Chapter 3
There were many hazards to living in Ponyville. One being it was located right next to the Everfree forest. Though it had the same characteristics as the human world forests to the ponies of Equestria it was the most unnatural and terrifying place in the lands next to Tartarus. Another danger was the town’s magnetism for disasters and world changing events. However probably the greatest danger was the lack of magic in the town. Since its founding Ponyville has become a very diverse town however it still lacked unicorns with above average magical promise.
Sunset Shimmer looked over her clipboard with names of all the unicorns in the town. On the list there were about thirty however of those unicorns only three stood infront of her: Rarity, Vinyl Scratch, Lyra Heartstrings. The four ponies were at the fountain located near the center of Ponyville.
“Um Sunset darling,” Rarity raised a hoof. “Where is everyone else?”
“We’re pretty much it Rarity. Out of all the unicorns here you three have the best record with spell casting.” Sunset said.
“So what do you need us to do Sunbutt?” Vinyl Scratch spoke up.
Sighing at the nickname Sunset pointed to the open stallion hole. “Currently there are varieties of chemicals or in this case potions in the water system. We need to purge the chemicals.”
Vinyl lowered her shades revealing her purple irises giving Sunset a deadpanned look. “How the hay do we do that?”
“Magic.”
Lyra coughed. “Obviously but how?”
Sunset levitated her clipboard up again. “I need you and Vinyl to circulate the water out of the sewer pipes then Rarity and I will use our magic to purify it. Princess Twilight is at the reservoir ready to cast a purification spell through the pipe system to catch anything we missed. Any other questions?”
“Yeah, I’m thirsty can I have a drink?” Vinyl asked.
Sunset’s hoof met her forehead. “No, we don’t know what the water will do to a pony if they touch it.”
“Could I grow another horn?!” she asked excitedly.
“I don’t know and were not finding out.” Sunset sighed.
“Or maybe hands?” Lyra’s eyes shinned for a moment.
“I’ve had them, they’re not that special.”
“Wait really?!” Lyra jumped forward pressing the tip of her muzzle against Sunset’s causing her to almost trip into the stallion hole.
“Erm. Yes, I did go to the human world. I actually met your human counterpart there.” She smiled nervously.
“You. Must. Tell. Me. Everything!” Lyra said with enthusiasm. When Sunset first met Lyra she seemed like a pretty normal pony, her and Bonbon both. But now she wasn’t so sure. This however was to close for any means of comfort.
“L-later.” Sunset stepped back. “Let’s deal with this first.”
Vinyl and Lyra began charging their horns. At first there was just the sound of rushing water from the stallion hole then a stream flowed out into the air. Rarity and Sunset stood across from each other and lit their horns taking hold of the water and bringing it to their level. Their horns glowed brighter and a green wall formed between them. As the water passed through the barrier glowed and emitted particles of light. When the water came out purified Vinyl and Lyra shifted part of their magic to it lifting it up into the air forming a large ball.
The spells required the utmost concentration. Sunset breathed slowly channeling her magic. The job would have been easier with more unicorns but most unicorns in Ponyville weren’t known for their magical ability. The four mares continued the spell, as the water continued flowing through the barrier the bubble overhead grew larger. Vinyl and Lyra were careful not to come into contact with the water or get it on Sunset and Rarity as it went through the purification barrier.
After a few minutes the water bubble had grown larger than the fountain and Sunset looked up.
“Were doing good girls, keep this up and we should be done soon.” She smiled and wiped the sweat trickling down her forehead.
“Look out!” A voice shouted from behind them. All but Sunset turned to see a wall-eyed pegasus flying out of control towards them.
Vinyl’s eyes widened behind her glasses, “No, Derpy veer right!”
Sunset was able to turn her head last moment to see a blur of grey and yellow. Her vision went blurry and she found herself falling, falling down the stallion hole. She screamed for a moment and flailed her hooves trying to grasp onto the sides of the pipe but they were slick and she was unable to get a grip. After a few seconds of falling there was a splash.
Vinyl helped Derpy the mares gathered around the stallion hole.
“Sunset!” Rarity called. “Are you alright?”
After a couple seconds Sunset’s hoof rose out and gripped the ground. Rarity went to help her but immediately jumped back as Sunset’s head rose out after.
“Ugh...” Sunset climbed out of the stallion hole and brushed her mane out of her eyes. Looking around the four mares was looking her with expressions of shock and horror. “What?”
“U-um….” Rarity had a crimson blush on her face and she held a hoof to her mouth.
“Wow.” Vinyl tilted her glasses down and raised an eyebrow
Lyra looked equally shocked however Derpy tilted her head. “Who’s the new guy?” She said curiously.
“Guy?” Sunset asked. “I’m not a-“ She paused and her brain picked up the masculine tone coming from her mouth. “W-what?!” Sunset put his front hooves over his lips.
Rarity conjured up a magical mirror. Sunset looked in it and his eyes widened. His facial structure was broader and mane now shorter still slightly wavey but with a spiked look to it. The once elegant finely curved flanks were now rough and bulkier, this included his hooves. All that remained was his original cyan eyes and cutie mark. Sunset felt something snap in his brain at the conclusive fact: she was now a stallion.
“What the buck!?” He screamed but clasped his hooves over his mouth. His new male voice was very unsettling. He looked at the other mares as if one of them had an answer.
Vinyl snickered. “Hey Sunbutt you actually look pretty good as a stallion.”
“Quite.” Rarity said with a blush on her face.
Sunset glared at them. He shrunk back trying to cover himself with hooves but to no avail. His larger body structure made it impossible to hide away from the onlookers. “This isn’t funny! I can’t be a stallion!”
“We’ll darling on the bright side your relationship with Twilight might be a little easier in some cases.” Rarity coughed.
Sunset’s cheeks lit up. “N-no! I-I don’t want to do that with Twilight as a stallion!”
“Hey you’re right!” Vinyl chimed in. She and Lyra were still levitating the water with their magic and she took a small ball of it about the size of a hoof down to her eye level. “Maybe I should use this, Octavia might dig it.”
“No!” Sunset charged her horn yanking the orb of water away from Vinyl. Right now Sunset was having multiple heart attacks and the last thing he wanted was multiple gender changes. “We need to reverse this!”
He breathed slowly calming himself down and looked back to the water. “First we’ll finish purifying this so we don’t have any more mishaps.”
He motioned back to the water and he and Rarity began their spell again. The water began flowing again and before long, with no more mishaps from Derpy, the water was purified. As soon as the last drop left the stallion hole a magical wave lit up the pipes. Twilight had sent her cleansing spell from the reservoir through all the pipes across Ponyville.
The orb of water casted a shadow over the center of the town, like a small moon waiting to come crashing down. Sunset charged his horn with the other mares and the massive orb levitated down and flowed into the stallion hole. Once the water had completely drained the mares plus stallion released their magic and sighed from fatigue.
“Alright…” Sunset sat on his haunches while wiping his forehead. “Some pony help me!”
“I personally haven’t seen anything like this before," said Vinyl. “That’s saying something because I have seen a lot at the club.”
Rarity brushed her mane back styling it back. She trotted over to Sunset and touched his shoulder gently. “Perhaps we should go to Twilight and-“
“No!” Sunset shouted. “I can’t let Twilight see me like this?”
“Why?”
“Call it fault of my pride and dignity.” He covered his head with his hooves. “Does anyone know anything about gender swap spells?”
Lyra rubbed her chin with a hoof. “Even if we did that takes a lot of magic that none of us have. The only magical users with that type of power would be the princesses.”
Sunset felt a pit form in his stomach. The thought of Twilight having to fix this was utterly embarrassing. Not to mention the permanent feeling of being a stallion. The bulkiness of a stallion’s body made it harder to move around and brought on much insecurity. Having been pony and human Sunset as a female considered herself very sexy. However this was the opposite of that, this was just wrong. She was thankful that only her body had been turned into a stallions’ and not her brain.
Possibly being stuck like this was even worse. Having to explain to every pony that he was once a mare and now unwillingly a stallion. Would suitors show up to court Twilight again? Would have to fight them off bare hoofed? Would he now have to watch hoof ball and eat corn dogs? The questions gave Sunset and headache and he lowered himself to the ground covering his face with his hooves and whimpering.
“I might know someone who can help.” Derpy smiled.
All eyes turned to her and Sunset’s ears perked up. He sprung to his hooves and grabbed Derpy who in turned blushed due to the close contact with a stallion. “Who?!”
“The Doctor!” She responded cheerfully.
Sunset grimaced. “Alright you, Pinkie Pie and Discord have now mentioned this pony. Doctor who?”
“Just the Doctor.”
Celestia help me. His eye twitched and he sighed. “Alright Derpy, how can this Doctor help me?”
“I don’t know but he’s really smart! I bet he can think of something! Follow me!” She flapped her wings and flew up into the air racing towards the downtown part of Ponyville.
Sunset looked the other mares. “If any pony asks… lie!” He bolted off after Derpy.
He cut down an alleyway between two buildings and kept to the shadows. The last thing he wanted was for anyone to see him. Though he was a stallion his coat and mane had not changed color. Anypony with a brain would make one of two connections, Sunset was turned into a stallion or Sunset has a twin brother. Either way he would rather avoid that conflict at the moment.
Turning a corner he kept on Derpy’s tail. Though this was made difficult but Derpy almost colliding with the walls and sometimes making a wrong turn. After a few minutes of running they arrived at a dead end between three buildings. Derpy landed and walked towards the back. Far at the end shrouded by the shadows was a tall blue box. On top of it a glowing sign read: Police Public Call Box.
“Um Derpy…” Sunset asked. “Why are we at the end of a dark alleyway and what’s that box?”
“It’s the Doctor’s home.” Derpy said smiling. She trotted up to the box and took off a small key attached at the end of her mane.
“A box…” He raised an eyebrow. “It looks to small for anypony to fit in it.”
“You’ll see.” She said in a singsong voice as she inserted the key into a small keyhole on the door. It made an audible click as it turned and the door opened up with a creek. She disappeared inside completely.
Sunset was unsure and stepped forward slowly. Reaching the box she pushed open the door slowly. She expected to be greeted by two ponies in a cramped space but instead was met with a vast room. The room itself was the size of Twilight’s throne room with multiple levels and catwalks. From the ceiling was a large console with a cylindrical tube that that stretched from the floor a level down up to the ceiling.
The walls were covered with glowing lit up circles that extended the circumference of interior. Lights rested above them following the same extension. Bookshelves lined the catwalks and the walls were covered in strange shapes and lines. The room itself looked very technological like something Sunset had seen in science fiction movies in the human world. He took a step back and poked his head outside the box. It was still the same size, a small wooden blue box and looking back inside the large room was still there.
“It’s….” He began slowly. His throat went dry as he spanned the room. It was unreal and impossible in every logical aspect. “Bigger… on the inside.”
“Oh yes I do love it when ponies say that!” A voice said allowed.
Sunset followed sound of the voice and saw a brown stallion stepping out from behind the console. His mane was spiked in the back and he had an hourglass shaped cutie mark, he was also sporting a green tie. Derpy had followed behind him.
“Hello there, I’m the Doctor!” He said cheerfully.
Sunset raised an eyebrow. “Doctor who?”
“Just the Doctor! Now it seems you’ve changed since I last saw you Sunset Shimmer?” He clopped his hooves together and the door behind Sunset closed.
“Wait, wait.” Sunset held up his hooves. “Who are you… and what is this place and how do you know me?”
“You mean you don’t remember me?” The Doctor trotted forward and looked him over. “Granted you’re a stallion now, which is not really out of the normal in my book but you are Sunset Shimmer aren’t you?”
“Yes I am.” Sunset answered.
The Doctor scratched his chin. “Then why don’t… ooh! Ha!” He laughed. “Oh time you’re bloody fantastic!”
“You’re very strange.”
“Oye, hey, you weren’t this rude last we met.” He chided.
“But I’ve never met you before!” Sunset growled throwing up his hooves.
“Well we have, in the future, well future for you past for me.” He turned back to the console and flicked a few switches pulling up a small computer screen. “It’s very wibbly wobbly timey wimey.”
Sunset looked to Derpy for an explanation but the wall-eyed mare just shrugged and kept smiling.
“To answer your other question, this is the Tardis, Time and Relative Dimensions in Space.” He said looking at the monitor. His hooves clicked and clacked against the keyboard as he typed. “We’ll it seems that we’re a little ways behind from our last excursion. That seems to explain it.”
“Explains what?”
“Time travel.” The Doctor said.
There were a few moments of silence and then Sunset laughed. “Time travel? There’s no such thing.”
“Oye! Don’t be rude to my old girl!” He chided then patted the console with a tender hoof. “It’s okay dear she just hasn’t met you yet.”
Sunset sighed and rubbed his forehead. This was all very strange and he was starting to believe he had eaten bad waffles this morning and this was all a sick dream. He speculated that Luna was behind this and watching from a hidden window laughing all the way.
“Can you help me or not?”
“Ah yes, that, hold still.” He trotted back to him and pulled out a small silver rod. It emanated a green light and made a soft whirring sound. He waved it around her head for a few moments then brought it back looking it over. “Hm, it seems the chemical composition of your body has been modified to the point your gender has been switched.”
“Gee, I could have told you that.” Sunset rolled his eyes.
The Doctor walked over to the console and typed on the console computer. “Based on the scan it appears the chemical imbalance is resulting from three foreign entities in your blood stream.”
Sunset and Derpy walked over to the console and looked at the screen. Three items flashed on the screen. One was the male unicorn horn shaving, another was a rainbow, and the last ingredient was…
“Poison joke…” Sunset mumbled. “Are you kidding me!”
“Pardon?” The Doctor asked.
Sunset growled and slapped a hoof to his forehead. “Those little fillies used poison joke in a potion!”
“It would seem that way.” The Doctor looked back to the screen.
“Then all you need to do is take a bubble bath right?” Derpy asked.
The Doctor however shook his head. “Unfortunately that would be to easy, Miss Hooves. On its own poison joke is easy to get rid of but here combined with the magical properties of the rainbow and unicorn horn shavings its been amplified. Even though it’s still playing a joke a bath won’t get rid of it.”
“So do you know the cure then!?” Sunset asked hastily. “I can’t be stuck like this!”
“Calm down calm down.” The Doctor put a hoof on Sunset’s head. “The Doctor is in. All we need to do is take a scan of your biological make up as a mare and with the right sonic resonance from my screwdriver we can reverse the effects of the amplified poison joke.”
“But…” Sunset began. “You don’t have a scan of me as a mare.”
“Ah but that’s where you’re wrong my cross gendered friend! Like so.” He waved the sonic screwdriver flicking it on and put it to Sunset’s chest. The tip of it glowed brightly for a few moments. Sunset felt his body vibrate and his form wobbled. His eyes bugged out as his limbs snapped back and shrunk down. The world spun and for a second everything went black.
Opening his eyes Sunset shook his head and looked to the Doctor who had a smug grin on his face. “There you are Mrs. Shimmer.”
He pulled up a mirror from the console. Sunset’s features had shrunken. Her form was smaller and her muzzle was petite and smooth. Her flanks were well rounded again and her hooves had shrunken to their normal size.
“I’m…” She held up a hoof to her lips and smiled hearing her feminine voice again. “Oh thank Celestia!”
“Why her? I helped you.” The Doctor frowned.
“Thank you Doctor!” She grabbed his hoof shaking it.
“You’re most welcome Mrs. Shimmer.” He smiled reciprocating the hoof shake.
“See I told you the Doctor could fix it.” Derpy gave Sunset a wide smile and moved close to the Doctor giving him a hug.
“I’m sorry I doubted you, but Doctor.” She asked. “How did you have a scan of me if I’ve never met you before?”
The Doctor looked around and twisted his head left and right. “Like I said before, Time Travel is up down all around it’s like a big ball of stuff getting mixed together and jumbled about never in the write order.”
“So…” Sunset began. “I’ll see you in the future then?”
“Exactly! We’ll you’re future my past. I know you but you don’t know me, this means that sometime in your future you’ll meet me, while for me it will be the past.”
“Um…” Sunset looked at him somewhat dumbfounded.
“Just nod your head like you understand when he stops for breath.” Derpy giggled.
She nodded, “Alright… well I’ll remember that, thank you again Derpy, and to you as well Doctor.”
“My pleasure Mrs. Shimmer, oh and when the time comes if you see a statue that looks like a pegasus and has it’s face covered, don’t blink.” His tone was serious by the end. The bubbly expression he had went away momentarily as he looked away from the console and gritted his teeth.
Sunset trotted back to the door and opened it then looked back. “Um… alright. Before I go why are you calling me Mrs. Shimmer?”
The Doctor looked back to her in surprise. “You mean your not… oh… Oh!” His grin returned and he chuckled. “Sorry, spoilers!”
The door closed forcing Sunset out of the Tardis. She landed on her stomach and grunted on impact. There was a loud noise mixed between a whirring and screeching. Looking back the Tardis faded in and out of existence for a few moments and was then gone.
“Spoilers… wait…” Sunset got up dusting herself off and looked up in thought. “Mrs. Shimmer…” She shook her head and trotted out of the alley. It was the late afternoon indicated by the sun having crossed its peak in the sky and now descending towards the west. I’m just going to pretend like all of this never happened.
Once she arrived back at the Castle she was greeted by Twilight in the throne room. Twilight looked up from her reading and smiled getting out of her seat and walking over to Sunset.
“Good work with the water filtering. Did everything go okay?” She asked giving Sunset a peck on the cheek.
“Yep!” Sunset said hastily. “No problems at all.”