Counterclockwise

by AdrianJNovelle

Chapters

Visions of the Past
Beginning of the End
Soliloquy
The Shattered Metropolis
One Small Step
The Late Twilight Sparkle
Counterclockwise, Part 1
Counterclockwise, Part 2
Counterclockwise, Part 3
INTERVAL III: COUNTERPART
Continuation
Explanation
Interlude
Looper
Out There
INTERVAL IV: TO LIVE FOREVER
Two Hundred, Twenty
There and Back Again
Two Hundred, Twenty-Three
Alternate Altercation
Two Hundred, Thirty
In the Meanwhile
Two Hundred, Eighty-Two
Twilight's Revolt
Three Hundred, Seventeen
The Great Revelation
Eight Hundred, Seventy-Six
INTERVAL V: ALL GOOD THINGS
Twilight's Last Stand
Backtrack
A Warm Wind
Twilight's Letter
INTERVAL I: TRIGGERS IN TIME
INTERVAL II: A CHANGE OF FATE

Visions of the Past

25 Years Ago...

The Princess was not doing well.

"How is she?" Twilight asked her little sister.

Luna shook her head. "Not well, Twilight Sparkle. Not well."

"She's been sick for two weeks...will she ever be back on her hooves?"

"I cannot say, Twilight." Luna's frown was unbearable. "But if her condition worsens or improves, I promise I will contact you and your friends immediately. I can send a scroll through Spike."

"Thank you, Princess...we'll leave you two alone now."

"Your presence is no intrusion, Twilight. Please, feel free to return anytime - even if I haven't written you."

Twilight bowed, and she made her egress. Right outside of Celestia's bedroom were her friends.

"So, how is she? What'd Luna say?" Pinkie Pie asked excitedly, hoping for good news.

"She's still not well," Twilight replied softly. "But she invites us back whenever, and says that she'll write us if Celestia's condition ever changes - for better or for worse."

Nopony was smiling. Their eyes drooped with sorrow.

"This may be one of Princess Celestia's final hours..." Twilight continued. "If there's anypony who wants to say goodbye before she goes...now might be the time."

"Not yet," said the Element of Loyalty. "I wanna hear that Celestia's not gonna make it at all before I say goodbye!"

"That's your choice, Rainbow Dash. That is all of your choices." She paused. "But, don't say that I didn't suggest this to you all if she passes."

Fluttershy was in tears, crying on Pinkie Pie's shoulder. A tear or two fell down the cheeks of the beautiful Rarity, who used a hankerchief to hide her "eye leakage." Applejack held her hat to her breast, her eyes down at the ground below her hooves, perhaps in prayer. The six then headed back to Ponyville.

It was a long, quiet trip out of Canterlot Castle, through Canterlot, and back to the train station. Not a single word was spoken until they were all aboard the Friendship Express, seated all in the same car together as the steam engine sped down the tracks through Equestria.

"What does this mean for Luna?" Pinkie Pie asked. "What if Princess Celestia doesn't make it? What's gonna happen to her?"

"Obviously, as her sister, Luna would simply take over as Princess of Equestria. She is second in rank, remember," Twilight answered.

"Ah wonder wat kinda Equestria dat'd be ef Luna took over," Applejack mumbled. "Being dat she dun't have duh same experience dat Celestia does."

"I can't imagine Equestria would be much different than it is now with Luna in charge," Twilight remarked. "But, our lives will be different: simply because we'll miss Princess Celestia." Twilight put her hoof on the windowsill of the window she was seated beside and stared out at the Airbrone Express overhead as it calmly drifted through the clear, sparkling skies above. The weather of today was simply too cheerful, in her opinion. Another tear rolled down her lavender cheek and onto the cusion beneath her plot. "I can't imagine an Equestria without Princess Celestia."

It was a lamentful day in Equestria, and has been for two weeks. Celestia's disease was fatal from the beginning when she suddenly passed out in the middle of an important meeting. She's been bedresting ever since. And with Luna by her side all the while, no one's been running Equestria, in hopes to not establish a new reign in her absence, but simply have faith that the great ruler will heal, and life would go back to normal. But, fate makes no promises when it comes to life and death. Nopony can tell Twilight or any of her friends that Princess Celestia will be just fine in a day or two, and they're crying over spilled milk.

The worst part about it is probably the fact that nopony knows a thing about Celestia's illness. Once she was home from the meeting, she was immediately examined by several of the best doctors of Equestria, for the fate of civilization was in Celestia's hooves, and, through the transitive property, it was now in the hooves of the doctors who constantly overlooked the Princess. No one has even found a cause to this demise, let alone a cure.

Although the ponies conversed about the possibility that Princess Celestia would survive her disease, they knew in their hearts that she would not make it.

Three days later, they were correct.

The great leader of Equestria passed away.

The funeral was as depressing as extravagant, since it was the Princess's burial. Nearly everypony in Equestria crowded the streets of Canterlot that day, countless tears being shed in mourning of the wonderful ruler. Each one of the girls gave a speech at the burial site in the center of the plaza in front of Canterlot Castle, as well as Princess Cadence, Shining Armor, Princess Luna, and even Prince Blueblood. After their speeches were all concluded, Luna gave the signal to have the coffin lowered into the large hole some earth ponies dug, and then for the hole to be filled and decorated with flowers and other offerings some few hundred of the guests brought in honor of their overlord. By the time the last pony set down her flowers, what started as a burial site became a garden.

After that, Princess Luna led everyone into Canterlot Castle, to the Princess's royal bedroom, a location that had otherwise been restrictive of access to all but a selected few. Now it was open to the public, and, while everypony was outside showing their sorrow to the Princess, a crew had been called in by Princess Luna to transform Celestia's bedroom into a memorial sanctuary. The whole room was filled with pictures and paintings of Celestia participating with her favorite ponies in Equestria, her most prized belongings, and her most exotic and glamourous furniture which she also enjoyed, including her throne, which served as the centerpiece for the whole room, a large block of nearly transparent glass around it, just to let everypony know that, though they are welcome to view it, the throne was hooves-off. A few did wonder why there was a note taped to the glass which read Please Do Not Touch Throne, as if the glass itself was not enough security. The whole room sparkled with life, aside from the brilliant rays of sunshine which glistened in from the several windows which lined the walls of the vast room.

For many proceeding weeks, Princess Celestia's bedroom would be flooded with ponies from every corner of Equestria: Canterlot, Ponyville, Baltimare, Fillydelphia, Appleloosa, Cloudsdale, Las Pegasus - even Saddle Arabia. It was a regular tourist attraction. But Luna charged no admission, and desired nothing but appreciation, and keeping her "hooves-off" policy in place.

Things would only worsen as the popularity of Celestia's bedroom increased.

It started the following week of Celestia's funeral.

As her younger sister, Princess Luna was, by default, now the Princess of Equestria, as she was the next heir to the Royal Canterlot Throne. There was a slight problem, however: she was depressed over her elder sister's death. She called Twilight in one day to discuss the situation with the most intelligent resident of Ponyville she knew.

"You wanted to see me, Princess?" Twilight asked, entering the Great Hall, Luna standing casually in the center of the long hallway.

"I did, Twilight Sparkle," Princess Luna began. "It's about my sister."

"What about her?"

"As you know, as her younger sister, I instantly inherit the throne upon her moment of death. And, though I know I am fully capable of handling the responsibility of ruling over Equestria - I was second in command for years and years, after all - but I am still...very depressed about Celestia's misfortune...I do not blame my misery on her inexistence, but I do feel that I am unable to give my best effort in running Equestria."

"W-what are you saying, Princess?"

Princess Luna sighed. "I am resigning, Twilight."

"Resigning?!" Twilight exclaimed. "You can't resign!"

"I can too resign if I wish. Haven't you read the Equestrian Declaration of Foundation?"

"Uh-"

"It clearly states that any Princess of Equestria may resign under the condition that there is at least one blood heir to the Throne present and able to resume command should a Princess resign. And I meet that condition."

"Who would the new Princess be?"

"Princess Cadence, of course," Luna answered. Twilight's eyes widened. "She's a very intelligent, very responsible alicorn. Everypony loves her, she's married, she's democratic, and she's good with children. What more could you want in a Princess of Equestria?"

Twilight did not reply.

"Unfortunately, the Equestria Declaration of Foundation also states that a Princess of Equestria cannot resign temporarily, which would be my intention: just to take a trip, get away for a while, and be alone while I conclude the mourning of my beloved sister. That is what I desire. But, if I am to resign, I would permanently be putting Princess Cadence into power unless she were to die or resign herself."

"And you came to me why?" Twilight asked.

Luna held back an immediate response. "Do you have any opinion on the subject? Do you object to my premise?"

"Well...all I have to say is that I want you to do what's best for you."

With that, Luna's decision was final.

Beginning of the End

The following day, Princess Cadence found herself in front of the Princess of Equestria, and, furthermore, being sainted as the new Princess of Equestria. Princess Luna gave her a brief but meaningful speech about her demise, and reasons for her resignation. She then politely lectured her on the responsibilities of running Equestria, for it was not as cut-and-dry as Princess Celestia made it look. Before her egress, Luna inquired if Cadence was confident about her success as the new Princess. Cadence gave her a bold affirmation. With that, although not usually one for affection, Luna gave her close friend a hug goodbye. She stepped down the stairs of the lobby of Canterlot Castle, and, of course, had to give six more hugs: one to each of the girls. She put her hesitation aside, for she knew that as soon as she exited Canterlot, she would not have to put up with so much tear-shedding affection anymore.

"I'll miss you," Twilight said during their moment.

"Me too," was all Luna said in response.

Once all six hugs were completed, Luna finished her departure, as she ventured out in total silence into the great unknown. Everypony in Canterlot watched in silent amazement as she casually walked out of town. Their eyes remained on her until she disappeared. She shed not a tear, but simply kept straight ahead until she reached the Friendship Express station. Once she was aboard - and had a car all to herself - she burst into tears. She cried the whole trip, finally releasing all the pain and sorrow she felt in her broken heart. She lost her sister and her power as Princess.

When the Friendship Express arrived at the last stop for the night, that's when ~~Princess~~ Luna stepped off and began her new life as a resigned Princess. She did not know where she was. But she soon found civilization after twenty or so minutes of traveling forward. Instincts brought her to a motel, where the receptionist recognized her and let her stay for free, as Princess. Luna wanted to explain her situation and insist on paying, but it was getting late, and she didn't want to conjure more tears. So she got her free room, and spent the night far from home. It did puzzle her how her presence here was not questioned. She figured any visit from the "Princess" automatically went unquestioned, for it was not the intention of anypony to intrude on the agenda of royalty.

Royalty. Princess or not, Luna still was that: blood sister to the deceased Celestia.

Tomorrow she would begin her new life alone.

Twilight had taken everything almost as badly as Luna. She was seen still in Canterlot the next day, the rest of her friends back in Ponyville, seated in front of Celestia's gardened tombstone. She sat right on the mushy dirt beneath her plot. She touched her hoof to the cold stone of the tombstone, across some of the most heartfelt words she ever read: Here lies Princess Celestia, a magical sister, friend, and the greatest Princess of Equestria, who shall never be forgotten for as long as these flowers bloom and this tomb remain.

A shadow came over the tombstone and hid away the message, catching Twilight's attention. She gasped and jerked her head behind her shoulders, only to find her sister-in-law standing silently behind her. Cadence could tell Twilight had been crying again, tears rapidly falling down her cheeks. She put her hoof to Twilight's shoulder.

"I'm having them watered every day," she said softly.

"What?" Twilight asked through her tears, sobbing.

"The flowers," Cadence clarified. "I'm having them watered every day. So they may always bloom, and Princess Celestia shall never be forgotten - not as long as I'm Princess of Equestria."

Twilight sniffled.

"Why aren't you back in Ponyville with your friends? Just saying goodbye to Princess Celestia one more time?"

Twilight turned her head back to the tombstone. "I don't know..." she paused. "But I probably should be heading back now, shouldn't I?"

"There's no rush," Cadence remarked. "You may stay in Canterlot as long as you like. This is a difficult thing to comprehend for all of us. I'm sure the others are feeling immense pain as well, but everypony mourns and grieves in her own way. And you have the freedom to pay your respects to Princess Celestia in any way you like."

Twilight sniffled again. She rose to her hooves. "I think I'm ready to go home now...the longer I stay here and mourn, the more I want to stay and cry." She turned around and hugged Princess Cadence. "Good luck with your new position," she mumbled.

"Thank you, Twilight." She returned the gesture. "And feel free to return here whenever you like. It's not going anywhere. And, if you wanna talk, my door's always open. Your brother's door's also open, even though we both sleep in my room."

They concluded the hug. "Give him a hug for me, will you?"

Cadence let on a grin. "Of course."

"Before I go...I was wondering why you were appointed Princess of Equestria...even though Shining Armor is a little older than you."

"Luna explained that to me before she left," the Princess affirmed. "Equestria is a matriarch constitutional monarchy. So since both Shining Armor and I are relatively the same age, and I'm the female, I technically outrank him. He is what Luna was to Celestia as he is to me, only a prince."

Twilight gave Cadence another hug, this one lasting considerably longer. Twilight was consumed with misery and woe over the loss of dear Princess Celestia. She began to feel alone, even though her sister-in-law was embraced in her arms, and her brother was now Prince of Equestria. That meant nothing. She and he were still going to hardly be seen, as they will spend the rest of their days here in Canterlot, and not in Ponyville where Twilight still intended to live. She refused to live anywhere which would put any more distance between her and her friends.

The hug finally concluded. "I'll be back soon," Twilight whispered. "I promise."

"I know you will. Shining Armor and I look forward to your visit."

With that, Twilight made her eventual egress out of Canterlot, to the Friendship Express station, where she patiently waited for the train to arrive and bring her back to Ponyville. She cried again when she was aboard. She could not help herself, for her life seemed to be coming apart at the seams. Princess Celestia - her own teacher and the former ruler of Equestria - is deceased, Luna not only resigned, but disappeared into the great unknown without a trace. What does she have not to cry about? Everything she knew was coming to an end.

And it only worsened when she got back to Ponyville, and heard the big news about Rarity.

It was good news.

At least, from the eyes of the fashion diva herself, it was.

To others, it was not as pleasant.

"Where's Rarity?" Twilight asked after four of her friends (and Spike) greeted her at the station. She figured Princess Cadence let them know she was on her way via a letter through Spike.

"She's in Manehattan," Applejack answered. "Fer an impor'ant meetin'."

"A meeting? What meeting?"

"A business meeting," Pinkie Pie affirmed. "Hoity Toity saw all the dresses she made for Princess Cadence's wedding, and the funeral dresses she made for us for Princess Celestia's funeral, and he loved her designs so much that he invited her to a business conference."

"In Manehattan?"

"Hoity Toity's crew live and work in Manehattan. Apparently only Hoity Toity himself lives in Canterlot."

"When will she be back?"

"That depends," Rainbow Dash began. "If Rarity's conference doesn't go well, she'll be back any day now. But if it does go well, she'll write us and we'll hear all about it in her letter when the time comes. We should hear from her by tomorrow night."

The letter came a little early. The following afternoon, to be specific. The mailmare came and brought the letter straight to Twilight, who promptly gathered the girls before they read it together.

Dear Friends,

The meeting was a smashing success! Unfortunately, they've asked that I temporarily remain here in Manehattan, and so I will not be returning to Ponyville right away. As I write this, Hoity Toity's associates are at work setting up a shop for me to sell my latest selection of clothing directly to the folks here in Manehattan. I'm afraid I'm putting hooves down on ground I don't want to be standing.

I will try to be home as soon as possible, and see if I can sell to Hoity Toity and his clientele from Ponyville. I promise that if I can't make it back, I will keep writing. Nothing can keep the six of us apart. Not money. Not Hoity Toity. Not even fashion.

Yours Truly,

Rarity

Everyone that moment shared the same expression of sadness and disappointment.

Soliloquy

"So, did you ever hear back from this Rarity you speak of?" he asked, taking another sip of the piping-hot beverage he was holding.

"We did," I said, glancing down to the liquid I hesitated to ingest. "She wrote to us, pratically every day, and I- we could tell she was both happy to be there, and also resentful of leaving us behind. Ultimately, she did. She was unable to compromise with Hoity Toity about his business plan, and she remained in Manehattan for...well, for as long as I've seen."

"What a pity," he mumbled, a glaze look in his eyes. "You didn't visit one moment in time in which Rarity was with you again?"

"I was escaping from the law enforcement, Doc- I mean, Luis...I wasn't exactly looking around for her."

He made no immediate reply. "What about the other girls? You said there were four others, correct?"

"Right."

"What happened to them?"

"Rainbow Dash joined the Wonderbolts, and, well, pretty much the same thing happened to her. She got caught up in all her glory as the newest Wonderbolt that she forgot who we were, and then, the next thing we know, the only way we were able to see her at all was if we bought tickets and attended a Wonderbolts show...in Cloudsdale. Some 'loyal' friend she turned out to be! Oh, sure if the Shadowbolts offer her a gig - screw them! But the Wonderbolts, well," I pretended to chuckle. "That changes everything!

"Then there's what happened to Applejack. She invented a great, new apple cider which not only put her previous recipe to shame, but was even easier to produce. It became so popular, ponies from every corner of Equestria and beyond were coming in for a serving."

"Then what happened?"

"The Apple Family became so rich, their fortune overwhelmed even Filthy Rich. And that guy was loaded back when he existed. I bet his great, great, great granddaughters are still up to their ears in wealth. Granny Smith, being that her time in Equestria was limited due to her age, decided to celebrate her granddaughter's success by taking the entire Apple Family on a trip around Equestria - just for the heck of it!"

"And they were gone for twenty-five years?"

I shook my head.

"No. They returned after a few months, but by then, I had already gotten used to her absence. When she got back...I don't know...things just didn't feel the same anymore because she had been away for so long. I tried to rekindle our friendship, try to restore the spark which I thought still lingered in the depths of my beating heart, but, apparently, I had overestimated everything. Part of me wanted nothing to do with her, Rainbow Dash, or Rarity. And that was that. She moved on, and even though we grew distant, I knew I hadn't."

"What about um...Pinkie Pie?"

"Celebrity cake designer and party planner."

"Fluttershy!"

"Animal guru. She travels the world helping animals, healing them, and violently protesting against animal cruelty, thanks to that monster Iron Will, giving her some balls."

"Well, it's no wonder you came to the future, miss. You certainly had a lot to cry about, and I could easily see anypony wanting to escape: find someplace they can call home and live gaily, instead of being surrounded by misery."

"My explanation exactly...but I cannot help but miss my friends."

"I'm sure you do," Dr. Zimmermare uttered softly. "Sounds like you did a lot together as friends. And don't get me started about that spark you mentioned!"

I failed to acknowledge Dr. Zimmermare's latest retort as I glanced down to the cooled beverage in my hooves. He must've noticed the ever-so-gentle movement of my eyes.

"Aren't you gonna drink your tea, madame?" he asked quite cautiously.

I scrutinized it. "What exactly is this again?"

"I told you: it's that hay stuff you said you liked. Just oblitherated into a drinkable beverage, and then microwaved."

"So it's hay juice?"

"I believe you mean hay tea," said Dr. Zimmermare, trying to make his hoofiwork more formidable than it was.

I actually did the devil's due and sipped it. Although he was accurate in its ingredients, I have to admit that Dr. Zimmermare, sadly, is no cook. Which is ironic since he's more scientific than I am. "What happened then?" he asked as I gagged the rest of my drink down my throat.

"Well...that's actually when my life started to turn around for the better...before I got caught up in all this and got the TMS after me."

"I'm listening."

I sighed. "Well, with all the extra time I had on my hooves, I studied magic like crazy. I dove right in to every book on magic I could find, and I finished them in record times because I didn't have the magic of friendship to distract me. Then I got permission to enter the Star Swirl the Bearded suite in the Canterlot Archives, and found that damn time-travel spell again, memorized it, and then mastered it in a matter of days.

"I found - and still do - temporal manuipulation and time-travel fascinating. It amazes me how you could send someone into the past a thousand years and have them return to you a thousand years later in just a single second. It just blows my mind!" I threw my hooves up in the air, tossing the cup I was holding and causing it to crash-land on the carpeting. "Oops," I uttered, blushing.

"It's alright," Dr. Zimmermare set his cup down on the end table next to his large armchair. "You were saying?"

"I was...intrigued by these sciences which nopony has hardly touched upon, and that tore me apart. There was so much to this world that we can learn and discover - right in front of our faces - and we don't even realize it!"

"True," Dr. Zimmermare nodded once. "But there are reasons why pony civilization took so long to technologically advance. And there are reasons why the TMS exists and why they're after you."

"Really?" I leaned my chin against my hoof. "Why is that?"

Dr. Zimmermare gave a devilish grin.

The Shattered Metropolis

"I knew you'd be back," Princess Cadence said, approaching the lone pony. "I guess I overestimated you, Twilight: I thought you'd return the very next day."

"I probably would've," Twilight replied, staring miserably at the tombstone in front of her, casting a shadow over the hollow words. "But my friends kept me away."

"Didn't you write me saying they all left?"

Twilight nodded slowly. "I did...I just..."

She paused for a long moment.

"Yes?" Princess Cadence asked, taking a seat next to her in the dirt. As unladylike as it was, she yearned to comfort her emotionally distressed sister-in-law.

"I can't believe all that time we spent together...everything we did...it's all for nothing...I'm alone."

"You're not alone," Princess Cadence denied. "You have me, your brother, your parents - I'm sure they'll be happy to see you - and not to mention Spike and the other ponies who live in Ponyville who you seldom talk to."

"But none of those ponies are my best friends who taught me the magic of friendship," Twilight remarked. "It's just not the same!"

Princess Cadence put her hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "I understand," she said. "But you know what this means?" Twilight shook her head in response. "It means you, Twilight Sparkle, are free to do what you please, without having your friends to burden your palette with all of their problems. I can understand you missing their company - I truly feel for you - but you mustn't beat yourself up over the matter, my dear Twilight. You can either choose to stay here and cry over the loss Princess Celestia and the absence of your friends. Or you can choose to make the most of their departures, and pursue your passions in their leave. I can't make you decide: only you can make you decide what to do."

Twilight pondered that decision. She did have a growing curiosity for studying higher and higher levels of magic. She was becoming quite the fluent magician, and wondered what else could be done with her horn that she had not already accomplished. She could teleport, levitate objects, spawn doors, even make a circus out of Fluttershy's animal friends. And there was also that time-travel spell she used that one time when her future self came to visit briefly to heed a warning about not to panic about a disaster which never came. Time-travel was hardly touched upon in magic. Only Star Swirl the Bearded himself created time-travel spells, and even then, he was meticulous about what he did with them. He probably never even used them, but simply created them for the joy of expanding his magical palette. To him, it would be like Big Macintosh adding five pounds to a weight to bench: mere child's play.

It wasn't child's play to Twilight. No. It would be an expansion of her intellect and magical abilities. She would become a pioneer into a grand frontier no one has hardly set a hoof into. She would become famous, and quite possibly rich...no...she refused to. That's what happened to all of her friends, those disloyal, backstabbing bastards. If she were to pursue this enterprise, she would do it for knowledge's sakes: because she is a scholar who loves to read, learn, and perform magical spells which prove to everyone why the mark on her butt looks the way it does: a sparkle. A sparkle on a twilight-colored pony.

As she pondered deeper into her thoughts, she began to wonder: was that her whole point of being born a unicorn, having a name like Twilight Sparkle, and having a cutie mark which told anyone who looked her way that her special talent was being the most magical unicorn in Ponyville and quite possibly Equestria? Or was that just the first step up the staircase she would bear to climb to find her true potential as a unicorn? Think about it. Star Swirl the Bearded was a legendary unicorn, and when he came up with all those spells, underminded ponies figured that was the most anypony could do with magic. That or the Elements of Harmony or the magic of friendship itself. In truth, there is no limit. Twilight can keep learning and inventing and discovering till the day she died. She could use the tools Star Swirl the Bearded set out for her to become the most innovative and powerful unicorn ever to exist: crossing between the regions of Equestria, through space, and through the fabric of time and life itself.

It was only a theory.

Twilight's life changed that day. She started studying magic full-time, only taking occasional breaks to visit her family - her whole family - in Canterlot, and emote over dear Princess Celestia. Once in a blue moon, she wrote to one of her friends, hoping for a reply, but it seemed no one was in one place long enough to promptly respond. Heartbroken as she was, she continued on, and studied harder and harder until she was able to master the brief temporal teleportation spell Star Swirl the Bearded invented. Upon her mastery, she also bickered that that spell should really be renamed to something more...memorable.

The mastery of that spell took her a full year to complete. It was then things started to take a turn for the worst, almost as if the smarter Twilight got, the more tragic and depressing her life became outside of her education.

Princess Cadence called her in to a Canterlot visit via Spike. She reported to her sister-in-law as fast she could, taking the usual Friendship Express route, not yet capable of teleporting herself from the Library to Canterlot Castle. Princess Cadence was waiting for her in front of Princess Celestia's grave when she got there.

"What's going on?" Twilight inquired, running up to the Princess.

"I want you to see something," Princess Cadence replied. She gestured with her hoof. "Follow me."

The two mares walked up Canterlot Castle, and through the massive hallways to Canterlot Tower, where Princess Cadence cracked open a window ajar, and used her magic to create a ladder by partially removing the white bricks from the surface of the tower. They proceeded up the artificial staircase, to the top of Canterlot Tower, where one could see nearly all of Canterlot. The only greater height in town was the top of the mountain Canterlot was built against.

"I don't understand...what am I supposed to be seeing?"

Instead of replying, Princess Cadence simply pointed far out to Ponyville, where a small number of ponies - perhaps a family - were packing their bags, as if they were starting their move away.

"I still don't get it," Twilight said.

"Don't you see?" Princess Cadence asked. "They're moving."

"Hardly, but yeah, I can see that. I don't know what's so significant about their move."

"They're moving not because the father got a new job or they found a better house or something; something reasonable. They are moving, Twilight, because they do not trust me as the Princess of Equestria. They liked me just fine as a plain heir to the Throne, under the impression that Princess Celestia was immortal and so would never die, and no one would inherit the Throne, not even Luna. Her disappearance only worsens things. I haven't heard from her since her departure. She could be anywhere by now."

"C'mon, Cadence: you're being hypercritical," Twilight retorted.

"Am I?" Princess Cadence pointed to Appleloosa. Twilight squinted, and saw more ponies starting their leave from the city as well. She continued her surveillance, seeing the origins of a change of location from all corners of Equestria that could be seen from where she was standing: Cloudsdale, Manehattan, Fillydelphia, Las Pegasus, even down below in the Kingdom of Canterlot itself, there were ponies making an egress. "The world we know is ebbing away," Princess Cadence continued, interrupting the silence. "My subjects live in fear for what has happened to Princess Celestia and especially Princess Luna. They live in fear of what might happen if I remain in power. They do not wish to antagonize anyone or cause any harm to anypony or themselves, so instead, they swallow their fears, pretend that nothing is amiss, and gracefully move away - just like that."

"What...what do we do?" Twilight asked.

Princess Cadence's frown grew bigger as she lowered her head. "I don't know..."

Twilight put her hoof on her sister-in-law's shoulder.

"Get used to this," she continued. "I fear the worst of our demise: ponies will continue evacuating until we are nearly all alone. All we can do is pray that more stay than go, and that Equestria will continue to prosper as a nation."

"Where would they go?"

"Someplace else," Princess Cadence snidely remarked. "There are other places in the world than Equestria. Equestria is just a country which stretches from Canterlot to Ponyville to The Crystal Empire. You've never left its borders, and I pray you never have to. If everyone leaves Equestria, there will soon be no Equestria: just a bunch of broken hearts and dreams and faded memories of what was...before...I took power."

Twilight took another good look around Equestria. Although she was not sure that Princess Cadence's interpretations were correct, there was nothing which contradicted her claim, and she has noticed that the morality and livelihood of everypony had decreased since her reign began. Princess Cadence was loved by everypony. Why wouldn't she be? She's adorable! But, it occurred to Twilight that she may have been loved simply as an heir. Due to Princess Luna's immediate resignation, Princess Cadence's inaguration took place not long after everyone got comfortable with Princess Luna being in power. Even still, they were still heartbroken over losing their first Princess, and everyone was used to Luna's position as Celestia's adjunct. Now she was a nomad. Princess Cadence is in power, and although Equestria could hardly be in better hooves based on the circumstances, a blanket of fear covered the country from coast to coast.

"I'm sorry, Princess," Twilight mumbled.

"It's not your fault, Twilight," Princess Cadence replied. "It's no one's fault but my own, for accepting my position as Princess of Equestria. Celestia's not to blame for dying. And if I could do anything to prevent her suffering, I would."

Prevention?

"Does it have to be this way, Cadence? Is this the fate of Equestria: faith that we will not crumble as a nation?"

The Princess nodded. "It is so," she said. "I'm afraid there is nothing we can do."

Fate. Prevention. These words caught onto Twilight.

The next twenty-four years only strengthed her position in what she intended to do. As the highest-level unicorn imaginable, she would use temporal manipulation spells to travel through time, and find herself in the future. She felt like she did not belong here anymore: between Equestria crumbling to pieces and her friends ditching her. It seemed that the only ways for Twilight to find happiness again were either fall in love, or perhaps find what she was truly meant to be. Just, in the future. The present offers nothing but disaster.

"I can't stay here, Cadence. I've lost nearly everything that's important to me." Twilight gazed up at the stars overhead. "Any life but this one would be heaven."

"Are you sure about this?"

"Positive."

"But what about Equestria?"

"I'm not an heir."

"Maybe not. But you still care about it."

"You are right...but...I don't think I can live like this anymore."

"Do what you wish...I only want what is best for you."

"Thank you, Princess."

"Just promise me one thing."

"Anything."

"Promise you'll come back if you don't find what you need."

"Of course...I promise."

With that, Twilight gave Princess Cadence one last hug goodbye, closed her eyes, concentrated, and disappeared in a flash of light.

One Small Step

"So, then you came to the future?" Dr. Zimmermare asked, returning to his seat after bussing my broken cup. "And ended up here?"

"Yes, but not quite so. I first had to do some...searching. And it's this searching which ruined my life (as if that were even possible) and got the TMS after me."

"I'd love to hear more, Ms. Sparkle."

"It all started when I jumped from the year 1,849,292 to the year 1,849,300: just eight years later. I wanted to see what would become of Equestria in a few years' time after Cadence's rise to power, to see if she was right about everyone's evacuation."

"And? What did you find?"

I shook my head.

Darkness surrounded me. Not literally, but I was burdened with a sense of fear and despair. Equestria was in ruins. All the homes and buildings I saw were vacant and decomposing. And all the local landmarks were in pieces and barely recognizable. I traveled around Ponyville. My Library was barren of leaves, the interior empty, all my furniture and books gone. At that moment, I wondered where I was...my self of that timeline, I mean. Two Twilight Sparkles existed now: the me that was visiting, and the me who perceived that world as her reality. To prevent myself from getting a headache from all this complicated time-travel shenanigans, I diverted my attention to the fallen ruins of Equestria. I checked in with every home of my friends: Sweet Apple Acres, Fluttershy's cottage, Carousel Bouqtiue, Sugarcube Corner, Rainbow Dash's cloud house: all of them were vacant, and except Rainbow Dash's place, they looked like they were not only deserted, but they almost looked as if they had endured an attack of some sort. Because of its cloudiness, Rainbow's home was fine.

Sweet Apple Acres was perhaps the most devastated-looking place I checked. It was horrible! All the trees were chopped down, and nothing made up all that farming space except miles and miles of stumps. The barn was gone, as well as any other indication of the Apple Family's presence. It was as if a huge tornado just swept through Ponyville, killed everyone, and pulverized everything. Until that moment, I still had doubts about Princess Cadence's remark, about how she felt responsible for the departure of everypony, and later, the vacancy of Equestria. I went to the future to prove whether she was right or wrong. Now I was certain. But, I had not yet checked any other place of Equestria. And where better than Canterlot Tower? So that's where I went. At least...until I reached Canterlot.

After trudging on my own along the tracks of the Friendship Express for what felt like hours, I reached Canterlot, only to find it was in ruins, too. Canterlot Castle had crumbled to dust. No one was around. It was in the exact same condition as Ponyville, and everywhere else I looked. Where had everypony gone? And was this all due to Princess Cadence? What had happened? I was desperate for some answers. I would've visited a library, but since everything was in ruins, I had no choice but to keep going further into the future. I ended up in the year 1,849,500: two hundred years later.

By then, Equestria seemed different. Especially in Canterlot. Since I was using a simple time-travel spell, I was only moving forward through time, not space. So, no matter how far I went into the future, I was still in Canterlot. Or, at least, what was Canterlot. However, this future did not look too different from my present time. Canterlot got a makeover, but the land was populated this time. I looked around for someone to talk to who didn't look busy. It was weird. Normally everyone in Canterlot looked like they were just out for a stroll. And they hardly wore clothing. But everyone was wearing shirts and vests and even shoes on their hooves, which, I will admit, was a bit awkward at first.

"Um, excuse me," I said, nudging one pony who did not look like he was in a hurry. "What's this era of Equestria like?"

"Era of Equestria?" he asked in a panicked tone. "What in the hay is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm-"

"Are you a time-traveler pony? That might explain why you're out of dress, ma'am. Either that, or you're a nudist. I don't care which you are."

"I'm a time-traveler."

"Hmm. Interesting." This stallion was an earth pony, which probably explained why he gave no care to my magical prowess. "Anywho, a few hundred years ago, there was this pony named Princess Celestia who died. Her sister, Princess Luna resigned, and a close friend of theirs who also happened to be another heir to the Royal Canterlot Throne, Princess Cadence, took power. Well, it went downhill since. But, just a few years ago, a bunch of settler-ponies came by Equestria, and started repopulating and rebuilding society, in an attempt to recapture what we had lost some time ago. I didn't even know anythin' was wrong! Anyway, now a new matriarch runs the country, Princess Ellistar, and if I were you, I'd head down to a tailor and get yourself some clothes from this century, or else you'd be exposing yourself as a time-traveler. Not everyone's gonna be as easy-going as me, I can tell you that. There's been talk of some temporal disturbances or somethin', I dunno. Just be careful, and get yourself some clothes. Here," he reached into his red jacket. "Have a few bits for the road. Won't help ya in any era but this one."

"Thank you," I said, outstretching my hoof for the eight bits he planted into my grasp.

"Pleasure's mine, miss."

I made sure not to give my name, and I was thankful he did not ask me for it.

I did what he said and found a tailor-shop nearby in Canterlot. I bought some nice-looking clothes for myself to wear, as to disguise my identity. I was also sure to get some clothes which covered my cutie mark, just in case anyone who happened to be staring at my flank would not recognize me. I knew this was going to be a long journey.

After I picked out my new clothes, I headed to the Friendship Express station at the entrance of Canterlot. But instead of finding the Friendship Express or a run-down railway, I instead found a bullet train. It was shiny. It was fast. And it made the Friendship Express look like a wooden sled. I climbed aboard, found myself a seat, and nearly lost my lunch on the way back to Ponyville, since I was not used to traveling at such a fast speed. Luckily we had only traveled for maybe forty-five seconds before the train came to a screeching halt.

The other passengers and I hopped off, and I hurried to the Library, where I expected to find the me of that time residing. I found the Library - newly restored - but it was just a regular old library now. It never even looked like I had been living there. All my stuff was gone, and even all the damage Spike and I did to it over time was repaired. Those were precious memories I beheld, you know! Anyway, there was a fellow librarian pony working there when I showed my face inside.

"May I help you?" she asked kindly.

"Yes; do you know what this building was like before it was a library?" I asked.

The librarian looked confused. "I was told it was a library. That's why I stockpiled it with books and turned it from the ruins it was into a library."

"Well, it was a library before it was ruins, too, but it also belonged to a very special pony I know."

"Oh? You mean somepony lived here? B-before it was in ruins?"

I nodded enthusiastically. "Uh-huh! Her name is Twilight Sparkle. I think she'd love to have a shrine dedicated to her, since this place was her home for quite a long time."

"I suppose that could be arranged," the librarian replied. "But, doesn't a pony have to be dead in order to have a shrine dedicated to them?"

"Wha- you- you mean I- she's still alive?"

The librarian nodded. "Last time I heard. She doesn't live in Equestria anymore. Not since the Great Disaster. Ironic, isn't it? It was a disaster which led her to travel through time. And then a real disaster happens, and even though she has mastered the art of time-travel, she refused to travel through time even once to prevent it. 'Equestria's annihilation was inevitable,' she claimed. 'If I were to manipulate the fabric of time with my magic, I'd only be ruining someone else's future.' And...come to think of it..." she scrutinized me as she adjusted the frames of her glasses. "You look a lot like her."

"Oh? Me? Her? Oh, no! My name's, uh, Twinkle. And, uh, I'm no time-traveler, I'm just a fan of Twilight Sparkle. In fact, I- I wasn't even here!"

I bolted from the library, without even letting the librarian respond. I knew it was abrupt, but I needed to beat a hasty retreat in order to not draw suspicion (of course, running for my life through Ponyville was pretty conspicuous in retrospect).

When I finally believe I lost her, I began to wonder: she said that the me of that time was still alive. And that could only mean that I was probably nearing my three hundredth birthday. How could I possibly still be alive? And, more importantly, when the heck would I finally croak, anyway? What could possibly have kept me from killing myself? I mean, having nothing to live for anymore is what drove me to time-travel in the first place. And that Twilight Sparkle also knew time-travel, but refused to use it, for fear it would cause devastating consequences.

My mind began to race as these question whirled through my mind like a tornado. I guess there was only one direction to go in order to get the answers I sought: forward...through time.

The Late Twilight Sparkle

The year 1,849,500, and I was still going strong, apparently. The good news is that since, according to the librarian, I wasn't even in Equestria anymore, I had no fear about running into myself. Oh, the consequences of that occurrence would be tremendously devastating! There is no doubt in my mind that one glance, I would not recognize myself. I am a pretty attractive and well-known unicorn.

Speaking of which, if my conversation with her was cognitive, I would know the exact year of my death by the shrine. So I casually returned within sight of the Library, and immediately jumped ahead another decade (1,849,510) to see if anything changed (and also to avoid further contact with the librarian). Nothing changed.

That's odd I said to myself.

I kept jumping decade by decade for another five minutes, expecting to see a shrine in my honor. But none came.

1,849,520...1,849,530...1,849,540...1,849,550.

And still, the Library looked no different. So, I figured I accelerate my search.

1,849,550...1,849,560...1,849,570...1,849,580.

I took another peak inside the Library; it was unoccupied. In fact, it was completely barren. Empty. Hollow.

Still no shrine. I did the math in my head. I'm three hundred and twenty-nine years old. That...that couldn't be right. So, what else to do than to speed up my search? Back to the future I went.

1,849,580...1,849,600...1,849,700...1,849,800.

I knew I would be dead now. There is no way I could possibly still be living, right? Wrong. The Library was still vacant as ever, but it was no shrine. Maybe the librarian I talked to forgot? Nah, that couldn't be it: she's probably long gone anyway, but even if she weren't, I'm Twilight Sparkle: I doubt Equestria could ever forget about me. Maybe I just hadn't gone far enough.

1,849,800...1,850,000...1,850,200...

There was the shrine.

The Library was converted into a shiny palacial sanctuary. Everything was made of linoleum and shimmered like Rarity's eyes did whenever she cried. Everything sparkled and illuminated a powerful aura of peace.

Yup, I was finally dead.

Good thing, too, because I was starting to feel tired of casting so many time-travel spells.

I entered the empty building. Immediately greeting me was a large, golden statue of me. There was my same mane, my same coat, my same cutie mark, my same giant eyes, my same perky ears, my same horn. It was definitely me, just bigger in proportion.

I looked down to the plaque, which revealed the answer to my concern of how it took so long for me to die. It read:

TWILIGHT ACORNA SPARKLE

1,849,251 - 1,850,127 (Age 876)

Loving wife and mother, who shall always be remembered

That was a long time. How in Equestria did I live that long?

So many questions...and I would say so little time, but, I must be frank about the situation: as a temporal phenomenon, I had as much time as I wanted...assuming I could keep casting time-travel spells.

But I wondered: how did I live so long if that me didn't travel through time?

Clearly, going forward through time was no longer an option. In fact, my temporal palette stopped at the year 1,850,127. The only way for me to find out would be to explore the eight hundred and seventy-six years of my life.

So, Dr. Zimmermare...that's where I went.

Counterclockwise, Part 1

I went back in time to the year of my supposed death. About two minutes later, I realized what a stupid idea that was, after ranting on about how I was trying to conceal myself, should I ever make contact with the old Twilight Sparkle. So, I needed a disguise: something to conceal my identity.

I trotted over to what was formerly Carousel Boutique. Sure enough, it was still a boutique, but sadly, Rarity was nowhere to be found. Instead, I found a pony whose mane shined with the intensity of a thousand suns. Based on my encounter with her, she seemed to be Rarity without much dimension to her personality. And she shouted everything she said with, in my opinion, a little too much enthusiasm.

"Welcome to Crystal's Creations!" she exclaimed gaily.

"Uh, hi," I said calmly.

"What can Ms. Crystal - i.e. me - do for a foal like you?"

"I'm actually six-"

She grabbed my cheeks and squeezed them together like a zit. "Well, aren't you just the most precious jewel I've ever seen?"

"Can you...please...stop...you're...crushing my...tongue..."

She let go of me.

"Sorry about that, Sweetheart. I'm just that way with ponies. So, what can I do for a pretty, pretty pony like yourself?"

"Can you make me look nothing like myself?"

"Hmm..." the pony claiming to be named Crystal scrutinized my appearance. I was fortunate she did not recognize me. "So, what you're asking for is a makeover?"

"I, uh...I guess."

"Sorry, baby, no can do. But I can put you in some elegant clothes which would make you look just stunning for your special somepony!"

"I don't have a special somepony," I replied softly.

"Oh? Well, how 'bout that! Is there, um, anything else I can do for you, sweetie?"

"Um, no thanks...I'll stop by again if I change my mind."

"No problem, honey!" she waved me goodbye as I exited the boutique.

Then, it hit me. I know of a place where ponies do get makeovers: the spa. The girls I knew who worked there might have had their great, great, great, great granddaughters working their shifts, but between knowledge and technology, I'm sure if there was some way to disguise myself, it would be the spa.

I used my prior knowledge of Ponyville's layout to trace my hoofsteps back to the spa. When I arrived - and noticed that it indeed was still a spa for the ponies of Ponyville - I began to wonder if anything in Ponyville really changed over the years. Except the Library becoming a shrine in my honor shortly after I will die (since I was in a time right before I croaked), every spa was still a spa, boutique still a boutique, and restaurant a restaurant. Sure, there were more houses than I remember, new faces all around, and even some additional points of interests, but the places I spent my years in Ponyville with were still there - refurbished and everything. I wonder if that was by design or coincidence.

"Welcome to Spa Poney de Détente!" said one of the two fiesty, young ponies who greeted me. "My name's Flo and this is my gal-pal Po. What brings you to our haven of relaxation?" Clearly they just changed the name. Did the original spa from my timeline even have a name?

The ponies were nearly identical, like Lotus Blossom and Aloe were: one was light-green in her coat, and the other was light-blue. And they both wore the same headgear Lotus Blossom and Aloe did, matching each other's coat rather than their own. It was quite bizarre, really.

"Hi," I greeted back. "I'm here for a makeover. I don't have much money, though."

"A makeover?" asked Po. "Are you a first-timer?"

"Uh, yeah, I am."

"When we established this spa," Flo began.

"We agreed that everypony gets one spa treatment on the house," finished Po.

"And we'll allow you to swap the spa treatment for an exotic makeover if you like," they both said in unison.

"Can I get a regular makeover?" I inquired.

Both girls smiled. "Sure!"

They approached me, the pony named Flo putting her hoof around my neck. "So, what do you want to change about yourself? Not that we think that's really necessary."

"I just wish to not look anything like myself," I said.

"A pity. But! The Flo-Po couplet does not judge," Po remarked.

The girls went right to work on Twilight. They put her mane up in a bun after dyeing it a soothing brown, with yellow and orange stripes where her pink and violet stripes were in her original mane. Her coat was dyed a royal-blue, and painted over every hoof, her plot, and even her cutie mark.

"What do you want for a cutie mark?" Flo inquired. "Your true will still be underneath the dye, but unless you wanna be a blank flank, you can have us paint something on your buttocks to disguise yourself, since you mentioned that's why you wanted us to dye you a different color."

"Hmm..." Twilight pondered. "I love to read. Can you give me a book cutie mark?"

"Easy-peasy!" Po exclaimed.

Po got a stencil which looked like a thumbnail of a book with Princess Celestia on it: the book of the Elements of Harmony. She put it to my flank as I was laid across a tabletop.

"Ahh!" I shrieked.

"Sorry," said Po. "Stencils hurt."

"Wait, stencil?" I tried to look at my body, but Flo restrained me. "I asked for a cutie mark, not a tattoo."

"Is no tattoo," Po answered. She walked around the table to the other side of my plot. "I know it's painful, sweetheart." She applied it to the other side of my flank and ripped it off. I shrieked again. "But it's the easiest way for me to get it done."

"It won't be permanent, will it? Because aren't tat-"

"It's no tattoo, darling. Nor is it permanent. Just take a bath or shower and when you step out, you'll be yourself again. You have to pay to get a permanent fixture."

"That's not necessary," I said.

"Flo, be a dearie and get me some paint, please."

Flo nodded and left the quiet room. Po walked away, fiddled at a countertop nearby, and returned with a strange-smelling liquid in a clear container, a brush in her other hoof as she walked on only her hind hooves to me. She applied the strange-smelling fluid to my flank. It jumped, for it was cold for only a moment, then relaxed myself.

"When she gets back," Po said during her procedure. "We'll paint your cutie mark with some tempra paint. You'd be surprised to know that both tempra and watercolor paint dissolve in water, unlike their cousin, acrylic. Acrylic paint is the number-one clogger of sinks, and is also-"

"Why are you telling me about paint?" I asked.

"Conversational diversion," Po answered.

Flo returned, a palette and two paintbrushes in her mouth. She put them behind me, and I could hear them rummaging with the materials. Then I felt the cold bristles of the paintbrushes as they brushed against my coat.

"Now just try to relax," Flo said. "Pretend you're at a spa-"

"I am at a spa!"

"...Oh yeah." She cleared her throat. "Well then, pretend you're in a hot bath of water - outside, in the warm weather, the midday sun beating down on you behind the clouds. And you're just immersed in the rejuvinating water, taking a nice, hot bath. You're relaxed...you're calm..."

I'm sure Flo went on after that. All that traveling through time I did had tired me out, and until I had a moment to relax, I guess I was simply too rushed to feel like falling asleep. That was the last I heard of Flo's guided imagery. Little did I know that I had actually fallen asleep. I didn't even realize it until I felt my body being nudged by Po.

"Wakey, wakey, Sweetie," she said, too blurry to make out her facial expression.

I groaned.

"You're dry now. And we want you to see how she looks before you take off."

In retrospect, I wonder why Po referred to my fake cutie mark as a mare.

I fully opened my eyes, and saw her hovering over me.

"There we go," she said. She was standing on her hind hooves, and outstretching one of her fronts to assist me off the table. We slowly got me to the ground; I was still out of it enough to make simple movements difficult.

Flo dragged in a large mirror.

"Whatdya think, Miss?" she asked, gazing at me, even though I was quite repulsive based on the image of my body I got from my reflection.

But, I was unrecognizable. There was no way Twilight Sparkle would recognize herself if she looked like this! I paid particular attention to my cutie mark. And I guess I had underestimated the sheer painting talents of Flo and Po.

"Excellent job," I said.

The girls smiled.

"I will be on my way now."

"Okay!" both of them exclaimed as I trotted off. "Thank you for your business! And remember that your dye will come right off in a shower or a bath!"

I headed out of the spa. Then I contemplated my next move.

Okay, so the elderly me who is cheating death by the day is certain to die by the end of the year. And since I don't know her exact date of death, she could be dead by now, or a few months away. I had already exhausted myself once jumping through time: I was not about to do so again. So, to make things easier on myself, I simply jumped back in time one year, to visit a slightly younger yet still ancient version of myself.

Counterclockwise, Part 2

It was at this time, Dr. Zimmermare, that I realized how difficult this task was going to be. Sure, I no longer looked anything like my old self, but as I strolled through Ponyville - particularly, in the corner with which I was most familiar - I was subconsciously reminded that my current other self was no longer living in Equestria. Since I was still alive and well (as far as I knew), I figured I could do some research. And, as you know, I'm always up to the challenge when it comes to research!

So I hurried to the Ponyville Library, where, of course, no one was there, but there were plenty of books still stocking the shelves. I searched the shelves for a book on famous unicorns. Before I knew it, I had found one, and I flipped through it as fast as I could, skimming anything which might have revealed a clue as to my present location...or at least a starting point.

Then it hit me.

Duh! I'm still alive! Sure, I'm famous, but they only put dead ponies in history books, not living ones. Living ones have like Wikiponia articles, and I don't think even in this time, the Ponynet had been invented yet.

| "How do you know about the-?" |

I'm just a fast learner, Dr. Zimmermare. Now, as I was with my story.

I groaned with frustration. I went forward several years after my old self had died so I could look her up in a history book. Unfortunately, this trip took some time.

When I finally made it to the year 1,850,168 (twenty years after I had died), my journey still wasn't over. The Library was once again a shrine dedicated to my late self. I went in to take a peek and discovered that nothing had changed. For now, that's good news.

But, being that all the books were replaced with memorabilia of me, including tiny bobbleheads, a crystallized artwork of my cutie mark, and even a few large paintings of me, including one called the Birth of Twilight in which I was standing naked in the middle of a clam shell with a bunch of random mares and stallions - also naked - crowding me, looking as if they intended to greet me, like I was some sort of god.

That painting was so axiomatically incorrect. I don't remember my birth. But I'm pretty sure I was conceived by my parents and I was born in Canterlot Hospital, just like my brother, with only them and Shining Armor gathered around me when I came out of my mother. I certainly wasn't in a clam shell, fully grown, and had a reason to censor genitalia I didn't even have!

Ugh!

That was beside the point. I had a journey to make.

Seeing that my library was the only library in Ponyville - even in the year 1,850,168 - I figured I had to leave town to find a book about me. And yes, Dr. Zimmermare, before you inquire of me: I did take a glance around my shrine. There was nothing particularly informational - plainly decorative - besides the plaque which bore no information I desired to acquire. So I set hoof to Canterlot, where I knew there would be an even bigger library which would probably hold a history book about me, or at least a librarian who was familiar with my background.

One train ride later, and I was trotting through town, sticking out like a sore thumb when I saw everypony walking around with clothes on. I just realized then that Flo and Po stripped me of my clothing and forgot to give it back. I blame myself: I was in a hurry to get out of the spa and find my old self. I was also no longer of the more attractive ponies in Canterlot.

Luckily, even after all this time, the layout of Canterlot hadn't changed, and I was able to find my way around to the Canterlot Library. I originally wanted to visit the library that was in Canterlot Caslte, but security didn't recognize me, and they didn't let me through the doors. I guess my austere appearance made me look suspicious, even though I'm technically Canterlot Royalty...by marriage. Still.

A librarian spotted me surveying the shelves for a book.

"Need anything in particular?" she asked.

"Yes," I said. "I'm, uh, doing a report on a pony named Twilight Sparkle, and I-"

The librarian raised a hoof to shush me. She walked away for a few moments, and returned, a book entitled The Biographical Presentation of Twilight Sparkle in her hooves.

"This what you want?"

"Perfect!" I exclaimed.

I started for a table I saw nearby.

"You're not leaving with that, are you?"

I turned around, the book still in my hooves.

"Pardon?"

"Well, I'm gonna need a library card if you insist on removing that book from its home."

I groaned inaudibly.

"I just wanna skim it for something; I won't leave the library with it."

"Hmm. Very well. If you insist on not getting a library card to check it out...I suppose that's okay."

I trotted to the table, threw the book down, and started turning its pages with my horn.

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon...childhood...adolescent years...young-adulthood...ehm...ah-hah! Departure from Equestria!"

Twilight Sparkle, before marrying the love of her life and becoming a parent, at age two hundred, twenty, finally left Ponyville and moved to Canterlot. There she would meet the loveable stallion, Dawn (see page 192) and leave Equestria almost for good.

After becoming a parent (see page 195), she and her husband joined a convoy of pioneering ponies into the great unknown, into a distant land, miles away, uncharted and unseen by anypony. There she raised a family, and did not return until the age of eight hundred and seventy. Seeing as she was growing elderly and her spell reducing the rate of the aging process, she decided to return home to Canterlot, where she would spend her final hours.

Upon her death, she was buried within the earth below the library in which she resided in Ponyville. The library was then emptied and converted into a shrine in her honor.

I know I abridged some of that, but that's what I remember the book said.

So, Twilight spent her last few years in Canterlot? UGHH! This wild-goose-chase was really frustrating me.

I handed the book back to the librarian, and then exited the library.

I went a few years back before my death: 1,850,165.

I then asked around for the location of a mare named Twilight Sparkle, who I heard was taking residence here. She was in Canterlot Castle, living in a large suite of her own. Now I had to get past security, and I was good to go. The only thing is: I'm an eye-sore nopony knows anything about. Had I still been sixteen years old when I went through all this, I would probably admit defeat here, or camp out in front of Canterlot Castle and wait until I left to incerpt myself. But, as a forty-one-year-old pony, my magical abilities far exceeded anyone's in Canterlot. What else should I have done by hypnotize the guards with my magical prowess?

Sure enough, I was able to sneak past security at the gate, climb the steps, and enter Canterlot Castle. It took me several minutes, but I managed to hide from all the guards patrolling the vast, empty halls, and find the room where Twilight was staying. I knocked on the door.

"Come in," a weak version of my voice called.

I entered, finding an old, old, old version of myself seated in a rocking chair in front of a fireplace, reading a book. I was unrecognizable. My horn was limp, I wore a pair of spectacles probably due to vision problems I was experiencing, my mane was completely white and lacking in color, my coat gray with age, wrinkles all over my face and my hooves. I would not say I looked eight hundred and seventy-three years old. But elderly: that was a given.

"Who are you?" I asked myself, squinting as I adjusted my frames and visibly trembled with pain.

"I'm, uh..." until now, I had not realized I was not going under a pseudonym. I called myself Twinkle once to somepony, but that's already the name of somepony who lives in Ponyville in my present timeline. She's as old as I am now. So, I thought up a lie - and I thought it up quick. "My name's Stardust. Are you Twilight Sparkle?"

"Yes," I answered weakly. "What can an ol' mare like me do for a foal like yourself?" I coughed after I spoke. "Pardon me."

"I'm a student of the Princess of Equestria. And I wanna do a research paper on you. Mind telling me a bit about your life?"

"Of course not. Please, take a seat," I pointed to another rocking chair parallel to the one in which I was sitting. I did so. "So, what is it you wanna know?" I coughed again.

"Just, uh, tell me about your life since you got back from being a pioneer pony."

"Not s' good," I frowned. "My husband's dead, my daughter's dead...I've outlived them all. I'm eight hundred and seventy-three years old and still going stro-" I hacked. "Sorry." I cleared my throat. "I'm hoping to live to a millennium. Nopony's lived to a millennium. I'll be the first pony in history to do that. Unfortunately, the only way that is possible is the use of my magical abilities. But I'm not too caught up in living a millennium: I know I'm already gonna be in the history books. And..." I seemed to have paused.

"And?" I inquired myself.

I took off my spectacles, cleaned them with a lab coat I was wearing (for whatever reason, I never found out the motivation behind that, I'm sad to say), and put them back over my eyes. "I'm miserable. Nothing but a dusty, ol' mare, just waiting to die. I've got no family. No husby. No kids. No parents. Shining Armor's dead. Princess Cadence's dead. Their children are dead. All my friends are dead, dead, dead." She turned her head to look me straight in the eyes. "I used to tell myself that if I could live my life over again, I wouldn't change anything - except casting that darn age retardation spell. I've since coped with reality. I cast that spell. And I know that if I ever tried to reverse it, I would be committing suicide. Sure, I may not be as happy and animated as I was when I was just a filly of two hundred, but that doesn't mean I can't be happy now. I'm just having some difficulty because I'm lonely - lonely as I was when I was here in Canterlot, even before I moved to Ponyville. I don't even have Spike with me anymore. Everyone I know's dead as a doornail, and have been for years, centuries even. It's a wonder I can still find pleasure and entertainment in such a dark, cold time of my life. Sometimes I pray for my days to end. But, I know no good won't come from such nonsense. I musn't think like that. If I truly wished for my life to come to an end - if I truly was unhappy - I'd go off my age spell and kill myself."

My own speech nearly brought tears to my eyes. I tried to hide them, but it was difficult, since, as she spoke, I began to wonder what my life would be like if everyone I knew was dead. This Twilight Sparkle is miserable, and too ancient and fogged up in her thoughts to realize it. If she weren't so old, I'd think she was out of her mind. But I know I could never be out of my mind, and I know that with age comes the deadly consequences of forgetfulness, a subtraction of logical reasoning, and reduced reflexes. And this Twilight Sparkle was not in her eighties or ninties: she's over eight hundred. Her misery should have terminated years ago. But casting that stupid age spell only made her life a living hell.

I could not bear to hear any more of my heart-wrenching speech of misery and woe. I knew what I had to do.

Now, to fix this mess.

"Thank you, Ms. Sparkle," I said, rising to my hooves.

"It's Mz. Sparkle to you, young lady," I said, twitching from what looked like Ponkinsan's. "It's okay: I know I'm an old lady. My body's a constant reminder of that, y'know. But, I've hardly told you a thing!"

"That's alright: I have more than enough information for my report."

"Do you now? Well then," I outstretched my wrinkled, limp hoof. "I wish you the best of luck on that report of yours, Ms. Stardust."

"Thank you," I said, shaking my hoof.

"Go on now...I'd show you to the door myself, but I'm in no condition to move right now; I'm sorry."

"It's no trouble. Goodbye, Mz. Sparkle!"

"Goodbye!" I coughed. "Maybe we'll see one another again soon in the future."

I mumbled to myself as I exited her suite. "Or the past."

The question was now: where to go? When did I cast that dang spell? I could go back inside and ask myself, but that would be suspiciously weird. After all: that Twilight Sparkle is capable of time-travel, but simply refuses not to. Given her age, I don't think she has a choice anymore. Nevertheless, asking her was not an option. I could also go back to the library, find that book and skim it again. But that would appear weird, too. Obviously, I wouldn't cast it in the first forty-one years of my life. So, what better place to start than age forty-two?

Good thing I was already in Canterlot when I arrived in the year 1,849,293, because I would hate to have to take what was formerly the Friendship Express back here. All this traveling was making my hooves hurt. Yes, they still hurt a little, especially after all that running around I did to escape the TMS.

Anyway, there was Princess Celestia's grave, and there was myself just a year older sitting at it, mourning her loss. I trotted down the steps of Canterlot Castle, and approached a much younger-looking Twilight Sparkle.

"I'm sorry for your loss," I said, grabbing her attention. "She meant a lot to me as well."

I said nothing even though I was staring right into my violet eyes, tear after tear forming in the corners, and quietly rolling down my cheeks as I sniffled.

"Can you do me a favor please, Ms. Sparkle?"

"How do you know my name?" I asked through the sobbing.

"Let's just say I've seen you around. You're a popular pony, Twilight. Anyway, can you do me a favor, please?"

"Yeah...I guess...what is it?"

"Don't cast a spell which retards the aging process. Ever. Just don't do it." I paused. "Think you can do that for me?"

"Um, yeah, I-I guess."

"Thanks. Well, like I said, you have my condolences, Twilight."

"You never said that."

"Okay, well, you have my condolences anyway. I, too, was close to Princess Celestia."

"Who are you?" I asked.

"The name's Stardust."

"Pretty name," she remarked.

"Thanks. Well, I just stopped by to give another word to Princess Celestia...I'm afraid I must be on my way."

I simply nodded in response.

I headed back to the year 1,850,168 - the year of my ancient death - and then took the bullet-train back to Ponyville, where I found my shrine once again, everything as it was with the axiomatically incorrect painting and fancy decorations of my body and my cutie mark. There was one change, however.

Twilight Acorna Sparkle
Loving wife, mother, and faithful student
1,849,251 - 1,849,349 (Age 98)

Counterclockwise, Part 3

I did it. I changed history. But, as I've come to know: that only brought more trouble. I believe that was the course of action which brought on the Temporal Manipulation Squad: this was the spark which set them off. They're still after me, watching me like hawks in an empty desert. I'm camoflagued into the environment, but any temporal movement I make will only lead to disaster.

Meanwhile, I wanted to bask myself in what I had finally accomplished. Since I was from a different timeline, the only way I could enjoy my new life was vicariously, by, well...stalking myself.

| "Ha ha hah ha!" |

Hey, it could have been a lot worse. I could have temporal incest with myself if I felt like it. But I wouldn't ask this Twilight Sparkle to bed.

| "You wanna wash-" |

Not until after my story, Dr. Zimmermare.

Now, back to business.

The good news is, because I looked nothing like myself, I could simply befriend myself as Stardust, and just hang out with me.

I did just that. And I must say, I'm quite a delight. I'm a pleasure to be around!

Unfortunately, playing with myself was not all it was cracked out to be for long.

About three days into my friendship with myself, I was approached by this large, strange-looking unicorn who wore a suit and tie, a pair of shades over his eyes so you couldn't read his thoughts.

"Miss," he said, evading a personal address. "May I speak with you for a moment?"

"Um..." I looked at Twilight. "Yeah. I'll be right back, okay?"

"Sure thing," I said.

"Please follow me," said the mysterious stallion. He led me quite a distance from Twilight, to an alleyway where we would not be seen. "Twilight Sparkle," he continued.

I gasped. "How do you know my name?"

"Let's just say I know you."

"I don't think I know who you are."

"You don't. And I prefer to keep it that way, if that's alright with you."

"Um..."

"Regardless. I'd introduce myself, but I do not wish to give away my identity to you."

"Am I in trouble?"

"Yes." My eyes shrank. "But you don't have to be. We know this timeline is an alternate timeline, and we know you and that girl you were just talking to are Twilight Sparkle. Wear as much ugly dye as you want: I know how you are, and I will always find you - you cannot hide from me or any of my coworkers."

"Your coworkers?"

"We call ourselves the Temporal Manipulation Squad, or TMS for short. We're a group of elite unicorns, just like you. We know how to travel through time. In fact, it was your success in traveling through time which inspired us to become time-travelers ourselves. Our mission is to protect the space-time contiuum. And you, Ms. Sparkle, have infringed on it by creating this alternate timeline. The fun's over. If you don't wanna see my face again, reverse this timeline immediately. And if you do see my face again, I can guarantee you that it will not be under such merciful circumstances. Reverse this timeline, and you won't see me again."

I panicked at the threats this stallion was making to me. He clearly meant business. And there apparently others.

Buck.

Well, there's only one reaction to the law enforcement: do what they say.

"Yes, sir," I said in a salute.

"Excellent." He leaned in. "And should I come back here...you don't want that."

He exited the alleyway, and vanished in a flash of bright light.

I charged up my exhausted horn, and went back to the date and time where I had gone to change history in the first place. I hid in some bushes, and looked around for an ugly-looking unicorn. One appeared spontaneously nearby, and headed to Twilight Sparkle who was seen sitting at Princess Celestia's tombstone, mourning as usual.

I crept around the bushes, positioned myself behind her, spawned a large rock with my horn, and brutally smashed it against that Stardust's head, injuring her, and knocking her unconscious. I hopped out of the bushes, and dragged the body behind the shrubs, to hide it from anyone, especially that Twilight Sparkle.

Then I reported to her.

"Hey," I said to her.

Tears dripped from her giant, violet eyes. "Hello," she said. "Didn't you just say goodbye to me?"

Oops.

"I have a question: did I just come here and ask you to not use the age retardation spell ever?"

"Yeah...you certainly did."

"Okay. Um, I've, uh, changed my mind. Use the spell. For the love of Celestia - use the spell!"

"Uh...okay? Right now?"

"No no, when the time is right. Just be sure to use it when you want."

"You got it."

"Thanks," I gave myself a slight grin.

"Are you sure you're feeling okay?" I asked myself. "You're all 'do this, don't do this' and it's kinda scaring me."

"I'm just mentally challenged. Good day, Twilight Sparkle."

"Good day, Ms. Stardust."

Another trip back to my shrine later, and I knew I had done my job well: I was doomed to die at the ripe, old age of eight hundred and seventy-six. Or...so I thought.

Twilight Acorna Sparkle
Loving wife and mother
1,849,251 - 1,8--,-- (Age ???)

I rubbed my hoof against the golden plaque.

Buck.

What did I do wrong? What should I do? Where should I go?

The sound of an alarmed siren suddenly came within earshot.

Shit! No time!

I panicked, and once again, went to my horn for a solution to my problem.

I just jumped forward through time. I didn't care what year it was, and I didn't care where I ended up: I just wanted out of there and away from the TMS. I doubt they would find me if I couldn't even tell where I was.

I finally stopped my spell.

Equestria had changed. The skies were black as night, ominous clouds looming overhead as the wind whistled through barren tree branches. Lightning boomed and thunder roared in the treacherous night as sirens were heard encroaching in the distance.

My escape was futile.

But I was too exhausted to run anymore. My body was weak, my horn limp from all that traveling I did. And well, I knew in my heart I had more jumps to make. But firs things first: I had to hide my plot.

I scampered through the mysterious town, lost in the shadows of the black world. I screamed for my life: panicked, worried, tears flying out of my eyelids and into the air from the harsh wind pushed against me and the violent rain attacked me.

A warm hoof greeted me in the night by a stallion wearing a dark cloak.

"Take my hoof if you want to live!" he exclaimed.

I did so, and he led me to this cathedral-like building which looked like a haunted manor.

We hustled inside, and I shook off all the raindrops, getting all that rainwater on the carpeting below my hooves.

"Oops...sorry, sir."

"It's not trouble."

The stallion removed his hoodie, and I finally got to see his face buried under a thick layer of metal alloys.

"Who are you?" I inquired.

"Dr. Luis Zimmermare."

INTERVAL III: COUNTERPART

"Go ahead...kill me if that is what you want."

"Oh, no - killing's too good for you."

"You don't have a choice. And I know you don't."

A menacing glare from the fallen victim.

"Go ahead - do it, you coward! Kill me! And live with being a murderer!"

Hesitation.

"Thought so."

"Oh, shut up!"

A severe blow to the head.

Continuation

"And that is where I came in," said Dr. Zimmermare, quietly applauding my narration.

"Mind if I reiterate everything up to this moment?"

"Such a keen memory!" he chuckled. "I'd like to see how you do! Go on - what happened next?"

"Welcome to my home, miss..."

"Sparkle. Twilight Sparkle," I said.

"I see you're not from around here."

"I'm not...I'm from the past."

"The past?"

"I'm a time-traveler. I just got here from the year 1,850,168...I think...it's kinda hard to remember." I put my hoof to my forehead. "And I have a splitting headache."

"You poor dear!" the elderly man exclaimed. "Why don't you stay with me for a little while?"

"Oh, I couldn't possibly-"

"Nonsense, my dear! I don't get company very often. You stay here as long as you like."

"Thank you."

"You're quite wel- would you like some tea or something, Ms. Sparkle?"

"I would, please. Thank you."

He started off into his manor; and I, being new to this environment, followed him to a bright, vast kitchen.

"What flavor would you like?" he asked. "I'll see if I can brew it myself."

"Um, anything herbal's fine."

Dr. Zimmermare made a hissing sound and levitated a container with his horn. "Is hay alright? I can oblitherate it into a tea for you."

Hay tea? I asked myself. I wonder what that tastes like.

My curiosity got the best of me then. "Sounds good...i-if it's no trouble."

"Of course not!" the scientist retorted enthusiastically. He began the brewing process.

This is where we had our conversation about my friends and the spark. I'm just gonna skip right ahead to when we began to establish where I am. We just sat down here in your parlor, sipping this...tea of yours, Dr. Zimmermare.

"So...what year is it?" I asked you.

"5,318,008," you replied.

"Quite a big jump," I remarked.

"Indeed," you affirmed. You took a sip of your tea. "I would like to say that I don't normally take in ponies who I find scampering through the streets of Hoovesville. Something clearly drew me to you."

"Who knows," I said, failing to take a sip.

"Maybe it was the fact that you were running for your life away from those police officers."

"Those ponies were not the police."

"Oh? Who were they, then?"

"The Temporal Manipulation Squad."

Dr. Zimmermare gasped. "Those ponies!"

I nodded.

"Oohhh, you're in deep trouble, Ms. Sparkle. The TMS are strict keepers of space-time. They will not rest until time has been repaired in all dimensions. Every jump you make and every interaction you make in a foreign time only increases their tension towards you. And there is no escaping them - trust me."

"How do you know about the TMS?"

"They have been present in Hoovesville for millions of years, they say. And with each passing year, more and more unicorns master the art of time-travel, and they become more and more ravenous and malevolent with each jump somepony makes into another time, be their intentions good or bad."

"Other ponies can travel through time?"

Dr. Zimmermare nodded. "Indeed, they can. Times have changed since your present date, Ms. Sparkle, quite dramatically. In your time, the art of time-travel has hardly been touched upon, and only really looked into by the highest-level unicorns in Hoovesville." It was here I learned that Hoovesville was the new Equestria. "But, knowledge spreads, and now almost anyone can get their hooves on the magical abilities to travel through time and change history. It is the TMS's job to ensure that everything contained within the space-time continuum remain as it were, and not be changed by anypony. And they will kill anypony who stands in their way or dares to change the fate of time itself."

"That probably explains why they're after me, Dr. Zimmermare."

"Indeed, it does. The good news is, they won't find you here."

"Why do you say that?"

"I may be a unicorn, but age has made time-travel for me difficult. And so I've been trying to mimic the art of unicorn time-travel with my own technology, since I am an intelligent scientist. I've been anything but successful. The TMS simply doubt that time-travel is possible without the manifestation of unicorn magic. They won't think to look here. They think I'm stupid...or perhaps dead."

"None of this explains why it's dark and stormy outside. Are we in some sort of epic pony war?"

Dr. Zimmermare chuckled. "Oh ho ho ho, ooh, oh, no," he said, calming. "It's just a heptic storm. Should pass in due time. Give or take a day or two. You may stay here - safe and sound from the TMS - until it passes."

"And you don't mind housing a refugee?"

"I appreciate the company," he said gaily. "Everypony here thinks I'm either crazy or dead. I'm very lonely. And it's nice to see a friendly face every once in a while."

"Me too," I said.

"You're lonely, too?"

"I am, Dr. Zimmermare."

"Oh, please, call me Luis, Ms. Sparkle."

"...I am...Luis."

"How is that now?"

"My friends - the ones I told you about while you were brewing the tea - all left me twenty-five years ago. The first to go was Rarity. She went to Manehattan and sent us a few letters, promising to return as soon as possible, and keep writing should her arrival be delayed..."

A tear rolled down my eyes as I remembered the disappointing words of her first letter back home.

"So, did you ever hear back from this Rarity you speak of?" he asked, taking another sip of the piping-hot beverage he was holding.

"What a pity," he mumbled, a glaze look in his eyes. "You didn't visit one moment in time in which Rarity was with you again?"

"I was escaping from the law enforcement, Doc- I mean, Luis...I wasn't exactly looking around for her."

He made no immediate reply. "What about the other girls? You said there were four others, correct?"

"Right."

"What happened to them?"

"Rainbow Dash joined the Wonderbolts, and, well, pretty much the same thing happened to her. She got caught up in all her glory as the newest Wonderbolt that she forgot who we were, and then, the next thing we know, the only way we were able to see her at all was if we bought tickets and attended a Wonderbolts show...in Cloudsdale. Some 'loyal' friend she turned out to be! Oh, sure if the Shadowbolts offer her a gig - screw them! But the Wonderbolts, well," I pretended to chuckle. "That changes everything!

"Then what happened?"

"The Apple Family became so rich, their fortune overwhelmed even Filthy Rich. And that guy was loaded back when he existed. I bet his great, great, great granddaughters are still up to their ears in wealth. Granny Smith, being that her time in Equestria was limited due to her age, decided to celebrate her granddaughter's success by taking the entire Apple Family on a trip around Equestria - just for the heck of it!"

"And they were gone for twenty-five years?"

I shook my head.

"What about um...Pinkie Pie?"

"Celebrity cake designer and party planner."

"Fluttershy!"

"Animal guru. She travels the world helping animals, healing them, and violently protesting against animal cruelty, thanks to that monster Iron Will, giving her some balls."

"Well, it's no wonder you came to the future, miss. You certainly had a lot to cry about, and I could easily see anypony wanting to escape: find someplace they can call home and live gaily, instead of being surrounded by misery."

"My explanation exactly...but I cannot help but miss my friends."

"I'm sure you do," Dr. Zimmermare uttered softly. "Sounds like you did a lot together as friends. And don't get me started about that spark you mentioned!"

I failed to acknowledge Dr. Zimmermare's latest retort as I glanced down to the cooled beverage in my hooves. He must've noticed the ever-so-gentle movement of my eyes.

"Aren't you gonna drink your tea, madame?" he asked quite cautiously.

I scrutinized it. "What exactly is this again?"

"I told you: it's that hay stuff you said you liked. Just oblitherated into a drinkable beverage, and then microwaved."

"So it's hay juice?"

"I believe you mean hay tea," said Dr. Zimmermare, trying to make his hoofiwork more formidable than it was.
I actually did the devil's due and sipped it. Although he was accurate in its ingredients, I have to admit that Dr. Zimmermare, sadly, is no cook. Which is ironic since he's more scientific than I am. "What happened then?" he asked as I gagged the rest of my drink down my throat.

"Well...that's actually when my life started to turn around for the better...before I got caught up in all this and got the TMS after me."

"I'm listening."

"It's alright," Dr. Zimmermare set his cup down on the end table next to his large armchair. "You were saying?"

"True," Dr. Zimmermare nodded once. "But there are reasons why pony civilization took so long to technologically advance. And there are reasons why the TMS exists and why they're after you."

"Really?" I leaned my chin against my hoof. "Why is that?"

Dr. Zimmermare gave a devilish grin.

Explanation

Thunder boomed and lightning crackled.

I hissed and rubbed my forehead with my hoof.

"Oh, right - your headache! Would you like me to get you some medicine, Ms. Sparkle?" Dr. Zimmermare asked.

"No, please..." I flinched. "That's quite alright. It'll be fine in the morning, I'm sure. I just need a break from jumping around - it's starting to take a toll on my body."

"WeIl, I doubt that will be a problem, ma'am. You're stuck here still the storm passes...well, unless you want to venture out into that hellhole, but I don't personally recommend it."

"Don't kid yourself," I said, flinching from my sheering head-pain. "Now, back to what you were saying about technology and the TMS?"

"Hmm? Ooh! Yes! Right!" Dr. Zimmermare cleared his throat. "Technology, Ms. Sparkle...it's a very sophisticated and dangerous tool to play with. It allows us to advance in our understanding of the world around us, but also inhibits on the purity of life. The ponies of my time are unfortunate to be living in this realm of time - as well as every pony from now until the end of time and the universe itself. Technology will only continuously advance - never decline - and life for us will only decline - never advance. Are you with me so far?"

"Yeah...I am."

"You came from when? One million, eight hundred thousand-something?"

"Yeah."

"The ponies of your native timeline are of the luckiest ponies in history. They are residing their entire lives in a time of ponity in which technology, purity, and harmony are one. Harmony still dominates our society here - for the most part - but the introduction of more advanced machinery and the industrialization of superior technology has only desecrated all the remaining purity of the world. Hoovesville used to be a peaceful, harmonious wonderland; but now stands as a tragic, disgraceful place of sadness and doubt. Technology has allowed us to expand our knowledge of the world. Too much, in my humble opinion. We know everything that the ponies of your time know, and tons more. We know how to travel through time and how to grow a plethora of crops with a fraction of the effort ponies in your era require. It's outstanding! But it's also horrible.

"There is now an imbalance of technology and purity, technology possessing the upper hand. We do more than power our homes so we can see at night and use helpful contraptions to harvest our farms: we use robots, androids, nanoprobes, weaponry beyond your wildest imagination - partially because in your time, all the weaponry which existed was only in possession of the Royal Guard, if I'm not utterly mistaken. Most of any other form of weaponry came from your magic. Magic is used less than machinery now. And, as the years pass, it will only worsen."

"How do you know anything about the ponies of my era?"

"I'm a bibliophile. I've always loved books - partically historical ones - so I could learn about how fascinating the past is, instead of this crummy wasteland ponies call Hoovesville."

"I'm a bibliophile, too!" I exclaimed.

"I know, Ms. Sparkle," Dr. Zimmermare chuckled. "You mentioned so a few times in your story."

"So...why were you so interested in historical books in particular?"

"Because," he began. "I'm miserable here. After reading countless books - both fiction and nonfiction - about the past, I began to grow beyond a fascination, and more of a desire to be in the past, and thus, become a time-traveler, such as yourself. I did travel around a few times for mere moments - until the TMS caught up with me, and brought me back to this gloomy hellhole. I started building a time machine of my own - one in which I could use to outsmart the TMS by living in the past, but not changing anything of the future or time itself. All the TMS really care about is change. But, sadly, even your very presence can change a timeline, and so they strictly prohibit the use of time-travel magic. I believe that with a few modifications, I can have my time machine bring me to the past without creating any paradoxes or temporal displacements or anything - so I may live in a time where life was worth living."

"Has anyone ever tried to go back in time to prevent the TMS from forming? That could easily be done."

"Sadly, no. Believe me: many ponies have considered such an act: even those who agreed to only manipulate the fabric of time by this single event: if it means to rid ourselves of the dreaded TMS. But we are unsure of who or what exactly caused the TMS to form. So no one who even attempted it have been successful. That is...until now."

My eyes widened.

I'm the reason the Temporal Manipulation Squad formed!

My first travel through time forty-something years ago with that spell that I used to warn myself not to panic had no effect on space-time, so the TMS had no reason to form - since there was no distruption of the space-time contiuum. But, twenty-five or so years later, having mastered the art of time-travel, I now stand as an obstacle for the TMS, and it was my initial jump from the time of Princess Cadence's Great Disaster (1,849,292) which set the TMS in motion: because I had tampered with the fabric of time, and was now listed as ~~Equestria's~~ Hoovesville's Most Wanted.

Buck.

Lightning sparked in the distance, shortly followed by a roar of thunder. The storm appeared to be receding.

"You look tired, Ms. Sparkle," Dr. Zimmermare said. "Why don't I show you to your bedroom? You can rest, give your headache some time to go away, and contemplate on what you want to do for after you leave this year."

I stared up at the huge windows of Dr. Zimmermare's parlor. I did not wish to rest, but between my exhaustion, my headache, and the violent but abating storm, I had no choice but to sleep the rest of this night away.

"After you," I said.

Interlude

Dr. Zimmermare said I slept for twelve hours.

I hardly believed him at first, but the skies looked half as dark as they did when I fell asleep, and my headache was, for the most part, gone.

We had breakfast together, Dr. Zimmermare preparing me a lovely plate of bacon and eggs: something quite familiar to me, yet something he hadn't made before. The bacon was too crispy and the eggs were bland, but I gagged them down anyway: to not be rude.

After breakfast, I finally took a nice, hot shower, and washed all that hideous dye. My lavender coat, my navy-blue mane with my two distinct stripes, and my unique cutie mark all came into relevation as the water brutally removed all that paint off my body. Except for the drippy mane, I was myself again. I dried off, and brushed my mane back into its normal position.

I was me again.

I returned to the parlor, where I knew Dr. Zimmermare was reading a book on temporal mehanics to help fix his good-for-nothing contraption of a time machine.

"Ms. Sparkle?" he asked, scrutinizing me.

"Yes?"

"Is that you?"

"Yes. I finally washed off all that dye I had on...This is how I really look."

"You look quite familiar," he said.

"Do I?"

He nodded. "Indeed," he closed his book, set it on the end-table next to his expensive-looking chair, got up, and walked over to one of his many towering bookcases. I followed up behind him. "When you were in your...eh...dye, I didn't recognize you. But your appearance - I know I've seen it in several of my history books!" He turned around. "Especially that," he pointed to my flank.

"My cutie mark?"

"Precisely!" he exclaimed gaily. He turned back around. "Your cutie mark is a legend in design for the magical arts. It's been used in billions of works over time: architecture, clothing, paintings, glassware, furniture, decorations, books - it has basically evolved to be the symbol of magic itself, all thanks to you and your expertise on the subject, being that you are the most powerful unicorn in history...well...as far as history for you goes, anyway. But you are still the first pony to achieve such."

"Wow, I had no idea!"

"Well of course you wouldn't: all this innovation began with your death. That's the sad part: you get to witness nothing of your cutie mark's fame." He used his magic to bring a particular book out from the shelving unit. "Here: this book has everything anyone could ever want to know about you until your death...Well, except your sexuality: someone in your family requested that be a secret, which I couldn't quite understand because it's not like you're a pervert."

"My sexuality?" I asked, holding the book in my hooves. "Since when do I have a sexuality?"

"Age two hundred, twenty," Dr. Zimmermare answered promptly. "When you fell in love with your husband."

"Husband? Two hundred, twenty? You mean this book-"

"Is in reference to your long, long life of eight hundred, seventy-six years of age, Ms. Sparkle. Good ahead - read it! I'm not teasing you with all the knowledge of your life."

The book was entitled The Anthology of Twilight Sparkle: Equestria's Most Significant Unicorn.

"That book is older than anything in my home," Dr. Zimmermare retorted as he made his return to his seat. "All I ask is that you be gentle with it."

"Yes, sir, Luis."

I slowly used my magic to navigate through the pages, flipping to parts I was most interested in.

Twilight met her husband, Dawn, at the ripe, old age of two hundred, twenty. Because of her age-reduction spell, however, she still looked like the same age she was when she cast that spell on herself many years ago.

Dawn was a painter who Twilight met at a party. It was love at first sight. Three years later, the couple married, and they had a daughter named Anacornia, derived from her mother's middle name, Acorna.

Anacornia spent her childhood in Canterlot, after her parents moved shortly following her birth. They lived in a residential part of Canterlot Castle, under the approval of Princess Ellistar III, who was currently in power at the time. They remained in Canterlot until the Equestrian Restoration Committee declared its second movement, into the unchartered land beyond the Everfree Forest.

Twilight herself was the leader of this frontier. She became the founder of a whole new pony society, adjacent to Equestria, named Anacornia, after her beloved daughter whom she had treasured all these years, and made third-in-line (after her husband). Unfortunately, due to her long life, neither Dawn nor Anacornia were ever in command of Anacornia.

Twilight served as the leader of Anacornia until her daughter started a family of her own. Twilight wished to stay in close contact with her daughter as the family tree expanded, and she surrendered the Throne and departed from Anacornia two weeks before her daughter married Borealis, a unicorn childhood friend of Anacornia. They had two children: Cloud, a pegasus, which no one - not even Twilight could determine the probability of, and Starburst, a unicorn who resembled his mother and grandmother quite thoroughly.

The large family kept residence in Canterlot, Equestria, for another generation. And the great-grandmother would live in elation until this time.

Dawn went first. He died of heart disease at age eighty-seven. Shortly after Twilight declared the termination of her mourning period of Dawn, Anacornia died of natural causes at ninety-two.

No longer able to live in this depression, Twilight moved back to Anacornia incognito, where she would stay for many...

I stopped reading. Tears rolled down my cheeks. What have I done? I'm a murderer! I killed Anacornia, Starburst and Cloud - preventing their existences by preventing myself from living as long as I did. It was no longer a simple matter of law: it was now a matter of family and love. I am the center of a grand family of great ponies who have yet to be born. And I cannot live with myself knowing that I am the cause of their births, and I had reverted these remarkable characters from ever being born.

But it doesn't have to be this way.

I have time-travel on my side.

I closed the book, put it back on the shelf where I found it, and put on a face of determination.

"Hold on kids - Mommy's coming."

Looper

"Well?" asked Dr. Zimmerare. "What have you uncovered? Anything that I don't know about you already?" He chuckled. "I highly doubt that." He then noticed my tears. "Something the matter?"

"I...I...I..."

"Yes?"

"I...I ruined everything!"

"Now, Ms. Sparkle, you could not possibly-"

"I'm gonna die at ninety-eight, and I won't even meet this Dawn guy until two hundred twenty!"

"Oh."

"How did you miss that!?"

"I didn't, I just-" Dr. Zimmermare put his hoof to his forehead. "Never mind."

"But, luckily, I'm a time-traveler. I can change the temporal prime directive, and thus the fate of Equestria after I die."

"What about the TMS? The minute you set hoof out there - no matter where you go - they are capable and will find you."

"To hell with the TMS! I am gonna set things right if it kills me!"

"And also, what about me?"

"I appreciate your hospitality-"

"I'm not talking about gratitude, Ms. Sparkle! I am referring to this timeline."

"How is that?"

"This is what life is like in the year 5,318,008 - assuming you die at age ninety-eight."

"You mean...this is an alternate timeline?"

"That is my implication, Ms. Sparkle."

"So you only exist if I die at age ninety-eight?"

"We know that for a fact: if you die at age ninety-eight, I will exist, even if that is to become permanent in the present time. However, you died a few million years before I even come into existence. It is likely that none of what you've experienced here will disappear or change should you change time."

"I am gonna change time, Doc- Luis! I cannot live knowing that I have prevented myself and my family so much happiness for so long. Twilight was right: she did barely tell me a thing! She's spent years in happiness! I can't take all that away from her! So I'm going back in time and setting things right. And I will then die at age eight hundred, seventy-six once again."

Dr. Zimmermare made no immediate reply.

"If it is what needs to be done," he said.

"I am curious: if I go back and fix time - since I am the only pony capable of doing so - will the TMS lay off?"

Dr. Zimmermare shrugged. "Hard to say. They are a ruthless bunch of unicorns."

"Wait!" Twilight gave a pondered look to Dr. Zimmermare. "How do I know how alternate this timeline of yours is, Luis?"

"What ever do you mean, Twilight?"

"My plaque...the plaque which reads the date of my death - it was in a flux with just a bunch of question marks, as if time itself could not determine when I die!"

"A flux of time? A temporal flux?" Dr. Zimmermare did the equivalent of snapping his fingers, if he had any. "That means that there is a fifty-fifty chance you'll live to either ninety-eight or eight hundred, seventy-six: depending on your next course of action."

"So, I have to go back in time: at least to determine a definite timeline?"

"If you stay here, you'll risk tearing the universe ascender. There is no telling what the TMS will do to you then."

"Probably execute me once for every timeline I visited. They'll start from the future and kill me off one by one, and make each execution public on a screen so I have to watch myself die again and again, year by year, until they reach the present time, where they will finally kill me."

"Hardly possible. If the universe is torn ascender, the TMS probably will not longer exist. Should they, though, that is a valid punishment for your...actions."

"You were gonna say crime, weren't you?"

Dr. Zimmermare sighed. "Yes."

Twilight grimaced.

"Look, there's a difference between traveling through time for the sake of knowledge and ripping apart the fabric of causality. And you can avoid such destruction by going back through time and stabilizing the space-time continuum. I don't take you for a criminal, Twilight. I've read that book I have about you a hundred times. I know you're a good pony. Now do what you need to do, and fix this mess before it gets any worse."

Twilight nodded once.

"I'll be seeing you, Luis."

"You too, Ms. Sparkle: in my books."

"Thanks for everything."

"You're quite welcome. It was an honor to be with you."

Twilight took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Her horn glowed, a bright beam of light bursting from its tip. In a flash, she was gone.

Twilight arrived at the scene of herself sitting at Princess Celestia's tombstone, mourning her loss. There was another pony there - who looked nothing like Twilight - and who calmly coaxed her about not using an age retardation spell.

She was too late.

A quick jump back a few minutes.

There was only Twilight.

She jumped into some bushes and hid herself in the shadows. She peered out a small gap she made with the application of her hoof.

"Okay," she mumbled to herself. "All I have to do now is wait until my other self arrives, jump out at her before she makes contact with that me, and, well, kill her." She gasped. "Wait - wouldn't that kill me?" She pondered. "Wait, no, it wouldn't, would it? Because that Twilight is the ninety-eight Twilight, and the real Twilight is the eight hundred, seventy-six Twilight. I'll just be erasing that alternate timeline - the one with Dr. Zimmermare." She dismissed her hoof from the bush. "Man, this time-travel stuff is confusing! And I bet it's gonna get a lot more confusing."

Just then, a spark of bright light grabbed Twilight's attention. She literally sprang into action, and knocked the disguised Twilight - the one in her ugly mane and coat - clean out of her path.

That Twilight was unaware of her counterpart's intentions, but she still bore the same level of intellect any Twilight from any timeline would bear. She figured out exactly what needed to be done, which was not too difficult to imagine since her attractive counterpart was hovering over her with a ravenous look of death on her face.

"Go ahead...kill me if that is what you want," she said.

"Oh, no - killing's too good for you."

"You don't have a choice. And I know you don't."

Ugly Twilight gave a menacing glare of victory.

"Go ahead - do it, you coward! Kill me! And live with being a murderer!"

Twilight charged up her horn, readying it to send Ugly Twilight into oblitheration.

Ugly Twilight chuckled. "Thought so."

"Oh, shut up!"

Twilight accidentally released her charge onto Ugly Twilight. The mare - now dead - suffered a severe blow to the head, and blood oozed from her cracked skull and detached horn. The gorey scene lasted only a moment, however. Having the timeline ultimately deleted, Ugly Twilight's body was complied into a bright sphere of energy, and then disappeared from the universe.

Did she do it? Was she actually successful?

There was only one way to find out.

A quick trip to the year 1,850,170 - just two years after her death - proved her victory.

Twilight Acorna Sparkle
1,849,251 - 1,850,168 (Age 876)
Loving wife and mother, who shall always be remembered

She breathed a sigh of relief. But when she turned around, she bumped into a large unicorn who wore a pair of shades over his eyes. He wore a black jacket and even had a scary-looking vandyke to boot.

"Not so fast, Twilight Sparkle."

Out There

"Who are you?" Twilight inquired innocently.

"That is none of your concern," replied the stallion. "But I am head of the Temporal Manipulation Squad, and don't think we aren't aware of all of your jumps through time, Twilight."

"I know you're aware."

The stallion scoffed. "Good. Now...I know I have encountered you before, and when I did, I told you that you don't want to see me again. And now here I am."

Twilight gulped.

"I think you know what that entitles, Miss Twilight."

"Um...you're gonna let me go off with a warning?"

The stallion faked a hearty laugh, and then shot a red-hot laser beam at Twilight's hooves, making her jump back, and hit her backside against her plaque, almost knocking the magnificent statue of herself over.

"My previous visit was a warning," he said. "Since then, you have jumped several times, hid from us for thirty-six hours, and even irradicated an alternate timeline."

Twilight's ears dropped, and her heart sank like a stone.

"We warned you." The red aura of the stallion's horn glowed bright with a deadly anticipation.

"Hold on there, Captain," said one of the two stallions who had appeared with this so-called Captain stallion but who had not said a word. "We can't convict her."

The Captain turned around.

"What in the sweet Equestria do you ever mean, Private?"

"She may have disobeyed our orders, but according to Squadron Law, she is unable to be convicted of temporal abuse."

"Elaborate!"

"The Law clearly states that if she has repaired all the damage she has done, she cannot be prosecuted. I know you know that I am paraphrasing, but-"

A flash of light.

"What the hell was-"

The Captain turned around to find the lavender mare had disappeared.

"Son of a bitch!" he roared. "She teleported!"

"Perhaps back to her own time?" asked the Private.

"No; are you crazy? She would never do that! She's trying to change reality - her reality - at our expense - and she will do nothing to stop herself until she has what she desires!" he abated his demeanor. "Nevertheless, we should not be troubling ourselves too much over the matter - whatever damage that brat causes will not be of too much trouble. After all, we have temporal scanners until the end of time. She will have to travel far, far away into the distant future to even remotely escape us, and I doubt even that is possible. We'll track her, find her, hunt her down again, and then kill her."

"Kill her, Captain?"

An unnoticeable flash of light.

"Kill her! That little wretch has crossed the line! I was even thinking about being merciful, and letting her go this time if she promises to repair all the damage she has caused to the space-time continuum, and never to use her magic to manipulate the fabric of causality again. But hoh, no, she had to disobey my direct order, and jump again - behind my own back - in an effort to escape me! That little brat will be sorry if I ever get my hooves on her!"

"Didn't the Colonel say to anticipate all this, Captain?"

"This what, Private? BE SPECIFIC!"

"This anxiety - this hesitation - this fear, that Twilight Sparkle is having towards us. We're like temporal police officers to her: a pony who grew up without such thing as law enforcement because, back in her day, there was no such thing as a criminal."

"For a pony who grew up without there being such a thing as a criminal, she sure has a way with being one herself," mumbled the Captain.

"Are we sure we should not worry about her trying to erase us from time?" asked the third stallion, also a unicorn.

"Of course, you fool! Her abuse of the space-time continuum is what formed this stupid commune! The only way for her to erase us would be to go back in time to prevent herself from jumping in the first place, which is impossible since she would have to make at least one jump to tell herself not to jump. You see?"

"My brain hurts," said the third stallion, putting his hoof to his head.

"Silence, you imbecile!" barked the Captain.

"I think Twilight might have a way to erase us, Captain," said the Private.

"Impossible."

"Not necessairly. It is under her circumstances, yes, but in theory, it wouldn't be. If she were to go back in time to before any of our founding fathers and mothers were born, she would be executing the foundation of the Squad, and thus, prevent our existence - at least as members of the Squad."

"Hmm..." pondered the Captain. "Perhaps. But, as smart as the little bitch has proven herself to be, she is obviously inferior in her intelligence to not attempt that. Therefore, we have no fear of our own termination, no matter how much she fucks up the rest of time."

Twilight had overheard part of the stallions' conversation. She had initially teleported out of sight of the law enforcement, but was still within earshot until the second flash of light. Was there a way to jump out of reach of the TMS? If so, how far would she have to go? Twilight could only wonder.

Her headache returned after a few jumps, but she kept trudging on, her pain going ever the more severe with each jump she made and step she took. It would all be worth it to escape those crazy cops.

5,000,000...10,000,000...15,000,000...20,000,000...25,000,000...nope. Equestria looks different - very different - but the TMS were all too aware of her.

35,000,000...50,000,000...65,000,000...80,000,000...100,000,000...nope. In fact, they might've gotten stronger over the millions of years.

Twilight's splitting headache made each jump more and more painful and harsh than the last. If she kept this up much longer, she could really hurt herself. All this physical exertion also was beginning to pay its toll on her body, which began to grow weak.

She remembered that one big, continuous jump she made to reach Dr. Zimmermare. It was a single jump: she just rode the temporal highway to a random point in time. It didn't hurt then. Granted, her head felt a little better then than it does now, but the principle is the same. So she took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and braced herself for seering head pain as she took a giant leap forward through time.

She kept her streak going for many minutes. Until finally, she felt too weak to go on.

She almost couldn't make it to her hooves.

But she was in luck.

The TMS no longer existed here.

In fact, nothing did.

As Twilight looked around, she saw nothing but wasteland, desert, and nothingness. What year was this? Based on how long it took her to get here, Twilight imagined this must at least be the year one billion. For all she knew, she could be in the year one trillion, but her head hurt too much to think. She would be stuck here for a while, until she could gather the strength to make another jump back in time.

At least the Temporal Manipulation Squad was no longer able to find her. She must be so far into the future that she's no longer visible on their temporal radar, to put it simply.

Exhausted and in pain, she wandered around, looking for any sight of any kind other than the bright Equestria sun which shined just ahead or the barren rock beneath her hooves. She finally collapsed, and lost consciousness. The interminable heat of the relentless sun kept her warm.

INTERVAL IV: TO LIVE FOREVER

"FIND HER!"

"We can't, Captain! She's nowhere to be seen!"

"That bitch made another dozen jumps, and you can't find her? Don't tell me about your failure - give me results!"

"We're trying, Captain!"

"I don't believe this! She's- she's just gone!"

"I won't accept 'no' for an answer, Private!"

"I think you have to, sir!"

"Fuck! Find her before I kill all of you, you worthless buzzards! FIND HER!"

Two Hundred, Twenty

1,849,471...

"I notice you've been eyeing that stallion over there," said Princess Aurora.

"Hmm?" asked the mare, looking up from her book to the royal figure.

"I said I've noticed you've been eyeing that stallion over there," she repeated.

"Have you now?" she lowered her spectacles, which made her look admittedly older.

The Princess nodded. "You may have your face buried in a book, but I can tell when you're reading and when you're trying to hide something."

"Hiding? I'm not hiding anything," said the mare, setting her book page-down on the table hastily. She got a worried look in her eye, as if she had been found-out.

"Don't lie to me, Twilight."

She sighed. "You got me..." she glanced at the stallion in a fancy, ashen suit - like something Fancypants would be wearing - sipping a glass of a yellow beverage he was holding while conversing with an attractive-looking mare, who, just by looking at her, was considerably younger than Twilight.

She was way older now, her body still retaining most of its youth. Sure, she may not have been as robust as she was in her forties, but, thanks to a certain spell - the casting of which she can hardly recall - she looked almost as young as such. Her age was her constant rival, now. And her youthful appearance only worsened the situation. She was way older than anypony at this party. But, as far as they knew, she was not outcast in terms of age.

Of all things she had forgotten, the loss of her dear friends was one memory which still haunted her to this day. She had told Princess Ellistar, Princess Aurora, and every Princess in between since the Restoration of Equestria her tragic story. As a marital relative to Canterlot Royalty, and as a Canterlot-born mare, Twilight had befriended every Princess who served and died.

"I understand your hesitation," continued Princess Aurora. "But if you don't at least try, you can never succeed."

"It's not that," Twilight rolled her eyes.

"What is it, then?"

She pointed to the stallion with both of her free hooves. "Look! He's chatting away at that mare." She shook her head. "I don't have a chance with him."

"Do you? How would you know?"

"Because she's young! She must be like twenty-five!"

"And you're over two hundred...one thing about age, Twilight, is that it's all in your head. Your body is only as old as your mind makes it out to be, and the age in your mind is only as old as you say you are. So it's been two hundred and twenty years since you were born. So what? You're only as old as you feel. Now do you feel that old?"

Twilight sighed. "No...but that's because the spell-"

"Who says the spell is actually keeping you young? Who's to say it's not you who are keeping you young?"

Twilight looked back up at the Princess, who stood hovering over her, an authentic smile on her face. She gestured to the pony by cocking her head.

"Go to him," she said. "Converse. Introduce yourself. You are a wonderful, beautiful mare. I doubt he'll kiss you off."

Twilight gazed back at the stallion.

"Okay, Princess," she mumbled.

"Atta girl! I-"

"Princess Aurora," a pegasus began, approaching the Princess from the sky. "You're needed in the Castle."

The Princess politely groaned. She looked down at Twilight. "Lemme know how it turns out," she said before lifting her wings, flapping them gracefully, and taking off into the moonlit sky.

I wish I could fly Twilight thought to herself. She faced back at the lone stallion.

She sighed softly. "Here goes nothing."

She got up away from her table - the one closest to the wall - and casually approached the attractive stallion. The mare he had been conversing with excused herself and took off as he took another sip of what now appeared to be cider.

"Excuse me," Twilight said, then realizing what had spilled out of her mouth instead of the conventional 'Hello.' Or, if you're Pinkie Pie, 'Hi hi hi!'

The stallion, by name of Dawn Le'Mare - or simply Dawn - pardoned Twilight's intrusion with a: "Not a problem, Miss..."

"Sparkle. Twilight Sparkle."

"Twilight Sparkle," repeated Dawn. "What a pretty name for a pretty mare."

Twilight blushed. "Thank you...and you are?"

"Dawn," he replied. "Dawn Le'Mare, but my friends call me Dawn."

"Really? My friends are all dead."

There was a sudden halt of activity from everypony. A pony in the middle of taking a drink of cider spit it out. His refuse got all over the hairdo of a fellow mare, who screamed.

Dead silence.

Nopony spoke a word. Not even Dawn.

Twilight closed her eyes, and prepared herself for the beating she anticipated. The silence tore at her. Finally, a hearty laugh broke out. Twilight opened her eyes to find that it was coming from Dawn himself.

"Ha ha ha!" he wept. "Ho ho ho ha ha aha!" He cleared his throat. "Nothing like a bit of dark humor to keep a pony on his toes, eh? Not that I have any."

Activity of the party resumed.

"Dawn...I..."

Dawn put his hoof to Twilight's mouth. "Not another word, Lady Twilight. Come with me."

Dawn showed Twilight out of the courtyard and to a bridge which connected the city grounds of Canterlot with the Castle grounds, and curved over a river. The pale moon in the night shined brightly overhead, its reflection shimmering in the calm tide below as a thousand stars sparkled and twinkled around it.

"Why'd you lead me out here?" Twilight asked.

"I wanted to talk to you," Dawn answered.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

"What? Why?"

"It's nothing to be apologetic about."

"I'm sorry, I just-"

"Don't be sorry."

"I know; I just wanted to say that, well...I'm not very good with conversation anymore. Back when I was with all my friends, I learned the art of conversation pretty well, but I haven't seen them in almost two centuries, and-"

"Wait...did you say...two centuries?"

Twilight nodded. "Yes."

Dawn scrutinized Twilight's appearance. Other than her sincere lack of formalwear - rather, any wear - she seemed formidable.

"How old are you, exactly?"

"Just two hundred and twenty."

Dawn's eyes widened.

"I know what you're thinking...it's just due to an age retardation spell."

"An age retardation spell, huh," pondered Dawn. "Never heard that one before."

Twilight felt hit upon. She almost blushed.

"I'm sorta really good with magic," she said, rubbing the back of her mane with her hoof. "It's kinda my specialty."

"Is it now? Does that explain what your cutie mark symbolizes?"

Twilight nodded. "Indeed it does." She took a glance at Dawn's flank, but his cutie mark was invisible under his suit. Dawn noticed her awkward staring.

"Pardon me," he said, parting his suit from his white-coated flank, exposing his cutie mark. "That's my little girl. You can probably tell what my special talent is."

Dawn's cutie mark was a paintbrush.

"Lemme guess...painting."

"You got me," Dawn said. "I'm a painter. I'm not much for magic even though I'm a unicorn, but I've honed my painting talent around my magic. You've probably seen much of my work around Canterlot without even knowing it."

"If you're as good as I imagine you to be, I don't doubt that," Twilight remarked.

Dawn smiled. He turned and faced the moon. "As a painter, I've learned to observe and appreciate. Look at that moon." He put his hooves on the brick-built edge of the bridge. "It's beautiful, isn't it, Twilight?"

Twilight hopped up on the edge of the bridge, too. She gazed up into the night sky at the moon. "It is," she said softly.

"I've painted the moon: I've come out here on nights like these, and just painted until the sun came up. I'm just fascinated by the world and, especially, the ponies who inhabit it." Dawn turned his head to face Twilight; Twilight faced him. "Some ponies," he continued, "I find as beautiful and fascinating as the moon itself."

Dawn curled his lips and leaned forward. Twilight leaned forward closer to Dawn, curled her lips, and closed her eyes. Their lips pecked together.

It seemed like that kiss would last forever.

There and Back Again

(The Year 1,000,000,000....I think)

I slept for a while, my body being cooked under the intense heat. After an adequate amount of rest - enough to get me back on my hooves - my body woke me up, in an effort to escape the uncomfortable conditions I was paralyzed under. I knew it would do no good, but I began to wander through the endless abyss, contemplating on my next temporal destination. I was safe from the Temporal Manipulation Squad as long as I remained in this time. But I could not stay here. And everywhere else which was safe from the weather was in the zone of the TMS. No matter where I went, I would be in danger.

So...what if I went back in time? To the dawn of mare?

No, no, that's stupid! I would be surrounded by ponies who can't even make a fire, let alone speak to me.

I was unsure of how to proceed. Where should I resume my journey through time and find out what I have long been desiring to know?

My mind suddenly clicked an answer.

To the root of all evil which started this whole thing.

Princess Celestia's death.

Hmm...nah.

How about - a little before Princess Celestia's death, hmm? How about I try to prevent her death and thus prevent myself from entering this horrible demise in the first place?

Yes! That was it!

A simple subtraction problem, and I was out of sight.

1,849,256...

I appeared somewhere in Ponyville, since I had traveled some distance from my Library. I wasted no time in heading to the Friendship Express and taking it all the way to Canterlot. I arrived at the steps, but remembered that I was probably visiting the Princess right about now, and I hid along a shady wall. I climbed a ladder of displaced bricks to scale one of the front columns of Canterlot Castle, until I was right outside the window of the Great Hall, where I was conversing with the Princess.

I kept out of sight. I had to. If the me of that time saw me - not in disguise or anything - I was doomed. I would create a temporal paradox and possibly rip the farbic of space-time. I could hear not a word of their conversation, nor even see them in the act. I would not know when the conversation ended, and what might happened afterward; I only knew to stay out of sight for a long while.

Many minutes I held my grip along the brick ladder, my hooves becoming sore from all the pressure I was building up from dangling along that wall for so long. But I held on, slowly and painfully growing weaker. I held my grasp for as long as I could, until my hooves finally started to give. It was a ten-story fall to my imminent death. I wasn't about to put myself through that - nor risk it and scream aloud in hopes of somepony catching me before I fall and jeopardize the universe by significantly increasing the odds of me seeing myself. So, I just swung around, and crashed through the window, right as the Princess was starting to take her leave out of the Great Hall. The sound of breaking glass echoed through the vast, empty hall.

"Twilight!" Princess Celestia exclaimed in a panic. "Are you alright?" She came rushing over to me. It did ponder to me why she asked that question, even though I had not been lacerated or injured in any way, and I also landed perfectly on my hind hooves.

"I'm fine, Princess."

"What are you doing here? You left this room not two minutes ago!"

"I'm..." I just decided to spill the beans. It's okay as long as that Twilight doesn't know this Twilight infiltrated her way to this timeline. "Listen, I'm not from this time. I'm from a horrible alternate timeline. And if I'm seen by myself, I could end up destroying the universe in a temporal explosion!"

"An alternate timeline?" asked the Princess. "What in Equestria are you talking about, Twilight?"

"Well, not so much alternate as just future. In my time, you died of some horrible, mysterious disease. The disease had been inside your body for several months without us even realizing it, and so by the time you were hospitalized and had doctors monitoring you around the clock, your death was already inevitable. I'm here to prevent that. I'm here to change my future. Go to the Canterlot Hospital and have the doctors run a thorough analysis on you - you will see there is already some sort of infection working its way through your anatomy!"

The Princess looked perplexed. "What are you talking about, Twilight?"

I grunted. "I don't have time to explain! I also have the law enforcement after me because apparently I'm a time-traveling criminal. I gotta get outta here now! Please, Princess! Go to the doctors! I'm sure they will be able to help prevent your early death!"

The Princess stared at me, her puzzled expression still on her face. She did not reply.

"Have I ever given you a reason not to trust me, Princess?" I inquired.

An assuring smile grew on her face. "Okay, Twilight...I trust you," she said earnestly. "I will see the doctors shortly."

I could not help but smile, seeing as that I had just blurted out the most ridiculous and incredulous story in Equestrian history, and Princess Celestia has faith in my truthfulness despite the insanity of my demise.

"Thank you, Princess," I said, running up to her and giving her a quick hug before hurrying back to the window and scaling the wall of bricks down back to the ground.

The Princess trotted down to the medical center, her sister at her side. She was immediately examined by the best doctors in Equestria.

"It's simply fascinating," exclaimed a male doctor to the Princess. "You appear perfectly fine. You have no fever and bear no symptoms based on our diagnoses, but there aren't two ways about it, Princess: you're infected with a mysterious agent. Thank goodness you came to us so soon. It's already began eating its way through your immune system, and we might be able to stop it before it systemaically spreads to every party of your body and inevitably kills you. That would be quite unfortunate! But I don't think we'll need to worry about it, since I'm sure we can synthesize an antidote for you."

Two Hundred, Twenty-Three

1,849,474

Ambroisa was measuring her waist for the dress.

"Stand still, Honey," she said. "This will only take a moment."

Twilight tried to remain as still as possible. She was successful in her efforts.

"Hmm...same as mine," Ambroisa remarked as she stared at the measuring tape. She put it away with her magic. "So you were saying about Dawn, Honey?"

Twilight had been talking to her friend Ambroisa about Dawn while Ambroisa made her wedding dress. She mainly focused on the difference in their ages, and how that bothered her.

"What about our kids?"

"Kids?" Ambroisa could not help but laugh. "Anxious, are we?"

"Dawn and I have already spoken about kids," Twilight remarked. "And whether or not we have, that doesn't change the fact that my reproductive system is over two hundred and twenty years old. Who knows how well any part of my anatomy still works!"

"Well, you exert the same level of independence now as you did when you were youthful, as you've told me," Ambroisa began. "You're not shaking, experiencing memory loss or any physical defects of any kind. I'd say you're probably as...fertile nowadays as you were back when you were young."

"Thanks," Twilight replied, almost sounding sarcastic.

"I'm sure making children will not be a problem for you."

"It's not making them that's the problem for me, Ambroisa, it's raising them: when you're significantly older than the stallion who agreed to marry you."

"Uh-uh-uh," Ambroisa retorted. "Remember what Princess Aurora said: age is what you make of it."

"Just because I still have the capacity of a forty-two-year-old mare does not change the fact that I am over two hundred years old, Am."

"Honey, you're going in circles! Just relax and don't worry about it. You have proven to be very resourceful and intelligent. If anypony can handle this, Honey, you can." She paused. "Oh, and you can step down now."

"Is something the matter, Twilie?" Dawn asked his bride-to-be, who he noticed was not interested in cuddling or snuggling that night in bed like she usually was.

"It's nothing," she said.

"It can't be nothing," Dawn retorted. "You always wanna cuddle. You say it's the only way you can get to sleep!"

"Then I guess I'm not sleeping." Dawn could not see it from his angle, but Twilight had her arms crossed in a pout.

Dawn sat up in bed. "What's the matter, Twilie?"

"Nothing's the matter," she repeated.

"If it were nothing, you'd feel like cuddling."

Twilight gave a weary sigh and sat up in bed, uncrossing her arms.

"Are you sure this is right?"

"What is? Getting married tomorrow?"

"Yeah."

"Of course! I love you!"

"I love you too, but..."

"Yes?"

"How is it gonna be that I will be two hundred and twenty years older than my own children?"

"What of it?"

"What are they gonna think? What are they gonna say? What-"

Dawn put his hoof to Twilight's mouth.

"Hey...don't worry about that. If there's one thing about family I learned, it's their unconditional love and acceptance. You will be their mother. They will love you no matter what, and you will love them no matter what. They don't care how old you are. In fact, once they grow up and realize how short life is, they might feel optimism because they might think they have a long time to live, too - especially if they're unicorns. Granted, that might lead to a fall when they learn that only applies to you, but it will be a menial drop. And their love for you will not lessen. They will still love you and care about you and respect you as their mother. It's what families do."

Twilight looked down at her blanket which still covered her body down to her hooves and beyond, over the edge of the bed.

"The family I was born into is dead," she mumbled. "I guess I might've forgotten exactly what kind of bonds families form."

Dawn wrapped his arm around Twilight. "Well," he said. "That's why I'm here: I'll help you remember." He rubbed his cheek against hers.

Twilight smiled a sleepy smile, and gave him a kiss on his cheek.

"Goodnight, Dawn," she said, yawning.

"Goodnight, Twilie," Dawn lay down in bed, only to find Twilight scooting over in bed to get closer to him in an affectionate cuddle.

It was then Dawn gave her his kiss in return.

Ambrosia, Fiji, Cloud, Bounce, and Gracie were the bridesmaids at the wedding the following day. Dawn was there in the suit he had picked out: which contrasted nicely with his white-as-snow coat and his golden mane. He looked like a stallion advertising the clothing of a high-end formalwear store. He was on the verge of tears of joy when he saw his bride enter the Great Hall, just moments away from being wedded to her. His eyes glistened with anticipation.

Twilight - decked out in a beautiful, plain-white wedding dress which must've stretched another foot beyond her flank - slowly stepped forward as Gracie's bird friends lifted the end of her dress over the ground as she made her way across the hall, her eyes on her stallion. She at last made it, her eyes already tearing up from the happiness bursting through her anatomy.

"We are gathered here together to honor the marriage of Twilight Sparkle and Dawn La'Mare, as they are united in holy maretrimony for as long as their love binds them." Princess Aurora paused. "Dawn, do you take this mare, to have and hold, to love and to cherish, in sickness and in health, to honor and obey; and to swear your eternal love and loyalty to her, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Dawn replied, a tear of joy running down his cheek.

"Twilight, do you take this stallion, to have and hold, to love and to cherish, in sickness and in health, to honor and obey; and to swear your eternal love and loyalty to him, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Twilight replied, gazing up at Dawn, who was eyeing her, anxious to conclude the ceremony.

"With the power vested in me as Princess of Equestria and the Regeneration of Canterlot Royalty, I hereby pronounce you husband and wife."

Twilight shrieked.

Princess Aurora did not even have to remind Dawn to kiss the bride.

They had already pressed their lips together and commenced their marriage.

It seemed like that kiss would last forever.

Alternate Altercation

1,849,292

The Captain was not happy.

"Fuck!" he said, enraged by the recent news his assistant, a much smaller-looking unicorn who beared the same garments told him. "That little brat! I'll kill her!"

"Can we do without the anger and malevolent words, sir?" asked the small unicorn. "You are the Captain, after all. You're supposed to be setting an example for the rest of the crew."

"Fuck you, fool!" roared the superior officer. "I will curse and swear my horn off if I want! I am damn frustrated with that little bitch of a scholar who thinks she has the power to do whatever the fuck she wants! Well - she can't! She is in my timeline, and I will not rest until she is taken care of!"

"I don't see what the big deal is, sir. Sure, she can jump around time in an instant. But so can we. We have as much power as she does plus our strength in numbers. There are over two hundred of us. There is only one of her. No matter where she runs, she may think she is free from our hooves, but she can't hide."

"Shut up! Do you not think I know that already? I've confronted the bitch twice! And she's still persistent on making her life better!"

"Is that really something we have to convict her of, sir? She's just a regular ol' unicorn. It's not like she's a Princess or-"

"She is is a Princess, you imbecile! It is strictly by marriage, but she is one nonetheless."

"Oh. Still, is it such a crime to have her just want a better life?"

The Captain - finally seeming to relax after a constant onslaught of anger and abhorrence for Twilight Sparkle - seated himself in his throne, and took a deep breath.

"Wanting a better life is not a crime...Even pursuing it to fulfill one's own manifest destiny as it were is not a crime. It is pony nature to want to improve one's lifetime, Squire...But there are always limitations. There are rules, Squire. Rules which govern our lives. Rules which, no matter how soul-piercing or painful they are, we must abide. Twilight Sparkle has broken all of them. She has desecrated the fabric of space-time, and, as Captain of the Temporal Manipulation Squad, it is my duty to ensure its restoration at all costs. Even at the cost of my own life, should we ever come to that."

The Captain reached under his throne and retrieved a large, brown book with a leather cover. It looked archaic compared to the advanced technology centuries - if not millennia - ahead of anything else the Temporal Manipulation Squad stole from other timelines.

"I have a feeling I should not have asked," Squire mumbled.

"My memoirs," the Captain said, opening the book in his hooves with his magic. "As you know, young Squire, I believe I was born for this duty. I was raised on strict rules, regulations, limitations, and guidelines. I spent my high-school years in the strictest boarding school in Equestria, and afterward, went into the newfound law enforcement. You know, there is no such thing as law enforcement in Equestria in Twilight's time, hmm? Did you know that, Squire? Did you?"

"Uh...no, sir; no, I didn't."

"There is also no such thing as cops or criminals or anything. In fact, I think Twilight is the first pony to have ever committed a crime in her time. It is because the townsponies of Ponvyille and the rest of Equestria are a good, pure, happy society who love and care for one another. There is no desire - nor need - to steal or vandalize or lie. It's a utopian paradise if I ever did see one! Yet, following the Great Disaster, all this purity and happiness went to blazes, and that's where I come in.

"Laws were finally being written down, and a document called the Equestrian Declaration of Foundation - written centuries ago by the first literate ponies who inhabited present-day Equestria - was finally being enforced. Its ideals many. Cops, police officers, jails, and other law icons started popping up all over Equestria, because fear had brought them to a cold life of insecurity and fear. Where there is fear, there is crime. And where there is crime, there are consequences. Thus! The law enforcement is born.

"I was a young colt at the time, young Squire: just about your age, in fact, when I joined the official law enforcement. There was hardly a need. The areas were either too barren or still pure enough for there to be serenity. But, alas, this time of bliss and merriment would not last. And I was called into action, serving as one of the first police officers in Equestria.

"Then...it happened."

The Captain paused.

"Do you know what happened, Squire?"

Squire sighed. "Lemme guess...the grand event which haunts you to this day, Captain?"

A tear formed in the corner of the Captain's eye.

"I remember it like it was yesterday...the beautiful mare...the most beautiful mare in the world. I was young. I was naive. I was even romantic, you could say, lad. But...I guess all good things must come to an end sometime...Claire was her name. She had the most beautiful, sparkly blond mane I had ever seen, and the prettiest coat I could cuddle with - and I did!

"And then...one day...my heart broke.

"I was on the job, at my desk, waiting for a call, when the phone finally rang. The voice on the other end...I'll never forget the sound of it...'Lew, I'm sorry to say this, but...Claire was shot in a massacre...and we need your squadron here right away.'...

"Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!" he roared, trying to hide his tears. "I flew down in my vehicle to the scene of the crime, and saw her precious body ripped open and bleeding. It tore me apart. Filled with anger and rage from then on, I declared eternal hatred for all deviants. Crime broke my heart. If I can't live in a world without crime, nopony can!"

He paused.

"What does this have to do with the Squad, sir?"

The Captain sighed.

"I was too depressed from losing Claire that I could no longer function at my job. But then, word caught on of a mare who traveled through time, and started changing history...I knew what I had to do.

"I studied temporal magic, and, after I mastered the art, began to recruit my friends, and I formed a vigilante league of time-traveling unicorns called the Temporal Manipulation Squad. Our mission is to protect the fabric of space-time, and let no colt or mare fuck with society, much in the way Twilight Sparkle is doing so presently. My friends began to teach their friends, and so on and so on, until we had a huge band of ponies - all capable of time-travel. Twilight Sparkle is no longer unique, and each jump she makes only makes her weaker. The pony body cannot afford all that. That is why I conserve my chases, instead of following her around with every step she makes. I will continue to live on, no matter what timeline I'm in or what year it is. But Twilight will keep persisting until she gets what she wants. Fuck her! Fuck her in her little pony plot! I will not rest until she - and all criminals of the world - pay the price for being like the kind of scum who killed my beautiful girl!"

The Captain concluded his speech.

"B-but sir, can't you just go back in time and prevent Claire's death in the first place?"

The Captain slapped Squire across the face with his mighty hoof.

"Fuck! Don't you get it? I can't go back! It was Claire's death which led me to becoming a time-traveler and forming the Temporal Manipulation Squad. I would create a paradox and be committing the kind of shit I'm trying to prevent Twilight Sparkle from doing!"

"Oh! My apologies for not realizing that, sir."

"Shut up! Stop apologizing!" The Captain closed his book and shoved it in the tight space under his throne. "And get back to work before I blow your head off with my horn!"

"Y-yes, sir!" Squire saluted and hurried off.

The Captain lowered his head in shame.

"Forgive me, Claire...I am not the colt who fell in love with you anymore."

Two Hundred, Thirty

1,849,481...

Baby Anacornia was now five years old. She resembled her parents quite well, especially her mother. She adopted both of their coats, being of a cute, plum color, child of size, and dark-violet of mane. It was fluffy and breezy - like her father's - and did not have the two distinct streaks of color like her mother's did. But there were not two ways about it: Little Ana (as she was often called by her parents and her parents' friends) was the cutest thing on four hooves.

She symbolize the undeniable love between her parents: a child born of a mare who stared into the same mirror day after day, quite possibly forever to live, and a stallion who was as mortal as the day is long.

Little Ana seemed no different from anypony else when she was little. As the daughter of a master magician and a master painter, nopony felt they could accurately predict what her special talent would be when she gets her cutie mark. Unlike the Cutie Mark Crusaders of Twilight's time, Little Ana was not obssessed with getting the tattoo-like imprint on her flank: she was more devoted to acceptance from her parents - which she easily received - and the understanding of the world around her. She, like her mother, was fascinated with the world, and the concepts of science, math, literature - even art - which deminished the gap between mare and nature.

She would often go exploring, in the quiet, safe towns of Ponyville and Canterlot, as her family moved around. The "big city" of Canterlot, they felt, was not suitable for a child such as Anacornia, so they packed their bags and had her spend her childhood back in Ponyville. She watched the stars in her bedroom at night, as she drifted off to sleep. She would observe animals, and take notes on them in a little notebook she carried around. She doodled, read, wrote in a diary, and, of course, studied basic magic - just like her mother when she was her age. She practiced levitation on her dolls she played with, and teleportation with marbles as she built up her skills.

Anacornia's parents also thrived in Ponyville.

Twilight resumed her role as librarian, but her interest in books went from being a career to more of a hobby with Little Ana and Dawn to love and take care of. She sacrificed her own interests, passions, and desires to ensure that the rest of her family was happy. That much she got from sheer instinct. Over the years, Dawn helped her refresh her memory on social conventions, and the art of conversation, being the flashy, eye-grasping stallion he showed himself to be. Still, Dawn had a big heart: which was one of the many factors which propelled Twilight's love for him, and she was infatuated with just about everything there was about him.

With now a family on his shoulders, Dawn's career in art took a back seat to Twilight and Anacornia. He still painted to hone his craft in his free time, which he gradually obtained in greater and greater quantities as the years went by. He was extremely committed to his loved ones, and would be patient about putting them before his own desires. When he did paint, the subject he most often chose now was his wife. She would pose in front of buildings and landscapes, around furniture, or just give him a silly expression to cartoonize.

Twilight didn't write letters to Princess Celestia or anyone now, but she did start to gain an interest in writing fiction. Now that she was unstoppable with her magical powers, she needed a new hobby she could study. And, of course, if there is knowledge to be learned, Twilight will stop at nothing to learn it. She taught herself her own methodology to writing, which she proudly demonstrated in short stories and novellas she wrote in her spare time. It was clear, however, that most of what she wrote was strictly inspired by Dawn and especially Little Ana, whose personality was reflected in the many protagonists she wrote about.

"I can't help myself," she said one day in an interview after becoming a recurring character of her own life story as a writer in Ponyville. "I love my daughter, and she inspires me. I don't see what's not to get about that."

Life in the La'Mare-Sparkle household woudl be prosperous for many years to come.

In the Meanwhile

1,849,292...

Once again, history - and my life - was changed. Unfortunately, as I wandered through the newly changed Canterlot, I was severely disappointed at what I had come to find.

I entered Canterlot Castle casually, since I was recognized by Canterlot Royalty, and proceeded to Princess Celestia's chambers, where, in fact, she was alive and well, casually reading a book in front of her fireplace, where I had imagined she spent much of her spare time.

"Princess," I said.

"Twilight," the Princess smiled. "How are you? Are you alright?"

"I'm...I'm not sure, Princess."

"Is something wrong?"

"I think so...but I can't quite put my hoof on it."

"Is there anything I can do to help you, Twilight?"

I shook my head.

"Not at the moment, Princess. E-excuse me, I...I gotta go."

I didn't stay within earshot of Princess Celestia long enough to hear her reply; I just bolted from the Castle, and out onto the streets of Canterlot.

This isn't the future I wanted! Sure, the Princess is alive, but...but the Great Disaster! It's still imminent...is it? Is the Great Disaster an inevitable, irrevserible chain of events in Equestrian history? And where are my friends? Where's Luna? Are they still gone, or just in Ponyville? No, wait. If they're in Ponyville, then where is Luna? And Candence and Shining Armor?

Scratch that. I probably just haven't come into contact with them. They're probably safe and sound and present.

I tried to calm myself down, and assess the situation. What was going on? What am I to do? And...why haven't I seen my friends?

Suddenly, two large flashes of light intercepted my stroll through Canterlot. Two large, familiar unicorns appeared in front of me, nearly causing me to bump into them.

I took a glance up at their covered faces. It was two of those unicorns I had come into contact with when that Captain guy was here last.

"Twilight Sparkle," one of them said; I was unsure of which stallion was which from voice alone.

I gulped.

"You have once again changed your fate of time. And that is unacceptable. Come with us, or be destroyed."

Their abnormally sized horns charged an eerie, red glow of merciless destruction. I could almost see my reflection in their horns.

I stood erect, took a step back, and peeled my eyes with a rather frightening look of determination.

These bastards will find me anywhere. If I am to outrun them, I have to fight them.

Right here.

Right now.

"Magic duel," I exclaimed. "Draw!"

Not a second after my command, I was shot with two bolts of powerful, red lightning, both of which I evaded. I retaliated with a quick shot of my own right to one of their horns, blowing it up into smithereens. He was powerless.

The second guy started firing small but numerous bolts of energy from his horn at me. He had me dancing along the ground, like a stallion from those old-western movies you see where they shoot bullets at a pony's hooves to keep her off the ground and intimidate her. It was a poor strategy when the pony the stallion is shooting at is Twilight Sparkle.

I evaded his moves, and shot him in his horn, too.

That was too easy.

With their horns destroyed, the guards were neutralized in their magic attacks. But they still had their brawn, which they intended to use.

One guard rushed me and managed to get at me. I struggled and squirmed in an attempt to free myself, but it was no avail. What the guards lacked in magic, they made up for her in strength. The other guard gave a loud whistle, and a third, smaller guard of a similar appearance lowered himself from the skies above with his magic. He beheld a strange tank of some unknown contents around his waist, and a gas mask over his nebulous face. As he approached me, I started to experience difficulty breathing. I coughed and gagged.

The last thing I remember before I lost consciousness was the image of the two goggled eyes starring back at me as they disappeared into a thick, hazy, green fog.

When I regained consciousness, I found myself in a dark, cold room. The only light visible peered in from a barred window above me. I was on an old mattress of some sort, one of no particular decoration or comfort, with a paper-thin rag over my body, and what I assumed was a pillow but was actually a sandbag under my head. I was surrounded by cold, lifeless bricks and merciless black bars which brought on a sense of isolatio, security, and immobility.

"Oh, good, you're awake," a deep voice greeted me. I recognized it: Captain. He stepped out from a dark corridor where he had been in shadow, and revealed himself in the dim light emerging from the window.

"W-where am I?" I asked, sitting up in my bed.

"Squadron Headquarters," he answered. "My home. At least...this is what I make my home, anyway."

I made no reply.

"You are under our control now, Twilight Sparkle. Thanks to my boys who managed to outwit even the smartest unicorn in Equestria - as I have read, that is - gas you, and bring you to your new home. You have committed atrocious crimes throughout time and space. And, as the protector of space-time, it is my job to condemn you. You are a deviant of catastrophic proportions. And I will not let you poison my reality."

He stepped closer to my chamber. "If you must know, I already came back from reversing time from your destruction. Princess Celestia will die before she is supposedly mandated to meet the Grim Reaper. How did I do it, you may be wondering." He chuckled. "Let's just say that, between knowledge and technology, I have my ways." He paused. "Sleep tight," he said. "Tomorrow is your trial, where we will hold you in our private court and determine your fate. Most likely, it will be death. Execution. Electrocution. Whatever it takes, we will find a way to kill you, Twilight Sparkle. Be grateful we haven't done so already. The law says we cannot convict you without the right to a fair trial. So, that's what we are giving you. And you know me," he started off back into the blackness. "I obey all rules."

I didn't sleep at all that night. Between my anxiety and my unimaginably uncomfortable bedding, I was not able to sleep. I spent the night plotting an escape. Of course I was going to break out of here! I'm Twilight Sparkle! I don't deserve this nonsense! I'm a benevolent unicorn and a marital Princess. The last thing I need is imprisonment.

Finally, at the crack of dawn, two familiar-looking figures appeared in the corridor in front of my chamber. They were the same two guards who I had dueled the day before. But something was different about them: their horns. They got them back. Between knowledge and technology, Captain could do anything he wanted to. Even restore the magic of a few beaten-up unicorn adjuncts. One of them opened my cell door with his magic.

"Follow us," he said. "And don't even think about escaping. We have guards everywhere. You won't walk two feet without running into them."

I did what I was told. I ended up being in front - since they did not trust me to follow but instead to lead - and they walked me to the courtroom, which was not so much of a courtroom as it was the command center for the building. Captain sat in his mighty throne, tapping his hoof on his armrest.

"Court is now in session," he began as the two guards who followed me here shut the door and guarded it.

I took a quick look around. There was nopony here but the Captain and the guards. There was no jury. There was no judge. He calls this a fair trial?

"Twilight Acorna Sparkle," he continued. "You are being accused of numerous attempts - and successes - of altering the fabric of space-time. How do you plead?"

"Not guilty."

"Care to defend your case?"

"I am simply trying to undo a tragic event in my past: the Great Disaster as it is called. I don't know what caused it, but I am desperately trying to find its origins and reverse it."

"Strange. I was under the impression that you were out to find a new home to settle in: someplace far from your own time where you feel you belong."

"That was my original intention, yes. But I have since changed my course of action. I am trying to fix my life by preventing a tragedy. Is that a crime?"

"Under any other circumstances, no, Twilight Sparkle, it is not. However, it is strictly against Squadron Law to change the present time. Even traveling through time at all is setting yourself up for accusation. However, if your intentions were to simply browse or carouse the future and make no changes, I suppose we could've looked the other way. But you are intentionally trying to alter time. That is something every stallion in this room is opposing. And it is with that that I hereby find you guilty of all charges."

I frowned.

"Your punishment will be de-"

There was a knocking behind the giant, steel doors which led us into this room.

"WHAT!?"

The guards stood aside and drew open the doors with their magic. A smaller-looking unicorn, decked out in the same strange armor-like clothing as the other stallions, was seen in the doorway.

"Captain!" he called, rushing into the room.

"What is it, Squire? Can't you see I'm in the middle of convicting this delinquent?"

"You can't kill her!"

"WHAT!?"

"I said you can't kill her! If you were to kill Twilight Sparkle, you'd be changing history - in a great number of ways - and be committing the very same damage you are accusing her of committing!"

The Captain seemed to have not remembered such a fact. He sighed violently, and then groaned.

"ARRRGHH!! Very well. Now away with you, Squire! NOW!"

Squire made a hasty retreat from the scene.

"So!" Captain pounded his hoof on his armest. "It appears that we cannot execute you. Or drown you. Or electrocute you. Or decapitate you. Or drain your blood. Or simply just put you out of our misery. So, I am giving you a choice, Twilight Sparkle: you can either stay here in your teeny, tiny cell and eat rat feces for lunch and sleep in that compost pile of a bed, or you can request to be returned to your timeline...with one little loophole."

"What would that entitle?" I asked.

"We'll simply strip you of all of your magical powers. We'll bring you right back home - right to the beginning of this whole ordeal - right to the tombstone of Princess Celestia, where you are mourning her death right before Princess Cadence approaches you and you have the conversation which begins this whole quandary. And yes, we know about all that, too. You may have done a lot of jumping around, but let's just say that you leave very clear hoofsteps wherever you go, Twilight Sparkle. Anyway, those are your options. You can either keep your magic and stay under our constant surveillance, or we'll hook you up to your magic-draining machiney thing, break your horn, turn you into an earth pony, and send you back home, where you are free to do whatever you want without our further intervention, for as long as you fail to use magic in any way or in any way attempt to restore your magical abilities. You have thirty seconds. Decide!"

I know this may seem like a hard decision to make. And as much as I love my horn and my magic - it is the talent which is illustrated on my cutie mark, after all - I'm afraid I have to part with it. I made a promise to Princess Cadence, and I intend to keep it, even if I am an earth pony when I do.

I sighed. "Send me home powerless," I said softly.

"Speak up!"

"I said send me home powerless!" I exclaimed.

Captain snickered. "Very well. Since I'm in a good mood, and since you have been so cooperative with me and my guards, I will let you stay one more night, Ms. Sparkle. Unless you want to go home now, in which case, I am more than happy to fire up the machine and suck all the life-force out of you until you shrivel up like a pruny plum."

This decision was hard for me to make.

"May I remind you that it will make no temporal difference. You can stay here forever, and no time in the present will elapse. We will technically be sending you back in time, but since it is for the prevention of this whole terroristic disaster known as the time of my life following when Twilight Sparkle mastered the art of time-travel, I will overlook my disobedience to my own rules. I did so before to catch up with you, you little brat. I am not so afraid to do it again."

I had pondered my reply while Captain was babbling on about me. Then I came to my conclusion. I could spend the rest of my time in my cell perfecting and then executing my escape plan. If I go home now, I will have no choice but to be deprived of my wonderful, beautiful magic, and be forced to spend the rest of my life as an earth pony.

Something about that seems strangely familiar.

"I wish to spend another night here."

Another snicker from Captain.

"Very well. Take her away!"

The two guards instantly grabbed me and carried me back to my cell for the remainder of my sentence.

It would be another long, painful, sleepless night for me.

Though, I could not help but notice something glinting in the dim light under Captain's throne. What was under there? If I had time to explore the command center of the building during my escape, I shall discover what he's hiding from me.

Two Hundred, Eighty-Two

It was amazing how nopony could predict Dawn's encroaching fate. But yet, it has been anticipated for so long. As he lay in what Twilight prayed was not his deathbed, a strange sense of recurrence, familiarity - déjà vu even - filled her old veins. It was like seeing Princess Celestia that one last time before she and her friends hopped on the train back to Ponyville. How cold and sickened she looked. How lifeless and disease-ridden. Yet, inside, she was as strong as ever. Unfortunately, for Twilight, the strength kept within the depths of Princess Celestia were not enough to liberate her from her prison. And she ended up paying the ultimate price.

Now the same thing was happening to Dawn La'Mare: her husby; as she preferred to address him, her lover, her sweetheart, the father of her one and only beautiful child. The painter whose charisma made him extremely likeable, socialable, and friendly, was now in a bed, his back erected as he sat up, and his eyes as weak and pale as his fragile-looking skin.

It appeared to just be an extreme case of the flu or something. The doctors ran several tests on the stallion. This disease was not able to kill him. At least, not yet. Until the ticking of his final clock, the stallion would remain either conscious or unconscious in his lonely bed, and barely breathing, wether or not he was dreaming.

Twillight either sat at his beside or stayed with him in bed the whole time. Anacornia understood. She, too, spent much time with her dying father. But, being with a grown-up family of her own now, Anacornia had other responsibilities, and could not be there as often as her mother. Twilight was told to let Anacornia know immediately if his condition grew any worse. It was not. However, it was not growing any better, either. It was as if Dawn had been stricken with an incurable disease which will fester in his bloodstream for the rest of his days. It will be his ultimate killer. But, at this rate, that could be years from now.

Could he just get out of bed and live his life as if he were not sick? Why should he not live out the last of his life in happiness and not in pain? Then again...what was the point? He did not have the energy to live the life that he would want to, even if his life was reduced to sitting on a stool in front of one of his many canvases and painting a picture of his beloved wife from memory while she spent time with her daughter and her family. He knew Twilight would take care of him.

One fateful evening, Anacornia was called in by her mother. As she suspected when she got the call, Dawn's condition had grown worse. A new, more prominent, more powerful disease has been discovered in his heart. No doubt it was heart disease: nature's bitch. It has taken only a handful of ponies since its first recorded cases. Quite unusual. But those who were diagnosed with heart disease were good as dead. It was only a matter of hours before their bodies just gave.

Twilight and Anacornia (no longer nicknamed 'Little Ana' since she was fully grown and as big as her mother) remained at Dawn's bedside for every one of his final hours. Although sickened, weakened, and definitely dying, Dawn gathered up the strength and energy to give one last speech goodbye to the two mares in his life he loved most of all. Seeing those two together at his final moments filled him with unimginable joy. They would be the last things he would see. And he could not be happier or more content about that.

"Girls..." he croaked. "I'm afraid these are the last words I will say to you."

Tears already started forming in everyone's eyes. Dawn's, however, were not of sadness, but of happiness.

"I have lived a long, healthy life with you two. And I would say up until the last minute, I was filled with unparalleled merriment. But that is untrue, for I still feel unparalleled merriment." He coughed. "Sure, I am sick as a dog, and I am to croak any minute...This illness is not your fault. It's not anyone's fault. There is no blame to put on anyone, nor any fault to assign...I am happy - elated - that my last moments here could be spent in the comfort of this warm bed, and in the presence of my beautiful, wonderful, loving wife, and my fantastic daughter."

He coughed harshly.

Tears began dripping from Twilight's and Anacornia's eyes without stopping as they sniffled.

"Anacornia," he continued weakly, even weaker than before. She put herself before Twilight at his bedside. "You are a miracle child. You have exceeded my expectations for what I would want my daughter to do with her life...And I know you're going to do much more...I'm afraid I won't be able to witness that excitement...but it warms my weary heart just to know that you're happy and with a family of your own who loves you..." Dawn tried to give his daughter a kiss on her horn, but he was too weak to move. "...I could not be prouder of you...nor more content that this is the life you live as I die before you..."

He coughed again, and hacked.

"Twilie...my dear, dear Twilie..."

Twilight put herself before Anacornia again at Dawn's beside, as they were when they arrived.

"You have given me over sixty years of happiness...you have given me a beautiful daughter I could not love any more than I already do...I could never imagine that the night we first kissed would change my life forever...and send me down a path I could never imagine...I am the luckiest, happiest stallion in Equestria...to be married to the most wonderful unicorn in the world...I cannot imagine a better marriage...nor more fulfilled life than the one I have spent with you...and I am crushed that you and Anacornia have to witness my death...that is something I never wanted to put you through...but since I have no choice...I will make it as painless as possible." He coughed again. He would give one last kiss to Twilight's horn, but, of course, was too weak to do so.

He hacked and gagged.

Time was running out.

"Twilie..." he coughed. "Twilie..."

"Yes, Dawn?" Twilight asked softly.

"Can you promise me something?"

"Of course - anything Dawn - anything."

"Promise me...no matter how long you live...you will try to find happiness...even if I'm not there to provide it...After you have moved on...promise me you will not spend the rest of your days in misery and woe over me...that could be hundreds of years at this rate...and I don't want my passing to be what you remember of me...and I don't want you to spend the rest of your days suffering...over something we had no control over..." he coughed mid-sentence. "...Promise me..."

"Of course, Dawn...I promise."

Dawn cracked a weak smile.

"And...both of you...please remember...that I love you...more than anything...in the universe..." he coughed harshly again. "You two are my world...no matter how long you live...no matter...how much...time passes...you will...be my world...and my life...for you both...is as vast...as the universe...and as...unconditional...as the sun...hundreds...of years...from...now..." one last gargantuan cough, and a desperate breath for air. "...That fact...will not...change..." Another violent cough. "...Sad...or merry...I must...leave you now...Good...bye..."

Dawn gave a weary breath, and closed his eyes for the very last time.

Twilight's Revolt

Today was the day of my...drainage.

It was the crack of dawn, before any of the guards woke up to escort me to the machine to have my magic drained.

I have two objectives: stay alive...okay, three: stay alive, get out, and get that book. There is something Captain is hiding from me - and probably something of value to me, too. And I intend to find out.

I don't know why Captain even bothered imprisoning me. When I realized that this fortress had no restrictions on my magic, my plan became all the more easy. I started my escape by using my magic to pry open the bars in my window. If I were to pry open the bars of my whole cell, not only would that be an especially loud task, but would also be what Captain and his guards are expecting. So I had to take the alternate route out of her. Which, to be honest, was not very well conceived, since I hardly knew at all where I was or how to get out. But every building has an exit. I just had to find it.

And first thing's first: I am not leaving without that book.

I poked my head out my window to find a thin ledge below me. I had no idea where it led, but since this was my only pathway to freedom, I had no other choice. I slowly climbed out of the window - hoof first - until my hoof touched the cold, hard steel underneath. Then the other hoof, and I found myself flat against a concrete wall, a gentle breeze flowing through my mane. I looked up. More building was above me, followed by a cloudy, misty sky. I looked down, and under my lavender hooves was at least twenty stories of death. I was high up. And the city below me was populous and industralized. It looked nothing like Equestria! In fact, there was technology present which didn't even look like it could be from my era of time!

...Am I in the future?

I had no time to stop and question that. Whatever year it was is irrelevant. I am not home, and that is what's important. I started inching my way to across the ledge, carefully watching my fragile hoofing as I got closer and closer to a corner. It was an extremely unsettling move, but I managed to swing myself around the corner and continue down the ledge to another window on the same floor. This one was not barred up. So I got right up next to it, grabbed hold of the edge, and climbed in.

Luck was with me.

I may have ended up causing quite a rokus when my body hit the ground below, crashing into particularly loud armor, much like the body armor of the unicorns of this society who are trying to kill me. If I put some of this garb on, they might not recognize me. After all, Squire was my size, and he's Captain's assistant.

It took longer than I desired, but I put together a decent coverage of armor over my body. I paid close attention to the coverage of my face, so nopony would be able to identify me. Then I exited what I figured was an armory, and quietly proceeded through the long, empty hallway the armory led me to. I passed a few guards, who did not so much as raise an eyebrow to my presence.

At the end of the hall was an elevator, which I assumed was the main method of transporation for the Temporal Manipulation Squad. In front of the elevator was a map. I studied it, and found the location of the command center, which, since I have begun vertical transportation, did not seem like a challenge to reach.

I entered the empty elevator, punched in the floor for the command center, and was lifted upward to my destination. I was greeted by another hallway, and two large guards who stood in front of the doors to the command center. I had encountered these same two unicorns time and time again: Private and Sarge, with their horns still restored and everything.

"Can't let you do that, Twilight Sparkle," one of them - I'm not quite sure which one - said.

How did they know it was me?

"Captain has ordered us to take you down," said the other.

I immediately charged up my horn, and sent a violent blast of light to the doors, the guards jumping to the sides of the room to avoid the blow. Captain's throne was in sight, book and all.

"Oh, no you don't!" they exclaimed in unison. One of them sent a magical lasso and threw it my way. I tried to run or teleport out of its range, but I was not fast enough. I was in its grasp, and, no matter how much I struggled, I could not free myself.

They snickered with delight.

"Go get the machine to drain her magic," one of the guards said to the other. "I'll stay here with the mare: make sure she doesn't escape."

The other unicorn nodded once and headed into the command center to retrieve the machine.

"Captain's not a rule-breaker," said the unicorn who was staying with me. "When he makes a promise - he keeps it! And he promises to send you home. And, you know, even if he wasn't one for keeping promises, he has to send you back home so your presence here doesn't further corrupt the space-time continuum. As if that's even possible, but still. He'll take you home. You will just be an earth pony. A poor, helpless, little, lavender earth pony."

I grimaced.

"Maybe next time you will think twice before jumping through time and messing with the future."

I closed my eyes, charged up my horn, and sent a painful shock pulsating through my veins. Yes, it did hurt, but the counteractive magical attack discharged the lasso, and freed me.

"Hey, you can't do that!" screamed the guard. "You have an appointment with our drainage machine!"

I shot a powerful beam of light to the guard - right at his horn - but he was as quick as I was, and shot a more powerful-looking red beam of light at me. Our beams intersected, and we became engaged in a magic duel once again. This time, whomever's beam was weaker would lose.

We kept at it, his beam going strong, mine determined to win. He pushed mine back, but I took a deep breath, and forced every bit of my strength and energy into my beam, causing his to recede. Harder and harder I pressed on, until my beam made contact with his horn, and shot him back. He landed a short distance in front of me, finally starting to fear my wrath.

"Please! Don't hurt me!" he begged.

"If I was gonna kill you, I would've done it already," I said.

I spawned a lasso just like the one he spawned on me and tied that bastard up.

"You stay here."

"Staying here - no problem."

I hopped over him and entered the command center, where the other guard was just entering, using his magic to carry the machine with him.

"Hey, how'd you escape your trap?"

I spawned another lasso, and instantaneously threw it at the other guard, tying him up just like the first one.

"Next time, think twice before imprisoning a pony genius," I snarled. The machine collapsed nearby, making a thundering booming sound; one loud enough that surely Captain - wherever he was - would have heard it.

I wasted no time and approaching Captain's throne, and bringing out the book that I desired. I then made my way back through the hallway, past the tangled-up guard, and to the elevator, where I punched in the L button and waited patiently as I plummeted down to the earth.

Once I was outside, I just ran to a safe distance. With the book in my magical grasp and my body covered in armor, I had no problem posing as an escort and was unseen by the many other unicorns in large armor who passed me by.

I ran for a few minutes before I finally had to take a breath, the pain in my head coming back from all that spellcasting I had just done back there.

I sat myself on a boulder which had a flat enough surface on which to rest my plot. I took a breath, and brought the book into my sight. It was old and dusty, so I blew on it, and revealed the cover.

It read The Anthology of Twilight Sparkle: Equestria's Most Significant Unicorn.

What?! What the hell is this? What is this book doing under Captain's throne? This doesn't contain any information about him! Just me! I rapidly flipped through the pages with my magic just to quickly verify, and I was correct: this book was the same one Dr. Zimmermare had shown me. It wouldn't give any information on Captain or who he was or anything.

So, what was it under his throne? Unless...

My eyes widened. It hit me.

A hoax.

Captain must have swapped this book for the real one while I was sleeping, and then made off with the real one in an effort to hide it from me. He must've known that I would escape, and, more thoroughly, my exact escape plan. It did seem a little too easy.

Darn it!

Now I still have the book to find. Captain must still bear it.

So...where is he?

Three Hundred, Seventeen

1,849,568

Her daughter was not well.

No disease spread through her system, for she had simply grown old, into her nineties.

And now Twilight Sparkle will see a parent's greatest fear: the death of their own children.

Anacornia lay in her bed, her face almost as wrinkly and her skin almost as pale as Twilight's was when she was visited by that ugly unicorn. She was definitely dying of old age. For months now she had been complaining about her arthritis. She coughed often. And she found breathing difficult. She started to experience night terrors, and would stop breathing briefly in the middle of the night. Her mother took action from the first volley, and now Anacornia sleeps with a mask over her muzzle to keep herself breathing through the night. She still wore it right now on her deathbed. Her heart and her lungs were starting to fail her.

It was only a matter of time now.

"Mother..." Anacornia spoke weakly.

"Yes, my baby?" her mother asked, tears in her eyes.

She coughed. "I think...it's my time..."

"I know, Baby, I know...I just..." she sniffled. It was hard for her to talk through all the tears she was shedding. "This is not an easy thing for me to accept..."

"Then don't accept it," Anacornia gave a slight smile through the oxygen mask. "Just acknowledge it." She coughed. "Sure, there's nothing you can do. It's not your fault. It's not anyone's fault...You don't have to accept that this is the last you'll ever see of your baby girl...don't have this be what you remember of me...don't have the scene of me coughing and wheezing into a mask be what you remember of me..." she coughed.

"You sound just like your father."

Anacornia's smile returned. "Dad was a good colt...he always knew just what to say..."

Twilight hugged her daughter.

"Please...don't do that...Mom...you're...crushing...my lungs..."

Twilight let go. "I'm sorry, Sweetie."

"It's okay...you know..." she coughed in order to refuel her lungs with air. "Of all the ways I can die...this is one of the best...because the last thing I get to see is my own mom...most children don't get to see that..."

Twilight started weeping helplessly.

"But I'll tell you one thing...if I die in your arms...while you're trying to hug me...I couldn't ask for a better way to go..."

Twilight leaned over Anacornia's bed again and gently hugged her. "I love you so, so much, Anacornia."

Anacornia gave her last smile to her mother's crying face as she embraced in the hug. "I love you too...Mom..."

To this day, no one is sure whether it was the hug or simply the clock of fate which ended Anacornia's life. But, everypony does know that if it was the hug, that was a much more preferable way for her to go down than that stupid clock.

Twilight retracted the hug and realized her little girl had finally moved on.

"Goodbye, Anacornia," she weeped, collapsing at the foot of her daughter's bed, her head flat against the sheets as she cried. Through her tears, she uttered the words, "I'll never forget you."

The Great Revelation

"I've got you now, missy!" snarled a dark, familiar voice. It was the voice of Captain. And, though I could not see him, he sounded right behind me.

I gasped and leapt up from my position on the rock. He was here. I could feel his presence. His voice made my fur stand on end, the horror of this scene excaberated by my lack of identification in regard for his location. I held my book in my grasp as a heavy wind began to pick up and flow through my mane wildly as the sun began to peer over the horizon in the distance.

Suddenly, he seemed to appear spontaneously on the rock in front of me.

"How did you get there?"

"I've been here all the while," the mighty unicorn hissed. He seated himself on the rock. "You know we're all capable of time-travel. Well, spells like that take some time to learn. And, in the meantime, I've learned invisibility-" He vanished in a flash of light and appeared right in my face. "And teleportation." He stalked closer to me; I stepped backward in retreat. "And you're nothing but a weakened little parasprite, feeding endlessly in a world in which you don't even belong."

I began to shiver with apprehension.

"Do you know what we do to parasprites in this time?"

Captain charged up his horn, and shot a great bolt of lightning from the tip.

I evaded the attack, leaving a big, black mark in the earth.

In a nanosecond, I got a glimpse of Captain's backside. There, strapped to his back, was a large, dusty, brown leather book. I had to get away from him with the book in my possession.

Captain seemed to know a thing or two about high-level magic.

Well, let's see how much he knows.

I ran behind a bush and hid in the shadows.

"I saw where you hid!" Captain shouted, charging up his horn.

A flash of light came from behind the bush.

A moment later, a Twilight Sparkle hopped out into sight.

"Hey!" she shouted. "You wanna piece of me?"

"Grrr...ARRRRGGGHHH!" roared Captain, blasting a huge bolt of lightning to the Twilight. She inflated like a balloon and exploded into dust.

"Heheh," he chuckled. He slowly walked to the bush. "Who's high and mighty with your knowledge now?"

Captain reached the bush and peered behind it, seeing nothing but a black mark of ash in the grass.

"What!? What be of this-"

I guess he then felt the absence on his backside.

"What's this now?" He turned around to find me in retreat from the area. His horn glowed, and in a flash of light, he vanished and reappeared in front of me. "Give me that book!" he hissed.

"Never!" I protested. "I know you're hiding something important from me - and I'm gonna find out what!"

"You do that, and you could end up throwing the entire space-time continuum into oblivion!" His horn glowed a violent red. "I will not let that happen!" He stared daggers at me through the shades he wore over his eyes. "I am giving you one last chance to surrender the book and return to your cell for prosecution and the drainage of your magical powers, as we agreed. Or, you can not surrender the book, and I will have no choice but to tear you apart!"

Several dark clouds began to crawl along the sky. A quiet thunder kissed my ears.

"GIVE ME THAT BOOK!"

"If you don't want me to read this book so badly, why don't you just destory it?"

"I can't do that, you imbecile!"

"What? Why not?"

"Because! That book is all I have left to remember her by!"

"Her? Her who?"

"Never you mind!"

The dark-red aura around Captain's horn began to illuminate. It also surrounded the book in my hooves. He was attempting to nab it right from my grasp. I reacted by pulling the book in the opposing direction, yanking it as hard as I could away from him.

"I swear to Celestia, Twilight Sparkle, if you don't surrender to me that book, I will put you through so much pain and turmoil, you can't even imagine! And you can forget about going home anytime soon. I can keep you here forever. I can take you back anytime I want. I would do so immediately after your drainage. But the longer you resist and provoke me, the longer you stay here and rot in your puny cell!"

I sighed. "Here you go, sir," I said, outstretching my hooves and lightening my grasp. Captain's magical grip on the book finally overpowered mine, and he placed it on his backside once again. "I had no idea it was so important to you."

"Yes, well, most ponies don't understand me..." Captain suddenly had calmed now that he had claimed victory over me. "Since you are so cooperative, I might just send you right home after your drainage, Twilight Sparkle. I never knew prisoners and deviants could be so...cooperative."

"I may be your prisoner, but...deep down...we're a lotta like, you and me...with being not easily understood and whatnot."

"You don't have to pity me, Twilight Sparkle. Nor must you go on with your explanation. I know we are alike in our demanors, and our personalities. Before I became a police officer and, well, bascially whatever I'd be called today, I was a scientist and a bibliophile just like you. Then Claire died, and...well...that really turned my life around."

Captain turned around and began to step back to his headquarters, assuming I would follow behind. I remained where I was.

"And how long ago was that?"

"Pfft! Phooey with details! Why would you-" He gasped. By the time he could turned his head around, I was already out of sight.

"BASTARD!" he cried as the skies grew dark and hazy overhead. "Well, she still doesn't know when Claire died. And nor does she know the one thing I am trying my hardest not for her to know, and that information is kept safely here, in my own personal book of-" He gasped when he read the title, Twilight Sparkle: Equestria's Most Significant Unicorn. "NOOO!!! BASTARD! CHEATER! DEVIANT! I'VE HAD IT!!!"

I appeared in an instant somewhere in the past. The exact location, I was unsure. But I had managed to outsmart Captain and his keen sense of magic and perception with a few magic tricks of my own. He had technology on his side, however. And I knew that it would only be a matter of time before he found me again. That, or he would send one of two of his useless comrades after me like the coward he has proven himself to be. Either way, I had the book he was concealing from me, and I was finally able to reveal the information I had been so desperately seeking.

It was weird, though: I was in desperate need to find this information, for I believed that if he was keeping it secretive, claiming I would desecrate the fabric of space-time, then it must be important, right? But, I had no idea what information this book could ever contain which would ever be of any use to me. This is just Captain's...diary. Or, journal, or whatever. He referred to it as his memoirs; I guess to sound more professional and less...well, girly. Like there's anything wrong with that!

After resting a moment to catch my breath and let the pain in my head abate a little, I finally sat down and flipped open the book. I read a few pages. I got the information on Claire's death I sought, but I knew that wasn't all of it. There was something more.

Another turn of the page, and all was revealed.

Captain is a time-traveling unicorn being from an alternate timeline which is not necessarily concrete. He was not a duplicate or a paradox, but, since I became a time-traveler, I was a pawn in the temporal game he was playing. And now I controlled his two fates.

I had apparently already met the other Captain of the alternate timeline.

And his name is Luis Zimmermare.

Eight Hundred, Seventy-Six

1,850,168...

Three years ago, about, a strange-looking - and particularly ugly - unicorn claiming to be doing a report about her, visited Twilight in her suite in Canterlot Castle. She has hardly seen a face since. She's barely left her quarters, and prefers to spend her life in desolation.

For centuries now, ever since the death of her husband and the death of her daughter, she has been in mourning. It was one big hit to her soul after another, along with her many friends who she hasn't seen in years. They spend their days in the ground, also deceased, right alongside the graves of her other loved ones whom she will never see again.

The only time she even ventures outside is to maintain her life support, and perhaps pay her respects to her friends and family again. As she grew older, the need to take care of herself grew, too. She was spending more and more time keeping herself alive and less and less time attempting to move on with her life.

She still considers herself to be in mourning of the ponies whom she loved more than anyone. There was nopony closer to her than those two, not even the friends she grew up with in her teen years, before the Great Disaster.

Of all the things she has long forgotten in her centuries of acquiring information, her friends - her old friends - are one of the very few things which have never left her memory banks. She remembers them as if she had just spoken with them yesterday. Sadly, it has been over eight hundred years since she has seen them last. She can barely even remember her own name, or that the place beyond the Everfree Forest is named Anacornia, or that she is considered to be Equestria's most significant pony. She still remembers their faces, their manes, their eyes, and even their names: Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack.

Twilight, though secretive about her many miserable thoughts, made her husband a promise. If she could move on with her life: perhaps find a new husband and start another family of her own, and have the love she received from her old family be rekindled with her new one, she would be happy, and make do until her clock finally stopped ticking and she gave in. Perhaps even before her new family would pass away, so she wouldn't have to deal with the broken-hearted misery of losing another family.

Unfortunately, she was incorrect about that.

As a matter of fact, she had been incorrect...three times.

Dawn was only the first husband, and Aura the first daughter.

Then there was Moondust, and the two sons she had with him.

After their passing, she married Darkstar, and had a son and a daughter with him.

Finally, still going strong and desperate for love, she married Daybreak and had two daughters and one son.

They've all been dead for years.

But it is not Daybreak, Darkstar and Moondust she remembers well at all. In fact, she probably doesn't even remember remarrying at all. She remembers Dawn and Aura perfectly, however. She remembers the party at which they were first acquainted. She remembers the conversation they had that night when they first kissed. She remembers having Aura, and raising her and watching the family grow.

She also remembers both their deaths as if they happened yesterday.

And, unfortunately for Twilight Sparkle, it is these events which loomed in her mind and haunted her day after day. For some reason, they stuck with her like superglue. No matter how hard she tried, their deaths would not leave her thoughts, and she would spend her many years alone, wondering why they had to go in the first place. Why didn't she cast the age retardation spell on them? They could've been one big, happy, long-living family together.

Now they aren't even a family.

She is one.

She has given herself all this time - what feels like many eternities - to surpass her mourning period, and move on with her life. Between her overwhelming amnesia and memory loss, and the undefeated reminicences of her deceased original family, Twilight had failed to keep up with her promise.

Her next move, she knew, once someone realized that she was still breathing and to check up on her again - as a few of the doctors did from time to time - would have to look like an accident. Or it will go down in history that Twilight Acorna Sparkle did the unthinkable.

No one would understand if she could ever explain to them. They would barrade her with questions, and interogate her to death anyway. She cut out the middle man of that equation, weakily walked over to her desk, and wrote a long, heartfelt letter goodbye to everyone.

To whom it may concern,

By the time you read this, I will have already moved on. My body is failing me. And I believe that the next time I close my eyes, I will be closing them for the last time. I am sore. I am weak. My memory, my strength, my energy, and everything that I had when I was young has disappeared with time. And, as time moves on, I only grow more pain and suffer all the more. I cannot imagine anypony would want me to be suffering. So, it is with a heavy heart that I declare my death, and just wait for the time to come. But, in the few moments I have here before my anticipated passing, I would like to say a few final words to a loving few who have stood out in my life.

First, there's Princess Ellistar III. I met Dawn under her great-granddaughter. If I had the energy, I would walk up to her and give her one last hug. I would also like to extend my gratification to her mother and her grandmother, especially her grandmother. She was the one I owe my marriage to. She was the pony who introduced me to Dawn by encouraging me to participate with him at the party. To this day, I remember our first kiss. And I barely even remember my own name anymore. Goodbye Princess Ellistar III, and give your mother and especially your grandmother some love in my honor.

Second, there's Dawn. He meant the world to me. If I ever did remarry - and I don't even know - there is no doubt in my mind that no remarriage of mine would ever have been so perfect. No husband could ever be a substitute for such a loving, wonderful, caring stallion as Dawn proved himself to be. I am glad to have been there for his passing, but resentful that such an event ever had to happen in the first place.

Goodbye, Dawn...I know I've probably said that and gave your deceased cheek a kiss when you died, but, since I am no longer going to be around...I feel another goodbye is proper...I hope you find it in your large heart to forgive me for breaking the promise I made to you on your deathbed. And I hope that the next time I see you, you will be as welcoming and light-hearted as you were when I saw you die...I love you, Dawn.

Next, there's Anacornia, my precious daughter. Several generations of grandchildren of yours can probably be found and traced back to you. I want you to know that, even though you are gone, you have not been forgotten, and, more importantly, I haven't forgotten about you. You were the greatest thing to ever have happened to me. Even greater than me marrying the stallion you call Dad. I could not be prouder of you, and more pleased with what you have done with your life. And I'm sure right now - centuries later - you are the same happy, healthy little girl I gave birth to.

Goodbye, Anacornia...I know I told you that when I saw you pass...an experience I know most parents don't have to witness...but, like I said with Dawn, I think another farewell is proper, since I will no longer be here, and no longer inhabit the cruel world which took your life.

Lastly, there's my friends. And I don't mean Cloud, Fiji, Bounce, Ambrosia and Gracie - I mean my first friends: Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Fluttershy. I don't remember the first five very well: my memories of them have disappeared with time. But I remember the second five like I was with them yesterday. After all these years, I have not forgotten about them. I still remember Applejack claiming victory over the Flim-Flam brothers and winning back her farm. I still remember the disasterous Grand Galloping Gala. I can still recall Rainbow Dash adopting Tank, Gummy's birthday party, our quest to restore the thousand-year-old Crystal Empire, our triumph against Discord, his later reformation with Fluttershy, my brother's wedding, and the greatest adventures of childhood and adolescence a pony could ever imagine.

I know you girls are probably looking down on me right now. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. You all love having adventures and saving Equestria from annihilation. Don't let my absence hold you back from your own adventures. There are no Elements of Harmony where you are, but there is still a spark. And that spark still glistens in your eyes, even years after you all have moved on.

To this day, the spark glistens in mine.

But it won't be anymore.

Because I'm afraid this is farewell.

Before I go, I just want you guys to know: of all the things I can still remember about my life as a young mare, my first acquaintanceship with the five of you, and the spark of our friendship is what I remember most, and what I will always remember.

Nothing can keep us apart. Not time. Not life. Not death.

As long as I remember, and I always - always - will.

They say the most important events in your life are the ones which you remember most.

You guys mean everything to me.

Farewell.

Signed and with love,

Twilight Acorna Sparkle

With her letter written, Twilight neatly folded it into a scroll, and left it wrapped on her desk.

She returned to the center of her bedroom. She took one last deep breath in, and closed her eyes.

Her weak, delicate horn - which withstood the test of time - turned white with a layer of magic which covered it. Several streaks of light went bursting from the tip of her horn. Twilight's whole body glowed, sparkles of magic and energy soaring around her. A bubble of magic formed at the tip of her horn.

In a moment, she had undone the age retardation spell which had kept her alive this whole while.

The magic immediately receded from her horn. She stopped glowing. The sparkles dissipated from view.

Her last tear was shed as her wrinkled eyes grew weary and lifeless. And she quietly collapsed to the ground.

Viewing the video below is highly recommended.

INTERVAL V: ALL GOOD THINGS

There is no anonymous conversation for this Interval, so here is a background music video to set the mood of the first half.

Twilight's Last Stand

The world became dark and gray as a hitherto of big, heavy thunderheads rolled into the night. It was so dark now, that I had to use my horn as a lamp. A bright flash of light flared up in the night. It was ~~Captain~~ Luis Zimmermare, and he looked like he wanted nothing but death.

"You really think that after all this time, it has gotten harder to track you down?" he asked rhetorically. "Nevertheless, you are capable of causing the universe great harm with that information. And never shall I let that go! I don't care about rules - I want to see you die!"

A huge lightning bolt sparked from Zimmermare's horn. I quickly jumped out of its way and evaded the attack. The bolt carried on past me and sparked out into the night. I was unable to confront this giant stallion. At least, not without greatly hurting myself. So, the only form of defense for me was retreat. I kept the book at hoof with my magic, and simply ran for my ever-loving life from the mighty unicorn.

I just kept running and running. I knew he was trailing behind me. I could hear his heavy panting as he gasped for air, and the loud thumbs his large hooves made as they tore through the earth. I could hear the relentless sound of the lightning bolts he struck in my direction, barely missing me with each rod of light he cast. I was a moving target, and my small size made me hard to hit. But with each bolt causing my fur to stand on end all the more so, I could feel the precision of his aim becoming more and more precise with each attack towards me.

"DIE YOU LITTLE BRAT! DIE!"

Zimmermare had clearly lost his all his sense. His bloodlust for my death clearly now overwhelmed his entire being. He was consumed with the agony of his past. The only real way for me to bring this nightmare to an end would be for me to go back in time and prevent Claire's death from ever happening.

But, for now, that would be impossible.

I have a homocidal maniac after me. And there is nowhere for me to run or hide from him.

If I was ever going to succeed in my mission, I have to kill this stallion once and for all.

The heavy rain which began to pour shot me endlessly in the eyes as I ran, blurring my vision, and making it difficult to find my way through the intimidating darkness. I just kept running blindfolded through the night, and, eventually, I came to a painful stop when my face bumped into something cold and rough. I lit up my horn and quickly examined the object. The large trunk of a tree...at the edge of a massive cliff somewhere in this unknown world.

I wasted no time and hopping up the branches and climbing the tree, not stopping until I reached the top and hid in the branches.

Zimmermare watched me scale the tree until he no longer saw movement while standing triumphantly on a giant rock. He stood erect, and then sent a giant bolt right at the trunk. He was attempting to fall the tree, and send me tumbling down to my death.

I held onto a sturdy branch, and slowly climbed to the other end of it, where I could get a better view of the great stallion as he fired another shot of lightning. A bright, red glow suddenly sparked from the tip of my horn, and a powerful ball of fire went blazing through the darkness, the flames spreading to other fallen tree branches and shrubs, like torches in the night. A path of fire was soon born from the flames of my magic. I charged up another fireball and shot it right at the ground in front of Zimmermare, attempting to frighten him and have him cease the destruction of the tree-trunk.

He refused to let up. And simply countered my attack with a more intense bolt of lightning, which managed to zap a branch and send it into flames as the last of the weakened trunk gave way, sending the tree in a fall towards the cliff. I went flying through the air - screaming for my life - until I had inadvertently grabbed hold of a weak limb near where I had lost my hoofing. The tree failed to crumble from the cliff, and was for now secure.

Zimmermare did not move from his position at the rock. He wanted me to come to him. He would get a perfect shot at my body, and oblitherate me in an instant. Sheering pain. And then poof - I'd be nothing more than a pile of dust at his hooves.

I hoisted myself up onto the tree branch, a weak spark shining from the tip of my horn. I dug into the tree-trunk.

"You're kidding? You're kidding, right?" asked Zimmermare rhetorically.

I made no reply, and began galloping through the blazing inferno of fire as I raced across the scorching field.

Zimmermare lept from the rock, charged his horn, and dashed towards me.

Brighter and brighter our horns got until finally - he released his deadliest bolt of energy. In a simultaenous combustion, I happened to release mine, and our beams intersected, a blinding light flaring up where they touched.

It was now a duel of beams. Whomever's beam reaches the other pony wins. Whomever's beam shall fail will die. Harder and harder he pressed on, putting every ounce of his energy and magic into his beam. My eyes were shut, my body weakening, and all my strength and energy being consumed by the sheer intensity of this beam. Finally, I could feel Zimmermare's giving way, and my beam finally gaining the upper hoof. Harder and harder I urged my power, until I heard the sound of Zimmermare screaming for his life. A catastrophic blast of light flared up at the tip of his horn, blowing it up, and sending him flying a short distance.

It was not over yet!

I lept up over the rock, and found Zimmermare lying helplessly in the grass, some distance from the flaming battlefield behind us. He cringed and squirmed with pain.

"This is for Celestia!" I exclaimed, charging my horn up one last time, and smashing it against the nub that used to be his. He coughed and gagged and squirmed with sheering pain as his veins pulsated and exploded inside him. Finally, all the energy in my attack collected at his forehead, and blew his head up into a bloody mess, his eyes popped out of his skull, blood secreting from every crack in his head, and nothing but bone, blood, and entrails visible in the wake.

I panted with pain, and took a few steps back from the corpse.

Being an alternate existence, Zimmermare's body vanished from sight, sparkle by sparkle as it was lifted up into the night and carried into the darkness above.

All was calm.

Now it was over.

Mission accomplished, right?

Well...not quite.

Backtrack

I took a nap in a warm cave nearby. Well, okay, I slept through the rest of the night. I had no idea what time it was when I fell asleep, nor when I awakened. But I was glad to have been alive, well rested, and safe. I was mildly lacerated, gained a few wounds, bruises, scratches and scars, but hey, I've never seen a hero return home with no bandages. Only a true hero endures the lacerations and injuries...Except all those times I saved Equestria from annihilation prior with my girls.

Every minute I spent here I was only inhibiting the space-time contiuum all the more so. So, there was only one thing left to do, and then that would be that.

Now it's time to make things right.

I had lost the book I retrieved from Zimmermare in the duel last night. I had probably let go of it somewhere up the tree, and it most likely had plummeted into the depths of nowhere and was perhaps being used a house for a cockroach right now. No matter. My memory was still intact, and I was able to successfully navigate to the correct year, date, and even time when I was needed...plus a few minutes to give myself some travel time.

In the book, there was a picture of Claire I could scarcely make out from my foggy memory banks. I had so little time to interpret it...how would I know where to look for a pony I have no reference to, and know almost nothing about?

Once I returned to civilization, I asked around for anypony named Claire. Finally, a lone stallion pointed me to a young-looking mare who was definitely a sight for sore eyes to any admiring stallion. Her appearance brought to mind that pony who was with Fancypants that one time. Who was that again?...It was French, I remember...oh, yes: Fleur de Lis. I don't even know how I even know her name. But anyway, I approached the handsome mare and introduced myself.

"My name is Twilight Sparkle," I said, giving a slight bow in formality. "Are you Claire?"

"Indeed I am," she said softly.

"Can you come with me for a spell?"

"Uh...sure."

I just started walking through the streets of the mysterious city I ended up visiting in my search for this pony. I led her to a restaurant. I made her pay, since I was broke as a stone, but when she questioned my statement, I had one heck of an answer for her.

"Massacre? What massacre? There's never been a massacre in Hoovesville."

"There will be in about...ten seconds."

"What in the world are you talking about, Ms. Sparkle? Hoovesville is a safe place, and-"

Suddenly the sound of several loud shots - which roared like guns - came echoing a short distance away, interupting Claire's sentence.

"You were saying?"

Claire looked at me, puzzled. "What was that?" she asked, pointing to the window behind her with her hoof.

"That was the shot which started the massacre in that area which you would be an innocent victim of. You see, originally, you would've been in that vicinity, and would've lost your life for no reason other than the stupidity of those colts' violent outbursts. But now you're here - safe and sound - in a restaraunt, and nowhere near that site. You would've just died. But I saved you."

"You...saved me?"

I nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! Isn't it great? I fixed the timeline!" I exictedly stood my two front hooves on the table.

"Timeline?...So...that whole thing you were talking about - being a time-traveler and all...you weren't just telling stories?"

"Nope! Not a word of it!"

"Huh...the population of Hoovesville never ceases to amaze me," Claire said.

I laughed and reseated myself.

"So...since you saved my life and all that from that shooting back there...what does this mean for you? A-assuming everything you just told me is true?"

"Well...I don't know, frankly." I took a sip of my iced tea. "I originally left my home in search of who I am and where I truly belong. Ever since Princess Celestia's death, I have been in constant search for what I'm meant to be in this world and this universe. I thought I was supposed to be Celestia's most faithful student, but upon her death, I began to question if that's what I'm truly meant to do for the world. According to this book I read, I'm Equestria's most significant unicorn. I bet there's an alternate timeline in which I become Princess of Equestria and an Alicorn for some reason!" I cupped my hooves over my eyes. "I just don't know anymore...and...this whole adventure I've been through...everything I've seen...everything I've done...and I've gotten nowhere...I've learned nothing."

"Then maybe leaving was the wrong thing to do in the first place," Claire replied. "If you can't find your answer anywhere else in the universe - or at any time in history or the future - then maybe you were looking for it in all the wrong places. Maybe the best place for you to look is in the present-time: back where you began."

I sighed. "I was gonna go back after our meal, anyway...I have a promise I made to a friend to keep."

"Be on your way; I'll pay the bill. Luckily my boyfriend's a cop, so I get some pretty pennies."

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

I began to exit the booth.

"Oh, and Twilight."

"Yes, Claire?"

"Just remember: just because you aren't now who you were before, doesn't mean you have to spend the rest of your days in search of yourself. You are who you choose to be. Choose to be the mare you want to be. Don't go looking for something that isn't there, and don't take paths which are only circles in time."

"Thank you, Claire...I will keep that in mind."

I exited the restaurant, and took one last glance at Claire as she finished her meal before I cast that spell one last time.

I have no other choice but to go back to Canterlot in the year 1,849,292.

I have a promise to keep.

A Warm Wind

I was home.

"Back so soon, Twilight?" Cadence inquired, positioned in front of Celestia's gardened grave.

"So soon? What do you mean, Cadence?"

"You were gone for thirty seconds!" she exclaimed, getting up and approaching me.

"I was?"

"Yeah! I haven't even gone inside from when you left yet. How long did you think you were gone?"

To be honest, I had no idea. But let's just say that we both had a good laugh when I said.

"I don't know; a billion years, maybe."

"Time-travel does that kind of stuff to you..." the Princess remembered our conversation which apparently took place seconds ago. "So...with you coming home so soon and all...I guess this means you didn't find what you were looking for after all."

I shook my head. "Nope...I didn't, Princess. And I promised you I would return."

She smiled gently. "I'm just glad you're okay," she gave me a hug. "I will go and call the groundskeeper to water the garden...if you need me." She started on her way inside.

I was alone. In my moment of solitude, I cast a spell on myself which magically removed all of the debris on my body. I trotted over to the Princess's grave, and once again, paid my respects to her. After all this time - years it seemed - she was still in the ground, never to return to us.

I shed a single tear.

I suddenly started hearing distant voices in the back of my ears. They sounded familiar, as if I had heard them all the time. But there was no one around, as I learned when I scanned the area in front of me. Then I turned around, and saw the most spectacular scene I ever witnessed.

It was Princess Luna - bold and proud - stepping over the horizon into Canterlot. And trailing behind her: six grown-up familiar faces, and one large purple dragon with thick, green scales down his back.

I was paralyzed. I could not believe what I was seeing.

"Twilight! Twilight!" they exclaimed in unison, galloping towards me. "Twilight! Twilight!"

I was suddenly overwhelmed with attention, and was the center of a six-pony group hug.

"Oh, Twilight, we've missed you so much!" they said in unison.

"I don't understand..." I replied, still way too confused and overwhelmed to comprehend what was going on.

"You're welcome," remarked Princess Luna, approaching the circle of affection.

"You did this?" I inquired the Princess.

She nodded only once. "That I did. I wasn't gone for very long, Twilight Sparkle," she explained. "I only spent about two weeks in mourning, until I was finally ready to return to Canterlot able-bodied and able-minded, even if I could not return as the Princess of Equestria. But, on my way home, I discovered a letter you sent to one of your friends. Pardon my intrusion, but I knew that if your friends parted ways, the results would be catastrophic..."

"The Great Disaster," I mumbled.

"So, as former Princess of Equestria, I felt it was my obligation to gather up your friends, and return them as soon as possible."

Our interminable hug finally terminated. I began to approach the Princess, but was picked up by a large, green-bellied dragon who brought me to his lower neck in order to receive an inevitable hug.

"Am I still your number-one assistant?" he asked softly, his voice more masculine and darker.

"Of course you are," I smiled.

I retracted my hug, and he lowered me down to speak with the Princess.

I gave Princess Luna a hug of gratitude. She at first resisted, but then put her hoof around me.

"How come it took so long for you to do all this?" I inquired. "Not that I'm complaining or anything."

"I had no guidance in the matter," she answered. "I was completely alone, and had literally no idea where your friends were when I found your letter, so I was walking around Equestria blindfolded to my destinations. And even once I found one of your friends, it was not easy to coax them."

"You're kidding."

Princess Luna shook her head.

"I remember one of my letters to you, Twilight," Rarity began. "Said that nothing could keep us apart...I guess I sorta let you down and lied to you about that...If it wasn't for Luna visiting me in Manehattan and convincing me that my friendship was more important than fame, fortune and fashion, I'd probably still be sewing dresses and posing for headshots. The glamour life is a pretty one, indeed. But it is no substitute for our friendship, Twilight. And I'm sorry."

"You'd think I of all ponies would be the one to stay behind," Rainbow Dash said. She was dressed in a Wonderbolts costume, but other than that, looked the same. "But, I guess I just got caught up in the limelight as a Wonderbolt, and forgot that I was the Element of Loyalty. Some loyal friend I am. I'm sorry."

"Planning parties is tons of fun!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, wearing a baseball hat and a blouse. "I loved my job so much! I was surrounded by ponies and parties and balloons and candy all the time! But...no party is really much fun without your friends being there. Every party I planned was for just a bunch of strangers. Luna helped me realize that no party is worth throwing away a lifelong friendship with your pals. And I'm sorry about that."

"As much as I love the peacefulness, bliss, and serenity of my animal friends," began Fluttershy, decked out in some animal guru attire which, other than being brown of color and leather of material, I could not begin to describe. She had two or three necklaces of aqua, plum, and white beads around her neck. "I love the peacefulness, bliss, and serenity of my friendship more than that of my animal friends. Luna helped me realize that. And once I knew what I had done, I quit my job and followed her back here. I'm sorry my career ever had to come to that."

"Ah'm prob'ly duh pony who should be duh most apologetic," said Applejack. "Ah wadun't on any fancy-smancy bidness trip are anythin'. Ah wuz simply on an extended vacation. Ah wuz out in duh world, havin' duh time o' mah life. Duh other members o' duh Apple Family cov'red duh sellin' and disti'bution o' duh cider while we raked in duh money. Well, Ah say t' Tartarus wid all dat money! No amount o' money could eva replace duh value o' mah fre'dship wid you, Twilight. And...Ah'm sorry."

"Apologies accepted," I said, a tear falling down my cheek.

"And I'm sorry I assisted in keeping Rarity in Manehattan," Spike added. We all looked upwards at him. "I, uh, you know...married her, and such, and I think our marriage is part of the reason why she stayed. She was busy in Manehattan both keeping a successful fashion business with Hoity Toity and his company, and she was also spending any free time she had from the office with her new husband."

"We all were," Fluttershy said.

"All were what?" I asked.

"Spending any extra time we had with our new husbands."

"Husbands? You mean...you're all married?"

Everypony nodded.

"I have a husband and two children," Fluttershy admitted.

"Justa hus'and," Applejack remarked.

"Husband and a daughter," Rainbow Dash grunted.

"Just Spikey Wikey," said Rarity.

"Husband and four kids!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

"What? Where are they? What happened to them?"

"When we explained to them how urgent our departures were," Rarity explained. "They did not say a word about it. We had been with them for years, and they knew that this was important. Turns out we each told our own husband how much fun and pleasure we had being your friend, Twilight. And it didn't take us but five minutes to say goodbye to them and return here. We're all planning to have them relocate back here. We've had our time in the spotlight, pursuing our dream jobs, and being the worst friends imaginable...I think it's time I repay my debt - all of us repay our debts - to you, Twilight."

I smiled, a tear of happiness and contentment trickling down my cheek.

"I don't know what to say, girls."

"Then don't say anything," said Luna, stepping forth. "Their return had to be inevitable: there is no worse fate for Equestria than if the six of you were to part ways, be it peacefully like you did or maliciously."

"But why did you come back, Princess?" I inquired her. "You have nothing to gain outside of my friends and I all being together."

"I am the former Princess of Equestria," she explained promptly. "I must set an example for the rest of Equestria. Everypony understands that when you lose your beloved sister, a period of mourning is expected. But, soon, you have to get back on her hooves and take to the world. You cannot spend your whole life in mourning. If you did, you'd probably dig yourself down so deep, the only conceivable escape would be suicide."

She paused briefly.

"During my search for your friends, I visited a major library branch in another corner of Equestria, and I came across the Equestrian Declaration of Foundation. And, in my rereading of it, I came across a loophole. The Declaration, under the subsection regarding government, says, and I quote, 'A Princess must rule Equestria...' it doesn't say anything about there having to be exactly one Princess. In fact, I think there can be an infinite number of Princesses ruling Equestria, and it would not conflict with the Declaration. We don't need that many. But it does mean we can have two."

"Two Princesses?" I asked.

Luna nodded.

"But it also says that if a Princess is to resign her title as Princess of Equestria while in office, she cannot-"

"The Declaration does say that, Twilight Sparkle. However, it fails to say that just because a Princess resigns does not mean that she cannot reenter office as an adjunct. Cadence can still be Princess of Equestria, and since there can be two Princesses, I will resume my position as adjunct as I was when my sister was in power."

"Hooray!" I leapt to the Princess and gave her a congratulatory hug. As usual, she didn't seem to enjoy it much, but she gave in anyway.

"You shouldn't be celebrating me," she mumbled. "I think you'd rather be celebrating the return of your friends."

"Group hug!" they all exclaimed, running up to me only a moment after I finished my hug with Luna. Yes, there was some friendly kissing this time. But, hey, I haven't seen these girls in over twenty years. I thought nothing of it.

The group and I were immersed in our silent affection as we embraced each other simultaneously. I was the only one who uttered something for the moment.

"You guys mean everything to me."

After the hug, we all ran inside to tell Princess Cadence and Shining Armor the good news. Then we all had a huge "welcome back" party that, you guessed it, Pinkie Pie wanted to throw. The party was thrown that night, and lasted a few hours. After about an hour and a half, though, I felt I had had enough fun and excitement for one day, and I visited the Princess again.

I was once again alone, on my own, with nopony around but the dirt beneath my hooves and my plot, and the flowers which sang their silent songs in the night. All was still until I heard the gentle sound of hoofsteps coming up behind me, casting a dark shadow across Celestia's grave.

I turned my head. It was Princess Luna.

"Twilight Sparkle," she began. "Why aren't you at the party?"

"Why aren't you at the party?" I inquired.

The Princess glared at me.

"I'm sorry...it's just..."

"Yes?...What is it, Twilight Sparkle? Is something the matter?"

"Well, you see...I went on a trip of my own while you were out looking for my friends."

"Oh?"

I stood up and turned around. "Yeah, uh...I used my time-travel spell and traveled through time."

"Traveled through time? Now why in Equestria would you do that?"

"Because...I didn't know what to do or where to go or anything. Equestria was falling apart in my friends' absence and Princess Cadence blamed herself for everything, and at first I just wanted to see the ultimate fate of Equestria, but then I kept looking because if Equestria was gonna end up like that, I wanted to know where I belonged then. Where was I to go? Where did I end up going? What did I end up doing? Turns out I'm gonna be a wife and a mother and I'm gonna be very happy and successful in my life."

"Interesting, Twilight Sparkle...so did you end up finding what you needed?"

I shook my head. "No, Princess Luna...I didn't. Sure, I learned a little about my life in the future, but the future's subject to change. Nothing's set in stone, and so I only visited one possibility of what my life could be like, assuming I take the path I took then. But, in regard for why I even began my journey...I was fruitless in my efforts."

"How long were you gone?"

"According to Princess Cadence, thirty seconds."

"How long were you gone to you?"

"A few weeks, maybe."

"And did you jump often?"

"...Yeah...I did..."

The Princess shook her head. "Twilight, that is very dangerous. Sure, you're the highest-level unicorn and can do nearly anything you can imagine with your magic, but if you keep jumping around, you're gonna hurt yourself."

"I'm sorry, Princess."

"Hey, it's your body."

"I'm retiring from advanced spellcasting...In fact...in my old age of forty-one...I think I should retire altogether...I can spend my days with my friends and their families, and start a family of my own."

"But what about your search, Twilight Sparkle? Are you telling me you have no trouble with having gone through all that you've endured - and I don't even know the half of it based on what you've told me - for nothing?"

I did not know how to reply to that question. I really had gone through all that I did for nothing if I returned home empty-hooved. I..Ignored Luna's question, and simply continued with a sentence of my own.

"There is one thing..." I began. "At the end of my journey, I helped this mare named Claire from an unintended murder during the outbreak of a massacre. She told me that if I couldn't find what I was looking for there in the future, I should be looking here - in the present."

"Then perhaps she is correct."

"But where is there to look for what I desire, Princess Luna?"

"Well, what do you desire, Twilight Sparkle? Simply to understand who you are?"

"Yes! And where I belong in this world! My purpose in life - to master the art of magic as directed by my cutie mark - has been fulfilled since before I even began my journey through time. Now, I am a lone Mare, reunited with her friends, but still wandering in circles as for what I should do in my life."

"Let's not forget - you were Princess Celestia's most faithful student prior to her passing," said Luna. "And, even though she is gone, that purpose of your life has not technically been fulfilled."

My giant eyes widened. Claire was right! I didn't have to go through all that time-travel! What I desired was in front of me all the while! I may be a master magician, sure, but I'm also a scholar and a great learner. And there has been no better teacher out there for me than the beloved Princess Celestia. Even though she has passed away from her illness, that doesn't mean I'm not her student! It just means that she's not my teacher.

"Why don't you go write her a letter, Twilight Sparkle?" Luna asked. "I'm sure she'll be happy to hear from you."

Twilight's Letter

Dear Princess Celestia,

I have been through a lot in the past twenty-five years. Well, not as much as it seems to me because most of what I have endured, I experienced through different points in time. After you passed, I studied magic with even more aggression than I did back when I was your student, and I soon learned and mastered the art of time-travel and temporal manipulation. I felt invincible with my newfound powers, but I could not forget the loss of my dear friends. One by one, they left Ponyville, and forgot to take me with any of them. Even Spike left me to go to Manehattan, where he at last married Rarity and, of course, that resulted in her continued leave. The others all had their reasons for abandoning me.

While out on my adventure, I learned a lot about myself and about my life-to-be. I'm only forty-one years old right now, after the longest twenty-five years of my life. I have spent even longer traveling through time, exploring Equestria in eras millions of years from now. I will admit: I was impressed with their technology, but I've seen the fate of ponity. Come the year one billion, we'll all just fade away - vanish - disappear - and life on this planet will cease to exist. I was so devastated by my visit to that timeline that I didn't even feel like seeing if there was anything else out there left to be seen. I just headed back to where I had kept a home all this time, with Dr. Zimmermare, when, in reality, I should not have even left this year.

I'm sorry for leaving and venturing off into the great unknown, Princess Celestia. As it turns out, it was my friends' absence which caused the Great Disaster Princess Cadence held herself responsible for. Since our reunion, the Great Disaster has been evaded, and life in Equestria continues to go on and prosper under the rule of my sister-in-law; and, to a lesser extent, my brother.

Oh, yeah, I'm sorry: your sister resigned shortly after your death, since she was so devastated by your absence, she knew she would not be able to properly overrule Equestria with the hoof she intended. So, she resigned from her position as Princess of Equestria, and, instead, Princess Cadence took over. It was misery and woe for the longest while, especially for me, since I had spent nearly a billion years away from everypony. Then, when I finally gave up my journey, I returned to this time, only to find Princess Luna rising over the horizon. And, following right behind her: all of my friends. She said that in her departure, she had learned that even though she knew she was no longer able to be Princess of Equestria, you would want her to be there as if you had never left. So now, Equestria has two Princesses! And the Equestrian Declaration of Foundation doesn't say anything about there not being allowed two Princesses!

I know how my life is going to run, now, having explored nearly every aspect of my future. I'm going to get married and start a family and spend many, many years in nothing but love and happiness that is provided to me from my happy, loving family. I'm gonna be the luckiest unicorn in Equestria someday!

My older self lived over eight hundred years. At first, I thought she spent all that time in total happiness, like the earlier years of her life. But, as I learned, she was miserable. She spent hundreds of years alone in the dark. She was not hated or resented in any way: just lonely and miserable. As it turns out, she used an age retardation spell to keep her living for almost a millennium.

I have a confession to make...I will not be using the age retardation spell. Based on how long ponies tend to live, I have less than half a century left of my life...I will be lucky to live even a hundred years in all. I won't be able to see this world evolve and transform like I did when I traveled through time. I won't be able to see what happens to my family beyond my death, nor what happens to anyone else who outlives me. I am literally almost half-dead now. My life is half over, and nothing that will make me the Twilight Sparkle who I met has come true yet.

But that doesn't mean it won't happen. I will not be like the Twilight Sparkle who lived eight hundred years: I will live my life, set on my own path, leaving hoofsteps wherever I go, and wherever my friendship takes me. And I will keep writing letters to you every week, just like old times, even though I know you will never receive them. No matter what my fate.

Since I won't magically cheat death, I understand I don't have forever to live. But that's okay. Knowing that I'm going to die someday only makes the life I live now all the more precious.

I now understand where I belong in this universe and this world. And I didn't need to travel through time to find out: I'm a a pony. A unicorn. A will-be wife and mommy. But, for now and forever, I will keep writing and learning and growing as the years go by.

I may not always be the same pony. But I will always be your most faithful student.

Sincerely,

Twilight Sparkle

Twilight Acorna Sparkle

Celestia's most faithful student
And the best friend anyone could imagine

1,849,251 - 1,849,292 (Age 41)

Ending Credits and Post-Credit Story

INTERVAL I: TRIGGERS IN TIME

"Are you sure about this?"

"Positive."

"But what about Equestria?"

"I'm not an heir."

"Maybe not. But you still care about it."

"You are right...but...I don't think I can live like this anymore."

"Do what you wish...I want only what is best for you."

"Thank you, Princess."

"Just promise me one thing."

"Anything."

"Promise you'll come back if you don't find what you need."

"Of course...I promise."

INTERVAL II: A CHANGE OF FATE

She rubbed her hoof against the golden plaque.

"That's a long time."

It was hard to believe such an incredible number would exist as a pony's lifetime.

"I wonder what her life was like. I couldn't imagine she spent her life in a total waste like I did."

Of course, there was no one around to answer her.

"Hmm...can I go back in time, meet up with her before she died? Or would it better if I just-"

The sound of an alarmed siren suddenly came within earshot. They were close.

"Shit! No time!"

Without thinking, there was another flash of light.

The bright, airy skies of Equestria suddenly became black as night as she found herself anew.

"My God...what happened here? What have I done?"