The Persistence of Destiny

by Cold Bolt

Rating: everyone
Tags: Starlight Glimmer, Adventure, Sunset Shimmer, Alternate Universe, Drama, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 23601

Starlight Glimmer is convinced she's ruined everything. Fate seems to disagree.

There are good reasons why most unicorns want nothing to do with time magic: it's dangerous. One tiny slip-up could have far-flung consequences no one saw coming, something few understand better than Starlight Glimmer now that she's seen it for herself.

Which is why, after testing a temporal spell of her own creation results in her waking up in her old village with a nasty headache, she sets out to fix her mistake at any cost... only to find that destiny seems to have a different plan in mind for her, and a rather unlikely set of allies.

Cover designed by Novel-Idea!

Published 2017-12-09 14:00:06 UTC
Last updated 2018-03-17 17:12:47 UTC

Not the General Vicinity of Kansas

"Uuuuuuuugh."

The intense throbbing in Starlight Glimmer's head told her it was probably going to be one of those days.

With a displeased groan, she sat up in bed and rubbed her aching head. Disoriented as she was, it took her several seconds of glancing about the room to realize something was wrong.

"It... It can't be...?"

Undecorated walls, sparsely stocked bookshelf, boring throw rug... This was her old bedroom, in her old town on the edge of Equestria. She had left this place behind ages ago, but in defiance of all logic, here it was; if not for the headache, she would have written it off as a strange dream and half expected Princess Luna to barge in.

No such luck, sadly.

Still groaning, she climbed out of bed and staggered her way over to a mirror on the incredibly plain dresser. Yet again, it took several seconds for what she was seeing to register in her mind: her mane was still done up the way she always used to wear it back then.

"How is this possible...?"

She ran a hoof through it as though expecting to find that her eyes were lying to her. Frowning, she shook her head, magically grasping a nearby brush and getting to work. A few minutes later, and her mane now sported the style she had come to prefer after leaving her old life behind. The familiarity brought a small smile to her face.

Peering out the window, she spotted several ponies already up and about, busying themselves with their assigned morning chores. The sight sent a painful twinge through her heart.

Starlight took a seat on the edge of her bed. There had to be an explanation for what was going on, and by Celestia, she was going to find it! Closing her eyes, she racked her brain as hard as she could in search of the last thing she could remember.

Images flashed in her mind. The Castle of Friendship... A scroll containing temporal magic, a spell she had been working on for weeks... Two other ponies, one purple, one orange; Twilight and...?

"Aaugh...!"

She doubled over and clutched her head, the visions vanishing as the throbbing pain resurfaced. She likely wouldn't be getting much more than that for now, but at the very least she could piece together what she hoped was the important part: a time spell gone awry.

Her blood went cold.

There was a myriad of good reasons why most unicorns never set hoof anywhere near time magic; it had the smallest margin for error of any known branch of magic, and the greatest potential for disaster should anything go wrong... not to mention the questions it raised regarding things like ethics and predestination that most ponies didn't even want answered in the first place.

Starlight took a few moments to slow her breathing and calm her pounding heart.

"So... what do I do now?"

The empty room offered her no answers, of course. She needed to know exactly what the spell had done to have any chance of fixing it, and she wasn't likely to make any progress out here in the middle of nowhere... at least, not unless she still had the scroll with her (and as a cursory glance about the room quickly revealed that she did not, that point was moot).

Ponyville. That was the logical place to start, right? At least, it was the first thing to come to mind, and she had precious little else to work with.

Unfortunately, she couldn't just slink her way out of town and expect nopony to notice. Robbed of their purpose in life, the townsfolk were highly dependent on her for direction; they would likely be unable to fend for themselves without their cutie marks.

If nothing else, that made her first objective obvious enough.

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, making her way to the stairwell. Why did it feel like she was forgetting something? She shook the thought out of her head; this was no time to be second-guessing herself. She needed to gather all the townsfolk together as quickly as possible and bring them to the vault where their cutie marks were stored, or so she assumed - she hadn't exactly given her unmarking spell the most rigorous testing, and so wasn't sure from how far away the severed marks would still be able to return to their owners... but she wasn't willing to take chances she didn't need to.

A nearby pony took notice of her as soon as she'd stepped out the front door.

"Good morning, Starlight Glimmer."

Starlight couldn't help cringing at his vacant grin and toneless voice. How had she tolerated it for so long? Even without the guilt tacked on, it was grating at best.

"Uh, good... good morning, Double Diamond!" She tried mimicking his expression, only to find she'd lost the ability; the grin she wound up with was strained and sheepish.

"How are you doing this morning? Is there any - " Double Diamond stopped mid-word, carelessly dropping his well-trained grin in favor of an open-mouthed stare.

Starlight blinked. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Double Diamond slowly raised a shaky foreleg to point at her flank. "Y, you, your... cutie mark...?"

Oh.

Well, that explained the strange feeling she'd gotten a minute ago. She had neglected to cover up her cutie mark, a necessary part of maintaining the illusion of equality in her little town. She bit her lip - would they still listen to her long enough to get them as far as the vault if they knew about it? She really wanted to save their inevitable questions until after she had returned their marks, but if they started making a fuss before that...

"Double Diamond," said Starlight, "I need you to gather everypony in the center of town for me, okay? This is really important."

"But..." Double Diamond's gaze shifted slowly between Starlight's face and her flank. "But... why do you have your - "

"I'll explain later, okay?" Starlight cut him off with a hoof on his muzzle. "No questions just yet. It's really important that we get everypony together right away."

She held her breath as Double Diamond hesitated, but let it out again when he spoke.

"Of course, Starlight Glimmer."

With that, he trotted over to a pair of ponies next door to explain the situation.

Starlight sat back on her haunches for a moment and closed her eyes. Her headache hadn't subsided entirely yet, but at least for the moment it settled for a dull background throb she could mostly ignore.

In a matter of minutes, the air was filled with quiet murmuring as the entire town awaited their leader's instruction. Some did their best to mask their apprehension with their cookie-cutter smiles, but most simply glanced between Starlight and one another as they tried to deduce amongst themselves what was going on.

"I'm really sorry to pull everypony away from breakfast, but this can't wait." Starlight raised her voice only just enough that she could address the entire crowd at once.

A mare spoke up, one that took Starlight a moment to identify as Sugar Belle. "Please tell us what's going on, Starlight Glimmer. We don't understand... why do you have your cutie mark?"

"You'll have your answers very soon, I promise." Starlight pointed a hoof toward the rocky hills beyond the town. "We're going to visit the vault. I'll explain what's going on when we get there."

The murmuring grew more insistent, but to Starlight's relief, the crowd began filing their way down the path toward the vault. She stayed well to the rear of the group as they walked, far enough that their chatter blended together and she could mull over her thoughts along the way, for whatever good she thought it might do. It certainly kept them from asking her more questions, for which she was thankful.

In a matter of minutes, the townsfolk found themselves gathered in a dusty old cave before an enormous sheet of glass, behind which all their cutie marks were sealed in individual containers. An ornate wooden staff jutted out of a pedestal in front of it.

"Mage Meadowbrook's Staff of Sameness," declared Starlight as she lifted the staff with her magic, the assembled crowd looking on in awe. With all the ceremony one might offer a used napkin, she snapped it in half and flung it aside.

The crowd gasped.

"It wasn't real." Starlight hung her head. "None of this was. I've been lying to you all this time."

"About what...?" asked a voice from somewhere within the crowd.

"All of it." Starlight forced herself to look up and turn back toward the crowd. "The staff was just a piece of wood I found out in the desert, and I've been covering my cutie mark with makeup."

The murmurs picked up once again, but quieted down as Starlight raised a hoof.

"This was never about equality," she explained. "Giving up your talents and living identical lives barely counts as life to begin with. What are you living for, if you're not working toward finding things that make you happy?"

A dark pegasus she recognized as Night Glider stepped forward and spoke. "So why did you do it? And why are you telling us all this now?"

Starlight sighed and closed her eyes. "It was a... coping mechanism for a childhood trauma I never really got over. Controlling the lives of other ponies was a way to fool myself into thinking I had some control over my own." She paused before continuing to give her words a moment to sink in. "As for why I'm telling the truth now... it's because I have to leave the village." She spun around before waiting for their reactions.

"And before I can do that... I need to do this."

With a glow of her horn, dozens of little glass doors opened on the front of the vault. Immediately, the cutie marks contained within leapt free of their prisons and soared through the air, their light shining on the walls of the cave as they flew back to their proper places upon the flanks of their owners.

"Your destinies are yours again," declared Starlight, "and so are your cutie marks!"

A jubilant roar erupted from the crowd. Unicorns shot sparks from their horns, pegasi took to the air, and earth ponies stomped their hooves and cheered.

Their elation was infectious; Starlight couldn't help smiling as she stood there for a moment and watched them celebrate, her heart lighter than it had been all morning. Her first objective complete, she quietly made for the cave entrance, the better to let them find themselves once more without her influence.

"Starlight?"

Before she could disappear, however, Starlight was approached by Night Glider and Sugar Belle.

Her cupcake cutie mark once again proudly perched on her flank, Sugar Belle spoke up. "I still don't really understand what's going on, but... thank you. I feel like a brand new pony now."

Starlight waved her off. "You don't owe me that. I had no right to take it from you in the first place."

Night Glider tilted her head. "Are you really leaving?"

"Yeah, I am." Starlight stared at the ceiling. "Something really, uh... well, something's happened, and I can't do anything about it if I stay here. I would try to explain, but... even if you understood, I don't know if you'd believe me." She looked back at Night Glider. "What about all of you?"

"What do you mean?" asked Sugar Belle.

"You don't have to stay here anymore," said Starlight. "You can go back to your old lives now."

Sugar Belle lowered her gaze, grinding her hoof into the floor as she spoke. "I think a lot of us have been here a little too long for that..."

Starlight winced, her ears folding back. "Oh..."

"Don't worry about it too much," said Night Glider. "What's done is done. Like it or not, this is our home now; we'll just have to make the most of it. Besides, not all of us had anyplace we could've gone back to, anyway."

Starlight glanced past them. Sure enough, the townsfolk had already begun to file out of the cave, chattering happily on their way back to the village.

"Where are you headed?" asked Sugar Belle.

"A town called Ponyville," said Starlight. "It's south of Canterlot."

"Oh gosh, that's a really long way..." Sugar Belle glanced at Night Glider, who nodded. "You'll let us send you off when you go, won't you?"

Starlight sighed quietly, her smile returning. "You're too good to me... Thank you."

Sugar Belle's idea of a send-off was apparently a bit more elaborate than Starlight had bargained for.

A few hours after she had returned their cutie marks, Starlight stood at the end of the railroad tracks. Her saddlebags were laden with provisions - food and water mostly - and a hoofcar sat on the tracks before her, newly repaired and ready to go. About a dozen ponies stood nearby; the rest were busy back in town.

"You'll be back to visit sometime, right?"

Starlight's smile was tinged with melancholy. "I don't know if I can make a promise like that, Double Diamond, but I'll try."

Sugar Belle fiddled with the straps on Starlight's saddlebags, causing her to flinch. "Hey!"

"Sorry! Nervous habit..." Sugar Belle backed off. "Well, whether we see you again or not... take care, okay?"

Starlight nodded. "You too, all of you. Goodbye, everypony, and... good luck."

The assembled crowd waved their farewells as Starlight hopped aboard the train cart, grasped the handle in her magic, and began her journey to civilization.

For a long time now, a part of her had wished for an opportunity like this, to go back and free her villagers on her own terms. To have fulfilled that desire was a silver lining on the dark clouds hanging over her.

Of course, that meant the easy part was out of the way.

A chill ran down her spine. The badlands weren't much for interesting scenery, leaving her little to occupy her mind beyond her predicament... the thought of which still gave her shivers.

She had some severe doubts about how much help it was going to be for her to even make this trip in the first place, but she didn't see any alternatives. She wasn't sure how far the spell had sent her into the past, but with any luck, Twilight would be there. She wouldn't remember who Starlight was, of course, but that didn't make her any less capable of helping to fix a spell.

Never mind that that very pony had failed to foresee the problem to begin with... but it was still all she had to go on for now.

Starlight sighed. It was going to be a long trip back.

Down the Road to the Chemist

Starlight stepped out onto a familiar station platform.

Thankfully, she didn't end up having to travel the entire way by hoofcar. It only needed to take her to the first actual train station, from which she was able to ride a proper train the rest of the way thanks to what few bits she had been saving, just in case.

So it was that she found herself in Ponyville the morning after her departure.

Starlight descended the platform steps and glanced around as she entered the town proper. It looked more or less just as she remembered it, though she couldn't help feeling like the place was a little quieter than she was used to, even by small town standards. There also seemed to be something missing - something that had always dominated the town skyline, tall enough to be visible almost regardless of where you stood.

The Castle of Friendship was nowhere to be seen.

Starlight felt her heart lurch, and she took a moment to calm herself again. That told her at least a little more about how far back in time she was, even if it was technically bad news. It was something to work with.

If the castle wasn't around yet, there had to be someplace else she could go. Twilight had talked about the town before Starlight's arrival a few times, but she hadn't exactly committed the information to memory. All that really stuck out in her mind was the old library, the one whose roots hung in the main chamber of the castle.

It was worth a shot. She didn't actually know where to find it, of course, but she did know who would.

A few minutes later, Starlight found herself on the front steps of town hall, giving the door a nudge as she stepped inside. A distinctly familiar beige earth pony stood nearby, in conversation with a gray pegasus that didn't quite ring a bell right away.

"Mayor?"

Both ponies glanced in her direction for a moment, after which the pegasus gave a quick wave before fluttering off toward the back of the room. Mayor Mare, for her part, approached Starlight with a warm smile.

"Welcome! Are you new in town?"

Starlight paused for a moment before responding, rubbing the back of her head with a forehoof. "Yeah, I... guess you could say that." She cleared her throat as she straightened up. "Hey, do you know where I could find a pony named Twilight Sparkle?"

The mayor raised a hoof to her chin, her eyes tracing along the ceiling for a moment. "I don't think I know a pony by that name. Can you tell me anything else about them?"

Starlight felt a bead of sweat roll down her neck. "Um... the library," she said. "Who works at the library?"

The mayor's ears drooped. "Why, nopony at the moment. Dusty Scrolls passed away a few weeks ago, and nopony stepped in to take his place."

That was... less than ideal. Twilight was originally from Canterlot, which meant she was another train ride away, and the meager budget Starlight had started with had been stretched thin already by the trip to Ponyville. She would never be able to afford a place to stay in a city like Canterlot after all that, even temporarily, and there was nopony there she could reliably ask for help.

She sighed. Her old mentor wouldn't be helping her out of this one, it seemed.

"I'm sorry to hear that," she said finally.

The mayor craned her neck a bit, clearly taking a look at Starlight's cutie mark. "Say, that gives me an idea... Were you looking to stay in town for a while?"

Starlight sighed and looked away, speaking without thinking. "Honestly, I'm not really sure what to do at this point..."

"I think we may be able to help one another out." The mayor trotted over to a nearby filing cabinet and withdrew a blank form, carrying it back over to Starlight.

"This looks like..." Starlight took the form in her magic for a closer look. "...a job application?"

The mayor nodded. "You're a magic specialist, aren't you? You must be very studious. How would you like to be our new librarian?"

Starlight blinked. "Uh."

"There's an apartment on the second floor you can stay in," the mayor explained, "and you'll have unrestricted access to all the resources Golden Oak has to offer. All you have to do is help us keep track of the books!"

Wait. Unrestricted access to library resources? That sounded like exactly what she needed.

"Actually, you know what?" Starlight's expression brightened. "Sure, I'd be happy to."

"Splendid!" The mayor once again trotted off for a moment, this time returning with a quill and inkwell. Starlight took them as well, her eyes scanning the form carefully as she filled it out.

The mayor's smile broadened as she looked it over. "Everything looks to be in order then, Miss... Glimmer."

Starlight waved a hoof. "Just 'Starlight' is fine."

The mayor nodded. "Very well then, Starlight. It'll be a little dusty, but you can move in right away. The Golden Oak Library is down the road to your left, over the bridge." She pointed a hoof in the direction she had described. "I'll send somepony in a bit to help you get settled in."

"That's very kind of you," said Starlight. "Thank you, mayor."

"Thank you, Starlight," the mayor insisted. "You're doing us all a great favor, and I hope you come to like our little Ponyville as much as we do."

With that, Starlight waved goodbye as she stepped back out the door.

Making her way down the road to the library, Starlight returned to her thoughts. Now that the conversation was over, the whole thing seemed... strangely convenient. She knew that Twilight had spent quite some time staying in the library before its untimely destruction, and by the sound of it, this Dusty Scrolls had probably been there even longer than that. They wouldn't leave the library derelict for long, would they? What were the chances she would manage to land in what was likely a comparatively short window between the two? Not to mention Mayor Mare's eagerness to offer the job to a pony she had literally just met...

She shook her head. She was just being paranoid, now; as far as she knew, she wasn't dealing with a villain or some other malicious entity that might be manipulating events in some way. Just a spell that went haywire, that's all. There was no reason yet to be so suspicious.

Before long, she stood in front of an enormous tree. A large sign sat next to the front door.

"Welcome to the Golden Oak - Ponyville Public Library," Starlight read aloud. "Well, this must be the place."

Craning her neck, she took another look at the place. To her surprise, despite ostensibly containing a library, the tree itself was alive and healthy! Were her librarian duties to include helping to care for the thing? She hoped whoever was being sent to help get her oriented was prepared to explain.

The door opened with a pull of her magic, and she stepped inside.

Starlight's gaze swept across the room. Sure enough, a coating of dust covered everything from the floor to the books on the shelves.

"Well, that should be easy enough to fix."

With a glow of her horn, a small whirlwind of spinning air kicked up. It was a gentle thing, barely stronger than a breeze, not enough to disturb the books on the shelves - but plenty to gather up the dust. Whistling merrily as she went, Starlight guided the little twister around the room. It swept across the floor, along the shelves, over tables and chairs... In minutes, she had gathered up all the dust in the room into the tiniest, filthiest tornado she had ever seen.

"Blech."

Wrinkling her nose, she sent the dust devil speeding toward the front door and turned to unpack her saddlebags.

"Um, hi there! Mayor Mare asked me to - "

Starlight looked up to see somepony step into the library just in time to take a tornado full of dust directly in the face. The wind dissolved on impact, leaving behind a thick cloud that obscured the pony completely. Her greeting was replaced with violent coughing.

"Oh no I'm so sorry here let me help!" Starlight rushed over, summoning her whirlwind spell once again to blow the dust off the poor mare and properly out the door. "I'm so sorry! Are you okay?"

"I'm - cough - I'm okay, I - cough - promise!" The mare flapped her wings a few times to shed any remaining dust. "It's okay, you just - cough - surprised me, is all."

Starlight briefly looked her over, noting a pair of bulging saddlebags at her sides, the strangely familiar bubble cloud on her flank... and the severely distinct misaligned eyes. "Wait, aren't you...?"

"Oh, you remember me?" The mare smiled. "I was talking to Mayor Mare when you came in before. She sent me to, um, help you get comfy in your new home. My name's Derpy Hooves!"

"Derpy... Hooves...?" Starlight echoed.

That definitely didn't sound right. How could a pony wind up with a deliberately insulting name? Not to mention, Starlight realized, she did in fact remember this mare, and was... at least sixty percent certain her name wasn't 'Derpy' when last she checked. She couldn't quite recall what it had been before, though, so that certainty did her little good.

"Aren't you a courier though?"

Derpy tilted her head. "Um, I mean... yeah, I am, but the mayor sometimes asks me to run errands for her when she's busy. I'm happy to help, really." She glanced over her shoulder briefly. "But, um... how did you know that?"

Starlight winced. She hadn't actually meant to ask. "Uh... lucky guess?"

Derpy quirked an eyebrow. Clearly she wasn't convinced.

Starlight sighed, closing her eyes and resting a hoof on the bridge of her muzzle. "Fine. I'm from the future. I messed up a time spell and wound up in the past, and I'm here to see if I can fix what went wrong and get back to my own time before I splinter the timeline with my presence, assuming I haven't done that already. Happy?"

To her surprise, she didn't get a look of incredulity in response.

"Ohhh..." Derpy raised a hoof to her chin. "I... guess that would explain it."

Starlight blinked. "Wait, you... believe me?"

"Of course I do!" Derpy giggled. "My best buddy is super smart, and he knows lots about time and stuff! He's an inventor, you see." There was a note of pride in her voice. "He says time magic is super tricky, and most unicorns smart enough to study it are smart enough to know better than to use it 'cause of how dangerous it is. Like, messing with the timeline and stuff."

Starlight's eyes narrowed. "Is that what he says?"

Derpy flinched. "Oh, um... I, I didn't mean, um... I'm sure he, uh..."

"Don't worry about it," interrupted Starlight, waving a hoof dismissively. "He's not... necessarily wrong, anyway."

Derpy fidgeted a bit, shifting her saddlebags on her back for a moment before emitting a quiet gasp. "Oh, I almost forgot!" She quickly slid out of the straps, dropping her bags to the floor and opening one of the flaps. "Um, here, I brought these for you! I don't think they got any dust on them or anything."

Starlight peered into the saddlebags, which were stuffed to the brim with -

"Muffins?"

"Mhm!" Derpy beamed. "I made them myself! They, um, cleared out all the food in here when Dusty died, so... I wanted to make sure you had something to eat until you started getting paid."

Starlight's heart skipped a beat as she realized that hadn't occurred to her. She still had some of the food and bits that had survived her train ride, but she didn't know how long that would last.

"Oh, wow... thank you!"

Having barely eaten that day, Starlight couldn't resist plucking a muffin and taking a big bite out of what turned out to be lemon poppyseed. It was moist but not too rich, with just the right amount of lemon. "Wow, this is really good~"

"Thanks!" Derpy closed the saddlebags and carried them over to sit beside the ones Starlight had brought. "Baking's a hobby of mine, but muffins are... kinda the only thing that comes out right, so..." She cleared her throat. "So, um... did you want me to ask my friend if he'll help you? He's really nice, I promise!"

Starlight swallowed the last bite of her muffin. "Even if he wasn't, I'll take whatever I can get. Thanks for all your help, Derpy."

Derpy trotted over to the door, pausing for a moment. "You're welcome, Starlight! I'll see you later." With a wave, she disappeared through it, closing it behind her as she went.

Starlight sighed. Meeting a new friend was a nice distraction, but she needed to get to the bottom of this whole thing as soon as possible, and that meant getting to work.

An old writing desk sat nearby. Rummaging through it, she managed to dig up some parchment, a couple of quills, and a single half-full bottle of ink. It would have to do for now - her first order of business needed to be transcribing as much of the spell as she could remember, to give herself a starting point.

WHAM

The sound of the door slamming open nearly caused Starlight to spill what little ink she had procured.

"Starlight, there you are! I've been looking everywhere for you," declared a familiar unicorn, her red and gold mane shining in the sunlight.

Starlight's eyes widened. "Sunset Shimmer?!"

Top of the Reading List

"Aaugh...!"

Starlight collapsed to the floor, clutching her head as a mixture of pain and memory flooded it.

Sunset. The orange pony had been Sunset Shimmer. She could remember that much, now; Twilight had messaged her through that book thing and asked her to help with the spell testing, since they had both been Celestia's students.

"Starlight!"

But what was she doing here? Did that mean Twilight was floating around somewhere, too? With any luck, if Sunset had the insight to come looking for the library, so would she.

"Starlight, are you okay?"

But that wasn't all she remembered. There was still a blur surrounding the actual testing, but something else that hadn't even struck her as odd before now stood out clear as day - something about her time here so far that should not have been. The realization sent a chill down her spine.

"Come on, say something. Tell me you're alright."

Distracted as she was, Starlight hadn't noticed Sunset rushing to her side until she felt a hoof gently brushing her coat. Panting, she realized the headache had begun to ebb, and slowly sat up.

"I... I'm fine, I just... need a minute," said Starlight. A few deep breaths later, the pain had calmed enough for her to start getting her thoughts in order. "The... the spell. Sunset, what did we do wrong?"

Sunset shook her head. "I was going to ask you that. I thought you said it wasn't supposed to be for travel."

"It wasn't," said Starlight. "This shouldn't have been possible. You saw it yourself; it was only supposed to create a viewport into the past, not a doorway. Nothing on that scroll should have been able to do this."

"Should have," echoed Sunset, "but here we are anyway."

"We..." Starlight took a deep breath. "But if I was the one testing the spell, why are you here too?"

Sunset quirked an eyebrow. "What, you don't remember?"

Now it was Starlight's turn to shake her head. "Digging for details just makes the headache worse."

Sunset sighed. "When I saw the spell going haywire, I rushed in to help stabilize it. Obviously it didn't work."

"What about Twilight?"

"She stayed behind cover the whole time, because clearly unlike me, she's not an idiot."

While Starlight was of course relieved to hear that her mentor hadn't gotten herself caught in the spell, it also meant she wouldn't be there to help them find a way back. Her heart sank; apparently she wouldn't be relying on either Twilight to help her out of this mess.

She sighed, a timid smile creeping onto her face. "Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one, at least."

Sunset rolled her eyes. "C'mon, don't do that to yourself."

"What, so you're allowed to, but I'm not?" Starlight's smile quickly faded. "It's my fault we're even here to begin with, remember?"

Sunset smirked. "Yeah, and I'll make you eat those words when you fix the spell and get us back home."

Starlight felt a familiar chill. "I'm... not sure it's going to be that easy, Sunset."

"Well, not with that attitude."

"No, I don't think you understand." Starlight turned away. "I think that spell did more than just displace us on the timeline. I... I think it affected the timeline itself somehow."

Sunset stared blankly. "Um, what? How? And how do you know?"

"Well..." Starlight paused for breath and turned back around. "What can you tell me about when we are based on what you've observed so far?"

Sunset sat back on her haunches, raising a hoof to her chin as she processed everything. "Let's see... well, the girls at Canterlot High hated my guts when I tried talking to them, so we're... a year back at least? I wish I had thought to check the prom queen pictures before I left; I was in kind of a rush to make sure the mirror portal was open. Then again, that's assuming the passage of time is consistent between the two worlds, and I never really had the opportunity to test it..."

"It's worse than that," said Starlight, her ears drooping. "The library is here, but Twilight's not in it yet, so... Try something more like several years."

"Okay." Sunset glanced around the room for a moment. "So, worse than I thought, but I'm not seeing the catastrophe yet."

Starlight cleared her throat. "When I awoke after the time spell, I was back in my village," she said slowly. "Do you remember when I told you that story?"

"Oh yeah," said Sunset, "I do. You had that whole cutie mark equality thing going, didn't you?"

Starlight nodded. "I led that village for just barely a year before Twilight and her friends arrived and disrupted everything."

"Okay," Sunset repeated. "That all makes sense to - "

Starlight would have sworn she had heard an audible 'click' as Sunset's brain connected the dots.

Sunset scowled. "Wait a minute. That's impossible."

Starlight nodded and smiled, her ears still folded back against her head. "Not only that, but I set the villagers free before I left, and some of them said they'd been there too long to have a home to go back to anymore. If that's true, the village is likely already a few years old at least."

Sunset paused for several moments before finally heaving a noisy sigh. "I'm surprised I don't have a headache like that too. Ugh, I hate time travel."

Starlight winced. "Sorry for getting you caught up in all this, Sunset..."

"No, I didn't mean it like that." Sunset shook her head. "Forget I said anything. Come on, let's get that spell back down on paper so we can find a way to fix it."

"Is that it?"

The two unicorns stared at the scroll. Though it otherwise stretched the entire length of the parchment, there were several large gaps in the script.

"That's all I can remember without too much pain," said Starlight. "Any more might come at the cost of my head splitting open."

Sunset frowned. "How are we supposed to find the flaw in a spell if we've only got like, eighty percent of it?"

"I'm sorry...." Starlight clutched her head again. "I really don't know what's up with this headache, but it's making this so much harder than it needs to be."

"Stop apologizing and just rest for a few minutes, Starlight," said Sunset as she trotted over to the bookshelves. "I'll see if there's anything here we can use to fill in the gaps."

"Well go on already!"

Sunset opened her mouth to reply, only to realize the voice she'd just heard was too muffled to be Starlight. Instead, it seemed to be coming from outside the front door.

"I have to wait for the proper dramatic moment!" said a second voice. "There's a rhyme and reason to these things, you know! It's not every day you run into an honest-to-Celestia time traveler."

There was a sigh. "Doctor, please, this really isn't the time! She needs your help!"

"Oh very well," the second voice conceded.

Sunset quirked an eyebrow and backed a couple of paces away from the door a second before it opened to permit a pair of ponies.

"Starlight? Oh, there you are!"

Starlight's eyes lit up. "Oh, Derpy, you're back!" She waved Sunset over as she trotted up to meet them. "Is this the friend you mentioned?"

"Mhmm!" Derpy nodded vigorously. "I'd like you to meet Doctor Whooves. Doctor, this is Starlight Glimmer, and... uh?" She tilted her head, clearly puzzled by Sunset's presence.

"This is Sunset Shimmer, a... colleague of mine. She showed up just after you left," said Starlight. "It's nice to meet you, Doctor! Derpy really talks up your expertise."

"The pleasure is all mine, I assure you!" Doctor Whooves grinned as he briefly bowed his head in greeting. "Are the both of you time travelers, then?"

"Not intentionally," said Sunset. "The spell that brought us here only did so because it went haywire. It wasn't supposed to send anyone through time in the first place."

"Hmm. Well that's a problem then, isn't it?" The Doctor's brow furrowed. "Let's have a look at the spell in question, I suppose. Have you got it with you?"

Starlight directed the group over to the desk where the incomplete spell sat, grasping it in her magic and holding it out for the Doctor to read. "Just what we could recreate from memory."

A couple of minutes passed by as he studied the contents of the scroll. "Fascinating... Did you write this yourself, Miss Glimmer?"

Starlight nodded. "Yeah, actually. How'd you know?"

"The only other unicorn I know who was brave enough to experiment with temporal magic was Starswirl the Bearded, and this isn't anywhere near his style of spell writing." He rubbed his nose as he pondered the spell some more. "So this was... an aperture?"

"Yeah." Starlight sighed. "It was supposed to allow the viewing of past events at the location it was cast, without affecting anything at the destination in the process."

"This segment here," said the Doctor as he pointed to a large paragraph near the bottom, "is this a dimensional spell lattice?"

Starlight nodded again. "I added that so I could manipulate the angle of the aperture at the far end. That way, the caster would have a full range of vision in all directions from the target location."

"Fascinating indeed...!" The Doctor's grin returned. "I imagine all this would have taken one doozy of an activation matrix to properly regulate the energy flow, but..." He trailed off, pointing to an empty portion near the top.

Starlight bit her lip. Her brain simply refused to yield that portion of the spell to her, no matter how hard she tried to remember.

"Still, this is some impressive spell work," said the Doctor. "What you've created here is hardly a mere time spell. It's more of a... time-and-relative-dimension-in-space spell!" He looked pleased with himself for about two seconds. "Oh, but that rolls off the tongue rather poorly, doesn't it...?"

"I don't think it matters what we call it," said Starlight with a sigh. "Unless this podunk little library somehow has a book on advanced activation matrices, I don't think this incomplete spell is going to get us anywhere."

"A book like that would have to be in the Canterlot Archives, probably in the Starswirl wing..." Sunset brought a hoof to her muzzle in thought. "...but that section requires clearance none of us have."

Starlight blinked. "Wait. You were Princess Celestia's student though. Don't you have clearance?"

"I did, yeah." Sunset huffed. "But she almost certainly revoked it after I rejected her as my mentor and ragequit Equestria itself."

"Rage... what?"

Sunset shook her head. "N-Never mind. I mean when I left through the mirror portal."

"Oh."

Derpy grinned. "Hey, that's some great timing then! You can ask her about it tomorrow!"

"Tomorrow?" asked Starlight and Sunset in unison.

"Yeah! The Summer Sun Celebration's being held in Ponyville this year, so she'll be in town for a few hours," said Derpy.

Sunset blinked. "Well, I'm not looking forward to confronting her again, but... if that's what we need to do to fix this thing and get home, I'll do it. What do you think, Star - ?"

Sunset stopped mid-word as she caught sight of Starlight's face. Her eyes were wide as dinner plates, the pupils shrunk to pinpricks, and her ears were pressed flat against her head.

"No..."

Trouble with a Capital "T"

"No no no no nonononono."

Concern etched its way onto the faces of the other three ponies as Starlight began pacing back and forth, muttering to herself.

"It's late afternoon, she should already be... oh, and there's no way we'd get to Canterlot before court closes for the day... we don't have time for this...! We have to - "

"Starlight!"

Starlight jumped slightly at Sunset's outburst.

"You have been spending way too much time with Twilight," said Sunset, gently draping a foreleg over Starlight's shoulders. "I need you to take a deep breath and tell us what's wrong."

Starlight complied, relaxing only marginally as she did so. "The year that the Summer Sun Celebration was held in Ponyville was..." She swallowed. "...was the year of Nightmare Moon's return."

The color quickly drained from Derpy's face as she began shivering. "N, Ni, Night - Nightmare Moon?" she screeched. "She, she's real?!"

"Nightmare Moon...?" echoed the Doctor.

Derpy turned toward him slowly. "You - you don't know?"

He shrugged. "Never really one for fables and the like, if I'm honest."

"B-But wait!" Derpy looked pleadingly at Starlight, her wings draped around her body like a security blanket. "So - so how many other scary things are real, then? The crumple-horned snorkack? The Flatwoods Monster? Tommy Wiseau??"

Starlight stared blankly at Derpy for several long seconds. "I... have no idea what any of those things are."

Derpy breathed a sigh of relief.

"Nightmare Moon..." Sunset's brow furrowed. "I remember reading about the prophecy briefly a long time ago, but I don't remember any details... and it never came up when I was around Princess Twilight, either."

"I don't remember it very well myself," said Starlight, "but I can tell you one thing: Twilight should have arrived in town by now, and she hasn't." She took another deep breath. "And if she's not here when Nightmare Moon appears tomorrow morning, all of Equestria will fall into eternal night!"

"We don't know for sure yet that she's not here though," said Sunset. "What if she just hasn't stopped by the library?"

Starlight quirked an eyebrow. "Um, have you even met her?"

After a moment of consideration, Sunset sighed. "Right, point made."

"Now, there's still no need to fret yet," said the Doctor. "She may simply be tardy is all!"

"But what if she isn't? What if the spell messed up the timeline so much that the Element Bearers never get together?" Now it was Starlight's turn to shiver. "I've seen with my own eyes what happens to Equestria without them."

"Come on, Starlight. You really do need to calm down," said Sunset. "We didn't doom all of Equestria with one spell."

"Yeah, you um, do seem kind of frazzled..." Derpy scratched her head for a moment, then gasped as an idea hit her. "Oh, I know! Why don't we go get something to eat? My treat!"

"Wh, but, I..." Starlight sputtered. "We can't just go take a break for lunch! The fate of all of Equestria could be at stake!"

The Doctor waggled a hoof at her. "Now, now, Starlight, you won't be saving the timeline on an empty stomach! Food sounds splendid, Derpy dear."

"Besides," Sunset added, "we don't have time to do anything about it before the Celebration anyway. You said so yourself, didn't you?"

Starlight stared open-mouthed, her gaze falling to the floor.

Sunset was right. There wouldn't be any fixing the spell before the following morning, and by then it would be too late. Plus, they had no way of confirming whether or not Twilight would be there before tomorrow morning. All they could really do at this point was to wait for the Summer Sun Celebration and see how things played out.

If Twilight didn't show up... well, they'd burn that bridge when they came to it.

Starlight sighed. "You know... food sounds really good right now. Thanks, Derpy."

Derpy trotted toward the door, waving the others over with a wing. "C'mon, I know a place."

Four ponies stood before the library.

"So we meet back here at four thirty, right?" Derpy fluffed her wings as she spoke.

"That's the plan," said Starlight. "For what it's worth, at least..."

"Chin up now, Miss Glimmer!" The Doctor smirked. "No sense worrying about it just yet, hm? You'll need plenty of sleep to be up early for the ceremony."

"That's right!" agreed Derpy. "Everything might still be totally fine! Won't you feel silly when your friend shows up and you got all scared for nothing," she added with a giggle.

Sunset quirked an eyebrow. "Yeah, and I remember a certain pegasus who was at least as scared herself."

Derpy grinned sheepishly.

"Well, we all really ought to be getting to bed then," said the Doctor. "Onwards and upwards!"

"See you in the morning!" said Derpy.

Starlight nodded, forcing a smile. "Good night, you two."

With that, they parted ways, and the two unicorns entered the library once more.

Sunset glanced around. "So where are we going to sleep?"

"There's a bedroom upstairs." Starlight pointed at a nearby staircase. "We'll just have to share it for the night."

Sunset shrugged. "Works for me."

The two climbed the stairs to find a modest but serviceable bedroom complete with bookcases, a writing desk, a dresser, a nightstand, a linen closet, and...

"...only one bed," grumbled Starlight. "Of course."

"That's fine. You take it," said Sunset, rummaging magically through the closet for a spare pillow and blanket. "No offense, but you look like you need it more than I do."

Starlight wasn't of a mind to object.

A few minutes later, the two ponies were curled up in bed, though Sunset's consisted of a pair of folded blankets stacked up beneath the window. She was also the only of the two to fall asleep quickly, much to Starlight's dismay.

The day positively haunted her. Just how badly had she messed up, really? She couldn't even be sure yet. The image of a vast wasteland devoid of light and life, just as Twilight had shown her during her last instance of meddling with the timeline, floated at the edges of her vision. Was that the future to which Equestria was now doomed?

Afraid to close her eyes and give the frightening visions greater purchase in her mind, she settled for staring out the window. Dusk clung to the horizon, the barest hint of glowing color remaining as the moon and stars lit up the evening sky. It was still a while before Starlight usually retired for the night; that, combined with her worries, beat back her fatigue and kept her awake still.

She needed a plan. She needed to know that she had something at least resembling a contingency in case Twilight didn't show up... but what?

Should she go find the mare? If Celestia never sent her to Ponyville to make herself some friends, then the point was moot; all six of them needed to be there, bonded by dire circumstances, for the Elements to respond to them. In other words, there really wouldn't be any point.

But what if - ?

No. No, she couldn't possibly. Sure, she had technically "graduated" from the lesson plan that had been set before her by her mentor, but she still had so much to learn! And, yeah, technically she had already led a motley crew on a mission to save Equestria and emerged victorious, but this was different! Wasn't it?

She was no Element of Harmony. She couldn't be. Nopony guilty of the things she had done could ever be worthy of such a thing... especially one prone to the kinds of mistakes that got her and Sunset in this mess to begin with.

Starlight groaned and buried her face in her pillow. It was going to be a long night.

"Uh... You sure you're okay?"

Derpy tilted her head at Starlight as they walked side by side toward town hall.

"I'm... fine, Derpy..." said Starlight through a mouthful of yawn. "I'm just... used to sleeping in, that's all."

Derpy frowned. "Well, I guess if you're sure..."

A few paces behind them, Sunset sighed quietly.

"Now how is it your friend there is all nerves, and you're back here cool as a cucumber, hm?" asked the Doctor. "You don't seem the least bit perturbed by all this Nightmare Moon business."

Sunset shrugged. "I try to worry more about what's happening right now than about what might happen at some point later on."

"It seems to me, what's happening now is Miss Glimmer is making herself positively ill with stress."

Sunset watched as Starlight yawned again.

"She'll be alright," said Sunset finally. "She's been through some tough stuff before. We both have."

The Doctor gave her a firm look. "How certain are you of that?"

After another moment of hesitation, Sunset shook her head, more at herself than at the Doctor. Her pace quickened, putting her at Starlight's side in just a few strides.

"Are you really sure you're okay?" said Sunset.

"I'm fine, Derpy!" Starlight snapped.

Sunset quirked an eyebrow at Starlight. Derpy, for her part, slowed down to give them some space and fell in beside the Doctor instead.

Recognizing her error, Starlight hung her head, her ears folding back.

"Look, I'm sorry I haven't been the greatest support about all this," Sunset began. "I don't know what's gotten into me... but I could say the same about you. You've been second-guessing practically every step you've taken since we got here! I mean, I know I don't really know you that well yet, but I've got a good hunch this isn't your usual mode of operation."

Starlight was quiet for a moment. "That's... because it's not. I'm just not used to dealing with this kind of thing being my fault, is all."

"I guess I'll give you that one." Sunset smiled softly. "But that doesn't make you any less capable, Starlight. I know that much. Will you believe me when I say I know things are gonna be fine?"

"Well..." Starlight sighed. "...no, not really."

Sunset's smile collapsed.

"But," Starlight continued, "I guess we'd be in even bigger trouble if there wasn't at least one of us being confident about the whole thing. So... thanks. It means a lot to know you have my back."

Sunset smirked. "Of course I do. We're in this thing together; there's no way I'm bailing on you."

"I mean I don't see why you would, considering you'll never fix the spell and get home without me."

Sunset scowled. "Hey, I'm trying to be more supportive! You'd better get out of here with those dumb 'facts' of yours."

Starlight snickered. "I still appreciate it, though. Thanks."

"Anytime."

In just a few minutes, Starlight found herself on a familiar set of steps she had seen scarcely a day prior. Where it had looked like business as usual yesterday morning, however, it was now heavily decorated for the occasion; streamers and ribbons hung from the rafters, long tables were laid out with snacks and decorative vases full of flowers, and magnificent banners depicting the rising sun hung from every window. Ponies of all sizes and colors packed the room as well, their idle chatter gathering into a collective din as they waited for the festivities to begin.

Starlight's eyes scanned the crowd for familiar faces. The rest of them were here somewhere, weren't they? They had to be - but she stood little chance of finding them from the ground, and hovering for a better look would draw too much attention. With a sigh, she turned back to her companions.

"Looks like we got here just in time!" Derpy craned her neck to look at all the decorations above. "They should be starting any minute now."

The Doctor cleared his throat. "Right then. You're the one with the intel, Miss Glimmer; what's our plan of attack?"

"Watch the crowd," said Starlight. "We're looking for a purple unicorn with a pink star for a cutie mark. And..." She glanced up at a window. "...keep an eye on the moon."

Derpy shivered. "Uh, um... right."

Soon enough, the crowd began to quiet as Mayor Mare trotted up to a podium at the front of the stage at the far end of the room.

"Fillies and gentlecolts!" Mayor Mare's voice boomed. "It is my great pleasure to announce the beginning of this year's Summer Sun Celebration, hosted right here in our very own Ponyville for the first time in over thirty years!"

Her declaration was met with cheers from the crowd.

Starlight, however, wasn't paying attention. Her eyes, fixed on the window, went wide as she watched the quartet of stars closest to the moon suddenly begin to converge on it. Without taking her eyes off the sight before her, she gave Sunset a poke with her hoof, which got the attention of the other two as well.

As all four ponies watched, the dark visage of the Mare in the Moon vanished from its surface.

"And without further ado," the mayor continued, "I am honored to introduce to you today, the bringer of the sun and the moon, and of eternal harmony across all the land... Princess Celestia!"

With a grand sweep of her foreleg, the mayor gestured toward the balcony above her, whose curtains parted on cue.

Starlight swallowed hard.

The figure that stood before them was not their beloved monarch. Instead, a jet black alicorn in silvery blue armor had taken her place, marching slowly up to the railing to gaze down upon the now silent crowd.

"Twiiiliiight," mumbled Starlight in a nervous singsong, "that's your cuuuue, where aaaare youuuu...?"

Derpy shrank back behind the Doctor, who fixed his steely gaze upon the intruder. "Well then... I suppose if I held any lingering doubts about this story, they are now long gone," he muttered.

Sunset stood tall, her expression as defiant as the Doctor's, but the oppressive atmosphere that had fallen over the room made her twitch. This was no Adagio Dazzle, no Gloriosa Daisy... This mare could have eaten either of them for breakfast without breaking a sweat.

"A thousand years..." Nightmare Moon's voice was deep and silky smooth, commanding the attention of all who heard it. "For a thousand years did I stale upon the moon, watching from afar as a weakling bathed the land in her love and light, until the day I would return and claim the throne that is rightfully mine."

Silence reigned as her words fell over the room. To Starlight, it was deafening. Though she continued her panicked glancing about, her heart sank lower with every passing second. No voice rang out to challenge the usurper before them -

"You give our princess back right now, you overgrown varmint!"

...until one did.

Starlight's eyes went wide. "Applejack - !"

Sure enough, the crowd had parted slightly to reveal a familiar earth pony in a weathered Stetson currently glaring daggers at the balcony, her lips curled in an angry snarl.

"My, how rude," the intruder replied coolly, raising a hoof to her chest in mock offense. "And just what would a little pony like yourself propose to do if I refuse?"

"I'm gonna run you outta town like a terrier on a gopher!" With that, Applejack lowered her head, bent her legs, bolted for the staircase - and collapsed in a heap, her tail firmly in the teeth of another pony behind her. "Ow!"

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?!" a voice hissed at the now prone pony. The newcomer hovered behind Applejack, flipping her multicolored mane from her eyes and crossing her sky blue forelegs as she scowled downward.

"Rainbow!" Starlight couldn't help smiling as she spared a glance at Sunset, only to find her friend's glare hadn't faltered. Sunset's lips were curled into a snarl, her hooves planted firmly as though she too intended to take a run at the stage.

"You all ought to follow this one's example," said Nightmare Moon, gesturing toward Rainbow Dash. "I, Nightmare Moon, am your new monarch... and I expect nothing less than complete and unquestioning obedience. Defy me at your own peril." She punctuated this statement with an amused chuckle. "Oh, and do keep your Celestia and her precious sun fondly in your memories; I'm afraid you've already seen the last of both of them."

Sunset's horn glowed.

"What are you doing?" whispered a desperate Starlight.

Sunset glanced sideways at Starlight, her horn still pointed squarely at the balcony. "Twilight's not coming to our rescue, Starlight! It's our job to stop this madmare, and we can't afford to waste any time!"

Before Starlight could reply, a blue blur shot past her, causing her to stagger back a step.

"Ow!" Sunset winced as a hoof struck her horn just hard enough to break her concentration, the glow upon it vanishing instantly.

"Don't you dare!" Rainbow's face was inches from Sunset's, looking severely displeased. "You are not giving her a reason to open fire on this crowd. All you're gonna do is get innocent ponies hurt!"

Sunset scowled, but heeded the warning.

"Oh, the struggles of ponies out of their depth do entertain me so..." Nightmare Moon chuckled once more, but her amusement quickly shifted to impatience. "But I have no time for merriment. I have some news to deliver to Canterlot. When I return, I have a most honorable task for you to complete. Nopony is to leave these premises until then, on pain of death."

A dark blue bolt shot from her horn. The ponies in the center of the crowd ducked as it sailed over their heads toward the front entrance, which slammed shut. Ethereal chains engulfed the doors, adorned by an equally ghostly padlock.

All light in the room began to fade, the crowd gasping and murmuring as they were plunged into darkness. It lasted only seconds, however, before returning to normal... but now Nightmare Moon was nowhere to be found.

Sunset blinked as a blue hoof extended toward her.

"Rainbow Dash," said its owner. "Sorry about that. Keeping the ponies of this town safe is kinda my thing."

Sunset shook her head, as well as the proffered hoof. "Sunset Shimmer... and no, you were probably right. Starlight, we should...?"

Sunset caught sight of Starlight beside her, staring intently at Rainbow's flank. Curious, she gave it a glance herself.

Rainbow Dash's cutie mark featured her trademark tricolor lightning bolt on the background of an off-white kite shield.

"It's... different...?" whispered Starlight.

"What's different?" Rainbow gave Starlight a suspicious look. "And where did you two come from, anyway? I haven't seen you in town before."

"Might wanna ease up a mite there, June bug," said a voice.

"Look who's talking, Applejack," said Rainbow as Applejack joined them. "I'm not the one who just tried to charge down a freaking supervillain."

Starlight stole a look at Applejack's cutie mark. Three apples, same as always.

"They ain't here to cause trouble. I can tell." Applejack fixed Starlight with a firm look. "But you do know more than you're letting on, on account of you were looking for something when she showed up."

Starlight sighed. "Well... more like somepony, but it looks like she's a no-show. That means..." She gulped. "It's - it's up to us then."

"B, but... but w-what do we do?"

Starlight had nearly forgotten Derpy and the Doctor were there, for how little they had spoken. The former trembled, the latter's forelegs wrapped comfortingly around her.

"While I'm all in favor of an act of defiance," said the Doctor, "I should mention we're still locked in."

Rainbow rolled her shoulders and flexed her wings. "She didn't block the windows. I can probably crack one open and airlift you guys out... but before we go anywhere, we need a plan to stop her."

Starlight took a deep breath. "I've got both. A plan, I mean, and a way out of here. Get as close to me as you can, everypony."

Sunset nodded knowingly, hooking her foreleg with one of Starlight's. The rest simply looked on quizzically.

"Come on, hurry!" Starlight waved them over with her hoof. "We only have so much time before Nightmare Moon comes back and realizes we're gone."

Rainbow, Applejack, Derpy, and the Doctor slowly approached Starlight, huddling as close as possible. Satisfied, Starlight's horn began to glow, gradually surrounding all six of them with a pale light. A second later, a bright flash issued forth, and they all vanished into thin air.

A Cup of Compassion

"You know, I reckon something don't add up."

As the party made their way down the switchback, Applejack spoke up.

Derpy tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"Well, we know Nightmare Missy knows we're here on account of we just found a trap and all, right?"

"That would seem to be the case, yes," said the Doctor.

Applejack ran a hoof through her mane where her hat should have been. "So why ain't she here to square off with us herself? She knows we need them Elements to stand a chance, don't she?"

Starlight nodded. "I always wondered about that myself... Why would she go to the trouble of setting all these traps when she knows we can't beat her in a fair fight anyway? That part never really made any sense to me."

Rainbow Dash quirked an eyebrow. "What do you mean, 'that part'? That part of what?"

Derpy hovered in the air and spread her forelegs wide. "Those two know what we have to do 'cause they're time travelers from the future!"

The entire party ground to a halt.

Rainbow and Applejack stared openly at the two unicorns.

"Time..." Rainbow glanced at Applejack.

"...travelers?" Applejack met Rainbow's gaze.

Starlight raised a hoof to her forehead in exasperation. "I'm not sure this was the best time to bring that up..."

Derpy winced. "Oops."

The Doctor grimaced before taking a step forward. "While I... do understand your trepidation, I would more than vouch for the veracity of their claim! I've seen the spell they used with my own eyes - or, most of it at the very least. Not to mention, their insight has been most accurate indeed! I - "

He stopped at the touch of a gray hoof on his shoulder as Derpy gave him a gentle tap. Glancing at the two mares again, he soon understood.

Applejack smirked. "Well, I'll be. Time travel... Ain't that something?"

"I'll say," agreed Rainbow. "Sure gives us a leg up I didn't know we had."

Sunset tilted her head a bit. "Wait, you... believe us? Just like that?"

Rainbow shrugged. "We're already hunting for a legendary weapon in the form of a set of ancient gems to fight off the Mare in the Moon herself and prevent eternal darkness from engulfing all of Equestria. I feel like time travel really isn't the weirdest part about this whole thing."

Sunset chuckled in response. "I mean, when you put it that way..."

"Nah, the weird part is what Applejack said," Dash continued. "We don't stand a chance against her until we have the Elements, so why doesn't she just come and beat us now before we even get close to them?"

Silence passed between them for a minute as the switchback leveled out onto flat ground once more. The vegetation of the valley was thicker and looked a great deal less friendly than the soggy trees that passed them by earlier, but at least the path ahead was still somehow clearly defined.

Starlight's brow furrowed, her gaze stuck to the dirt in front of her hooves.

Sunset sighed quietly. "I know that look. You're trying to figure it out, aren't you?"

"There has to be an answer," said Starlight. "And I'm worried that without it, I might just be leading us all into... well, something worse than a rock slide."

"You know, I was kind of joking before... but I think you have been spending too much time around Twilight," said Sunset. "Yeah, you might be basically leading this thing, but that doesn't mean you're our commanding officer. You're our friend. Put a little more faith in us, will you?"

Starlight bit her lip and glanced away.

Sunset sighed. "You're still blaming yourself for this whole thing."

"After everything that's happened so far, how can I not?"

Sunset bit her tongue. This conversation was getting tiresome; if she was going to help Starlight lighten up about the whole thing, clearly she needed a different approach.

Unfortunately, the sight of a menacing figure ahead of them on the path brought both her thoughts and the party to a halt once again.

"There you are!"

Applejack, however, only had eyes for the familiar brown Stetson sitting atop a thorny bush nearby. Trotting forward, she carefully reached out and claimed the hat for herself, settling it back in its rightful place atop her head. "Much better. Sorry about the holdup, y'all, but..."

She trailed off as she met five deeply concerned faces glancing between her and something right behind her.

"Applejack!" hissed Starlight. "Don't... move...!"

"What in tarnation are y'all staring at?" Applejack spun on her hooves and found herself staring right into the distinctly displeased face of a manticore lying barely a meter from her, leathery wings flared and venomous tail poised to strike.

"Oh," said Applejack. "That's what."

The manticore leaned forward and roared inches from her muzzle, prompting Applejack to yelp in alarm and sprint at full speed back behind friendly lines.

"W, w, what do we do...?" Derpy shivered, sheltering herself behind the Doctor. "It's b-blocking the path..."

"We'll just have to fight our way through," said Sunset, her horn lighting up as her magic charged.

With a flurry of wings, Rainbow Dash landed in front of her.

Sunset kept her eyes fixed on the creature. "Ready to do this, Rain - wait, what?"

Sunset's spell fizzled as she watched Rainbow shrug the metal bracers off her forelegs.

"Everypony chill out," said Rainbow. "I got this."

The Doctor craned his neck for a better look. "What in blue blazes is she doing...?"

Rainbow Dash took slow, deliberate steps toward the manticore, smiling softly as she did so.

"Easy there, big guy," she cooed. "Sun's getting real low..."

The manticore did not growl or snarl, settling for merely baring its fangs instead... but as Rainbow stopped just short of its reach and laid on her belly, it dropped even this display and instead sniffed at her curiously.

"C'mon, you big furball," Rainbow continued, her voice calm. "What's eating you?"

The manticore hesitated for a few seconds before climbing to its feet and taking a step forward. Rainbow gave it a quick glance-over as it did so; it seemed to be favoring one of its hind legs, as though reluctant to put weight on it. With an ungraceful whumpf, it plopped down in front of her and stared, as though expectant.

Rainbow sat up, gingerly raising a hoof toward the manticore's face, pausing to let it sniff some more before gently rubbing the creature's chin with it. "See, there we go. We're not here for a fight, I promise."

Her pulse having slowed to a somewhat calmer rate, Derpy found herself smiling. "Aww, it's kinda cute! Well, almost..."

Distracted by the touch of Rainbow's hoof, the manticore let its hind leg slide outward... which revealed a long gash upon it, still wet with blood.

"Oh, geez. No wonder..." Rainbow sucked in a breath through her teeth and turned back toward the party still huddled several paces away. "Hey guys, you gotta help me with this!"

After a moment of hesitation, Starlight straightened up. "What should we do?"

Rainbow glanced at the manticore's wound again. "I need a bandage from Doc's saddle bag and a bunch of leaves from a hinalle plant."

"Got it!" Derpy held up a roll of cloth.

"I saw some hinalle growing near the bottom of the switchback," said Sunset. "I'll be right back!"

In a matter of moments, she returned with a small bundle of slender green leaflets in her magical grip.

"Okay, bring those here nice and slow." Now sitting beside the manticore's injured leg, Rainbow beckoned Sunset and Derpy over to her. The manticore's eyes followed them warily, but to their great relief, it otherwise sat still.

Starlight leaned over, whispering to the Doctor. "What is that stuff?"

"Hinalle. Wonderful plant, that one," said the Doctor. "The oil in its leaves makes for a natural disinfectant and pain reliever. Only seems to grow deep in the forest here though, so it's a tad on the rare side."

"Huh." Starlight blinked. "That's... pretty convenient."

The Doctor quirked an eyebrow. "Learned as you are, I'm surprised you're not already familiar."

Starlight shrugged. "I'm a sorceress, not a botanist."

Rainbow tucked the end of the bandage into itself. Several leaflets, wrung dry of their oil, sat in a pile beside her. "There you go, big guy. Better?"

The manticore replied by nuzzling her face, purring loudly.

"He-hey, stop! That tickles!"

Derpy giggled. "Okay. Definitely cute."

Starlight trotted up curiously. "How did you do all this?"

Rainbow gave the manticore's mane a quick ruffle before turning to Starlight. "I've fought plenty of manticores before to keep them away from town. I know what it looks like when one is hungry or defending its territory, and this one wasn't doing either of those."

"Is that why we didn't just fight it and move on?" asked Sunset.

Rainbow frowned at her. "The most important thing to know about fighting is when not to do it. Manticores aren't brainless monsters like timberwolves - they're smarter than they look, and they deserve a chance just like anypony else."

Sunset glanced away.

"Besides," Rainbow continued with a glance at the bandaged paw behind her, "this wasn't an accident."

Satisfied there was no longer any danger, the Doctor wandered up. "This was another trap, then?"

Rainbow nodded. "Something made a long, clean cut in its leg. Something sharp... like a blade."

"One guess who might'a done that," grumbled Applejack.

"Exactly," agreed Starlight. "So if your friend here is going to be okay, we should get moving. We don't know what else is waiting for us ahead."

"He'll be fine now!" Rainbow grinned as she slipped her bracers back on. "Right, big guy?"

She received a low-pitched meow in reply.

An Ounce of Optimism

"Sooo..."

Starlight gazed about as the group marched on into the ever-expanding forest.

Sunset quirked an eyebrow. "So what?"

"Did any of that seem... weird to you, just now?" Starlight glanced back at the party as she spoke.

Sunset rolled her eyes. "You mean, other than the fact that it was probably the most un-Rainbow-like thing I've ever seen Rainbow do? Nah, no way."

Starlight stared at the canopy above the path. Was it just her imagination, or did it seem to be gradually closing up?

"I heard that," declared a raspy voice.

Starlight winced as a blue pegasus caught up with them. "Sorry, Rainbow Dash. We're just... thinking out loud, is all."

"S'fine." Rainbow shrugged. "So the Rainbow you remember is different, huh?"

"Just a tad," said Starlight. "She, uh, probably wouldn't have been quite that merciful with the manticore back there."

Rainbow seemed to ponder this for a moment. "Well... she's probably got her reasons, I guess," she said at length.

"That's pretty different too," said Sunset. "She's not nearly this modest, or open to differing perspectives."

Starlight nodded. "I know one thing you have in common, though: you both definitely have a thing for helping those in need. I guess no matter the timeline, Rainbow Dash is always a dependable pony."

"Yeah, well." Rainbow reclined in midair, somehow still keeping herself aloft as she folded her armored forelegs behind her head. "Good to know my awesomeness is a constant then."

Sunset snickered. "Yeah, that's more like the Rainbow we know."

"Say, I'm curious..." Starlight scratched her head. "Where's Fluttershy?"

Rainbow flailed in alarm, nearly falling out of the air before righting herself and looking away pointedly. "W... where'd you get that name?"

Starlight blinked. "In our timeline, you two are practically best friends. Why, did something - "

"I don't want to talk about it." Rainbow's voice cracked as she cut off Starlight's inquiry.

Starlight's gaze briefly met Sunset's. "Uh... alright. I guess it's not really that important."

Trees rustling in the breeze punctuated the silence between them.

"I'm - " Rainbow cleared her throat. "...I'm gonna go scout ahead."

"Alright. Don't go too far," advised Starlight.

With that, Rainbow fluttered a ways ahead down the path, somehow staying within view despite not glancing back to make sure, but remaining as far out of earshot as possible.

A soft voice came from behind the two unicorns. "Is something wrong?"

Starlight glanced back once again to find that it was now Derpy's turn to catch up to them. "I'm not sure... I think we struck a nerve."

"Does the name Fluttershy mean anything to you?" asked Sunset.

Derpy shook her head. "Uh-uh."

"It's fine, Sunset," said Starlight. "We have more important things to worry about right now, and I don't want to upset her more than we already have."

Sunset sighed. "Yeah, fair."

"Uh..." Derpy pointed a hoof forward. "Would one of those things involve finding out why Rainbow is staring at the darkness like that?"

"Huh?"

Starlight squinted at the path ahead, only barely able to see in what little moonlight now pierced the thick forest canopy above. Sure enough, Rainbow Dash stood perfectly still, transfixed by something ahead of her in the darkness. Moreover, her tail was tucked between her hind legs, and her ears were flat against her head. As she got closer, she realized she could hear Rainbow's ragged breathing, coming out in uneven gasps that made her sound on the verge of hyperventilating.

"Rainbow!" Starlight hissed. "Rainbow, what's going on?"

No response. Rainbow was frozen stiff.

The party came to a halt just a few feet back from where Rainbow stood, unable to read the situation.

"What in tarnation got her all spooked?" Applejack held her hat against her head, as though hoping it might shield her from whatever was ahead of them.

"My turn," said Sunset. Taking a step forward, her horn lit up, an orb of flame bursting from it to hover above her head and cast a warm light over the area.

The six of them now stood in a small clearing, its confines only barely visible even in the light of the miniature sun... which also illuminated a multitude of dangerous creatures staring them down from all sides - a snarling timberwolf, a towering minotaur wielding a hefty battle axe, a skeletal pony holding a dagger in its mouth... Even a swarm of parasprites stood to bar their way.

"It's a trap!" yelled Starlight. "Fall back!"

There were two distinct problems with this suggestion. The first was that the path behind them was now just as blocked as the path ahead, the aforementioned minotaur glaring at them from behind... and the second was that none of them seemed willing to move so much as a muscle.

Starlight trembled, barely able to stay on her hooves. How had all these things managed to sneak up on them so readily? Why hadn't Rainbow warned them something was wrong? She wanted to fight, to rush forward and try to give her friends some sort of opening to at least flee and regroup, but her legs were too busy shaking to cooperate. She opened her mouth to speak, to question the situation at least, but all her throat could produce was a strangled cry.

Mere minutes ago, they had stared down a furious manticore and lived to tell the tale. In the back of her mind, Starlight knew something was disturbingly off about the whole situation - well, beyond the fact that they were surrounded by foes chomping at the bit to tear their party to ribbons - but her brain was too addled with adrenaline-fueled panic to do much of anything.

snrk

Except... wonder what that noise was?

"Pfft, hehehe..."

Was... was that a snicker? Their foes celebrating their helplessness, no doubt... except that it was coming from right beside her.

"Hahahaha~!"

The Doctor, having remained strangely quiet for some time, suddenly broke the eerie silence of the standoff with a genuinely amused chuckle.

"D... Doc... tor..." Starlight's voice was half whimper, half frustrated hiss. "What are... you... doing...?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing at all!" By contrast, the Doctor's voice was nothing short of jovial. "Just wondering what we must have done to anger these fine folks so! Look at this one." He pointed a hoof at the skeletal pony. "He's got a real bone to pick with us, hasn't he?"

The silence reigned for several more seconds, before...

"Hmhmhm, heheheheheee~" Derpy's bubbly giggle joined in.

"Wh...? Derpy!"

"What?" Derpy fought to get her words through her giggles. "It was funny~"

"But we should really watch out for this one," the Doctor continued, now turning toward the minotaur as it gave a furious snort and tightened its grip on the axe in its hands. "He's got a major beef!"

Now it was Applejack's turn to join in the amusement. "Heheh, beef..." Repeating the joke to herself had her suddenly burst out laughing as well.

"Applejack, what's gotten into you?"

Grinning, the Doctor turned toward the timberwolf. "I wouldn't worry about this one though. This dog is... all bark and no bite!"

"PFFT!" Rainbow flopped onto her back and clutched her chest. "D'ahahaha!"

"Rainbow, not you too!"

"And these over here!" The Doctor scowled, pointing a hoof at the parasprites. "You're no threat! Just a nuisance is all. You lot had better..." He paused briefly, already laughing at his own joke. "...bugger off!"

Sunset covered her muzzle with her forelegs, shaking with mirth.

Visibly incensed, Starlight whirled on the rest of the party. "Come on, this is serious! We've got a major fight on our hooves! We need to rally and..."

She trailed off as she met the Doctor's confident smirk, their companions too busy giggling to themselves to respond.

"Wait..." Blinking, Starlight glanced around. "Something's not right here."

The Doctor trotted nonchalantly up to the minotaur and gave it a poke with his hoof. As though made of dry sand, it dissolved immediately and vanished.

"An illusion," said Starlight. "But illusions aren't this powerful! Unless..."

"Unless they're backed with an enchantment?" suggested the Doctor. "Such as, oh, I don't know... a fear enchantment?"

Starlight practically gaped at him. "But... how did you recognize it? You're not even a unicorn."

"I had my fair share of adventures when I was your age," he said as he trotted around the clearing, dissipating the rest of the illusory creatures as he went. "Ran into more strange magic than you can shake a stick at! Had to get good at improvising, you see. Turns out nothing breaks a fear enchantment like a good, hearty chuckle!"

Starlight sighed, but smiled in spite of herself. She spared a look at the others, who seemed to have finished laughing and were simply exchanging looks with varying degrees of amusement.

"But puns though? Seriously, Doc?" Rainbow gave him an incredulous look.

A beaming grin was his only response.

Derpy wiped a happy tear from her face. "Hehe... I mean, it worked, didn't it?"

"Sure did," said Applejack. "Reckon that's another trap down."

"Looks that way." Smiling, Sunset gave a flare of her horn and brightened her hovering light source. "Here, everyone. Stay behind me until we get some moonlight back."

A Crescendo of Charity

"No, seriously," said Starlight. "How do you recognize an enchantment like that without mana sensitivity?"

The party trotted along under moonlight once more. If not for the threat of eternal night literally hanging over them, Starlight would have been content to stare at the sky for hours; true to her name, she usually found the sight of the stars twinkling peacefully to be quite soothing. Under the circumstances, she fought to suppress a bitter sigh instead, preferring conversation to take her mind off things.

"Oh, exposure mainly," the Doctor mused. "It takes practice to notice the subtle variations between natural sensations and those magically induced, you see. The fight-or-flight response is a tricky one on both sides of the equation, but it surprises me little to see the likes of Nightmare Moon capable of such a feat."

Starlight stared at him. "So you've seen enough enchantments that you can recognize them from feel alone? That's really impressive."

The Doctor chuckled. "I was quite the adventurer in my youth! I could tell tales of my exploits for hours if we had the luxury of them."

Starlight blinked. "What do you mean, 'in your youth'? You can't be that old."

"That's another long story, I'm afraid," he admitted, glancing back at the hourglass on his flank. "Suffice it for the time being to say that you likely haven't guessed what I got this for!"

Starlight opened her mouth, then closed it without speaking. She hadn't spared the matter any thought before, but now she was intensely curious. What did his cutie mark mean?

She lost the opportunity to ponder the matter when her ears picked up the sound of rushing water. Before long, the six of them stood on the bank of a raging river at least a dozen meters wide.

Starlight blinked, staring at it for a few seconds. Why did it seem so familiar?

Sunset tilted her head. "Huh. Well, this shouldn't be too hard to deal with."

Rainbow gave Derpy a pat on the shoulder. "Ready for a workout, girl?"

"I... I guess so," said Derpy, sliding out of her saddlebags. "It doesn't look super far or anything, so it should be fine!"

Dropping her bracers and flexing her forelegs, Rainbow looked over the four grounded ponies. "Okay, who wants to go first?"

"Reckon I'll give it a go," said Applejack.

"Same," added Sunset as she turned to Starlight. "Think you can keep an eye on us just in case?"

Starlight gingerly rubbed her horn. "I'm still kind of burned out after that teleport..."

Sunset winced sympathetically. "We should be fine, anyway. It's not far."

With that, Rainbow hooked all four legs around Applejack's barrel, and Derpy did the same with Sunset. While it looked a little silly, they were far more concerned with getting across quickly.

"Okay. And a one, and a two, and... lift!"

Starlight watched as the two pegasi flapped hard; though Rainbow was visibly the stronger flier, the two made it into the air with relative ease. It was then that she thought she saw movement under the water, and her heart skipped a beat.

Suddenly, Starlight realized why the river was familiar to her.

A dark shape was growing, rising up from the river bed just as four ponies hovered over it.

"Stop, come back!" Starlight waved her forelegs frantically. "Look out! There's something in the - "

Her warning came too late.

A long, serpentine tail lashed out of the water, four ponies screaming in alarm as it coiled around them in a blink. The other end of the creature surfaced beside its prize, its eyes flashing from beneath a strangely well-kept orange mane as it gazed down its moustached purple snout at them.

"We-he-hell, look what we have here," declared the creature in a silky voice as he looked over his captives. "It's not often I see ponies this deep in the forest. You're a rare catch indeed!"

"Let us go, you big ugly jerk!" snarled Rainbow.

The serpent gasped, raising a hand to its forehead. "Oh! Well, I never!"

Power began charging in Sunset's horn. "Let's see how you like a taste of - " Her sentence and her spell both ceased as the air was squeezed from her lungs.

"Ah-ah, can't have that now," scolded the serpent.

Sunset fumed from within her scaly prison even as she gasped for breath. "Just once... will somebody... let me get a freaking shot off?!"

From the sidelines, Starlight readied a spell in Sunset's place... but dropped it almost immediately. Grimacing, she raised a hoof to her horn. "Ow ow ow... come on, you useless...!"

"It's been ever so long since I've caught myself any ponies," said the serpent. "And what a lively bunch! Good timing, too; I've been feeling rather peckish of late..."

Five faces paled. The sixth breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh, you're hungry?" In spite of her predicament, Derpy smiled. "Well why didn't you say so? I've got tons of muffins in my saddlebag! You're welcome to have one if you let us go."

The serpent laughed. "You think a single measly muffin will sate my hunger? My, how amusing you are!"

Derpy bit her lip and giggled nervously. "Um, well... I guess you can have them all then! It's okay, don't worry; I'm not all that hungry right now anyway..."

The serpent snorted at them. "You continue to miss the point, possibly deliberately." He raised a comically undersized hand to his chin, looking thoughtful. "I'm thinking something pony-sized ought to satisfy me."

Derpy shivered as she and her friends squirmed uselessly in the serpent's grasp.

"But I'm feeling especially nice today," he continued. "I'll let you make the decision amongst yourselves. I only plan to eat one of you, and the rest can pass freely."

"No deal!" snarled Applejack. "Let us go!"

The serpent raised the squirming ponies to his eye level, fixing a cold glare upon them. "I wouldn't recommend that. I have no qualms about eating all four of you if need be, even if it'll give me a tummyache later on. Ponies are too tasty to pass up, you see."

A desperate second attempt at magic left Starlight gasping for breath and clutching her head.

"Miss Glimmer, stop!" The Doctor put a foreleg over her shoulders. "Your horn hasn't healed yet. You're as like as not to pass out if you keep that up!"

"I have... to save them..." she panted. "Can't... can't let him..."

There had to be an answer. There had to be! She couldn't bear the thought of getting other ponies eaten because of her own mistake. Her heart skipped a beat as the answer came to her - there was no other way.

"...me. P-please... eat - eat me."

Until another made the decision for her.

"Please," Derpy begged, trembling. "Just... just eat me and let them go!"

"No!" The Doctor made to dash forward reflexively, stumbling as he stopped himself from tumbling into the river. "Derpy, don't do this!"

"I... I promised." Derpy's voice was barely audible over the rushing water. "I p-promised you guys could - could count on me. I have to do this, for Ponyville... for - for Equestria...!"

"June bug, this ain't what I meant," pleaded Applejack. "I didn't mean you oughtta go and throw your life away."

"But - but you also said we... we might not all m-make it back," said Derpy.

Applejack winced and said nothing.

"I'm no-nopony special," Derpy continued. "I'm not a... a warrior, or an inventor, or a t-time traveler. All I do is... deliver mail and - and bake muffins. You guys are - are the ones who need to find the Elements." She swallowed, choking back a sob. "...Not me."

Before the others could offer any more objections, the serpent's grip slackened just enough that he could pluck Derpy in one scaly claw. He flung the rest of the ponies back onto solid ground beside Starlight and the Doctor, where they tumbled roughly to a halt.

"In all my years, I have never seen a creature so eager to be eaten," said the serpent, holding Derpy tightly. "Sure this is what you want, then?"

Derpy squeezed her eyes shut as tears streamed down her face. "A-as... long as you p-promise my - my friends will be safe...!"

The serpent licked his lips. "As you wish~"

Shaking like a leaf, Derpy sobbed as she waited for the end.

And waited.

...and waited.

"No."

The sound of the serpent's voice caused Derpy to slowly open her eyes, one at a time.

"No," he repeated, staring straight at the pony in his claw. "I... I won't do it. You can't make me!"

Derpy blinked. "H... huh...?"

The serpent clutched his head with his other claw as though struck by a terrible headache. "I won't eat this cute, selfless little pony! You can't make me!"

With that, he tilted his head back and let out an anguished wail. The sound of shattering glass rang out, and fragments of something ethereal flew out of his skull and vanished. His claw fell open, causing Derpy to tumble free and plummet toward the river... only to be swept up in Rainbow's forelegs inches above the raging water.

The next thing she knew, Derpy was surrounded by ponies all nuzzling her reassuringly as she fought to steady her ragged breaths and calm her pounding heart.

The serpent wept openly, covering his eyes with his claws. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, I don't know what came over me! I haven't eaten a pony in two hundred years now. I promised her I would never do it again..."

Starlight had a hunch she knew who he was talking about.

"Please," begged the serpent. "I'll do anything if you'll just forgive me...!"

This was more of Nightmare Moon's work; that much was obvious. Starlight opened her mouth to speak, but for the second time, another beat her to it.

"I forgive you," said Derpy in a small voice.

Five ponies and a serpent stared at her.

"You know what you did was wrong, you apologized, and... and you're trying to make amends," she explained as she wiped her face on her foreleg. "So... of course I forgive you."

The serpent took a deep breath. "You're too gracious by half, I mean it..." He took a bow. "So what can I do for you? Just give the word!"

Seeing the rest of the party's hesitation, Starlight cleared her throat. "We're trying to get to the Castle of the Two Sisters, deep in the forest."

"Oh! Well, you're most of the way there already," said the serpent, pointing at something behind him. "It's just down this path, you see! But the bridge washed away long ago... and that gives me an idea!"

With a quick twist that made his back pop noisily, the serpent stretched his body across the river, connecting the two banks.

"Oh, that's perfect!" Starlight smiled, motioning toward the others. "Come on, let's go!"

After taking a moment to gather their things, the ponies marched single file over the serpent's spine, making the river crossing with ease.

As soon as they were all safely across, the serpent straightened up once more. "If you're ever in the area again and need any help, all you have to do is ask."

"Of course." Derpy waved at him. "We have to go now, so we'll see you later!"

"Do stay safe!" The serpent waved as the ponies trotted away down the path.

A Deluge of Devotion

Author's Note

v1.1

A Deluge of Devotion

As soon as the sound of the river faded behind them, Derpy staggered.

"Easy now," said the Doctor, giving her his shoulder to lean on.

Starlight frowned. "Derpy, are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine, I promise," said Derpy with a tired giggle. "It's okay, we really need to - whoa!" She staggered again, practically crashing into the Doctor beside her.

Starlight shook her head. "You've just been through a lot. I think we ought to rest for a bit."

"No complaints here," agreed Sunset. "We've been walking for hours now."

A general murmur of assent came from the rest of the party. In minutes, the six of them sat huddled around a small campfire in the middle of the path, munching on muffins and passing a canteen of water between them.

"What time is it, you reckon?" Applejack craned her neck skyward, her eyes lingering on the bright moon above. "My senses are all mucked up on account of it's still dark."

"Well, I didn't exactly bring a watch..." Sunset lifted her fetlock and glanced at it. "...but it's gotta be at least noon by now."

Starlight swallowed a bite of muffin. "That's an eerie thought..." After a pause, a thought occurred to her. "Hey Derpy, how are...?"

She paused as she caught sight of the mare dozing peacefully on the Doctor's shoulder. He smiled down at her for a moment before looking up at Starlight and raising a hoof to his lips.

Rainbow sighed quietly. "It's scary how determined she was back there. Good thing it all worked out okay, right?"

"I've known her for years," said the Doctor, "and for all her smiles, I had no idea she struggled so... I can only hope this trip brings her some confidence."

Starlight nodded. "She deserves it."

A few minutes later, after the muffins were eaten and the canteen was drained, the party broke their tiny camp and carried on. Though it had been brief, Derpy seemed reinvigorated after her nap, and now trotted along happily.

"Hey, look!"

A thick fog blanketed the terrain ahead of them, but just at the edge of their vision, a set of ancient spires was visible above the mist.

"There it is!" Rainbow hovered overhead, pointing her metal-clad hoof. "We're almost home free!"

"Don't let your guard down yet," warned Starlight. "There could still be danger between us and it."

"Uh... case in point, maybe?"

Applejack pointed at the abrupt end of the path in front of them, giving way to a chasm filled with fog.

Sunset scowled at it. "Another gap to cross? Feels like too many variations on the same theme, if you ask me."

"Look, there's a bridge!" Derpy pointed to a pair of wooden supports driven into the ground, to which the ends of a rope bridge were tied. As she approached it, however, she soon found herself peering over the edge of the cliff. "Oh, but um... I don't think it goes in the direction we wanted..."

Sure enough, the bridge hung down into the chasm, apparently severed somewhere along its length.

"No problem," said Rainbow. "I can just fly down and fix it myself. I'll be back in a flash!"

"Wait, flash...?" Starlight blinked. "Hang on, Rainbow. I have a better idea."

Rainbow flailed to a stop in midair. "Huh?"

Starlight turned to Sunset. "You should do it."

"Uh." Sunset glanced between Starlight and Rainbow. "Wait, why me?"

Starlight walked up to her and spoke quietly. "Do you trust me?"

Sunset quirked an eyebrow. "Well, duh. Of course I do."

"Then it has to be you. I think I know what's coming up next... and it's something you in particular have to face."

Sunset took a deep breath, her gaze resting on the fog ahead. "Alright... well, then here goes."

Teleportation was a trick Sunset hadn't used in a long time; she wasn't capable of that sort of magic in human form. Thankfully, it was a skill that required far too much time and effort to learn in the first place for her to ever forget it. With her eyes locked on the far end of the chasm, her horn flared; in an instant, she stood in unfamiliar surroundings.

She turned to face the way she came. Five indistinct figures milled about back on the other side, only barely visible through the mist, and she called out to them. "Hey! I made it!"

There was no response.

"Great, they can't hear me," she grumbled. "Oh well. Let's take care of this thing."

It took concentration to reach all the way back across the chasm, but soon she felt the end of the bridge in her magical grip. A pair of supports stood on this side as well, undamaged but for the time they had spent unshielded from the weather; before long, one half of the bridge was secured.

"Huh?"

A glow emanated from behind Sunset.

Curious, she spun around for a better look... and gasped at the sight of her cutie mark hovering in midair before her, shining brilliantly with a warm light.

Almost instinctively, she took a step closer, noticing instantly that it was giving off more than just light. The emblem also radiated power, palpable through her whole body. It was a pleasant sensation, an inviting one. At once, she knew it was an offer - an offer of everything she had ever wanted.

Her mind drifted back years, to her days as Celestia's personal student. The sun princess saw her unparalleled potential, but needed to test her properly to ensure she would put that potential to good use - to employ her power harmoniously were she to tap into it.

Curse that stupid mirror.

Her future stared back at her when she looked into it. It had to be! She could feel it. Celestia and her arbitrary rules were only standing in the way of what Sunset deserved! And now -

Now that power she had sought for years stood right in front of her, all but begging her to take it.

Before she knew it, her forehoof was already extended toward the emblem, a tingling sensation in her leg intensifying the closer she got to it. It was intoxicating. Her heart pounded.

She'd show them.

She'd show them all how to respect the name Sunset Shimmer.

She would show the whole world -

"NO!"

Sunset wrenched her hoof away from the emblem, the sudden momentum causing her to topple backward onto her haunches.

"I'm not that Sunset anymore!" Frightened by how quickly the unspoken offer had tempted her and determined to defy it, Sunset glared daggers at the floating cutie mark. "I've changed! Celestia was right - I wasn't ready, and I'm still not... but there's no way I'm falling for an empty promise from a stupid floaty light!"

The emblem hovered unfalteringly.

"Get away from me," she snarled, fuming. "I've got friends waiting for me." With that, she turned her back on the emblem and picked up the untied end of the rope bridge.

In an instant, the emblem dissipated. In its place was a rapidly expanding screen of magic that encased Sunset like a giant bubble. It emitted a brief hiss before going quiet.

" - !"

Sunset opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out as the breath was sucked from her lungs. She tried to gasp in surprise, to no avail - all the air inside the bubble had been evacuated, leaving her in a vacuum. Her mind racing, she wound her hoof back and pounded on the magic screen, but it held fast.

Her lungs began to burn. She called on her teleportation again, a short jump to escape the bubble trying to suffocate her... but as her spell went off, she felt as though she'd just slammed herself bodily into a brick wall, no closer to safety... and a sharp pain from her forehead told her the attempt had singed her horn.

She staggered inside her prison, her eyes unfocusing from the ache in her head and her lungs. At the rate she was going, she had mere seconds of consciousness left and no idea what to -

The bridge!

Stars swam in Sunset's vision as she reached out once more, fighting through the pain with all her remaining strength as she telekinetically lifted the untied rope and slowly coiled it around the bridge support. She tugged and tugged, desperate to tighten it as much as she could - if it unraveled while the others were trying to cross it, then...

...then...

...then all she knew was darkness.

"...set? W..."

Muffled speech registered dimly in the recesses of Sunset's mind.

"...kay? Say some..."

Was someone talking to her? Whatever it was, it would have to wait till morning. She was way too tired to -

She felt herself being shaken gently.

"Wake up, Sunset. Come on, we need you..."

Finally, Sunset's eyes eased open. Through the stars still clouding her vision, she saw a pair of worried indigo eyes staring down at her.

"Star... light...?"

The worried gaze softened into a relieved smile. The next thing she knew, she was being held firmly.

"I'm so sorry, Sunset..." Starlight's voice was barely above a whisper. "I thought I knew what I was doing, but I... I almost..."

"Hah..." Still winded from the experience, Sunset's words came in between heavy breaths. "You were... you were right though..."

"Huh...?"

Sunset sat up slowly and spent a moment catching her breath, raising a hoof to gingerly rub her burnt horn. With any luck, the injury wasn't as bad as Starlight's, but it still stung in more ways than one. "This just got personal. That trap wasn't meant for the first pony across the gap... It was meant for the one and only Sunset Shimmer."

Derpy shivered. "That's scary..."

"I wasn't sure at first," Sunset continued, "when you said Nightmare Moon knew we were here. She could have set those traps beforehand in case anyone wised up and came looking for the Elements... but this? There's no way."

The rest of the party exchanged worried glances before looking back down as Sunset slowly climbed up on all fours with Starlight's help.

"Before you ask, I'm fine now. My horn's seen worse than this, anyway." Sunset's face hardened into a scowl. "Might have needed a good kick in the teeth, now that I think about it. Let's go teach this lunatic who's boss."

A chorus of cheers rang out as the six of them marched onward, the castle ruins looming ahead in the darkness.

My Own Private Equestria

Six ponies stared up at the ruins of the Castle of the Two Sisters.

"You know... under less dire circumstances, I should have liked to explore this place a bit more thoroughly," said the Doctor. "These ruins must be full of historically relevant artifacts! Perhaps we could make another expedition once things have calmed down, hm?"

"Let's worry about that later." Sunset marched forward. "We've got a villain to thwart."

The Doctor leaned toward Starlight. "She is taking things a tad more seriously, isn't she?"

Starlight sighed. "I don't know her all that well yet, but she's confided in me at least a few things about her past. Given what that last trap put her through... I don't blame her at all for the attitude change."

"Maybe we shouldn't be letting her wander in there without us, though?" asked Applejack.

"Oh, right." Starlight waved her hoof. "Come on, everypony. The Elements should be right..."

The six of them filed in through the front door into a wide foyer.

"...there!"

In the center of a room barely defined by its crumbling walls stood what appeared to be a stone sculpture composed of several spheres set around a central column. The party stared at it.

Rainbow quirked an eyebrow. "Well, I dunno what I expected..."

Starlight stepped forward carefully, muttering to herself. "Okay, so... should be any moment now..." She frowned as she reached the column itself uneventfully. "Oh. Then... how do I...?"

Derpy stage-whispered to the others. "What's she doing?"

"She's probably trying to trigger whatever she remembers happening next in the story," Sunset explained.

"Ugh, I was afraid of this..." Starlight sighed as she stepped back and closed her eyes, her horn lighting up. With a chorus of "ow, ow, ow," the light from her horn enveloped the stone spheres.

Immediately, a strange force erupted from the base of the column, washing over five sets of hooves.

"Wh - Oh no!" Derpy flapped her wings desperately but couldn't so much as budge an inch. "I'm stuck!"

"Rrgh!" Sunset grunted; it felt as though her hooves had been magnetized to the floor. "Should've known it wouldn't be that easy...!"

"Hang on!" Having evaded the effect while in midair, Rainbow swooped down and grabbed Applejack's shoulders, lifting with all the power her wings could muster... but all it resulted in was her neck emitting a loud pop.

"Ooh, that's better," said Applejack. "Mighty thankful, Dash."

Rainbow was spared the need to reply as the shadow of the sculpture in the moonlight began to twist and warp. It expanded as it rose from the floor, assuming a chillingly familiar equine shape.

BZAP!

Before anyone could react, a bolt of magic aimed squarely at Nightmare Moon's head erupted from Sunset's horn.

ZZZT zzzt...

The bolt struck an invisible shield, blue energy splashing across its surface and dissipating.

"Guh...!" Sunset gasped, wincing from the pain in her horn. "F-Figures..."

"Don't worry, guys, I can still grab the - urk!" A cold blue aura halted Rainbow in midair and threw her to the ground, her hooves binding to it immediately on contact.

"I tried to teach you obedience." Nightmare Moon's expression was inscrutable. "None of you would have been in any danger tonight if you had done as I asked. Instead, you decided to play 'hero' and waste both your lives and my time on this misguided act of rebellion."

Rainbow growled. "Why should we listen to you?"

"Because I am your queen." Nightmare Moon strode forward, lifting Rainbow's chin with her forehoof. "You will serve as an example of the cost of defiance. I am blameless in this; your blood is on your own hooves."

Rainbow spat at her. "You've got one last chance to surrender, you - "

The already raised hoof struck Rainbow's face in a blink, leaving her reeling.

Nightmare Moon turned away, stepping up to gaze at the sculpture. "But before the festivities can begin, I see that I must remove a certain temptation for the good of Equestria. I had hoped to keep them for further study, but it is of little consequence."

The orbs upon the pedestal lit up briefly, an almighty crashing sound ringing out as they all shattered and littered the floor with innumerable fragments of stone and crystal.

Derpy shut her eyes as tears flooded them, her forelegs too stuck to the floor to wipe them away.

"No," whispered Applejack. "We... we came so far..."

"Ha!"

All eyes suddenly locked on Starlight, who had been silent throughout the confrontation thus far.

The Doctor blinked. "Er, Miss Glimmer... are you feeling alright?"

"Never better!" Starlight grinned. "I just wasn't expecting this to go so perfectly according to plan!"

Nightmare Moon raised an eyebrow at Starlight, but said nothing.

"I mean, I'm not sure exactly how important the shattering part is to the equation, but I know what to do from here." Starlight tried to raise a hoof to point at Nightmare Moon before remembering her bindings and settled for a confident smirk instead. "And you've sealed your own fate - hook, line, and sucker!"

Nightmare Moon stared at her, visibly unimpressed. "I'm listening."

"You haven't destroyed the Elements," said Starlight. "They can't be destroyed, because Harmony can't be destroyed. They'll always be with us, as long as there are ponies worthy of wielding them."

Sunset's scowl gradually grew into a smile.

Though she couldn't see any of the ponies behind her, Starlight called out all the same. "Derpy, do you remember what happened with the serpent?"

"How - How could I forget?" Derpy shivered. "I, I almost g-got eaten..."

"You made a sacrifice," said Starlight. "You were willing to give up everything - not just all the food you made, but even your own life - if it meant keeping the rest of us safe. That's an act of true Generosity."

As if on command, a pile of crystal shards rose into the air and soared toward Derpy. A golden necklace materialized upon her collar as the shards merged together, forming a round purple gemstone that sparkled in the moonlight. Its light washed over her body, freeing her from the magic binding her to the floor.

Derpy rose a hoof to her new necklace. "O-oh wow..."

"And you, Doctor," Starlight continued. "You've got the most genuine curiosity and optimism of any of us. You even broke a fear enchantment and lifted our spirits with nothing more than cheesy puns!" She couldn't help chuckling at the idea. "I think it's safe to say you've shown us all the power of Laughter."

Another pile of shards came to life, coalescing into a sky blue gemstone in the shape of an hourglass. The Doctor grinned down at it as it met the necklace he now wore.

"Marvelous!" he decided.

"Rainbow..." Starlight bit her lip. "I don't know what happened between you and Fluttershy, and I'm sorry if it was something painful... but after I watched you showing mercy to that manticore back there, stopping to take care of it when you didn't have to..." She stopped for a breath. "The Fluttershy I know would be proud of your Kindness."

A pink shield formed out of crystal shards and bestowed itself upon Rainbow.

"He-hey! Who the heck brought the onions?" Rainbow protested with a sniffle. "Cut it out, I mean it!"

Stifling a snicker, Starlight turned toward Sunset beside her. "Sunset, I may not know quite everything you've been through... but I know it must have been really hard resisting such a gift of power you've spent so much of your life searching for. Never mind that you've stuck by my side this whole time..."

Sunset rolled her eyes. "It's what friends do."

"Then I'm glad to call you my friend," said Starlight, "and I'm honored by your Loyalty."

A ruby red sun coalesced on Sunset's collar.

"And Applejack?"

"Aw ponyfeathers," said Applejack, squirming in place as she tried to fidget in spite of her restraints. "I didn't do much. Nothing special, really..."

"Oh, I don't know about that."

Starlight smiled as Derpy spoke up.

"You told me exactly what I needed to hear," she explained. "You took my worries seriously, didn't sugarcoat anything... and you gave me the confidence to step up and take part even when I was scared." She turned to Starlight. "Um... which one is that?"

"If you ask me, that sounds an awful lot like Honesty."

Applejack soon found herself sporting an orange apple-shaped gem.

"Well shucks... Weren't nothing, June bug."

"Ha!" The Doctor raised a triumphant hoof. "Looks like that's all five!"

Rainbow sneered. "What do you say to that, tall, dark, and evil?"

Nightmare Moon hadn't so much as flinched throughout the entire scene. As the six rebels turned back to her with renewed confidence, her horn glowed. A wave of pressure rolled over the party, sending the five new Element bearers sprawling across the floor.

"You are inadequate."

Starlight's hooves un-stuck from the floor as she felt herself being lifted into the air by cool blue magic. Her breathing went ragged as that same magic began tightening around her neck.

"You are insufficient," Nightmare Moon spat as she watched the pony in her grip struggle. "You are incomplete, you are inconsequential. You continue to waste my time, and your lives are still forfeit."

Starlight let out a strangled cry as the magic tightened further, her panicked flailing beginning to weaken.

"Starlight!" Derpy struggled to stand up. "W, what... b-but we..."

"We got all the Elements!" Rainbow took to the air once more. "Now what? How do we beat her?"

"What's she banging on about?" asked Applejack. "Sounds like she's saying..."

"...there's a sixth Element," Sunset finished.

"A sixth Element?" The Doctor stared at her in disbelief. "Why did this not come up until now?"

Sunset stepped forward, pointing a hoof at Starlight. "It's a weapon I once tried to turn toward evil ends. The Element that ties the rest together, the spark of Harmony itself... the Element of Magic!"

A tiara materialized atop Starlight's head. A gem appeared within it, a magenta four-pointed star. It flashed, shattering Nightmare Moon's grip on Starlight and sending her crashing to the floor, coughing and gasping for air. The other five ponies dashed forward, helping her back onto her hooves.

Nightmare Moon stared blankly at them. "What."

"Whew... thanks, everypony." Starlight shook her head vigorously. "Now we can end this!"

Nightmare Moon stomped her hoof with enough force to crack the stone beneath her. "No! How could you possibly know about the sixth Element?"

Sunset smirked at the Doctor. "That's why."

The Doctor matched her grin. "Clever girl."

Starlight stood surrounded by her friends, whose Elements lit up one after the next. As beams of light erupted from them and converged on her own, she felt the gentle warmth of the power of Harmony surging through her.

Nightmare Moon gritted her teeth, summoning a large, glistening shield between her and Starlight. "No! This is inconceivable! How did you know?!"

A brilliant rainbow burst forth from the Element of Magic, shattering the shield effortlessly on its way toward its target. Nightmare Moon's anguished wail echoed through the castle behind her as all was washed away in a blinding flash of light.

To Far Away Realities

"Unh..."

Starlight fell to the floor, panting. "Wow, that... sure takes it out of you, doesn't it...?"

Rainbow wobbled on her hooves as she shook her head in an attempt to free it of dizziness. "Whoa..."

"Hey, my horn's healed!" Sunset lit it with a brief light spell to demonstrate as she turned to Starlight. "Yours is, too!"

Starlight blinked, hesitating a moment before mimicking Sunset's test and smiling at its success. "Oh wow, that's much better."

"So, uh." Applejack coughed. "She ain't dead, right?"

All six ponies turned to look where Nightmare Moon had stood just moments before. The alicorn that lay before them no longer bore fangs, armor, or draconic eyes. She sat strangely still, but for the rise and fall of her chest and a slight parting of her lips, almost as though...

"She's..." Rainbow inched forward on silent wings, one eyebrow raised as she peered at the dark figure carefully. "...asleep?"

Derpy tilted her head. "Well, she went from 'scary and trying to kill us' to 'only a little spooky and also sleeping,' so... that's good, right?"

"Definitely." Starlight beamed. "We did it, everypony - she's back to normal."

"Well, reckon I ain't sure quite what we did, but..." Applejack trailed off.

"Dark magic," said the Doctor.

"Beg pardon?"

The Doctor cleared his throat. "Nightmare Moon was a being born of the corrupted essence of dark magic. The Elements banished that magic from her body, restoring her to the pony she was before."

Rainbow placed her forehooves on her hips. "Yeah, and just who would that be?"

"Princess Luna," said Starlight. "Princess Celestia's little sister."

"The Princess's..." began Rainbow.

"...little sister?" finished Applejack.

Starlight nodded. "Speaking of which, we still have one more thing to - "

"Hey, look!"

The ponies' eyes followed Derpy's pointing hoof to find a strange light descending gently from the sky. It slowed as it reached the floor of the castle foyer, expanding and taking shape... as it gradually coalesced into the form of an unconscious Princess Celestia.

"Oh. Well, that was easy enough." As the rest stared, Starlight trotted to her side, nudging the Princess's shoulder and stroking her ethereal mane. "Princess..." she breathed. "Princess Celestia, are you okay?"

With a faint moan, Celestia's eyes stirred... and soon opened. Several seconds passed as her mind took its time catching up with the situation, but as soon as it did -

"Sister?" She straightened up abruptly, causing Starlight to flinch. "Sister, where are you? What happened?"

The assembled ponies parted, giving Celestia a view of the slumbering mare on the other side of the room.

"I'm pleased to say she's unharmed, Your Highness!" The Doctor grinned as he gestured toward Luna. "These Elements of Harmony really did the trick, I'd wager."

"Elements of...!" Celestia gasped, her eyes now passing from one pony to the next - or more precisely to the necklaces they wore, her muzzle slowly curving into a smile as six brilliant gems sparkled back at her in the moonlight.

She took the hoof offered to her by Starlight and stood up. "My little ponies..." She shook her head, her eyes welling with tears. "No words can express my gratitude for what you've done today. The six of you have not only saved me, or even all of Equestria..."

She paused to swallow a lump in her throat as she approached the sleeping form of Luna and gently brushed her mane. "...but you've rescued my sweet little sister from the darkness in her heart - and in so doing, you've fixed one of the worst mistakes I have ever made." She took a shuddering breath. "I almost can't believe she's back to normal..."

Applejack lifted her hat from her head and held it over her chest. "Aw, we just did what needed doing, Princess. Ain't no big thing to it."

"I could hardly disagree more, miss...?"

"Oh! Uh, Applejack, Your Highness." Applejack set her hat aside and bowed.

With an eager smile, Celestia looked to the others expectantly, each one bowing as they spoke up.

"Doctor Whooves, at your command."

"Rainbow Dash, ma'am!"

"Uh, um... Derpy Hooves...!"

"Starlight Glimmer."

Sunset slowly retreated behind the pillar in the center of the room.

Celestia's smile faltered. "Sunset...?"

This was of course too little too late.

With an audible gulp, Sunset stepped back into view, staring determinedly at the floor.

"Sunset Shimmer, look at me," said the Princess.

Slowly, Sunset lifted her gaze to meet Celestia's.

"I do not yet understand what possessed you to reject my guidance and abandon your studies, and we haven't the time now for you to explain yourself..." Celestia sat down upon the stone, smiling once more. "...but for you to be standing here before me now, bearing an Element of Harmony, you are clearly a pony changed greatly for the better - and you have more than earned my forgiveness."

Before the tears had finished forming, Sunset bounded forward and wrapped her forelegs around Celestia's neck, earning an alabaster wing draped around her in return.

"Aww," Derpy cooed. "I don't know what's going on, but it's cute!"

"We'll explain later," said Starlight, unable to suppress her own smile at the sight.

Once released from her former student's embrace, Celestia hoisted the slumbering alicorn onto her back and turned to face the party.

"We have a great deal to discuss, but I must take my sister back to Canterlot. Plus, I imagine you'd like the opportunity to rest after all you've been through tonight." She paused. "On that note..."

Golden light surrounded her horn as her magic began to flow. All eyes in the room turned skyward as the moon drifted toward the horizon... and the first blessed rays of sunshine stretched over the land.

"Heh." Rainbow tossed her bangs with a flick of her head. "Never thought I'd be this happy just to see the sun rise."

The magical glow continued as an ornate circle began carving itself into the floor, lighting up in white as it completed.

"This will take you back to Ponyville," said the Princess. "I will meet you there shortly."

"At the library?" suggested Starlight. "The Golden Oak?"

Celestia nodded.

One by one, the six new Element bearers marched into the circle and vanished in a flash of light.

Celestia paced slowly around the library as she scrutinized the scroll hovering in her magical grip.

Starlight rubbed the back of her head. "So... what do you think, Princess?"

"Hmm..." Lowering the scroll just enough to peer over it, Celestia met Starlight's gaze. "So you believe this to be a time travel mishap?"

"We did at first," explained Sunset, "but then we started noticing changes in the timeline that couldn't possibly have been the result of the spell, so we're not sure." This statement was accompanied by a forceful nudge of Starlight's shoulder.

Celestia spent several more moments looking over the spell, muttering to herself. "...multiverse...?"

"Aha!" The Doctor pointed a hoof at the scroll. "I had my suspicions, of course, but I wanted a second opinion before I said anything."

"Oh!" Starlight's eyes went wide. "You think it sent us to - "

"Exactly!" The Doctor grinned. "It makes the most sense under the circumstances, wouldn't you say?"

Applejack and Rainbow Dash exchanged glances.

"But that's nearly impossible to pull off deliberately under the best conditions," protested Sunset. "How could she have done it by accident?" She blinked. "And why is all this giving me déjà vu...?"

"An excellent question," said the Princess, "but I still concur with the Doctor's assessment. It seems the most likely explanation."

"Um...?" Derpy raised her hoof.

Celestia tilted her head slightly. "Yes, Miss Hooves?"

Derpy fidgeted. "Umm... what's 'multiverse' mean?"

"A highly experimental branch of science and sorcery," said the Doctor. "Imagine, if you will, the set of all possible realities. Put as simply as possible, multiverse theory states that this set - and thus, all the realities defined within - exists."

Derpy turned to look at Applejack and Rainbow for support. Both of them shook their heads, clearly as lost as she was.

"Perhaps we should try a different approach." Celestia rolled up the scroll and set it aside. "Miss Hooves, what did you have for breakfast this morning?"

Derpy rubbed her chin. "A... bowl of oats?"

"But you could've had a muffin instead," suggested Starlight.

"Well, yeah, I guess."

"Then there exists a universe that's identical to this one, except that in that universe, you had that muffin instead of oats," Starlight continued.

"Oh." Derpy blinked. "O...kay?"

"And there's another where, hmm... you had a stomachache and skipped breakfast altogether," added Sunset.

"And another still where breakfast is forbidden by law, except on alternating Tuesdays!" The Doctor chuckled to himself.

Applejack fiddled with her hat. "Right, so... what's all this got to do with our friends then?"

Celestia took a seat beside Sunset. "I believe these two are from one of those other realities, one in which things are far more different from what we know than a simple meal choice."

Sunset stared at the floor.

The Princess draped a wing around her again. "And before you begin doubting yourself again, Sunset, this does not make your growth any less meaningful. I'm proud of you just the same."

With a sheepish smile and a blush rising on her cheeks, Sunset gave her former mentor's wing an affectionate nuzzle.

Starlight stifled a snicker. "Shoe's on the other hoof now, huh?"

Sunset didn't even look up. "Can it, you."

Rainbow crossed her forelegs. "So what do we do now, then?"

"That will be up to Sunset and Starlight," said Celestia. "However, as most of the work has been done already - and I owe you all a great debt regardless - I'm prepared to take Starlight's spell with me to Canterlot and have my scholars complete it so they can return home."

"Home?" echoed Derpy. "You mean... back to their own universe?"

Celestia nodded.

Derpy wrapped her wings around herself. "But... what does that mean for us? Aren't - don't we need them for their Elements?"

The Doctor put a hoof on her shoulder. "Derpy dear, we can't keep them here away from their loved ones just for our sake."

Derpy looked like she had more to say, but she fell silent as her eyes began to water.

Starlight approached, offering her reassuring touch as well. "We're not leaving yet. We still have time to spend together, I promise."

"I... I know, but..." Derpy pulled Starlight into a hug. "I, I'm gonna miss you when you go...!"

"I'll miss you too." Starlight gave the poor mare a firm squeeze. "But I know how brave you can be, and so do you. I know you'll be okay."

Derpy sniffles. "Mhmm..."

Glancing over Derpy's shoulder, Starlight caught sight of Applejack and Rainbow Dash still standing nearby, and her eyes lit up.

"Wait... that's it!"

"Mail's here!"

Starlight set down her quill and spun around as Sunset closed the library door behind her, holding a small stack of envelopes aloft.

"Anything?"

Sunset began flipping through the letters. "Junk... junk... oh, Princess Celestia!" She quickly tore it open and examined the message within. "Wow, that was fast. Hasn't even been a week yet..."

Starlight tilted her head. "What's it say?"

"The spell is fixed," said Sunset, "or as close as they can get it, at least. She says we'll know where to find it when we want to go home."

"Starswirl wing of the Archive then, probably." Starlight nodded and turned back to her unfinished letter.

Sunset trotted up and peered at it. "Are you really sure we should be doing this?"

"You're not doubting me now after all that, are you?" Starlight smirked briefly before turning toward Sunset again, her face turning serious. "One of the things Twilight taught me was that every friendship is precious. The loss of even one bond can have devastating effects on all of Equestria... and I've seen for myself how important the friendship between those girls really is. It's their destiny to be together."

"Destiny, huh? Pff." Sunset rolled her eyes. "Funny how destiny needed to pull two girls from another reality to get the job done, don't you think?"

"Oh, I don't know," said Starlight. "I never really thought of destiny like it's this immutable path for history to follow. Looking back on what's already happened might make you think that, sure, but..."

Sunset quirked an eyebrow. "But what? What do you think destiny is, then?"

"Think of it this way. In our original reality, how was Nightmare Moon defeated?"

"Well..." Sunset pondered for a moment. "Twilight and the others banded together to fight through the Everfree Forest and recover the Elements, right?"

"Right," said Starlight. "And how did it happen here?"

Sunset blinked. "Oh...! It was pretty much the same basic story, just with different ponies and a few other details changed." She paused and scratched her head. "Okay, a lot of other details changed. Did you notice Applejack saying 'June bug' instead of 'sugarcube?' What's up with that?"

Starlight giggled. "So you get it, then?"

"I think I do. You're saying it's more like... you show up, you get the job."

"Pretty much."

"Huh. Well, that's interesting, I guess." Sunset glanced at the mail again. "Oh, wait! We got a reply!"

Starlight's eyes lit up. "We did? From who?"

"The rock farm!" Sunset tore open the letter and flattened it out on the desk to read.

Dear Misses Shimmer and Glimmer,

We hope our reply finds thee in good health.

Thy familiarity with our daughter Pinkie is perplexing, but thy concern has tempered our suspicion. In truth, our brightest daughter has long been a great puzzle to us as well; thy offer of assistance is much appreciated, and we would be pleased indeed to welcome thee. We have far more questions than a letter can carry.

Sincerely,

Igneous Rock and Cloudy Quartz of the Pie Family

"Whew," said Starlight. "Well, that was a bit easier than I expected."

Sunset squinted at the letter. "This part is kind of vague. What do they mean, Pinkie's been a puzzle?"

"You mean, aside from the obvious?"

"Well, duh."

Starlight smirked. "Let's pack our bags and go find out."

Author's Note

This story was the end result of a random brainwave I got one day that effectively boiled down to "what if the contemporary Mane 6 got sent back in time to Nightmare Moon's return, but messed up by trying to grab the Elements early?" Trouble was, I wasn't sure how to answer that question. I ended up running the concept past a friend, and the end result was the story you just finished reading.

This was as far as I meant to take it, but then I started getting all these comments wondering about the characters we didn't get to see. Where are they? How are their stories different in this reality? Honestly, I'm still surprised by the reception this story has gotten overall (at time of writing it's still at zero downvotes, which is incredible), and it would be a shame to disappoint you all. As such, I'm planning on a sequel, coming Soon™! I already have some concepts planned for that one.

If you liked this story I'd be flattered if you had a look at my other works, and the follow button will help you make sure you don't miss the sequel when it comes out. Thanks so much for reading, and I hope to see you again soon!

An Infusion of Integrity

In a bright flash, six ponies materialized on the front steps of Ponyville Town Hall. One of them collapsed, wincing.

"Owwww..." moaned Starlight, gingerly rubbing her horn.

"You alright there?" asked Applejack.

Starlight nodded, her breathing somewhat labored. "I'm - I'm fine. Just... a bit of mana burn is all. I can... teleport all day if it's just me, but... six ponies at once is a bit much..."

"Well, it worked." Sunset gave Starlight a gentle pat. "Alright, fearless leader, you got us out. So what's the plan?"

Starlight slowly stood up. "We need... the Elements of Harmony. They're the only thing powerful enough to stop Nightmare Moon."

The Doctor's eyes lit up. "Why, I think you might be right! That's the ticket, then!"

Derpy blinked. "Huh?"

"Think I might be missing a page here too," said Applejack.

The Doctor cleared his throat. "The Elements of Harmony are a quintet of jewels, the crystallized essence of Harmony itself, which serve as a weapon against the dark and chaotic aspects of our world. They have not been seen for nigh on a thousand years now, forgotten by most and regarded as legend by the rest."

Sunset quirked an eyebrow. "So you knew about the Elements, but not Nightmare Moon?"

"Upon initial reading, I may have assumed that passage about 'defeating the moon' to be... metaphor? It certainly makes a great deal more sense now than it did then..."

"Never mind that now," said Starlight. "The Elements are as real as Nightmare Moon herself, and I know where they are. We need to make our way to the old royal palace, from before the capital was moved to Canterlot. That's where they're being stored."

"The Castle of the Two Sisters," said the Doctor. "Yes, of course!"

"Well, what are we waiting for?" demanded Rainbow. "We're already out here. Let's go get those Elements of yours and give this jerk what for! The longer we wait, the more danger we're all in."

"Oh, oh, um!" Derpy waved her hoof in the air.

Starlight blinked. "Uh... yes, Derpy?"

"Can I stop by my house really quick first? I have more muffins I can bring if we have a long way to go."

Rainbow opened her mouth to protest, but thought better and closed it, glancing instead at Starlight.

"That's a great idea, actually," said Starlight. "C'mon everypony, let's follow along. We don't know what might be out there under eternal moonlight, so we should stick together."

"You seem pretty calm about this," said Sunset.

The party sat somewhat scattered in the middle of town, preparing for the journey ahead of them. With no relevant belongings to their names, Starlight and Sunset sat just out of earshot of the rest of the group, keeping watch over their surroundings as they waited.

"Do I?" Starlight rubbed her head as she watched the Doctor helping Derpy tighten her saddlebags, full to the brim with food. A second set sat on the ground beside him, full of other provisions. "I sure don't feel calm."

"Then you're probably doing better than you think, considering we only just met these four ponies and they're already willing to follow you into danger."

Starlight blinked. "Man, how did that happen? Don't tell me the spell did it." She paused for a deep breath and a glance at the moon. "Then again, I guess I have kinda done this before?"

Sunset tilted her head. "Done what, exactly?"

"Led a ragtag party on a mission to save Equestria from an evil villain," said Starlight. "I'll probably have to give you the details later, though. Ideally when we're not in mortal peril anymore."

Sunset chuckled. "Yeah, probably a good idea. Still, if that's true, maybe you've got a knack for this."

Starlight sighed. "I mean, I was kind of hoping I wouldn't have to do it again in the first place, but I really don't have anypony to blame that one on but myself, huh?"

Before Sunset could respond, the other four ponies approached them.

Derpy and the Doctor had their saddlebags, of course. Rainbow Dash had zipped off to her cloud home briefly; her wings poked out from beneath a sturdy-looking cloth vest, and metal coverings adorned her forelegs. Applejack carried only her hat, the farm too distant to visit in what time they could spare.

"Looks like we're as ready as we're gonna be," said Applejack. "All this waiting's making me antsy. Where's this castle of yours?"

Starlight cleared her throat. "In the middle of the Everfree Forest."

Reactions to this declaration were mixed. Applejack let out a low whistle, Rainbow clapped her metal-clad forehooves together with a clang, the Doctor cringed... and even in the pale light of the moon, the color began visibly draining from Derpy's face.

"The, the, the... E-Everfree Forest?!"

Starlight nodded slowly. "I know it's dangerous, but it might be our only chance."

"But..." Derpy recoiled, ears flat against her head and her eyes even more askew than usual. "But it's full of monsters! We - We'll all get eaten for sure!"

Applejack sighed and slowly walked up to Derpy, taking a seat beside the terrified mare and putting a foreleg over her shoulders. "Look... this here mission is gonna be real dangerous, and it's good you know that before getting involved. There's a fair chance we won't all be making it back home in one piece."

Derpy shivered.

"But them ponies back in town hall are counting on us, even if they don't know it yet." Applejack pulled Derpy a bit closer, turning the touch into a partial hug. "We just might have a shot at stopping this Nightmare and getting our princess back, but we gotta stand tall and stick together. I know you got it in you, June bug. Do you?"

Derpy looked into Applejack's eyes. Slowly, her fitful breaths evened out, and she reached forward and gave Applejack a good squeeze. "Thank you. I... I needed that." Pulling back, she rubbed at her eye for a moment, a soft smile on her muzzle. "Sorry about that, everypony. I won't let you down, I promise."

"Then we don't have any more time to lose," said Sunset.

Starlight nodded, pointing her hoof down the road. "To the Everfree Forest!"

By and large, the six of them were in fairly high spirits, despite having spent the past several minutes marching down the lone road through the forest. The moon provided more than enough light to see the path before them, and they had found neither hide nor hair of any dangerous creatures thus far. That didn't stop Starlight from worrying all the same, however; marching at the fore of the party, she found herself glancing this way and that at every shadow and rustling branch for any sign of danger.

"Yipe!"

This resulted in her yelping in alarm as Sunset gently tapped her shoulder from behind.

"Wow you're jumpy," observed Sunset. "What's got you so paranoid, anyway? Everything's gone smoothly so far, and Nightmare Moon doesn't even know were here yet."

"But that's just it," said Starlight. "We don't know that for sure. What if she detected my teleport? What if she's lying in wait to ambush us, or set some kind of trap?"

Sunset paused for a deep breath; that was a fair point. "Well... how much of the story do you remember? What's the first thing she does, and where?"

Starlight rubbed her chin with her fetlock. "Let's see... I remember something about a rock slide? The path continues at the bottom of a cliff, but how are we going to get down...?"

As though in response to her inquiry, the trees parted to reveal the cliff in question, towering hundreds of feet over the valley below. A wall of rock stood to the left, contrasting the sheer drop ahead and to the right. Starlight immediately halted in her tracks and threw a foreleg to one side, prompting the others to stop as well.

The Doctor blinked. "Is something the matter?"

"I'm not sure yet." Starlight turned to Sunset. "My horn's still burnt out. Can you scan for magic on the path in front of us?"

Sunset nodded, lowering her head as her horn lit up. A faint ring of light burst forth from it, expanding as it flew forward and passed over the path ahead. It dissipated a few seconds later as Sunset lifted her head and glared at the ground. "Looks like you were right. I'm sensing earth magic... I think it's a ground disruption spell, about a ten-foot radius."

"Right about what?" Applejack quirked an eyebrow. "Something you ain't telling us?"

Starlight sighed, shaking her head. "I wanted to wait until I was sure..." She swallowed. "...but it looks like we've lost our advantage. Nightmare Moon knows we're here."

"What?" Rainbow missed a wingbeat and nearly fell out of the air.

"She's rigged the path ahead to collapse if we walk across it," said Starlight. She spent a moment thinking before turning to Rainbow. "We need a safe way down to the bottom of the cliff. Do you think you can take a look around the corner up ahead?"

"On it!" Having recovered from her initial alarm, Rainbow flew up to the edge of the cliff for a better look. Pointing a hoof around the corner, she turned back to the party. "This way! There's a switchback that leads down into the valley!"

"Is there anywhere along here we can cross safely?" Starlight asked Sunset.

Sunset stared at the path for a moment. "The spell gets weaker closer to the wall. If we stay right up against it, we should be able to get across on foot." She paused. "...I mean, hoof."

The Doctor gulped. "I feel pressed to admit I was never terribly fond of heights..."

Derpy hovered beside him, giving him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I'll catch you if you fall."

One by one, the four ground-bound ponies inched their way along the path against the wall. The Doctor went first, followed by Sunset and then Starlight, with Applejack in the rear.

"Doing great, Doc," said Rainbow as she coaxed him forward. "Just a little further..."

"Whew..." Starlight let out the breath she'd been holding her entire trip across as soon as she reached safe ground. "Okay. Once Applejack is across, we're in the clear for - "

"Whoooooah!"

Applejack let out a wail of alarm as, inches from safety, the ground beneath her finally gave out. Eyes wide as dinner plates, Starlight immediately spun around and dropped flat on her belly, just barely catching Applejack in time. Her eyes briefly followed the old hat now fluttering away in the breeze.

"Hang on!" Starlight gritted her teeth, straining to keep her forelegs locked with Applejack's as a cascade of rocks tumbled down the cliff beneath them. "You'll be okay! Just don't let go!"

"Don't... Don't need to tell me twice!" Applejack's rear hooves scrambled for purchase on the crumbling cliffside.

In seconds, Rainbow flew beneath Applejack, gripping her rear legs and lifting with all her might as a magical aura courtesy of Sunset carefully guided them back onto solid ground.

The three ponies landed in a heap. Starlight laid on her back, panting as beads of sweat dripped from her forehead.

"Thanks, y'all," offered Applejack as she climbed back up on all fours and took a deep breath to steady herself. "I owe you one."

"Don't worry about it," said Starlight. "If we're gonna pull this off, we have to work together, no matter what."

Derpy wiped some nervous sweat from her brow. "That was a close one... Good job, everypony!" She rubbed the back of her head with a forehoof. "...You're okay, right, AJ?"

"Well... I sure am gonna miss that hat, but otherwise I'm right as rain," said a smiling Applejack, who turned to point a hoof down the path. "No time to dally, now. Let's get a-hoofing it so we can give that Nightmare what for!"

Despite this, the two unicorns paused for a moment at the top of the switchback as the rest of the party made their way down.

"Still solid as a rock," said Sunset. "Good to know Applejack hasn't changed much."

"Yeah, even if our situation has..." Starlight sighed. "Let's hurry. We can't afford to fall behind."