Loud noises and manic laughs were heard from the basement under the library while Dusk Shine completed his greatest creation.

“It´s done, it´s done!! MUAHAHAHAHA!! I finished…a sandwich!”

Dusk Shine took a bite of his lunch and went back to his work table.

“Lunch, check! Now, let´s get back to work! Once I finish my latest machine all the mares in this town will be fighting over me! The experiments I made to Spines were successful, now I can change the color of ponies coat at will! Just imagine the possibilities! Unicorns, pegasi, earth ponies, maybe even zebras! If I can talk Elusive out of selling this at his store, there will be a line of hundreds of mares, eager to get a complete re-coloring and all of them will want to thank the genius responsible for this revolution in the fashion industry! Muahahaha!!”

Too entranced on his fantasy of being surrounded by grateful females, Dusk Shine failed to notice the magical whirlwind forming behind him.

“Well, fancy that…”

“Woah, who the hay are you?”

The grey haired unicorn took a look around the basement, ignoring the confused Dusk Shine. “Well, if it isn’t my old laboratory? This certainly brings back memories!”

“Your old laboratory? Wait a minute…” Dusk Shine looked at the pale purple unicorn. “You are…me, right?”

“I suppose I am.”

“Oh no, not this again.” Dusk Shine facehoofed.

“Oh yes, my very first experience with time-travel was a wasted effort. But I´m afraid, younger me; that this time my displacement wasn´t intentional.”

“Meaning…”

“Probably a tearing on the space-time continuum. Or that burrito Spines cooked for me last night. Either way, my presence here must obey to some life-changing decision you are currently facing…aha!” the older Dusk Shine grabbed the unfinished experiment. “Ah yes, I have forgotten about this little thing. This was my key to a life of success and recognition.”

“You mean it worked? I mean, it will work? Work for me, it worked for you. Ugh, tenses confused me.”

“Yes, after seeing this little gizmo on action the Headmaster form the Canterlot University named me Head of the Mechanics department and since then my life has done nothing but improve.”

“Head of Department? I work at the University?”

“Yes, and it is a wonderful life. Dedicated to study and learning.”

“Ugh but what about the mares?”

“Oh who needs mares when you have a photonics displacer? By the way, you need to invent that…” a sudden crack was heard and a bright light engulfed the older Dusk Shine. “Ups, gotta go!”

“Wait! I still have so much questions about the future!” but older Dusk Shine was already gone. “Will I ever get married?”

Still confused but somewhat relived, Dusk Shine went upstairs and noticed the big pile of letters at the door.

“What´s this? An invitation to another of Berry´s parties. Well, I suppose I could go. Now that I know that my experiment will work and lead me to a lifetime of success there´s nothing to worry about!”

It seemed like destiny was listening because another crack of bright lights appeared, dropping another pony in the living room.

“Ouch! Now where in tarnation am I?”

Dusk Shine took a good look at the poncho covered Dusk Shine. “What happened to you?”

“What happened tah me? Ah tell yah what happened! Ah just got tramped worse than a scorpion during a buffalo stampede!”

“What? I don´t understand just half and hour ago you were a professor at Canterlot University and now…”

“Professor? Ha, ah wish! The closes ah have been to that was moving Applebuck´s luggage when he left ta farm!”

“You live in the farm?”

“Ah live in the barn! Damn Applejack gave the room to tah dog instead of me!” and poncho Dusk Shine spitted a bit of tobacco.

“…what? I don´t…when did my life turn into…this?!”

“Well, ah reckon it all started at Berry´s. Ah went to one of his parties instead of checking on one of mah works. Next thing ah know this whole place was in flames!”

Dusk Shine was too confused to say anything.

“Ah lost everything. Mah house, mah reputation; the fire spread to all town and since it was magical the pegasi couldn´t put it down. The Prince himself hatta come and fix everything and of course, he punish me! Goodbye studies, goodbye element of harmony! Ah ended up working for the Apples, cleaning the pig´s gutters! Now listen tah me, partner! Don’t go to tah party! Focus on your studies and finish that damn contraption!” and with that, this Dusk Shine disappeared as well.

“Oh sweet Solaris, I have to get back to work!”

Dusk Shine rushed back downstairs and began working on his experiment again. He quickly fell asleep and was awaken by a sudden punch to his head.

“Ouh!”

“What do you think you´re doing, punk?”

Dusk Shine was still confused and sleepy but the Dusk Shien in front of him definetly looked diferrent. He had an eyepatch, wore a helmet and armor and haven´t shave in days.

“Wh-“ before he could finish a hoof was pressing his troath.

“Listen well, you blockhead! You better not be working on that damn color changing gizmo!”

Dusk Shine managed to nodded, despite the lack of oxygen.

“You idiot! You have any idea the problems these things will bring?”

Since Dusk Shine was unable to make any sound, the mean Dusk Shine let him go.

“It´s…gah! Just a fashion accessory!”

“Sure, that´s how it started! But then Elusive started making suggestion. Why simply change the color of coats, my friend?” his imitation of Elusive was pretty bad. “Let´s change manes, eyes, Cutie Marks! Eventually you ended up creating a device that allows you to change the species of the pony!”

“I did? I mean, I will? Wait, you wi-“

“Stop that! Listen, what did you think all those mares first thought when you said you can turn them into whatever they want?” Dusk Shine didn´t answer. “They changed into alicorns! They wall wanted to be special and pretty and have pretty wings and pretty horns so we ended up with over a hundred useless princess! There aren’t that many stars in the sky! They eventually run out of titles!” mean Dusk Shine let Dusk Shine on the ground. “Listen, nimrod; you better destroy all these things before Prince Solaris exiles you into the Everfree Forest! You think it´s nice living in there? Well, guess again! I have to sleep in a cave with an Ursa Minor!”

“Couldn´t you just live in Zicor´s hut?”

“You kidding? The guy snores. Just get rid of that thing!” and he punched Dusk Shine before leaving. “Oh and more thing.

Don´t eat Berry´s banana muffins. They will get you sick.”

Terrified, Dusk Shine went back upstairs. While he was thinking how to get out of this problem, another magical portal appeared, bringing back a familiar face.

“You again? You look even worse than before!”

“Well, thank ya kindly partner!” the poncho Duks Shine burped. “And ah have to thank ya all tah you! Dumping the prototypes into the lake was a great idea, except for the pollution ya caused! They sent straight tah Appleeeeloosa”

“Dear Solaris…”

“Ah, it ain´t that bad. Ah married a buffalo.”

After poncho Dusk Shine left, Dusk Shine entered a psychotic break. “Okay okay. I can’t finish my experiment, I can’t get rid of it neither. So I just won’t do anything. I´ll stay here in the living room, doing nothing, I´ll just sit here, hehehe!”

Mean Dusk Shine suddenly pop in “What did I tell you about the muffins?”

“Gah, I can´t stand this! I´ll just go back to bed and put an end to this nightmare!”

Sitting on the bed, a manticore was chewing explorer Dusk Shine. “Great idea, smarty pants.”

“Okay, I´ll just stay under this shelf! This shelf is safe, I won´t make any life-changing decision standing under a harmless bookshelf!”

His answer came in the form of yet another Dusk Shine. “Well, you could decide that wasting your life categorizing all this books was a bad idea and embrace the pursuit of happiness instead, right honey?”

Rainbow Blitz put awing over his lover shoulder. “You bet ya, honey!”

Another portal opened at Dusk´s right. “Or maybe you will discover that instead of running around in a wild goose chase, you could find happiness right under you won roof, isn’t that right my lovely wife Spines?” this Dusk Shine rubbed noises with Spines almost making Dusk Shine puke.

“I have to get out of here!”

“I rather if you didn’t!” said the Dusk Shine with an anvil over his head.

“This is insane! Things can´t possibly get any worse!”

“Think again, hot stuff!” Twilight Sparkle said.

“Please, make it stop!”

“No, is not that much to ask.” another Dusk Shine said.

“Please, why is this happening? I only wanted to get mares to like me. Was that too much to ask? Oh, stop doing that!”

“Stop doing that!” another Dusk Shine said,

“Why you keep repeating everything I said?”

“He´s five seconds behind. I´m twelve seconds ahead of you!” another Dusk Shine said.

“You what? Would you stop repeating everything I said?”

“You what? Would you stop repeating everything I said?” another Dusk Shine said.

“Oh, my ears!” another Dusk Shine said,

“Could you please stop doing that? And tell the other one to stop answering question before I ask them!”

“I´m sorry, what? Oh my ears!” another Dusk Shine said.

“I´M NOT FROM ANY PARTICULAR TIME-FRAME. I´M THE DUSK SHINE THAT SPEAKS ALL THE TIME IN THE ROYAL CANTERLOT VOICE. FROM WHERE I CAME FROM EVERYPONY SPEAKS LIKE THIS!”

“Oh my ears! Please, I can’t stand this anymore, just tell if I should finish my experiment or not!”

The library was filled with dozens of Dusk Shines, half saying “Finish it!” and the other half saying “Don´t finish it!”

In tears, Dusk Shine ran back to the basement to hide.

“Woah, I´m here. And you are me!”

Dusk Shine looked up at this other Dusk Shine. “Who are you?”

“I´m you from a few months ago. I just got permission from Prince Solaris to live right here, in Ponyville. But I don’t know if I made the right decisions. Maybe it was a mistake, maybe the guys don´t like me that much. Tell me something, did I make the right decision coming here? What is going to be my life in Ponyville?”

“…you are going to have amazing friends.”

The other Dusk Shine smiled. “Maybe that´s all that I need to know.” And then he disappeared.

Dusk Shine grabbed he experiment and went back upstairs. “Okay, all the Dusk Shines gather right here! Listen, I don´t care what you think or if I´m making the wrong decision or what, I´m going to talk and you will all listen, okay? I just realized something about life and friendship, they´re both really complicated but that doesn’t mean you have to give up on any of them! I can´t base my entire life on one simple decision, I have to learn to cope with both the bad and the good that might come later so I will stop making wild plans about the future and instead focus on the here and now; and right now the best decision I can take is get rid of this thing once and for all!” and Dusk Shine levitated his experiment on the air, ready to smash it.

“NOOOO!” all the other Dusk Shines yelled but it was too late. Dusk Shine destroyed his experiment and with that thing gone, all the possible consequences, both bad and good disappeared, taking the Dusk Shines with them.

****

“Woah, that´s quite a story Dusk Shine!” Bubble Berry said.

“Indeed, Berry! And I´m glad I stopped listening to the future me, these banana muffins are delicious!”

“Glad you like it! Hey, I have a question. What happened to all the other Duskies?”

“Well, I suppose that now that all their respective time-liens disappeared they did as well.”

****

Over at his cottage, Butterscotch woke up when he heard a strange noise. He turned the lights on and found his bedroom filled with dozens of Dusk Shines.

“…oh my.”