The Time Sweeper

My name is Flare Dasher. I’m a regular pony with a good life, an awesome fillyfriend, and a good job. Why am I telling you this? It’s because of what my job is. I keep the flow of time under control in many different worlds. I am a time sweeper. I always have my vacuum-like device, called a “sweeper,” on hoof so I’m never caught off guard. I have lived many lives, and I have died many times as well. This is a story of one of my more interesting travels.

It was a quiet morning, the weather was calm and there was a cool breeze coming in through the window. I awoke slowly for I didn’t want to get up. I checked my calendar; the date was July tenth, 4732. Just a few months before my birthday. Too bad I couldn’t stay longer here, I had already overstayed my welcome

“Good Morning commander, how’s everything back at the factory?”

“Everything’s fine here, Flare. Why haven’t you returned yet? Your job there is done, is it not?” she replied.

“Yes my job here is done, I just didn’t want to come back just yet. How’s Luna, by the way? Has she sent any messages for me yet?”

She rolled her eyes as she moved the camera to reveal a small pile of letters written to me. “Honestly, Flare, she worries too much about you.”

I laughed at her remark. “Yeah, I know she does. I’ll be back to the factory soon. Over and out.” I hung up before she could reply.

“After I get something to eat that is.”

I grabbed my sweeper from the wall and headed out. As usual, my “home” was temporary, so it disappeared as I left. It was like a small “pop-up” home I carried on me, only to use if i had no place to stay.

I yawned as I approached my usual spot to eat, “The Corner Crib Cafe.” Yeah, I know it sounds a bit weird, but the food was good here.

After I had eaten, I removed my sweeper and admired it. I’ve had it since training and I have made so many memories with it. It was made out of a custom mix of steel. The combination was called sleet-37, one of the most durable and stylish materials that can be used to make a sweeper. It was shaped like a small circle, so it had its usual ‘spin’ decal on the front that was covered by glass. I had made my own mini decal on the back side.

I smiled as I put my sweeper back on my back and took off. I had to find a secluded area so nopony would freak out when they saw me return to the factory. When I finally found a location to land my phone went off again. I answered to see Lunas worried face.

“Luna, why are you at the factory?” I gasped.

“Waiting for you, obviously! Your commander told me that you were returning, so I decided to come here and wait for you. Why do you always take so long to return from a job?”

“Oh, come on Luna, it’s not that bad.”

“To me it is! What if you got stuck in the Time Freeze?”

“Don’t say that, Luna! You know as well as I do that will never happen, ever. If I were to somehow fail my job, I’m still ranked as one of the highest sweepers, so the factory knows they cannot afford to lose me. There’s no need to worry about me.”

She shook her head and sighed as she hung up.

“Really, Luna?” I said out loud.

I put down the small silver return pad. I never really looked at it but it looks like a metal spiral just big enough to stand on. I activated my sweeper and opened the portal.

A few moments later I stood next to Luna, and my commander giving me the paperwork for my next assignment. My eyes widened as I read what vortex I was headed to.

“Commander, I can’t go here, there’s no way I’ll be able to save it! Nopony has ever been able to save this one!”

She walked away and left me standing there.

I still didn’t like it. Nopony liked this one, not even the thought of it. Vortex number 772, more commonly known as “The Final Stand.” I had to save it.

“Woohoo.”