Thoughts of Another Timeby WarvynChaptersPrologueChapter OneChapter TwoPrologueTwilight slowly opened her eyes. She felt a breeze as her mane gently swayed. She felt dust and sand softly colliding and sticking to her coat. The ground felt very coarse and hard, like a rock. Where am I? Twilight looked down. The ground was stained by only one color. Brown. It reminded her of a desert. It expanded for a very long while, seemingly never ending. All along the ground there were cracks, and heat rose into the air, causing the surroundings to have a morphing feel to them. On the horizon she saw a few buildings. A town. She stood up, and tried to walk. After one step, her body buckled. It was so tiring, but she didn't stop. Again, she rose, only to fall after two hoofsteps. She sighed. What happened? Again she stood, but did not move. Deciding to take it slow, she stretched her muscles, starting with her forehooves, then with her hind legs. Finally, when she was satisfied, she tried to walk again. She did not fall. I can't remember anything. She looked up at the sky, the sun was barely visible behind her. It was setting, and gave the sky a beautiful orange and pink glow. Beautiful. Remembering the town she had seen earlier, she set off. It was very far, but she was determined. If she did not remember anything, perhaps somepony else would. She finally reached the town. It was surrounded by a wall, made of a rugged, dull grey stone, with a large wooden gate standing tall directly in front of her. She could see something on each side of the wall. No, not something, but somepony. Two ponies were standing guard. They were dressed in what looked like heavy iron plating, which Twilight could only assume made the heat worse. After a few seconds of standing there, a guard finally took notice of the young unicorn. “Excuse me, who are you?” the first guard asked. “I-I’m Twilight Sparkle...” the mare tried to say, but her words were barely audible. Her voice was very coarse, and her throat hurt as she tried to speak. “Please speak up, I couldn't hear you.” the guard demanded. She tried to speak again, but the words still failed her. The guard looked at her for a second, before speaking. “Hey, go get this pony some water. It looks like she has been walking for days.” Twilight could hear some movement to her right. “Yes sir!” After what seemed like forever in an uncomfortable silence, he returned, holding a glass. “Here, drink this.” he said, hoofing it over. Twilight took a huge gulp, the cool water refreshing her throat. After finishing the glass, she decided to try at speech again. “My name is Twilight Sparkle.” she said, this time her voice effectively coming out. “And what business do have here, Miss Sparkle?” the guard asked. His commanding voice startled her. He looked at her intently, watching her every move. “Um...where exactly am I?” she asked, shrinking with nervousness at the guards stare. It made her feel vulnerable and uncomfortable. “You are outside of Vipol. What are you here for?” he asked again, annoyance is his voice. “I-I’m not sure. I can't remember much...” she responded, trying to sound more confident. She could tell it wasn't working, and that the guard could see through her facade. “All I remember is waking up about a mile that way” she added, pointing with her hoof. “That is...odd. Kriteus, take her inside, and show her to the priest. Make sure she doesn't do anything she would regret.” he commanded the pony who had brought her drink. “Yes sir!” he responded. “Come with me, and rest assured, we will not hurt you.” he said, waiting for Twilight to step forward. “Thank you.” Was she could find herself to say. As soon as she walked through the giant wooden door, her mind tried to take in the sight. The architecture was magnificent. Buildings were piled in various places, and very crowded. They were made from cobbled stone, and looked as though they would fall apart at any minute, but had breath-taking designs. The ground beneath her was made of cement, stretching on to the center of the enormous town. It all seemed familiar. “Try to stick by me. You never know what somepony will do to you in this part of Vipol. Just try not to get lost, and do not follow anypony else.” the guard said with a stern look on his face. Twilight made sure to keep as close as possible. Everything was so strange, as if she was forgetting something very important. “It should not be much further. The priest’s house should be just a bit more down the path.” he added. As they walked on, she could see a building that looked smaller than the rest around it. It was made with the same cobbled stone as the other buildings, but had a more depressing feel to it. She couldn't help but feel a bit scared of the frightening building. “Here we are. Take a step inside, and make sure to be patient. You are lucky Moroiu was the one on duty today. If not, you would have more than likely been left to die.” the guard told her. “Just make sure to watch yourself around here.” As he left, silence filled the room. Her mind kept spacing out. She was forgetting something, and it bothered her. What am I forgetting? Hmm...why, of all times, does my brain decide to short circuit now?And where am I? Vipol...I don't think I’ve ever heard of this place before...Twilight thought to herself. Before she could finish her thoughts, she noticed a pony walking in. He was a unicorn with a red coat, a grey mane, and blue eyes. He looked very old and fragile, as if the slightest breeze would break him. His flank held the symbol of a syringe. “Hello young filly.” he greeted. “I am the priest Valor. Now, is there a reason you have come here?” “Oh, yes...I don't quite know where I am, or how I got here. I was hoping somepony could help me, and the guards led me to you.” she quickly stated. “Ahh, yes...well, do you know where you came from?” he asked caringly. His voice was quiet and peaceful, unlike the guards, and it made Twilight feel much more comfortable to talk to him. “Oh, I come from Ponyville...” Her mind snapped. She remembered now. Not everything, or how she got here. But she remembered why the place seemed so odd. “Ponyville...can't say I’ve ever heard of the place,” he said, puzzled. “I’m not surprised. It isn't a very big town after all, and we don't have a large population. What I am more concerned with is where Vipol is. I have never heard of this place.” she said. “You haven't? Strange. Though not the most famous city, it is quite commonly heard of. Many caravans and travelers have to pass through here.” the priest replied. “I’m surprised I haven't then. Surely everypony in Equestria would have heard of this place by now.” the purple unicorn stated. “Equestria? What are you talking about, dear? I have not heard of such a city before, and I dare say I am old enough to know what goes on.” the red coated stallion told her. To him, his age was more of experience. “What do you mean? Equestria isn't a city, it is an empire. Everypony should have heard of it by now.” she said confusingly. “Empire? There is no such empire. At least, not that I have heard of.” the old unicorn said. “No such empire? But... how could you not have heard of it?” She asked. After a second of thought, another question came to her mind. “Wait. Where am I then?” “You are in the Ponian Empire, strongest empire in the world, of course.” he answered. “Ponian...wait. Ponian. I remember the name now. It was in our history textbooks when I went to school. But that can't be possible, it was wiped out thousands of years ago...” she said. “But, if you say I'm here, then...” Suddenly Twilight understood. It felt like the whole world was collapsing in on itself. Her head began to ache, and her thoughts wouldn't form properly. Realization finally struck her. She had traveled back through time. Chapter OneA/N: So here is chapter ones edit. If you're new, just read on, and pretend this isn't even here. If you have read the previous version, you don't have to reread the whole thing. I do suggest you skim through it though, as I did remove a lot of text. If you don't, you will most likely be confused during the next chapter. Twilight awoke with a jolt. She searched the room, trying to remember where she was. The walls were a dull stony grey, and looked very worn, as if they would fall apart at any second. There was a glassless window to her right, and she could see that is was dark out. Oh right...after I went to that priest, I fainted... the unicorn thought, feeling foalish. But where am I now? And how did I get in a bed? “Ah, you are awake now. Good. It was quite concerning when you fell like that. I had my apprentice carry you using her magic.” came an elder voice off to her left. It startled her at first, until she remembered who it was. It was the old priest. “I see.” she said, blushing. “I guess I was just surprised. But how did I end up here? If only I could remember what happened before I woke up earlier.” she said, hoping an answer would come to her. She was greeted with nothing. “Well, it most certainly is odd to hear a pony claim that they are from the future... are you sure you were not dreaming any of this? It is, if I may say, quite hard to believe.” the stallion said, trying not to sound offensive. “I don't blame you. It happened to me once too, and at first I thought it was impossible. But no, it wasn't a dream, I know that.” the mare calmly replied. It all made no sense to her. If only she could remember what happened or how she got here. “Either way, you should get some rest. Your body seems to be weak at the moment, and you should not put too much stress on it. If you need anything, just call. My apprentice will be waiting for you when you are ready to go.” he told her, turning to walk out the door. “Don't hesitate to call us. And do make sure to rest well. If what you say is indeed true, then adjusting will be hard.” Adjusting? What does he mean... Twilight felt her heart sink. She realized what he was implying. If she had traveled here without any memory of what happened, she might never make it back. “Now get some rest. You will need it for tomorrow.” She nodded to him as he finally walked out of the room. It was a depressing thought for the purple unicorn. She didn't want to be stuck here forever, but what could she do? Even if she did remember what happened, that didn't guarantee she would be able to get back to where she belonged. No, don't think like that. There has to be a way back, I know it! For now, I should get some sleep. Maybe I’ll be able to remember something in the morning... she thought, closing her eyes and slowly drifting off to sleep. Twilight gasped when she entered the building. It was very tall, and had much space within it. The walls were made of a white marble that shined, and had pillars in various places to keep the roof stable. There were large windows on each wall, letting in the light of the setting sun. “Be careful now Twilight.” came a voice from her rear left. “This is a very large place. Wander off and you might get lost.” it added, letting out a tiny giggle. “Come on princess, I can handle myself...” the unicorn said, embarrassed. “Besides, if I do get lost, I can just teleport out of here.” “Yes, yes, I know, it was meant only as joke. Either way, we are here for a more important task, are we not?” the princess asked calmly. “Yes! We are here to find out more about the use of time spells. I have only used one once, and it was a one time deal. It is the only one I know of that can actually send the user back or forward in time.” the mare replied. “I have been doing research on it for a while now, and I think we can use the notes I came up with to create a decent spell.” “I see. Just remember Twilight, time is definitely a game that should not be played with. Many ponies have devoted their life to this kind of research, only to disappear or quit suddenly.” Celestia warned “Make sure you are careful with such things, or you may end up like them.” “Oh, don't worry princess, I know what I'm doing. I made sure to double check my notes twice. If my calculations are correct, which they should be, then this should be easy!” Twilight stated proudly. She didn't want to mess up this chance with the princess watching. “Okay then, my faithful student, here we are. Just like you asked, the rune is carved directly in the middle of the room, and more unicorns are awaiting you.” “Alright, send them in then. I hope to perfect this as soon as possible.” the unicorn said, barely able to contain her excitement. As long as she stuck to what she studied, nothing could go wrong. Or so she thought. Twilight opened her eyes slowly, looking out the window. It was still dark, but she could see small pinpricks of light popping up out of the sky. It reminded her of the princess. Celestia...I hope she isn't too worried. Hopefully the other unicorns are safe as well... “Hello?” came a voice from the doorway. “Are you awake? Are you feeling okay?” the voice asked. It was feminine, and had a soft, gentle, and motherly tone to it. “I'm fine, just a bit tired and confused is all.” Twilight replied, turning her attention to the mare walking into the room. She was a very pretty unicorn with a blue coat, a silver mane, and ivory eyes. “Okay. Do you need anything?” she asked. “No, thank you. Although, I have no idea what to do after I get out of this place. I don't have a home or a place to stay, and this city is very unfamiliar to me.” Twilight replied. “All I know is that I have to get back to where I belong.” “Well, you could ask Valor for help. Vipol isn't in the best state right now, so finding a place to stay might be hard.” the mare replied. She looked like she wanted to say more, but decided against it. “Okay. Do you know where he is?” Twilight asked. “As nice as this place seems, I really should be on my way by now...” Twilight stated. Being so far in the past frightened her. She had no friends, no contacts, and nowhere to go. She didn't even have a job. “He isn't here at the moment. He had to leave to shop in the market area. A great deal of people get sick in this district, and he is the only priest here. It makes the place very busy most of the time.” she told the purple unicorn. “Well, guess I’ll just have to wait then.” Twilight said. She noticed that the sun was peeking up above the horizon, casting a bright light on many of the buildings. She could see that most of them were worn or ruined, and many looked on the brink of collapse. “Would you like something to eat? You haven't had any food since you came in yesterday, so I’d imagine you’re pretty hungry.” the mare said. “That would be nice. How long was I out, anyway?” she asked. “Well, you came in about noon, and it is almost dawn. You have been sleeping for quite a while.” the mare replied, which threw Twilight off. That was almost twelve hours. “I was out for that long? I guess it shouldn't be unexpected though. Today was too surprising for me to handle.” Twilight reasoned. The blue mare giggled at that. “Okay. Well, follow me if you want to eat. We don't have much, but there should be enough to make you something.” the mare said, turning towards the door. “Valor should be back any second now.” she added. Twilight stood, watching the mare as she walked out. What am I going to do? I have no place to stay, or any friends here. I guess my best bet is to try and find my way home as fast as I can manage... she thought. But she figured while she was here, she may as well look around. It was a chance to look at history after all. Twilight ate very messily. She hadn’t eaten anything for what felt like days to her, and the meal that the blue unicorn made was delicious, albeit odd. The food was certainly different than what she was used to eating, though the meals would certainly have changed through the ages. “This is great. I never had a meal like this before.” she told the mare. All she did was simply blush and look down. “I-it isn't that great. Just a regular morning meal by most pony’s standards.” she said looking up at Twilight. “You know, it was quite a sight to see you drop to the floor so quickly.” she said, trying not to giggle at the memory. Twilight’s face turned scarlet. “You saw that? Oh, Celestia, that is so embarrassing!” The mare couldn't help but smirk. “Well, I was the one who had to carry you to bed, since Valor is a bit too old to be carrying anyone, even with magic. You’re lucky you came to this side of Vipol, as most priests aren’t as caring as ours. Most of them would have either turned you down, or made you pay.” she stated. “You mean you were the one who carried me?” Twilight asked, her face getting hotter. It was an embarrassing thought. “T-thank you. Oh, I haven't caught your name yet either. I'm Twilight Sparkle.” she said enthusiastically. “I’m Ivy. And you are quite welcome, although it was not a very big deal. Ponies in states far much worse than yours come in all the time.” she replied. “Work must come around often here then, doesn't it? I mean, I know there weren't many cures during this age, but do ponies really get sick that often?” Twilight asked. She knew it was hard on the ponies here, but now she might have a first pony experience on it. Who knows? If she really was stuck here, maybe she could become a priest too. “Oh yes, we usually have about ten to twelve patients on a normal day. Much to our grief, not very many of them live, the sickness either too terrible, or from waiting too long to visit.” Ivy noted sadly. Twilight could guess that the blue unicorn had seen people die a lot. She couldn't help but shudder at the thought. The purple unicorn had never seen death before and wasn't sure how she would handle it. “I see...” was the only response she could mutter. “But that doesn't mean that ponies don't walk out alive. Valor has saved many lives before. For a priest in such an unstable district, he has become quite popular. Even those of royal blood come to visit him from time to time.” the blue mare reassured, her expression becoming calmer. If I end up stuck here, I’ll have to live like everypony else. In that case, maybe I really should become a priest. With the knowledge and spells I have, I could probably save more ponies. Twilight thought. Until she found her way home, she may as well make herself useful. "How do you become a priest?" she asked. "Well, most ponies are born with a mark to signify their profession. It is usually very similar to the marks that their parents have. This is usually important to a priest while considering an apprentice. If they don't have a mark for that kind of job, then, if they are lucky, they can go through a type of training. They start out as an apprentice, but don't become an actual priest until years later,” she said, taking a deep breath before continuing, “And some of them quit before then.” "I-it can really take that long?" Twilight asked. "Yes. For some ponies it can take years and years to finally be allowed to go out on their own. It is usually based on skill though. A master is there to teach you everything you need to know, and the knowledge some of them have is fairly great." the blue mare replied. "But of course, some ponies can be trained rather quickly, especially if they already have experience in the field." So the worst possible scenario is that I’d have to train for a year or so. But I do know a bit more than ponies considering the time difference... she thought before hearing the front door open. "I'm back, Ivy. I have everything we need for the time being. I swear, more and more ponies just keep getting more and more sick." he joked, though there was a hint of seriousness in his voice. Twilight stared at the old stallion for a second. I could ask him to become an apprentice now, but maybe I should wait until I know for sure if I'm stuck here. Besides, he already has an apprentice. Two might be a bit much to handle. Deciding against it, she went back to eating. It was several hours later before anything happened. Judging by what the two unicorns had told Twilight before, the day must have been rather nice. Only two ponies had came in, both who were easily helped by the elder unicorn. Ivy mostly watched, listening to the old stallion whenever he said something to her. Twilight sat and thought. So how did I end up here? She asked herself. Lets see...I came here yesterday, which means whatever happened was two days ago to me. I remember...Celestia...yes, thats right! I was with Celestia! Trying to...study spells. Time spells. But that's all I can remember right now. Obviously something went wrong, or I wouldn't be here. Her thoughts were interrupted, her attention drawn to the commotion in front of her. The patient looked guiltily at the old unicorn, trying to talk, but not getting the chance to do so. After a few short minutes, he was shooed out quickly. “What just happened?” Twilight asked. She couldn't hear because she was a bit too far away and had her mind somewhere else. “That stallion came in here with some sickness. It was easy enough to cure, but he didn't have enough bits to pay, so I didn't make him. It doesn't take much to help a pony, so sometimes we can afford the loss.” Valor said. Twilight felt a bit envious. She had never seen a pony so devoted to his work before. In her time, ponies weren't so caring. Sure, they helped out every so often, but not to the extent of the pony in front of her. “You must be very devoted to let the chance for money to slip like that.” she said. “Well of course. I remember when I was young. I grew up in a different city. Been so long I can't remember it though, only bits and pieces.” he said. “But what I remember most is that the priests there were all greedy. I remember how often death came to us. It was as if you couldn't turn without seeing a corpse on the ground. After that, I knew I should try to help as many ponies as possible.” “That must’ve been hard. I didn't know that things could be so bad now. I’ve never seen death. Not yet at least. I know that no matter what, though, it will happen sooner or later.” the unicorn replied. “Well, you’ll see a lot of it around here, if you want to stay. But don’t worry about that now, just go get some rest. I will lend you one of the extra rooms for now, until you can find another place to go.” he said as he turned and walked off down a hallway. “I think I’ll go to my room too, ” Ivy said, “I have a lot to study tonight. I hope to be as good as Valor someday.” Study. Maybe I could help them a bit. I'm sure I know a few spells that they don't. she thought. I guess I should wait though. I don't want seem like I'm bragging. With that last thought on her mind, she slowly went to her own room, and fell asleep almost instantly. Chapter TwoThe rune was in a star shaped pattern in the middle of the building, carved with a purplish color. In the center of the star there was a tiny piece of fruit. An apple. The reasoning was the apple was the object they wished to send forward in time. If the spell went well, it would disappear, only to reappear a few minutes later in the same spot. “All right. Take your places everypony.” Twilight commanded. At once, the four accompanying unicorns took their positions on the points of the star. “Now, this is going to take a lot of attention,” she started, “But whatever you do, DO NOT get distracted. If anypony did not understand what I wrote down for you, tell me now.” she said. Silence was her answer. “Ok, good. Let us start.” Soon, her magic wrapped around the apple, the other unicorn’s magic doing the same. Twilight tried her best to concentrate on the spell she was trying to cast. It wasn't hard, really, but it required each participants complete concentration and devotion. If anything went wrong, the consequences could be disastrous. She felt wind begin to sweep into the building. The apple itself began to float a few feet off the ground. Soon the fruit was enveloped by a small white ball of magic, with slight wind gusts blowing around it. The purple unicorn could feel the magic working. The fruit began to slowly tear itself apart into small particles. Much of the matter began to disappear quickly, escaping the grasp of magic, to slowly unwind back through time. Twilight thought it was a success. Everything was going right. None of the other ponies were missing a single beat, and followed everything she wrote for them to study. They seemed as determined as she was, focusing on only one thing, and never breaking concentration. It seemed to her that nothing would go wrong. And then everything did. Twilight jolted from her sleep, letting out a quiet yelp. The mare’s heartbeat was well above normal, and she couldn't seem to rid herself of her dream. It was more of a memory. Of course she had to wake up before it ended. She always did. What happened after that...Come on Twilight, you have to remember! She reprimanded herself. Everything was going perfectly. What happened? She couldn't find an answer though. As great as her memory was, she couldn't remember anything aside from her dreams. It felt more like she was actually reliving the memory. Maybe it’s my brain trying to tell me what happened... she concluded. That seemed to be the best answer she could think of. The only way she would remember was through sleep. Twilight glanced outside. It was very dark, and she could hardly make out the building next to her. The stars looked foreign to her. She couldn't make out many of the constellations she always searched for. It was like staring into a different sky. Luna... I wonder how everything is back in Equestria. I'm sure everypony must be worried by now. I’ve been gone for almost three days... The unicorn thought glumly. She didn't want to worry everypony. She needed to find a way home. “Is everything all right?” asked a familiar voice. It was Ivy. “We heard a scream from in here. Are you okay?” Twilight could see two shadows in the doorway. One was obviously the blue unicorn. She guessed the other was Valor. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just a dream is all.” she replied. “A dream? About what?” she asked the purple mare while she slowly walked in, the old stallion following right behind her. The blue unicorn plopped herself on Twilight’s bed. “It was more of a memory. It was...it was like it was trying to show me what happened before I got here. Or how I got here. But I woke up before I could finish it.” Twilight replied. It still bugged her. She was so close to finding out what happened, only to have it slip away. “Then maybe you should rest more,” the old stallion said, “you still have most the night, so rest while you can. And even if you don't remember by tomorrow, there are still more chances.” he added. “I guess you're right. I think I’ll go back to bed now. And...thanks. Both of you. It feels better to have talked to somepony about this.” the purple mare said. It was true. She usually didn't rely on other ponies so heavily, but with her current situation, she was glad to have others to talk to. “It was nothing but a friendly gesture. I’d expect the same if I were under somepony else’s roof. Either way, I’m going back to bed. I am far too old to be walking around so much.” the old unicorn chuckled. He sure had a way to lighten the mood. “Me too. I mean, not the old part...I meant...ohh, I’m just going to bed!” Ivy said, embarrassed. Twilight tried not to laugh at the unicorn, but couldn't help but snort a bit. “Okay. And again, thanks. I don't know what I would do without you guys.” Twilight said as the mare beside her hopped off the bed and left the room. She was, no doubt, very lucky to have wandered here. Hopefully things would get better soon. With that last thought on her mind, she quietly drifted back to sleep. Sleep came easily enough. But no memories greeted her. No dreams about what happened. She actually couldn't remember if she had dreamed at all. All three unicorns were in the main room of the building. It wasn't the best room in the city, but it helped Twilight feel a bit more at home. Not for any specific reason, except that the ponies who owned the place agreed to let her stay. Only a few hours had passed since she had woken up. The place was more active compared to the previous day, as more than a handful of ponies had already walked in. Valor was able to help most of them, but could only provide temporary treatment to others. Twilight was too busy trying to focus on ways to travel home, and even more so on where to start. None of the books she had read so far had help. Most of them revolved around primeval and basic magic or other healing methods using herbs and other ingredients, and her mind was too foggy to remember the spell she cast to end up here in the first place. Maybe I should just ask Valor or Ivy and hope for the off chance that one of them might know something that can help me... she considered. I mean face it, Twilight, the worst that can happen is that both of them can’t help. The unicorn let the thought linger in her mind for some time. Valor had enough on his hooves with all the ponies coming in, and he would probably need all the help he could get from Ivy as well. Tomorrow then, she resolved. But what am I going to do now? I always spent most of my time reading, but I already know all the information in most of these books. Of course she did. Most of these book were -to her- written over three thousand years ago, so what good was there in reading? Then again, what could it hurt? She did love to read, any maybe, just maybe she could find something in one. And she did. After what felt like hours of looking through book after book, trying to find something she possibly hadn’t heard of, she finally found something. It was a book titled Religions, Mythology, and Legends. It immediately grabbed Twilight’s attention, and she flipped to the legends section of the book. If anything could possibly help her get back, it could be a legend. Usually the mare would stay away from such ridiculous beliefs, but after her first run in with Zecora, she decided it might be worth reading. After she started to read the book, she learned a great deal about how the ponies around the time lived and what they believed in. Most of it seemed to revolve around ‘gods’ and great heroes whose stories were passed down through time. All of it excited the unicorn. She was learning a lot about the past, and even their mythology sounded interesting. However, Twilight didn’t let this distract her. As she skimmed through the dusty tome, hoping there would be any mention of going home, she found her way to the near end. Just as the mare was about to give up, some of the words caught her attention. It was a block of text that told of somepony called ‘the prophet’. The prophet was, as far as Twilight could understand, a being with immense knowledge and power. When greeted by one, they usually took on the form of an earth pony, but had a strong connection with magic. They were by no means immortal, but were depicted as the foals of the gods, and although few, some still existed. Or they did in theory, for the book gave no information on where to find such a pony. I’ll ask around about it tomorrow. Twilight thought. I’m sure that if anypony would know about this, it would be the ponies who live here. The mare glanced outside. It was getting pretty late, and she was tired, so calling it a night didn't sound like a bad idea to her. Deciding to leave everything for tomorrow, the purple unicorn trotted to her room to sleep. The sun was setting in the sky, casting a dark sunset on the horizon. Most of the ponies were walking or trotting home, trying to find their ways through or around the crowds that blocked their paths. The majority of them looked sick or ill, and those who weren't looked tired from working too hard during the day. They payed attention to no one but themselves and the pony in front of them, trying to avoid bumping into one another. A lot of them were in a hurry, wasting no time to get back to family. Two particular ponies were standing at the edge of the crowd, gazing in silence at the broken looking families and strangers. They were both earth ponies, one of them with a coat as white as snow, a mane of pink, and eyes of violet. The other with a coat of a a darkened blue, a mane slightly lighter than her coat, and eyes and eyes of cyan. Both of them watched the ponies go by until the blue coated mare spoke. “Sister... it is no better in this city than any of the others...” “I know. It seems as if everypony were sick. Still, we may as well look for the priest in this district. Maybe they will know something the others don't?” the white mare said, letting out a small sigh of unease. They both walked up to the closest pony, who happened to be an earth pony with a tan coat and a short black mane. As they approached, he let out a few small coughs before turning his attention to them. “Excuse me,” the white mare started, “do you happen to know where the local priest is?” she asked. “The priest? He isn’t far from here. Just follow that road for a while, and you should come to a small building. It is a small, run down sort of place, so it shouldn't be hard to miss.” he replied nervously, pointing a hoof down one of the many paths in the city. “Thank you,” the blue mare said before trotting off with her sister. As the two walked down the path, they could see many of the ponies subtly staring at them. The mares had striking features and beautiful looks. It was mostly because of all the sickness that had spread around, which marred the beauty of many with its symptoms. Finally reaching the end of the road, the earth ponies searched the buildings. Finding it, the white mare knocked on the door, waiting a few seconds for a reply. “What could a pony want at this time of night?” they heard from a muffled voice behind the door before it slowly opened, revealing an old stallion. The darker mare cleared her throat before speaking, “Would you happen to be the priest here?” “Indeed I am. Is someone sick?” he asked in a tired voice. “No. Well, yes,” she answered, motioning to the ponies walking the street, “but not one of us. We are here for a different reason. May we come in?” The stallion let out a slightly irritated sigh. “If you must. Come in.” As they walked in, they could see two mares standing in the hallway to the side of the room. One of them spoke up. “Valor?” Twilight asked, “Who is it?” The white mare stopped for a second. “Sorry for being so rude,” she apologized before pointing a hoof to the darker mare, “This is my sister, Luna,” and then to herself, “and I am Celestia.”
PrologueTwilight slowly opened her eyes. She felt a breeze as her mane gently swayed. She felt dust and sand softly colliding and sticking to her coat. The ground felt very coarse and hard, like a rock. Where am I? Twilight looked down. The ground was stained by only one color. Brown. It reminded her of a desert. It expanded for a very long while, seemingly never ending. All along the ground there were cracks, and heat rose into the air, causing the surroundings to have a morphing feel to them. On the horizon she saw a few buildings. A town. She stood up, and tried to walk. After one step, her body buckled. It was so tiring, but she didn't stop. Again, she rose, only to fall after two hoofsteps. She sighed. What happened? Again she stood, but did not move. Deciding to take it slow, she stretched her muscles, starting with her forehooves, then with her hind legs. Finally, when she was satisfied, she tried to walk again. She did not fall. I can't remember anything. She looked up at the sky, the sun was barely visible behind her. It was setting, and gave the sky a beautiful orange and pink glow. Beautiful. Remembering the town she had seen earlier, she set off. It was very far, but she was determined. If she did not remember anything, perhaps somepony else would. She finally reached the town. It was surrounded by a wall, made of a rugged, dull grey stone, with a large wooden gate standing tall directly in front of her. She could see something on each side of the wall. No, not something, but somepony. Two ponies were standing guard. They were dressed in what looked like heavy iron plating, which Twilight could only assume made the heat worse. After a few seconds of standing there, a guard finally took notice of the young unicorn. “Excuse me, who are you?” the first guard asked. “I-I’m Twilight Sparkle...” the mare tried to say, but her words were barely audible. Her voice was very coarse, and her throat hurt as she tried to speak. “Please speak up, I couldn't hear you.” the guard demanded. She tried to speak again, but the words still failed her. The guard looked at her for a second, before speaking. “Hey, go get this pony some water. It looks like she has been walking for days.” Twilight could hear some movement to her right. “Yes sir!” After what seemed like forever in an uncomfortable silence, he returned, holding a glass. “Here, drink this.” he said, hoofing it over. Twilight took a huge gulp, the cool water refreshing her throat. After finishing the glass, she decided to try at speech again. “My name is Twilight Sparkle.” she said, this time her voice effectively coming out. “And what business do have here, Miss Sparkle?” the guard asked. His commanding voice startled her. He looked at her intently, watching her every move. “Um...where exactly am I?” she asked, shrinking with nervousness at the guards stare. It made her feel vulnerable and uncomfortable. “You are outside of Vipol. What are you here for?” he asked again, annoyance is his voice. “I-I’m not sure. I can't remember much...” she responded, trying to sound more confident. She could tell it wasn't working, and that the guard could see through her facade. “All I remember is waking up about a mile that way” she added, pointing with her hoof. “That is...odd. Kriteus, take her inside, and show her to the priest. Make sure she doesn't do anything she would regret.” he commanded the pony who had brought her drink. “Yes sir!” he responded. “Come with me, and rest assured, we will not hurt you.” he said, waiting for Twilight to step forward. “Thank you.” Was she could find herself to say. As soon as she walked through the giant wooden door, her mind tried to take in the sight. The architecture was magnificent. Buildings were piled in various places, and very crowded. They were made from cobbled stone, and looked as though they would fall apart at any minute, but had breath-taking designs. The ground beneath her was made of cement, stretching on to the center of the enormous town. It all seemed familiar. “Try to stick by me. You never know what somepony will do to you in this part of Vipol. Just try not to get lost, and do not follow anypony else.” the guard said with a stern look on his face. Twilight made sure to keep as close as possible. Everything was so strange, as if she was forgetting something very important. “It should not be much further. The priest’s house should be just a bit more down the path.” he added. As they walked on, she could see a building that looked smaller than the rest around it. It was made with the same cobbled stone as the other buildings, but had a more depressing feel to it. She couldn't help but feel a bit scared of the frightening building. “Here we are. Take a step inside, and make sure to be patient. You are lucky Moroiu was the one on duty today. If not, you would have more than likely been left to die.” the guard told her. “Just make sure to watch yourself around here.” As he left, silence filled the room. Her mind kept spacing out. She was forgetting something, and it bothered her. What am I forgetting? Hmm...why, of all times, does my brain decide to short circuit now?And where am I? Vipol...I don't think I’ve ever heard of this place before...Twilight thought to herself. Before she could finish her thoughts, she noticed a pony walking in. He was a unicorn with a red coat, a grey mane, and blue eyes. He looked very old and fragile, as if the slightest breeze would break him. His flank held the symbol of a syringe. “Hello young filly.” he greeted. “I am the priest Valor. Now, is there a reason you have come here?” “Oh, yes...I don't quite know where I am, or how I got here. I was hoping somepony could help me, and the guards led me to you.” she quickly stated. “Ahh, yes...well, do you know where you came from?” he asked caringly. His voice was quiet and peaceful, unlike the guards, and it made Twilight feel much more comfortable to talk to him. “Oh, I come from Ponyville...” Her mind snapped. She remembered now. Not everything, or how she got here. But she remembered why the place seemed so odd. “Ponyville...can't say I’ve ever heard of the place,” he said, puzzled. “I’m not surprised. It isn't a very big town after all, and we don't have a large population. What I am more concerned with is where Vipol is. I have never heard of this place.” she said. “You haven't? Strange. Though not the most famous city, it is quite commonly heard of. Many caravans and travelers have to pass through here.” the priest replied. “I’m surprised I haven't then. Surely everypony in Equestria would have heard of this place by now.” the purple unicorn stated. “Equestria? What are you talking about, dear? I have not heard of such a city before, and I dare say I am old enough to know what goes on.” the red coated stallion told her. To him, his age was more of experience. “What do you mean? Equestria isn't a city, it is an empire. Everypony should have heard of it by now.” she said confusingly. “Empire? There is no such empire. At least, not that I have heard of.” the old unicorn said. “No such empire? But... how could you not have heard of it?” She asked. After a second of thought, another question came to her mind. “Wait. Where am I then?” “You are in the Ponian Empire, strongest empire in the world, of course.” he answered. “Ponian...wait. Ponian. I remember the name now. It was in our history textbooks when I went to school. But that can't be possible, it was wiped out thousands of years ago...” she said. “But, if you say I'm here, then...” Suddenly Twilight understood. It felt like the whole world was collapsing in on itself. Her head began to ache, and her thoughts wouldn't form properly. Realization finally struck her. She had traveled back through time.
Chapter OneA/N: So here is chapter ones edit. If you're new, just read on, and pretend this isn't even here. If you have read the previous version, you don't have to reread the whole thing. I do suggest you skim through it though, as I did remove a lot of text. If you don't, you will most likely be confused during the next chapter. Twilight awoke with a jolt. She searched the room, trying to remember where she was. The walls were a dull stony grey, and looked very worn, as if they would fall apart at any second. There was a glassless window to her right, and she could see that is was dark out. Oh right...after I went to that priest, I fainted... the unicorn thought, feeling foalish. But where am I now? And how did I get in a bed? “Ah, you are awake now. Good. It was quite concerning when you fell like that. I had my apprentice carry you using her magic.” came an elder voice off to her left. It startled her at first, until she remembered who it was. It was the old priest. “I see.” she said, blushing. “I guess I was just surprised. But how did I end up here? If only I could remember what happened before I woke up earlier.” she said, hoping an answer would come to her. She was greeted with nothing. “Well, it most certainly is odd to hear a pony claim that they are from the future... are you sure you were not dreaming any of this? It is, if I may say, quite hard to believe.” the stallion said, trying not to sound offensive. “I don't blame you. It happened to me once too, and at first I thought it was impossible. But no, it wasn't a dream, I know that.” the mare calmly replied. It all made no sense to her. If only she could remember what happened or how she got here. “Either way, you should get some rest. Your body seems to be weak at the moment, and you should not put too much stress on it. If you need anything, just call. My apprentice will be waiting for you when you are ready to go.” he told her, turning to walk out the door. “Don't hesitate to call us. And do make sure to rest well. If what you say is indeed true, then adjusting will be hard.” Adjusting? What does he mean... Twilight felt her heart sink. She realized what he was implying. If she had traveled here without any memory of what happened, she might never make it back. “Now get some rest. You will need it for tomorrow.” She nodded to him as he finally walked out of the room. It was a depressing thought for the purple unicorn. She didn't want to be stuck here forever, but what could she do? Even if she did remember what happened, that didn't guarantee she would be able to get back to where she belonged. No, don't think like that. There has to be a way back, I know it! For now, I should get some sleep. Maybe I’ll be able to remember something in the morning... she thought, closing her eyes and slowly drifting off to sleep. Twilight gasped when she entered the building. It was very tall, and had much space within it. The walls were made of a white marble that shined, and had pillars in various places to keep the roof stable. There were large windows on each wall, letting in the light of the setting sun. “Be careful now Twilight.” came a voice from her rear left. “This is a very large place. Wander off and you might get lost.” it added, letting out a tiny giggle. “Come on princess, I can handle myself...” the unicorn said, embarrassed. “Besides, if I do get lost, I can just teleport out of here.” “Yes, yes, I know, it was meant only as joke. Either way, we are here for a more important task, are we not?” the princess asked calmly. “Yes! We are here to find out more about the use of time spells. I have only used one once, and it was a one time deal. It is the only one I know of that can actually send the user back or forward in time.” the mare replied. “I have been doing research on it for a while now, and I think we can use the notes I came up with to create a decent spell.” “I see. Just remember Twilight, time is definitely a game that should not be played with. Many ponies have devoted their life to this kind of research, only to disappear or quit suddenly.” Celestia warned “Make sure you are careful with such things, or you may end up like them.” “Oh, don't worry princess, I know what I'm doing. I made sure to double check my notes twice. If my calculations are correct, which they should be, then this should be easy!” Twilight stated proudly. She didn't want to mess up this chance with the princess watching. “Okay then, my faithful student, here we are. Just like you asked, the rune is carved directly in the middle of the room, and more unicorns are awaiting you.” “Alright, send them in then. I hope to perfect this as soon as possible.” the unicorn said, barely able to contain her excitement. As long as she stuck to what she studied, nothing could go wrong. Or so she thought. Twilight opened her eyes slowly, looking out the window. It was still dark, but she could see small pinpricks of light popping up out of the sky. It reminded her of the princess. Celestia...I hope she isn't too worried. Hopefully the other unicorns are safe as well... “Hello?” came a voice from the doorway. “Are you awake? Are you feeling okay?” the voice asked. It was feminine, and had a soft, gentle, and motherly tone to it. “I'm fine, just a bit tired and confused is all.” Twilight replied, turning her attention to the mare walking into the room. She was a very pretty unicorn with a blue coat, a silver mane, and ivory eyes. “Okay. Do you need anything?” she asked. “No, thank you. Although, I have no idea what to do after I get out of this place. I don't have a home or a place to stay, and this city is very unfamiliar to me.” Twilight replied. “All I know is that I have to get back to where I belong.” “Well, you could ask Valor for help. Vipol isn't in the best state right now, so finding a place to stay might be hard.” the mare replied. She looked like she wanted to say more, but decided against it. “Okay. Do you know where he is?” Twilight asked. “As nice as this place seems, I really should be on my way by now...” Twilight stated. Being so far in the past frightened her. She had no friends, no contacts, and nowhere to go. She didn't even have a job. “He isn't here at the moment. He had to leave to shop in the market area. A great deal of people get sick in this district, and he is the only priest here. It makes the place very busy most of the time.” she told the purple unicorn. “Well, guess I’ll just have to wait then.” Twilight said. She noticed that the sun was peeking up above the horizon, casting a bright light on many of the buildings. She could see that most of them were worn or ruined, and many looked on the brink of collapse. “Would you like something to eat? You haven't had any food since you came in yesterday, so I’d imagine you’re pretty hungry.” the mare said. “That would be nice. How long was I out, anyway?” she asked. “Well, you came in about noon, and it is almost dawn. You have been sleeping for quite a while.” the mare replied, which threw Twilight off. That was almost twelve hours. “I was out for that long? I guess it shouldn't be unexpected though. Today was too surprising for me to handle.” Twilight reasoned. The blue mare giggled at that. “Okay. Well, follow me if you want to eat. We don't have much, but there should be enough to make you something.” the mare said, turning towards the door. “Valor should be back any second now.” she added. Twilight stood, watching the mare as she walked out. What am I going to do? I have no place to stay, or any friends here. I guess my best bet is to try and find my way home as fast as I can manage... she thought. But she figured while she was here, she may as well look around. It was a chance to look at history after all. Twilight ate very messily. She hadn’t eaten anything for what felt like days to her, and the meal that the blue unicorn made was delicious, albeit odd. The food was certainly different than what she was used to eating, though the meals would certainly have changed through the ages. “This is great. I never had a meal like this before.” she told the mare. All she did was simply blush and look down. “I-it isn't that great. Just a regular morning meal by most pony’s standards.” she said looking up at Twilight. “You know, it was quite a sight to see you drop to the floor so quickly.” she said, trying not to giggle at the memory. Twilight’s face turned scarlet. “You saw that? Oh, Celestia, that is so embarrassing!” The mare couldn't help but smirk. “Well, I was the one who had to carry you to bed, since Valor is a bit too old to be carrying anyone, even with magic. You’re lucky you came to this side of Vipol, as most priests aren’t as caring as ours. Most of them would have either turned you down, or made you pay.” she stated. “You mean you were the one who carried me?” Twilight asked, her face getting hotter. It was an embarrassing thought. “T-thank you. Oh, I haven't caught your name yet either. I'm Twilight Sparkle.” she said enthusiastically. “I’m Ivy. And you are quite welcome, although it was not a very big deal. Ponies in states far much worse than yours come in all the time.” she replied. “Work must come around often here then, doesn't it? I mean, I know there weren't many cures during this age, but do ponies really get sick that often?” Twilight asked. She knew it was hard on the ponies here, but now she might have a first pony experience on it. Who knows? If she really was stuck here, maybe she could become a priest too. “Oh yes, we usually have about ten to twelve patients on a normal day. Much to our grief, not very many of them live, the sickness either too terrible, or from waiting too long to visit.” Ivy noted sadly. Twilight could guess that the blue unicorn had seen people die a lot. She couldn't help but shudder at the thought. The purple unicorn had never seen death before and wasn't sure how she would handle it. “I see...” was the only response she could mutter. “But that doesn't mean that ponies don't walk out alive. Valor has saved many lives before. For a priest in such an unstable district, he has become quite popular. Even those of royal blood come to visit him from time to time.” the blue mare reassured, her expression becoming calmer. If I end up stuck here, I’ll have to live like everypony else. In that case, maybe I really should become a priest. With the knowledge and spells I have, I could probably save more ponies. Twilight thought. Until she found her way home, she may as well make herself useful. "How do you become a priest?" she asked. "Well, most ponies are born with a mark to signify their profession. It is usually very similar to the marks that their parents have. This is usually important to a priest while considering an apprentice. If they don't have a mark for that kind of job, then, if they are lucky, they can go through a type of training. They start out as an apprentice, but don't become an actual priest until years later,” she said, taking a deep breath before continuing, “And some of them quit before then.” "I-it can really take that long?" Twilight asked. "Yes. For some ponies it can take years and years to finally be allowed to go out on their own. It is usually based on skill though. A master is there to teach you everything you need to know, and the knowledge some of them have is fairly great." the blue mare replied. "But of course, some ponies can be trained rather quickly, especially if they already have experience in the field." So the worst possible scenario is that I’d have to train for a year or so. But I do know a bit more than ponies considering the time difference... she thought before hearing the front door open. "I'm back, Ivy. I have everything we need for the time being. I swear, more and more ponies just keep getting more and more sick." he joked, though there was a hint of seriousness in his voice. Twilight stared at the old stallion for a second. I could ask him to become an apprentice now, but maybe I should wait until I know for sure if I'm stuck here. Besides, he already has an apprentice. Two might be a bit much to handle. Deciding against it, she went back to eating. It was several hours later before anything happened. Judging by what the two unicorns had told Twilight before, the day must have been rather nice. Only two ponies had came in, both who were easily helped by the elder unicorn. Ivy mostly watched, listening to the old stallion whenever he said something to her. Twilight sat and thought. So how did I end up here? She asked herself. Lets see...I came here yesterday, which means whatever happened was two days ago to me. I remember...Celestia...yes, thats right! I was with Celestia! Trying to...study spells. Time spells. But that's all I can remember right now. Obviously something went wrong, or I wouldn't be here. Her thoughts were interrupted, her attention drawn to the commotion in front of her. The patient looked guiltily at the old unicorn, trying to talk, but not getting the chance to do so. After a few short minutes, he was shooed out quickly. “What just happened?” Twilight asked. She couldn't hear because she was a bit too far away and had her mind somewhere else. “That stallion came in here with some sickness. It was easy enough to cure, but he didn't have enough bits to pay, so I didn't make him. It doesn't take much to help a pony, so sometimes we can afford the loss.” Valor said. Twilight felt a bit envious. She had never seen a pony so devoted to his work before. In her time, ponies weren't so caring. Sure, they helped out every so often, but not to the extent of the pony in front of her. “You must be very devoted to let the chance for money to slip like that.” she said. “Well of course. I remember when I was young. I grew up in a different city. Been so long I can't remember it though, only bits and pieces.” he said. “But what I remember most is that the priests there were all greedy. I remember how often death came to us. It was as if you couldn't turn without seeing a corpse on the ground. After that, I knew I should try to help as many ponies as possible.” “That must’ve been hard. I didn't know that things could be so bad now. I’ve never seen death. Not yet at least. I know that no matter what, though, it will happen sooner or later.” the unicorn replied. “Well, you’ll see a lot of it around here, if you want to stay. But don’t worry about that now, just go get some rest. I will lend you one of the extra rooms for now, until you can find another place to go.” he said as he turned and walked off down a hallway. “I think I’ll go to my room too, ” Ivy said, “I have a lot to study tonight. I hope to be as good as Valor someday.” Study. Maybe I could help them a bit. I'm sure I know a few spells that they don't. she thought. I guess I should wait though. I don't want seem like I'm bragging. With that last thought on her mind, she slowly went to her own room, and fell asleep almost instantly.
Chapter TwoThe rune was in a star shaped pattern in the middle of the building, carved with a purplish color. In the center of the star there was a tiny piece of fruit. An apple. The reasoning was the apple was the object they wished to send forward in time. If the spell went well, it would disappear, only to reappear a few minutes later in the same spot. “All right. Take your places everypony.” Twilight commanded. At once, the four accompanying unicorns took their positions on the points of the star. “Now, this is going to take a lot of attention,” she started, “But whatever you do, DO NOT get distracted. If anypony did not understand what I wrote down for you, tell me now.” she said. Silence was her answer. “Ok, good. Let us start.” Soon, her magic wrapped around the apple, the other unicorn’s magic doing the same. Twilight tried her best to concentrate on the spell she was trying to cast. It wasn't hard, really, but it required each participants complete concentration and devotion. If anything went wrong, the consequences could be disastrous. She felt wind begin to sweep into the building. The apple itself began to float a few feet off the ground. Soon the fruit was enveloped by a small white ball of magic, with slight wind gusts blowing around it. The purple unicorn could feel the magic working. The fruit began to slowly tear itself apart into small particles. Much of the matter began to disappear quickly, escaping the grasp of magic, to slowly unwind back through time. Twilight thought it was a success. Everything was going right. None of the other ponies were missing a single beat, and followed everything she wrote for them to study. They seemed as determined as she was, focusing on only one thing, and never breaking concentration. It seemed to her that nothing would go wrong. And then everything did. Twilight jolted from her sleep, letting out a quiet yelp. The mare’s heartbeat was well above normal, and she couldn't seem to rid herself of her dream. It was more of a memory. Of course she had to wake up before it ended. She always did. What happened after that...Come on Twilight, you have to remember! She reprimanded herself. Everything was going perfectly. What happened? She couldn't find an answer though. As great as her memory was, she couldn't remember anything aside from her dreams. It felt more like she was actually reliving the memory. Maybe it’s my brain trying to tell me what happened... she concluded. That seemed to be the best answer she could think of. The only way she would remember was through sleep. Twilight glanced outside. It was very dark, and she could hardly make out the building next to her. The stars looked foreign to her. She couldn't make out many of the constellations she always searched for. It was like staring into a different sky. Luna... I wonder how everything is back in Equestria. I'm sure everypony must be worried by now. I’ve been gone for almost three days... The unicorn thought glumly. She didn't want to worry everypony. She needed to find a way home. “Is everything all right?” asked a familiar voice. It was Ivy. “We heard a scream from in here. Are you okay?” Twilight could see two shadows in the doorway. One was obviously the blue unicorn. She guessed the other was Valor. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just a dream is all.” she replied. “A dream? About what?” she asked the purple mare while she slowly walked in, the old stallion following right behind her. The blue unicorn plopped herself on Twilight’s bed. “It was more of a memory. It was...it was like it was trying to show me what happened before I got here. Or how I got here. But I woke up before I could finish it.” Twilight replied. It still bugged her. She was so close to finding out what happened, only to have it slip away. “Then maybe you should rest more,” the old stallion said, “you still have most the night, so rest while you can. And even if you don't remember by tomorrow, there are still more chances.” he added. “I guess you're right. I think I’ll go back to bed now. And...thanks. Both of you. It feels better to have talked to somepony about this.” the purple mare said. It was true. She usually didn't rely on other ponies so heavily, but with her current situation, she was glad to have others to talk to. “It was nothing but a friendly gesture. I’d expect the same if I were under somepony else’s roof. Either way, I’m going back to bed. I am far too old to be walking around so much.” the old unicorn chuckled. He sure had a way to lighten the mood. “Me too. I mean, not the old part...I meant...ohh, I’m just going to bed!” Ivy said, embarrassed. Twilight tried not to laugh at the unicorn, but couldn't help but snort a bit. “Okay. And again, thanks. I don't know what I would do without you guys.” Twilight said as the mare beside her hopped off the bed and left the room. She was, no doubt, very lucky to have wandered here. Hopefully things would get better soon. With that last thought on her mind, she quietly drifted back to sleep. Sleep came easily enough. But no memories greeted her. No dreams about what happened. She actually couldn't remember if she had dreamed at all. All three unicorns were in the main room of the building. It wasn't the best room in the city, but it helped Twilight feel a bit more at home. Not for any specific reason, except that the ponies who owned the place agreed to let her stay. Only a few hours had passed since she had woken up. The place was more active compared to the previous day, as more than a handful of ponies had already walked in. Valor was able to help most of them, but could only provide temporary treatment to others. Twilight was too busy trying to focus on ways to travel home, and even more so on where to start. None of the books she had read so far had help. Most of them revolved around primeval and basic magic or other healing methods using herbs and other ingredients, and her mind was too foggy to remember the spell she cast to end up here in the first place. Maybe I should just ask Valor or Ivy and hope for the off chance that one of them might know something that can help me... she considered. I mean face it, Twilight, the worst that can happen is that both of them can’t help. The unicorn let the thought linger in her mind for some time. Valor had enough on his hooves with all the ponies coming in, and he would probably need all the help he could get from Ivy as well. Tomorrow then, she resolved. But what am I going to do now? I always spent most of my time reading, but I already know all the information in most of these books. Of course she did. Most of these book were -to her- written over three thousand years ago, so what good was there in reading? Then again, what could it hurt? She did love to read, any maybe, just maybe she could find something in one. And she did. After what felt like hours of looking through book after book, trying to find something she possibly hadn’t heard of, she finally found something. It was a book titled Religions, Mythology, and Legends. It immediately grabbed Twilight’s attention, and she flipped to the legends section of the book. If anything could possibly help her get back, it could be a legend. Usually the mare would stay away from such ridiculous beliefs, but after her first run in with Zecora, she decided it might be worth reading. After she started to read the book, she learned a great deal about how the ponies around the time lived and what they believed in. Most of it seemed to revolve around ‘gods’ and great heroes whose stories were passed down through time. All of it excited the unicorn. She was learning a lot about the past, and even their mythology sounded interesting. However, Twilight didn’t let this distract her. As she skimmed through the dusty tome, hoping there would be any mention of going home, she found her way to the near end. Just as the mare was about to give up, some of the words caught her attention. It was a block of text that told of somepony called ‘the prophet’. The prophet was, as far as Twilight could understand, a being with immense knowledge and power. When greeted by one, they usually took on the form of an earth pony, but had a strong connection with magic. They were by no means immortal, but were depicted as the foals of the gods, and although few, some still existed. Or they did in theory, for the book gave no information on where to find such a pony. I’ll ask around about it tomorrow. Twilight thought. I’m sure that if anypony would know about this, it would be the ponies who live here. The mare glanced outside. It was getting pretty late, and she was tired, so calling it a night didn't sound like a bad idea to her. Deciding to leave everything for tomorrow, the purple unicorn trotted to her room to sleep. The sun was setting in the sky, casting a dark sunset on the horizon. Most of the ponies were walking or trotting home, trying to find their ways through or around the crowds that blocked their paths. The majority of them looked sick or ill, and those who weren't looked tired from working too hard during the day. They payed attention to no one but themselves and the pony in front of them, trying to avoid bumping into one another. A lot of them were in a hurry, wasting no time to get back to family. Two particular ponies were standing at the edge of the crowd, gazing in silence at the broken looking families and strangers. They were both earth ponies, one of them with a coat as white as snow, a mane of pink, and eyes of violet. The other with a coat of a a darkened blue, a mane slightly lighter than her coat, and eyes and eyes of cyan. Both of them watched the ponies go by until the blue coated mare spoke. “Sister... it is no better in this city than any of the others...” “I know. It seems as if everypony were sick. Still, we may as well look for the priest in this district. Maybe they will know something the others don't?” the white mare said, letting out a small sigh of unease. They both walked up to the closest pony, who happened to be an earth pony with a tan coat and a short black mane. As they approached, he let out a few small coughs before turning his attention to them. “Excuse me,” the white mare started, “do you happen to know where the local priest is?” she asked. “The priest? He isn’t far from here. Just follow that road for a while, and you should come to a small building. It is a small, run down sort of place, so it shouldn't be hard to miss.” he replied nervously, pointing a hoof down one of the many paths in the city. “Thank you,” the blue mare said before trotting off with her sister. As the two walked down the path, they could see many of the ponies subtly staring at them. The mares had striking features and beautiful looks. It was mostly because of all the sickness that had spread around, which marred the beauty of many with its symptoms. Finally reaching the end of the road, the earth ponies searched the buildings. Finding it, the white mare knocked on the door, waiting a few seconds for a reply. “What could a pony want at this time of night?” they heard from a muffled voice behind the door before it slowly opened, revealing an old stallion. The darker mare cleared her throat before speaking, “Would you happen to be the priest here?” “Indeed I am. Is someone sick?” he asked in a tired voice. “No. Well, yes,” she answered, motioning to the ponies walking the street, “but not one of us. We are here for a different reason. May we come in?” The stallion let out a slightly irritated sigh. “If you must. Come in.” As they walked in, they could see two mares standing in the hallway to the side of the room. One of them spoke up. “Valor?” Twilight asked, “Who is it?” The white mare stopped for a second. “Sorry for being so rude,” she apologized before pointing a hoof to the darker mare, “This is my sister, Luna,” and then to herself, “and I am Celestia.”
