Population 1

As Winter explained the plan to them, Hitch and Sunny began to look skeptical about their odds.

"Alright, the way I see it. We have one chance to get this right. If we screw up ANYTHING in the past, the future will be altered in ways you can't even begin to comprehend. Time travel is no joke."

The white stallion pulled up a timeline map of the last 1,000 years. On it, there was a purple line running backwards about 700 years.

"This is Twilights temporal path. My sensors lost contact with her on August 11th, 1476. Precisely 704 years ago."

"What was she trying to do?" Asked Sunny.

"She was trying to acquire the technology we needed to replace Snowdrops chip," Winter said.

"In 1476? From my understanding they barely had electricity let alone tech of any kind," said Hitch. Winter pulled up a 3D model of a strange looking vehicle.

"This is an extraterrestrial spaceship. It crash landed in 1453 outside of Ponyville just beyond Sweet Apple Acres. No bodies were ever recovered but, your grandfather was able to create our chips using technology from that spaceship. It's highly advanced, more so than even I or Baxter." The stallion explained.

"So aliens do exist?" Sunny asked, staring at the space craft.

"As far as I know, yes. I tracked the path of the ship and its origin is somewhere in the Alpha Pegasari System. We've been beaming messages towards that system for years. But never actually gotten a response. I guess it's because we weren't as advanced as them." Winter tapped a few buttons on the monitor and the display returned to the timeline.

"Anyway, Twilight was returning to the past to collect the technology when I lost contact with her in that year."

"Woah woah woah," said Hitch, "if she was returning to the past to take the technology before Sunnys grandfather did, wouldn't that mean you'd disappear?"

Winter clicked a button on the panel and a second monitor popped out of the wall.

"Not exactly, Twilight was traveling in an alternate timeline. Not ours. We were able to locate a timelime where the ship also crashed outside Ponyville."

"So why are you worried about altering the future if it's not our timeline?" Asked Hitch.

"Because to alter any timelines future is kind of a dick move Mr. Sheriff."

Hitch frowned at Winter and Sunny watched the two of them curiously.

"Okay, but wouldn't we still be altering the future if we took the parts from it?" He asked.

"Hitch," Winter said, rubbing his head.

"Yeah?"

"Would you please shut the hell up and stop worrying?"

Sunny giggled quietly behind a hoof as Hitch huffed and sat on his haunches. The cyborg turned and looked at Sunny.

"Does he always contradict ponies this much?" Sunny nodded, smiling softly.

"Yeahhh.. but I still love him for it," she said ruffling his mane.

"Hey hey! Watch the bangs," he complained, swatting away her hoof.

"Oh hush, or I'll bang you."

Winter snorted trying to contain his laughter as Hitch's face turned a shade of red. Only then did Sunny realize what she said.

"I-I-I mean-" She stammered. Winter proceeded to burst out laughing.

"I don't get it," said Baxter from afar, watching the scene unfold.

~~~~~~

"Alright, everyone ready?" Asked Winter, getting in the time displacement device with Sunny and Hitch.

"Ready," said Sunny. Hitch just groaned.

"What is it like to time travel anyway?" He asked.

Winter shrugged and started tapping on a small screen next to the door.

"Beats the hell outta me. Twilights the only one who's ever time traveled."

"Greaaat."

Sunny hit him on the leg softly.

"Hey, have some optimism Hitch. And don't hold grudges." She booped him, smiling. For a second time, the sheriff blushed.

"Alright, we're all set. Throw the switch Baxter, I'll be back in time for dinner," Winter said.

"Safe travels sir, I'll be looking forward to your return."

Winter nodded, and Baxter threw the switch. Almost instantly, time slowed to a stop, then electricity crackled around them as their bodies distorted and stretched, lifting off the floor and proceeded to be tossed into a purple vortex. As the trio traveled through the temporal vortex, it only took another second before they were spit out into a lush green field. All three ponies hit the ground with a hard thud.

"Oof!" Sunny said as she landed on Hitch. Winter landed on top of Sunny who let out another "oof".
Groaning Hitch gasped for air.

"As much as I like being close to you Sunny, could you please get off my fucking back??"

Sunny's face turned green and Hitch's ears folded down as his eyes widened.

"No, Sunny no!" He screamed. But it was too late.

In a brilliant stream of orange, yellow, tan, Sunny proceeded to vomit onto Hitch's head as she rolled off him.

"Bleahhhh!!" Hitch yelled, scrambling out from under Winter who was currently trying not to bust a gut from laughing.

"S.... sorry Hitch," She panted, looking up at him as he wiped the vomit from his face. The earth pony sighed and looked down at her, a small smile creeping across his face.

"Its okay Sunny. If I'm gonna be puked on, I'd rather it be you than anypony else."

Sunny chuckled weakly and groaned.

"What's wrong with her Winter?" He asked, kneeling beside his best friend and softly wiping her muzzle with hoof. The cyborg scanned her.

"Temporal distortion sickness. It'll pass in an hour or so. It happens to ponies with weak stomachs." Sunny groaned.

"Want me to carry her sheriff?" Winter asked. Hitch looked down at Sunny and felt a pang in his heart.

"No, I'd like to. Shes... very special to me. But thank you Winter." Hitch said, leaning down and helping Sunny onto his back.

"Alright, we should get going then. The crash site is a couple miles this way," the cyborg said, turning and starting to trot forward. Hitch followed him, making sure Sunny was comfortable.

"Hitch..." she said quietly in his ear. Her head was resting against his neck.

"Yeah?" He replied.

"Did you really mean it when you said I was very special to you?"

The sheriff nodded. "Absolutely Sunny."

Sunny smiled and groaned softly, burying her face into his mane. Hitch let a small blush tint his cheeks. She was just delirious, he told himself. But somehow, he had a feeling she wasn't.

"Thank you.. you're the best friend I've ever had."

"And you are the best friend I've ever had Sunny. Many ponies don't really see law enforcement as their friend. But I'm glad you do."

Sunny nuzzled his neck in response and closed her eyes, resting to try and get rid of the cramps in her stomach.

~~~~~~~

Sometime later and the trio had reached a tall hillside. Looking down from Hitchs back, Sunny was amazed at what she saw. It was Ponyville, only it wasn't dilapidated or run down. It was vibrant and bustling. Pegasi flying about, unicorns trotting with earth ponies. So this is what it was like before the races separated. It was beautiful.

"Come on, we can't be spotted. Especially not me." Said Winter, trotting through some bushes into a thicket of trees. Hitch followed him, still carrying Sunny. It had been over an hour and yes, she was feeling better. But she also liked being carried by Hitch. She loved the closeness, and the softness. Despite Hitchs toned body, he was surprisingly soft.

"Hey Sunny, you feeling better?" The sheriff asked.

He too enjoyed the closeness. He liked carrying her. Every so often she would nuzzle into his neck and yawn. And her body was extremely warm and soft against his back. It was like being hugged from behind.

"Yeah, if you want you can put me down Hitch. Or... if you want to keep carrying me, I don't mind."

Hitchs cheeks tinted red again as he followed Winter.

"Well.. I mean.. i-i don't mind carrying you Sunny. You don't have to get off." The alicorn smiled.

"Alright then Mr. Sheriff, carry me toward success."

Hitch chuckled and trotted up beside Winter. The cyborg turned and looked at Hitch.

"You know she's probably feeling better by now," he said. The sheriff smiled.

"I know, but... she insisted on me carrying her."

Winter rolled his eyes but smiled as he looked away.

"Whateveeeeer you say bud."

As the trio came upon Sweet Apple Acres, they reveled in its beauty. Dozens upon dozens of bright green Apple trees. All bearing plump delicious looking apples. Down in the orchard, Sunny spotted two ponies working hard, bucking trees and collecting the apples.

"Hey.. is that?" Sunny began, squinting her eyes.

"I believe so, this is about 4 years after Princess Twilights Coronation." Winter said.

Sunny smiled as she watched Applejack and Big Mac collect apples.

"So that's what they looked like in real life.." She whispered. After a few minutes of watching, Winter cleared his throat.

"Ahem, we should.. probably get going now. Remember we also have to find Twilight."

Hitch nodded and continued on, following the cyborg.

They had reached a clearing on the other side of Sweet Apple Acres when they saw a small debris field just ahead. As they got closer, the trio could tell it had been there for a few years. Some moss and foliage was sprouting up around the pieces of wreckage and the path that it had dug into the ground on impact was now covered in green grass.

"The wreckage should be on the otherside of those trees," said Winter, trotting forward and taking out a small device from his storage compartment.

"What's that?" Asked Hitch, looking at the device in the cyborgs hand which was now emitting a soft beeping noise.

"Tracking device," Winter said, stepping into the trees. "Scans for components of the key elements needed to create the microchip."

Sunny got off Hitchs back and followed him in. When they entered the other side of the trees, Sunny let out a soft gasp.

A large saucer shaped metallic looking object was half buried in the ground. A huge chunk of its hull was missing from the right side. There were no distinguishing features at first glance until Sunny noticed a large thing sticking out of the top of it.

"What's that?" She asked, pointing a hoof. Winter followed her hoof.

"Oh that? It's some type of pulse weapon. Very high tech quantum energy. But don't worry, it's looks broken enough. Come on, follow me. The entrance should be over here." And with that, Sunny and Hitch followed Winter around the space craft.