Equestria Alter

Prelude

It was an early morning in Equestria, the sun rose barely an hour ago, and yet the purple Alicorn princess was hard at work organizing her library. Sunlight glistened through the library window reflecting off the crystal surfaces causing a cascading effect of colors. The Alicorn levitated hundreds of books organizing them into their proper shelf. A faint purple glow filled the room as the last remaining books were neatly filed away until their next use.

“Well Spike that should do it, that’s all 46,326,117 books in our collection,” I said gliding back down to the floor. The purple dragon puffed in agitation.

“I don’t see why we constantly have to redo the library. They don’t won’t be out of order if you put them back where they belong you know...” the purple dragon sighed.

I giggled and said, “Take the rest of the day off. I’m meeting up with Zecora later anyways.”

“With pleasure!” The purple dragon ran off as fast as he could out of the library. He’s running as if Rarity was waiting at the front door.

Walking through the massive double doors a crowd of ponies with cameras were waiting outside. A heard of ponies flashing cameras in my face and asking me endless questions. I don’t have time for this... I teleported to the center of town. I saw Pinkie Pie advertising the Cake’s goodies in her usual Pinkie Pie fashion.

“Our cakes or super-duper ultra-tasty, so combine down to Sugar Cube corner and get yours!” Pinkie screamed in her usual hyper-upbeat attitude. “Hi, Twilight!!” She yelled waving her hooves. I waved back.

“Good morning Pinkie,” I approached her.

Before I could ask how her day was she shoved a cupcake into my mouth. “Tell me how’s it taste?”

That was a mishmash of different flavors, I detected hints of nutmeg, cinnamon, way too much sugar, and was that... hot sauce? I spit out the cupcake using my hooves to wipe off my tongue.

“Pinkie!” I yelled. She was rolling on the floor laughing.

“Got you!” She giggled.

I sighed, “It’s good to see you Pinkie but I’m off to Zecora’s, I can’t be late."

I trotted off into the direction of the Everfree Forrest. I passed by Carousel Boutique, the pastel-colored building was adorned with warm summer colors for tonight's Summer Sun Celebration. I could see Rarity through the window hard at work. She was creating a new line of dresses for her autumn collection. I remember Spike telling me something about it. Rarity also was looking into the development of sportswear for the Running of the Leaves. I saw Spike standing close beside her. He had several of her sewing needles sticking out of his back. Even if he has thick scales, that has to hurt somewhat...

Walking past the boutique was Rainbow Dash's cloud house. She was away on Wonderbolt duties till Thursday. The Wonderbolts were Canterlot right now getting ready for their special performance for Celestia. She has been getting busier and busier these days but we all have over the past nine years. To be honest next year's Summer Sun Celebration will be the last under the diarchy and serving as my ascension to the throne.

I continued to walk and saw the edge of Sweet Apple Acre's. This part of the farm wasn't to be in season for another few months. Apples had their hands full with the Zap Apple harvest as it is, tending this evergrowing farm might be getting to Applejack. Maybe I'll convince her to hire more help.

I turned down the road towards the forest along the outermost edge of the south orchard. On the other side lay Fluttershy's cottage, her house lay as a landmarked warning that beyond lay the fearsome forest filled with dangerous creatures and housed the Castle of the Two Sisters. I always wondered why there were two castles if the capital city was Canterlot. Fluttershy was outside tending to her birds. She took notice and flew down to me as I approached the forest.

"Good morning Twilight," Fluttershy said softly.

"Good morning to you too Fluttershy," I smiled. My horn glowed and I picked a few feathers out of her mane that was entangled within it.

"Thank you, are you heading to Zecora's?"

"Yes, a few weeks back I wrote her a letter to see if she could make another potion to view the past. I am very intrigued to see what caused Luna to turn into Nightmare Moon."

"Oh I see, please be careful. Ever since the vine incident, the forest has been unusually aggressive. Timberwolves have been wandering closer to the forest edge."

"I'll be careful, I promise," I continued into the forest. Fluttershy stopped right at the edge. I turned and waved and proceeded to go deeper into the forest. I know better than to let my guard down in this place. A cockatrice already bested me once, I wasn't about to let it happen again.

The deeper I went the thicker the brush and vegetation became. There used to be a pretty easy path to Zecora's hut but it's been overgrown for quite some time. My horn began to glimmer with a soft purple glow and a small beam of light shot from the tip of the horn burning a small path through the brush. Destruction magic can be dangerous if not wielded in proper concentration. The rest of my walk was relatively uneventful. Few small animals but nothing major. Not like the Ursa Minor that Trixie unleased on the town.

I came upon a tree dressed up in tribal masks and potions, the holes in the tree served as windows and light poured out. The tree layer was so thick it felt as if it were night. The sign above the door read Zecora. I knocked on the door.

"Come in if you please, take a seat and I will soon attend to your needs," I opened the front door to see Zecora churning pink liquid in her pot. "Well if it isn't my friend Twilight Sparkle, I hope the trip did prove any great debacle."

"Good morning Zecora, no the trip was of relative ease. How have you been?"

"I have been quite well but this forest continues to swell."

"I didn't see any monsters on the way in luckily, they may only come out at night."

"Yes, that was also my guess. But my herbs and spices keep getting shredded to dice's. Alas, I know why you are here, you seek a potion to make your mind clear."

"Yes, that time travel potion you gave me that one time. When you sent me back 1000 years to view Celestia and Luna's fight."

"I have come up with a new brew, something that can bring you unrivaled knowledge to teach better than any college. For you see, it diverts the sea. As time ebbs and flows many decisions remain unknown. So the clock is rewound and time wounds healed, but a new story is bound to be found. This means you will be seen. Drink the potion it will bring you back, to a time in Equestria on a new track," Zecora poured the liquid from her cauldron into a clear jar. She shook it and it turned from a soft pink to white. “Be careful, you may have done this before you may find horrors that lay in store.”

I looked at the white liquid. Zecora looked at me with a smile. “Thank you Zecora, I don’t know how long I’ll be under so is it ok if I remain here?”

“Do not worry about any bump, for I will protect your purple rump,” I blushed a little at her response. I levitated the jar with my magic and drank from it. The potion was bitter and made me almost want to puke it up. After a few moments, I felt my conscious mind begin to separate as my physical body went unconscious. Further and further did the view of Zecora’s hut flee from my field of vision. Until it all went dark.