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Description

Starlight Glimmer enacts her wrath towards the Mane-6 at foiling her plot by undoing the very event in history which brought them all together. However, when Spike and Twi are dragged through the time portal; Spike manages to appear unchanged, though everything else has changed for the worse. Now its up to Spike to rally together his friends and restore the timeline.

Shadowbolt Rainbow Dash – Lunar Republic Timeline

Rock-Crazed Rarity – Chaopocalypse

Industrial Applejack – Flim-Flam Renaissance

Savage Fluttershy – Changeling Armageddon

Soldier Pinkie Pie – Sombraverse

Wanderer Twilight Sparkle – Plunderseed Fallout

Once Spike recognizes Rainbow Dash through the Shadowbolt armor, he tries and fails to convince her of what is going on, but succeeds in the end by accidentally figuring out that he can use the Map to travel back and forth. Rainbow follows him and accidentally gets sucked in along with him. [other than that, its more or less the same scene from the episode, Nightmare Moon and all]

Once Dash causes her younger self to take a different path, an alternate future opens up and Shadow Rainbow believes Spike once she sees it. She tries to stop Starlight but fails, causing them to travel to an alternate future.

They find Rarity when Rainbow lands on a rock and Rarity tries to kill her for touching ‘Tom’. A fight ensues, which Spike quickly breaks up. He fails to convince Rarity with word of mouth alone until he tells her of her ability to locate precious gemstones, then tells her that Starlight Glimmer ‘have them all’ unless she helps them.

Back in the past, Starlight is quick to crystalize Spike, causing him to fall through the clouds. Rarity –a crazed fiend for gems, leaps after him to claim it. Rainbow has the opportunity to help her younger self win and make a sonic rainboom, but then chooses to save Spike and Rares instead. When the past is altered again, the three travel to a new future.

In an industrialized Sweet Apple Acres, they find Applejack canning applesauce and looking pretty grouchy about it –well actually, she just looks grouchy in general. At first it seems as though nothing can convince her to go along with them and she flatly insults the three repeatedly, Spike begins to consider that maybe they should just look for Pinkie Pie instead. However, Rainbow won’t let a bad-mouthed factory worker tell her off and grabs AJ, hauling her off to the map with Spike and Rarity in tow, assuring a struggling AJ that its for her own good

Back in the past, AJ is stunned as she watches everything unfold as rainbow tries yet again to aid her younger self while Spike tries to reason with Starlight, however Starlight just laughs and Rarity believes its at her over some secret stash of rocks, so she tries to attack Starlight, though being on a cloud and being a unicorn means that this doesn’t work out well. Meanwhile, Dash accidentally causes her younger self to decide not to do the sonic rainboom, resulting in history altering yet again and they all get pulled to a new future.

They wind up in the Changeling Armageddon surrounded by resistance ponies led by Zecora, and Fluttershy pointing a spear at them and growling that ‘all changelings must die’. Zecora tests them to see if they’re changelings and finds out they’re not, deducing the whole timeline scenario like she do’. After bringing the four to the resistance village, another trio of AJ, Rares, and Rainbow rush in, claiming to be survivors of the Armageddon. Applejack immediately calls them out as Changelings once her ‘counterpart’ keels over and some ponies start to rush to help her. Chrysalis reveals herself and the assault on the resistance village begins. Fluttershy wants to stay behind and fight [to the death] but Spike pulls her away, promising that they can get rid of the Changelings of she comes with them.

Back yet again in the past, its rinse, wash, and repeat, this time with Flutters. Applejack –not able to do much being an Earth pony on a cloud, asks why Spike was unchanged by the occurrences, even if he said Twilight went through the rift with him. Spike at first can’t figure it out, but then suddenly realizes that if the rainboom never happened, then Twilight never upped her magic and he was never hatched. He rationalizes that the rifts must not affect him because he was never born in any of them. With this realization in mind, he starts to feel really depressed.

They end up just in the middle of a battlefield where the Canterlot guard are fighting King Sombra’s crystal soldiers. Hail fire from enemy unicorns forces the gang to abandon the map and take cover in a nearby ditch. Unfortunately, said ditch is right below a rocky ledge, which starts to break and form an avalanche. Suddenly Pinkie and Maud Pie appear and destroy a giant rock in midair, sparing the gang being smashed. Pinkie is quick to interrogate them, to which Spike provides his best explanation, which pinkie has a hard time believing. Coincidentally, Princess Celestia is nearby and inspects the situation. She too is unable to believe Spike until he mentions that he was the egg Celestia had had around to test potential new students, and that Twilight was the one who hatched him. This sparks something in Celestia [best guess is that in this timeline ‘Tia never found another star pupil after Shimmer left, and is likely enlightened by the thought that she succeeded with this student where she failed with Shimmer [Princesshood]] and she asks Spike if reuniting the Mane-6 will help; Spike says that he knows that the Tree of Harmony is aware of what’s going on through the map, and likely will be able to restore things with all the Element bearers present. Celestia says that there’s not time to look for this timeline’s Twilight, but that they might find her should the timeline reset again. She tells them she’ll escort them back to the map, instructing Pinkie to join her and then go with them. Pinkie is reluctant, but Maud says that she’ll be fine and that Pinkie has a more important duty to fulfill. With that established, the two sisters and the Princess escort the gang back to the map.

Back in the past, a slightly larger advantage over Starlight has been made, though she still gains the upper hand. Spike tries reasoning with her again, explaining that without the Rainboom, he never exists. He asks why that’s fair; causing someone to cease to exist even though they had nothing to do with her defeat, further asking why all of equestrian should pay the price for the act of only six. Sadly, Starlight refuses to listen to reason, arguing that its not her fault a guilty party is responsible for Spike’s birth, actually saying that its more Twi’s fault for getting Spike mixed up in all this. Just then another time vortex opens and starts to pull everyone back in, but Spike won’t just let Starlight slide; he reminds Rarity that ‘she has a massive stash of gems’ and Rares angrily magics Starlight, dragging her in with them.

They all wind up now in a barren wasteland; a world where the Plunderseed Vines conquered and then killed all, leaving only dust and rock in the end. Starlight demands to know where they are, and Spike bluntly tells her that this is the present and that even a terrain this inhospitable doesn’t faze him anymore, saying he was kind of expecting this. Starlight calls bull, but just then Fluttershy sees somepony approaching them, covered from the sands and winds. Naturally the Remain-5 can’t identify this pony, but Spike quickly realizes its Twilight. Without waiting he eagerly rushes to Twi and hugs her, though she has no idea who she is. Spike sadly admits that she likely wouldn’t know, but nonetheless he knows her and is glad regardless that he’s found her again. Twi is confused, but now Starlight has lost patience. She mocks Spike for having brought all the Mane-6 back together and says whatever he has planned won’t work. Spike demands to know what Glimmer’s deal is and she gives him the same old story; however, Spike says he meant what her real deal is; why she was so determined and apathetic in the first place. Glimmer won’t say, but does repeat her ideology that cutie marks only separate ponies and cause pain. Spike calls bull on that and says that he doesn’t have a cutie mark at all, and yet mostly everyone treats him like a normal pony, even though he’s not even a pony at all. Starlight counters that that’s an easy argument for a dragon to make, that that’s easy for pretty much any other species to say; but ponies are different because they have cutie marks, going further by saying that the marks have made ponies harsher and more judgmental than most species. Spike then says “Yeah? Well I don’t believe you.” Starlight concedes that of course he doesn’t; nopony does. Spike then says “…So why don’t you show us, then? Prove to me, to all of us, that cutie marks are bad; show us what drew you to that conclusion.” Starlight at first does nothing, only staring with hatred at them, but then she concedes, opening a portal to her own past.

She takes them to a small village and shows them her filly self with a young colt, playing jenga with books. She explains that she and the colt, Sunburst were the best of friends and closer than anypony else they knew. After seeing how Sunburst got his cutie mark, Starlight explains that after this Sunburst was sent to Celestia’s school, then walks back to the portal and instructs them to follow her.

They appear at Celestia’s school, a few years later, watching Sunburst from a distance as he’s given a letter, then crumples it up and tosses it aside. Starlight tells them that was her letter and shows them more crumpled letters, all written from Starlight to Sunburst, all unopened. Without a word, Starlight then goes back to the map.

Another few years later, and an older yet still younger Starlight is seen approaching Sunburst, only to be repeatedly shrugged aside by her old friend in favor of his school friends. Young Starlight tries once more at her friend, but he rudely brushes her aside, saying that she’s not important like he is and shows her his cutie mark. Young Starlight says she’s been studying magic at home and has gotten really good at it, but Sunburst blows her off and says that if she were really any good. Her cutie mark would’ve gotten her to the special school just like him. He finishes by haughtily adding that his destiny is greater than hers, and thus he’s greater than her, before walking away, leaving his friend in tears.

Older Glimmer says that Sunburst’s cutie mark changed him; just like everypony’s cutie mark changes them. Twilight tries to offer comfort [her likely knowing what its like to lose loved ones, what with her being a desert wanderer and all] saying how sorry she is that Glimmer got dissed so harshly, but Starlight angrily brushes her off. She still feels bitter towards Twi and her friends for ruining her plans, stopping her from sparing countless others the same pain she felt. Spike says that what she was doing wasn't sparing anypony anything, just making things more unfair. Starlight tells him to shut up and repeats her views that cute marks make ponies bad, even going on to say that the Mane-6 wouldn’t be such hardcases if not for their cutie marks. Before Spike can respond, Rainbow pipes in and says that she is the way she is not because of her cutie mark, but because the ruler ship of Nightmare Moon made her hard and uncaring. Rarity also chimes in and says her cutie mark has nothing to do with her rock obsession, but rather Discord’s rule that drove her insane (she says this with many a nervous twitches) Applejack then joins in and says Glimmer would be a hardcase too if she struggled to keep a business open with the Flim-Flam bros. in charge. Flutterhsy and Pinkie follow suite, also attributing their poorer qualities to their oppressors and personal faults rather than their cutie marks. Spike finally finds the right words and says cutie marks don’t make a pony bad; rather its completely up to them who and what they’re going to be, good or bad, adding that other species can still be massive jerks regardless of lacking cutie marks, like griffons and dragons.

However, even after all this, Starlight still refuses to sway, in tears now, unable to accept that she was wrong and doomed Equestria because she was so stubborn. Meanwhile Spike has seated each of the Mane-6 at the remains of their respective thrones. He tells Glimmer that all that’s needed is her to start the spell so that everything can be set right again. At this point she finally breaks down and confesses she doesn’t want to go back to the original timeline, fearing she’ll never find a place in the world once all goes back to normal. “You’ll never know unless you try,” says Spike, holding out a claw. Though the others look skeptical, Spike says that at least twilight will be able to help Starlight. “I never quite got to know who you were before; but I know my friends can help you be something better.” Starlight eventually concedes and activates the spell. The Map shines brilliant colors and they all go through the rift together.

With the old timeline restored, we find the Mane-6 and Starlight on a train, Starlight naturally looking uncertain as to her future. She asks where the train is going, but Twilight only says “You’ll see.” And leaves it at that. Meanwhile the Remain-5 are congratulating Spike for all his effort, Rainbow saying how awesome he was the entire adventure. Rarity rewards him with multiple hero smooches, Flutters can’t stop hugging him, Pinkie is planning a ridiculously large hero party, and AJ is going about her a round of country-congrats’. The train finally stops and Glimmer’s heart drops when she sees that they’ve taken her back to her village. The ponies there at first are hostile towards her, but Twi assures them that she’s learned her lesson and now needs someponies to show her the way. Though hesitant, the 4 townsponies agree and embrace Starlight, forgiving her and welcoming her back into Their Town [:J]

The story ends with Pinkie throwing that hero party in the town and their own cutie marks lighting up. Rainbow Dash asks if this means their needed, but Twilight says "Actually; I think it means the mission is over." And they end with a group photo of the town, and a job well done.

...

Ok, so the last act is a bit wordy, but I feel it still fits in very nicely with the overall theme of season 5 and cutie marks in general. I wasn't quite satisfied with the conclusion and I soon thought this piece up. yeah, the temporal science [which isn't even an exact science] with Spike is a little hokey, but i like what this does for his character. The title card is made entirely of screencaps; no original artwork stolen or butchered. If there was anyone who didn't really like the season 5 finale, then you can direct them here.

UPDATE!
For those of you who felt that the original episode was just fine aside from the last two minutes, I did another rewrite that you can read here

Description

Starlight Glimmer enacts her wrath towards the Mane-6 at foiling her plot by undoing the very event in history which brought them all together. However, when Spike and Twi are dragged through the time portal; Spike manages to appear unchanged, though everything else has changed for the worse. Now its up to Spike to rally together his friends and restore the timeline.

Shadowbolt Rainbow Dash – Lunar Republic Timeline

Rock-Crazed Rarity – Chaopocalypse

Industrial Applejack – Flim-Flam Renaissance

Savage Fluttershy – Changeling Armageddon

Soldier Pinkie Pie – Sombraverse

Wanderer Twilight Sparkle – Plunderseed Fallout

Once Spike recognizes Rainbow Dash through the Shadowbolt armor, he tries and fails to convince her of what is going on, but succeeds in the end by accidentally figuring out that he can use the Map to travel back and forth. Rainbow follows him and accidentally gets sucked in along with him. [other than that, its more or less the same scene from the episode, Nightmare Moon and all]

Once Dash causes her younger self to take a different path, an alternate future opens up and Shadow Rainbow believes Spike once she sees it. She tries to stop Starlight but fails, causing them to travel to an alternate future.

They find Rarity when Rainbow lands on a rock and Rarity tries to kill her for touching ‘Tom’. A fight ensues, which Spike quickly breaks up. He fails to convince Rarity with word of mouth alone until he tells her of her ability to locate precious gemstones, then tells her that Starlight Glimmer ‘have them all’ unless she helps them.

Back in the past, Starlight is quick to crystalize Spike, causing him to fall through the clouds. Rarity –a crazed fiend for gems, leaps after him to claim it. Rainbow has the opportunity to help her younger self win and make a sonic rainboom, but then chooses to save Spike and Rares instead. When the past is altered again, the three travel to a new future.

In an industrialized Sweet Apple Acres, they find Applejack canning applesauce and looking pretty grouchy about it –well actually, she just looks grouchy in general. At first it seems as though nothing can convince her to go along with them and she flatly insults the three repeatedly, Spike begins to consider that maybe they should just look for Pinkie Pie instead. However, Rainbow won’t let a bad-mouthed factory worker tell her off and grabs AJ, hauling her off to the map with Spike and Rarity in tow, assuring a struggling AJ that its for her own good

Back in the past, AJ is stunned as she watches everything unfold as rainbow tries yet again to aid her younger self while Spike tries to reason with Starlight, however Starlight just laughs and Rarity believes its at her over some secret stash of rocks, so she tries to attack Starlight, though being on a cloud and being a unicorn means that this doesn’t work out well. Meanwhile, Dash accidentally causes her younger self to decide not to do the sonic rainboom, resulting in history altering yet again and they all get pulled to a new future.

They wind up in the Changeling Armageddon surrounded by resistance ponies led by Zecora, and Fluttershy pointing a spear at them and growling that ‘all changelings must die’. Zecora tests them to see if they’re changelings and finds out they’re not, deducing the whole timeline scenario like she do’. After bringing the four to the resistance village, another trio of AJ, Rares, and Rainbow rush in, claiming to be survivors of the Armageddon. Applejack immediately calls them out as Changelings once her ‘counterpart’ keels over and some ponies start to rush to help her. Chrysalis reveals herself and the assault on the resistance village begins. Fluttershy wants to stay behind and fight [to the death] but Spike pulls her away, promising that they can get rid of the Changelings of she comes with them.

Back yet again in the past, its rinse, wash, and repeat, this time with Flutters. Applejack –not able to do much being an Earth pony on a cloud, asks why Spike was unchanged by the occurrences, even if he said Twilight went through the rift with him. Spike at first can’t figure it out, but then suddenly realizes that if the rainboom never happened, then Twilight never upped her magic and he was never hatched. He rationalizes that the rifts must not affect him because he was never born in any of them. With this realization in mind, he starts to feel really depressed.

They end up just in the middle of a battlefield where the Canterlot guard are fighting King Sombra’s crystal soldiers. Hail fire from enemy unicorns forces the gang to abandon the map and take cover in a nearby ditch. Unfortunately, said ditch is right below a rocky ledge, which starts to break and form an avalanche. Suddenly Pinkie and Maud Pie appear and destroy a giant rock in midair, sparing the gang being smashed. Pinkie is quick to interrogate them, to which Spike provides his best explanation, which pinkie has a hard time believing. Coincidentally, Princess Celestia is nearby and inspects the situation. She too is unable to believe Spike until he mentions that he was the egg Celestia had had around to test potential new students, and that Twilight was the one who hatched him. This sparks something in Celestia [best guess is that in this timeline ‘Tia never found another star pupil after Shimmer left, and is likely enlightened by the thought that she succeeded with this student where she failed with Shimmer [Princesshood]] and she asks Spike if reuniting the Mane-6 will help; Spike says that he knows that the Tree of Harmony is aware of what’s going on through the map, and likely will be able to restore things with all the Element bearers present. Celestia says that there’s not time to look for this timeline’s Twilight, but that they might find her should the timeline reset again. She tells them she’ll escort them back to the map, instructing Pinkie to join her and then go with them. Pinkie is reluctant, but Maud says that she’ll be fine and that Pinkie has a more important duty to fulfill. With that established, the two sisters and the Princess escort the gang back to the map.

Back in the past, a slightly larger advantage over Starlight has been made, though she still gains the upper hand. Spike tries reasoning with her again, explaining that without the Rainboom, he never exists. He asks why that’s fair; causing someone to cease to exist even though they had nothing to do with her defeat, further asking why all of equestrian should pay the price for the act of only six. Sadly, Starlight refuses to listen to reason, arguing that its not her fault a guilty party is responsible for Spike’s birth, actually saying that its more Twi’s fault for getting Spike mixed up in all this. Just then another time vortex opens and starts to pull everyone back in, but Spike won’t just let Starlight slide; he reminds Rarity that ‘she has a massive stash of gems’ and Rares angrily magics Starlight, dragging her in with them.

They all wind up now in a barren wasteland; a world where the Plunderseed Vines conquered and then killed all, leaving only dust and rock in the end. Starlight demands to know where they are, and Spike bluntly tells her that this is the present and that even a terrain this inhospitable doesn’t faze him anymore, saying he was kind of expecting this. Starlight calls bull, but just then Fluttershy sees somepony approaching them, covered from the sands and winds. Naturally the Remain-5 can’t identify this pony, but Spike quickly realizes its Twilight. Without waiting he eagerly rushes to Twi and hugs her, though she has no idea who she is. Spike sadly admits that she likely wouldn’t know, but nonetheless he knows her and is glad regardless that he’s found her again. Twi is confused, but now Starlight has lost patience. She mocks Spike for having brought all the Mane-6 back together and says whatever he has planned won’t work. Spike demands to know what Glimmer’s deal is and she gives him the same old story; however, Spike says he meant what her real deal is; why she was so determined and apathetic in the first place. Glimmer won’t say, but does repeat her ideology that cutie marks only separate ponies and cause pain. Spike calls bull on that and says that he doesn’t have a cutie mark at all, and yet mostly everyone treats him like a normal pony, even though he’s not even a pony at all. Starlight counters that that’s an easy argument for a dragon to make, that that’s easy for pretty much any other species to say; but ponies are different because they have cutie marks, going further by saying that the marks have made ponies harsher and more judgmental than most species. Spike then says “Yeah? Well I don’t believe you.” Starlight concedes that of course he doesn’t; nopony does. Spike then says “…So why don’t you show us, then? Prove to me, to all of us, that cutie marks are bad; show us what drew you to that conclusion.” Starlight at first does nothing, only staring with hatred at them, but then she concedes, opening a portal to her own past.

She takes them to a small village and shows them her filly self with a young colt, playing jenga with books. She explains that she and the colt, Sunburst were the best of friends and closer than anypony else they knew. After seeing how Sunburst got his cutie mark, Starlight explains that after this Sunburst was sent to Celestia’s school, then walks back to the portal and instructs them to follow her.

They appear at Celestia’s school, a few years later, watching Sunburst from a distance as he’s given a letter, then crumples it up and tosses it aside. Starlight tells them that was her letter and shows them more crumpled letters, all written from Starlight to Sunburst, all unopened. Without a word, Starlight then goes back to the map.

Another few years later, and an older yet still younger Starlight is seen approaching Sunburst, only to be repeatedly shrugged aside by her old friend in favor of his school friends. Young Starlight tries once more at her friend, but he rudely brushes her aside, saying that she’s not important like he is and shows her his cutie mark. Young Starlight says she’s been studying magic at home and has gotten really good at it, but Sunburst blows her off and says that if she were really any good. Her cutie mark would’ve gotten her to the special school just like him. He finishes by haughtily adding that his destiny is greater than hers, and thus he’s greater than her, before walking away, leaving his friend in tears.

Older Glimmer says that Sunburst’s cutie mark changed him; just like everypony’s cutie mark changes them. Twilight tries to offer comfort [her likely knowing what its like to lose loved ones, what with her being a desert wanderer and all] saying how sorry she is that Glimmer got dissed so harshly, but Starlight angrily brushes her off. She still feels bitter towards Twi and her friends for ruining her plans, stopping her from sparing countless others the same pain she felt. Spike says that what she was doing wasn't sparing anypony anything, just making things more unfair. Starlight tells him to shut up and repeats her views that cute marks make ponies bad, even going on to say that the Mane-6 wouldn’t be such hardcases if not for their cutie marks. Before Spike can respond, Rainbow pipes in and says that she is the way she is not because of her cutie mark, but because the ruler ship of Nightmare Moon made her hard and uncaring. Rarity also chimes in and says her cutie mark has nothing to do with her rock obsession, but rather Discord’s rule that drove her insane (she says this with many a nervous twitches) Applejack then joins in and says Glimmer would be a hardcase too if she struggled to keep a business open with the Flim-Flam bros. in charge. Flutterhsy and Pinkie follow suite, also attributing their poorer qualities to their oppressors and personal faults rather than their cutie marks. Spike finally finds the right words and says cutie marks don’t make a pony bad; rather its completely up to them who and what they’re going to be, good or bad, adding that other species can still be massive jerks regardless of lacking cutie marks, like griffons and dragons.

However, even after all this, Starlight still refuses to sway, in tears now, unable to accept that she was wrong and doomed Equestria because she was so stubborn. Meanwhile Spike has seated each of the Mane-6 at the remains of their respective thrones. He tells Glimmer that all that’s needed is her to start the spell so that everything can be set right again. At this point she finally breaks down and confesses she doesn’t want to go back to the original timeline, fearing she’ll never find a place in the world once all goes back to normal. “You’ll never know unless you try,” says Spike, holding out a claw. Though the others look skeptical, Spike says that at least twilight will be able to help Starlight. “I never quite got to know who you were before; but I know my friends can help you be something better.” Starlight eventually concedes and activates the spell. The Map shines brilliant colors and they all go through the rift together.

With the old timeline restored, we find the Mane-6 and Starlight on a train, Starlight naturally looking uncertain as to her future. She asks where the train is going, but Twilight only says “You’ll see.” And leaves it at that. Meanwhile the Remain-5 are congratulating Spike for all his effort, Rainbow saying how awesome he was the entire adventure. Rarity rewards him with multiple hero smooches, Flutters can’t stop hugging him, Pinkie is planning a ridiculously large hero party, and AJ is going about her a round of country-congrats’. The train finally stops and Glimmer’s heart drops when she sees that they’ve taken her back to her village. The ponies there at first are hostile towards her, but Twi assures them that she’s learned her lesson and now needs someponies to show her the way. Though hesitant, the 4 townsponies agree and embrace Starlight, forgiving her and welcoming her back into Their Town [:J]

The story ends with Pinkie throwing that hero party in the town and their own cutie marks lighting up. Rainbow Dash asks if this means their needed, but Twilight says "Actually; I think it means the mission is over." And they end with a group photo of the town, and a job well done.

...

Ok, so the last act is a bit wordy, but I feel it still fits in very nicely with the overall theme of season 5 and cutie marks in general. I wasn't quite satisfied with the conclusion and I soon thought this piece up. yeah, the temporal science [which isn't even an exact science] with Spike is a little hokey, but i like what this does for his character. The title card is made entirely of screencaps; no original artwork stolen or butchered. If there was anyone who didn't really like the season 5 finale, then you can direct them here.

UPDATE!
For those of you who felt that the original episode was just fine aside from the last two minutes, I did another rewrite that you can read here