Time is Magic

As the portal between worlds closes behind me, I exit the portal in the air! I am a bit taken aback by this, because I was both not expecting this kind of exit, and I am not a good flier. I only got to use my wings for a few minutes before Daybreaker and I made that deal to save everypony by sending me back to Earth!

Thankfully, being an alicorn comes with some good reflexes, and my body quickly adjusts to the altitude, allowing me to hover in place for a minute. I don’t recognize where we are, and the first thought I have is to scan the timeline.

“Boss? You asked me to come with you, but you didn’t tell me when we are. I assume that the Luna from my universe told you about my time powers. I need some time to adjust to this universe’s frequency.”

Luna looks me dead in the eye, confused. “What doth thou mean, Jewnicorn? We are in 2021, the Common Era!” she replies, flying towards a castle. I vaguely recognize it, but I am not in the mood to question anything right now. Slowly adjusting to my alicorn body, I fly next to her, wondering where exactly my boss is taking me.

“Any idea where we are going, Luna?” I ask her. She doesn’t reply. I guess it must be a surprise? After fifteen minutes of flight, we arrive at the castle, which is swarmed by dozens of pegasi guards. I wonder what’s the deal with all the security? It doesn’t matter, anyways. Two of the guards open a massive door at the front of the castle, revealing somepony that I swore to eliminate, somepony that still haunts my nightmares even two years later.

Princess Celestia.

“Noah, we advise thee to NOT engage in combat with our sister. We assure you that Celestia in this timeline is as benevolent as us. Be at ease.” Luna says, seeing that I am already tense from just looking at Princess Celestia.

“I can assure you that my sister is correct. I don’t even know what a Daybreaker is!” She says. I am still a bit skeptical, but she seems to be under control. I don’t plan on becoming best friends with her any time soon, but I am under the impression that this isn’t the last time I will be seeing her.

“I know you have a lot of trauma, Jewnicorn. My sister Luna told me everything. I promise you that I am not the mare you fought two years ago. I will do whatever I can to accommodate you. In fact, I believe I actually need to congratulate you.”

Congratulate me? What could she possibly have to congratulate me for? I didn’t do anything that special. Hell, I didn’t even defeat Daybreaker, the Elements of Harmony did. I just made it a bit easier for them, if I’m being being totally honest/

“Congratulate me? For what? I am an 18 year old colt with nothing to do but help a friend out.” I say sheepishly, unsure what Celestia wants to celebrate.

“Well, in our continuity, the last stallion alicorn was over 50,000 years ago. Most stallions weren’t able to ascend. We still don’t seem to know why there is a great disparity between the sexes in alicornhood. Right now, it is just me, my sister, Princess Twilight, Cadence, and her newborn foal Flurry Heart. You are the only stallion alicorn. I think that deserves a round of applause, no? It did take you ten millennia to get there. Not everypony has the gift of immortality like us!” Celestia says, clapping her forehooves in approval of my accomplishment.

“Anyways, I have a lot of free time on my hooves, since Luna and I abdicated from the throne.”

Wait, WHAT? Why would the two sisters abdicate? Don’t they need to raise the sun and moon? I don’t get it.

“Hold on one second. Boss, how could you and Celestia abdicate? Won’t the sun and moon collapse on themselves without their diarchy?” I ask, a bit nervous at this bombastic statement and the consequences that this could have.

“Well, we just gave the powers of the sun and moon to Twilight, of course!” Celestia says nonchalantly. “There is a fifteen-year gap in time between this Equestria and the one you are used to. Everypony you know is a bit older. Frankly, Twilight looks like me now. She’s taller and fairer!” Celestia adds, very proud of her student.
“Hmm. I guess? I didn’t know Twilight that well, but she seems smart, so I don’t think Equestria is going to be in bad hooves-” I was going to continue saying something, but my time magic is acting up. My consciousness is flung everywhere in time, and I guess this means I am fully calibrated?

In my full alicorn state, I can see everything on the timeline, and in theory, I could time travel, too! I never really had any opportunity to experiment with alicorn magic during my fight, but I don’t think now is a good time to do so, either. I sense some dark energy in the relatively near future, and I fly over ten years to see what is going on. I see something horrific:

EQUESTRIA HAS TEN YEARS LEFT OF HARMONY BEFORE CHAOS AND HATRED WILL TAKE OVER. THE PONIES AND OTHER RACES WILL SEPARATE, AND MAGIC WILL CEASE IN THE LAND!!

I quickly fly back to the present and I realize that Twilight is going to buck up REALLY badly.
The thing is, I want to say something, but one of the first things that (my universe’s) Luna told me is to not interfere with time, so I am a sitting colt, waiting for everything to hit the fan.

“You were about to say something, Jewnicorn?” Celestia asks me, a bit intrigued by my short distraction. Does this Celestia know how to stop time or anything like that? I pray to G-d she doesn’t!

“Sorry, I lost my train of thought,” I replied. Technically that’s true!
“Oh, right! I remember why I brought you here. In Luna/03’s last will and testament in the event of her killing, she listed you as her sole heir. Since nopony in that Equestria could execute her will, we have decided to coronate you as the Prince of Night and Time.

Wait, WHAT? A coronation? A prince? I am not royalty! This is all crazy! What about the timeline going to hay in ten years, with hatred and all that? Guess that’ll have to wait as I am being dragged into the palace by Luna, where plans are already being made for my coronation.

“Wait, when is this coronation? Can my sister come? She got "ponified" two years ago.” I ask Luna, who nods.

“Of course, Rivka can come! We have already been to her dreams, and she is more than willing to attend! She knew before you, to be honest. We would be honored for thy sister to attend the coronation in one moon’s time.” Luna says, roughing up my mane.

“And what about the colt’s mother?” Celestia asks, interested in her potential attendance.

“Of course, ‘Tia, the colt’s mother shall attend, too!”

Well, I have a timeline to save, and I am becoming a prince?!?! This is all too crazy!