//------------------------------//
// Edgar and Lauren 
// Story: Doctor Whooves Episode 14: Work of Fiction 
// by Doctor Perseus 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 8: Edgar and Lauren


Meadowlands Plaza, Secaucus, New Jersey, America, Earth, Summer, 2012 A.D.

"That sure is a lot to take in," said Twilight as Derpy finished her retelling of the events that occurred on the beach. Time seemed to have reverted to that of a snail's pace within the TARDIS. Everypony and everybody inside was unaware of how much time had passed since they had left the Writer in black back on the shores of Dålig Ulv Stranden.
"I don't like the sound of this Doctor of Discord," said Quinn.
"Me neither, but it's nothing for either of you to worry about," said the Doctor as he looked at Alex and Quinn. The two humans and the Time Lord stallion approached the doors of the TARDIS and stepped outside. 
The air outside was warm and relaxing. The TARDIS was back in the spot it had originally parked in upon its initial arrival in Alex and Quinn's world. 
"Wait a moment," said Alex as he looked down at his watch. The time had changed. "I...I think this is the first day of the con. This is right before we first went into the Exposition Center."
"Did you drop of us early?" Quinn asked as she looked at the Doctor.
"I don't think so. I think the Writer had something to do with this," said the Doctor. "I believe he literally spun your entire universe back in time. That's quite a lot of power he's got under his sleeves."
"Of course. Mr. all knowing, all powerful, godlike Writer. I really hope there's more to him than that because if there isn't then he's one huge ass Mary-Sue," Alex laughed. 
"Mary-Sue?" Quinn asked.
"Edgar taught me the term. I'll explain it to you later."
"Ah."
"Well, I guess this is where we part ways," said the Doctor. The Doctor extended a hoof and Alex shook it. Twilight and Derpy emerged and each gave Alex and Quinn hugs. 
"I can't believe we actually got to meet you," said Quinn. "This has been a dream come true, aside from the crazy Animator, the bullet to the chest, and almost everything else that happened."
"Or didn't happen, as the Writer reversed everything," Alex added. Alex's eyes went wide as he remembered the TARDIS key still hanging from his neck. He handed it towards the Doctor but the Doctor pushed it away. 
"Keep it. You might need it with the Animator still being out there somewhere in the multiverse," he said. Alex smiled before storing the TARDIS key into his pocket.
"Will we ever meet again, Doctor?"
"If the tides of war and peace bring the TARDIS back to this edge of the multiverse. I have a feeling that our lives are interlocked, Alex. Just as you are interlocked with the Writer who possessed you." Alex fell silent for a moment. He appeared to be thinking of something. "Alex?"
"I'm fine. I was just...never mind. Safe traveling, Doctor. Goodbye, Twilight. Goodbye, Derpy."
"Farewell," said Twilight.
"Bye!" Derpy exclaimed as she gave Alex and Quinn one last hug. "If we do meet again, I want you to show me some of the fan art you told me about earlier."
"Sure," said Alex in a kind, sarcastic tone. "I'll make sure to bring along the fisting picture that I found with Quinn." Alex's remark was met with a slap to the face by Quinn's hand.
"What's fisting?"
"Trust me, Derpy, you don't want to know," Quinn added. Derpy giggled as she and Twilight walked back into the TARDIS.
"Well, allons-y then!" the Doctor said.
"Geronimo, Doctor."
"Geronimo...hmm...interesting. Geronimo then!" The Doctor laughed as he disappeared into the TARDIS. Alex and Quinn took a few steps back and watched as the TARDIS slowly disappeared. 
For a moment, Alex and Quinn stood in silence. They still couldn't believe what had just happened to them.
"Quinn?" Alex asked as he turned to face his girlfriend. "Did it really happen?" Quinn smiled as she proceeded to reach into her pocket and pull out her iPhone. 
"I have proof that it did," she said as she proceeded to show Alex a montage of pictures of the interior of the TARDIS as well as pictures of the Doctor, Twilight, and Derpy. 
"When did you-"
"I took them when nobody, or nopony, was looking at me. I just wanted proof to look at and make sure that it all wasn't just some crazy dream."
"You can't keep them, Quinn."
"If you get a TARDIS key then I get some pictures! Isn't that fair?"
"I guess, as long as you're not planning on showing anyone."
"I promise that I won't show these pictures to any other living soul in this universe. But, you know, Edgar might be interested in seeing them."
"Edgar! Maybe I'll finally be able to run into him this time!"
"Hey! Alex! Quinn! Come on!" called a familiar voice. Alex looked and smiled. His elder twin brother Edgar Roger Stevens was standing a few yards away. He was beckoning them towards the Exposition Center. He looked exactly like Alex, aside from the fact that he had died his naturally blond hair dark brown. Quinn smiled as she ran forward.
"Quinn! Quinn!" Alex chased after Quinn. They soon came up to where Edgar was standing.
"Where have you guys been? I've been walking around the con for an hour just waiting for you guys to show up."
"We slept in a bit," Alex lied. Edgar looked at Alex and Quinn with a cocked head.
"What's up with you two? You both look like you've fought an army."
"No, but we met a few strange individuals," said Quinn.
"Quinn!" Alex snapped.
"Don't you think he of all people deserves to know?!"
"Maybe...I don't know."
"What are you two talking about? We don't have much time. The Andrea Libman panel is starting soon."
"Take a look at these first!" Edgar received the iPhone from Quinn's hand and proceeded to scroll through the images. The blood seemed to drain from his face.
"Wow...these are really good pictures. They look almost real."
"They are real, Edgar! We met them! Alex and I met the Doctor, Twilight, and Derpy!"
"But...that's impossible. They're just-"
"I know but it's true! Show him the key, Alex!" Alex slowly reached into his pocket and presented the key to Edgar. Edgar nearly dropped Quinn's iPhone. "Edgar? What's wrong?"
"This is impossible. It can't be true."
"But it is! The TARDIS was here and there was a-"
"Let me guess. The Animator showed up, Tara Strong, you, and Twilight got possessed, you all had a fight on the shores of Bad Wolf Bay, and the enemy of the Animator, the Writer, possessed Alex and used his body to defeat the Animator." Alex and Quinn were stunned, though Alex looked more scared that stunned.
"How did you-"
"Hasn't Alex told you about the series I've been writing for Fanfiction.net?" 
"Well...bits and pieces." Quinn turned to Alex. "What about it?"
"Everything that happened to us, happened in Edgar's stories," said Alex.
"Have you read-"
"No. I haven't read it, but Edgar's explained some of the episodes to me."
"What you're claiming to have just happened to you was basically the plot of the fourteenth episode of my series," said Edgar. Edgar proceeded to sit down on the ground. Alex and Quinn sat down next to him. "How...how can this be possible? How can something that I typed have turned into something real?"
"I think I'm starting to realize who the Writer in black is."
"Who?" 
"The Writer in the black trench coat. You know, the one who helped us out Deus ex Machina style?" Edgar looked confused.
"What are you talking about? There was no character like that in my story."
"There was no second Writer?" asked Quinn.
"No. The Writer who possessed Alex was written as a sort of future-esque version of myself. It's a long and complicated story. There was only one Writer in my series. I have no idea who this second Writer is." Alex let out a laugh.
"I do," he said.
"Who?" Quinn asked. Alex looked up at the sky and smiled.
"I hope you have a good future planned out for us, Writer." The confused teens remained quiet for a few seconds.
"Come on," said Edgar. "Let's just enjoy the con and worry about all of these new discoveries later."
"Yeah," said Quinn. Alex, Quinn, and Edgar stood up and began making their way to the con. They had many questions and few answers to said questions; and yet, they were happy. Alex was especially happy. He had gotten to meet the Doctor, Twilight Sparkle, and Derpy Hooves. For a brief moment, he had been a hero of sorts. He had saved Lauren Faust from a psychopath from another dimension. And the only people who knew this series of events to be true were himself, Quinn, and Edgar. Keeping secrets was sometimes hard, but, in this case, keeping this particular secret had never felt more satisfying. 

Meadowlands Exposition Center Parking Lot, Secaucus, New Jersey, America, Earth, Summer, 2012 A.D.

Lauren Faust stepped out of her car and began making her way over to the Exposition Center. As she walked, a pain shot through her head. She grabbed her temple as a faint voice echoed through her skull.
"Sleep now, Lauren Faust, and forget about this day...for now," the voice said. Lauren shook her head and quickly forgot about the voice a moment later. As she continued walking towards BronyCon 2012, a single question appeared in her mind: did her characters really exist?
"That would be amazing but sadly, the answer's no," Lauren replied out loud to herself. She had never been more wrong in her life.
To be continued...