Chapter 1-The Watcher

“Dear Princess Celestia, when you first sent me to Ponyville, I didn't know anything about friendship. I met somepony tonight who was having the same problem—your sister, Princess Luna! She taught me that one of the best things you can do with friendship is to give it to others, and help them find it themselves! And I'm happy to report that all of Ponyville has learned that even if somepony seems a little intimidating, even scary, when you offer them your friendship, you'll discover a whole new pony underneath. And even if my Star Swirl the Bearded costume didn't go over, this still turned out to be the best Nightmare Night ever!” Twilight Sparkle finished, popping in a piece of candy from the candy pile at the hooves of the Nightmare Moon statue. As she and her number one assistant and friend Spike finished the friendship lessen to the princess. Unaware to her or the baby dragon, however, a mysterious figure inched closer to them. The figure was a cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane and tail and was dressed in a purple jumpsuit. On her face was a black mask, with a yellow fabric where the eyes should be. She was sitting on a black cloud. Even though her face was concealed, behind it was a mischievous grin. Just as she was going to stomp her hooves on the cloud to give her friends a good scare, she, Twilight Sparkle, and Spike all disappeared in a flash of light.

“Well, I think you're the Crystal Empire's big important wizard,” Starlight Glimmer said, smiling as she put a hoof on her old friend’s shoulder. “Whether you like it or not.”

Sunburst blushed. “I don't know if I'll have time for any wizarding. I'm a crystaller now. That's a big responsibility.”

“I can't think of anypony more qualified. Just... promise you'll stay in touch?” Starlight said, hoping he’d say yes. After all this time being angry with Sunburst and herself, she hoped they could continue where they left off when they were young. To her delight, Sunburst leaned in and embraced her. She smiled, hoping this could last forever.

“Hm, like I'd ever lose touch with my oldest friend,” Sunburst said compassionately, and Starlight could tell the stallion meant it. Before Starlight could climb onto the train, however, her vision clouded over with a white light.

Finally. Sunset had finally gotten the Element of Magic. Yes, it was in the human world, but she was the queen of that pathetic high school. It would be so easy to grab the crown when she got there. The annoying violet alicorn, who had jumped at her earlier, glared at Sunset. “What did you do with my crown?”

"Sorry, it had to be this way-" the orange mare said menacingly as a green aura coated her horn and teleported herself to the mirror "-Princess." Sunset Shimmer saluted and jumped into the portal.

At the far reaches of the galaxy, there lay a lone spaceship on an island. Nothing supports the island. It’s just there, floating. However, this spaceship is just a cover. A disguise for what’s inside. Inside is a massive movie theater with four wooden walls lined with magical blue torches. Suddenly, a white flash appeared, along with 6 ponies and one dragon, who were all dressed in various costumes except for a yellow pegasus and a white unicorn. “Ugh, my head,” Rainbow Dash said, her voice weary from the hard fall.

“What in the hey just happened?” Applejack commented. One moment she was at Town Hall trying to cheer up the fillies after the whole thing with Luna, the next she was here. Applejack picked up her scarecrow hat and looked out at her friends as they all began to take notice of their surroundings.

“Wow, it’s like we’re in some kind of magical movie theater. Where do you think we are Twilight?” Spike asked. Twilight glanced at him, and then at the rest of her friends as they all looked at her, then looked around at their surroundings.

“I don’t know,” she began, “but I think we better find out,” the violet unicorn said, investigating the theater around them.

Pinkie Pie looked at the blue torches and began to reach out to them. “Shiny…”

“Please, Miss Pie, I don’t think you should touch those. As fabulous as they may seem…” Rarity muttered. As they began to look around, all of them, (except for Pinkie Pie) tore their Nightmare Night costumes off, and put them in the corner of the room. Just as they did that, a bright light appeared blinding all of them for a second as they put their forearms in front of their eyes. After the light dissipated, they all gasped in shock to see two unicorn mares they’d never seen before. One had pink fur, a dark purple mane and tail with turquoise highlights, bluish, purplish highlights in her eyes, and a cutie mark depicting a turquoise line twisting into a purple and white star. The other mare had an orange coat, a red and yellow mane and tail, light blue eyes, and a half-yellow half-red sun cutie mark. Then, both mares got up to look around.

When Starlight saw who else was in the room with her, she gasped in shock at her mentor, and friends. For some reason Pinkie Pie was dressed as a chicken. This was strange, the last thing Starlight remembered, she was walking into the train from the Crystal station. Why was she here? Then her eyes grew wide when she noticed the Alicorn or former Alicorn did not have her wings. “Twilight, why don’t you-“ before she could finish what she was saying, a deep voice interrupted her.

“Hello my little ponies,” the voice said, making the entire theater shudder.

Fluttershy paled in fright. Not only did she get a terrible fright from Nightmare Moon herself earlier, but now she had whoever this thing was. This certainly was the worst Nightmare Night she’d ever experienced. “What was that? What was that!” Fluttershy demanded, her voice laced with fear.

Rainbow Dash stood in front of her friends in a defensive stance. “Alright buster, show yourself! I’m not scared of you.” The voice chuckled. A voice that even made the bravest ponies shudder.

“I am not your enemy, loyal Rainbow Dash. I’m simply here to show you nine something,” the voice answered.

“What could that be? Are we… are we all from different periods in time?” Starlight Glimmer asked noting why Twilight did not have her wings, nor did she, or any of her friends seem to remember her. A feeling that made the pink mare a little sad.

“Yes, you are. Of course, the Element of Harmony bearers are from a different time from you Starlight, or you Sunset Shimmer.” As the voice continued, Starlight looked at the orange pony. Sunset Shimmer, why did that name sound so familiar? Why was the pony even here if no pony knew her. Is she from a much further future. She’d have to keep an eye on her. “I have gathered you all here to watch the past, present, and future.” The voice concluded. Everyone began to think about that, wondering what that could entail.

“Ohh this is going to be fun!” Pinkie Pie said excitedly.

“No, no it will not. my dear Pinkie. In this room, you nine will watch yourself’s make mistakes, and fail. However, you will also learn more about one other. Perhaps save someone in your future, that you could not in your original timeline.”

“Save someone, you don’t mean somepony’s gonna-“ Twilight said, panic in her voice. But the deep voice cut her off.

“No, that won’t happen, not if you can help it, Miss Sparkle. Now, remember, you won’t need to use the bathroom, eat or drink. If you talk or make comments, which I implore you to, the video showing you the timeline will stop so you may speak without talking over it. Miss Glimmer, see that remote next to you? You may push it when ready. Farewell.”

Starlight sighed, “Well I guess we should get going then.” Before she could press it, she was interrupted by Twilight.

“Excuse me, but do you know me in the future? You seemed to know my name.” Starlight sighed. Should she say how they met, how they became friends? No, she did not have the heart to tell her. Starlight knew lying wasn’t good, but if coming here meant another chance with being friends with Twilight without her sins in the way, maybe this could be better.

“Yes, we actually became good friends in the future,” Starlight said with a smile. Twilight returned it. “I’m even friends with them,” Starlight said warmly, pointing to Applejack, Spike, and the others.

Applejack trotted over to her and held out her hoof. “Well, it’s nice to make your acquaintance, Miss Starlight.”

Starlight cocked her eyes. “Where’s your hat?”

Applejack chuckled. “Well, we all were pulled from a Nightmare Night festival. I was a scarecrow. But now that you mention it…” Just like that the familiar brown stetson hat materialized itself on her head. Applejack jumped a little at that. “Well I’ll be…” Applejack shook her surprise off and focused her attention on to Sunset Shimmer.

“A pleasure meetin you, Miss Sunset Shimmer was it?” said Applejack, the other orange mare looked at her and glared at Applejack.

“Let’s just get this over with, I have more important things to do,” Sunset muttered gruffly. She didn’t know why, but that made Starlight really suspicious.

“Wait!” Fluttershy said, “if we’re here, who’s going to take care of Angel Bunny, or the other animals?”

“Or look after Sweet Apple Acres,” Applejack added worriedly.

“Or the library,” said Spike.

“Or what if there’s a new pony coming to Ponyville, and I can’t throw them a party!” Pinkie said, giving a chickens squawk to empathize her point.

Before they could all panic, the voice from earlier spoke to them. “Do not worry, time has remained still in your eras, so everything will remain the same, as when you get back.”

They all breathed a sigh of relief as that worry was swiftly dealt with. Starlight looked at the remote sitting in the middle of the nine chairs and lifted it up in her magic. Starlight then watched as they all took their seats. Rainbow Dash chose to sit on the far left, Fluttershy decided to sit next to her, Pinkie sat next to Fluttershy, Applejack sat next to Pinkie, Sunset trotted over to the last seat on the right, Rarity made her way over to the seat next to Pinkie, Twilight sat next to Rarity, and finally, Spike sat next to Twilight.

Starlight smiled. Even though she hadn’t known her timeline Twilight for that long, she was aware of how much like family they truly were. Starlight turned her attention to the red and yellow maned mare. Starlight grimaced. She knew she wanted to keep a close eye on her, because of how suspicious she was acting, but since she was also sitting next to Spike, Starlight wanted to separate the suspicions unicorn from the kid. With that thought in mind, she made her way in between Sunset and Spike. After settling down, she then proceeded to press the remote button as the most important thing all nine of them were going to see started to play.