//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: A sad Timepony // Story: Cutie Pox Dilemma // by Brightly-litt //------------------------------// As the TARDIS landed in the year 500 A.D., the year of the first Cutie Pox outbreak, the Doctor stopped me before we left the Pony Box. "Here, take this before you go out there." He said as he handed me some sort of advanced tech-looking device and a small vial of blue liquid. "What are these?" I asked. "This here is a watch from my original world, a holographic one, so I can stay in touch with you out there," he said, "and this. . ." he pointed to the vial, " is the cure for the Cutie Pox, made 3 billion Equestrian years in the future, developed by the Unicorns. Lucky ponies." he remarked. "Sorry I won't be joining you. I don't believe I will respond well to this. . . Cutie Pox. I already caught Chicken Pox in my last regeneration, and I almost ripped the world apart, so imagine my concern if I caught the Cutie Pox. Also, I am very fond of my hourglass, and I want it to be the only one on my body, thank you very much." He said in a rush of subject-changes and silly remarks. "I will stay in my TARDIS while you experience history in the making, perhaps even get a cup of tea, chat with the TARDIS, and work on repairs. I'll contact you when I'm ready. Have fun!" And he pushed me out the doors as I was just finishing the vial, wondering why he was acting so weird. As I walked through the crowd of ponies on their way to pick up deliveries, heading to work, or even heading out for some brunch with close friends, I started to wonder why the Doctor was so strange. It concerned me, because the Doctor would never turn down an opportunity to go on an adventure, and, now, he was concerned over a little, practically harmless illness!!! But, the more I thought about his silly reasons, the more they started to sound more like. . .EXCUSES!!!! I couldn't believe my own conclusion! The Timepony was making excuses?! It was bad enough that he left me to my own in this time, but to make an stupid excuse such as "Afraid of catching the Cutie Pox." The nerve of some ponies!! I mean, the least it could do is add some extra, random marks all over a pony's body, giving them said cutie mark's talents, nothing too serious. And one couldn't catch the illness unless you come into contact with the one who has it, such as a friendly hoof-shake, hoof-five, or hoof-bump. As I was stomping through the crowds (my ranting thoughts were apparently causing some ponies to get scared), I finally decided to let it slide, and let my mind calm down, and waited for the pony with the first Cutie Pox symptom to come into view. That's when I heard the worst possible sound to hear in this time, the TARDIS' engine revving up. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As I ran back to the spot where the Doctor parked, I was just in time to see the outline of the ship vanish. I couldn't believe my eyes, so I tried cleaning my glasses, but it still didn't help, the TARDIS was really and truly. . .gone.