Author's Note

Thank you for waiting patiently for this chapter. I didn't abandoned my story, I underwent much in life, especially with my girlfriend cheating on me. I caught her in the act and I was devastated for a long time. Also, be on the look out cause I do have a second story in mind, with Spike and dragons.

Does Time Matter?

Ember responds to Discord's question on behalf of Spike since it was her theory based on Spike's exposure to Starlight Glimmer's time-traveling sequences to ruin the present day for vengeance. "Is it possible for two creatures to occupy the same timeline from alternate timelines and universes?"

Discord got serious when Ember mentioned time and occupants from different timelines existing in one singular. His playful and chaotic nature becomes null-void when his cotton candy chair disperses to explain all he knows about time. Although he was surprised about Starlight's sin with time travel and colored him impressed, it's still a touchy subject because no one from alternate universes or timelines should ever co-exist, which disrupts the timestream, adding a new layer for it shouldn't or now exists.

"Dangerously possible that two of the same creatures from different eras of time and space can exist; however, there are prominent consequences of pulling a feat such as that, which is why my father forbade me from using time magic with my vast knowledge and wisdom."

"There are time spells available; Twilight used it to send herself a week prior, and Starlight went further back in time to when the girls were fillies," Spike reminds Discord of his friends' accomplishments with time travel.

"From Starswirled the Bearded -" Discord gagged in detest of mentioning Equestria's formidable sorcerer, gifted with magic intellect and perfected many spells after study; he swayed his arms when he mentioned the name. "The fame magician Twilight idolizes when it's not kissing Princess Celestia's rear end like a mare in love with a very-special somepony."

"Who?" Ember asks Discord, not knowing who is Starswirled the Bearded, unlike Spike, who endures day after day of Twilight shouting praises of Starswirl's ingenious magic, charms, enchantments, and spells.

"Let's just say, a powerful Unicorn that can rival an Alicorn," Spike says, to summarize since Discord is not fond of the name Starswirld the Beared.

"And who is your father?" Ember asks again, trying to understand the level of potency Discord's dad has to issue a command about time magic.

"Father Time, and no, I'm not joking, I'm not exaggerating, I'm not lying about my biological parents; Father Time is literally my father. Mother Nature is my mother."

"How?" Spike is more confused about Discord's family tree and is glad Twilight is not around; otherwise, she would flip out, interrogate Discord, and demand an answer to every possible question regarding his family tree.

"Well," Discord conjures a paper and pen, drawing an illustration of a tree with branches occupying every spec of space on the paper; it seems to stretch further beyond the paper's capabilities. Spike and Ember gaze at Discord's sketch, more questions pounding in their minds.

"What does the tree represent, Discord?" Spike asks Discord since the illustration piques his interest.

"I'll explain that and the sole purpose it represents. The tree in the illustration is the Nexus of all realities, the foundation of originality containing a singular universe; many would call it the canon. Before you ask what it is, the canon is where the events of the universe are true in nature; everything within the canon is exactly how the story from the Nexus plays out. The branches from the Nexus tree represent the different possible outcomes tethered to the foundation, which consists of alternate universes. There are infinite branches due to one instance from the canon turning into a reality. Then we have the leaves. The leaves are the thoughts coming to life from the branch, and there are infinite leaves on the Nexus tree. Any thought you have, regardless of good or evil, becomes an existing universe, which pans out how you thought and continues from there."

"Are we in the canon?" Spike and Ember ask Discord; they are confused by Discord's explanation.

"No," Discord shakes his head. "We're not in the canon, Dragon Lord Spike, but there's nothing to worry about. We exist in a prosperous timeline where you are the Dragon Lord. The leaf we're on is attached to the Nexus' tree branch of other outcomes. Some are good, some not so good. Many writers are generating many outcomes within the Nexus tree; some are spectacular, some are horrifying, some lead to death, some are hilarious, and some of them, you want to avoid coughing, a parody of a sleep experiment, visiting a certain Rainbow Factory, or even being around Pinkie Pie when she makes her specialty cupcakes," Discord shivers at the mention of the disturbed cupcakes.

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuh," Spike tries to wrap his mind around every possible thought becoming a new universe within the instant or how others out there create new worlds to divulge into.

"I know, it's a lot to take in, Dragon Lord Spike. Every second of every day, a new universe exists within the branch and leaf tethered to the Nexus tree."

"How does this explain about time!?" Ember shouts since Discord took a different turn in answering her question.

"Outside of the Nexus of all realities is the timestream, where my father lives. While asleep, he monitors every universe and ensures that time flows perfectly, nothing is out of balance, and if something were to occur, a time paradox would initiate, and that's when my father is awake to correct the issue."

"Why didn't he when Twilight saw her past self for a few moments or when Starlight Glimmer altered the past to prevent Twilight's friendship from blossoming?"

"Father Time saw the outcome ahead of time and knew the conclusion to how the story would pan out without messing with that current universe; he would fix the new ones once and allow the inhabitants of those universes to figure things out for themselves or let it be to see how those results would follow. My dad doesn't have to do anything unless the Nexus is in jeopardy."

"So, with that said," Ember interrupts Discord's explanation. "Would another Starlight Glimmer be running amuck in the world?"

"Although my dad has his duties, he gave me an insight into his potency, and so far, I haven't sensed a creature from an alternate universe or timeline living within this universe. There is only one Starlight Glimmer, and she resides in Ponyville, as you saw earlier today."

"Okay!" Ember doesn't want to hear anything else after hearing Discord's validation of a different Starlight Glimmer. The mysterious Alicorn is still either Princess Cadance or Queen Chrysalis. "That's all I needed to know."

"I have another question to ask," Spike turns to Ember. "Ember, go and have fun with the other Dragons, alright?"

Ember sighs and nods. The concept of time, universes, leaves, branches, and Nexus made her flustered and confused even more with possible outcomes based on thought. She wants to drown her mind with fun and focus on the meatball fight between Dragon Town and the Dragon Lands.

"Are there any villains left unnoticed in the world that could disguise themselves as the mysterious Alicorn Princess besides Queen Chrysalis and possibly Princess Cadance?"

Discord ponders for a few moments, and truth be told, there aren't many left, considering the Magic of Friendship had defeated the evils every time. "There are minor villains, but they don't pose an omnipotent threat to frame Equestria. Sorry, Spike."

Spike sadly sighs; he doesn't want to believe Princess Cadance would conduct a heinous atrocity to help the School of the Gifted Unicorn. "Queen Chrysalis or Princess Cadance. It has to be Chrysalis; there is no way she would..," Spike refuses to accept Princess Cadance as the culprit.

"In due time, we'll know the answers, but right now -" Discord snaps his eagle's talon. "think fast!" He disappears when a meatball hits Spike in the face during the food fight.

"HAH! I got the Dragon Lord! Feel the fury of my meatballs!" Chad continues to throw the meatballs at the Dragon Lord and aims to take down team Dragon Lands.

Spike rubs the grease off his face, smiling wickedly at his opponents. "You're going down!" He retaliates Chad and team Dragon Town by siding with his friends to participate in the food fight.