Time is a fascinating thing. As we go along its river, one's actions change one's fate. Each precious moment is forever frozen within it… or so they say. For one stallion, time is little more than a hallway of windows that he looks over. Where most creatures with magic would do anything for a chance to change fate. His role is much different.

Sitting in the hall of windows. He smiled and looked up at one of his favorite windows. An image of six files with lives that would soon be bound by a single twist of fate. Swiping his hoof over the glass, he watched it change to each possible outcome.

"A single act to change the world." He mused.

After a few moments he noticed something new appearing in the image. It was that of a purple mare with wings and a horn. Narrowing his eyes he placed his hoof on the glass and watched as events happened around her.

Stepping back he quickly thought about what it meant. "This isn't good. One or two outcomes are fine but if she keeps going to the same moment and place."

He looked down the line of windows and noticed cracks forming. The farther away he looked, the darker it got and the more cracks he saw.

Stomping his hoof. The stallion knew there was only one thing he was able to do. Even if it meant breaking his personal rule.

Stepping through the window, he looked back as a pair of glass like wings formed on his back. Looking around he spotted two mares in an argument and stomped his hoof causing the world to freeze.

"What's going on?" One spat as she looked around for a moment before jabbing a hoof at the winged mare. "What did you do?"

"I didn't do this." She replied before adjusting the dragon on her back. "I don't know a spell this strong."

The two looked around before spotting the stallion glaring at them. "Who is that?" The clearly angered mare asked.

"I don't know. But if he's the one that did this." The calmer and more desperate one replied. "I don't think it's somepony we should mess with."

The stallion took a deep breath and flew over. "This is breaking a few rules. But this is important."

"What are you talking about?" The angry mare asked.

"I'll explain. But first. Give me the scroll." He replied.

"And why should I do that?" She asked.

"So you will stop damaging the already fragile timeline any more than you already have." He spat.

"She put you up to this. Didn't she?" The mare asked.

Face hoofing he turned to the winged mare. "You still have the scroll. Right?" She nodded causing him to sigh in relief. "Good. Then come with me."

The two mares looked at each other before the winged one followed him. "Where are we going?"

"To my realm." He replied before looking past them at a cloud with a pony sized hole. Sighing he shook his head. "I'll fix that earlier. For now, I'll need you to do something for me."

The unicorn flew over. "It doesn't matter what she does in the future. The spell will just bring us back to this point and I will still stop the race."

The stallion glared at her. "No… you won't. Your future is already decided." He then turned to the winged mare. "But if you succeed, then there is a chance to get things back on track."

"What do you need me to do?" She asked.

"Go back and make friends. Save the world again." He explained covering her eyes and the dragon.

In a flash she was gone leaving the scroll in his hoof as he turned to the now shocked mare. "What did you do? What are you?" He asked in a panic as the world around her became blurred as he approached her.

"You may call me E. As in, this is the End for you." He replied.

As she blinked, the mare appeared in a wasteland. And in her place of the past another her took the winged mare's hoof in friendship as the white stallion sat on a distant cloud and watched with a knowing smile.

The purple dragon opened his eyes and looked around at the familiar walls of the library before turning to the mare. "Twilight? What's going on?"

"I don't know Spike." She replied before picking up a nearby note. "But it looks like something is wrong." The two turned to the window and saw their castle covered in glass like vines. "Something is very wrong."

Stepping outside the two looked at the town then each other before saying at the same time. "Something is very wrong."

The first thing they thought of was to check on one of their friends they knew would be in the area and rushed to the farm where they found the earth pony family hard at work in what looked like a factory.

As they approached, the familiar earth pony came out pushing a barrel. "Applejack!"

"Can I help you?" She asked.

"This is going to sound crazy. But we're friends." Twilight replied. "And we need your help."

"You're right… you do sound crazy." Applejack sighed, rolling her eyes.

"I'll prove it."

"How?"

Twilight thought for a moment. "Well… I doubt your cutiemark story is the same…" Smiling, Twilight grabbed her face and pulled her so they were eye to eye. "Applejack. You don't lie. You went to stay with your relatives in Manehattan when you were young. You don't like walking away when you see a job that needs to be done."

Applejack pushed Twilight away and rubbed the side of her head. "Ok. Clearly y'all either telling the truth about us being friends. Or ya really like doing research."

"It's actually a bit of both." Spike pointed out.

Taking a deep breath, Applejack sat and thought. "Ok… let's say we are friends. What makes ya think I can help you?"

Twilight looked up at the night sky as she thought. "We'll need to find our other friends. After that. Find out how to fix Equestria."

Applejack tilted her head in confusion before shrugging. "Fine. Y'all help us finish today's quota. And I'll play along." She replied.

Smiling, Twilight teleported a hat over. "Here. You look better in this than that manenet."

"How did you?"

"You left one at the library in case of an emergency." Twilight replied as Applejack took off the net and put on the hat. Sharing a smile, the three went inside and got to work.

Author's Note

A quick start, but I wanted to get to the story and teas some things for the first chapter. Future chapters won't be as rushed.