After listening to the Season Four song "Apples to the Core," it made me want to do a few events of the past and maybe present, focusing mainly on our favorite party pony (or Changeling in my story): Pinkie Pie. I may also do the others, but focusing on Pinkie was my original thought.
I hope you enjoy!
Pinkie Pie watched with shock at the sight of the black figures that dropped down into Canterlot, intent on harming the ponyfolk. A twinge of excitement and fear coursed through her as she recognized what the creatures were. While she only recently knew of their name thanks to Cadence, she had already known based on general appearance.
Changelings. They're the same kind of creature I am, she thought to herself.
But Pinkie didn't get much time to ponder this, for a terrible dilemma had occurred. Princess Celestia had been replaced just like Cadence had been earlier, by a future version of Queen Chrysalis, much to the surprise and despair of the ponies present. Pinkie Pie wanted to help, but there was nothing she could do. A group of Changelings blocked her path and that of her friends, preventing them from rushing to the rescue of those present. Shining Armor's shield fell apart and the Changeling army swarmed into the streets of Canterlot. Twilight was stuck to the floor as the two Queens charged up a beam together and fired it at Pinkie's defenseless friend, while she watched helplessly and cried out her friend's name.
Then something happened that nopony had expected. A lone pony figure, a blood-red unicorn with intimidating Dragon eyes, teleported in front of the beams of the two Queens and easily countered their spells.
"What?!" one Chrysalis shouted in surprise.
"No!" the other screeched, "How did you follow me?"
"Who- who are you?" Twilight asked in equal surprise. Pinkie watched in awe as the mysterious unicorn spoke.
"I am the Master of Fire, Lord of Chaos, and Time Lord of Evil. I'm the Darkest Day, yet the Brightest Morning. I am your best friend or your worst nightmare. I am the Terror of Dimensions, and I warned you of what would happen if you attacked again, Chrysalis of the Future! I see that you ignored my advice. You took someone from me in the future through your actions in the past! Now, YOU WILL PAY!"
The pony fired a blast at one of the Queens and she dispersed in a cloud of particles. The Changelings nearby attempted to attack him, but a glow from his horn suddenly tossed them aside like rag dolls. He then turned his eyes to the other Chrysalis, and she trembled in fear. An unseen force grabbed the Changeling Queen and pinned her to the ground. The pony stood over her form and prepared yet another blast, this time with the intention to kill.
"Stop!" Twilight shouted, giving him a pleading glance. The pony turned to her, then groaned and tears appeared in his eyes. Pinkie could also sense several emotions coming from him when he did this. Did he know her? The emotions given off suggested that he did, but nopony had ever seen him before. Then she heard him speak again.
"Darn it, Twi!" he said with sadness in his voice, "Why do you have to have so much influence over me, even in the past?"
He sighed, then turned back to Chrysalis and said threateningly, "If you ever cross paths with me in the future again, pray that I am as forgiving as I am now!"
A glow appeared from the other side of the room and Pinkie turned to see Shining Armor and Cadence with their horns touching, creating a massive energy surge that was starting to expell the Changelings from Canterlot. She smiled as the magic washed over her. So much love! It was beautiful and exciting!
Once the energy had cleared and the other Changelings expelled, the mysterious pony seemed to relax completely, as if a large burden had been lifted from his shoulders. He then looked to one of the few guards that had turned out not to be a Changeling and ordered, "Search the palace. Celestia may still be around. When you find her, notify me immediately."
The guard nodded and rushed out of the door. The unicorn waited for the guard to leave, then turned his attention back to Twilight. He seemed to be very concerned about her, as if she was extremely important to him. Pinkie was still confused however, for she was sensing love off of him for Twilight; but he had only just arrived for the first time since any of them were aware. So...who was he?
Eventually, a guard informed the pony that Celestia had been discovered and the Princess of the Day herself was brought before him in a gooey cocoon. The pony touched his horn to the base of it, and the cocoon disappeared completely. Celestia stood to her feet and looked down at the unicorn, staring straight into his eyes. For a moment, she seemed to afraid of him, but then her fear subsided as if she had been reassured of something, and she gave him a thankful smile.
"Thank you for your help, TD," she stated, "I'm not sure what would've happened without you."
"No problem, Princess," the unicorn said with a smile. He then looked around and said, "Well this place could definitely use a makeover. After all, there's still a wedding to plan, isn't there?"
His horn glowed and a large surge of magical energy exited his body and reversed all of the damage that had been done. Everyone watched in awe as the place was fixed up as if there was no incident whatsoever.
"Wowzers!" Pinkie shouted aloud, but inwardly she was still a bit confused. The stallion may have saved them all, but no one had seen him before. Yet somehow Celestia seemed to know him, and he seemed to know Twilight. Pinkie shrugged. That wasn't too important now. Right now, she had a wedding to prepare.
And she wasn't going to miss out.
The rest of the wedding went by without incident and at one point Twilight had Pinkie prepare a special surprise for the newly wed couple; a beautiful song sang by none other than Twilight herself. Pinkie Pie, while enjoying the festivities, couldn't help but notice that TD kept his gaze upon Twilight throughout the song. His eyes glowed in the evening light, giving an intimidating look in his eyes that made many ponies back away from him a few feet. But Pinkie noticed something beyond that. She could sense it again. A love he had for Twilight, despite never seeing him before. After the song, he gave a sigh and trotted off away from the party. Twilight noticed this and followed after him. Pinkie watched the two leave as questions flooded her mind.
Does Twilight know him? No, it can't be. She was just as surprised as the rest of us when he showed up. But who is he? He seems pretty magical. Maybe the Princesses know?
Pinkie shrugged her shoulders. Oh well! Maybe she'd never know. For now, she just wanted to party.
She'd figure it out later.
Twilight's POV...
Twilight noticed the mysterious stallion who had saved her earlier leaving the party as soon as her song had ended. Something told her that he was leaving for good. Without truly knowing why, she took off after him. She found him in an alley, where he was just been in the middle of a spell. However, when he heard her approaching, he stopped.
"TD, wait!" Twilight called, coming to a stop at the entrance to the alley. TD sighed and turned to face her. His draconic eyes shone brightly in the darkened alley. Yet, Twilight didn't recoil in fear like some of the guests had earlier. Somehow, she could see the true emotions given off his eyes. And right now, they were giving her a kind expression.
"Yes Prin- Twilight?" TD asked, catching himself in the middle of his sentence.
Twilight gave a small smile. "I...never did get to thank you for saving my life."
"Oh! Well, you're welcome," the stallion replied happily.
"But, I'm a bit confused as to why," Twilight continued, "I mean, that was a noble deed and all, but you seemed to act out of...something more."
"Oh?" TD gave her a questioning look. "Like what?"
"Like I meant something to you. Like I was...special." Twilight blushed a bit when she said this. Only one had ever treated her like that before, and he had broken her heart. But TD was different somehow. His seemed more...genuine.
TD smiled and said, "I guess you could say that. I'm not sure how much you were told about me-"
"Applejack told me what she learned" Twilight explained, "and Celestia filled me in on some additional details."
"Did she now?" TD chuckled. "I swear, I will never fully understand that mare."
TD smiled again at her and said softly, "Wow. Even in the past, you're just as beautiful as ever."
TD turned back to the wall behind him and started to work on his spell again
"Wait," Twilight said in a soft voice. TD stopped again and turned back to her. Twilight had so many questions running through her head that she wanted to ask. She decided to settle on the one.
"Why?" Twilight asked, "Why did you save me? You're a complete stranger, yet you saved my life. Why did you do it?"
TD smiled and walked over to her. Twilight was confused, but didn't try to move away. Somehow she felt that she could trust him and that he wouldn't harm her. TD got up close to her and lifted her head to look him fully in the eye. A slight wave of fear came over her with the feeling of his hoof on her face, but the trusting sensation was stronger in the end.
"Oh, Twily," he said softly, "If you only knew how much you mean to me in the future."
Twilight was shocked at his response, but was even more so when he planted a quick yet loving kiss on her cheek. She looked at him again, her cheeks flushing brightly and saw an expression in his eyes she didn't expect; one of love. TD gave her another smile.
"Goodbye, my North Star. I'll see you in the future. Kick my flank for me when you see me again. Oh, and here's a little secret on how to stop me on my one of my attempts to take your world."
TD's horn glowed and touched her own. Twilight's eyes became white for a moment, and she saw an image appear in her mind.
She and the girls were watching a shadowy figure in the distance standing over Celestia, ready to strike her down and kill her. In desperation to save her mentor, Twilight teleported in the blast radius, taking the full blow of his attack. As the vision ended, she could hear his voice crying out her name in utter remorse.
The image ended and Twilight looked up at TD. He was already leaving through a portal in the side of the wall. On the other side, she could see Ponyville, but there was something on the other side she didn't recognize; a large tree-like structure made of crystal. TD cast one last look back at her, and waved goodbye. He then jumped through the portal and it closed behind him. Twilight sat there for a moment longer, a hundred questions going through her head. She was still staring at the wall when Applejack came around the corner.
"Twi? Are you okay, sugarcube?" she asked.
Twilight hesitated for a moment, then put on a smile as she turned to her friend.
"Yeah. Just thinking."
Applejack gave her a knowing glance.
"It's TD, ain't it? He's gone now?"
Twilight nodded. "He said that I was special to him. What do you think he meant?"
Applejack smiled. From what Twilight had been told, TD had appeared before her and explained that in short, he had come from the future. But nothing else had been revealed.
"Ah'm not sure sugarcube," Applejack replied, "but Ah am sure that we'll see him again someday. Maybe then, you will find out for yourself."
Twilight smiled at her friend and put a hoof around her.
"Come on, let's go see if there's still any cake left."
Together, the two walked back to the party, unaware that the same being's actions had saved their futures with him as their friend.
And more than that for one of them...
Pinkie watched the two leaving the alley as he questions started bothering her again.
Who was TD? How did he know them? Was he really from the future? But out of all the questions in her head, one stood out from the rest; a recent question that filled her with fear.
"What will the others do when they find out that I'm a Changeling too?"
Well, this was short, but I still liked making this nonetheless. In case you're wondering, I did the past event regarding TD on purpose, because his actions changed events a bit. Also, I only just recently realized that I've placed the events of the MLP movie too early on. Oops! On the bright side, they call this an AU (alternate universe) for a reason.
Hope you enjoyed! Cya later!