My Little Pony: Eternal Return
By: Hordak's Pupil inspired from an idea from Retro Mania
Chapter I: Holiday Frenzy
Twilight Sparkle (Present)
"Do we have enough snacks for every creature," I ask Starlight looking at the list for the hundredth time. "We only have two days to get everything." My heart begins to race as I think of getting the school ready for the big Hearth's Warming party. It has to go perfect no better than perfect and we...
"Slow down Twi," Starlight places her hoof on my shoulder. She reminds me that my friends are taking care of everything. "Rainbow Dash and Rarity are working on the decorations. Applejack and Fluttershy are working on snacks." I ask about Pinkie Pie, normally she handles the party stuff. "Pinkie's come down with something. Dr. Stable says the horse flu is spreading like wildfire."
"Of all the times for Pinkie to be sick...," Starlight assures me that everything will be fine. I give out a yawn. Starlight asks me if I have been sleeping? "Sleep?! how can I sleep when there is so much to do?" She tells me that I need to rest and suggests that I get something to eat and drink. "But..but...but..." She takes the list from me and says she's got everything under control.
"Why not get some hot coco, that will calm you down," she pushes me toward a nearby shop. I sigh and give in.
"Hello Princess, what I can I do for you?" a voice comes from nowhere. A tall gray unicorn with a tornado cutie mark appears in front of me. I ask him for a mug of coco as I take out some bits. "Oh no princess this is on me. If you don't mind me asking you seem a little depressed?" he asks floating the mug on the table.
"I don't know. Hearth's Warming used to be so fun. Now it's...," I take a sip of the coco. My mind begins to feel strange. I thought I heard the shop owner ask what I wanted. "I just wish I could go back to when...," my eyes start to get heavy and before I could say anything else darkness washes over me. The last I thing I remember is somepony telling to enjoy the coco.
Rainbow Dash (Present)
"This is a school party not some fancy ball," I tell Rarity impatiently as she slowly hangs up the garland. She makes sure it's just right. "We could do this a lot faster with Pinkie's party cannon," she gasps and says the holiday is about beauty and that beauty reflects the glory of friendship. "Fine," I place the garland in my mouth and fly up to the top to hang it.
"This party is going to be fabulous," Rarity says as I roll my eyes. "I think this will be my finest work yet," Spike watches her from the corner love-struck. He says nothing can compete with her beauty. "You do say the nicest things Spikey-Wikey," she pats him on the head as Silverstream and Ocellus walk into the room.
"This is so awesome! My first Hearth's Warming party...oh my gosh is that holly," she flies up and examines it. "It's pretty and those berries look so sweet." Ocellus stops her saying that holly berries are poisonous. I tell her the holly is fake but still it wouldn't be a good idea to eat them. Besides there will be tons to eat at the party.
"I can't wait to taste everything," Ocellus says licking her lips. "Are we going to have Hearth's Warming Pudding? I heard it's sublime," I tell her that might be too complicated to make for a school party but there will plenty of other yummy things. "In the Crystal Empire they make a special sparkling punch. It's so tasty and the bubbles dance on your tongue." I licked my lips thinking about taking a sip.
"Is there something you wanted darlings?" Rarity asks as she walks up to them. They ask if they can bring friends to the party. Silverstream wants to bring to Terramar and Ocellus her best friend from the hive. "You'll need to get Twilight's permission. She should be coming back from the store shortly."
Twilight Sparkle (?)
A dull throbbing forced my eyes open, "what...happened?" I can't believe my eyes. I am back in my old room. "How did...," there is a knock at the door. "I'm coming," I get up and open it only to be pounced on by Shining Armor. There was something different about him. He's shorter and his cutie mark was missing. This has to be some kind of dream.
"Why aren't you ready Twily. It's time to go," he says tapping his hoof on the floor. I ask him where we're going. "Did you hit your head last night? Dad is going to take us out to find a Hearth's Warming tree," I look at him strangely as I pick up a book on the table. "There's no time for reading," he pushes me out the door and to the bathroom.
"Shining Armor breakfast is ready," mom's voice calls from down the steps as Shining races toward the kitchen.
I stare at my reflection in the mirror, "I look younger how can...," it hits me. "This is no dream," somehow I've traveled back in time but how... "Only three ponies have...," Shining yells at me to hurry up and get downstairs. "I'm coming!"
"Are you feeling all right?" mom says as I come down the steps. "You're normally the punctual one," she hands me a stack of pancakes and fruit. I tell her I'm fine just a little out of sorts. She places her hoof on my forehead. "you don't feel warm, still Moondancer's aunt did say she had Unicorn Fever."
"I'm not sick! I just need to figure something out," I tell her taking a sip of my juice "Let see I was busy getting the school..." she looks at me and says Princess Celestia didn't give us any assignments. "Not that school my school - the friendship school."
"Is that a game you and Smarty Pants play?" I roll my eyes and take a bite of my pancakes.
Starlight Glimmer (present)
"I think you'll find this is one you want," Octavia said handing me a record of Hearth's Warming carols. I ask her if it has the Midnight Carol on it. "It does, one of my favorites to perform." I smile thinking about me and Sunburst racing through the cold night going door to door singing the song for candy canes.
"Thank you," I tell her placing the record in my saddlebag. I look at the clock on the wall. "Twi must be freaking out. Thanks again Octavia," I teleport back to the concourse.
I look around but don't see her, "I could have sworn she was right here," I look around but she's gone. "Okay no need to panic. She couldn't have gone far." I try to think of where she got to. "She needed to relax and probably went to the book store to look around." I teleport to the bookstore
"Good day Starlight, can I interest you in a new edition of Principles of Magic?" the clerk says as I ask him if he saw Twilight. "The princess, not recently." I thank him and race out trying to think where she could have gone to.
Shining Armor (Age 13)
"You have to be the slowest eater in Equestria," I complain as Twilight finishes her last pancake. "All the good trees will be gone." Mom tells me there are plenty of trees In the forest. Besides dad has some errands before we go looking. "Aw come on mom!" I complain as she tells me I will like these errands. "You said that when I was 7 and took me to the bank?"
Twilight laughs as I roll my eyes, "you never learn do you," she says as I look at her strangely I never told her that story before. "Finally you get it now, that I am stuck in...," dad interrupts us and says we have to go. "Yes, we have to go get help and...,"
"All the help in the world can't save you," I say as she sticks her tongue out at me. I ask dad how long are these errands going to take? He says we have to stop in Canterlot for a bit. It won't take long besides you think like this. "If you say so dad."
"Yes! We're going to Canterlot!" Twilight pumps her hoof in the air. "Princess Celestia will know what's going on." Dad reminds her that the princess is on vacation and the school is closed. "But the library is open," she starts giving dad the sad puppy look.
"You sure you feel okay," mom asks her placing a hoof on her forehead again. "You did have that study session with Moondancer the other week. "I think you should stay here," Twilight shakes her head insisting she's fine and just needs to get to the library. "Keep an eye on her, " she hands Twilight a thermos filled with soup.
"Come on we have a lot to do today," Dad says zipping up his coat as we race to get our winter gear.
Sandbar (Present)
"What did the professors say?" I ask Ocellus as she and Silver walk in the common room. She says that they will need to wait until the headmare comes back from shopping. "I am sure she will say yes," I assure her as she smiles. "Did you see the preparations for the party."
"Yes, the room is decked with holly. It's fake but still don't eat it," Silver warns as we all laugh. "There is no pudding but Professor Dash said they're making a special holiday punch all the way from the Crystal Empire. It tickles your tongue."
"How can drink tickle? Punch has no claws?" Yona asks confused. I explain to her that's it's an expression that means it's bubbly. "Yona understand, like Yak Nog, mmm Yona can't for Snilldar!" she jumps up and down so hard the the books fall on the floor.
"Can you celebrate in a way that doesn't wreck the place?" Gallus asks as Yona blushes. "What about the entertainment. If it's headmare Twilight's lecture on libraries I'll pass."
"I think I heard that Rockhoof is coming to tell us stories." Smolder's eyes light up at that. She always likes when he tells his stories. "This party is going to be awesome," I assure everyone as I put on a Santa hat.