//------------------------------// // CHAPTER THIRTY ONE: Reunited and It Feels So Good // Story: The What and Whatiful Who // by cosby7 //------------------------------// “Fair enough,” Doctor Hooves replied with a wary eye cast at the Master's display. “But you still didn't answer the question: What do you intend to do with me?” “Me.” Not “us.” Good, Doctor. Keep him focused. I'll free them, Trixie silently vowed, watching the still forms of Celestia and Luna. She gulped. Somehow. “Oh, I'll find somewhere to stick you. Count on that. I doubt even you know if you can regenerate from that form, but there's no point giving you the chance to find out.” Bushy eyebrows drooped off the points of those excited eyes. “Besides, I rather like you this way. I might try riding you later. With a widdle saddle. It'll be a laugh.” Doctor Hooves was not impressed. “Regardless,” the Master smirked, “it won't be hard to find somewhere you'll be out of the way. We are in a prison, after all. I designed it myself, you know. Feel free to tell me your thoughts, but, personally, I think its a revelation. Prisons are always so boring, but you can't beat them for imprisonment. Amusement parks are always so deceptive in their 'fun,' but everyone is allowed to leave. All I had to do was take the best of both worlds and BOOM!” Trixie jumped where she stood, next to Celestia. “Transcendence. Not the biggest fan of the name, but you know how it is. Have to make the help feel like they have input.” His eye started to search out Trixie on the word “help,” but Doctor Hooves jumped once more in his line of sight. “I've seen your prison and the horrors it's created. Like Menlo. I should have known only a mind like yours could build this place.” “Mind and power. Don't forget about my power.” The muscle of his arm bulged to ludicrous proportions for a second. On the largest bulge was a cutie mark in the shape of an anchor. “Ah, Menlo,” Master sighed wistfully. “He was truly an exemplar of his species. Incredible failure, but ever so pleased to serve,” his face and voice changed to those of Luna, “his princess.” Her face and voice snickered sardonically, before becoming the warped visage again. “Anyway, you haven't seen a fraction of what my park has to offer. I think there may even be enough attractions to entertain you your whole extensive life. And you know the best part, Doctor?” Draconequus face glowered down, only inches above the Doctor. “No lines.” Okay, that's not going to work. It needs to be quicker. Trixie had made her way to the Princesses without incident, but, now that she was close enough to act, the actual action of action was a little tougher to act on. The problem: She needed to rescue two almighty alicorns from their magic-draining bonds without attracting the attention of a nearly omnipotent psychopath and she was only a little pony. The solution: Dunno. There was no way she could be sure what would actually succeed in freeing the Princesses, but it seemed to her that getting rid of the gem spires surrounding their horns would be a good start. If she was somehow able to break those, then the most immediate obstacle to them using their magic would be out of the way and they might be able to do enough to help her. Or her and the Doctor. Or themselves. Whatever. Plus, there was the added bonus that the long and spindly appearance suggested they might also be structurally the weakest of the gems that absorbed their magic. But there was the problem. They absorbed magic. Magic was kind of all she had going for her just then. It needs to be something I can manifest through magic, but doesn't impact with magic. Her first thought had been to try something like Menlo's knives; a physical manifestation of magic to attack directly. That was the entire point of this place though. Any magic that left a unicorn's horn would be sucked straight into the nearest gem. What she needed was something she could form through magic, but struck with a concussive force of its own. A real showstopper. That's it! “Alright, be off with me then. Can't stop you and all, big scary mythical monster. What's stopping you?” the Doctor asked with a scrutinizing eye. He hoped that whatever Trixie was going to do, she would do it fast. “Don't be coy, Doctor. It's not becoming of you.” His eyes shifted indiscernibly. He was searching the Doctor. Looking for something. Not looking in Trixie's direction and not just because the Doctor had been stopping him. The Master was pointedly not looking in that direction. Not looking at the TARDIS. Doctor Hooves smiled his most genuine smile in ages. “The key. You can't get into the TARDIS without the key.” The stone face of the draconequus conveyed more rage than any sneer. “Just give it to me.” “Why don't you go ahead and take it?” The Doctor was near to laughing now. “What happened to all that big scary 'all of the power' you had?” “And just where would you suggest I take it from?” His impatience was increasingly apparent. “I don't know where in the bloody hell you're keeping the damn thing. You do realize you're nude?” “So are you.” “I can create pocket dimensions. What's your excuse?” Doctor Hooves shrugged. “Do as the Romans do.” “Make no mistake, Doctor,” the Master was advancing on him now, growing not only in perspective, but physically increasing his mass with every step, “I would prefer you just submit, but I have no problems starting your torture early. It's your choice.” Something seemed to dawn on him and his mouth curled into a snarling grin. “If you like, I can always start with your little compan—” BOOM! BOOM! “WHAT?” the hulking Master raged, turning his attention on the direction of the ear shattering explosions. There he beheld that little blue unicorn cowering on the floor, shielding her eyes and ears as brightly colored sparks crackled and exploded around her. Were those fireworks? The Master was so surprised at finding the strange display interrupting his long sought confrontation that he almost did not notice just where the bulk of the explosions were occurring. Some of the brightly colored pieces falling from the ceiling were indeed sparks. And some were shards of gemstone. Only then did he realize, he was not the only one watching the display. “Luna! Now!” “Yes, sister!” The voices were strong, even through the audible strain. Had nothing else happened, those voices could still have commanded the attention of a kingdom. It was simply all the more impressive when something else did happen. Two enormous columns of energy exploded through the falling spark and rock, hitting the grown draconequus squarely in his broad chest. Small wisps of energy drifted up to the ceiling, even as these columns of raw magical power raged forth, but much of the stalactites had been destroyed and there was simply too much magic for all of it to be absorbed. Even with his enhanced frame, the Master flew back, crashing into the nearest wall with a shudder. “Brilliant!” The Doctor, only momentarily stunned by the sight of the massive creature with his rival's mind being smashed into submission, rushed to Trixie's side. He reached down, offering her a hoof up from where she posed strategically. Not cowered. Definitely not cowering. “Trixie, just brilliant. You are brilliant. Have I mentioned? The brilliance?” Regaining her composure, Trixie took the Doctor's hoof, allowing herself to be helped back up. An absentminded brush at the debris on her cape became an elaborate flourish. “But of course, Doctor. Had you any doubt the Great and Powerful Trixie would come through?” “Not for an instant,” he beamed. “You have our gratitude, as well, child.” It was Celestia. She and Luna both were smiling at them. Clearly fatigued, Trixie had no doubt they would have collapsed by now had their legs and wings still not been held in place to the floor, but smiling. “It was my honor, Princesses. Your thanks is more than Trixie deserves.” She bowed low, before perking right back up. “But if you should deign to bestow upon her some reward, she would graciously accept.” “Unfortunately, I do not think it will be that easy, little one.” It was Luna this time. Already, her gaze was shifting back in the direction the Master. That one that was shaking his head over there and getting back up. Yeah, that was the one. “You both must go,” Celestia said in a voice that brokered no room for debate. “We will use all of our power to hold him off for as long as we can, but we are already weakened as is and we will not get another chance to take him by surprise.” Trixie had not wanted this meeting to end so soon, regardless of the truth she knew the mare's words held. She had never met the Princesses before herself, but they were still a link to the Equestria she knew. Their very presence made her feel safer, as if she were under a divine protection. Now she was being told to leave that behind again. “But, I—" “DOCTOR!” The voice roared over all others. “Trixie, we need to go. You and I are the only ones who can change all this.” She knew he was right. That did not make it any easier. “Princess Celestia. Princess Luna. Thank you. I promise you, we will make this right.” “You have already done more than we hoped.” They were still smiling at them. They were exhausted, and hurt, and scared, but they were smiling. “Now, go!” At that exact moment, the monster who proclaimed himself Master lunged, only to be met with twin beams of light. He was stopped, pushed back to his feet, but not pushed back. Instead, he moved forward. Slow at first, but he was picking up speed. “DOCTOR!” The brown stallion was already pulling Trixie towards the TARDIS. A key appeared in his mouth, seemingly out of nowhere, and he deftly pushed it into the door's lock. With the mildest turn, the door swung open, allowing both Doctor Hooves and Trixie to rush inside. Even still, the Master came. His cries could be heard through the walls of the TARDIS itself. Past the sound of racing streams of pure magic, past the whirring sounds of the TARDIS as the Doctor entered in their course, the screams and shouts of the Master could be heard. “YOU WILL NOT STOP ME DOCTOR! YOU WILL NOT!” It was all Doctor Hooves could do not to shudder as he threw the final switch. “I!” VWO— “AM!” —OOO— “THE!” —ORP! “MASTER!” VWOOOOOORP! Trixie and the Doctor heaved a united sigh of relief as the TARDIS finally faded out of time and space. Then something hit them. The TARDIS rocked and roiled with the two ponies inside. A ride in the TARDIS was rarely what one considered smooth sailing, but this was something else entirely. As the blue box bombarded and bounced around obstacles they could not see, Trixie and the Doctor could only hold fast to their surroundings, trying in vain not to be tossed around. Each time the TARDIS bounced, the experience was different. Hit something; feel the fall in slow motion. Somersault off a bump; it was like space stretched thin in and around them, the fabric of reality, pulled like taffy. Nosedive after a sudden leap; flashback to an hour before, a week ago, a year, two, a hundred. It was like they were colliding with the walls of time itself. Then, just like that, it stopped. The two ponies hesitated to make a move, for fear that the terrible ride would start all over again, but nothing came. Everything was still and calm. They had landed. Doctor Hooves had moved to look over his switches and screens, but Trixie was already throwing open the door. Anything to get out of that big blue death trap. However, as soon as she did, she stopped. “Doctor?” she called, her voice full of trepidation. “Would you mind coming here a moment, please?” Concern certainly did something for his speed. Machines and screens forgotten, he made his way to Trixie's side in the doorway, only to stop dead himself at what he saw. What they saw was not familiar as the world they had left behind. Not any version of it. Indeed, they were in what looked to be a lush countryside, but so much else of it was strange and foreign. Grass, thick and tall and waving in the wind, was a deep red. Trees with leaves of shining silver reflected the light all around them. The sky was a burnt orange. “Trixie does not think we are in Equestria anymore,” she whispered to her silent companion. Her eyes rose to the sky, far off beyond enormous snow capped mountains, and they were alighted as they beheld two burning suns. “Not unless Celestia has been pulling overtime.” The Doctor's voice caught in his throat just long enough for Trixie to consider growing concerned. “Doctor? What is it?” “You're right, Trixie.” He swallowed. “We aren't in Equestria. We aren't even on your planet.” “Oh really?” she asked skeptically. Vaguely, she recalled him saying that the TARDIS was capable of traveling through both time and space, but the idea of visiting another planet sounded even stranger than going back in time. “Who's planet are we on then?” Only then did she realize the look in the Doctor's eyes was one she had not seen there before. One she had never expected to see in those eyes: Disbelief. “This is Gallifrey. Trixie, this is my planet.”