Chapter 2: The Changelings
The Doctor closed the door and clopped up to the platform.
“This is the central/primary console room and this large thing in the center is the console.” explained the Doctor, “There’s the flight mode switch and here’s the exterior scanner and navigational mode. That’s the monitor and the space-time throttle, the ‘travel’ lever, and over yonder is a Swuffle reading Shakespeare. Wonder if he’s up to the interesting bit yet. Anywho, the console and all it’s button’s (mostly) controls where and when the TARDIS goes.”
“When?”
“Yes. TARDIS is an acronym. It stands for Time And Relative Dimensions In Space.”
“You’re a Time Travelling pony!”
“Yes, though technically it’s ‘Time-Lord’ or maybe ‘Time-Pony’. Come to think of it, ‘Time-Pony’ has a nice ring to it.” said the Doctor thoughtfully.
“Well - that would explain why your Cutie Mark is an hourglass.”
“Huh? Cutie Mark?!”
“Well yeah! You are a really strange pony, know that?”
“To be fair, I’ve never been a pony before. So what’s a Cutie Mark?”
“It appears usually near the end of your foal years, when you find your special talent. It’s like - if you are a good baker it would appear as a cake or a loaf of bread.”
“Well, that does make sense. Not sure if I get the name though. Wouldn’t it be something like ‘Talent Mark’?”
“Nope, it’s just ‘Cutie Mark’.”
“Huh.”
The Doctor - after immense trial and error - managed to flip the dematerialization lever when Rainbow asked him how the TARDIS worked (not to mention what the heck was on his head!).
“Well - er - what’s your name again?”
“Rainbow Dash.”
The Doctor started laughing so hard he visible shook. He then calmed down and continued.
“Well, it’s a fez (fezzes are cool!). And to answer your first question first I flip the demat- um...travel lever as I just did then I use the monitor to switch universes if I want to, which I don’t. If I don’t want to I select a galaxy, then a solar system, planet, country and city etc.. I then move over to the time forward and backward control and flip it down for back. On the exterior visualizer (the big window next to the door) you’ll see that now we are travelling through a blue tunnel. It’s called the Time Vortex and if we go back in time it will appear blue. If we go forwards in time it will look red. I steer by getting the flight mode on then going over here to the exterior scanner and navigational control (basically, the steering wheel) and pilot it until the monitor over there shows the time I want. I then stop the TARDIS, hit the space-time throttle and flip the travel lever off. We’re here.”
“Doctor, that’s just awesome!”
“I know, isn’t it?”
The TARDIS began to materialize with the familiar metallic thrumming, except - it sounded different. It wasn’t so wheezy, it was a more clean sound, and there was no ‘Veeeweeeeoooorp’ just the solid ‘Weeeeoooorp’.
“Hey Doc, whys the ‘TARDIS’ making a different sound?”
“Well before it was an emergency landing since I was crashing after my rather violent tussle with the daleks (don’t ask). Now it’s just a regular landing.”
“Oh.”
The two trotted out the door and were greeted by black insect like creatures that looked as if someone had put them in a room and shot them with an extremely large gun. That or they were made of black Swiss cheese.
“The Changelings!” yelled Rainbow.
“Yes, wait - how did you know?”
“Um, everyone in Equestria knows. They are attacking the capital city!”
“Oh, right. Well, I’m sorry - but I seem to have brought you into your own past. That's okay if you aren't in the same general vicinity. That can cause nasty things, believe me.”
“No duh, I’m up ther - how did you know that?”
“The metallic taste in the air and the warning light just in the TARDIS door. I’ll just get my Sonic - Oh. Um. OH SOD IT! How exactly do you carry things?!”
“Like this.” she replied, picking up the green tipped ‘Sonic’, “What’s a sonic?”
The Doctor didn’t reply until he finally managed to pick the device up.
“FINALLY! Oh, it’s actually called the Sonic Screwdriver. It can fluctuate any technology and open any door unless the tech is wood or the door is deadlocked. What exactly stopped the Changelings? I mean, there weren’t any around in your time.”
“Princess Cadence and Shining Armor’s combined magic did.”
“MAGIC! Your pullin’ my leg!”
“They’re an alicorn and a unicorn.”
“AN ALICORN!”.
The Doctor looked like a foal that had just received a very large ice - cream.
“Yes,” replied Rainbow, “Cadence is the third of the three ruling alicorns, under Princess Celestia and Luna (the royal sisters). Shining Armor is the head of Celestia’s EUP guard - standing for Earth pony, Unicorn and Pegasus. They were getting married until we found out the real Cadence had been imprisoned and the one at the wedding was really a Changeling.”
“Well - that’s - just - amazing. But I doubt simple magic would have been enough to rid Equestria of an entire invasion fleet. An outside force must have either amplified or even combined with the magic.”
“What?”
“I wouldn’t want to jump to conclusions, but I think that’s me.”