Update is on the way. I writ some over the holidays, was going to drop it directly to paste tomorrow if no thread, but looks like we got both.

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>>42918420
yay
pic unrelated

>>42919269
appleponer really likes hoomin toys.

>>42918780
The cat genes are strong in this one!

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She's really bad at her job.
Cute though.

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>>42919284
They're very popular with ponies.

> Thistle felt like she was trapped between two worlds. On one side were the nomads, inspecting the bit of meadow she'd given them for their camp. So far it was only the three of them, but soon there would be nearly a hundred. On her other side were the townsponies, who had gathered in a nervous, murmuring group to watch the strange spectacle of these two-legged creatures.
> She was no longer wearing the wolf skin, at least. It was mostly because of the heat, but the thing had caused significant concern among her citizens. There were still remarks about her new appearance, albeit she only caught faint snippets about her mane, her toned muscles, and the hard-won scars on her back and forelegs.
> Earlier, a few of the ponies hadn't noticed she was within earshot, and went on at length at how she walked differently. She'd been painfully aware of her own gait and as a result nearly tripped over her hooves multiple times. She didn't *stalk*, did she?
> Her gaze kept going to the distant treeline of the Everfree forest. Soon the first of the people should be arriving. Time flowed differently in there, after all. Perhaps Twilight would be able to calculate how long the trip would take from Ponyville's perspective, but she was also still gone with Janus and Buygra.
> Eventually a small delegation of prominent members of the pony society gathered out of the impromptu town meeting and approached. Thistle didn't know how they had been selected. If anything, she had been expecting some of the Elements of Harmony to be tasked with this, but to her surprise it was Mr. Rich, Cheerilee, and Dr. Fauna.
> She couldn't help staring. She wasn't fully sure those three had ever so much as been in the same room, let alone on any kind of a committee together.
> They kept glancing nervously at the nomads, but the pressure of their fellow ponies must have driven them onward regardless of any fear.
> "Ahem," Rich began once they were at a polite speaking distance. "Mayor. We - that is - the townsponies would like to know what is happening here. Who are these, um, people, and why are they here?"
> Fauna jumped in just as the question finished and added: "We also want to know if they are dangerous. They're wearing skin of dead animals. They carry spears. Mayor- are they dangerous? Why are you with them?"
> "And why do you look like that?!" Cheerilee nearly wailed, her pupils shrunken to pinpricks now that she was this close and had had a good look at their mayor.
"It's a long story. To answer the first question, they will be camping here for a while until we figure out what to do. They're- uh, let's go with 'refugees'."
> "Maybe so, but what about the dead animals?" Fauna insisted.
"Please, it's not what you think!"

>>42920099

> That sentence had come out of her mouth automatically, but then a series of half-repressed memories surfaced in a jumble. The circle hunt. Gutting, cleaning, and cooking small animals. The fighting with the Ruslans. Tashi and her treatment at the hands of the enemy.
> She couldn't maintain eye contact with her peers, and she hanged her head.
"Look, life over there is harsh. They don't have towns, and farms, and magic, like we do."
> Again she hesitated, biting her lip. *Some* people on the other world had basic towns and they knew about farming. She shook her head and put them out of her mind for now. She had to focus on the nomads, who had a very particular lifestyle.
"They do things out of necessity. They're refugees and they will learn a better way under our care. Isn't that what Princess Twilight teaches? Friendship, forgiveness, and the betterment of self and others?"
> The three delegates glanced at one another, and Cheerilee pushed some dirt around with her hoof. They all had their ears flat and didn't say anything until the teacher finally sighed and spoke: "We're worried about the town, Mayor. If these people are violent and there are more of them, how can we make sure they won't go after ponies?"
"They can think and talk, you know?" Thistle pointed out. "We'll discuss a truce and they will abide by it. They're a very honorable people."
> She didn't say 'for the most part', even though the words wanted to force themselves onto her tongue.
> "Just how many of these people are there?" Rich demanded.
> Thistle decided to change tracks and forced a smile for the stallion.
"Enough so they will want necessities. Food, cloth, tools. Things your store sells, Mr. Rich."
> He gave the two nomads a speculative look which soon turned derisive when he beheld their obviously self-made clothes and their dirty faces and hair. He was lucky they didn't see his expression. "And how will they pay for these things?"
"With gold and jewelry. If that's not enough, Princess Twilight has authorized me to cover any expenses out of the town's treasury."
> That worked for him, but the other two mares looked aghast. "You're not proposing to use tax money to help these people, are you?!" Fauna demanded. "I've been putting in requests to hire an assistant for my practice, and there's never any money in the budget!"
> Thistle didn't know how to respond to that. She was painfully aware of the limitations each year when it came to doing the budget. Despite being one of the largest producers of apples, cider, and - in particular - Zap Apple jam, most townsponies didn't make enough bits through the year to pay any significant taxes.

>>42920102

> What little came in had to be spent on the town itself, especially with the recent trend of constant misadventures by the Elements of Harmony which left large parts of the town damaged. More than once the crown had had to step in and help out during particularly lean years.
"Don't worry. The Princess will contribute, too, I'm sure. We must show hospitality. Maybe we can get the nomads to work. They are very skilled with their- uh, their claws."
> She'd have to make up - or look up - the Equestrian word for those appendages on their arms, but 'claws' was good enough for the moment.
> Cheerilee stared openly at the nomads' hands, frowning a little at the way they casually held their spears with such familiarity. "I'm not sure. Mayor, I'm worried about the children. These people look mean, and they all have weapons. I saw them when you were taking them to the Town Hall."
"It will be fine, I promise. In fact, maybe they will want to send some of their own children to the school. It would be good for them to learn."
> She recalled her own failed experiments to bring literacy to the nomads. Maybe seeing what a culture could become through writing and the sciences would inspire them?
> Before the ponies could argue some more, there was a whoosh of feathery wings above them. Thistle twirled around to see, but by then the purple blur thudded down in front of her and resolved into Twilight, breathing heavily.
"Princess?! Where are Buygra and Janus?"
> The alicorn shook her head dismissively. "They're with the others. I flew ahead, they'll be here soon. I need to examine you, Mayor. Stand still."
> She didn't wait for consent and her pink-tinted magic enveloped the mare. It tingled all over her skin and she opened her mouth to ask what Twilight was doing.
> "Shush! It will just be a moment!"
> True to her word, a few seconds later the magic winked out, leaving Thistle a little dazed when the sensation ended. She saw Salki and Darga staring, spears clutched tightly in their hands. She hurriedly shook her head at them to tell them to stand down.
"What was that, Princess?"
> "It's true," Twilight said, and it might or might not have been an answer. "Time really does move differently. There's something in the forest- something strange. Time is all twisted up!"
> There was a manic gleam in her eyes and she was smiling faintly, no doubt obsessing over the discovery. That was proven when she raised her voice: "Spike! Take a letter!"
> Only when there was no reply, and the ponies in front of her looked at one another in confusion and embarrassment did Twilight realize. "Oh right! You, Miss Cheerilee! Run to my castle and tell Spike to come here. Tell him to bring plenty of parchment! Go!"

>>42920107

> Confused, but unwilling to disobey, the schoolteacher turned and began to trot away when Twilight's magical aura grabbed and stopped her. "Oh, and tell him to bring ink! Hurry!"
> This time Cheerilee made a few steps before she was halted yet again. "And a quill! Better make it two, just in case!"
> The poor mare snorted and rolled her eyes, but didn't speak. She bolted toward the castle as soon as she was free again.
> "Good," Twilight said, "where were we? Oh, the time! We travelled for hours to reach the camp. We spent several days there and I went into the other world. I charted the stars I could see! Maybe Princess Luna will be able to tell where it is from that!"
"Princess! That was dangerous! You could have gotten stuck there like me!"
> The admonishment made Twilight pause, but then she shook her head and shrugged her wings. "No, I think I would have sensed when the portal was about to change. Besides, it stays open for exactly four hours. I wonder why that is? Hmm, maybe the magic builds up and overflows after four hours, which makes the portal snap to a different point in time?"
"Time?! It's not going to different worlds?"
> Twilight shook her head firmly. "Nope, it's time! This whole thing is about time! Each change jumps it forward six months."
> The implications struck Thistle like a whip and her hind legs folded up under her.
"Rainy Day!" she whispered.
> "What?" Twilight asked, alarmed by the tone of horror in her voice.
"Rainy Day is still there! We have to rescue her! How much time has passed for her?"
> Reminding her about one of her subjects snapped Twilight out of her academic daze. Her own face became a pained mask of sorrow. "I- I'm not sure. How many times did the portal change when you were camped there?"
"Three. Maybe four!"
> "Okay, then you walked for two hours to get to Ponyville, but you were moving out of the scrunched-up time. Blast, I wish I had a quill and paper! Let's see. It was another two hours in the Town Hall, and then an hour for me and the two up-stallions to get back. I spent, um, five days at the portal..."
> Thistle waited for the mental calculation with bated breath.
> "About twenty years?" Twilight concluded.
> They stared at one another in horrified silence.
"Oh no..."
> "M-Mayor. Even if we rush right back, *right now*, it will be another couple of years for Rainy Day before we can get there." The Princess had her ears completely down as she squeezed her eyes shut. "We may already be too late. I'm sorry, Mayor. There's nothing we can do."
"We have to try! We must go, right now! I promised!"
> Thistle jumped to her hooves and bolted for the treeline. Rather, she tried. Before she made it more than a few steps, Twilight's magic caught her.

>>42920113

> "We can't!" she said, her voice a near wail. "We need to prepare! We need food, water. We need more ponies!"
"That will take hours! Days! Rainy Day will be an old mare by the time we find her!"
> Twilight's ears were completely flat and she kept her gaze on the ground between her forehooves. "I'm sorry, Mayor."
"We have to do *something*! You know magic, make the hole go *back*! Turn it back to when I left!"
> The alicorn, a symbol of power and authority, was shaking her head. "I can't. I'm sorry."
"Then we have to get Princess Celestia! You have to send her a letter! She'll know what to do!"
> It was a desperate plea rather than a statement of certainty, but Thistle had to grasp something. Seeing that, Twilight gave a small nod. She was only humoring the distraught mare, and they both knew it, but each of them needed to believe the comforting lie, at least for now.
> "Mayor, they're here!" Filthy Rich announced. He and the other two delegates had been standing there, listening to the exchange in bewilderment. They knew something was deeply wrong, but hadn't dared to intervene, until now. He was pointing a hoof. "The other barbarians are here."
> Thistle gave him a desperate, tear-filled stare.
"Tell them to set up camp in this field. Please? I- I need a minute."
> A purple, feathery wing wrapped around her back and she pressed her face to Twilight's warm barrel. Twenty years already, and more even as they were talking! Poor Rainy Day! She would have felt abandoned. Betrayed. Lonely.
"The Princess will know what to do!" she whispered fiercely, but it didn't stop the tears from flowing.

> ~~~~

> Things went bad when the main group of the nomads came out of the Everfree forest. When the townsponies saw the donkey herd.
> There was an outcry and only the nomad hunters' spears kept the mob at bay. Almost none of them knew the language, but the glares, the snorts, and the angry shouts were plain enough. The thing very nearly devolved into a melee before Thistle and the Princess arrived.
> She should have realized! She'd been living among the nomads and took the animals for granted, but she should have remembered that her neighbors wouldn't see them the same way!
> The only thing she could do to prevent a disaster and - possibly - bloodshed, was to put herself between the two groups.
"Listen to me!" she shouted at the ponies. "It's not what you think! These are from another world. They can't think and talk like us. They are dumb! Less than our animals!"
> The jeering got louder, a roar of sound, interspersed with curses and threats.

>>42920116

> Out of sheer desperation, Twilight took wing and rose up so everyone could see her. "It's true!" she called out, her voice booming, enhanced with magic. "I've spent time with these people. I've examined their donkeys. They aren't like us!"
> "Why should we believe you?!" a particularly loud and grating voice called. The crowds fell mostly silent, reduced to dark muttering as they parted to open around Cranky and Matilda. He was trembling with anger, and she looked around in fright, but stuck by her husband.
> He began to walk forward through the throng. "What if they simply never had the chance? Look at them! Tied around their necks and dragged around! They live in filth. We demand you release them immediately!"
> Thistle saw that Darga and Salki had rejoined their people, and there were quiet murmurs going around as the nomads translated the words. Already several of them had bows in hands.
> It was going to turn into a bloodbath!
"Princess!" she called to Twilight, who was still hovering above. "Go to the ponies. Explain! I'll make sure the nomads don't do anything rash!"
> She barely waited for the alicorn to nod before dashing over to the group of the camp's leaders.
"[You have to listen to me,]" she said urgently. "[They are angry because donkeys can talk in my world. They are members of- of our *tribes*! They saw your donkeys and they think you are enslaving them!]"
> Both Darga and Intor gave her a strange look. "[So?]"
"[They won't stand for it. It could turn ugly! We don't want a fight.]"
> "[Let them try and take our herd! We'll see how tough your ponies really are,]" Willow said. "[They don't have bows. We can fight them.]"
"[You can't! You shouldn't! If we fight, we both lose.]"
> She gave Salki a pleading look and opened her mouth to ask him, but Darga spoke first: "[We will not hand over what we own. We will go back into the forest first!]"
"[No- They won't let you leave! Not now they've seen.]"
> Her mind raced as she sought for a solution. Maybe Twilight would have better luck convincing the townsponies that these donkeys were different. She doubted it, though. Some of her citizens looked ready to go to war right there and then.
> They would need to find out for themselves! Same way she had!
"[I know! I know!]" she blurted out.
> Salki was whispering something with Willow, but they fell silent and stared at her.
"[We will buy them! We will let the ponies come and see the donkeys. Let them take the animals if they want. I will make sure you are paid fairly for all of them!]"
> "[We can't sell all our donkeys!]" Intor said. "[We need them for milk, and for meat!]"

>>42920122

"[There's no choice! I will make sure you get metal weapons and tools. We'll teach Janus and the others how to work with metal. Better metal - much harder than bronze! There's also gold! We have gold!]"
> She was inventing wildly, playing up on all the goods she knew the nomads would value above everything.
"[Spices, and honey, and salt! Beer! Better things! We'll trade things you have never seen before. Just let the ponies examine the donkeys. Once they understand they're just animals, they will relent.]"
> At her promises the nomads got that hungry look in their eyes, and Salki even began to smile. "[Your people have such riches?]" he asked.
"[You have seen our buildings! You ate our food!]"
> He shared a look with Darga and they gave a half-nod to each other. "[We can buy more donkeys with gold, and we can take them with metal weapons,]" she said, thoughtfully.
> "[No, we can't give away the whole herd!]" Intor insisted.
"[Tie the herd up outside the camp. I have an idea. Wait here!]"
> Thistle galloped to where Twilight was talking urgently to Cranky, surrounded by angry ponies. They kept casting frightful looks at the scary-looking, spear-wielding nomads, but they were determined not to retreat.
> The Princess fell silent as Thistle ran up to them.
"I got them to agree. We will have to pay them, but here's what we will do: They will let the ponies come and see the donkeys. If any one of them speaks, you can take them away and the Princess will pay the nomads."
> Twilight gave her a dumbfounded look, and Thistle hurried to explain:
"They want simple things! Bits of metal. Gold jewelry, a few bits. Some food from the Sugarcube Corner. Salt and honey! It won't cost a whole lot, and I'll find a way to make it up to you, Princess!"
> The alicorn was shaking her head. "It's not *that*," she countered. "You said of any of the donkeys speak? They're not going to speak! They don't have minds like ours. That's what I was trying to explain!"
> At her words Cranky stomped on the ground with his hoof and snorted. "I am not buying it! Princess, I don't know why you're protecting these- these *slavers*, but I won't have it! We have to free those poor donkeys!"
"That's what I'm telling you! If any of them tell you they want to be free, you can take them! We'll work it out with the nomads. They've agreed to it. They'll let you, and any ponies who want it, to see the a- the donkeys."
> His eyes narrowed as he stared at her. "You were about to say 'animals', weren't you?!"
"No," she lied.
> He didn't push the topic. "We'll go right away!"
"No. Give the people time to settle their camp. They'll keep the donkeys outside. We'll go and examine them in the morning! We all need to calm down!"

>>42920126

> "Mayor is right," Twilight added. "I know it's a shock, Mr. Doodle. It was to me, too! I examined the donkeys, and those horses they have. There's no intelligence."
> Cranky wasn't quite ready to back down. "Examine?" he demanded. "How could you have examined them? You were gone barely half an hour!"
> "Time is broken where these people had their camp. To me, it felt like over a week," the Princess explained. "I've had plenty of time. Don't worry, the donkeys aren't being mistreated. They'll be okay until tomorrow morning. I'll go with you."
> He stared between the alicorn and their mayor. "Any of them that say they want to be free?" he asked.
"Yes! You can take them immediately tomorrow! We'll discuss with the nomad leaders about the rest. They will trade for them, but they say they want to keep some."
> There was a hiss as several ponies drew a breath to speak up, but Thistle hurried on:
"I'm still negotiating! Once they see what we have to offer, they might agree to trade all of them! Besides, like the Princess said, these are not like us! They're less intelligent than the beasts in Everfree! I know! I spent years with them!"
> She carefully didn't add that the people used them for meat. She'd have to make sure the nomads wouldn't butcher any of their stock while they were around Ponyville.
> Long term-
> That was a problem for another day. It had already been a bewildering flurry of strangeness and crisis after crisis. She wasn't sure she could deal with much more, at least not until she ate, slept, and maybe had a bath so hot it would scald her.
"Please. We'll work it out. You need to trust me," she told Cranky. She swept her gaze across the other townsponies. "You all have to trust me."
> She found the three impromptu delegates.
"Here! Mr. Rich, Mrs. Cheerilee, and Dr. Fauna. They'll go together with Mr. Doodle to examine the donkeys tomorrow. Anypony who doesn't believe them will have a chance to go and inspect them personally after!"
> Her authority still counted for something, and the glares gradually lessened. Cheerilee looked absolutely frightened by the prospect, and Rich was troubled, but determined, judging by the set of his jaw. Only Fauna looked mildly interested, mainly because of her cutie mark.
> "Good idea," Twilight added. She raised her voice: "Please, go back to your homes, everypony! We will figure this out."
> At the edges, the pony crowd was already starting to disperse, but it looked like some were planning to remain and keep an eye on the strangers. Cranky walked a short distance away and sat, determined to watch over what he thought were his kind.

>>42920127

> Thistle sighed and turned to the camp. It wasn't perfect, and there would be more trouble when the ponies discovered how the donkeys were being treated, but at least it looked like there wouldn't be a battle right away.
"Thanks, Princess."
> Twilight had been watching the crowd dissolve, but now turned those striking violet eyes on her. "[You need to make sure they don't butcher any while they're here.]"
> The words made her do a double take.
"You can speak nomad?! How?"
> The alicorn rolled her eyes. "I was in their camp for over a week. Buygra and Janus were especially helpful. I also had the- 'pleasure' to see some of their customs. We want to keep them apart from the ponies."
"It took me *months* to learn it!"
> That earned her an amused snort from the other mare. "Before I became the Princess of Friendship, Mayor, my whole life was about learning. Besides, after Ancient Ponish, nomad was actually pretty easy."
> The sheer relief that the crisis had been - at least momentarily - averted, made Thistle chuckle and poke her tongue out at the Princess.
"[Show-off!]"
> "Come on. Let's go discuss the terms with your human friends. We need to start civilizing them if they are to stay in Equestria."
"Yes, Princess."
> More talking with especially stubborn people. The mere concept made Thistle fold her ears down. At least, she thought, she wouldn't be alone for it.
"Oh, and I need a locksmith. For my house. I don't have the key anymore."

>>42920128

Oh no, the heat thickens! Will the flimsy truce last? What will happen once the ponies have a chance to inspect the animals more closely? Will Meyermer get her bath?

Paste: https://ponepaste.org/11514

>>42920136
Poor Cranky, hopefully the nomads don't mistake him for anything....

>>42920391
She has a perfectly suitable bed of her own

TND Nomads can't be civilised.

>>42920433
But now she has two!

>>42920128
>She was no longer wearing the wolf skin
I hope she makes a rug out of it. Plus I'm not sure which is more eye catching: wearing a wolfskin or having a pink mane and being muscular.
>how long the trip would take from Ponyville's perspective
If it really constantly flows different, then Willow would have been missing for who knows how long when he gone through the portal the first time. So to keep the story consistent, the time should suddenly jump whenever the portal closes/opens. Plus the whole sun stays at the same point in the sky thing makes no sense. Alternatively, you need to rewrite the first chapter and subsequently mention that Willows trip took him months. Also it would be odd not to notice the time shift. When the others ask where did he spent the last X months and he says he was only gone for a day or two what would their reaction be?
>let's go with 'refugees'
Technically she is the one who invited them.
>it's not what you think
I think it's even worse than what they can even imagine.
>life over there is harsh
Over where? They don't know where is there.
>how can we make sure they won't go after ponies?
Provide an endless supply of cake.
>They're a very honorable people.
And like to backstab other clan leaders.
>And how will they pay for these things?
I would say this line of though is a bit early, but it is Filthy Rich who's speaking.
>gold and jewelry
Gold is worthless in Equestria. And the jewelry they have/made are laughable quality/craftsmanship compared to equestrian made ones.
>Don't worry. , It will be fine, I promise.
She made a lot of promises and kept very few.
>It's true
Well duh.
>You, Miss Cheerilee!
When did she become so bossy? Also, did she forget she can teleport?
>Each change jumps it forward six months
Meanwhile Rainy Day aged a solid ten year.
>About twenty years?
Oh it is even worse for Rainy Day.
But to come back to the topic of the initial foalnapping of the whole story, the flow of time is not consistent. This would mean that Willow spending an hour or two in Equestria would mean he was gone for years. Twilight just spent days in the camp and the portal there is on a four hour cycle. So now there are at least three different areas where time passes differently. Earth, near the portal on the equestrian side and out of the portal's area.
>There's nothing we can do.
Umm what is she talking about? Even if another few years passes until they are able to get back, Rainy Day would be still alive. Old, but alive. But after that many years I'm not sure she would want to come back.

Cont.

>>42921404
>We need food, water. We need more ponies!
What Twilight thinks the nomads (and Thistle) survived without food and water in their whole life? And if Twilight and Mayor go back that would be enough. Sure, they would spend like a year there. Plus Twilight just spent a week in the camp, she ate and drank something.
>Tell them to set up camp in this field.
Good luck without knowing their language. And I doubt Filthy Rich knows who to address.
>Why should we believe you?!
Since when did they start questioning the princesses?
>bows in hands
Now would be the time to collect all of the weapons. And ask Twilight to set up a magic dome to block any and all things from entering/exiting.
>They don't have bows. We can fight them.
You know, a show of power from Twilight would have been good at some point... Picking up things with magic, teleporting, making things appear from thin air, etc. Just basic things. They don't know that only Twilight can do such things. Yet.
>No- They won't let you leave!
Why doesn't she try to convince them that they won't take it? Just let them free to show that these are not what the ponies think. Instead of trying to convince them that they need to hand them over.
>Just let the ponies examine the donkeys. Once they understand they're just animals, they will relent.
Finally. But why do they need to trade for this?
>If any one of them speaks
This is not what she said to the nomads, but this is what she should have said. This scene feels dumb. Most of it is just reasoning and communication error even without a language barrier.
>I examined the donkeys
Not as close as Thistle! She even has first hand mating experiences with them!
>examine the donkeys tomorrow
Btw why tomorrow? Why can't they examine them right now? Not like they need to check each of them.
>You can speak nomad?!
She learned it in one week?! There are no books about this language!
>I don't have the key anymore
Heh.

>Will Meyermer get her bath?
Only if she accepts that when she gets out of the bath Rainy Day will be already dead. And it will be a long and crying type of bath anyway even without thinking about Rainy Day.

Thanks for the update!

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Uh oh

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>>42922634

>>42922904
Cute poner

>>42922809
Rarity is the one most likely to enjoy maid duties isn't she?

>>42924052
I need to return this gift ...

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snugg the poner

https://files.catbox.moe/rnnhss.mp4

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>>42921688

>>42921404
>>42921405

Thanks, Anon! It's true the opening chapters no longer work with this particular retcon. I had an idea for a slightly different, more interesting ending about 40% through the story, so this is an attempt to get it to fit as best as it can (without just going full "it's magic, so rules don't matter". Eventually I'll go back and rewrite the starting sections to fix (along with a slew of other little mistakes and plot holes).

>>42925998
The time skew would mean that a lot of different things would need to be rewritten. Quite a few scenes added for example just to deal with the revelation. Plus the constant fear of how time passes differently. Plus the whole scene where they surprised that the sun is always shining after getting to Equestria does not fit either. I mean the getting surprised part. Plus the constant sunshine would have killed all the plants around the portal. Plus they would have also noticed how different the scenery becomes as they walk out of the time dialation zone.
But if its time jumps and it's only happening every 4-6 hours (when the portal changes) that's a whole different setup. Then would have had time to get back without a time jump. And no need to rewrite a lot of things, besides the last few scenes after they get to Equestria because I have no idea how the three time domains could be combined (one on Earth, one near the portal and one out of the woods in Equestria), but the only thing what needs to be solved is how Willow could miss observing the time jumps. Maybe if the time jumps are gradual? So if the portal closes and does not reopen immediately on Equestria, instead it stays closed for a few hours and during this few hours the time speeds up then slows down again. This would almost perfectly fit the current story without the need of mayor rewrites.

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My horse is stealing my liquor

Every good pony wears a collar.

I have been reading Geologic Assistant and i find Maud unusually talkative

https://files.catbox.moe/4s95g9.mp4
>I am not some pet!

>Take slave to get extremely precise measurements of her body
>It's important to get well fitting clothes
>Slave is super embarrassed
>Slave pony doing her measurements tries to reassure her
>Says she's done it thousands of times

>>42918226
Ponies are small draft horses that were made to be used on small farms. These days, tractors and other machinery are used instead.
Maybe you could have something like them being used as farm animals despite being sapient in this setting?

>>42931029
There's been a few that did, the Slaventure CYOA being the biggest. https://ponepaste.org/user/Lurkernon

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>>42929038
I quite like it. It's a comfy green.

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Pony is shy.

>>42930919
She is so cute.

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>>42932118

>>42931418
Thank you.

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Soapy a cutie

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Don't leave food on the table. The pony might eat it.

>>42934461
That pony looks like 10 and 45 year old at the same time.

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>>42934911

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>>42934911
>>42935069

>>42934911
>>42935069
This is a blue board, images like that are not allowed.

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pone is very needy

>>42883895

>>42937087
I completely forgot I posted that prompt.

>>42938369
My horse enjoys heavy metal during brushies

>>42938369
>3+ hour long
That pony is PAMPERED!

>>42938707
Extreme measures are required during shedding season

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snugg

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>>42939134

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Is it too late to deck your mare with boughs of holly?

>>42926363

I've been thinking on this - I believe there may be a roundabout way to achieve the goal I need with only small changes in the last few updates. I'll drop the "sun standing still", but I still want the portal flicking from fall to spring every four hours. That gives Willow&CO time to visit ponyville, grab mares, and escape during one window.

Work has also been quite ass, so I haven't been able to write very much. I'll do the next update together with the changes and point them out when I post (together with a small TL;DR).

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>>42940316

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Pony sneaks out from time to time to have a little snack.

>>42941006
Good ponies get their own part of the garden

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She came at a discount

>>42941572
No wonder, she is one from the new generation. Everybody knows that the older generation was way better. The Hassenfeld brothers have a hard time selling the new ones. The used old ones are increasing in price, as now there is only a limited quantity of them.

>>42942856
who are you and where did you get this image?

>>42944334
found the bug!

>>42944381
actually, I'm the artist. I was curious becuase the filename is labeled as Kleki, which means its the image version not posted on Derpi and is the one I send to a few friends, just curious how they/you ended up with that version.