Sunshine Smiles, Carver Pie and Potence had been given a reprieve from there relentless defence. The first wave of creatures had been successfully destroyed, as their corpses all but carpeted the surrounding land. Judging by the rustling of trees, and the eerie green lights in the forest, a second wave was not too far behind. With four hours still left on the clock, they needed the energy.
Sunshine examined his sword, a roughly hewn piece of chitin from a fallen Darkling’s leg. It was very tough, withstanding a direct blow, but easily carved with the right tools. A stab with his knife did no damage, but a carving motion, much like whittling, could remove some pieces. The entire Darkling’s leg seemed to be solid chitin, but its body, head and tail seemed full of acid, almost swelling with the amount. The dead monsters deflated like balloons as their life blood dribbled out, often leaving nothing left but their shield like legs.
Potence happily hummed to her heart’s content while scavenging for some left over bolts. Her supply may have been extensive, but even that tired after hours of solid shooting. Her aim seemed just too good, each one punching through at least one major artery. The resulting acid made the bolt unsalvageable. For once, she was thankful she missed a couple.
Carver Pie sat solemnly on a large rock, sharpening her pick axe with a wet stone, cleaning it lovingly. On the rock farm, where she had little to herself, the axe was her most prized possession. A pony the colour of the rising sun came to the little farm when she was but a filly. She offered her parents a set of tools that would never need to be replaced. They bought five tools, but they were warned that if the tools were not treated properly, they would bring bad luck.
A shovel bought from the mare, was used intensively, and without proper care. Soon the shaft snapped and the blade rusted off, within four days of purchase. A hammer and chisel wore themselves down before the statue they were forced to make. A plough used in the fields was not cleaned liberally, so all crops harvested yielded only half of what was planted. The pick axe however, was given to herself. She treasured it beyond anything else, and cleaned it lovingly, sang it songs, and even tucked it in at night. It was her only true personal possession, and her only friend.
She never thought she’d use it to squash any oversized spiders though.
The clip-clopping of hooves in the distance alerted her. Putting the wets stone away, she narrowed her eyes at the source. Two figures, small and pony shaped trotted towards her. She gripped her axe tightly, noting the rush of adrenaline through her bloodstream. Ever since she’s started helping these guards, she’s been starting to feel a lot more than she was comfortable, but she liked it.
Screaming a battle cry, she leapt high into the air, pick raised above her head. When she landed, she halted her axe just before the grimacing faces of a brown stallion, and his grey Pegasus companion. The stallion opened one eye to see the axe point centimetres from his skull, then let out a sigh.
“See?” he noted, putting a hoof around his companion’s shoulder “Weapons, weapons everywhere!”
“You’re being too dramatic,” the grey mare confided, shrugging off his hoof “Hello! My name is Ditzy and this is the Doctor. Just the Doctor, trust me. Have you happened to find any pony by the name of Sunshine Smiles this fine evening?”
Carver looked quizzically at the two. Their behaviour was certainly suspicious, but any help given, was definitely needed. Plus, they definitely didn’t look like any bandits, or ponies that would side with the Darklings.
“I’ll take you to him,” she said finally, hefting her pick onto her shoulder and trotting away “Name’s Carver Pie, by the way,”
“I knew it!” Doctor exclaimed, swinging his hoof as if snapping fingers
“What do you know?” Carver asked sarcastically
“You look like a relative of a filly I’ve met. Born and raised on a rock farm weren’t you?”
“Of course, proud Pie family tradition,”
They talked no more on the short walk to the camp site. Potence seemed to have found new strength, as she was hefting Darkling legs into a makeshift wall. Upon noticing them, she dropped the leg, and dove behind it with a loud *eep*.
“Potence,” Carver sighed “These ponies are looking for Sunshine, can you go fetch him for me?”
“Right away, Ma’am!” she saluted, darting into a nearby tent
“I’m not even in the guard!” she called after the shy pegasus
Moments later, the armour clad bat pony stepped before them. He had been tying pieces of Darkling Chitin to his armour, giving it an intimidating, angular appearance. He had a chitin sword, strapped to each side, and an array of knives across his chest of the same material. He took off his helmet, fashioned from a hollow Darkling skull, and regarded to the two newcomers.
“Doctor,” he said simply
“That’s him!” Ditzy cheered
“That’s me!” Doctor cried “It’s good to see you. Luna’s been so worried!”
“How did you did you find me?” Sunshine asked
“This!” he said, pulling a device out of thin air
It looked like a very bulky brass phone, with a satellite dish on the top, and a long, extendable antennae. As the dish rotated, it gave a *ding* sound whenever it pointed at Sunshine.
“What is it?” Potence said, peeking from behind Sunshine
“It’s a machine that goes ‘ding’,” announced the Doctor proudly “It can cook microwave meals from 30 feet, download comics from the future and track alien DNA. All I had to do was recalibrate it to your brother’s DNA signature, and it would lead us to any matches,”
“Right, and who are you?” Carver said finally
“I’m the Doctor, the Oncoming Storm, Bringer of Shape, Destroyer of Worlds and Saviour of even more. I have witnessed the rise and fall of civilisations, the beginning and end of time, and also…” he paused for effect “You’re Birthday,”
“Who, me?” Potence squeaked
“Yes, you! Happy Birthday Potence!” he cheered, as Ditzy slapped a party hat to her head “Anyway, we’re getting off topic. If Eyewitness accounts are correct…”
“Wait, so we’re going to make it out of here alive?”
“Pretty much. It also means a giant Darkling is going to burst out of the ground in three seconds,”
True to his word, a Darkling burst out of the ground, showering the ponies in dirt and rubble. Carver ended its life anticlimactically with a pick axe to the face. Its limp body flopped back into the pit from which it came, now blocking the entrance. Unfortunately, that wasn’t all.
Several more erupted from the ground, quickly snatching up all five of them in their three clawed tails. None had magic, and enough freedom to move to cut themselves loose. Even if they could, the only pony that could cut himself free was Sunshine, who was donning their own chitin for armour.
“Do something!” Carver cried reaching for her pick axe, 15 feet below her
“Oh, I wouldn’t mind,” the Doctor said casually, hanging from one leg “It’ll all be over soon,”
“That’s not exactly comforting!”
“Just listen to the Doc,” Ditzy smiled “It’s all going to be alright,”
“It’s not!” Potence cried, tears streaming from her eyes “We’re all going to DIE!”
Sunshine had heard enough, and flung three knives at various weak points on the tail, severing it completely. As its grip on him was lost, he flapped his wings and repeated the method on potence, catching her mid-flight. The Darklings hissed in disappointment, and began fighting with the others over food. Sunshine lay her down gently, then set about getting the others.
The monsters clawed at each other with their shield-like legs, scrabbling for food. The Darkling’s who still had their prey wasted no time, and lowered the ponies into their mouths. Carver acted quickly and wedged her axe in the creature’s jaws, bounding away when it released her. Doctor and Ditzy feared nothing as they hung limply above their gaping mouths.
“Are you mad?!?!” Sunshine screamed, frantically hacking at the creature’s tail
“Nope,” said the Doctor confidently “I might be, but she’s not. Just keep an eye on the horizon for us,”
“Why? The sun doesn’t rise for another two hours!”
“Or does it?” Ditzy added mysteriously
Sunshine hated being wrong, but right now, he was too busy being shocked
A warm purple-blue light swept across the sky like a blush, bathing the land in soft colour. Purple gave way for red, then orange as the night made way for the day. The yellow disk of the sun rose rapidly, as the birds sang praises for its arrival. The woodland around felt alive with sound as the wind billowed through the trees.
The Darkling’s shrieked in confusion, and scrabbled away from the approaching light. Their movements became sluggish, and jagged like bad marionettes. None of them escaped as a grey pallor spread across their body, ceasing all movement and sound where it formed. All that was left of the mighty second wave, was a gallery of panic stricken statues.
The Doctor hopped agilely from his former prison, back down onto the ground. Ditzy flew lazy loops before settling down next to her bizarre companion. Sunshine, Potence and Carver stared open mouthed at the rising sun, eyes wide with shock. The time travelling couple had a giggle at the sight of their faces.
“But… but…” they muttered incoherently
“Never count on a blessing, my little ponies,” said a familiar voice from behind them
They turned to see the majestic form of Princess Celestia. No longer the image of a grieving wreck, but now the confident and powerful figure that they all knew and loved. Sunshine, Potence and Carver bowed hastily, kneeling on one front leg, with their heads down. Doctor and Ditzy watched on from a distance.
“But when one comes, embrace it with open hooves,” she finished, smiling down at the three before her
She extended a hoof underneath Sunshine’s face, and lifted his eyes to meet her own.
“It is I, who must thank you, Mr Smiles,” she smiled warmly “Thanks to you, I believe I am one step closer to leading my subjects, but until then, I will award your bravery,”
She withdrew her hoof, and summoned forth a magnificent golden halberd, its blade forged in the shape of the sun.
“Rise,” she commanded softly “All of you,”
The three got up awkwardly, and stood to rapt attention.
“To you, Potence, I award the most prestigious medal of bravery that can ever be awarded. For standing by your comrades, even in the face of almost certain death, I immortalise your name among the bravest of all guards,”
She conjured a small wooden box before the frightened Pegasus, and motioned for her to open it. Inside, was a beautiful golden medallion, wreathed in silver and strung on a purple and blue ribbon. On one side was Celestia’s cutie mark, and on the other, Potence’s own, a rose flower caught in a ring of spikes.
“Every rose has its thorns, and no rose is as magnificent as you are. Congratulations!”
Celestia levitated her helmet off slowly, revealing Potence’s true colours. She was very light grey, with long aquamarine hair that almost touched the ground, framing her beautiful face. She accepted the medal graciously, and smiled widely at the princess, and at her companions who returned it enthusiastically.
“To you, Carver Pie I award a title that many stallions, and fewer mares would dream. I extend an invitation to join the Royal Guard, as its Vice Captain, I know you will serve well. There is no item I may give to you worthy of such a position, so I give you my blessing, and a medal to commemorate your victory,”
Carver accepted the simple medal happily, allowing a rare smile to grace her lips. She also received a scroll, closed by a royal seal, as well as her own pick axe. It was retrieved by the princess from a fallen Darkling’s mouth.
“To you, Sunshine Smiles, I award you with a token of personal value,” she levitated a small, black crown from behind her reverently. It was small and simple, something a filly would wear. “When you return to the future, give this to my sister and tell her, I am sorry,”
Sunshine cradled the crown gently, treating it as if it was made of china
“I will,” he nodded
“No doubt I will remember you in the future,” Celestia whispered “But if I were to forget, take it as a reminder of your bravery, and that of the soldiers that have fought bravely in this land,”
She stood, and stepped away from them as white light spiralled all around her, picking up wind and dust.
“We will meet again,” she farewelled, vanishing in a plume of dust and light
Sunshine turned to his two companions, trying vainly to make out words. He was aved the trouble as Potence flung her arms around him, crying gently.
“I’ll miss you,” she sobbed
“I will too,” he whispered, stroking her mane
Carver was never the sentimental type, but gave him a nod, which was happily returned. Sunshine held out a locket, the one Golden Lance gave him before his death. Realising the meaning, Carver took it reverently, and nodded again.
“I can’t say I’ll see you again,” he announced, breaking away from the hug “But I can say, that is was a pleasure fighting with you,”
He gave a salute, which was returned half-heartedly by the two mares. Carver trotted back to camp to pack away her things, but Potence stood rigidly still, eyes cast down to the ground. Before Sunshine could ask what was going on, she darted forward and kissed him on the cheek.
“Thank you,” she whispered “For everything,”
She turned and flew quickly back to camp, following Carver Pie, who looked quizzically behind her. Sunshine was still standing there, shocked, before a grey hoof gently nudged him over.
“Come on lover-colt,” Ditzy teased “You have a family to return to,”
The Doctor returned to them with all of Sunshine’s belongings tied to his back like an oversized rucksack.
“Gotta love earth pony strength and endurance,” he chuckled “Come along now, not too far to the TARDIS,”
They made it to the odd blue barn in minutes. Doctor and Ditzy went in to set the coordinates, but Sunshine found it hard to leave. He had spent almost two months in the past and made many friends. It was hard saying goodbye, but he knew deep in his heart that it was necessary.
“Goody bye,” he whispered, walking solemnly into the TARDIS
The big blue box shimmered and pulsed with a metallic wheezing sound, kicking up gusts of wind in its departure. Soon, it disappeared, leaving no trace of its existence what-so-ever.