Stopwatch

by N o - F a c e

Rating: teen
Tags: Alternate Universe, Transformers, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Rainbow Dash, Profanity, Crossover
Length: 8010

haha what if Whirl was Rainbow Dash? nah.... unless? 😳

haha what if Whirl was Rainbow Dash? nah.... unless? 😳

What if a certain brash, blue pony was actually the reincarnation of a certain brash, blue Transformer? Well, this story explores just that. When you compare the two, their personalities are similar, but their background and baggage are very different… how will that effect things? Let us see.

Crossposted on AO3 under the name NotSoMetalKnightmare

Published 2021-07-06 19:10:01 UTC
Last updated 2021-07-06 19:10:01 UTC

Chapter 1

Author's Note

Be warned that everything up to chapter 7 is kinda old

Chapter 1

Whirl died like he never dared dream he would - surrounded by loved ones.

When he was young, naive, and just a tad romantic, he’d thought maybe he might have a lover to hold him as he passed, if he was lucky. But by the time he lost his hands, he had never thought the two most wonderful mechs he’d ever met would be there.

His health had been declining for a while now. The docs said it was probably the result of all the times he got blown up and badly repaired and stuff, alongside just plain old age.

It wasn’t that surprising, really. He may have aged better, but he actually wasn’t that much younger that Ratchet, who had passed a fair while ago. Really, given how awfully he took care of himself before Cyclonus and Tailgate, it was more of a surprise that it hadn’t come sooner.

He wished dearly he had more time with them. It seemed like he had just started to finally be truly happy.

At least Cyclonus and Tailgate would have each other.

When he offlined his optic, cradled by his weeping husbands, he didn’t expect to online them again.

And technically? He didn’t.

———

It was warm.

Warm and wet and weightless.

And kinda loud.

Not in an annoying way, actually. The loud sound was in fact quite soothing.

A deep “BAH-DUM, BAH-DUM, BAH-DUM” permeated the area Whirl was in.

...where was he?

...he didn’t know.

Whirl tried to online his optics, but failed.

What was going on?

Then he remembered offlining them.

Panic and sadness filled him, and he instinctively kicked out.

He paused, confusion overwhelming him.

His legs felt weird.

Should he be feeling them at all?

He was dead.

Wasn’t he?

Wasn’t this the Allspark or something?

It wasn’t what he expected (not that he expected much), but it had to be, right?

...

He was feeling sleepy all of a sudden.

......

Bah-dum.

.........

Bah-dum.

............

Bah-dum.

———

When Whirl awoke, he didn’t online his optics.

Again, he couldn’t.

And again, panic throbbed through him.

He twitched his head weakly, trying in vain to see around him.

Again, he felt weird when he moved.

He felt sluggish and... wet.

Defensively, he tried to snap his claws, and failed.

Was even that taken from him?

Whirl curled into a tiny ball, wanting desperately to be back in the arms of his conjuxes.

His body felt alien.

Growling, tired at his fear and exhaustion, he kicked out again.

This time, his feet hit a wall.

It was round, smooth, and gave way under his foot.

Not much, but enough that he could feel it’s elasticity.

The surprise caused him to halt what he intended to be his beatdown on absolutely nothing.

Where the absolute slag was he?

Tired, he was again lulled to sleep by the sounds around him.

...

Bah-dum.

......

Bah-dum.

.........

Bah-dum.

———

The next time Whirl woke up, he heard a voice.

“T b sc m, j cd.”

It was loud, but muffled by the walls and the liquid he floated in.

The voice was indecipherable and came from above.

What the slag?

...was that Primus?

The voice was high pitched, and didn’t sound very godly to him (whatever god would sound like, it just didn’t seem like this).

Whirl squirmed uneasily.

“H! Nk r mtn h! S rr f ng? B! Tn! V! Bf s rn, t!”

The voice took on a different tone then it had previously.

Now it sounded... happy?

Actually, rather ecstatic.

Whirl paused.

Was that a reaction to his movements, or...?

He wriggled again.

“H! Th g gn! B, m l!”

Whirl startled as the room began to bob.

Soon after, he felt a pressure against the wall.

He lashed out, kicking the wall.

“F! H h! Lt y! N ct l h... B! K! Vr!”

The voice only sounded happier.

The room began to bob faster, with a sound like... laughter?

“H h h h!”

Farther away, Whirl heard a much deeper echo of that laughter, disorienting him as the room continued to jerk.

Disgruntled and exhausted, he went to sleep this time on purpose.

...

Bah-dum.

......

Bah-dum.

.........

Bah-dum.

———

A similar pattern of waking up, attempting to make sense of his situation, then falling back asleep continued.

Unfortunately, he hadn’t determined much.

He had found that his legs felt roughly the same, but his arms oddly proportioned, he had no claws or digits, he had moveable ears, and oddest of all, two additional limbs.

But he still didn’t know where he was.

At least that annoying voice and the confusion over his body distracted him from contemplating whether he’d see his husbands ever again.

The things he thought about still weren’t comforting.

Eventually, it occurred to him, something he had heard about.

Something from an Earth movie.

A fictional tale about a man reincarnated as another.

It... sounded too wild to be right, but that was true of many things that had happened to Whirl.

He’d defied the odds time and time again, so what were the chances that he was being reborn?

...and as an organic of all things?

At least, if he was being reborn, he thought it was as an organic.

Maybe he was, and this was... what was the word?

A “womb”?

Weird...

———

Confirmation for his theory of rebirth didn’t come for quite awhile.

When it did, it came quite suddenly.

It felt as though one moment he was half-asleep, listening to the voice, and the next he was cold, wet, and very awake.

“S t!”

Voices, clearer than they’d ever been rushed around him.

Disoriented, Whirl tried to lift his head and see, but he was still blind and feeble.

He was feeling weak, and his chest burned.

Limbs twitched and face scrunched as the feeling got worse.

“T k nt bh!”

“G mrn, h!”

“N t!”

The voices in the air rose.

After what seemed like forever, a pressure rubbed roughly against his back, and cleared his face of liquid.

And suddenly he was coughing.

Air rushed into him, filling him with both it and relief.

Involuntarily, he cried out at the odd sensation.

His mother’s voice responded.

“H, by! M lt Rb!”

His father’s voice followed.

“Y cr s, Ds! Y r s ck, th s q!”

He was lifted through the air and into the grip of something warm and fuzzy.

“M! B! Nm! V! L l hr t - Rnw Dsh!”

His mother sounded... so happy.

Whirl opened his eyes.

Bleary and teary, he could only see an orange and blue blob at first.

“! B! H ys r p!”

Eventually his sight resolved enough that he could see a bright grin on an alien-looking organic.

She was covered head to foot in pale blue fur, with a frizzy fluff of orange for hair.

Instinctively, something inside him felt awed.

This was his mother.

Weakly, he turned his head towards a sobbing noise.

His father stood next to them in a quadruped stance, weeping openly, a smile on his face as well.

Was... this what parental love looked like?

Exhausted and confused, Whirl fell asleep within the hold of his cooing mother.

Chapter 2

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 3

By the time Whirl was in school, he had a good grasp on language and how his body worked. He could read (though not yet write, with these strange, digitless yet grabby feet), and could glide and hop small distances.

His parents happily declared him a natural when it came to both. Their enthusiastic support straddled the line between obnoxious and endearing, as they waved pom-poms to his first flutter up to the kitchen countertop.

It was an odd thing: constantly being praised, and though he often got tired of it quickly, it was somewhat reassuring. It was something he hadn’t had, outside of his conjuxes. For so long, he had never been good enough (at anything except killing), and now it seemed like there was somebody wowed by him. Two somebodies, in fact. Two somebodies whom this body instinctively wanted approval from.

These thoughts were the only things that comforted him as he waited with his parents by the school gate.

He had insisted his messy hair be strung up in pigtails, longing for familiarity, and his parents had happily obliged, cooing at how cute he looked.

Whirl had gone to school before, and hated every klick of it.

Granted, this likely wouldn’t be a militaristic school, considering how soft most sentient organics were on their offspring, and he wasn’t even old enough to fly. But still, he didn’t know for sure. Whirl didn’t want any nasty surprises.

He didn’t like surprises.

“Hey, sport! Chin up! This day is gonna be a breeze for you!” His father nudged him.

When Whirl glanced up from his glare at the school, his dad was wearing an encouraging smile.

“You’re gonna do great, baby! You got this!” His mother squealed.

“...” Whirl didn’t know what to say to that.

The bell rang, and all the students began parting from their parents.

Whirl’s wings twitched nervously as he got up and made his way into the crowd of fillies and colts. It was a rainbow of unfamiliar faces and coats, disorientating him as they all trotted into the large wood and stone building that sat upon the clouds.

Pegasus foal after pegasus foal filed in after each other, through the halls, to the assembly room.

Once everyone was gathered, teachers began calling the names of the children they would lead to their classroom. It was alphabetical, so it took a while for Whirl to be called.

“Rainbow Dash! You’re with Pitter Splatter!” A blue appaloosa mare waved him over.

He fidgeted by her side as the rest of his class was called. He didn’t particularly pay attention to their names, but it seemed there was a lot of “S” ones.

Soon, a cluster of baby ponies was gathered around him and their teacher. As the very last of them were called, the teachers dispersed to their classrooms, taking their hoards of children with them.

Whirl followed reluctantly.

It seemed to take forever on these tiny legs to reach the classroom, but they reached the door and clambered in. Some of the foals took to pushing each other out of the way to get in, which their teacher admonished them for.

Whirl soon saw why: the room was filled with toys that would appeal to the dumb, tiny herbivores he was surrounded by.

Balls, blocks, toy ponies, planes, and carriages were scattered across the floor.

The only ones he took interest in were, as usual, the wind-ups.

There was also bookshelves lined with simple titles like “Bunny’s Happy Day”, and a corner of the room contained a large cabinet. Large tables with clusters of tiny chairs around them were also arranged around the room. The floor was a thick, shaggy carpet that felt odd on his hooves. Nestled in another corner of the room was some fluffy clouds, pillows, and blankets - presumably for nap time.

“Well! It’s nice to see you class! I’m Pitter Splatter!“ Their teacher said as they all looked around.

“Now, I can tell you’re all eager to play and explore, but perhaps we should first say hello?” She prompted.

“Hi!” Several ponies chirped.

“Great! Let’s introduce ourselves!” She sat down on the carpet and motioned for them to join her.

One by one, little ponies sat down in a crowd surrounding her.

Whirl plopped down as well.

“Now, I’ve already introduced myself, but now we’ve got to introduce you! I’ll call your name, and you stand up and tell us a bit about yourself, ok?” Pitter Splatter smiled.

“Coldfront!” A blue colt with icy blue hair started, but stood up quickly.

“Uhm... I’m Coldfront, and I wanna be on the snow team like my daddy.” He said awkwardly.

“Me too!” A appaloosa filly exclaimed excitedly, waving her hoof in the air.

“Shush, it’s not your turn yet.” Pitter gently reprimanded.

“Oops! Sorry!”

“Cotton Cloud!” A cotton candy blue and pink filly looked up.

“I’m Cotton, and I really like cloud watching.” She stated with a small smile.

“Ditzy Doo” A grey and blonde filly jumped.

“Oh! I’m Ditzy Doo! I really, really like muffins! They’re yummy and fun to bake! I kinda messed up mommy’s last batch, though...” She explained.

“Fluttershy!”

“...” No response.

There was silence, as the other ponies glanced around. Was she absent?

“Fluttershy dear, don’t you want to introduce yourself?” Their teacher carefully said.

A scrawny yellow filly shook her head. She gazed fearfully around her between her strands of pink hair.

“Alright, maybe later then? When you feel more comfortable? It’s alright if you don’t want to, honey. Mocking Bird!”

A dark blue colt puffed up his chest, “I’m Mocking Bird, and I like staying up late to watch comedies!” His wings, tipped black, fluttered.

“Lucky!” A acid green colt complained.

Pitter Splatter giggled, “Again, shoosh!”

“Quincy Cue!”

“I like watching movies too!” A cherry pink colt piped up. His brown hair was cropped in an androgynous style.

“Quirky Cue!”

“I’m gonna BE in movies when I grow up!” His reddish brown twin countered. Her hair was a washed out pink.

“Nuh-uh! I’LL be in movies!” Quincy said.

“Kids, you can both be in movies! Maybe even in the same one?”

“NO!” They said in unison, disgust in their voices.

“Ok, ok! Rainbow Dash!“ Their teacher interrupted.

Distracted by the amusing argument, Whirl almost didn’t catch it.

“Huh? Oh. Uh... I’m Rainbow? I... like clocks.” Whirl didn’t really know what to say to a class of four year olds that he was supposed to be the same age as.

“Snowfleck!”

The appaloosa filly from before eagerly stood up. “I’m Snowfleck and I’m gonna make it snow FOREVER!” Her grey hair flopped happily.

“Static Bend!”

“I’m Static and I like action movies and rock music!” The acid green colt stated, tossing his spikey yellow mane.

“Stormy!”

“I like reading.” A dark purple filly with grey hair covering her eyes said flatly.

“Sunny Day!”

“Weather team!” The colt that was bright yellow with a red poof of hair stated his end goal with briefness and finality.

“Swept Scent!”

“I’m Swept Scent. I like detective movies.” A seafoam green colt said calmly. His mane was a light cobalt color.

“Thunder!”

“Uh, I’m also hoping for the weather team.” The pale yellow colt shrugged. His mane was a pale blue with more vivid jagged stripes of blue through it.

“Weather Vain!”

“I’m going to be planning the weather when I grow up.” A pink filly said confidently. Her green hair had purple streaks though it.

“Windchime!”

“I’m Windchime, and I, uh... like music.” A dull green coated and grey maned colt said distractedly.

“Fluttershy dear, would you like to try again?” Their teacher put a gentle hoof across the filly’s shoulders.

Shaking, Fluttershy slowly nodded.

She didn’t stand up, but instead hunched down further.

“I’m... flfshy... I...... lk brds.....” she mumbled.

“You... like birds?” Pitter clarified.

Fluttershy nodded.

“Awesome! Great job, sweetie!”

Fluttershy gave a wobbly smile before hiding in her mane again.

Whirl watched this carefully.

Their teacher clapped her hooves together. “Now! We’re all, done with introductions, so it’s playtime now! Remember to take turns with the toys and ask before you grab or join in! Go on now!”

And with that, all the little fillies and colts scampered off to play.

Author's Note

Not my favorite chapter *squints*

Chapter 4

Class was rather boring for Whirl. After all, he was (if you counted his previous life) millions of years old, so reading “Ducky Ducky Goose” and playing house got old quick (never let it be said that Whirl doesn’t try things at least once, though, especially when he got the chance to role play being the family’s pet dog that went rabid).

The only thing that truly held his attention was the various wind-up toys (that he wasn’t allowed to deconstruct, unfortunately), art class, and watching the amusing arguments of toddlers.

Frankly, it was quite obvious that he was disengaged from the rest of the class, except when he decided to produce snide quips that quickly distressed and befuddled the other children. Pitter Splatter tried often to get him back on track, but he wasn’t playing ball.

He was a bit of a problem child.

Which made it all the odder how he seemed to gravitate towards the mild, and polite Fluttershy.

Maybe there was something magical about those baby blues, but Whirl found something about her... worth protecting, perhaps? An unfamiliar, almost sisterly urge, something he couldn’t put a name to.

It might’ve been her young age, but something about her made him want to nurture her. She was so timid, she seemed like she’d simply pass away from fright if he didn’t do something.

And so began a very, very odd friendship.

And like most friendships of Whirl’s, he didn’t quite know how to start it.

After all, this friendship started with Fluttershy startled half to death when she noticed the blue filly staring intently at her from across the room. Her terror only grew when said filly got up and began to walk to her.

Fluttershy shrank back.

“I’m Rainbow. I’m gonna help you get braver.” He said bluntly.

“Huh?” Fluttershy looked confused.

“I’m strong, so you don’t have to be scared, ok? I’ll beat up ponies before they getcha.”

“Meep!” Fluttershy hid behind her hair.

“We’re gonna have to work on that...” Whirl shrugged and slung an arm around her shoulders, causing her to squeak again.

———

As the school year passed, Fluttershy didn’t get much braver. She did begin to whisper to Whirl, though.

Whirl became the go-to Fluttershy translator, which Mocking Bird teased them for. Whirl bit him in return (to which he got a lengthy timeout and a call to his disappointed parents).

Fluttershy didn’t speak to him that often, but she did seem to take comfort in his company, when she realized that yes, Whirl was indeed willing to defend her.

She did nervously request that he refrain from biting other ponies. Next time Mocking Bird pestered them, he just snapped his teeth.

When Fluttershy and Whirl did talk, it was often about the more advanced books their parents had for them at home. They were both prolific readers for their age.

Once, Stormy’s keen ears flicked as she overheard them mention “Traveled Nights” by Starlight Sorrow. It was a rather dark and advanced book for their age, so Stormy had only recently managed to convince her parents to buy it for her. She had actually just finished it last night and was wondering what they thought of the part where the protagonist met a dying dragon and nursed it back to health.

Fluttershy instantly teared up. “It- was so moving! I thought Trover might not make it, but because of Testy Travels kindness, he survived! B-but, what I found interesting was the description of medical care for dragons. I wonder if it’s accurate?”

A surprisingly long conversation on what they knew of the biology of dragons (very little) ensued.

“I’m proud of ya!” Whirl said happily, after Stormy grew bored and left. “You talk to her, all on your own!”

“Oh my stars, I did!” Fluttershy sounded like she didn’t know whether to be happy or horrified.

“Maybe the secret to getting ya out of your shell is talking about dragons and stuff?”

“Oh, I do love hearing about animals...” Fluttershy nodded.

She then paused. Taking Whirl’s hooves in hers, she said, “Rainbow, thank you so much for trying to help me. I... don’t think I could be even the tiniest bit brave if I didn’t have you. Even if I end up only talking to somepony this one time, that’s still so much you’ve done for me.”

Whirl was stunned. “Hey, it was all you! You took control of that conversation! I didn’t know anything that was going on! Dragons, what? Are you talking about a type of potato?”

Fluttershy giggled. “Dashie you’re so silly! O-oh, c-could I call you that? If not, that’s ok too...”

“Huh? Yeah, ‘Dashie’ is fine. Kinda cutesy, but I like it.”

“Ok, Dashie.”

———

Years passed, and as his class grew closer to flying age, nausea began to grow in Whirl’s stomach.

He began acting out. His quips towards other students and the teachers became more pointed and frequent.

It was only after Fluttershy begged him that he began to tone it down.

“Dashie... please stop being so mean, I know you’re not a cruel pony!”

Whirl kept the rude words saved for the bullies and meaner teachers.

Mocking Bird in particular got the brunt of Whirl’s barbs. As they’d grown, his teasing words had grown crueler as well.

Whirl could take the ones aimed at himself, that he was freaky-stared loner with weirdo parents, but when Fluttershy was included? When all the progress she made was ignored? Whirl bit him again.

The disappointment of Fluttershy and his parents stung more than he expected.

It was a tumultuous time.

———

Anxiety beat hard in his chest.

He didn’t want to be seen as an exceptional flier. He didn’t want to be defined by his wings again.

But his parents, frustrated with the lack of effort that Whirl was putting into school were at their wits end.

“Honey, I KNOW you can do this! Please just TRY! We’ll be rooting for you!” His mother pleaded.

“Dash, I don’t know what’s going on... can you at least talk to us?” His father looked close to tears.

Whirl had been cruel before, but in this gentle life, it seemed to hurt more.

“If you ace the flight test, like we know you will if you try, we’ll get you that watch and that clockwork kit.”

Whirl froze.

Still unused to his lack of a forced pokerface, his longing looks towards that gleaming, expensive watch, and that alluring clockwork kit had long since been noticed by his parents.

They weren’t bad off, money-wise, but to buy them would normally be out of their price range.

Would they really...?

His chest constricted with conflict.

Whirl pondered over it for awhile, but in the end, longing for his passion overwhelmed him.

He’d gone through flight school and aced it yet rejected it before, he could do it again.

He’d do it for that watch, for that kit, and for himself.

———

Whirl didn’t tell anyone his plans to ace this test.

Maybe that was why Fluttershy was so startled she fell when he dashed ahead at the start of the race.

Author's Note

Rearranging canon a bit so Rainbow’s race is set as a school test, not a competition during summer. mostly because I forgot but shush

Don’t worry, the mane 6 all get their cutie marks!

Chapter 5

Author's Note

Continuity notes:

it’s currently the end of the school year

Twilights test is scheduled earlier this year, at the end of the school year instead of just before the beginning of the next

events otherwise happen as in canon for the most part

yes I know I’m dumb, I wrote this a year ago lmao

Chapter 5

Whirl flew faster than he ever had before in this life.

He flew like Unicron himself was after him, or like that time Cyclonus found him with the Sweeps.

He wanted that watch.

He wanted that clockwork kit.

Pure desire transformed into an explosion - a sonic rainboom blasted as he streaked ahead of the startled competition.

A wave of magic rainbow light swept across the sky as Whirl broke the finish line, colors trailing behind him.

For a moment, even Whirl was caught up in the joy of it.

Eventually, his flight slowed enough that he could loop back around and to the waiting ponies at the finish line.

The flight back seemed to pass in a blink.

Whirl panted with exertion. His mane was frizzy, and his classic ponytails had popped their rubber bands, leaving his hair a sweaty, chaotic mess.

Whirl didn’t care.

His parents were screaming with joy, and quickly rushed up to hug him.

“You did it!” They cried.

Their pride was nearly intoxicating, but his real joy came from the knowledge of what he’d won with this victory.

Whirl vibrated with tension throughout the whole wait for the rest of the fliers to reappear (with Fluttershy emerging suddenly from below in very last place, carried by a hoard of butterflies?!?).

As he was congratulated for his stunning victory, he ignored the praise of his teachers and fellow students, and quickly pushed them aside. The instant the event was over he begged his parents to take them to the store.

Their walk there felt like it also passed in a blink.

Before he knew it, Whirl stood before the clockwork shop he had adoringly gazed at many times in the past.

His parents exchanged a hefty sack of bits for the watch and kit, and handed it to Whirl.

He took them with happy hooves.

———

When they went home, the first thing Whirl did was set down the clockwork kit at his desk (scattered with half-finished homework, which he brushed to the floor) and open it.

It was beautiful.

Cogs and shafts and tools of all shapes and sizes neatly lined the box, the light wood of the box itself lined with soft, red velvet.

He gingerly picked up a tweezer in hoof and began the still-familiar motions.

He barely needed to read the instructions, and only then because of the differences between Equestrian and Cybertronion technology.

The watch - which had been gently deposited on his desk as well - ticked peacefully as time passed.

Evening turned to night, and his parents gently closed his door, not wanting to disturb him.

Eventually, after what seemed like just a blink to him, Whirl fell asleep, a fully assembled wind-up mouse cradled in his dozing hooves.

He fell asleep without noticing the tingle of magic, and dreamed sweet dreams of clocks and his husbands.

———

Whirl awoke with a great big yawn, and a stretch of sore wings.

He remembered the previous day and looked quickly between his hooves, where the mouse sat.

Satisfied with his work for the time being, and ungodly hungry from having skipped dinner the night before, he decided to get some breakfast.

Walking past his mirror, if it weren’t for centuries of a cautious eye, he wouldn’t have noticed it.

There was something on him, reflected in the mirror. Right on his flank.

When Whirl turned to look in shock at his flank, a mark of a clock with rainbow lightning coming out of it was emblazoned on it.

It took a moment for him to realize the gravity of this moment.

He just barely refrained from crying out, “Slag you, functionists! Proved you wrong, AGAIN!”, but instead just shrieked in wordless joy.

This, of course, startled his parents.

Bow was first to peak his head in.

“Honey, are you ok?”

When their Rainbow Dash turned to them with the widest grin they’d ever seen, wings fluttering, and pronking gleefully, Bow and Windy looked in shock.

He looked even happier than when they’d gotten him that watch and clockwork kit.

But then they saw the cause of joy, and began pronking as well.

“Your cutie mark!” His mother shrieked.

“Oh my gosh, you got it?!” His father yelled.

Whirl laughed as he was scooped up in their celebratory arms, wings fluttering happily still.

He buried his face in their fur.

The only thing that would make this better was if Cyclonus and Tailgate were here.

———

Going to school the next day was easier than it had felt in ages.

Whirl had proof, emblazoned on his very body that his wings didn’t define him.

Still, it was anxiety-inducing when countless ponies came up to congratulate him again.

Thunder was amongst them.

“That was- I’m just completely amazed, Rainbow! I’ve never seen you fly like that! I’ve never seen ANYONE fly like that!” He sounded in awe.

“You have some serious potential,” he said earnestly, “I’m not joking - I think you could even join the Wonderbolts with that kinda talent!”

“It ain’t my talent though,” Whirl said.

Thunder blinked.

“My talent is making clocks.” He said defiantly.

“H-huh? Wait...” Thunder’s eyes darted to the newly noticed clock on his flank.

“When did you get that? It must’ve been after you left, right? I didn’t see it before that... But, oh my gosh, I’m so happy for you! Congratulations!” Thunder patted him on the back with a large, still-growing hoof.

Whirl was taken aback. Even after all these years, he wasn’t used to how earnest most ponies were.

“You... don’t think it’s weird or whatever that I don’t have a flying cutie mark or something like that?“ he said despite himself.

“Huh? No, of course not! Hey, Quirky and Quincy don’t have cutie marks like that, and they’re not that weird, right?”

Whirl didn’t expect to be quite this comforted by his classmate.

“Thanks...” he said reluctantly, before abruptly walking away.

Just a few feet from their conversation, he encountered Fluttershy.

They both noticed the others cutie mark and grinned happily.

“Fluttershy! When the hell did you get that?” Whirl said, admiring the butterflies.

“Wait- was it when those butterflies carried you up to the finish line?”

“Actually, it was a little bit before that! I... well, fell at the starting line, but some butterflies saved me! Oh, Dashie, it’s magical down there on the ground! There’s so many animals! And the trees and flowers! Oh, it was wonderful! I communicated with the animals, and I got my cutie mark!”

Whirl laughed, “If anyone had a talent for animals, I guess it’d be you, Fluttershy! You’re so sweet, it just seems like a “you” thing!”

“Thank you! Oh... but Dashie, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but when you were talking to Thunder it felt rude to butt in, and I couldn’t help overhearing...” Fluttershy looked up at him with worried eyes.

“Were you... worried that others would judge you if you got something besides a flying cutie mark? Is that the reason why you never tried on the flight tests until now?”

Whirl was silent, and shrugged.

Fluttershy gently nuzzled her friend. “It’s ok - I’d never judge you!”

“Heh, I know that, Fluttershy.” He wrapped a wing around her.

“I’ll never judge you either, y’know?”

Chapter 6

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Chapter 7

Seize her!” The mayor demanded, “Only she knows where the Princess is!”

The guards were shocked out of their stupor and began to surge towards Nightmare Moon.

“Stand back, you foals!” She laughed, a bright and wicked gleam in her eyes.

Lightning struck from the storm of her mane, causing the guards to shy away, and stunning those who were hit into falling.

As easily as she had commanded the lightning, she turned into a puff of smoke and whisked herself out the door, into the streets.

In a panic, ponies scattered.

Whirl attempted to give chase, but Applejack, well aquatinted with his rash nature, restrained him long enough that by the time he broke free, the cloud has sped away into the forest, which was too precarious for him to navigate quickly enough to catch up.

“Fuck.” He said. His fur still stood on end from static and the urge to pick a fight.

Whirl glanced up at the sky with unease. As much as he liked the stars, he knew enough about science to understand that an eternal night was a very bad idea.

Motion caught in the corner of his eye.

It was the purple unicorn, Twilight, taking off in a sprint with a determined look on her face.

Whirl decided to follow.

———

“Elements, elements, elements... Ugh! How can I stop Nightmare Moon without the Elements of Harmony?”

In her hurry, Twilight treated her books with uncharacteristic disrespect, throwing them about.

Whirl neatly dodged one with a “Watch it!” causing the unicorn to yelp at the intruder.

“Rainbow Dash?!” She exclaimed, eyes wide. “What are you doing here?! I’m busy!”

“I thought you’d know something about all that...” Whirl waved a hoof, “Evil mad-mare thing - you seemed like you knew something! So what’d’ya know, huh?!” Whirl prodded the purple pony purposefully.

“Simmer down, Sally.” Another voice called. Twilight peeked over Whirl’s fluttering wings.

Applejack emerged from the doorway - which had been left open in Twilight’s hurry. Three others followed behind her.

“But, she sure knows what's goin’ on. Don’t ya, Twilight?” Applejack continued, staring expectantly at the unicorn mare.

Twilight eyes turned downward, ears folded back slightly. “I read all about the prediction of Nightmare Moon...”

Twilight turned back to them “Some mysterious objects called the Elements of Harmony are the only things that can stop her, but I don't know what they are, where to find them; I don't even know what they do!” She wore a distressed face.

“‘The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide’” a voice chirped suddenly in response.

All eyes turned to find Pinkie Pie, head tilted to the side as she read the spine of a book on one of the shelves. Her poofy mane bobbled as she turned to look at them, a smile on her face.

“How did you find that?!” Twilight exclaimed as she rushed over.

“It was under ‘E’!~” Pinkie sing-songed as she hopped back to the group.

“Oh.” Twilight blushed.

Shaking her head, the unicorn found the mentioned book and opened it with her magic.

“There are six Elements of Harmony,” She began. “But only five are known: Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Honesty and Loyalty. The sixth is a complete mystery. It is said, the last known location of the five elements was in the ancient castle of the royal pony sisters. It is located in what is now... um.” She paused in her reading. “...The Everfree Forrest.”

“Wait, we’re going there?” Whirl questioned. “I mean - it’s no problem for me but it might be for you guys.” He motioned in particular to Rarity, who was looking somehow paler than her coat.

But all of the ponies looked wary, including Applejack “Are ya sure it’s the only way, sugar? Them woods are awfully dangerous.”

“It’s our only choice! Do you know what eternal night means?!” Twilight’s resolve firmed.

There was silence for a moment.

“Then I guess we’re going!” Whirl said eventually.

“‘We’? Look, I appreciate the offer, but I'd really rather do this on my own.” Twilight frowned. She made her way to the door, intent on starting her journey alone.

“No can do, sugarcube.” Applejack said firmly, following her out. “We sure ain't lettin' any friend of ours go into that creepy place alone. We're stickin' to ya like caramel on a candy apple.”

The rest of the group followed behind them, making noises of assent.

“Especially if there's candy apples in there!” Pinkie blurted. “What? Those things are good.”

Twilight sighed as she excepted her fate.

———

And so, the group made their way into the Everfree. Known for its mysterious properties they found it even more treacherous than they expected - seeming to find danger at every turn. Said danger took the form of everything from collapsing cliffs, to witchy willows, sobbing serpents, and killer kitties.

Each danger had been surpassed due to the virtue of a group member.

Whirl didn’t think about this however as he flew across the broken bridge, rope held in his maw.

Hefting the length of it up over the cliff, he began to wrap it around the post when he heard a whisper. Distracted, he fumbled and dropped the rope, cursing as it slipped from his hooves.

“Rainbow...” a voice sounded quietly.

“What?!” He turned towards the voice, irritated and wary.

“We've been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the best flyer in Equestria.” Three figures emerged from the fog as the one in the middle spoke. They were grey pegasi with blue hair dressed in dark bodysuits. The goggles they wore held an odd, enrapturing glint.

“Huh?” Whirl replied, blinking.

“You, Rainbow Dash. You are the best flyer in Equestria.” One by one the fliers took to the air and began slowly flying around the blue pegasus.

“Well, yeah, I’m definitely up there.” Whirl smirked. “Glad to see you noticed!”

“We’re the Shadowbolts and we definitely have noticed. We want you as our captain.” One of them purred. It was a different one then before, but had the same voice. Whirl didn’t notice, too distracted by the gleam in their googles.

“How much is the pay?” Whirl queried as he turned his head to follow them. Maybe it was the fog, but he suddenly felt a tad dizzy.

“As our fame grows, so will our fortune. It will all be yours, Rainbow.” Another whispered.

“I can finally have it again?” The bodysuits looked more and more enticing and ethereal by the moment.

“Of course. You can have anything.” This was whispered gently in his ear.

Whirl backed up slightly before he could be touched. His hind hoof brushed against the rope on the ground.

“Alright!” Whirl laughed. “Just let me finish this up real quick -“ he turned back to the bridge, which he’d nearly forgotten.

“No! It's them or us.” The Shadowbolts hissed.

Whirl blinked.

His ear twitched as he heard a voice from across the chasm, but when he turned his head, it had disappeared and the fog was thicker than before.

Turning his head back towards the Shadowbolts, Whirl pursed his lips and squinted at them.

Taking a moment to think it over, Whirl stared at them. A light reflected off the goggles again, momentarily glaring in his eyes.

Whirl shook his head. When he opened his eyes his head felt clearer and he felt more resolute in his decision.

“Nah, I’ll pass.” He said with finality.

“What.” The Shadowbolts stated in unison.

“It’s sounds like all my dreams come true - that just doesn’t happen for me.” Whirl turned back to the bridge and began to tie a knot.

“And hey, I said I’d help the gals save the world or whatever.” He mumbled through a mouthful of rope.

When he was finished and turned around, they were gone and the fog was slowly clearing.

He took a deep breath, and flew back across to his new friends.

“Rainbow! You did it!” They cried out, cheering for him.

“Hell yeah, I did!” He said with a laugh. “Now c’mon! Let’s go!” He ushered them across as he fluttered above them.

The group left another bridge behind them as they entered the abandoned castle.

———

Held on a large podium in the center room of the castle, was five large stone orbs.

Twilight gaped at them.

“Come on, Twilight. Isn't this what you've been waitin' for?” Applejack encouraged her.

“The Elements of Harmony, we've found them.” Twilight spoke reverently.

“Careful, careful!” She exclaimed as he pegasus friends began to gently lift the Elements down.

One by one they were set down in a circle.

“One, two, three, four... There's only five!” Pinkie counted.

“So where's the sixth?” Whirl gently poked one of the stones.

“The book said: when the five are present, a spark will cause the sixth Element to be revealed.” Twilight mumbled, staring at the Elements.

They might’ve once been crystals, judging by the facets carved into them, but they were currently dull and lifeless, likely until the sixth was revealed.

“What in the hay is that supposed to mean?” Applejack said skeptically.

“I'm not sure, but I have an idea. Stand back. I don't know what will happen.” Twilight laid down by the circle of Elements, channeling magic through her horn.

“Come on now, y'all. She needs to concentrate.” Applejack ushered the rest of the group away and outside.

However, just as they gathered at the entrance to the castle, they all heard a yelp from inside!

“Twilight!” They cried, rushing back through the door.

They arrived just in time to see her and the Elements disappear in a blip of magic.

The five ponies burst into chaos as they began calling for their friend.

“Twilight!” Applejack cried “Where are you?”

“Look!” Rarity pointed out the window to a another tower in the castle, which was gleaming with magic.

———

Twilight coughed and hacked through a lungful of dust, which began to settle after the teleport ended.

When she looked up with teary eyes, she found a cackling Nightmare Moon directly across the room from her.

At the mad mare’s feet were the Elements Of Harmony.

Growling, Twilight stood up at pawed at the ground like a bull.

“You're kidding. You're kidding, right?’ Nightmare said flatly.

Twilight didn’t answer with anything except the glow of her horn and the start of her charge.

Obliging to the challenge, Nightmare Moon lowered her head and began her own charge, her horn poised to puncture.

The sound of stomping hooves on brick sounded throughout the chamber as the two ran full force at each other.

However, just before the two could make contact, Twilight disappeared in another blip of magic - this time caused by herself.

Nightmare Moon made a noise of shock.

Groaning from the strain of the teleport, Twilight shook her head and focused on the Elements now in front of her.

“Just one spark.” She muttered as she began to channel magic into the stones. “Come on, come on…”

Enraged, Nightmare Moon teleported into the circle of stones, interrupting the spell and causing the backlash to fling Twilight away.

When Nightmare moved to step out of the circle, it momentarily blocked her, causing her to gasp. This gasp turned to relived evil chuckles when the magic fizzled away.

Twilight gasped “But... where's the sixth Element?!”

Nightmare Moon’s laughter continued, as with a great stomp, she shattered the Elements Of Harmony into worthless little shards. They fell lifelessly to the floor, scattered like shards of glass.

Twilight watched helplessly as the dark alicorn stepped on the brittle shards, crumbling them beyond repair.

“You little foal! Thinking you could defeat me? Now you will never see your princess, or your sun! The night will last forever!” Nightmare said with glee.

Twilight, even as helpless as she was, heard something in the distance and couldn’t help but twitch her ear that way. Her eyes dilated as she realized it was her friends.

She also realized something else.

“You think you can destroy The Elements of Harmony just like that? Well, you're wrong, because the spirits of The Elements of Harmony are right here.” Her friends burst into the room to stand beside her just as she finished.

With that, the shards of stone that were once the Elements began to rattle on the ground, eventually floating upwards.

“What?” Nightmare breathed.

“Applejack, who reassured me when I was in doubt, represents the spirit of... honesty! Fluttershy, who tamed the manticore with her compassion, represents the spirit of... kindness! Pinkie Pie, who banished fear by giggling in the face of danger, represents the spirit of... laughter! Rarity, who calmed a sorrowful serpent with a meaningful gift represents the spirit of... generosity! And Rainbow Dash, who could not abandon her friends for her own heart's desire represents the spirit of... loyalty!” Twilight said with pride.

With each declaration, the remnants of the Elements began to gather around Twilight and her friends.

“The spirits of these five ponies got us through every challenge you threw at us.” She said finally.

“You still don't have the sixth Element! The spark didn't work!” Nightmare Moon said desperately. The floundering mare’s eyes darted from pony to pony.

“But it did!” Twilight said, turning to her friends. “A different kind of spark. I felt it the very moment I realized how happy I was to hear you, to see you, how much I cared about you. The spark ignited inside me when I realized that you all... are my friends!”

And with that, a light appeared above their heads. Looking up, Twilight found it to be the sixth element, floating proudly and intact.

Her head turned back to the alicorn. “You see, Nightmare Moon, when those Elements are ignited by the... the spark, that resides in the heart of us all, it creates the sixth element: the element of... magic!”

A near-blinding flash shined across the room. As the sixth Element revealed its power, the shards of the others coalesced together, quickly forming shiny golden necklaces and a single crown on the group of friends.

And with that, a beautiful, double-helix rainbow emerged from their collective energies, and was sent spiraling towards a shocked Nightmare Moon.

“No! Nooooooo!” She cried as the light engulfed her.

———

“Ugh, my head…” Whirl groaned as he came to, rubbing his head.

“Everypony okay?” Applejack asked, worriedly looking around.

“Oh, thank goodness!” Rarity stood, flaunting her now intact tail.

“Why Rarity, it's so lovely.” Fluttershy complimented.

“I know!” The white unicorn snuggled her purple tail. “I'll never part with it again!”

“No. Your necklace.” The yellow pegasus pointed to it. “It looks just like your cutie mark.”

“What?” Rarity glanced between the two. “Ooh. So does yours.”

Fluttershy looked at her own necklace with a startled smile.

“Look at mine! Look at mine!” Pinkie Pie giggled as she shook her chest, showing off her necklace.

“Fucking cool!” Whirl grinned, admiring the shape of his own.

“Gee, Twilight!” Applejack commented. ”I thought you were just spoutin' a lot of hooey, but I reckon we really do represent the elements of friendship.”

“Indeed you do.” A voice sounded, startling the group of friends.

To their awe, the sun began to rise - and with it, a shining light descended through one of the windows and into the center of the room.

All except Twilight and Whirl began to bow when the light formed the shape of a certain alicorn.

“Princess Celestia!” Twilight gasped, rushing up to meet her.

“Twilight Sparkle, my faithful student. I knew you could do it.” The pony princess gratefully nuzzled her charge.

“But... you told me it was all an old pony tale.” Twilight frowned as she pulled away.

“I told you that you needed to make some friends, nothing more.” Celestia asserted. “I saw the signs of Nightmare Moon's return, and I knew it was you who had the magic inside to defeat her, but you could not unleash it until you let true friendship into your heart.” Student and mentor smiled at each other.

“Now if only another will as well…” Celestia turned. ”Princess Luna!”

Across the room and unnoticed until then, a small blue alicorn gasped.

“It has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this.” The white alicorn said as she walked across the room to Luna. “Time to put our differences behind us. We were meant to rule together, little sister.”

“Sister?” Twilight and Whirl said, incredulously.

“Will you accept my friendship?” Celestia asked with damp eyes.

There was a moment of tense silence, the sisters staring unblinkingly at each other.

“I'm so sorry!” Luna eventually choked out, standing on shaking knees. “I missed you so much, big sister!”

The two of them embraced each other, tears running down their faces.

“I've missed you, too.” Celestia murmured into her little sister’s mane.

Whirl sidestepped away from Pinkie Pie as she began to awkwardly wail with them.

Despite that, Whirl barely resisted when his friends pulled each other into a group hug, watching with stifled sobs as the two sisters reunited.

How long had it been since he’d seen his own loved ones, he wondered as he allowed himself to bury his face in one of his friends shoulders.

He hoped it would never be that long.