Chapter 36: Mystery Of Missing Time
Just then, Zipp then made a livestream in the Brighthouse living room as she made her announcement as it broadcast all over Equestria. "Anything strange needs to be reported right away! Remember, we stay safe by staying informed and looking after each other." Zipp reminded them as the ponies smiled at the words.
"That's it for this week Zippline, ponies! See you on the flipside!" Zipp said with a smirk as she ended her announcement as Posey looked at her phone while in thought.
"Strange, huh?" Posey asked with a suspicious look.
"Mmm." Rufus hummed as he was at the Boardtrot after hearing what Zipp just said.
"Well…" Dahlia started while looking at her phone with a hoof to her chin.
Back at the Brighthouse, Zipp has just ended the livestream as she closed her phone, but then it started to ping as she saw a bunch of messages popping up. "Whoa, whoa! What's all this?" Zipp asked as she opened up her messages and tapped on one of them as she saw a video of Posey.
"Hey, Zipp. Not sure if I'm doing this right, but you said to report anything strange, and earlier today, something really weird happened!" Posey said with a suspicious look. "You see, I was alone in the community garden…" She started off as she turned her phone to the garden she was in.
Then Zipp was looking at Rufus' video, who was walking down the Boardtrot. "Had my breakfast, and then I was minding my own business getting the Boardtrot nice and tidy…" He started off.
Then Dahlia was then shown in her flower cart. "...just here at the flower cart, restocking the daisies…" She stated.
"But when I started picking the kiwipayas…" Posey continued.
"...all of a sudden I get these chillllllls, ya know... " Rufus continued with a shudder.
"It was the coldest breeze I'd ever felt…" Dahlia said with a frown and a bit of a chill.
"Like I swallowed a whole ice cream and it was freezing me from the inside…" Posey cried out with a dramatic look as Zipp kept looking at her phone before Pipp came next to her sister as Zipp paused the video.
"Ooooh what's this? It sounds very mysterious." Pipp said with a smirk before Zipp pushed her aside.
"Pipp! Shush!" Zipp said with a frown. "I can't hear what they are saying! This is important!" She stated.
"Oh, sorry." Pipp whispered with a sheepish smile as makes the sign like she zip up her lips and throw away the key.
Zipp then went back to her phone as she pressed play as Rufus spoke up. "And then it was like, BOOM!" Rufus exclaimed as he got closer to the camera. "I opened my eyes…"
"...and thank hoofness, the cold was gone…" Dahlia said in relief.
"...but so were all my kiwipayas!" Posey added, which made Zipp look surprised by that.
"And all this time had passed and it was lunchtime…" Rufus added with a surprise look.
"And I don't remember a thing…" Dahlia added with a frown.
"Anyway, it's probably nothing." Posey said with a shrug. "Just thought I'd tell you. You know, in the spirit of looking out for one another in all!" She added with a smirk as the video ended as Zipp gave a suspicious look from those.
"Oooooo." Pipp said in interest as she flew next to her sister. "Sounds kinda spooky, huh? Missing time? Cold breezes…" She said in excitement as Zipp walked off.
"Yeah, I've got a pretty good idea who's behind this." Zipp said with a smirk as she rubbed her chin. "But I'm gonna need proof!" She said suspiciously.
"Need any help?" Pipp asked with a smile. "You know, I'm a very good wing pony an-" She bragged before Zipp flew off, which made Pipp turn as she saw that her sister was already gone.
Zipp then flew out of the Brighthouse as she flew off. "When my Cutie Mark comes to life, I blast bravely across the sky! Wooohooo!" She cheered as her Cutie Mark glowed and she did a twirl as she took off at high speed into the clouds as Pipp was on the ground as she watched her sister go.
"That's okay, you just go!" Pipp called out to her with a smile. "I can be your wingpony some other time!" She added with a sheepish chuckle before she gave a sad sigh as she walked off as she saw Twilight and Sunset flying by.
"Hey, Pipp, how's tricks?" Sunset quipped with a smirk.
"Oh, you know. Just standing by while Zipp flies off while doing one of her detective things." Pipp said with a brow.
"Again? Wow, she's very determined to solve a mystery, isn't she?" Twilight asked with an amusing smile.
"You have no idea, I wanted to be her wingpony, but she flew off without even hearing me out." Pipp said with a frown.
"Okay, Zipp really needs to slow down and consider that she can't always do things on her own." Sunset said with a sigh.
"That's my sister for ya." Pipp said with a shrug. "Anyway, how was the trip to Cloudsdale?" She asked in interest, since Twilight and Sunset flew off to Cloudsdale to have a little nostalgia, after the whole storm cloud incident, Cloudsdale was brought back into the map and is now public and populated in Equestria as it was now a bit away from Zephyr Heights while also part of a tourist attraction to Equestria.
"It was doing okay." Sunset said with a shrug. "Some of the Pegasi from Zephyr Heights were thrilled to be living in their original homeland."
"We were lucky to move sensitive materials like Rainbow's old home to save and preserve." Twilight said with a cringe, knowing that old stuff in Cloudsdale like Rainbow's are ancient and needs to be preserved. "And knowing Rainbow, she wouldn't want her things to be messed with."
"True enough." Sunset said with a chuckle. "But still, I wonder what Zipp will find out about this time?"
"Eh, we'll just have to wait until she comes back to tell us." Pipp said with a shrug.
With Zipp, she was going to the Boardtrot to talk with Rufus about his experience as he is telling her all about his memory loss and the cold breeze while Zipp nodded and wrote the details down on her phone as she was collecting evidence she needed to solve this.
Then Zipp heads to the flower cart to talk to Dahlia as she shivers and then points to her missing daisies. Zipp nods as she writes that down as well.
Then Zipp was at the community garden where she was now talking to Posey. "So where exactly were you when it happened?" She asked.
"I was right over here, loading the kiwipayas into my basket." Posey said as she led Zipp to where her basket was, but then she felt something wet as she looked down and saw a puddle on the floor. "What is this? Did it rain today?" She asked in confusion as she looked up in the sky as Zipp saw the puddle leading a trail. "Weird. I don't remember that." She said in confusion.
Zipp then look through some bushes and saw something behind them. "Uhhh, that water is not from rain. Look!" She said as she pointed down, showing what's left of ice that is melting.
"Icicles?" Posey asked in surprise and confusion by that. "But how? In this heat?" She questioned as Zipp took a picture of the melting ice with her phone. "That's impossible."
"I knew it." Zipp said with a smile as she finally had proof as she turned to Posey. "Thanks, Posey. You've been super helpful. Gotta go." She said as she then walked off. "There's just one more pony I need to talk to!" She called as she took off.
A bit later, Zipp went to the Boardtrot as she was at the smoothie stand where Comet was stacking some cups after Zipp explained to him about Allura. "Hmmm, what did it feel like to be under Allura's spell? Welp, not good, I can tell ya that." Comet said with a frown from the memory when Allura brainwashed him and his hometown. "Yep if she's not freezing you on the inside then she's busy wiping your memory so you don't know where you are or what your name is…" He gave an awkward laugh as he shuddered at the memory.
"Ugh! Allura!" Zipp groaned as she closed her phone. "I really don't get her. I mean, ponies here are super friendly." She said as she gestured to the ponies at the Boardtrot. "Why not just ask us if you need something?" She questioned.
Comet then gave a nervous laugh. "Nonono. I'm not so sure that Allura's the asking kind of kitty. You know what I mean?" He asked with a nervous smile. "She got more of a, 'see, freeze, steal it' vibe, right?" He added.
"Well, all that's about to change, Comet." Zipp said with a determined look. "She can't get away with this."
"Oh, nonono!" Comet frantically said. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, I would-woop!" He stopped when Zipp already took off. "Okay, there you go. Okay, by." He said with a nervous smile with a wave, knowing that it won't end well for Zipp.
After flying towards the beach, Zipp saw Allura's cave open as she flew in and landed as she looked around the icy cave. "Allura! I know you're in here! We need to talk!" She called out.
Then, an ice mist appeared from one end of the cave as a shadowy snow leopard. "You're a brave one, aren't you?" Allura asked as she came out of the shadows with a sly smirk. "Coming here all alone." She added.
"Ah-ah-ah!" Twitch mumbled while stomping his feet while crossing his arms.
"Yeah. Well, uh…" Zipp muttered as she backed away a bit while Allura walked towards her, a bit nervous since she made a mistake of coming alone. "I know you've been going around stealing things from ponies and then erasing their memories!" She stated as Allura walked past her after moving her tail on Zipp's face in a taunting way.
"Who? Me?" Allura mocked with an innocent smirk. "Awwww, now that doesn't sound like something I'd do, does it Twitch?" She asked with a smirk as Twitch babbled in disagreement while shaking his head.
Zipp then held up her phone. "I have all the proof I need, right here!" She called as Allura turned away with a frown. "But I just don't understand why? Ponies here would totally help you, we take care of eachother, Allura. You know, you could be a part of that too." She suggested while Allura pace around.
Allura gave a scoff as she turned to Zipp with a look. "Is that so? You think ponies in Maretime Bay would just open their hooves to me? That's what you think?" She questioned sarcastically as she leered close to Zipp close to her face. "Your little vlog has made sure that everypony is afraid of me." She stated as she focused her magic and stomped her paw down as she created an ice screen as an icicle version of Zipp appeared.
"Allura is back! / That snow leopard is dangerous! / Everypony stay away from Allura's cave - she just froze Izzy in a snowglobe! / Snow Leopard Watch: no sightings today." The icicle Zipp said as it showed all of Zipp's past vlogs about Allura as the Pegasus watched.
Zipp gave a frown while giving a guilty look as her own words were heard, having never realized that her vlogs had hurt Allura as she never considered how she felt about it. "I'm sorry, Allura. I was just trying to keep ponies safe." She apologized in shame as Allura turned to her. "But, I've never thought about how it could hurt you."
Allura was surprised by Zipp's apology. "Oh well, yes." She said as she turned away a bit before she recompose and turned back to Zipp with a mean look. "I mean, I don't care, but it does make it difficult to get a nice meal, you know." She said as she turned her head away. "Especially when everypony thinks you might...eat them." She added with a growl.
Zipp frowned, knowing what Allura said is true as she then had an idea as she smiled. "I know! Why don't you let me interview you on my vlog?" She suggested as she took out her phone. "Then we can show everypony what you're really like?"
But then, Allura gave a chuckle, which made Zipp frowned. "What I'm really like?" She then gave another laugh before she got in front of Zipp with a glare, which frightened her. "This is what I'm really like!" She growled before she turned away with her natural look as she walked off. "Anyway, why would I do that when we can just solve this like I always do?" She questioned with a smirk.
"Wait, we?" Zipp asked with a confused look. "What do you mean we? You mean me or Twitch?"
Allura gave a chuckle. "Oh, no. Twitch is my sidekick. And since you won't remember this, I guess I could give you a little introduction of my new partner." She said with a smirk as she turned to the other end of the cave. "You can come out and greet our little guest before I wipe her memories!" She called out.
Zipp gave an uncomfortable look as she heard an evil chuckle she never heard before as she felt uneasy as she saw a pair of glowing green eyes in the shadow as it spoke. "Is that so? Then it would be my pleasure, Allura." Sombra's voice said as he stepped out of the shadows, which made Zipp feel intimidated from his appearance as he walked up a bit. "Hello, little pony. Nice of you to drop in." He taunted with a smirk.
Zipp shuddered in fear. "U-Uh, hi?" She muttered as she looked around nervously before turning to Sombra. "Uh, and who y-y-you might be, sir?" She stammered.
"Oh, I know you don't know me in any tell, but I happen to know Princess Twilight Sparkle." Sombra said with a smirk.
"W-Wait, you knew Twilight?" Zipp asked, a bit surprised.
"Ah, yes. We go way back. When she defeated me when she and her friends used their so-called powers to destroy me." Sombra said with a sly smirk.
"W-Wait, you're one of Twilight's ancient enemies?" Zipp asked nervously while looking at him in shock.
"Indeed." Sombra said with a smirk as Allura and Twitch watched with evil smirks as Sombra circled Zipp. "And I see you are her new friends, so called, 'Guardians of Harmony'? A bit much, but seems fitting due to how the Magic of Friendship still flows to this day." He added.
"Okay, you are really creepy for a unicorn." Zipp said with a frightened look. "An unusual Unicorn with a curved red horn and suit of armor?"
"That's because he's no unicorn, pony." Allura said with a smirk. "He's an Umbra. And former king of the Crystal Empire before the Princess of Love took his throne." She revealed, which Zipp eyes' widened in shock as she now recognized who this is.
"Wait, you're no unicorn. You are…" Zipp started with her eyes widened.
"King Sombra. Yes, you are correct." Sombra said with a sinister chuckle as Zipp got even more frightened.
"B-But, how is it possible!? Twilight said that she and her friends destroyed you!" Zipp asked in shock.
Sombra gave a chuckle. "She did, and I remember the two attempts she made to destroy me. When her and her Elements blasted me that shattered my body into ash!" He added with a loud and firm tone as he gave Zipp a look. "And I still feel it to this day."
"B-But, how did you return?" Zipp asked in a nervous tone. "This is impossible."
"Oh, nothing is impossible." Sombra said with a smirk as he turned to Allura and Twitch. "And I must have my partner here for bringing me back."
Zipp was shocked by this. "Allura, you brought Sombra back?!" She asked in shock.
"Yes, I did." Allura said with a smirk. "Impressive, isn't it?"
"H-How did you manage this?" Zipp questioned in shock.
"You remember that time when we went to the Crystal Empire and you ponies stopped me and restored it?" Allura started with a smirk. "Well, I wasn't there to take the Crystal Heart, that was just a distraction, I only went there to find info on the Nova Charm, which didn't turn out well, but I did overheard you ponies saying of King Sombra, who nearly defeated one of your Alicorn friends. And when she told me info on how to resurrect King Sombra back into the living. Which, as you can see, turned out well."
Zipp looked at her in shock before she put two and two together. "Your fight with Sunny. You didn't make her unleash dark magic just by taunting her, you only used her to get the magic you need for the spell to work!" She exclaimed in shock.
"She is very talented, doesn't she?" Sombra said with a smirk as Allura chuckled with pride. "So, I thought I would return the favor by forming an alliance with her to get revenge on the ponies who took our throne." He added with a frown. "And we've been watching you ponies for some time, which impresses me since you reminded me much of Twilight's old friends. Even the time when you use your element to counteract my fear spell."
"W-What?" Zipp muttered before she gasped. "The Nightmare Night at the Boardtrot, the fear mist, that was you all along?!"
"Guilty." Sombra said with a smirk as Zipp backed away in fear while still holding her phone. "At first, I thought you ponies were just ordinary, but it seems the Element of Harmony has been passed down to the new generation. And you ponies are like your predecessors, helping creatures, sharing friendship, looking out for one another, stopping evil beings like myself. And I am impressed with how this Sunny figure was when she had a taste of my dark magic."
"What are you talking about?" Zipp asked in fear.
"Well, one of your friends has talent, and it seems she has darkness in her if what Allura said is true." Sombra said with a smirk. "So, we thought, why not help her learn more about dark magic, to show how stronger it is than the light, stronger than that lousy so-called friendship?"
"Sunny would never do something like that!" Zipp yelled with a slight brave look, knowing that Sunny would never use dark magic after her brief use of it last time that made her a bit aggressive.
"Oh, but she's probably practicing it now as we speak." Allura said with a smirk as Twitch chuckled evilly. "You see, Sombra here has given your pony friend a spell that will teach her to harness dark magic." She added as Zipp looked at her in shock.
"W-What?" Zipp asked.
"She found one of my spellbooks, which I tricked her in using to harness dark magic from your last visit to the Empire." Sombra said with a smirk as he stepped forward. "But what she doesn't know is that even if she just practices them, the dark magic will soon corrupt her if she keeps using it, tainting that pure heart of hers, until she's just like me." He added as his eyes turned green as purple mist escaped from his eyes.
"N-No! I-I'll tell the others! I'll warn Sunny and the others, and we'll stop you both!" Zipp cried out frantically as she held her phone. "I got all the proof I need! I will go back and show-" She was cut off when Allura's paw glowed and she stomped it down, which created an ice spike that sprouted from the ground, piercing Zipp's phone, shocking the pegasus as she looked at the two in shock.
"Oh, you're not telling them anything, if you don't remember." Allura said with a smirk as her eyes glowed and so did her paw.
"And you will not jeopardize our plans." Sombra added as his eyes kept glowing and his horn sparked up in dark magic as he and Allura sent a double magic blast to Zipp while Allura purred as Zipp was hit by the combined magic as her eyes glowed in a mixture of blue and green as everything went black for her.
Zipp opened her eyes before she saw she was at the beach with the ocean in front of her. "Whoa. The beach? How did I get to the beach?" Zipp questioned as she had her memories erased of her conversation with Allura and Sombra. "Strange." She commented as she stood up, hearing a crack sound as she looked down and saw her phone. "And now I broke my phone." She muttered as she picked up her broken phone. "Just great." She groaned as she walked off.
What she didn't know was that Allura and Sombra watched her go from the cave as the two gave a sinister chuckle, knowing that their plans and Sombra's existence remained a secret as their eyes glowed their respective magic color as the two walked back into the cave to continue their plot.
Zipp then flew back to the Crystal Brighthouse as she entered the room as she saw Twilight and Sunset just relaxing before they noticed Zipp coming in. "Oh, hey, Zipp. You're back." Sunset said with a smile.
"How did your detective mission go?" Twilight asked as Zipp looked at them in confusion.
"Detective mission?" Zipp asked with a confused look. "I did some detective work?"
"Of course you did, Pipp told us." Sunset said to her.
"That's strange. I don't remember doing any detective work." Zipp said with a confused look.
Twilight and Sunset looked at Zipp in confusion. "What are you talking about?" Sunset asked in confusion. "You really did after hearing it."
"Well, all I remember is that I woke up in the middle of the beach and I broke my phone." Zipp said as she showed her broken phone. "But beyond that, I can't remember what else."
"How can you-" Twilight started before she realized something. "Wait, did you say you woke up at the beach?"
"Uh, yeah, why?" Zipp asked with a brow as Sunset and Twilight looked at each other with an uneasy look.
"Zipp, let me see that phone." Sunset said as Zipp gave a confused look as she gave her broken phone to Sunset, who inspected it as she saw the hole through it. "Zipp, how can you break your phone when there's a hole in it?" She questioned, which made Zipp surprised by that.
"Wait, hole? I just thought I broke it with my hoof, but it couldn't have made a hole through it." Zipp said with a surprise tone.
"Zipp, you were close to the beach, and who has residence close to the MAretime Beach, you know, a certain snow leopard?" Sunset questioned with a brow, which made Zipp remember.
"Allura!" Zipp exclaimed before she facehoof herself. "Oh, pony feathers, she must've mind wiped me when I came to her! And she must've pierce my phone with her ice magic to destroy any proof!"
"Why did you go to Allura all alone?" Twilight questioned her. "We could've come as backup if she pulls a trick."
Zipp gave a thought while giving a sheepish look. "Actually, with my memory wiped, I can't remember why. But now that I think about it, heheheh, I guess going alone was a bad idea." She said with a sheepish look.
"Of course." Sunset said with a sigh as she turned to Twilight. "Twilight, can you use your memory spell and restore Zipp's memory to find out what she and Allura were talking about?"
"Sure thing." Twilight said with a nod as she walked up to Zipp. "Now, hold still." She instructed as Zipp nodded as Twilight focused her magic as she concentrated into Zipp, which restore part of her memories and her talk with Allura, but when she was gonna go to the part where Sombra make an appearance, a sudden dark magic came in and caused Twilight to groan in pain and was stepped back while falling to her stomach as she held her head.
"Twilight?!" Sunset asked in concern as she rushed up to Twilight in concern while Zipp groaned and rubbed her head from having her memories back. "What happened? What's wrong?"
Twilight groaned a bit. "I don't know. Some kind of magic is blocking the rest of Zipp's memories. I couldn't restore them all." She said as the two looked at Zipp, who rubbed her head.
"And now I remember." Zipp said with a frown. "Apparently, Allura only sneaked around Maretime Bay, wiping ponies' memories to try and get some food while staying out of sight."
"Wait, she just needs food?" Sunset asked with a brow. "Couldn't she just ask them?"
"Yeah, I said the same thing, but uh, because of my vlogs of warning about Allura and how dangerous she is, she kind of not happy about it." Zipp said with a sheepish look.
"Okay, that's understandable." Twilight said as Sunset nodded in agreement. "I guess we really hurt her."
"I said that too." Zipp said with a frown. "But when I suggested that I would make a video of her to get her to tell ponies who she really likes, she rejected it and kinda made a scary face."
"Of course she did." Sunset said with a dull look. "Looks like Allura isn't gonna give friendship a shot anytime soon."
"Nope." Zipp shook her head. "But, after that, nothing? She just mentioned someone else was with her, but I can't remember who. Are you sure you can't restore all my memories, Twilight?"
"No." Twilight shook her head as she stood up. "I tried, but some kind of magic is blocking the rest of your memories of that event. And it's not Allura's."
"You mean there's another magical user working with Allura?" Sunset asked.
"It has to be, but for some reason, that magic seems familiar, but I can't remember what." Twilight said as she scratched her head.
"I say we go back and fi-" Zipp tried to suggest.
"No, Zipp." Twilight said firmly to her. "Whoever this magical being is, clearly knows dark magic. And if he or she is working with Allura, they might wipe our memories again and we'll be back to square one. And you already experienced that first hoof."
"Okay, good point." Zipp said with a sheepish smile.
"So for now, we need to be smart and figure out who's Allura's new partner and find out what their plan is if that memory of you meeting that partner was permanently erased." Sunset said while scratching her head. "And whoever it is, looks like we got a new player in the game, something the others might need to know about." She said with a serious tone.
Twilight and Zipp nodded in agreement, knowing their friends need to know this as well as they might not know that Sombra has returned, but looks like there's a new enemy allied with Allura that will make things more difficult for them.
End of Chapter 36.