The butterfly effect

by PixelSprite

Rating: everyone
Tags: Fluttershy, Adventure, Random, Slice of Life, Alternate Universe, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 4863

The element of Kindness in a timeloop, how will this pan out?

Fluttershy, the element of Kindness has found herself becoming increasingly board over the centuries, or was it eons? She can't quite tell, Timeloop make it hard to remember just how long you've lived.

[Follow Fluttershy and friends(and "enemies") on their wacky, Loopy adventures!]

Published 2024-08-09 12:30:00 UTC
Last updated 2024-08-09 12:30:00 UTC

Chapter 1: Friendship is magic?

Fluttershy awoke within the bed in her cottage, much like she has everyday ever since moving down to Ponyville, however, today something seemed to be amiss, but Fluttershy couldn't put her hoof on it. She watched as her small white bunny angel bounced into the room, jumping on her bed while asking for food.

“I'll be down in a minute Angel, is that alright with you?” Fluttershy yawned as she began to slowly get out of her bed.

Angel tilted his head at her and began bouncing again as of asking if everything was ok.

“I'm ok Angel, I just had a strange dream, it's nothing to worry about.” Fluttershy gave the little rabbit a gently smile, stretching out her wings so they wouldn't get a cramp later in the day.

Angel nodded a little and began bouncing away, leaving Fluttershy alone.

Fluttershy smiled as she watched Angel hop downstairs, before looking down and gaining a confused frown. “Huh? I haven't been this….. big, since I first met Twilight.” Fluttershy muttered almost inaudibly to herself as she poked her large belly.

She hummed a little as she got up, slowly heading down stairs, frowning as she heard the stairs creak warily under her weight, Fluttershy shaking her head to clear her mind as she began to prepare Angels breakfast.

Fluttershy sighed softly as she went into the kitchen, flapping her wings to reach the higher cupboards, gritting her teeth silently as she noticed with annoyance that it had taken a lot more effort than she remembered, Fluttershy frowning as she realized that, she could barely lift herself off the ground with her wings, just like when she had first met Twilight.

“What's going on with me?” She asked herself, panting heavily as she made Angel's food.

By the time Fluttershy had finished setting up Angel's Salad, her fur was coated in a thin sheen of sweat, Fluttershy breathing deep breaths to catch her breath before turning to where Angel sat on her Dining table.

Fluttershy slowly put the food in front of Angel, while he looked at her as if asking if she was sure she was ok.

“I'm alright Angel, I guess I'm just feeling a little off this morning.” Fluttershy gave a tired, yet convincing smile, Angel just giving a shrug before digging into his food.

Fluttershy’s eyes widened a little as she noticed the colors of the world around her fading and deluding, as Angel's rapped eating seemingly slowed down. A dark liquid bubbling by the front door of her cottage, Fluttershy's eyes widening in fear as a bipedal figure began to emerge from the pool of dark liquid.

“Greetings, Element of Kindness.” The strange entity spoke.

“W-who are you!?” Fluttershy whimpered fearfully.

“Who am I? Ah, my apologies, I seem to have forgotten to introduce myself, my name is Pixel, Void dweller admin of time. It's nice to meet you, little one.” The entity, now known as Pixel, introduced himself as he held out a hand towards the scared, overweight Pegasus.

“W-what do you w-want?” She asked, shaking in fear. .

“Ah! Sorry, sorry, please don't be scared!” Pixel suddenly exclaimed as he lowered himself to the ground. “Please, take a few deep breaths, I'm not gonna hurt ya. I promise.”

Fluttershy shook a little more. “W-why a-are you h-here?”

“To explain a few things, that's all.” Pixel gave a kind smile. “Here, how about I make us some tea, it could help calm your nerves?”

“U-um. O-ok.” Fluttershy said timidly.

“Hehe, good, now why don't you sit on the couch over there, I'll be back in a moment.” Pixel pointed over to Fluttershy's small mini couch before melting into the dark puddle on the ground.

Fluttershy slowly went over to the couch and sat down, shaking a little as she looked around, a few quiet moments passed without a single sound, and about 13 seconds later, the dark puddle began to bubble again as Pixel emerged with a complete tea set, tea pre-made and steaming comfortingly.

“Here, take a sip, I got this set from an old pal of mine, she always made the best tea.” Pixel chuckled as he placed the Tea set on a small table and passed one of the steaming teacups to Fluttershy.

“T-thank you…” she said softly, taking a sip of the tea.

“It's no problem, do you feel calmer now?” Pixel asked after taking a sip from his own cup of Tea.

“I-i suppose so…” Fluttershy said softly.

“Good, good….I guess I'll start explaining now… but where should I start?” Pixel muttered as he placed his hand on the underside of his chin. “Well, I guess I should mention that you've gone back to about a week before Nightmare moon returns…” Pixel explained, pausing to allow Fluttershy to ask any questions she needs to.

“W-what? Why?!” Fluttershy asked, tearing up.

‘sigh’ “A few worlds collapsed in on themselves, which caused an unstable energy wave to wash over many worlds, including this one, damaging them, so, to prevent these worlds from collapsing as well and cause even more damage, I've put them all in a loop, essentially returning to an earlier point of existence over and over until each world can stabilize.” pixel explained with a sigh as he gently pat Fluttershy's chubby head comfortingly.

“B-but why this far back!?” Fluttershy whimpered and teared up. “I-i don't want to be this fat again! A-and what about Discord!”

‘sigh' “I know this is very difficult to emotionally digest, but, knowing how Discord is by nature, and the fact he can easily recognise time magic….at least in this world, and his close friendship with you-you being his first friend and all-he should begin looping with you very soon, if not this loop, and even if he isn't looping yet, he will at the very least know of the loops and that you are looping, essentially, if he doesn't loop, keep his memories of your ‘baseline’, the timeline you remember from before the loops, then he will know time is messed up and will likely be easier to reform as even discord doesn't like messing with Time.” Pixel explained, gently giving the chubby Pegasus a soft hug.

“This isn't fair.” Fluttershy whimpered, crying harder. “I-i tried so h-hard to lose all this weight!”

“I know… ‘sigh', but, if I've learnt anything from the thousands of Time Loops I've both purposefully, and accidentally caused, it's that they can often be used as a form of freedom, a moment where most actions from one loop usually don't matter in the next, but that doesn't mean you should be careless, that's actually why I've chosen you to be the core looper of the equestrian loops.” Pixel sighed as he placed the saddened Pegasus on his lap, giving her another cup of tea.

“What do you mean?” Fluttershy asked, staring at the ground without accepting the tea.

“Well, whenever I create a loop, I make sure there is at minimum one core looper for each world in the loop, the job of a core looper is essentially to tether their world to the loop by merely existing, nothing is really all that different between a core looper and regular loopers other than core loopers looping for almost every loop, and they also help the process of getting others around them to begin looping as well, depending how well they get along with the core looper that is, so I would say the next looper would either be Discord, Rainbow, or Angel.” Pixel explained with a small smile as he took a sip of his tea. “The most important thing I want you to remember about these loops, Fluttershy, is that you're not in them alone.”

“Will it ever stop and I'll be able to live my life again… with the memories of what's supposed to happen?” Fluttershy asked with a sad frown, tearing up more.

“Yes, the loops will eventually stop, I don't know when, but they will, and when the day comes that the loops do end, I always give those under my watch the choice to forget the loops altogether….it always amazes me how many prefer to remember the loops, heh.” Pixel chuckled before giving Fluttershy a slightly tighter hug as he gently pats her head.

“But I won't be able to return to the point in time you took me from will I?” Fluttershy asked sadly.

“I don't think that's a choice we need to make today Fluttershy, believe me, you will want to try getting used to the loops, seeing how different things, events, can change with a change in action, The Butterfly Effect if you will, knowing how different happenings around different events work can lead to entire problems and harm to cease to be…but it can also cause problems and harm to come into being as well. It's important we understand all of this lest we- ‘sigh’ no, I'm sorry, I shouldn't be explaining that yet, all you need to know is, it's better to make a choice like this once your used to what's going on around you, so you can know what you truly want.” Pixel sighed, looking to the side with a frown and…….. a Blush?

Fluttershy whimpered more as she looked away. “But everything I've ever done with my friends is gone… I feel so close to them and yet I'm not anymore… I don't even know Twilight yet now even though I know she's supposed to be an Alicorn.” rn.”

“I…. I'm sorry Fluttershy, I do not know how to comfort you, I…. Do not know what such an experience would feel like, and even if I did, it would have been Eons ago…. Not counting Loop time… I so often forget that mortals like you….. experience things such as this, the best I can say is to try and repeat what you have done the first time around, at least until you notice someone, or something, different.” Pixel sighed as he began pouring some more Tea.

Fluttershy covered her face again. “But it was years ago… a-and Twilight was s-so aggressive with us when she first arrived…it's going to be painful to see her like that again.”

“Yes… yes she was, I think I can actually give you a piece of advice on how to make…. Well that whole interaction go a lot more smoothly, see, it shouldn't be much of a surprise to you that Twilight wasn't very much of a social pony at all to begin with, correct?” Pixel began, waiting to hear Fluttershy's response.

“That's an understatement.” Fluttershy said softly.

“Yeah, it definitely is, hehe, anyways, I would assume it would have been verily activating seeing how….shall we say friendly, Ponyville can be to some pony like Twilight, especially when she had been worrying her horny off about the return of Nightmare Moon, I believe that at the time… well, with how social everypony had been, Twilight might have very well been overstimulated due to how sociable everypony in town were trying to be with her, sure, she wasn't shy like you were, but she was no where near prepared for ponyville’s levels of social interaction.” Pixel explained a short premise on Twilight's first experience with Ponyville. “So, I think that this early Twilight would really appreciate it if Somepony were to tell the others that she wasn't mentally prepared for a sudden party, or to be meeting so many ponies in one day, perhaps a pony who knows what it's like to be overwhelmed in a crowd?”

Fluttershy looked at the ground a little. “I-i suppose so…”

“Plus, Twilight would probably appreciate it is SOMEPONY believed her about Nightmare Moon, I mean, I know Celestia believed her, but she hid that knowledge so Twilight would befriend the lot of you, and wouldn't it be an act of kindness to believe Twilight's theory despite how absurd it would have seemed at the time?” Pixel continued, asking a genuine question near the end of his small speech.

Fluttershy giggled a little. “I suppose that's true as well.”

“Also, I believe I have a suggestion for how you could deal with Discord without needing to use the elements, the first time. You could have the everfree be his domain, apart for Zecora's but and a path from her but to Ponyville.” Pixel suggested with a shrug.

Fluttershy sighed a little. “He won't go for that, not then anyway.”

“No, no he wouldn't, not if you don't sweeten the deal first.” Pixel spoke cryptically.

Fluttershy raised an eyebrow at them. “How would that work? And wouldn't I just end up looping again?”

“Yes, you would, and that's precisely why you should do it, yes, it would waste time, but that can be seen as a good thing in a time loop situation like this, after all, how can you waste time when you've got all the time in the world?” Pixel explained with a small chuckle.

Fluttershy frowned a little. “But if I have all the time in the world… What's making everything worth the effort? What's making it… meaningful.”

“The memories of it all, the experiences you get to have with those you care about, to be able to see the outer limits of what you can and can't do.” Pixel spoke immediately, as if it were something he was used to saying.

Fluttershy frowned more, looking confused. “But if they don't share the same memories and experiences that made us bond .. are they really the same ones I know and care about?”

“Yes… and no, they will still be the same friends you have known since baseline, the life you knew before today, but they will be more, and so will you, but do you want to know the great thing about being a core looper?” Pixel asked, looking down at Fluttershy with a warm smile.

“What?” Fluttershy asked softly, not looking at them.

“You get to see the friends you know grow… once they start looping that is, once they do, you will be able to see the friends you cherish grow into more than they could have been without the loops, and they, they will see how much you will have grown, ‘sigh’ what I'm saying is, no matter who, what, when, or even how you see your friends, they will be just that. Your friends, and nothing can change that, Afterall, you are soul bound to your friends.” Pixel explained, his smile widening ever so slightly.

Fluttershy sighed a little and looked away. “Since you've already sent me back in time, I guess I don't have a choice.”

‘sigh' “None of us do Fluttershy, none of us do.” Pixel muttered with a gentle pat on the back.

Fluttershy shook her head a little, getting up and slowly walking away.

“Believe me Fluttershy, when anyone starts looping, the first memories they have are baseline, the timeline you remember right now, when your friends begin to loop, they will be the very same friends who have gone through everything with you, Nightmare Moon, Discord, Chrysalis, Sombra, Tirek, they will be the very same ponies who have been connected with you ever since you were but a filly.” Pixel muttered with a gracious smile.

Fluttershy sighed a little, shaking her head. “But if we're just stuck looping… then we'll never be able to move on with our natural lives.” ”

“... ‘sigh' I see your point Fluttershy, it's so easy to forget you mortals often enjoy your normal lives, heh, I'm surprised I hadn't just told you ‘were in a time loop, deal with it’, I can certainly remember saying something like that a long, long time ago.” Pixel chuckled a self -deprecating chuckle.

Fluttershy shook and teared up a little. “I-i wanted to have a family one day…”

“... Do, do you want me to unfreeze Angel? I think he'd be better at comforting you than I am.” Pixel muttered, looking at the frozen rabbit.

Fluttershy sobbed a little and nodded slowly. “Y-yes please…”

“Alright, just, take a seat on the couch while I explain things to him, ok?” Pixel spoke as he stood up and walked over towards where Angel sat on the dining table.

Fluttershy sat down and sobbed a little, covering her eyes.

Pixel gave her a sad look before turning to Angel and snapping his fingers, the small rabbit slowly beginning to move again.

Angel bunny looked around in confusion before noticing Pixel and jumping up and down Angrily.

“I know, I know, I'm not supposed to be here, but I think you have more pressing matters to take care of right now bud, like comforting your caretaker while I brew us all some more Tea, I'll explain everything once I'm back with said tea.” Pixel spoke with a shrug as he pointed with his thumb to the sobbing Pegasus.

Angle looked at Fluttershy and gasped a little, bouncing over to her and jumping on her lap.

A few minutes pass with Angel silently comforting Fluttershy before Pixel walks back over to the couch with a new set of tea. “I'm guessing you know what's going on now bud, right?”

Angel bunny glared at them and began bouncing up and down Angrily, cursing and swearing at them for ruining his master's life.

‘sigh’ “I get ya bud, no need for the foul language, wasn't really my choice either…” Pixel sighed as he began setting up the tea set and handing out new cups of tea.

Angel kept cursing at them angrily while Fluttershy shakily sipped at her tea.

“I know Angel, I've been looking for the cause from the instant everything happened, I'm doing the best I can to stabilize everything…. Unfortunately, it's taking longer than I'd have hoped, your world is actually the most recent to have begun looping.” Pixel explained with a tired smile.

Angel started Angrily yelling again as to why they couldn't just have someone else do this? Someone that would actually enjoy it and do it willingly.

“That's….because of the element of kindness, which Fluttershy here is, or is going to be, bound to by the soul itself.” Pixel explained with a slight groan, confusing Fluttershy and Angel.

“Bound by the soul?” Fluttershy asked, looking bewildered.

“Yes, I'm sure you can feel it, you can still feel the element of Kindness connected to you, correct?” Pixel enquired with a sip of his tea, summoning and offering a carrot to Angel Bunny.

Angel took it with some reluctance while Fluttershy looked even more confused. “Of course I do, I've had it for years… well… had it.”

“Well, think about it, isn't it before you should have even know what the element were in the first place? After all, Nightmare moon is still in the moon.” Pixel explained as a tiny version of himself sprouted out of the ground besides Angel, outside of Fluttershy's view, and began to whisper to Angel. “I've changed the subject to the element to keep her mind off the loops, at least until she's much more calm.”

“But I only just looped, wouldn't I still remember the feeling of being connected to the element of kindness?” Fluttershy asked with a sad frown.

“Well, you would remember the feeling, but you wouldn't actually feel it if it wasn't still connected to you, which it is, such is a unique trait with the element of kindness, heck, it's still technically connected to the princesses of the sun and moon… it's also why the ‘map’ of twilights crystal castle knew when Starlight had messed with the timeline, the element of Kindness is bound to time itself, rendering itself as a stability core of its base timeline.” Pixel explained as he glared out of Fluttershy's window, muttering under his breath about ‘the damned butterfly effect’.

“But what about the other elements?” Fluttershy asked with a whimper.

“They will quickly permanently bond with their current bearers, the only reason it bonded so quickly with you was because of how deeply you overlap with the very concept of Kindness.” Pixel replied with a soft smile before offering Angel a smaller cup of tea.

Angel took it before Fluttershy started crying again. “I want to go back to my own life…”

‘sigh’ “I know, and I promise, I'll try to end the loops as quickly as possible…..and through a loophole or two, I could probably get someone to loop with you, someone being any creature of your choice….you know, moral support and all that.” Pixel sighed with a shrug.

Fluttershy sighed and looked away sadly.

“....unable to decide, huh.” Pixel spoke as he gently rubbed Fluttershy's back comfortingly. “That's ok, take your time.”

“I don't have a choice do I… either I accept or everyone dies right?” Fluttershy asked with a sob.

“Huh? Who said anything about dying?” Pixel asked with a confused tilt of his head.

“I thought everyone would die or something? What's the whole point of looping if nothing actually happens?” Fluttershy asked, looking confused.

“What? No! No no no, no one dies in a loop, not permanently anyways, either they become aware of the loop, start looping themselves, or are just there to witness the different scenarios you and the other eventual loopers can come up with, loops are meant to be a time of mostly innocent fun and distraction while the multiverse tries to fix whatever stuff it breaks… trust me, it happens a lot, and I repeat, a lot more often than you would think.” Pixel rapidly explained in surprised shock.

“So all of this is just for fun?” Fluttershy asked with a frown.

“It's often best to think of it that way, as a version of Pinkie Pie who became a demigod often says, it's best to enjoy any situation your in rather than be upset with them, otherwise you'll be sad, and being sad you won't wanna do stuff, and not wanting to do stuff, means you can't go to parties.” Pixel recited, gaining a small giggle from Fluttershy.

“That sounds like Pinkie…” She said before sighing. “But I'd rather still just go home and be with the friends and family I have actual memories with.”

“You can do that too, it'll just take a bit longer with some than others, like say….. Angel for example, with how close he is to you, emotionally speaking, he very well might just be like you next loop, you know, keeping your memory and all.” Pixel explained, gaining Angel's and Fluttershy's attention.

“Wait… so they'd remember everything we've done before the looping? You made it seem like the ones I became friends with would be the ones looping.” Fluttershy said in confusion.

“Ah, here's the confusion, there are two different terms for looping, being a part of the loop, and being awake out of the loop, you, are awake out of the loop, remembering your life in the base timeline, but capable of making new memories and keeping certain traits between loops, while others that are a part of the loop will go with the loop without knowing they are in a loop.” Pixel explained to clear up confusion before speaking again.

“Now, as for what I meant before, those closer to you, emotionally speaking, will wake up out of the loop sooner than those you are less bonded with.” Pixel explained with a shrug.

“But will they remember everything we did from when I looped?” Fluttershy asked softly.

“Yes, but it may be a bit disorientating depending on how long it takes for them to ‘wake up’ as it were.” Pixel explained as he rubbed the back of his head with a chuckle.

“Ok…” Fluttershy said softly.

“Anyways, have you decided on who you'd like for me to ‘wake up’? Other than angel as he's more than likely to be the first to ‘wake up’ naturally.” Pixel asked as he gently scratched behind Angel's ear.

“How long will the looping last?” Fluttershy asked softly.

“That….I don't know, the amount of time the looping tends to last differs from loop to loop.” Pixel replied with an awkward expression on his face.

“So it could be years…” Fluttershy said softly, looking down sadly. “I was looking forward to starting a family…”

“....that is a loophole I can help you with once you find who you want to be with.” Pixel replied after a moment of thought.

“R-really?” Fluttershy asked softly, looking at them with hope.

“Yeah, I do it a lot of other world's loops, takes a few loops to set up though, two or three at most.” Pixel elaborated with a shrug.

“Well… ok.” She said with a soft nod.

“Now, let's talk loopholes, with the amount of direct control over the loops, which isn't much, I can get one or two…. individuals, to ‘wake up’ alongside you, the only thing I need to know, is who to ‘wake up’.” Pixel spoke, taking a sip of his tea.

Fluttershy looked at the ground and dug at the ground a little. “R-rainbow a-and… D-discord.”

Pixel nodded his head as he set down his cup of tea and stood up from the couch. “Alright! I'll be back with them in a Flash!” Pixel exclaimed before disappearing in a flash of light.

Fluttershy sighed a little as she covered her face again, before looking at Angel bunny. “This is crazy right?”

Angel just nods his head and pats Fluttershy's leg comfortingly as in another flash of light, Pixel returns with the disorientated forms of Fluttershy's two chosen friends.

“What in the name of chaos was that?” Discord asked, rubbing his head.

“The start of a time loop.” Pixel replied with a shrug, knowing Discord would already know all about Time Loops

“A time loop!? Oh great!” Discord yelled in annoyance.

“Yup. I'm working on fixing it, but you know that always takes a lot of time and research, anyway, you're here in Fluttershy's cottage, because she asked me to bring you here and allow you to remember the loops….even though this is the first loop.” Pixel explained as he pointed to Fluttershy before checking up on Rainbow, who was still disorientated.

“Fluttershy?” Rainbow and Discord asked, before looking at the mare.

“Yup, you see, due to the element of Kindness, Fluttershy is kinda stuck with the role as this worlds core looper so I gave her the option to choose two of her friends to immediately begin looping with her, those two friends being you two!” Pixel exclaimed, trying to sound optimistic.

“Wait, you choose us?” Rainbow asked Fluttershy, trotting over to her.

“It's not that surprising, you're her fillyhood friend, and her first friend for that matter, and Discord’s silly personality and world warping magic makes Fluttershy feel safe.” Pixel muttered with a shrug.

Discord nodded a little as he hugged Fluttershy along with Rainbow, causing her shaking to die down a little. “I-its ok… I'm ok now.” Fluttershy mumbled.

Pixel makes an unnoticed smile as he watches how much more calm Fluttershy is now that Discord and Rainbow are with her, Pixel then snickering as he noticed Angel trying to squeeze out of the hug, having been caught between Discord's arms, and Fluttershy's very soft body.

“Oh, sorry Angel.” Discord said, picking the little bunny up and setting him on Fluttershy’s head.

Angel just pouts before lying down on Fluttershy's head, however, Fluttershy soon notices that Pixel is beginning to fade away with a warm smile on his face.

“Wait where are you going?” Fluttershy asked them with a frown.

“Well, I've done my bit here, informing you of what you need to know, the last thing I need to set up is the loopers bar, it's a bar only loopers can access. And after that, I go back to the void to try and figure out what in all the realms I can do to fix or at least stabilize all the world's affected by whatever started these loops.” Pixel explained with a shrug of his shoulders.

“B-but what about that thing we talked about?” Fluttershy asked softly, looking worried.

“I can set that up from the void, but if there is anything specific you need to ask of me, just get Dissy over there, he knows how to reach me….even if it often ends with me with a pie in the face while in a ball pit….” Pixel mentioned as he lazily points at Discord.

Discord laughed at that while holding his Stomach. “That was classic!”

“O-oh… ok.” Fluttershy said softly, with a little nod.

“Besides, I'll still pop up every now and then myself, after all, the Equestria's are my favorite universes out there, maybe I'll even bring over a few friends from other worlds…. Eh, I'll think about it later, I've got a bar to place down!” Pixel exclaimed before disappearing from view.

“Get ready for some fun folks!” Discord said, looking in a random direction and waving while confusing the two mares and one rabbit.

Author's Note

Hope you all enjoy these loopy adventures! And I do hope to see some requests! All ideas are welcome! No matter how weird or crazy!!!