Morning Glory's sleep was disturbed. She kept having the same dream. A girl of a light purple shade with light pink hair and a clover as a symbol was clinging to her, whispering,
"Don't let them take my wings again. Please."
Tears spilled down the girl's cheeks as she buried her face into Morning Glory's mane and brushed her wings with Morning Glory's…
Morning Glory sat up, wide-awake. Sweat was beaded on her forehead. Why did that dream always return? Tears filled Morning Glory's own eyes as she remembered the desperation in that filly's voice. She sat up, swiftly brushed through her mane and splashed the sweat from her face.
Walking outside, she saw the rest of her 'family' as that's what they were, flying about, playing in the sky. For once, the flutterpony laid down in some of the flowers and simply watched them.
Rosedust watched her friend worriedly; she was so melancholy lately. It was like someone had sucked the joy from her life. She wasn't the only one who noticed. She knew the others were aware.
Morning Glory felt her queen's eyes on her and stood. She stretched her wings and then leapt into the air. Shifting her wings to utter-flutter for more speed, she rose towards the empty sky, the kingdom of the clouds.
Peach Blossom and Forget-Me-Not followed the girl with their eyes. Nodding at each other, the two friends headed up after the youngest of them. They found her darting through the clouds as fast as she could, letting the wind blow her mane back.
She turned upside down a few times, closed her eyes and opened her front legs to the light of the sun. She hovered a moment or two and they swiftly caught up to her.
"Morning Glory?"
The girl turned around,
"Peach Blossom, Forget-Me-Not, what's wrong?"
"We thought you could tell us what was wrong with you. You seem depressed lately."
"I'm alright, honest."
She tried to turn away but two other Flutterponies blocked her path,
"Iris! Daisy!"
"Rosedust wants to talk to you," the white one with yellow hair answered her. She had a daisy on her side, the flower from where she got her name. Her companion, Iris was of a dark violet shade with lighter purple hair and tail. On her side were two irises, one purple and one indigo shaded.
Morning Glory said simply, "Not now, I can't." she turned but her way was blocked by a flutterpony of an orange shade with black and orange mane and tail.
"Tiger Lily!"
A white pony with red hair met her as she turned again. Morning Glory sighed,
"Carnation,"
Lily and Violet blocked her final depart. She sighed,
"Alright, I give up."
Dream ValleyEver since her vision, Ribbon had gathered the other unicorns together. She didn't know what to do. She knew Gusty would be relieved to know her daughter was alive. That was the first thing that had rushed through Ribbon's mind when she heard her baby's voice was relief. But Ribbon didn't know how she would tell Gusty her daughter had lost one of her eyes.
"They're alive,"
Gusty ran to ribbon and demanded,
"Where are they?"
"The future, five hundred years into the future."
The hope drained from Gusty's eyes. She lowered her head. But Ribbon wasn't done.
"We have to get to them. My daughter said that she saw Bray. And he attacked her."
In a split second they all spoke,
"Is she all right?"
"How did he get there before Tambelon?"
"What about my daughter?"
Ribbon sighed deeply.
"She's alright, thanks to your daughter, Gusty. She said that Baby Gusty saved her but…"
"But?"
"But in the process, she lost her left eye."
Gusty froze, as did all the others. Then after a moment's silence, Gusty let out a yell. Her eyes lit up with anger and she hissed,
"How do we get there?"
PonylandIt had been a good month since Baby Ribbon had managed to speak to her mother. She had been trying her power more lately and was surprised that it was much easier now that there was no one to compare it to that would tease her.
Recently her friend was going to the gym more lately. Every day she went, even if her muscles were screaming. She ignored Patch's concerns that she would hurt herself. She replied with the same answer every time,
"I lost to Bray, that won't happen again."
Every day it was a good hour on the weight machines. She spent hour upon hour lifting the small weights she could. As the days went by, she became stronger. Now, in such a short amount of time, her strength had grown astronomically.
Baby Ribbon was not the type to enjoy gyms as her best friend did. Although they were best friends, they did not always enjoy the same things. When Baby Gusty went to the gym with Patch, Baby Ribbon went with Starlight and Sweetheart to the pool, with Melody and Clover to the music store or with Bright Eyes to the library.
Of her time in this future, Baby Ribbon decided the best was the reading. Although she could read a little before she was sent to the future, Bright Eyes helped her read much better. She was up to a sixth grade reading level in such a short amount of time. Bright Eyes said she was a fast learner.
Books opened a new world for her. They had beautiful descriptions. She would often pick up romances and dream of her own family back home who loved her so. Her homesickness had grown worse. She wanted her mother more than she could ever remember needing her.
Baby Gusty was still athletic but very self-conscious about her eye. The scar was long and ran down the straight center. In fact, right after she had gotten out of the hospital she'd asked Starlight's mother if she could give her a hairstyle that could hide it. The adult had agreed, commenting that she was very brave to protect her friend like that.
To that, Baby gusty had replied,
"Ribbons like my sister. Her smile is all I need. To protect that smile, I would give my life."
Starlight's mother had merely beamed at that reply.
Now her friend's mane was shorter, with a part that fell over her left eye. It stayed in place by some miracle.
"Ribbons?"
The girl looked up as Bright Eyes came in with a stack of books.
"I thought these might interest you."
Baby Ribbon beamed, "Thanks Bright Eyes." Then she sighed, "it's a shame you can't meet Wind Whistler, she would simply love you."
The older filly giggled, "Who's to say? Maybe someday I'll be able to."
Baby Ribbon took the book on top, labeled, Mysteries of Time.
As she flipped through the pages, the word ribbons caught her eye. As the type of unicorn she was happened to be psychic but were also able to manipulate ribbons. She read the intro.
"Is time a straight plane? Is it truly unalterable? I think not. The thought of time travel is very real. Time, I believe, is made up of delicate ribbons wrapped around each other. People fear time travel because they fear it may tear one of these delicate strands. But what if time travel does not tear them merely stretches them to whole new limits? This may let us develop our science beyond our imaginations."
Baby Ribbon closed the book. If time was made of ribbons then it was hers to command as she saw fit. But…that was ridiculous, she was just a child. Her powers, even if they had potential for something as strong as that, were latent. They would not be strong enough; they weren't strong enough. But still…
If she could, she could take them back to their own time.
Tears spilled down her face.
"Why do my powers have to be latent?"
"Because you let them."
The girl looked up. Baby Gusty was standing in the doorway. She walked in and smiled at her friend. The white skinned pony looked her friend directly in the eyes. She smiled gently.
"Ribbons, look that's your problem. You can't do it because you don't believe you can."
She took a breath, "Remember what we did a few weeks ago and now you can wink out?"
The young girl nodded. Her best friend had helped her. She'd taught her to stop saying maybe I'll make it and made her start saying I will.
Baby Gusty nodded as she saw her friend recalling that.
"Well it applies to your other powers too, you know."
The girl smiled faintly but before she could reply, a familiar rumble filled her ears. The two girls raced to window. That storm was here again.
"No…" The pale blue girl leaned against her best friend. Baby Gusty glared outside fiercely.
"Tambelon."
She took off for outside. Baby Ribbon was close behind. She didn't want to be alone. She'd been alone when Tambelon arrived the first time. That would haunt her the rest of time. As the two entered Bright Eyes' living room, they found all the other girls there, starting for the stairs.
"Ribbons, Gusta." Starlight sounded stunned, "we-"
"We have to get out of here." Baby Gusty interrupted her.
"Why?" Bon-Bon demanded. Baby Ribbon said gently,
"Look outside."
The seven fillies looked outside and gasped. Baby Gusty said,
"Tambelon. I don't know how Grogar got here years too early but we can't stay here. He'll be attacking soon."
"Where do we go?" Clover demanded. She felt an icy fear grip her heart. "According to the stories you told us and our own legends, he can cover all Tambelon."
Baby Gusty looked at her best friend. "But he can't follow you to another time."
She swiftly told the girls what she and her friend had been discussing. They stared at the pale blue unicorn. Baby Ribbon spoke,
"But Gusta…"
"Ribbons," Baby Gusty looked at her friend. "Your belief's all you need. I know the power's in there. Your belief is all that's keeping it from rising. Just like it kept you from winking in and out."
A loud banging started at the door. The group of girls stood close together. Baby Gusty stood in front of her friend protectively.
Bray burst the door in. the older girls stepped in front of the younger unicorns. Bray eyed Baby Gusty especially.
"Grogar has his ways, hee-haw. But it's you I want, little one." He leveled his spear and fired. The girls ducked and ran. Baby Gusty found herself knocked down. She turned and found Bray's spear at her throat.
"Gusta!"
She heard her best friend run towards her, the other girls not far behind. From the door came a handful of deformed ponies. She knew then that these were old ponies Grogar had captured but had not killed. He must have kept a handful for these reasons. Why did he plan so?
Bray motioned the others to keep the fillies busy. He turned to Baby Gusty,
"Grogar had assistance from the witches,"
"The witches, they're in the past."
"But their descendents are alive. Which is more than I can say of you at the moment."
He began to drive the spear into her neck when Baby Ribbon screamed,
"Ribbons, take us home!"
The seven older ponies and Baby Ribbon and Gusty vanished.
The ribbons of time reacted to their mistress' command and snatched them from that time, throwing them into another.