//------------------------------//
// What's Opera, Doctor? 
// Story: Friendship is Equal to or Greater than Magic 
// by Fanon Canon 
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By now Spike was getting the hang of being interrupted, be it from some kind of event or a pony crashing about in front of him, what he had seen today made the little dragon just end up accepting whatever the day threw at him. if he had to talk to a hundred ponies before reaching the library, well, it wouldn't be anything new to him, just as long as he didn't end up getting thirsty or hungry.


So when he was once again interrupted, there wasn't much left for him to get irritated about so he just turned round to get a good look at the next prospector. This time, it was a male earth pony with a mixture of dark grey and amber for his coat and mane, but what Spike could tell was off about him was how ordinary he looked, like there was nothing eccentric or unusual to be found just by looking at him, and when he addressed the dragon, his manner of speech seemed fairly acceptable for Spike.


"Say there little dragon, could I borrow a few moments of your time if that's okay?" The stallion requested in a very polite manner, and Spike was welcome for the change.


"Ur, okay I guess." He simply accepted of the stranger, who didn't waste any seconds in explaining his interest in the dragon.


"Oh perfect, this will only take a moment, but if you don't mind could I make a bold guess about you?" He asked again in the same formal tone.


"What kind of guess?" Spike asked in turn.


"Well." The earth pony began. "This might seem a little strange to you, or it could make quite a lot of sense, but you haven't had any spells cast upon you today, perchance?"


"Well." Spike said quietly, not sure whether to be entirely truthful here. "Maybe one or two, certain spells."


"Ahh that makes a load of sense." The stranger responded, and Spike found a feeling of unfamiliarity and he couldn't place the stranger's name.


"These spells." They continued. "Could you perhaps describe any effects they've might have been showing?"


"Umm." Spike hesitated, for there was much he could go on for many hours talking about the effects of the spell to this stranger. "Well, there's been a wide variety of effects y'know." He did his best to reply.


"And these effects." The stranger continued. "They wouldn't have anything to do with the personalities of any ponies you've encountered today?"


"Umm, well… yes." Spike timidly admitted.


"Ahh that fits perfectly." The stranger replied enthusiastically, before getting to grips with himself and continuing on. "Well Spike, I'm afraid I've been lying to you. It'll take a little more than a moment of your time. I would really like for you to accompany me back to town hall, just to further clarify things, if you would be so kind."


Now Spike needed a moment to think about that proposal. None of the other ponies he had encountered had requested such a thing, and there was something very strange about this particular pony that seemed off to him, the least of all that he knew about the spell. What was Spike's chief concern was who he was, and that was what he wanted to know before he would accept such an invitation.


"Who are you?" He simply addressed.


"Ahh, well that gets a little complicated." The pony replied.


"Why?" Spike asked, though not surprised at all.


"Well if it's names you're after." The pony began. "Folks around here call me Time Turner, though that's really just because of my job."


"Time Turner. Seems simple enough." Spike noted to himself.


"Yes it does." The pony replied. "But there's a lot more to me than just the name, see I'm a doctor."


"Okay, so Dr Time Turner." Spike explained.


"Well if you want." The stranger pleaded. "But just the name Doctor's a little vague; it doesn't really give away what kind of doctor."


"And what kind of doctor are you?" Spike asked.


"Well I got my first degree in medicine." The stallion explained.


"Okay." Spike said before slowing working it out. "So it's Dr Time Turner MD, right?"


"Well yeah, but that's not the only kind of doctor I am." The stranger retorted. "See, in addition to a doctor of medicine, I am also a doctor of philosophy, a doctor of accountancy, a doctor of architecture, a doctor of timekeeping, a doctor of dental surgery, a doctor of magic and a doctor of …well, candy."


"So…" Spike uttered in immense confusion.


"That would be." The doctor responded, before clearing his throat. "Dr Time Turner MD Ph.D. MAcc DT DMM DC." He proudly recited.


Spike couldn't quite wrap his mind around all those titles, simply standing in silence at the many identities of the stranger.


"Oh and I almost forgot." He was suddenly reminded. "Some ponies like to call me by my nickname "Hoof" or "Hooves". So that would be…"


"That must have taken you a long time." Spike was quick to say something to interrupt his ever growing string of titles.


"Oh it did." The stallion replied. "Though I'm pretty good at multitasking."


"How about I just go with Time Turner." Spike suggested.


"Well if you want." The stranger replied a little disheartened. "But anyways, back to the matter at hand, would you kindly accompany me to city hall to conduct some research?"


"Fine I guess, as long as I can get a lift there." The dragon was quick to remind the pony.


"Sure thing Spike, I've often been described as dashy. Or was it splashy." The doctor pondered to himself before letting Spike hop on his back before setting off for town hall.


"And how do you know my name anyway?" Spike was suddenly reminded.


"Oh please I am a doctor. It didn't take too long to deduce the identity of the only dragon in Ponyville." Time Turner reminded Spike as he raced along the streets of Ponyville to their destination.


Time Turner proved to be much more of a rougher ride then Twilight Sparkle ever was, Spike reckoned that the doctor was in one heck of a rush to get to town hall, but was nonetheless appreciative considering how much walking he had done today. It didn't take them long to reach their destination, and Spike was once again grateful since he was now closer to the library.


Dismounting now, the pair went into the hall, the dragon having to run to keep up with the stallion's pace for he was still barely containing another urge to burst into a sprint.


"Eh, Timey, trying to become a vet now, are we?" A fellow stallion snarled at Time Turner as the two past him by.


"Nah wouldn't want to beat you in that department as well, Dave Ross." Time turner simply snarled back, earning a disapproving glare from who Spike imagined was a competitive doctor of sorts.


"Who was…?" He began to ask.


"Dave Ross." Time Turner was quick to reply. "Well, that's not really his name, but it's what I like to call him, makes him act up every time."


Eventually they came to a door leading into a rather cramped office, filled with many clocks and time tracking machines, Spike took a seat whilst the doctor busied himself examining many of the mechanical odds and ends scattered about.


"Ah here it is." He said at last, digging out a very odd looking clock, and laying it on the table for Spike to further analyse it.


In comparison to any other clock Spike had ever laid eyes on, this one had more than two hands, each going about in different directions, as well as certain symbols running parallel to the numbers arranged in satellite fashion around the edge.


"This is a very special clock designed to record and measure notable spells preformed around the day." Time Turner began to explain. "As you can see, the very ritual spells that rise the sun and moon each day are here."


Spike could see the symbols for the sun and moon arranged at the top and bottom ends of the clock, but they were the only ones he could make out.


"In addition." Time Turner continued. "It can also record when certain feats are preformed, like Sonic Rainbooms, but what really struck me was when it went off sometime around last night, and again early this morning."


He gestured to a strange symbol that was correlated to the times he had mentioned, a certain multi-coloured circle that contained many silhouettes of pony heads inside. Spike having looked at it, could see where this was going.


"Now after I preformed my duties as Ponyville's official timekeeper and recorded this changes, I did some research, went poking about to see what was this strange spell. And through certain interactions with select ponies, they all lead me straight to you my friend." Time Turner explained.


Spike would have replied, but Time Turner went on.


"However, I don't believe that you yourself are responsible for whatever spell this is, in fact I don't believe dragons are capable of such a thing anyway." He said. "But what does concern me is that this symbol's also been going off irregularly, and from the magical residue it leaves behind, I can make the fair assumption that it's when you talk to ponies that it goes off."


Spike was simply listening intently, wanting to see how much the doctor had deduced from this clock.


"And if I'm not mistaken, there is another force drawing from the effects that this spells resonates whenever you talk to a pony, and I'm guessing that it's a unicorn where the entire effects end up, am I right?" Time Turner posed to the dragon.


Spike could now see that there was no point in holding back anything now, the doctor had amazed by figuring it all out, and Spike could tell how well-deserved those degrees were.


"Yes." He admitted at last.


"Oh good." Time Turner responded with a hint of satisfaction. "Now, what I don't regrettably know is how to document or properly study the effects this spell is having, all I can do is simply record their occurrences."


"Where are you going with this?" Spike was now eager to know.


"Well, I believe that the unicorn responsible for this spell, and I'm guessing that it is one Twilight Sparkle will be able to succeed where me, a simply earth pony failed. If you would head on back to her, she should provide you with the knowledge that I seek." The doctor explained.


"Okay then." Spike simply admitted, before a sudden curiosity took him. "But doctor, why are you doing all this?"


"Why am I doing this?" Time Turner expressed back. "Well I've seen for myself what this spell is capable of. So far, the results have been pretty much isolated, a pony talking odd there or a pony losing their voice, but since I myself don't appear to be effected, as our conversation appears to be proving, I would sincerely like to find some way of perhaps stopping any negative effects when they show themselves."


"Right." Spike replied, and he himself wondered about any negative effects he may have seen today. "But what do you want me to do?" He asked again.


"Go on back to this Twilight." Time Turner responded. "I've some business to attend to before I' be once again recording the effects of your little spell."


The doctor made his way to leave but the door to the office swung open and another stallion entered.


"Hey Time you don't happen to have a… dragon." He began, faltering when he laid his eyes on Spike.


"Yes sir I do." Time Turner responded. "How exactly did you know that I wonder, hmm?"


"Oh." The stallion got himself together before continuing. "Well it's just he's got a visitor."


"What. Who?" Spike now asked eagerly.


"Some mare, said she's a friend of yours, here to escort you back to some library, goes by the name of Rarity." The stallion informed him…