reveal something covered in a very bland tan fabric and cloth. “Behold my invention!” “Uh, what is it exactly?” I said as she went over it ready to tear the cover off. “Well I was considering calling it the TARDIS, but that name is already taken, so instead I tried to think of something else and I finally managed to do that and eventually I did, behold the Time Machine!” she said taking the cover off to reveal a machine that I couldn’t make any sense of. “I did consider calling it the TABITHA, but the name still just wasn’t good enough yet, so I just decided to make it the TM9000 instead, don’t ask me why.” “Uh, what does this thing do exactly?” I said walking over to it and tried to touch it before Twilight suddenly was in front of it to defend it. “DON’T TOUCH IT!!!” she shouted very loudly, “Even I have no idea what it does yet exactly, in theory it should take any pony backwards or forwards in time, or it could do something much worse instead that could have enormous consequences! This machine has to be handled very carefully by a professional just like me, pressing many various random buttons cannot be done and it is not a toy, it is a very highly deadly machine that is to be used solely for science!” “Well, that doesn’t sound very fun at all.” “It’s not supposed to be for fun, it’s supposed to be for science instead!” “So what do you have planned for this machine anyways? What are your hopes, dreams, and ideas for it?” I said. “Hopefully this thing will win me a Nobel Peace Prize Award and then I’ll be recognized as the greatest scientist in the whole entire world!” “Aren’t you sort of that already?” I said smiling. “Ha-ha, very funny, no I’m not actually, but I soon will be!” “Yeah, well quick question, if this thing allows you to go the past could you change the order of events?” “Well I don’t know for sure exactly, but time is supposed to be fixed so probably no, but then again you might be able to change some of the details.” “Is there a limit to how far forwards or backwards you can go?” “No, there isn’t actually.” “Well, could this machine allow you to repeat the same day over again until you finally made it just right and perfect?” “You mean the time loop function setting? Well technically yes.” “And you thought that it would be a good idea just to have this machine and not destroy it so that way no villain that you fight ever has the chance or opportunity to steal it?” “I guess that you make a very fair point, I probably should destroy it. I mean I don’t even know what came over me exactly when I first thought of this and actually really started to build it.” “You don’t have to, you just have to fix your mistake now.” “Should I also burn the notes on and about it too?” “Only if you want to, it’s your invention after all,” I said smiling. “Huh, I guess that you’re right,” she said, “Well I sure am glad that you finally managed to eventually talk sense to my reasonable logical side, which is very odd, strange, weird and unusual, since usually I’m the one who talks sense into others.” “Yeah, what you said,” I said as she went over it and started to flip switches and buttons, but before she could finally finish the whole entire process there was a very large explosion outside. “I wonder what that could be,” Twilight said quickly ignoring her machine as she went outside. “Probably another monster, you can probably take care of it within the time length and span of thirty minutes, right?” I said. “I’m not so sure about this time,” she said pointing at it. The creature in question was Luna, and she was fighting something very dark that looked like it was a human. “Princess Luna!” I said shouting to her very loudly, “What’s wrong exactly? What is that thing?” “A creature of both Nightmare and Shadow, it comes from another universe, but it should not be here, it is causing ruptures and cracks in the very fabric of space and time and reality as we know it, there is no stopping it since it is already dead, only a keeper of death or time could possibly stop this thing.” “But why can’t you? You’re a princess with great power!” “Not that much as you might think, and certainly not enough to defeat this thing.” “Wait, you said that a keeper of time could defeat this, what does that mean exactly?” “One who can control time or death, duh. My powers of darkness, dreams, shadows and nightmares can only hold it off for so long.” I smiled, “I have an idea!” I said rushing back inside the castle. “No, we are not using the time machine!” “Why not? We can fix this before it even ever begins!” “Messing with time always has consequences, if you do this then you might not be able to ever undo it.” “I don’t care, I want to show you that I’m ready to be trusted by saving this whole entire town for once,” I said reaching for a switch. “Wait, please don’t!” Twilight said reaching out to stop me as Starlight also tried to do the same, but it was too late, the switch was flipped and time was no more. Day 1Day 1 I woke up to the sound of my alarm clock going off. I listened to the song and it was the same as yesterday. A bit weird that they would play the same song two days in a row, but nothing too strange or unusual, but that’s when I heard the reporter talk. “Good morning Ponyville! It’s a bright sunny day outside today and there’s no rain scheduled for today so there’s no need for any jackets or umbrellas! Anyhow have a very lovely Tuesday and we’ll see you all later on today I guess!” Wait, did he say Tuesday, no way, that couldn’t be true, either this was some elaborate joke or she was going crazy and insane. She hoped that it really was the first option. But wait, then she remembered why she was here. Yes, of course, duh, it was all so simple and plain. She went back in time to stop the thing, the creature, the beast, the monster, whatever it was called, she didn’t know, and now it seemed like she was starting her day all over again, excellent, this would give her more than enough time to stop the future from happening. My stomach grumbled very loudly then as it did yesterday yearning for food, or wait, would that be today instead? Ugh, time travel was really confusing, and very annoying too as well. “Sorry stomach, you’ll just have to wait, I have to warn the princesses about the danger that’s coming,” I said patting it very gently and lightly and softly too as well, and then I started to question why I was speaking out loud to myself. Eh, probably better not to, I might just go insane and crazy thinking about it, or this, which was time travel. And speaking of time travel I decided to keep this journal on me to write in and write with, pretty nice, isn’t it? Anyhow I rushed downstairs not even bothering to put my cape and makeup on as I usually do, and it’s something that I did yesterday, or rather today. Argh, I think I need a system for the days here, how about I call this Day 1 since this is my first time going back in time? Yeah, that works out, and day Zero can be the day that was before today, or yesterday, or rather today. You know what it’s just too confusing to try explaining it, so just never mind. Anyhow I quickly rushed downstairs to see Twilight and Starlight say goodbye to Spike as he went for the boy’s day out. “Well hello there Trixie, I didn’t expect to see you down here so early,” she said. “Yeah, I have a feeling that today’s going to be a bit more different than usual, like in a very bad sort of way.” “So not the usual strange odd weird way then?” “No, I think that something very dangerous and deadly will attack today, and don’t ask me why, trust me, I could be right about this and I need to speak to the princesses like right now about this whole entire thing and matter.” “Alright, fine then, I’ll take you to the princesses, but I want an explanation for this when we finally get there.” “Don’t worry, you’ll get one, eventually,” I said grabbing one of her hooves as Starlight looked at me sadly. “So, no special day to ourselves today then?” “Sorry, maybe tomorrow? Please forgive me and understand when I finally explain myself?” I said trying to put on my best sympathy smile for her. “Yeah, sure thing, tomorrow, promise.” “I promise,” I said not knowing that tomorrow wouldn’t come for a very, very, VERY long time. “Come on Twilight, let’s go now,” I said. And with that she teleported us away to Canterlot castle. “Twilight? Why are you here now exactly?” Celestia said upon seeing the two of us. “My friend here wishes to address you about something very important.” “Then let her speak, you have my undivided attention,” she said as I examined the room, it was very fancy, regal, and elegant, exactly fit for a princess. Red and gold and white and silver and blue were the aligned color themes to create a more natural environment that one felt safe inside of. “Princess, tonight something will attack Ponyville, I know this.” Her eyebrows raised very slightly in great surprise and shock. “And how would that be so exactly?” “I sort of traveled back in time and now this day has restarted again and now I can change the events of the future by warning you that your sister fights this thing, but I don’t know if it will end well since I left before it could do any harm to our town, her, or any pony else too as well.” “Wait, you say that the danger will fight my sister?” “Yeah, the thing, I don’t know what to call it, it looked like a human, but more shadow than corporeal, and your sister said that it was also made out of nightmares too as well.” “No, it can’t be… not him… not that… anything but that,” Celestia muttered to herself. “Wait, you know what this thing is, whatever this creature is?” I said. “Yes, and it is not good news if what you say is true… this thing… this creature… it is one of the most deadly things in any universe, its name is walker, one of the void, all other names are useless, it is wraith, it is pain, it is agony, it is strife, it is sorrow, it is despair, it is suffering, it is woe, it is death, it is shadow, it is nightmare, it has many names yet still none that can perfectly describe it. It is called Shahkrah and Shakrah, and if it is here then that can only mean one thing for all of us, certain doom. It won’t stop until it has achieved its goal, and then it will move unto the next world, so we must stop it before it can or does.” “That’s a very vague and general answer, care to be a bit more specific?” “No, I do not wish to say its name, for even I fear it.” “If it’s that bad then how can we stop it?” “It only has one weakness, death.” “But how do we will it exactly?” “We don’t, we send it somewhere to something that can do just that.” “Should I even question who or what that is exactly?” “No, you should not.” “Very well then, fine, I won’t.” “Very good then, now then when will the monster attack?” “Tonight.” “Of course, I should have expected it at that time.” “Princess, just one more question, what will happen if we fail?” “We can’t, but if we do our whole entire world will be no more.” “Oh, well then, I see why we can’t fail.” “Yes, indeed, and that I why I will be there to protect my sister tonight.” “Well then that’s all I had to tell you and honestly I expected some disbelief and argument at the very least.” “I’m used to time travel spells, you’re nothing new to me, nothing strange or unusual or odd or different at all.” “Oh, well then goodbye for now I guess,” I said slowly tuning my back on her. “Goodbye, stay safe my little pony.” And with that said I turned back to Twilight, “Ready to go now?” “As I’ll ever be, come on, let’s go,” she said taking my hoof in one of her own and then we teleported back to the castle and once we did Starlight suddenly perked up instantly at my arrival. “You’re back,” she said smiling, “I honestly really didn’t expect you back this soon, did it go well or not?” “I think that it did, but we’ll have to wait until tonight to see the results.” “Oh, so now that you’re done care to explain what’s going on here exactly?” “Just two words for you, time travel,” I said smiling. “Oh, really, how?” “Twilight made a machine that sent me back into time after I pressed a few buttons and flipped a few switches on it.” “Wait, you did what?” Twilight said very frantically, “Didn’t I warn you about the consequences of time travel? Didn’t I try to stop you?” “Well you did actually, it’s just that I really honestly don’t care.” “Well that’s just great, because guess what? You’ve already rewritten time because I don’t have a time machine or plans for it or even had the idea of ever building it, and now we have no idea what might happen after what you told the princess, I mean what if in your timeline Luna was supposed to fail and die? If that was the case Celestia protecting Luna could change that.” “But wouldn’t both princesses being alive be better?” “NO! Because of your actions I have no idea what might result from this good or bad, trust me Trixie, you haven’t saved Ponyville, you’ve only delayed its doom.” “No, that can’t be true.” “Yes, it is, and I know because Starlight tried to change the past once and each universe that I went to was generally worse than the last one. Each universe was not one that we would ever want or wish to live in. And now because you changed the past we have no idea what will occur. I just hope for your sake that it’s good.” And with that said Twilight stomped off very angrily. “Well, I guess that she takes this whole entire manner very well considering it is time travel and all, but honestly you should have asked me for advice before turning the device on, I could have helped you at the very least you know.” “Yeah, I do, but Starlight, I need to tell you something very important…” “Yes?” she said very anxiously and expectedly. “I-I…” I couldn’t say it, I couldn’t say the words to her, I had said I love you before plenty of times before, but not these five very small simple tiny little words. “You what?” Starlight said. “I forgot to put on makeup this morning,” I said coming up with a very plausible excuse to get out of talking to her about what I really truly wanted. “Well I didn’t even notice, but you still look very lovely.” “Thanks a lot, but Starlight, if today is our last day, if the princesses do fail, let’s make the day very special, okay?” “Yeah, sure thing, anything for you my love, what did you have in mind exactly?” “How about some of our favorite spots?” “That sounds very nice,” she said smiling as we leaned in to kiss and this time I noticed the scent in her hair it smelled like pears. “Hmmm… your hair… it smells very lovely,” I said after we finally pulled apart. “Thank you very much,” she said, “But come on, let’s go now.” And with that said we went around the whole entire town in the same manner and route as we did on day Zero. And then when the moon finally came up this time I got very nervous. “It should be coming soon,” I said. “The thing, the creature, the beast?” Starlight said looking up at the moon. “Yes, it was after we went into Twilight’s treehouse that it came, but now I think that we should watch for it just in case.” “Yeah, sure thing, why not, anything’s romantic with you even if the thing we face means certain doom and death filled with peril and danger.” “Yeah, I guess so,” I said smiling as we sat down on a bench and waited for it to show up. As we did I saw Luna walk up to the town fountain. I didn’t know why she was here though unless she knew that the monster was already coming, curious I decided to ask her instead. “Princess Luna? What are you doing here in Ponyville of all the places that you can possibly be right now?” “I’m going to face an enemy of mine, and you can’t stop me.” “No, but we can protect you,” Celestia said floating down gently from the sky and landing on the very soft freshly trimmed green grass. “Sister? What are you doing here exactly? Shouldn’t you be back at Canterlot right now?” Luna said with great shock and surprise as she looked at her very deeply in the eyes. “I should be wherever I am needed the most, and right now you need me the most,” she said embracing her in a very tight quick hug. “Oh, that’s so sweet,” I said to Starlight very softly. “Thank you, sister, but I can do this alone.” “No, you can’t, not yet, not against this monster, not against it.” “Don’t you trust me sister?” “I do, I just don’t want you to get hurt.” “Trust me sister, at the end of the day it will be the one hurting.” And with that said they waited for it to come. But it never did as they sat for many hours. “Okay, I think that it’s safe to say that it’s not coming,” I said, “But why? What does this mean for the timeline exactly? Is this good or bad?” “I don’t know, I think that it’s good since it probably detected that you went back in time and changed things, and now maybe it won’t show itself out of fear against our combined power, or it could be very bad if it’s trying to play the long game and alter time for itself instead.” “Well I hope that it’s good, anyhow thanks for listening and believing in me.” “You’re welcome, but please come talk to me tomorrow, okay?” “Yeah, sure thing, anything for you princess,” I said as I watched them fly away. “Well, that was a bit anticlimactic, I expected a fight and battle at the very least and not this,” Starlight said walking over to me as we stood over the fountain’s edge. “Yeah, well we can’t always get what we want.” “Yeah, so true,” she said leaning over and kissing me. “Yes, indeed, too bad that I have to do this to you,” a voice from the fountain said. “Wait, what was that exactly?” I said very nervously with great fear. “Oh, that would be me, how rude of me, let me introduce myself first,” the voice said as water started to rise and form into a shadow human and then suddenly I saw yellow eyes where its face (if it had one) should be, and then it let out a smile as human skin started to form around its whole entire body. “Sorry for my last form, I didn’t have time to appear as a human then, but now I have more than enough thanks to your due efforts and energy.” “Why are you here and what do you want exactly?” I said shaking with fear. It laughed, “What I want is very simple, it’s to teach you a lesson, you see I am one of the most dangerous creatures in any universe as Celestia says that I am, but I can also be very kind, nice, and generous too as well, for example I give one native from every universe a chance and opportunity to stop me by passing one very small simple tiny little test, and guess what, you’re that native.” “But why me? What makes me so special?” It smiled, “I have my own reasons for that, but ever since you touched that time machine I was intrigued and interested in you, so I decided to make you the contestant in my game, if you succeed you save Equestria, fail and there will be consequences, now then do you agree or do I have to choose another instead?” “What does this game entail exactly?” “Whatever I want for however long I want.” “And how will I know when I pass?” “When I say so.” “And what about failing?” “When I say so.” “Yes, of course, very well then, I agree, but only if you tell me your name first.” It smiled, “Call me Jake, I’m a void walker, don’t ask what that is please.” “Don’t worry, I wasn’t going to, I said. “Very good then, now then here’s your test, do good and face your fears, you will have a thousand years to do this, I think that it will be more than enough.” “Wait, what? Care to explain what’s going on here?” “No, not yet, you’ll find out very soon enough,” Jake said smiling, “Have some very great good fun in your very first day of today forever!” And with that said he suddenly pulled out a knife and quickly stabbed Starlight in the heart. “Good day then,” he said wiping his knife clean in the fountain water as he suddenly vanished. When he stabbed Starlight it felt like my heart was being stabbed too as well, in fact it felt like my whole entire world was starting to finally fall apart and tear away, I screamed, I cried, I demanded answers from him, but he just said that he didn’t have to give any since that wasn’t part of the deal, he also said that I would soon see my love again. I had no idea what he was talking about then, but now I do. Eventually I finally managed to eventually stop crying and then fell to sleep. Day 2Day 2 When I woke up I found myself in my bed at the castle and I wasn’t covered in blood anymore, I was totally completely clean now. No, this was impossible, this can’t be true, but it was. And then suddenly I heard the radio turn on and play the exact same thing as it did for the previous days that I was here now. The same day, it was repeating itself over again. But why? It couldn’t be because of Jake, right? It might be since the last timeline I was in there was no time machine. Unless I pressed too many buttons and flipped too many switches on the time machine to make me somehow go back in time and always repeat and loop the same day over again. But if that were true what could I do to change the future? I needed to tell some pony else, maybe the princesses could help me out in this. Quickly I rushed downstairs not bothering to put on my cape or makeup just like yesterday, I mean on Day 1. Once again I saw Twilight and Starlight say goodbye to Spike and before she could speak I stopped her. “Yeah, I know, you’re shocked and surprised that I’m down here so early, just take me to princess Celestia in Canterlot for urgent matter, and please, no questions asked,” I said. Twilight blinked out her great shock and surprise and merely said, “Um, okay?” clearly not wanting to question why this was so just yet. “So then-,” Starlight started to say. “No special day all alone, yes, I’m sorry, but we won’t be able to do it tomorrow since I’m stuck in a time loop repeating this same day over again. She blinked out her great surprise and shock too as well. “How did you know that I was going to say that?” “Like I said, time loop, now come on, Twilight, let’s go,” I said. And with that said she took us away to the throne room of the princess in Canterlot. “PRINCESS!” I shouted once we finally managed to get there eventually, “I need to talk to you about something very important and urgent!” “Yes, what is it exactly?” she said not even bothered by my sudden outburst. “Tonight there will be an attack from a void walker, and I’m also stuck in a time loop repeating this same day over again,” I said. Celestia started to speak after blinking her great shock and surprise. But I finally managed to eventually stop her. “Yes, I know, this is impossible, it can’t be true, I heard it all yesterday, or rather today, but it doesn’t matter, your sister will try to stop it and I don’t know what will happen exactly, but I know that you’ll be there to protect your sister, right?” “Yes, of course, always,” Celestia said, “But I’m still confused about all of this.” “Don’t worry, if I can change the future and make it tomorrow then I’m sure that it will all be explained to me and you, and all of us.” “Well I wish you the best of luck with your curse.” “Thank you, that’s all I have to say about that,” I said. “Alright, fine then, you may go now if you wish.” And with that said I smiled and thanked her for her time and then left back home to Ponyville. Once we got back Twilight spoke up. ‘So, no explanation for either of us then?” she said. “Sorry, no, not yet, maybe tomorrow though.” “Funny how you say that when you claim to be stuck repeating today.” “Yeah, well who knows, I might get lucky.” “Well I hope that you do,” Twilight said. And with that said she left me alone to be with Starlight. “So, did your visit go well?” she said. “Yeah, but I think I should spend time researching this creature today,” I said, “Sorry, but I won’t have any time for you today, maybe tomorrow instead?” “Yeah, sure thing, whatever you say,” she said leaving me alone to study the books in the great big huge wide vast library. But no longer how long and how much I searched I couldn’t find anything before the end of the day. There was nothing on that creature, and when nighttime finally came I went over the fountain to see a note left for me by Jake. Sorry, I won’t be coming back again, so you don’t have to worry about me, and that’s a promise, and I don’t expect you to believe me of course, but if you don’t then you won’t ever be able to win my game, anyhow good luck, Trixie. She didn’t know why he would leave a note for her, but it was very annoying how he wouldn’t show up and explain it to her in great detail, and she had to explain to the princesses why he wouldn’t be coming, “He’s not coming, he promised not to,” I said holding the note up for them to examine very closely. “If he says that he won’t come then he won’t, these creatures always keep their promises, it’s one of the only better things about them,” Celestia said. “Speaking about this thing why couldn’t I find any information on it in the library at all?” I said. “Because it’s not from this universe, just as the time machine shouldn’t be in any, or a way to travel between completely different worlds.” “Ah, well, I see that now, but if it won’t come back what does that mean for me and us exactly?” “I don’t know, it should mean that if you keep repeating your day that nothing bad should happen, but it probably also means that he wants you to learn something that he thinks is very important for you.” “I wonder what it could be.” “He wouldn’t say even if you asked, you have to pass his test and game for all of our sakes, but as to why he does this, I don’t know exactly.” “Well I hope that I can figure out why after I win,” I said. “Indeed, well then good luck Trixie, and I hope to see you tomorrow to talk.” “Yes, indeed, I will, if I can ever get out of today.” “And with that said the two princesses left us to be alone. “So, that’s over with, do you want to spend some time together alone?” “That sounds just wonderful, thanks a lot, Starlight.” “Anything for you my love,” she said smiling as we slowly went back to the castle, but midway there a piano suddenly fell out of the sky and crushed Starlight. I looked up to see a gray mare shrug her hooves apologetically. “WHO DELIVERS A PIANO AT NIGHTTIME AND DROPS IT?” I shouted. “Sorry,” Derpy said, “I just don’t know what went wrong.” “You should be more careful, one of these days something that you drop could kill some pony,” I said using my magic to slowly and very carefully shift away the debris, “Come on Starlight,” I said tugging her hooves very gently, but she just was stuck there. “Come on, stop messing around,” I said getting slightly more nervous about her condition now, worried I went over to her and checked her breathing, but she wasn’t, not anymore at least, desperately I tried to use CPR on her, but it was no use, she was dead, I looked up at the mare with tears, “You killed her,” I said, and then I draped myself over her body and cried all night long then. Day 3Day 3 The mare tried to apologize to me of course. But it was no use anymore, Starlight was dead… again. Eventually though the next day came again. Or rather the same day started all over again instead. I woke up and heard the same song… again. “Wouldn’t it be nice if-,” “NO!!!” I shouted getting up and tossing my bed covers away, I had to change or at least stop the future, Starlight had died twice now, and I had a feeling that something would keep trying to kill her no matter what I tried to do, but I would still try nonetheless. I rushed downstairs not even bothering with my cape and makeup just as usual for the past two or so days. I saw Twilight say goodbye to Spike and then I saw her there, my love, Starlight, she was alive again, but probably wouldn’t be by the end of the day. Quickly I decided to hug her, it was just so nice to be in her embrace again after I lost her twice already by this time now. “Uh hey there Trixie, it’s nice to see you too, but you don’t need to hug me,” Starlight said trying to escape from my very tight grasp and embrace to no avail. “Starlight, I know you probably won’t understand me, but I really hate losing you, you just mean so much to me, too much.” “Uh thanks I guess?” Starlight said very confused at my behavior. Twilight just looked at the two of us very awkwardly and then I eventually let go of Starlight. “Trixie I’m,” she started to say before I cut her off. “Yeah, I know, don’t ask me how, but you don’t need to say what you’re about to say, but right now I just need to get somewhere very far away and safe with Starlight, I need to protect her, tell me, how far is it that you have ever travelled with two guests?” I said. “Uh well I don’t know how far I can travel but I’ll do my best,” she said grabbing our hooves together and then concentrating her magic very intensely with great focus. With a flash of light we teleported somewhere else very far away indeed. “Well here we are, the far west, I hope that’s far away for you two.” “I hope so, but I doubt that anything will be far enough,” I said. And I was right because at that exact moment a great big huge monster beast creature thing came out of the ground and swallowed her whole and then disappeared back into the ground silent as it came in the first place. Part FiveDay 4 “Wouldn’t you like to-,” I basted that stupid damn silly little tiny radio with my magic as soon as I heard it leaving it a pile of dust and ashes. I always had sort of hated that thing anyways. I rushed downstairs and went through the whole entire routine again. But I couldn’t stop her from going west even though I shouted “WAIT!” before we left, but when we did get there I managed to knock Starlight out of the way of death from the monster. “Ha, saved you from another death,” I said. “Thanks, but wait, what was that again exactly?” “You’ve died three times by now, and I’m determined to change or at least stop the future instead,” I said. “Trixie, you’re crazy, go home now,” Starlight said. “Too late for that,” I said smiling before I saw the snake worm (that’s what I called the beast/creature/monster since that’s exactly what it looked like) go down into the ground and then come back up again to swallow her… again. Day 5 “Wouldn’t you like to-,” I slammed my hoof down on the radio crushing it into tiny little pieces. I quickly rushed downstairs and did the whole entire speech thing again and then Twilight took us west and I mad Starlight safely avoid the snake worm. But that’s when it struck for the third time and killed her… again. Day 53 It took me 50 more days before I could finally avoid every attempt of death by the snake worm in the west, but that was when the harpy eagle decided to kill her now then. Day 103 I don’t know why exactly, but it took me another 50 days to also learn how to avoid every attack by the harpy eagle. But that was when I finally decided to NOT go West, instead I decided to go North, that didn’t work out well so much either since she died due to hypothermia. Day 104 So I went North again today and came up with a very brilliant genius idea to keep her warm, but Twilight didn’t exactly like it. Well I don’t care what she thinks or says instead. Too bad that she died of something else completely different and unrelated to coldness. Day 105 Okay, clearly the North and West are NOT very good options for us now. How about the East instead? That should work out just fine, right? Day 106 The East didn’t work out quite so well as I hoped, oh well, there’s always tomorrow, or rather today instead, I’m so lost and confused right now, I feel like I could be slowly going crazy and insane by starting to write the same things over again, but I hope not, that would be very bad news for me indeed. Day 107 The East didn’t work out quite so well as I hoped, oh well, there’s always tomorrow, or rather today instead, I’m so lost and confused right now, I feel like I could be slowly going crazy and insane by starting to write the same things over again, but I hope not, that would be very bad news for me indeed. Day 108 The East didn’t work out quite so well as I hoped, oh well, there’s always tomorrow, or rather today instead, I’m so lost and confused right now, I feel like I could be slowly going crazy and insane by starting to write the same things over again, but I hope not, that would be very bad news for me indeed. Day 109 The East didn’t work out quite so well as I hoped, oh well, there’s always tomorrow, or rather today instead, I’m so lost and confused right now, I feel like I could be slowly going crazy and insane by starting to write the same things over again, but I hope not, that would be very bad news for me indeed. Day 110 The East didn’t work out quite so well as I hoped, oh well, there’s always tomorrow, or rather today instead, I’m so lost and confused right now, I feel like I could be slowly going crazy and insane by starting to write the same things over again, but I hope not, that would be very bad news for me indeed. Day 111 I decided not to go East anymore, please don’t ask me why, just don’t, okay then? Great, now we can finally get back to my very slow descent into madness. Anyhow I decided to go South today instead, that should be safe and just perfectly fine for the both of us, right? Day 112 The South wasn’t just perfectly fine, it’s like a Civil War down there now. Day 162 Yesterday was the end of the South for us. Clearly going out of Ponyville to a random spot in each direction won’t work. Maybe I should try specific cities instead? Day 163 Nope, that didn’t work. Day 213 Canterlot failed, 50 times in a row. Now to Las Pegasus instead!!! Day 263 That also failed 50 times in a row too as well. Oh well, to Manehattan!!! Day 313 Why do I keep failing no matter what I try or how hard I do it instead? I’ve failed 50 times in just one city!!! I can’t ever seem to stop Starlight from dying. I just wish that it could end. Day 363 Dodge City has also failed. And I can’t wait until I have been stuck here for a year by now. Day 364 Today I received a note from Jake saying he’ll show up tomorrow. Great, that means another day here trapped in my eternal hell. This news just keeps on getting better. Day 365 So Jake came today and he said that he was honestly surprised that I hadn’t figured it out by now, but he also said that I had up to 999 years left to try to figure it out. Well that’s just great, I just want this nightmare to end already. Day 366 The last two days were both terrible and horrible. I mean I didn’t know that a dog bite could kill you. And I never imagined a toaster just happening to land in a bathtub. Day 367 Bats, did you know that they can kill you? Day 368 So can ants too as well!!! Day 369 I didn’t know that we lived close enough to the water to get eaten by a shark... Day 370 …Or killed by a lobster instead… Day 371 …Or a whale? Wait, what?... Day 372 …Dolphins, I give up now. Day 373 There’s a storm today, I wonder how she’ll die today. Day 374 Apparently lightning CAN strike in the same place twice. Day 392 Wow, Starlight was really unlucky, she had 19 strikes of lightning in a row. But no storm clouds for today so she should be safe. Ha, that’s a laugh. Day 393 Did you know that too much water can kill you? More specifically drinking it? Day 394 So can dehydration too as well, which is too little water instead. Part SixDay 401 So I decided to record something that we talked about lunch time today because it was very interesting and I think that you should really hear it. Starlight looked at me and asked the all-important question. “So, how are you feeling? Is anything wrong? Is there anything that I can do? What’s up with you exactly?” I couldn’t take the question anymore so I answered her instead. “I’ve failed to save you from death for 400 times by now!!! Did you know that there are so many ways that you can die right now? Like for example, move your head to the right please.” She did so and a flower pot suddenly came down right where her head was. “That thing killed you yesterday, and before that it was the food here, and then a fork got in your throat once before that, and you’ve also been burned once and also drowned too as well, heck, even lightning has killed you 19 times already!!!” “Really?” “Yes!!! And unless there’s some other pony else out there that can travel through time, maybe perhaps even in a blue box since that killed you one time, well maybe they could help me out, but no, there’s no doctor that can save you now!” Slowly a brown stallion wearing a bow tie with an hourglass cutie mark got up, chuckled very nervously, paid his bill, and went back to his time travelling blue box, and he did this all without being noticed by Trixie or any pony else too as well. “Wait, if I died then how come I’m still here?” “Because I’m stuck in time repeating the same day over again and it’s driving me nuts? I can’t figure out how to save you no matter how many times I try or how hard instead, I can’t save you, and that’s the worst thing that I have ever know because guess what? I love you Starlight, like a lot, really, but unless I can figure a way out to escape we might never be together again, and I just can’t bear the thought of living without you, I would rather die first instead.” “No, don’t say that, there are plenty of reasons to keep on living.” “Yeah? Name one.” “Me.” “That’s good enough I suppose,” I said sighing now then, “Well I guess we should enjoy our lunch then?” “Gladly,” she said taking a very large bite of her meal. “Starlight? Are you alright and fine?” I said with great worry as she started to choke then suddenly. I tried to get it out, but it was too late and she died instead. Day 731 Jake came to me yesterday, but this time he was actually helpful for once. “Two years, I can’t believe that you’ve actually been stuck here for two years, I thought that you would have figured out to face your very worst fears and nightmares by now at the very least, but it seems like I am constantly being proven wrong, anyhow I’ll come back here every year until you can finally figure it out, or not, either way I decided not to destroy Equestria since you’re just too fun to play with and mess around with, seeing you struggle as you find new ways to save your true love, well that’s’ just delightfully amazing and wonderful too as well, seriously I even made a YouTube video highlighting all your fails, just watch it and even you would have to admit just how funny it really truly is.” ‘If you aren’t going to destroy Equestria anymore why not stop this right now?” “I already told you, you’re just too much fun to ever lose.” “Well that’s good enough I suppose, but why did you say that Starlight was my true love exactly?” “Because in every universe I go to you two are always constants, that and also Lyra and Sweetie Drops too as well of course, I didn’t believe in universal constants, not until I finally saw some hard proof and evidence of it.” “Wait, what? A universal constant?” “Yes, something that never changes, has changed or will change in any universe, I didn’t believe in them because I thought that they were a myth and legend, sure many universes could share certain traits and aspects, but not all of them. And yet I’m starting to doubt that belief now because of what I have seen.” “If we’re universal constants then why come here to this one?” “Luck coincidence, fate, destiny, I don’t really care. Pick whatever answer you want, it won’t matter anyways.” “Alright, fine then, you want to have fun by torturing me and I was just unlucky, but why can’t I change the future, why can’t I ever stop it?” “Oh Trixie, you can’t ever stop or change the future, like death for example, you can’t change that, sometimes you just have to accept your fate and destiny. And sometimes you have to tell your real true feelings by confessing before the end does finally come, and if you don’t then you will never ever escape.” I glanced up, did he just say the way that I could win his game? Surely he wouldn’t, right? He didn’t seem that stupid to accidentally reveal exactly what he wanted, unless he was bored waiting for the end of the game to finally come to an end. “Why are you telling me all of this?” I said very curiously now then. “It’s honestly because I don’t really care anymore, it doesn’t matter if you win or not because I will still have my fun at the end of the day, and that’s all that really matters of course, I just hope that you will win in the end, because I really like you Trixie, you’re one of the better background side ponies.” “If I do win I want you to promise something,” I said. “Sure, anything for you my dear.” “Firstly, you are never to come back to this land ever again. Second, you are never to disturb me or any pony else in this land with your silly stupid little ting games and tricks. Thirdly, I want a whole lot of money for what I’ve been through, you’ve put me through enough pain and despair and agony and strife already.” “Well that’s so very true, but your terms and conditions are agreeable to me, so I accept them, but in exchange your time will be cut down to ten years.” “Wait, what?” I said. “What? You’re making a very high demand of me so now I am making one for you, so good luck Trixie, I hope you figure it out before then.” And with that said he left me then as I saw Starlight there and before I could speak to her I made sure to put her in a place where nothing would kill her just quite yet, or at least hopefully not until I was done talking with her. I hoped that this worked, “Starlight, I think that I might be ready to tell our friends about us,” I said now finally ready to face my fears. “Oh, really?” she said. “Yes, but we have to do it now otherwise-,” I said as a rock suddenly hit her head instantaneously killing her, “You might die,” I said finishing off the sentence. Day 1,827 It has been over five years that I’ve been trapped in the same day. I’ve tried everything that I could think of. I even tried confessing our love to her friends and her parents and mine. Even the princesses themselves. Nothing worked. And I didn’t know why that was so. It was at this point that I stopped trying to change Starlight’s fate and destiny and tried to change my own, which is why I stood at the top of a building ready to leap to my own death then maybe that could stop the time loop. Life could go own and I would be some sort of hero at least, but Starlight, she wouldn’t know what I did for her, which is exactly why I left a death note for her on my bed so that she could read it tomorrow if it ever did come now. Slowly I took a very deep breath and plunged to my death. Day 1,828 “Wouldn’t you like to-,” No, this can’t be true, I was supposed to be dead, not alive. I was supposed to be the hero, not just some ordinary regular illusionist. But I was, and I couldn’t change that, but maybe I could change the future instead, my first death hadn’t worked, but maybe I just had to find the right death, and so I went downstairs, got the toaster, filled up the bathtub, and then I killed myself again. Day 3,651 Well that’s it, everything that I have tried has failed. I have been stuck here in the same day for ten years. And I have tried everything. I tried killing myself, saving Starlight, helping other ponies out, I even tried to kill other ponies once and also burned down Applejack’s farm too as well. Honestly it’s just too much to tell, but I’ll let you fill in the details later. Beside me sat Jake with a great big huge wide smile on his face as if he already knew that he was going to win, which was almost entirely certain at this point. “Well, looks like tomorrow is your last day here, yet you still haven’t figured it out yet,” he said now then. “Yes, but who really cares, win or lose I’ll escape this hell hole.” “No, you won’t, not unless you finally face the truth.” “I have.” “You’re still lying, you’re still hiding, why don’t you try to remember what you really wanted to say to her, why don’t you try to remember your very first nightmare? Because guess what, that’s where the answer was all along.” “I can’t remember it anymore, mostly because I don’t dream anymore.” “Well then maybe Princess Luna could help out with that, she is the caretaker of dreams after all, but you better hurry, there’s only one day left.” “I know, but why is there any reason to win anymore?” “I’m sure that a smarty young wise mare like yourself can come up with something very soon, anyhow goodbye for now and good luck.” And with that said he left as the sun set and in my heart I knew that somewhere else out there, Starlight had already died again. The Last and Final DayThe Last and Final Day Well it’s here, the very last final day. But now I think that I’m finally ready to face my fears. When the alarm clock blared, I didn’t blast it to pieces, instead I got up, put on my cape and makeup and then looked in the mirror. “It’s show time,” I said to myself smiling now then, after all, if this was my last da here then I was going to make it my very best one yet. I went downstairs and greeted my friends with a hug. “Good morning to one an all!” I said, “If you’re looking for town problems there are none, I know because I checked hundreds of times, anyhow I’m glad to see you all here, especially you Starlight because of how many times that you’ve already died, but you want to know what I say? I say fuck it, let’s just make love right here in front of all my friends, right?” I said. They both looked at me like I was both crazy and insane, but by this point I probably already was. “Oh, by the way thanks for eating all the oats Starlight, it made for a great town day, anyhow why don’t we go see Princess Luna today?” “Uh sure thing, but why would that be exactly?” they said now then. “No reason at all.” “Trixie, is everything alright? You seem a little bit off and different today.” “Well of course I am, I have been for ten years now, and you’ve never noticed because I’m the only one who can remember this time loop…” Suddenly I had an idea, could they remember it like I did? “Say, would you like to remember the past ten years?” “Why would that be for exactly?” “I don’t know, I just feel it would be a lot less explaining on my part.” “Well I don’t mind, I would love to know what happened.” “Me too,” Starlight said. “Alright, fine then, that’s settled, now then let’s go to the castle, shall we?” Twilight looked around nervously and then shrugged, “Sure thing, why not?” And with that said they all held hooves and then went to the castle. I ignored the guards and Celestia and went straight to Luna’s room. “Well hello there Princess,” I said, “I have a favor to ask.” “Yes, anything for you, but how did you get into my room though exactly?” “The door was unlocked,” I said, “Now then I need you to show me the first nightmare that I had, you know, the one that started these nightmare weeks.” “Yes, of course, anything for you, but why though exactly?” “Trust me, just do this for me no questions asked just yet, please.” “Alright, very well then, fine, prepare yourself.” And with that said she lit up her horn and I went back into my dream. There I was, standing in a wedding dress with Starlight next to me. I remember, I thought to myself now as I watched the event unfold. The priest said his vows, but Starlight said no to me and I tried to plead with her, but then the whole entire crowd started to take her side and object. And that was when I finally woke up. “I know what my greatest fear is,” I said, “And I’m ready.” Slowly I got up as Luna smiled behind me and I went up to Starlight’s ear. “Starlight Glimmer, I think that I might have loved you ever since the moment that we first met, but there was something I was too afraid to tell you, but after ten years I think that I finally can, will you marry me?” She gasped in great shock and surprise and then she finally said the magic word as tears of great joy went down her face. “Yes.” And with that I smiled, finally, I had an answer, and hopefully escape as well too, and as it was I was right because at that moment Jake decided to show up. “Well then, it looks like you finally learned your lesson that I have been trying to teach you for years now, you have your reward and as a bonus here are some potions just in case your friends want to remember the time.” “Thank you very much,” I said, “But what is the lesson exactly?” “It’s actually more than one, one was to accept fate and destiny, which you eventually did when you gave up hope, and another was never to deny or hid the truth away from others because you never know when tomorrow might not come around, just remember this well and never forget it.” “Oh trust me, I won’t.” “I have no doubt of that, now then I just have one question for you.” “What is it exactly?” “Can I come to your wedding, please? It’s been so very long since I have ever been to one before,” he said smiling now then. “No, you may not, just leave my prize and go.” “Very well then, but should you ever need me for anything else at all, even an explanation of all of this, or should any pony else just say my name and I will come, after all, you never said that I couldn’t come if they wanted me,” he said with a smile as he suddenly vanished. “Do you want to explain what’s going on here exactly?” Twilight said every confused. “We’re getting married, and that’s all that you need to know for right now.” And with that said we spent the rest of the day talking details and planning for it, after all, now that I was free I had to move on with my life. WednesdayWednesday I woke up to the sound of a different song playing and I never imagined that it could be both so beautiful and wonderful, it was actually really incredible for once. I got up, smiled, put on my cape and makeup and went downstairs. “Well hello there, Twilight, I’m finally glad to see that it’s tomorrow.” “Yeah, how long were you stuck in the loop anyways?” “Ten years.” “Holy shit,” “Yeah, anyhow I think that I have sufficiently learned my lesson, but now that I have we all have wedding preparations to do now.” “Yeah, I guess so, after all, you only got the chance to tell me yesterday…” “Don’t worry, I won’t mind you telling the rest.” “I actually already have, yesterday when you weren’t looking at me.” “How very brilliantly clever of you.” “What can I say, I’m just a clever brilliant pony.” “Who’s so wonderful and kind to me, so thanks a lot.” “No problem at all.” And with that said I went around making sure that everything was starting to get ready for the wedding, after all, as someone once told me you should never wait until tomorrow because it just might never come, and I wasn’t going to ignore him, instead I was going to take the advice, and that’s exactly why I wasn’t going to be waiting any more, not any longer, after all, I don’t want to spend my whole entire life questioning what if, what might have happened instead. No, I want to live life day by day making sure that each one is great and wonderful, making each one as awesome and amazing as the one before it. I would makes sure that each one was cool and radical, and never again would I waste a single moment, after all, I spent ten years in hell, I wasn’t going to spend any more time in my own misery and pain, no more agony, no more strife, no more despair, and no more death either, no more chaos too as well, I have seen enough of so many things during my ten years, things that I will never be able to erase from my mind no matter how much I might want it or try instead, but I am offering a chance and opportunity for my friends to remember their time, but of course I would warn them of the dangers and peril first, after all, imagine if you could suddenly remember ten years of your life in perfect clarity at once. It would probably feel like you were being repeatedly punched and kicked in the stomach., but of course I’m only guessing on this for right now. I have yet to see the real actual true results of it. After I was eventually finally done checking the preparations (and satisfied with them too as well of course) I decided to go back to my home, and so I went. When I finally eventually got there I decided to speak what was on my mind exactly, to all of them. “Alright all of you, I have something very important to announce, as you all probably already know I’m getting married to Starlight, now this might seem a bit rushed to you, but trust me, I spent ten years stuck in a time loop, I think that I’m more than ready and mature enough to marry whatever pony else that I want, and that includes ponies of the same gender. But I’m offering all of you a choice, there is a potion that will restore your memories, but only if you want to, I will not force you to take it nor will I persuade you that you should either instead, but I will warn you that you might not like what you see, you might not want to know all of it, especially ten years of the exact same day repeating slightly differently each and every time, this goes especially for you Starlight since you have died so many times by now.” “Trixie, I don’t need a potion for anything, especially to tell me that I already know that I love you, whatever you went through, it’s only bringing us closer to together, and anything that can do or does do that, I think that I can support and agree with it too as well, and no matter what we’ll always be together.” “Thank you very much, you’re the best marefriend that any pony else could ever possibly ask for,” I said as I leaned over and kissed her very gently and softly too as well. “Oh get a room already you two,” Rainbow Dash said. “Oh don’t worry, we will, eventually of course.” “Oh gosh, give me just a moment to remove any and all mental images of you two in bed together,” Rainbow Dash said as her face turned a shade greener. “Oh come on Rainbow Dash, don’t be so overdramatic, after all, having an attraction to the same gender is nothing strange or unusual, maybe a bit different and odd sometimes, but who’s to say if it’s bad or not?” “You’re right, I’m just sort of joking, honestly I really wish you the best of luck and wealth and joy, may your days be long and very prosperous indeed.” “Yep, I think that we can all the same thing in here,” Applejack said. “I’m very happy for you two…” Fluttershy said very softly and nervously. “I do love making a wedding dress,” Rarity said. “I’m just glad that you learned something, but do you mind writing down what you learned exactly in our journal? We could always use the help of our very best friends in general for anything and just about everything as well too.” “Sure, I don’t mind, I’ll do it today since tomorrow might never ever come.” And with that said I did so writing down the words that were now in my mind. I wrote it down in the journal, something I never thought or imagined that I would ever possibly be writing in, I wrote down my thoughts and ideas and I didn’t stop until I was eventually finally finished with it. And then after that I decided to relax and spend the rest of the day with Starlight. After all, time is very precious, and you should never ever waste it. The Wedding DayThe Wedding Day It was finally the day of the wedding and everything was ready and just fine and perfect, well, almost everything. There was only one small tiny little slight problem that she kept ignoring only because she wanted to, because she was afraid of it. “Why don’t you just open it already? You know, get it over and done with?” “I want to, I really do, but I don’t know if I can, not yet at least.” “Why not though exactly?” “But what if the letter changes things? What if it’s cursed? What if it makes yet another hell for me, what if it has something inside that I really don’t like?” “Well then, you’ll just have to face it sooner rather than later, right?” I sighed, “I guess so,” I said slowly opening the letter up to read it. Hello, if you’re reading this then I wish you the best of the luck with the wedding, if not, well then, this obviously won’t ever be read by you then, won’t it? Anyhow I offer no explanation or apology, nothing at all. Not even my real true name either, not even that. But I hope that you remember me, and your time in hell. Don’t you ever dare forget, because me or one of my friends might just come back into town again, I don’t know, probably one of my friends since I made a promise. Anyhow, good day, good afternoon, good evening, and good night too as well. Yours truly, unknown. “Who’s it from?” “I think that I know while yet at the same time I also do not know as well too.” “Well then you shouldn’t worry about, come on, today is our day, let’s make it special, we’re supposed to be happy and not worry about small tiny little things like this, especially just this letter, now come on, let’s go, shall we?” “Yes, let’s.” And with that said they went outside, walked down the aisle, exchanged their vows and rings, and then they finally kissed as the whole entire audience shouted for them and then they ate pieces of their cake, opened up some of their gifts and stood for the photographs and then after that they left for their honeymoon to be all alone of course. “So where to first?” “Anywhere you want my dear, after all, it is our wedding.” “Well then, I have the perfect idea of exactly where to start.” And with that said they smiled as they left to enjoy themselves. Meanwhile… Back at where they got married the letter remained opened and untouched, but then suddenly it started to burn and turn into dust fading away into nothing. EpilogueEpilogue “So then master, what do we do now exactly?” “What we always will do, hide until the next chance and opportunity comes.” “Yes sir, but why do we even still play these games anymore?” “Because they are fun, I like them, and I really don’t like being bored at all, ever.” “Yes, but why though exactly?” “I don’t know, you’re asking a spirit of chaos this question, what do you expect?” “Nothing at all sir, and yet everything at the same time too as well.” “Ah, I see that you are learning very well, but I think that it is time to step up our game, Ness was a failure, Jake was just not serious enough, he’s a very good trickster though, and death still tries to chase us even as we speak, but his servant Anubis, well luckily enough he had been dispatched with temporarily even though there will always still be more, anyhow I think that it’s about time that we start to merge the universes together, let them meet, after all, what fun is it to keep them separate and isolated? We have tested very few of them, but now it is time to test all of them, and I don’t care who you start or finish with.” “Very well then sir, I’ll try my luck with the human world first and then go on to the others, but how shall we explain it to them?” “All in good time, after all, some of them already know my name, or at the very least what I call myself, and so help me I will have one more last final game with all of them no matter what the cost is, and when I have then my real true name will be revealed, but until then I will remain Q, the one who runs from death, go now, and don’t come back until there’s something new and interesting, okay?” “Yes sir,” his servant said leaving him all alone. Q turned around aimlessly in his chair. “Soon I’ll have exactly what I want, and then I’ll finally be free, I will have power, I will have love, I will have chaos, or I will have destruction and entropy instead.” And with that said he smiled to himself as he rubbed his hands together very slowly as he stared at many maps of the many different worlds of Equestria. “Soon… very soon indeed… I just need a little bit longer… just a little bit more time… if I can get that then we won’t have to worry anymore, not ever again…”
PrologueTime to Shine Prologue Trixie took a very long slow deep breath in. Okay, you can do this, you’ve got this thing, I thought to myself. I grabbed my cape and slowly put it on, okay, you can do this, you’ve got this. I took another deep breath in and then saw my cue, “It’s show time,” I quietly whispered to myself as I went onto the stage to face the whole entire crowd of loving and adoring fans. “Thank you!” I said taking a very deep bow, “But please, hold your applause until after the end of the show, but if you must then I won’t stop you, after all, I am Trixie the Great and Powerful!” As I said this last part I threw some smoke bombs onto the ground and then reappeared somewhere else for my first act. “For my first act, I will be doing…” “You suck!” some pony shouted out loud in the crowd. “Yeah, Twilight Sparkle is a way better pony at magic than you’ll ever be!” “No, please, that’s not true, please stop!” I shouted out desperately, but my cries fell on vain ears as all the ponies booed and threw food at me. “No, I’m better now! I’ve changed! My best friend Starlight Glimmer showed me the real true value of friendship!” I said trying to reason with them, but they wouldn’t listen, and that’s when I tried to hide from them by running away, but they chased me, they always did. But that’s when I heard a very familiar voice again, “ENOUGH!” Princess Luna shouted as all the ponies suddenly vanished along with the stage too leaving us on a wide-open grass field under the moon. “I’m dreaming again, aren’t I?” I said sighing as I sat down on the very soft freshly trimmed green grass, it felt so real even though it was just a dream. “I’m afraid so, it’s getting worse now, isn’t it?” Luna said coming over to my side and also sitting down. “Yes, I’ve been having the nightmares for three weeks now, and I just don’t know what I can do to stop or change them, can you help me out?” I said. “I can only do so much to help you out, but know this, you can always change for the better even if you only start out tomorrow, it’s never too late to start changing, I learned this very valuable lesson from the ones who freed me from my eternal nightmare state, you can change too as I once did so long ago, and while the pathway may not be very easy and may be long, in the end it, will be worth it, for example I am now loved and valued and treated as I should be, and I’m very glad for that, but I have something even more important too as well, the love and attention of my sister, don’t make the same mistakes that I once did, learn from the past and keep moving on, but don’t try to run away from your problems, just face them head on instead,” Luna said. “But how can I face my problems when all I’ve been doing my whole entire life is running away?” I said. “I know your past and I can only advise this, talk to your very best and closest friend first, start with them and then work your way onwards, okay?” “Yeah, sure thing, you’ll come back though if I have another nightmare again, right?” “Trixie, I will always return to those who need my help, that is what I have promised you and many others before you as well too, but I hope that you may have a good night’s sleep in the future, rest well and face your problems and we will see if you need my help again at all,” Luna said with a smile as she got up from the grass and slowly started to fly away. “Remember my words well.” And with that said she slowly faded out of the distance and my sight, and that’s when I suddenly woke up to hear my typical music playing again. It was “Wouldn’t It Be Nice?” by the Beach Poniez. Ugh, why couldn’t it be something else like “I Got You Babe”? I groaned and quickly switched the radio off. Great, another day, another annoying pop culture hit song. Same old usual stuff and things, nothing new, nothing strange, nothing unusual, nothing weird at all, well not at the moment at least. Boy was I sure in for a great big shock and surprise then. I slowly groaned as I went around the castle looking for the kitchen, where was that thing anyways? I needed my morning oatmeal with apples. I saw that Twilight and Starlight were already there eating breakfast when I did finally manage to get there eventually. “Well hello there, Trixie,” Twilight said greeting me very politely and nicely, but I doubted her kindness and generosity since it was mostly due to the hard efforts and time and energy of my best friend Starlight Glimmer that I was even allowed to stay here in the castle. “Hello there,” I said walking over to one of the cupboards and pulled out the oatmeal so find and see that it was completely empty. “Why’s the oatmeal gone?” I said holding it up for them to inspect. “Sorry, that would be me, I took the last of it,” Starlight said with a very nervous smile. “That’s fine, it was about time to refill it anyways,” I said sighing as I put it down on a counter, “The only question now is who should go get it?” “Well it’s my castle and you’re my guest, I’ll go get it of course.” “Well that’s very nice of you Twilight,” I said. “No problem, after all, what are friends for?” she said smiling as she grabbed her bag full of books and pens and quills (what was it with that pony and her books and writing tools anyways?) and then she started to leave before I stopped her. “Uh, I was wondering if I could spend some time with Starlight all alone today, I mean I know that you want her to continue in her friendship lessons, but I think that I actually might have a new one for her, and wouldn’t it be nice if she could spend some more time with her best friend?” I said. Twilight put her hoof to her chin and contemplated this for a very long moment. “I suppose that you’re right, I guess that I’ll allow it I suppose, but make sure to be back here at the castle before dark, okay?” “Yeah, sure thing, why though exactly?” “I have something very important to show all of you and my other friends too as well, so stay safe and have some fun!” she said as she left the castle. “Well, at least that’s taken care,” Starlight said coming over to me on my right side and placing her left hoof over my body in a very seductive and romantic manner. “Yeah, we can finally get to spend some time alone together.” “Yeah, and we can have some fun if we want to, have any good ideas yet?” “No, I only have great ideas since I’m powerful,” I said putting my own hooves around her body and turning towards her with a smile on my face, “And I know just how to start,” I said leaning over to kiss her very gently and softly. Starlight started to pull me towards her closer making our embrace tighter as we now stood opposite of each other yet so close as well too, but I stopped her, “Hey, I don’t want to go there just yet, remember I like to take things by surprise and shock, but I don’t like it very much when some other pony else tries to fool or trick me instead,” I said. “Sorry, I just thought that after a month of dating that we might just be ready for it, you know, because we’re still friends and all, right?” “Sure we are, we’re the very best of friends, with some slight benefits included.” “Oh I like how your naughty little mind works,” Starlight said looking very deeply into my eyes as I did with hers too as well. “Are you sure that we won’t be disturbed if we do it?” I said very nervously looking around the castle. Starlight laughed a little bit before eventually managing to respond. “No, Spike is going to be doing a boy’s game with Big Mac and Discord, we’ll be just fine, no pony else will disturb us if we don’t want them to do so,” “Oh, well that’s just wonderful and excellent, because maybe I’ll just show you how amazing and awesome my whole entire world is later on,” I said licking my lips in a furious seductive passion. “Well only if you’re ready for it, but do you think that we should tell Twilight and the others that we’ve been dating?” Ah, there it was, the question that I feared and had been running away from, should I tell other ponies one of my greatest darkest deepest secrets and fears? Should I tell them about us? I wanted to say no and wait just a little bit longer, but then I remembered Luna’s words, okay, I had to face my fears no matter what the cost was. I sighed in defeat, “No, not yet, let’s talk about it tomorrow first okay? We can talk in detail about it.” I waited for her answer and hoped that she would accept it, oh please do accept it, I thought to myself in my head. She sighed in defeat, “Fine then, I’m just glad that you actually want to talk it about it now, you’ve been running away from this problem for over a month now, and speaking of problems is something bothering you lately?” “Yes, the nightmares…” Her smile suddenly turned into a frown as she lifted my chin up to let my face stare into her eyes, “Are they still bothering you?” I slowly nodded doing the best that I could do. “It’s getting worse, isn’t it?” I nodded again. “As there anything at all that I can do to help you out?” “Maybe, I really honestly don’t know…” “Well maybe you should try to let others in your life and heart so they can help you out, what do you say, do you want to try to improve and be better?” “Yes Starlight, I do, I really do, I just don’t know how to though exactly…” “Then maybe you should take my advice and let me teach you.” “Alright, fine then, you win, what should we do first though exactly?” “Well I was thinking about going through town and visiting all of your favorite spots, locations, and areas,” she said. “Really? You would do that for me?” I said lifting my face up so that she didn’t need to hold it anymore. “Yes, of course I would, after all, what are best friends for?” she said putting her hoof behind my head making me look into her eyes. I slowly started to smile finally recovering from my great shock and surprise. “Thank you, Starlight, you’re the best marefriend that a pony could ever possibly ask for,” I said smiling as I slowly leaned over and kissed her again. We stood there in our embrace kissing for quite some time until Starlight finally manage to break us apart, “Okay,” she said smiling and trying to stop her bursts of laughter from coming out, “Let’s not stand here all day just kissing each other and making love, let’s actually go out and explore now, shall we?” “Yes, of course, my love,” I said taking her hoof in one of my own and thus we walked out of the castle together hoof in hoof held tightly together. We explored the town first going to a concert being held by Octavia and even I had to admit that she was quite impressive, grand, and great too as well. Other adjectives varied depending upon the pony, don’t believe me? Well just ask Rainbow Dash then, she would probably use awesome, amazing, cool, and radical as well too to describe her performance. Anyhow after that we went to the park and sat on a bench together just watching nature, we also saw Lyra and Bon Bon there too as well, but oddly enough Lyra was sitting upright and not sideways, weird and strange, I thought to myself after we left. We didn’t get the chance to speak to them sadly enough, but after that, we went to my favorite restaurant and had my favorite meal. “Oh my, this is just wonderful,” I said midway through the day and our meal, “But you really don’t have to do all of this just for me.” “Oh don’t be so silly and ridiculous, I would do anything at all in the whole entire world for you my love, so why don’t you just sit there and enjoy yourself?” “With you here always at my side I already am,” I said smiling as I dove right back into my food as she smiled and merely just watched me eat in my own bizarre eccentric way and even had to stop herself from laughing out loud. After lunch, we went over to Fluttershy’s to have some tea and care for the animals. After that, we went over to the spa and stayed there until the time finally eventually and slowly approached dinner time. And then we went to dinner at the same restaurant before and enjoyed ourselves there. And then finally we went back to the castle as the moon slowly rose behind us as we talked together. “That was just the most wonderful perfect day that I have ever had,” I said. “I know one way that I could make it even better for you,” Starlight said smiling very seductively as she winked one of her eyes. I laughed very slightly at this. “No, still not yet I don’t think so at least,” I said. “Why not? Don’t you want to explore and know my whole entire world? After all, I may not be good at theater, but I think that I have a few tricks up my-,” “I’m not going to let you finish that thought or sentence,” I quickly interrupted. “What? I was only going to say sleeves even though we don’t normally wear clothes, which technically means that I’ve already seen you naked so…” “That would be a good great start to having sex?” I said finishing off her sentence. “Yes, precisely what I was going to say exactly.” “Look Starlight, I can understand why you want to rush this, you don’t like waiting for things that you really want, but you’re just going to have to.” “I know,” she said with a very slight sigh, “But I can live with that.” “Good then, now I think that we should go inside and see what Twilight has to show us, shall we?” I said holding my hoof out for her. “Gladly my love,” Starlight said taking my hoof as we entered the castle together. “Right on time,” Twilight said once we entered the front castle doors, “Follow me and I’ll show you to my very latest and most recent science project, I think that you’ll find it very exciting and interesting!” “I highly doubt that I will,” I said slowly following her. “You won’t if you keep thinking like that way,” Twilight said winding us through a maze of doors and hallways. “Where is this thing anyways exactly?” I said. “It should be around here somewhere…” “You really should consider getting a map for this place for all of us,” I said. “Or some signs instead,” Starlight said. “Ah, here we are,” Twilight said opening the door to reveal something covered in a very bland tan fabric and cloth. “Behold my invention!” “Uh, what is it exactly?” I said as she went over it ready to tear the cover off. “Well I was considering calling it the TARDIS, but that name is already taken, so instead I tried to think of something else and I finally managed to do that and eventually I did, behold the Time Machine!” she said taking the cover off to reveal a machine that I couldn’t make any sense of. “I did consider calling it the TABITHA, but the name still just wasn’t good enough yet, so I just decided to make it the TM9000 instead, don’t ask me why.” “Uh, what does this thing do exactly?” I said walking over to it and tried to touch it before Twilight suddenly was in front of it to defend it. “DON’T TOUCH IT!!!” she shouted very loudly, “Even I have no idea what it does yet exactly, in theory it should take any pony backwards or forwards in time, or it could do something much worse instead that could have enormous consequences! This machine has to be handled very carefully by a professional just like me, pressing many various random buttons cannot be done and it is not a toy, it is a very highly deadly machine that is to be used solely for science!” “Well, that doesn’t sound very fun at all.” “It’s not supposed to be for fun, it’s supposed to be for science instead!” “So what do you have planned for this machine anyways? What are your hopes, dreams, and ideas for it?” I said. “Hopefully this thing will win me a Nobel Peace Prize Award and then I’ll be recognized as the greatest scientist in the whole entire world!” “Aren’t you sort of that already?” I said smiling. “Ha-ha, very funny, no I’m not actually, but I soon will be!” “Yeah, well quick question, if this thing allows you to go the past could you change the order of events?” “Well I don’t know for sure exactly, but time is supposed to be fixed so probably no, but then again you might be able to change some of the details.” “Is there a limit to how far forwards or backwards you can go?” “No, there isn’t actually.” “Well, could this machine allow you to repeat the same day over again until you finally made it just right and perfect?” “You mean the time loop function setting? Well technically yes.” “And you thought that it would be a good idea just to have this machine and not destroy it so that way no villain that you fight ever has the chance or opportunity to steal it?” “I guess that you make a very fair point, I probably should destroy it. I mean I don’t even know what came over me exactly when I first thought of this and actually really started to build it.” “You don’t have to, you just have to fix your mistake now.” “Should I also burn the notes on and about it too?” “Only if you want to, it’s your invention after all,” I said smiling. “Huh, I guess that you’re right,” she said, “Well I sure am glad that you finally managed to eventually talk sense to my reasonable logical side, which is very odd, strange, weird and unusual, since usually I’m the one who talks sense into others.” “Yeah, what you said,” I said as she went over it and started to flip switches and buttons, but before she could finally finish the whole entire process there was a very large explosion outside. “I wonder what that could be,” Twilight said quickly ignoring her machine as she went outside. “Probably another monster, you can probably take care of it within the time length and span of thirty minutes, right?” I said. “I’m not so sure about this time,” she said pointing at it. The creature in question was Luna, and she was fighting something very dark that looked like it was a human. “Princess Luna!” I said shouting to her very loudly, “What’s wrong exactly? What is that thing?” “A creature of both Nightmare and Shadow, it comes from another universe, but it should not be here, it is causing ruptures and cracks in the very fabric of space and time and reality as we know it, there is no stopping it since it is already dead, only a keeper of death or time could possibly stop this thing.” “But why can’t you? You’re a princess with great power!” “Not that much as you might think, and certainly not enough to defeat this thing.” “Wait, you said that a keeper of time could defeat this, what does that mean exactly?” “One who can control time or death, duh. My powers of darkness, dreams, shadows and nightmares can only hold it off for so long.” I smiled, “I have an idea!” I said rushing back inside the castle. “No, we are not using the time machine!” “Why not? We can fix this before it even ever begins!” “Messing with time always has consequences, if you do this then you might not be able to ever undo it.” “I don’t care, I want to show you that I’m ready to be trusted by saving this whole entire town for once,” I said reaching for a switch. “Wait, please don’t!” Twilight said reaching out to stop me as Starlight also tried to do the same, but it was too late, the switch was flipped and time was no more.
Day 1Day 1 I woke up to the sound of my alarm clock going off. I listened to the song and it was the same as yesterday. A bit weird that they would play the same song two days in a row, but nothing too strange or unusual, but that’s when I heard the reporter talk. “Good morning Ponyville! It’s a bright sunny day outside today and there’s no rain scheduled for today so there’s no need for any jackets or umbrellas! Anyhow have a very lovely Tuesday and we’ll see you all later on today I guess!” Wait, did he say Tuesday, no way, that couldn’t be true, either this was some elaborate joke or she was going crazy and insane. She hoped that it really was the first option. But wait, then she remembered why she was here. Yes, of course, duh, it was all so simple and plain. She went back in time to stop the thing, the creature, the beast, the monster, whatever it was called, she didn’t know, and now it seemed like she was starting her day all over again, excellent, this would give her more than enough time to stop the future from happening. My stomach grumbled very loudly then as it did yesterday yearning for food, or wait, would that be today instead? Ugh, time travel was really confusing, and very annoying too as well. “Sorry stomach, you’ll just have to wait, I have to warn the princesses about the danger that’s coming,” I said patting it very gently and lightly and softly too as well, and then I started to question why I was speaking out loud to myself. Eh, probably better not to, I might just go insane and crazy thinking about it, or this, which was time travel. And speaking of time travel I decided to keep this journal on me to write in and write with, pretty nice, isn’t it? Anyhow I rushed downstairs not even bothering to put my cape and makeup on as I usually do, and it’s something that I did yesterday, or rather today. Argh, I think I need a system for the days here, how about I call this Day 1 since this is my first time going back in time? Yeah, that works out, and day Zero can be the day that was before today, or yesterday, or rather today. You know what it’s just too confusing to try explaining it, so just never mind. Anyhow I quickly rushed downstairs to see Twilight and Starlight say goodbye to Spike as he went for the boy’s day out. “Well hello there Trixie, I didn’t expect to see you down here so early,” she said. “Yeah, I have a feeling that today’s going to be a bit more different than usual, like in a very bad sort of way.” “So not the usual strange odd weird way then?” “No, I think that something very dangerous and deadly will attack today, and don’t ask me why, trust me, I could be right about this and I need to speak to the princesses like right now about this whole entire thing and matter.” “Alright, fine then, I’ll take you to the princesses, but I want an explanation for this when we finally get there.” “Don’t worry, you’ll get one, eventually,” I said grabbing one of her hooves as Starlight looked at me sadly. “So, no special day to ourselves today then?” “Sorry, maybe tomorrow? Please forgive me and understand when I finally explain myself?” I said trying to put on my best sympathy smile for her. “Yeah, sure thing, tomorrow, promise.” “I promise,” I said not knowing that tomorrow wouldn’t come for a very, very, VERY long time. “Come on Twilight, let’s go now,” I said. And with that she teleported us away to Canterlot castle. “Twilight? Why are you here now exactly?” Celestia said upon seeing the two of us. “My friend here wishes to address you about something very important.” “Then let her speak, you have my undivided attention,” she said as I examined the room, it was very fancy, regal, and elegant, exactly fit for a princess. Red and gold and white and silver and blue were the aligned color themes to create a more natural environment that one felt safe inside of. “Princess, tonight something will attack Ponyville, I know this.” Her eyebrows raised very slightly in great surprise and shock. “And how would that be so exactly?” “I sort of traveled back in time and now this day has restarted again and now I can change the events of the future by warning you that your sister fights this thing, but I don’t know if it will end well since I left before it could do any harm to our town, her, or any pony else too as well.” “Wait, you say that the danger will fight my sister?” “Yeah, the thing, I don’t know what to call it, it looked like a human, but more shadow than corporeal, and your sister said that it was also made out of nightmares too as well.” “No, it can’t be… not him… not that… anything but that,” Celestia muttered to herself. “Wait, you know what this thing is, whatever this creature is?” I said. “Yes, and it is not good news if what you say is true… this thing… this creature… it is one of the most deadly things in any universe, its name is walker, one of the void, all other names are useless, it is wraith, it is pain, it is agony, it is strife, it is sorrow, it is despair, it is suffering, it is woe, it is death, it is shadow, it is nightmare, it has many names yet still none that can perfectly describe it. It is called Shahkrah and Shakrah, and if it is here then that can only mean one thing for all of us, certain doom. It won’t stop until it has achieved its goal, and then it will move unto the next world, so we must stop it before it can or does.” “That’s a very vague and general answer, care to be a bit more specific?” “No, I do not wish to say its name, for even I fear it.” “If it’s that bad then how can we stop it?” “It only has one weakness, death.” “But how do we will it exactly?” “We don’t, we send it somewhere to something that can do just that.” “Should I even question who or what that is exactly?” “No, you should not.” “Very well then, fine, I won’t.” “Very good then, now then when will the monster attack?” “Tonight.” “Of course, I should have expected it at that time.” “Princess, just one more question, what will happen if we fail?” “We can’t, but if we do our whole entire world will be no more.” “Oh, well then, I see why we can’t fail.” “Yes, indeed, and that I why I will be there to protect my sister tonight.” “Well then that’s all I had to tell you and honestly I expected some disbelief and argument at the very least.” “I’m used to time travel spells, you’re nothing new to me, nothing strange or unusual or odd or different at all.” “Oh, well then goodbye for now I guess,” I said slowly tuning my back on her. “Goodbye, stay safe my little pony.” And with that said I turned back to Twilight, “Ready to go now?” “As I’ll ever be, come on, let’s go,” she said taking my hoof in one of her own and then we teleported back to the castle and once we did Starlight suddenly perked up instantly at my arrival. “You’re back,” she said smiling, “I honestly really didn’t expect you back this soon, did it go well or not?” “I think that it did, but we’ll have to wait until tonight to see the results.” “Oh, so now that you’re done care to explain what’s going on here exactly?” “Just two words for you, time travel,” I said smiling. “Oh, really, how?” “Twilight made a machine that sent me back into time after I pressed a few buttons and flipped a few switches on it.” “Wait, you did what?” Twilight said very frantically, “Didn’t I warn you about the consequences of time travel? Didn’t I try to stop you?” “Well you did actually, it’s just that I really honestly don’t care.” “Well that’s just great, because guess what? You’ve already rewritten time because I don’t have a time machine or plans for it or even had the idea of ever building it, and now we have no idea what might happen after what you told the princess, I mean what if in your timeline Luna was supposed to fail and die? If that was the case Celestia protecting Luna could change that.” “But wouldn’t both princesses being alive be better?” “NO! Because of your actions I have no idea what might result from this good or bad, trust me Trixie, you haven’t saved Ponyville, you’ve only delayed its doom.” “No, that can’t be true.” “Yes, it is, and I know because Starlight tried to change the past once and each universe that I went to was generally worse than the last one. Each universe was not one that we would ever want or wish to live in. And now because you changed the past we have no idea what will occur. I just hope for your sake that it’s good.” And with that said Twilight stomped off very angrily. “Well, I guess that she takes this whole entire manner very well considering it is time travel and all, but honestly you should have asked me for advice before turning the device on, I could have helped you at the very least you know.” “Yeah, I do, but Starlight, I need to tell you something very important…” “Yes?” she said very anxiously and expectedly. “I-I…” I couldn’t say it, I couldn’t say the words to her, I had said I love you before plenty of times before, but not these five very small simple tiny little words. “You what?” Starlight said. “I forgot to put on makeup this morning,” I said coming up with a very plausible excuse to get out of talking to her about what I really truly wanted. “Well I didn’t even notice, but you still look very lovely.” “Thanks a lot, but Starlight, if today is our last day, if the princesses do fail, let’s make the day very special, okay?” “Yeah, sure thing, anything for you my love, what did you have in mind exactly?” “How about some of our favorite spots?” “That sounds very nice,” she said smiling as we leaned in to kiss and this time I noticed the scent in her hair it smelled like pears. “Hmmm… your hair… it smells very lovely,” I said after we finally pulled apart. “Thank you very much,” she said, “But come on, let’s go now.” And with that said we went around the whole entire town in the same manner and route as we did on day Zero. And then when the moon finally came up this time I got very nervous. “It should be coming soon,” I said. “The thing, the creature, the beast?” Starlight said looking up at the moon. “Yes, it was after we went into Twilight’s treehouse that it came, but now I think that we should watch for it just in case.” “Yeah, sure thing, why not, anything’s romantic with you even if the thing we face means certain doom and death filled with peril and danger.” “Yeah, I guess so,” I said smiling as we sat down on a bench and waited for it to show up. As we did I saw Luna walk up to the town fountain. I didn’t know why she was here though unless she knew that the monster was already coming, curious I decided to ask her instead. “Princess Luna? What are you doing here in Ponyville of all the places that you can possibly be right now?” “I’m going to face an enemy of mine, and you can’t stop me.” “No, but we can protect you,” Celestia said floating down gently from the sky and landing on the very soft freshly trimmed green grass. “Sister? What are you doing here exactly? Shouldn’t you be back at Canterlot right now?” Luna said with great shock and surprise as she looked at her very deeply in the eyes. “I should be wherever I am needed the most, and right now you need me the most,” she said embracing her in a very tight quick hug. “Oh, that’s so sweet,” I said to Starlight very softly. “Thank you, sister, but I can do this alone.” “No, you can’t, not yet, not against this monster, not against it.” “Don’t you trust me sister?” “I do, I just don’t want you to get hurt.” “Trust me sister, at the end of the day it will be the one hurting.” And with that said they waited for it to come. But it never did as they sat for many hours. “Okay, I think that it’s safe to say that it’s not coming,” I said, “But why? What does this mean for the timeline exactly? Is this good or bad?” “I don’t know, I think that it’s good since it probably detected that you went back in time and changed things, and now maybe it won’t show itself out of fear against our combined power, or it could be very bad if it’s trying to play the long game and alter time for itself instead.” “Well I hope that it’s good, anyhow thanks for listening and believing in me.” “You’re welcome, but please come talk to me tomorrow, okay?” “Yeah, sure thing, anything for you princess,” I said as I watched them fly away. “Well, that was a bit anticlimactic, I expected a fight and battle at the very least and not this,” Starlight said walking over to me as we stood over the fountain’s edge. “Yeah, well we can’t always get what we want.” “Yeah, so true,” she said leaning over and kissing me. “Yes, indeed, too bad that I have to do this to you,” a voice from the fountain said. “Wait, what was that exactly?” I said very nervously with great fear. “Oh, that would be me, how rude of me, let me introduce myself first,” the voice said as water started to rise and form into a shadow human and then suddenly I saw yellow eyes where its face (if it had one) should be, and then it let out a smile as human skin started to form around its whole entire body. “Sorry for my last form, I didn’t have time to appear as a human then, but now I have more than enough thanks to your due efforts and energy.” “Why are you here and what do you want exactly?” I said shaking with fear. It laughed, “What I want is very simple, it’s to teach you a lesson, you see I am one of the most dangerous creatures in any universe as Celestia says that I am, but I can also be very kind, nice, and generous too as well, for example I give one native from every universe a chance and opportunity to stop me by passing one very small simple tiny little test, and guess what, you’re that native.” “But why me? What makes me so special?” It smiled, “I have my own reasons for that, but ever since you touched that time machine I was intrigued and interested in you, so I decided to make you the contestant in my game, if you succeed you save Equestria, fail and there will be consequences, now then do you agree or do I have to choose another instead?” “What does this game entail exactly?” “Whatever I want for however long I want.” “And how will I know when I pass?” “When I say so.” “And what about failing?” “When I say so.” “Yes, of course, very well then, I agree, but only if you tell me your name first.” It smiled, “Call me Jake, I’m a void walker, don’t ask what that is please.” “Don’t worry, I wasn’t going to, I said. “Very good then, now then here’s your test, do good and face your fears, you will have a thousand years to do this, I think that it will be more than enough.” “Wait, what? Care to explain what’s going on here?” “No, not yet, you’ll find out very soon enough,” Jake said smiling, “Have some very great good fun in your very first day of today forever!” And with that said he suddenly pulled out a knife and quickly stabbed Starlight in the heart. “Good day then,” he said wiping his knife clean in the fountain water as he suddenly vanished. When he stabbed Starlight it felt like my heart was being stabbed too as well, in fact it felt like my whole entire world was starting to finally fall apart and tear away, I screamed, I cried, I demanded answers from him, but he just said that he didn’t have to give any since that wasn’t part of the deal, he also said that I would soon see my love again. I had no idea what he was talking about then, but now I do. Eventually I finally managed to eventually stop crying and then fell to sleep.
Day 2Day 2 When I woke up I found myself in my bed at the castle and I wasn’t covered in blood anymore, I was totally completely clean now. No, this was impossible, this can’t be true, but it was. And then suddenly I heard the radio turn on and play the exact same thing as it did for the previous days that I was here now. The same day, it was repeating itself over again. But why? It couldn’t be because of Jake, right? It might be since the last timeline I was in there was no time machine. Unless I pressed too many buttons and flipped too many switches on the time machine to make me somehow go back in time and always repeat and loop the same day over again. But if that were true what could I do to change the future? I needed to tell some pony else, maybe the princesses could help me out in this. Quickly I rushed downstairs not bothering to put on my cape or makeup just like yesterday, I mean on Day 1. Once again I saw Twilight and Starlight say goodbye to Spike and before she could speak I stopped her. “Yeah, I know, you’re shocked and surprised that I’m down here so early, just take me to princess Celestia in Canterlot for urgent matter, and please, no questions asked,” I said. Twilight blinked out her great shock and surprise and merely said, “Um, okay?” clearly not wanting to question why this was so just yet. “So then-,” Starlight started to say. “No special day all alone, yes, I’m sorry, but we won’t be able to do it tomorrow since I’m stuck in a time loop repeating this same day over again. She blinked out her great surprise and shock too as well. “How did you know that I was going to say that?” “Like I said, time loop, now come on, Twilight, let’s go,” I said. And with that said she took us away to the throne room of the princess in Canterlot. “PRINCESS!” I shouted once we finally managed to get there eventually, “I need to talk to you about something very important and urgent!” “Yes, what is it exactly?” she said not even bothered by my sudden outburst. “Tonight there will be an attack from a void walker, and I’m also stuck in a time loop repeating this same day over again,” I said. Celestia started to speak after blinking her great shock and surprise. But I finally managed to eventually stop her. “Yes, I know, this is impossible, it can’t be true, I heard it all yesterday, or rather today, but it doesn’t matter, your sister will try to stop it and I don’t know what will happen exactly, but I know that you’ll be there to protect your sister, right?” “Yes, of course, always,” Celestia said, “But I’m still confused about all of this.” “Don’t worry, if I can change the future and make it tomorrow then I’m sure that it will all be explained to me and you, and all of us.” “Well I wish you the best of luck with your curse.” “Thank you, that’s all I have to say about that,” I said. “Alright, fine then, you may go now if you wish.” And with that said I smiled and thanked her for her time and then left back home to Ponyville. Once we got back Twilight spoke up. ‘So, no explanation for either of us then?” she said. “Sorry, no, not yet, maybe tomorrow though.” “Funny how you say that when you claim to be stuck repeating today.” “Yeah, well who knows, I might get lucky.” “Well I hope that you do,” Twilight said. And with that said she left me alone to be with Starlight. “So, did your visit go well?” she said. “Yeah, but I think I should spend time researching this creature today,” I said, “Sorry, but I won’t have any time for you today, maybe tomorrow instead?” “Yeah, sure thing, whatever you say,” she said leaving me alone to study the books in the great big huge wide vast library. But no longer how long and how much I searched I couldn’t find anything before the end of the day. There was nothing on that creature, and when nighttime finally came I went over the fountain to see a note left for me by Jake. Sorry, I won’t be coming back again, so you don’t have to worry about me, and that’s a promise, and I don’t expect you to believe me of course, but if you don’t then you won’t ever be able to win my game, anyhow good luck, Trixie. She didn’t know why he would leave a note for her, but it was very annoying how he wouldn’t show up and explain it to her in great detail, and she had to explain to the princesses why he wouldn’t be coming, “He’s not coming, he promised not to,” I said holding the note up for them to examine very closely. “If he says that he won’t come then he won’t, these creatures always keep their promises, it’s one of the only better things about them,” Celestia said. “Speaking about this thing why couldn’t I find any information on it in the library at all?” I said. “Because it’s not from this universe, just as the time machine shouldn’t be in any, or a way to travel between completely different worlds.” “Ah, well, I see that now, but if it won’t come back what does that mean for me and us exactly?” “I don’t know, it should mean that if you keep repeating your day that nothing bad should happen, but it probably also means that he wants you to learn something that he thinks is very important for you.” “I wonder what it could be.” “He wouldn’t say even if you asked, you have to pass his test and game for all of our sakes, but as to why he does this, I don’t know exactly.” “Well I hope that I can figure out why after I win,” I said. “Indeed, well then good luck Trixie, and I hope to see you tomorrow to talk.” “Yes, indeed, I will, if I can ever get out of today.” “And with that said the two princesses left us to be alone. “So, that’s over with, do you want to spend some time together alone?” “That sounds just wonderful, thanks a lot, Starlight.” “Anything for you my love,” she said smiling as we slowly went back to the castle, but midway there a piano suddenly fell out of the sky and crushed Starlight. I looked up to see a gray mare shrug her hooves apologetically. “WHO DELIVERS A PIANO AT NIGHTTIME AND DROPS IT?” I shouted. “Sorry,” Derpy said, “I just don’t know what went wrong.” “You should be more careful, one of these days something that you drop could kill some pony,” I said using my magic to slowly and very carefully shift away the debris, “Come on Starlight,” I said tugging her hooves very gently, but she just was stuck there. “Come on, stop messing around,” I said getting slightly more nervous about her condition now, worried I went over to her and checked her breathing, but she wasn’t, not anymore at least, desperately I tried to use CPR on her, but it was no use, she was dead, I looked up at the mare with tears, “You killed her,” I said, and then I draped myself over her body and cried all night long then.
Day 3Day 3 The mare tried to apologize to me of course. But it was no use anymore, Starlight was dead… again. Eventually though the next day came again. Or rather the same day started all over again instead. I woke up and heard the same song… again. “Wouldn’t it be nice if-,” “NO!!!” I shouted getting up and tossing my bed covers away, I had to change or at least stop the future, Starlight had died twice now, and I had a feeling that something would keep trying to kill her no matter what I tried to do, but I would still try nonetheless. I rushed downstairs not even bothering with my cape and makeup just as usual for the past two or so days. I saw Twilight say goodbye to Spike and then I saw her there, my love, Starlight, she was alive again, but probably wouldn’t be by the end of the day. Quickly I decided to hug her, it was just so nice to be in her embrace again after I lost her twice already by this time now. “Uh hey there Trixie, it’s nice to see you too, but you don’t need to hug me,” Starlight said trying to escape from my very tight grasp and embrace to no avail. “Starlight, I know you probably won’t understand me, but I really hate losing you, you just mean so much to me, too much.” “Uh thanks I guess?” Starlight said very confused at my behavior. Twilight just looked at the two of us very awkwardly and then I eventually let go of Starlight. “Trixie I’m,” she started to say before I cut her off. “Yeah, I know, don’t ask me how, but you don’t need to say what you’re about to say, but right now I just need to get somewhere very far away and safe with Starlight, I need to protect her, tell me, how far is it that you have ever travelled with two guests?” I said. “Uh well I don’t know how far I can travel but I’ll do my best,” she said grabbing our hooves together and then concentrating her magic very intensely with great focus. With a flash of light we teleported somewhere else very far away indeed. “Well here we are, the far west, I hope that’s far away for you two.” “I hope so, but I doubt that anything will be far enough,” I said. And I was right because at that exact moment a great big huge monster beast creature thing came out of the ground and swallowed her whole and then disappeared back into the ground silent as it came in the first place.
Part FiveDay 4 “Wouldn’t you like to-,” I basted that stupid damn silly little tiny radio with my magic as soon as I heard it leaving it a pile of dust and ashes. I always had sort of hated that thing anyways. I rushed downstairs and went through the whole entire routine again. But I couldn’t stop her from going west even though I shouted “WAIT!” before we left, but when we did get there I managed to knock Starlight out of the way of death from the monster. “Ha, saved you from another death,” I said. “Thanks, but wait, what was that again exactly?” “You’ve died three times by now, and I’m determined to change or at least stop the future instead,” I said. “Trixie, you’re crazy, go home now,” Starlight said. “Too late for that,” I said smiling before I saw the snake worm (that’s what I called the beast/creature/monster since that’s exactly what it looked like) go down into the ground and then come back up again to swallow her… again. Day 5 “Wouldn’t you like to-,” I slammed my hoof down on the radio crushing it into tiny little pieces. I quickly rushed downstairs and did the whole entire speech thing again and then Twilight took us west and I mad Starlight safely avoid the snake worm. But that’s when it struck for the third time and killed her… again. Day 53 It took me 50 more days before I could finally avoid every attempt of death by the snake worm in the west, but that was when the harpy eagle decided to kill her now then. Day 103 I don’t know why exactly, but it took me another 50 days to also learn how to avoid every attack by the harpy eagle. But that was when I finally decided to NOT go West, instead I decided to go North, that didn’t work out well so much either since she died due to hypothermia. Day 104 So I went North again today and came up with a very brilliant genius idea to keep her warm, but Twilight didn’t exactly like it. Well I don’t care what she thinks or says instead. Too bad that she died of something else completely different and unrelated to coldness. Day 105 Okay, clearly the North and West are NOT very good options for us now. How about the East instead? That should work out just fine, right? Day 106 The East didn’t work out quite so well as I hoped, oh well, there’s always tomorrow, or rather today instead, I’m so lost and confused right now, I feel like I could be slowly going crazy and insane by starting to write the same things over again, but I hope not, that would be very bad news for me indeed. Day 107 The East didn’t work out quite so well as I hoped, oh well, there’s always tomorrow, or rather today instead, I’m so lost and confused right now, I feel like I could be slowly going crazy and insane by starting to write the same things over again, but I hope not, that would be very bad news for me indeed. Day 108 The East didn’t work out quite so well as I hoped, oh well, there’s always tomorrow, or rather today instead, I’m so lost and confused right now, I feel like I could be slowly going crazy and insane by starting to write the same things over again, but I hope not, that would be very bad news for me indeed. Day 109 The East didn’t work out quite so well as I hoped, oh well, there’s always tomorrow, or rather today instead, I’m so lost and confused right now, I feel like I could be slowly going crazy and insane by starting to write the same things over again, but I hope not, that would be very bad news for me indeed. Day 110 The East didn’t work out quite so well as I hoped, oh well, there’s always tomorrow, or rather today instead, I’m so lost and confused right now, I feel like I could be slowly going crazy and insane by starting to write the same things over again, but I hope not, that would be very bad news for me indeed. Day 111 I decided not to go East anymore, please don’t ask me why, just don’t, okay then? Great, now we can finally get back to my very slow descent into madness. Anyhow I decided to go South today instead, that should be safe and just perfectly fine for the both of us, right? Day 112 The South wasn’t just perfectly fine, it’s like a Civil War down there now. Day 162 Yesterday was the end of the South for us. Clearly going out of Ponyville to a random spot in each direction won’t work. Maybe I should try specific cities instead? Day 163 Nope, that didn’t work. Day 213 Canterlot failed, 50 times in a row. Now to Las Pegasus instead!!! Day 263 That also failed 50 times in a row too as well. Oh well, to Manehattan!!! Day 313 Why do I keep failing no matter what I try or how hard I do it instead? I’ve failed 50 times in just one city!!! I can’t ever seem to stop Starlight from dying. I just wish that it could end. Day 363 Dodge City has also failed. And I can’t wait until I have been stuck here for a year by now. Day 364 Today I received a note from Jake saying he’ll show up tomorrow. Great, that means another day here trapped in my eternal hell. This news just keeps on getting better. Day 365 So Jake came today and he said that he was honestly surprised that I hadn’t figured it out by now, but he also said that I had up to 999 years left to try to figure it out. Well that’s just great, I just want this nightmare to end already. Day 366 The last two days were both terrible and horrible. I mean I didn’t know that a dog bite could kill you. And I never imagined a toaster just happening to land in a bathtub. Day 367 Bats, did you know that they can kill you? Day 368 So can ants too as well!!! Day 369 I didn’t know that we lived close enough to the water to get eaten by a shark... Day 370 …Or killed by a lobster instead… Day 371 …Or a whale? Wait, what?... Day 372 …Dolphins, I give up now. Day 373 There’s a storm today, I wonder how she’ll die today. Day 374 Apparently lightning CAN strike in the same place twice. Day 392 Wow, Starlight was really unlucky, she had 19 strikes of lightning in a row. But no storm clouds for today so she should be safe. Ha, that’s a laugh. Day 393 Did you know that too much water can kill you? More specifically drinking it? Day 394 So can dehydration too as well, which is too little water instead.
Part SixDay 401 So I decided to record something that we talked about lunch time today because it was very interesting and I think that you should really hear it. Starlight looked at me and asked the all-important question. “So, how are you feeling? Is anything wrong? Is there anything that I can do? What’s up with you exactly?” I couldn’t take the question anymore so I answered her instead. “I’ve failed to save you from death for 400 times by now!!! Did you know that there are so many ways that you can die right now? Like for example, move your head to the right please.” She did so and a flower pot suddenly came down right where her head was. “That thing killed you yesterday, and before that it was the food here, and then a fork got in your throat once before that, and you’ve also been burned once and also drowned too as well, heck, even lightning has killed you 19 times already!!!” “Really?” “Yes!!! And unless there’s some other pony else out there that can travel through time, maybe perhaps even in a blue box since that killed you one time, well maybe they could help me out, but no, there’s no doctor that can save you now!” Slowly a brown stallion wearing a bow tie with an hourglass cutie mark got up, chuckled very nervously, paid his bill, and went back to his time travelling blue box, and he did this all without being noticed by Trixie or any pony else too as well. “Wait, if I died then how come I’m still here?” “Because I’m stuck in time repeating the same day over again and it’s driving me nuts? I can’t figure out how to save you no matter how many times I try or how hard instead, I can’t save you, and that’s the worst thing that I have ever know because guess what? I love you Starlight, like a lot, really, but unless I can figure a way out to escape we might never be together again, and I just can’t bear the thought of living without you, I would rather die first instead.” “No, don’t say that, there are plenty of reasons to keep on living.” “Yeah? Name one.” “Me.” “That’s good enough I suppose,” I said sighing now then, “Well I guess we should enjoy our lunch then?” “Gladly,” she said taking a very large bite of her meal. “Starlight? Are you alright and fine?” I said with great worry as she started to choke then suddenly. I tried to get it out, but it was too late and she died instead. Day 731 Jake came to me yesterday, but this time he was actually helpful for once. “Two years, I can’t believe that you’ve actually been stuck here for two years, I thought that you would have figured out to face your very worst fears and nightmares by now at the very least, but it seems like I am constantly being proven wrong, anyhow I’ll come back here every year until you can finally figure it out, or not, either way I decided not to destroy Equestria since you’re just too fun to play with and mess around with, seeing you struggle as you find new ways to save your true love, well that’s’ just delightfully amazing and wonderful too as well, seriously I even made a YouTube video highlighting all your fails, just watch it and even you would have to admit just how funny it really truly is.” ‘If you aren’t going to destroy Equestria anymore why not stop this right now?” “I already told you, you’re just too much fun to ever lose.” “Well that’s good enough I suppose, but why did you say that Starlight was my true love exactly?” “Because in every universe I go to you two are always constants, that and also Lyra and Sweetie Drops too as well of course, I didn’t believe in universal constants, not until I finally saw some hard proof and evidence of it.” “Wait, what? A universal constant?” “Yes, something that never changes, has changed or will change in any universe, I didn’t believe in them because I thought that they were a myth and legend, sure many universes could share certain traits and aspects, but not all of them. And yet I’m starting to doubt that belief now because of what I have seen.” “If we’re universal constants then why come here to this one?” “Luck coincidence, fate, destiny, I don’t really care. Pick whatever answer you want, it won’t matter anyways.” “Alright, fine then, you want to have fun by torturing me and I was just unlucky, but why can’t I change the future, why can’t I ever stop it?” “Oh Trixie, you can’t ever stop or change the future, like death for example, you can’t change that, sometimes you just have to accept your fate and destiny. And sometimes you have to tell your real true feelings by confessing before the end does finally come, and if you don’t then you will never ever escape.” I glanced up, did he just say the way that I could win his game? Surely he wouldn’t, right? He didn’t seem that stupid to accidentally reveal exactly what he wanted, unless he was bored waiting for the end of the game to finally come to an end. “Why are you telling me all of this?” I said very curiously now then. “It’s honestly because I don’t really care anymore, it doesn’t matter if you win or not because I will still have my fun at the end of the day, and that’s all that really matters of course, I just hope that you will win in the end, because I really like you Trixie, you’re one of the better background side ponies.” “If I do win I want you to promise something,” I said. “Sure, anything for you my dear.” “Firstly, you are never to come back to this land ever again. Second, you are never to disturb me or any pony else in this land with your silly stupid little ting games and tricks. Thirdly, I want a whole lot of money for what I’ve been through, you’ve put me through enough pain and despair and agony and strife already.” “Well that’s so very true, but your terms and conditions are agreeable to me, so I accept them, but in exchange your time will be cut down to ten years.” “Wait, what?” I said. “What? You’re making a very high demand of me so now I am making one for you, so good luck Trixie, I hope you figure it out before then.” And with that said he left me then as I saw Starlight there and before I could speak to her I made sure to put her in a place where nothing would kill her just quite yet, or at least hopefully not until I was done talking with her. I hoped that this worked, “Starlight, I think that I might be ready to tell our friends about us,” I said now finally ready to face my fears. “Oh, really?” she said. “Yes, but we have to do it now otherwise-,” I said as a rock suddenly hit her head instantaneously killing her, “You might die,” I said finishing off the sentence. Day 1,827 It has been over five years that I’ve been trapped in the same day. I’ve tried everything that I could think of. I even tried confessing our love to her friends and her parents and mine. Even the princesses themselves. Nothing worked. And I didn’t know why that was so. It was at this point that I stopped trying to change Starlight’s fate and destiny and tried to change my own, which is why I stood at the top of a building ready to leap to my own death then maybe that could stop the time loop. Life could go own and I would be some sort of hero at least, but Starlight, she wouldn’t know what I did for her, which is exactly why I left a death note for her on my bed so that she could read it tomorrow if it ever did come now. Slowly I took a very deep breath and plunged to my death. Day 1,828 “Wouldn’t you like to-,” No, this can’t be true, I was supposed to be dead, not alive. I was supposed to be the hero, not just some ordinary regular illusionist. But I was, and I couldn’t change that, but maybe I could change the future instead, my first death hadn’t worked, but maybe I just had to find the right death, and so I went downstairs, got the toaster, filled up the bathtub, and then I killed myself again. Day 3,651 Well that’s it, everything that I have tried has failed. I have been stuck here in the same day for ten years. And I have tried everything. I tried killing myself, saving Starlight, helping other ponies out, I even tried to kill other ponies once and also burned down Applejack’s farm too as well. Honestly it’s just too much to tell, but I’ll let you fill in the details later. Beside me sat Jake with a great big huge wide smile on his face as if he already knew that he was going to win, which was almost entirely certain at this point. “Well, looks like tomorrow is your last day here, yet you still haven’t figured it out yet,” he said now then. “Yes, but who really cares, win or lose I’ll escape this hell hole.” “No, you won’t, not unless you finally face the truth.” “I have.” “You’re still lying, you’re still hiding, why don’t you try to remember what you really wanted to say to her, why don’t you try to remember your very first nightmare? Because guess what, that’s where the answer was all along.” “I can’t remember it anymore, mostly because I don’t dream anymore.” “Well then maybe Princess Luna could help out with that, she is the caretaker of dreams after all, but you better hurry, there’s only one day left.” “I know, but why is there any reason to win anymore?” “I’m sure that a smarty young wise mare like yourself can come up with something very soon, anyhow goodbye for now and good luck.” And with that said he left as the sun set and in my heart I knew that somewhere else out there, Starlight had already died again.
The Last and Final DayThe Last and Final Day Well it’s here, the very last final day. But now I think that I’m finally ready to face my fears. When the alarm clock blared, I didn’t blast it to pieces, instead I got up, put on my cape and makeup and then looked in the mirror. “It’s show time,” I said to myself smiling now then, after all, if this was my last da here then I was going to make it my very best one yet. I went downstairs and greeted my friends with a hug. “Good morning to one an all!” I said, “If you’re looking for town problems there are none, I know because I checked hundreds of times, anyhow I’m glad to see you all here, especially you Starlight because of how many times that you’ve already died, but you want to know what I say? I say fuck it, let’s just make love right here in front of all my friends, right?” I said. They both looked at me like I was both crazy and insane, but by this point I probably already was. “Oh, by the way thanks for eating all the oats Starlight, it made for a great town day, anyhow why don’t we go see Princess Luna today?” “Uh sure thing, but why would that be exactly?” they said now then. “No reason at all.” “Trixie, is everything alright? You seem a little bit off and different today.” “Well of course I am, I have been for ten years now, and you’ve never noticed because I’m the only one who can remember this time loop…” Suddenly I had an idea, could they remember it like I did? “Say, would you like to remember the past ten years?” “Why would that be for exactly?” “I don’t know, I just feel it would be a lot less explaining on my part.” “Well I don’t mind, I would love to know what happened.” “Me too,” Starlight said. “Alright, fine then, that’s settled, now then let’s go to the castle, shall we?” Twilight looked around nervously and then shrugged, “Sure thing, why not?” And with that said they all held hooves and then went to the castle. I ignored the guards and Celestia and went straight to Luna’s room. “Well hello there Princess,” I said, “I have a favor to ask.” “Yes, anything for you, but how did you get into my room though exactly?” “The door was unlocked,” I said, “Now then I need you to show me the first nightmare that I had, you know, the one that started these nightmare weeks.” “Yes, of course, anything for you, but why though exactly?” “Trust me, just do this for me no questions asked just yet, please.” “Alright, very well then, fine, prepare yourself.” And with that said she lit up her horn and I went back into my dream. There I was, standing in a wedding dress with Starlight next to me. I remember, I thought to myself now as I watched the event unfold. The priest said his vows, but Starlight said no to me and I tried to plead with her, but then the whole entire crowd started to take her side and object. And that was when I finally woke up. “I know what my greatest fear is,” I said, “And I’m ready.” Slowly I got up as Luna smiled behind me and I went up to Starlight’s ear. “Starlight Glimmer, I think that I might have loved you ever since the moment that we first met, but there was something I was too afraid to tell you, but after ten years I think that I finally can, will you marry me?” She gasped in great shock and surprise and then she finally said the magic word as tears of great joy went down her face. “Yes.” And with that I smiled, finally, I had an answer, and hopefully escape as well too, and as it was I was right because at that moment Jake decided to show up. “Well then, it looks like you finally learned your lesson that I have been trying to teach you for years now, you have your reward and as a bonus here are some potions just in case your friends want to remember the time.” “Thank you very much,” I said, “But what is the lesson exactly?” “It’s actually more than one, one was to accept fate and destiny, which you eventually did when you gave up hope, and another was never to deny or hid the truth away from others because you never know when tomorrow might not come around, just remember this well and never forget it.” “Oh trust me, I won’t.” “I have no doubt of that, now then I just have one question for you.” “What is it exactly?” “Can I come to your wedding, please? It’s been so very long since I have ever been to one before,” he said smiling now then. “No, you may not, just leave my prize and go.” “Very well then, but should you ever need me for anything else at all, even an explanation of all of this, or should any pony else just say my name and I will come, after all, you never said that I couldn’t come if they wanted me,” he said with a smile as he suddenly vanished. “Do you want to explain what’s going on here exactly?” Twilight said every confused. “We’re getting married, and that’s all that you need to know for right now.” And with that said we spent the rest of the day talking details and planning for it, after all, now that I was free I had to move on with my life.
WednesdayWednesday I woke up to the sound of a different song playing and I never imagined that it could be both so beautiful and wonderful, it was actually really incredible for once. I got up, smiled, put on my cape and makeup and went downstairs. “Well hello there, Twilight, I’m finally glad to see that it’s tomorrow.” “Yeah, how long were you stuck in the loop anyways?” “Ten years.” “Holy shit,” “Yeah, anyhow I think that I have sufficiently learned my lesson, but now that I have we all have wedding preparations to do now.” “Yeah, I guess so, after all, you only got the chance to tell me yesterday…” “Don’t worry, I won’t mind you telling the rest.” “I actually already have, yesterday when you weren’t looking at me.” “How very brilliantly clever of you.” “What can I say, I’m just a clever brilliant pony.” “Who’s so wonderful and kind to me, so thanks a lot.” “No problem at all.” And with that said I went around making sure that everything was starting to get ready for the wedding, after all, as someone once told me you should never wait until tomorrow because it just might never come, and I wasn’t going to ignore him, instead I was going to take the advice, and that’s exactly why I wasn’t going to be waiting any more, not any longer, after all, I don’t want to spend my whole entire life questioning what if, what might have happened instead. No, I want to live life day by day making sure that each one is great and wonderful, making each one as awesome and amazing as the one before it. I would makes sure that each one was cool and radical, and never again would I waste a single moment, after all, I spent ten years in hell, I wasn’t going to spend any more time in my own misery and pain, no more agony, no more strife, no more despair, and no more death either, no more chaos too as well, I have seen enough of so many things during my ten years, things that I will never be able to erase from my mind no matter how much I might want it or try instead, but I am offering a chance and opportunity for my friends to remember their time, but of course I would warn them of the dangers and peril first, after all, imagine if you could suddenly remember ten years of your life in perfect clarity at once. It would probably feel like you were being repeatedly punched and kicked in the stomach., but of course I’m only guessing on this for right now. I have yet to see the real actual true results of it. After I was eventually finally done checking the preparations (and satisfied with them too as well of course) I decided to go back to my home, and so I went. When I finally eventually got there I decided to speak what was on my mind exactly, to all of them. “Alright all of you, I have something very important to announce, as you all probably already know I’m getting married to Starlight, now this might seem a bit rushed to you, but trust me, I spent ten years stuck in a time loop, I think that I’m more than ready and mature enough to marry whatever pony else that I want, and that includes ponies of the same gender. But I’m offering all of you a choice, there is a potion that will restore your memories, but only if you want to, I will not force you to take it nor will I persuade you that you should either instead, but I will warn you that you might not like what you see, you might not want to know all of it, especially ten years of the exact same day repeating slightly differently each and every time, this goes especially for you Starlight since you have died so many times by now.” “Trixie, I don’t need a potion for anything, especially to tell me that I already know that I love you, whatever you went through, it’s only bringing us closer to together, and anything that can do or does do that, I think that I can support and agree with it too as well, and no matter what we’ll always be together.” “Thank you very much, you’re the best marefriend that any pony else could ever possibly ask for,” I said as I leaned over and kissed her very gently and softly too as well. “Oh get a room already you two,” Rainbow Dash said. “Oh don’t worry, we will, eventually of course.” “Oh gosh, give me just a moment to remove any and all mental images of you two in bed together,” Rainbow Dash said as her face turned a shade greener. “Oh come on Rainbow Dash, don’t be so overdramatic, after all, having an attraction to the same gender is nothing strange or unusual, maybe a bit different and odd sometimes, but who’s to say if it’s bad or not?” “You’re right, I’m just sort of joking, honestly I really wish you the best of luck and wealth and joy, may your days be long and very prosperous indeed.” “Yep, I think that we can all the same thing in here,” Applejack said. “I’m very happy for you two…” Fluttershy said very softly and nervously. “I do love making a wedding dress,” Rarity said. “I’m just glad that you learned something, but do you mind writing down what you learned exactly in our journal? We could always use the help of our very best friends in general for anything and just about everything as well too.” “Sure, I don’t mind, I’ll do it today since tomorrow might never ever come.” And with that said I did so writing down the words that were now in my mind. I wrote it down in the journal, something I never thought or imagined that I would ever possibly be writing in, I wrote down my thoughts and ideas and I didn’t stop until I was eventually finally finished with it. And then after that I decided to relax and spend the rest of the day with Starlight. After all, time is very precious, and you should never ever waste it.
The Wedding DayThe Wedding Day It was finally the day of the wedding and everything was ready and just fine and perfect, well, almost everything. There was only one small tiny little slight problem that she kept ignoring only because she wanted to, because she was afraid of it. “Why don’t you just open it already? You know, get it over and done with?” “I want to, I really do, but I don’t know if I can, not yet at least.” “Why not though exactly?” “But what if the letter changes things? What if it’s cursed? What if it makes yet another hell for me, what if it has something inside that I really don’t like?” “Well then, you’ll just have to face it sooner rather than later, right?” I sighed, “I guess so,” I said slowly opening the letter up to read it. Hello, if you’re reading this then I wish you the best of the luck with the wedding, if not, well then, this obviously won’t ever be read by you then, won’t it? Anyhow I offer no explanation or apology, nothing at all. Not even my real true name either, not even that. But I hope that you remember me, and your time in hell. Don’t you ever dare forget, because me or one of my friends might just come back into town again, I don’t know, probably one of my friends since I made a promise. Anyhow, good day, good afternoon, good evening, and good night too as well. Yours truly, unknown. “Who’s it from?” “I think that I know while yet at the same time I also do not know as well too.” “Well then you shouldn’t worry about, come on, today is our day, let’s make it special, we’re supposed to be happy and not worry about small tiny little things like this, especially just this letter, now come on, let’s go, shall we?” “Yes, let’s.” And with that said they went outside, walked down the aisle, exchanged their vows and rings, and then they finally kissed as the whole entire audience shouted for them and then they ate pieces of their cake, opened up some of their gifts and stood for the photographs and then after that they left for their honeymoon to be all alone of course. “So where to first?” “Anywhere you want my dear, after all, it is our wedding.” “Well then, I have the perfect idea of exactly where to start.” And with that said they smiled as they left to enjoy themselves. Meanwhile… Back at where they got married the letter remained opened and untouched, but then suddenly it started to burn and turn into dust fading away into nothing.
EpilogueEpilogue “So then master, what do we do now exactly?” “What we always will do, hide until the next chance and opportunity comes.” “Yes sir, but why do we even still play these games anymore?” “Because they are fun, I like them, and I really don’t like being bored at all, ever.” “Yes, but why though exactly?” “I don’t know, you’re asking a spirit of chaos this question, what do you expect?” “Nothing at all sir, and yet everything at the same time too as well.” “Ah, I see that you are learning very well, but I think that it is time to step up our game, Ness was a failure, Jake was just not serious enough, he’s a very good trickster though, and death still tries to chase us even as we speak, but his servant Anubis, well luckily enough he had been dispatched with temporarily even though there will always still be more, anyhow I think that it’s about time that we start to merge the universes together, let them meet, after all, what fun is it to keep them separate and isolated? We have tested very few of them, but now it is time to test all of them, and I don’t care who you start or finish with.” “Very well then sir, I’ll try my luck with the human world first and then go on to the others, but how shall we explain it to them?” “All in good time, after all, some of them already know my name, or at the very least what I call myself, and so help me I will have one more last final game with all of them no matter what the cost is, and when I have then my real true name will be revealed, but until then I will remain Q, the one who runs from death, go now, and don’t come back until there’s something new and interesting, okay?” “Yes sir,” his servant said leaving him all alone. Q turned around aimlessly in his chair. “Soon I’ll have exactly what I want, and then I’ll finally be free, I will have power, I will have love, I will have chaos, or I will have destruction and entropy instead.” And with that said he smiled to himself as he rubbed his hands together very slowly as he stared at many maps of the many different worlds of Equestria. “Soon… very soon indeed… I just need a little bit longer… just a little bit more time… if I can get that then we won’t have to worry anymore, not ever again…”
