Chapter Twenty
The Dresden Fillies: False Masks
Written by: psychicscubadiver
Edited by: SilentCarto and frieD195
Story Image by: wyrmlover
Beta-reader: Coandco
Disclaimer: I don’t own The Dresden Files or My Little Pony, that is Jim Butcher and Hasbro, respectively. This is a fanfiction only. This story takes place before Discord’s return in MLP and between books six and seven in the Dresden Files.
Chapter Twenty
This is a stupid idea, I told myself. That statement could define about seventy-five percent of my life, but this instance was especially dumb.
I was lurking in the shadows of the palace gardens, almost naked, with nothing but my staff, my pentacle, and a jury-rigged kilt. I was a bit far into this particular venture to be having second thoughts, but this was my last chance to turn back. Once I left the protective cover of the thick vegetation, I was committed.
I bit my lip, careful to stay perfectly silent and perfectly still, as I watched another guard patrol walk past. On one hand, all of my equipment and gear was still in the castle, and I could sure as Hell use a change of clothes. Not just because my duster was enchanted to give more protection than your average suit of plate armor, but also because it’s tough to stare down pure evil in just your birthday suit. There was also a certain pony I wanted to press for more information locked up in the dungeon. On the other hand I was fully human now, terrible at illusions, not particularly stealthy, and the guards were thick as flies on … honey.
The major gates were swamped with civilians on the verge of panic, and the minor gates only looked unguarded. The misadventures of one unlucky journalist had already proven that last fact to me. My best bet was the window currently across from me; the shutters were open and the room was dark. With any luck, that meant it wasn’t occupied. The only downside was that it was on the second floor.
As much as I had bitched about transforming into a pony, I had to admit it made getting around a lot easier. Having to hide and skulk, not being able to let a single pony catch sight of me, was a real pain in the ass. I had been tempted to ask Twilight for another transformation spell. She could have−
No, I thought to myself. If I’m lucky, they know I’m a murderer and never want to see me again. If not…
I had gotten lucky as a teenager. He Who Walks Behind was too busy toying with me to finish the job before I blew up the gas station. I saw what He’d done to Celestia when He was playing serious, and I didn’t begin to match her level of power. True, she’d been surprised, while I had this chance to prepare, but I didn’t fool myself into thinking that that made any real difference. No matter how many advantages I wrung out of the situation, it was still going to be a mouse fighting a lion. Arcane Mind was an asshole, but he had been right about one thing: bringing my friends to this fight would be signing their death warrants.
This was the best way, the only way, to keep them safe.
Another guard patrol passed me by, and I prepared myself to run once they were out of sight. I’d made my decision, and heaven help anyone who got in my way. The ponies rounded the corner and I shot out of the woods at a dash. The castle wall was fifty feet from my hiding spot, and I needed to cover that distance before any of the pegasi on watch above spotted me.
I’m faster than most people think, if you give me a straight path. My height gives me a naturally huge stride, and I’ve practiced running for years. I’m not claiming I’d ever make it to the Olympics, but when I want to, I can move. My feet thudded into the soft, landscaped lawn, propelling me forward faster and faster. My right hand clutched my staff like a vice, my wounded left arm hanging more or less uselessly. My fractured ribs groaned with pain, and my scarred left hand throbbed in sympathy. About ten feet away from the castle wall, I gathered my will and jumped, trying to angle myself just right.
“Ventas Servitas!” I hissed, willing the wind to throw me upwards. At first I thought I had aimed too high as the unforgiving stone above the window loomed into my field of vision, but I started to come down just as I shot through the opening, just barely grazing the top of the window frame.
In an alternate universe where I’m a suave, debonair, James Bond kind of wizard, I rolled to my feet instantly upon landing, already alert for any sign of danger. Since I’m me, I crashed to the floor in a roll that was about as precise and controlled as a kindergartener with finger paint. I only stopped tumbling when I ran into something large, heavy and unyielding. The curses that followed were vicious, but quiet. That done, I laid still on the floor, trying to get my breath back and listening for any sign that I’d been spotted.
Everything seemed quiet, which was good. If the guards had spotted me, there would probably have been plenty of yelling right now. Just in case they were trying to get the drop on me, I held still for another couple minutes. And no, it wasn’t because of my aching ribs or throbbing left arm. Eventually, I pulled myself together and got to my feet. The room was dark, but I didn’t summon any light. That would give away my presence in a heartbeat. Besides, my eyes had already adjusted to the darkness, giving me a decent picture of the room. It looked like a bedroom of some kind, but the sheets draped over the furniture said it was an unused one. Which made the open window a little odd, but maybe the latch had broken… or maybe I wasn’t the only one sneaking into − or out of − the castle tonight.
I pushed that thought to the back of my mind and moved towards the door as stealthily as I could manage. A small breeze from the still open window informed me that I had lost my only piece of clothing somewhere in the adventures of the past few minutes. I bit back a curse, and shook my head. I didn’t have the time to waste looking for it, and I had actual clothes waiting for me at my goal. The wooden door separating this room from the hall looked thick and strong. An experimental tap with my knuckles confirmed that. I placed my ear against the hard wood and Listened.
Listening is less a magical skill than a personal one. Years of training had allowed me to focus my hearing to the exclusion of my other senses. I didn’t hear anyone coming, and the clip clop of hooves on stone was pretty distinctive. Cautiously, I opened the door to an empty hallway. Thankfully, it was one I recognized from my tour yesterday.
I crept into the corridor, still alert for the sound of any approaching ponies, and closed the door behind me. In stark contrast to the outside, the hallway was barren and silent. The servants had either gone to sleep after the hectic night, or were just staying out of the guards’ way. I figured those soldiers not guarding the doors or out searching for the Order where probably gathered around the more strategically important parts of the castle. If I was lucky, these residential halls would be empty. Getting into those dungeons would be trickier, but I was certain I’d come up with a plan when it became necessary.
First things first; my gear and clothes. I prowled through the silent corridors for several minutes, encountering no resistance. It looked like my suppositions had been correct. Only one flight of stairs and another long hall separated me from the small suite of rooms that the girls and I were sharing. It was on the landing between the two floors that my suppositions slipped up.
The distinct sound of hooves came from the floor above, and they sounded close, too. Way too close to get off the stairs before I would be seen. The thick curtains on either side of the large window behind me were my only option. I shoved myself behind one, trying to rearrange it so my entry wasn’t horribly obvious. I stood perfectly still as the sound of hoofbeats neared me, relieved that my lanky build gave me small profile. If I was lucky, they wouldn’t notice anything and would just walk right past me.
Yeah, I know how likely that is, I thought sourly, my knuckles tightening on my staff.
“It’s just like I always said,” a voice claimed, as it came into earshot. “The monster that the Princess captured two months ago escaped and came back to get revenge. Even you’ve got to admit that it’s possible, Skeptic.”
A gruff snort came from somewhere at the top of the stairs, and my tension ratcheted up several notches as I realized my feet were poking out beneath the hem of the curtain. Another voice spoke in response to the first. “ Have you got a screw loose, Nancy? I know one of the oldest conspiracy theories in Equestria turned out to be real, but that doesn’t mean every fool notion you come up with is true, too.”
They were coming down the stairs, absorbed in their strangely familiar conversation, but they had to notice sooner or later. Murphy’s Law, a statute with which I am very familiar, demanded it.
“Private Colt, if you please,” Nancy corrected sullenly. “You know I hate my first name.”
That was met with another snort as they finally reached the landing, and walked right past me. They continued down the stairs, bickering like an old couple, without so much as a glance backwards. I was frozen in shock as they walked away. Had the Universe just let a prime chance to screw me over pass by that easily?
Questioning my good fortune could wait until later. I disentangled myself from the curtains and started back up the stairs. The hallway above was just as deserted as all of the others, and I reached our room without any more troubles. Once inside, however, I was assaulted by my vigilant guard dog. Mouse panted happily as he bounced over and gave a few playful growls. He didn’t bark, for which I was extremely grateful. I ruffled his ears, gave him a belly rub and generally told him that he was, in fact, a very good boy. He seemed to take my nakedness in stride, though there were a few chuffing little breaths that sounded suspiciously like laughter.
Spike snored on through the whole thing. He had stayed up until dawn the previous night, and the need for sleep had caught up to him hard. Not that I was complaining, since it made my job easier. I moved over to the closet where I was keeping my stuff. The girls had brought it with them when they hopped a train for the castle, which worked out great. If they’d left anything behind, it would have been in the clutches of the Order by now. Here, nobody would bother it… or so I had thought. As I opened the door, I saw two items that I hadn’t left there. Two items I immediately recognized.
One of them was the velvet case I had been presented with at the awards ceremony. The same case I had dropped in all the confusion. I opened it hesitantly, confirming that the star Luna had given me was still nestled within. I closed it gently, but didn’t turn the latch or lock it. The most simple explanation for its appearance was reasonable. Some of the castle staff had likely brought my ‘award’ here after cleaning up the disaster at the ceremony. But then why was it tucked away in the closet, instead of just left out in the open?
The other item was something I remembered, but it had been a year since the last time I had seen it. Leaning against the wall of the closet was the hammer that Trixie had fought with after we had finally cornered her. I didn’t remember what had happened to it after the fight, and nobody had ever mentioned it again. I thought it had been destroyed or lost, but there it sat. Silent and strangely gleaming. Who had left it here was almost as much a mystery as why they had done it.
I stared, pondering both of them as I got dressed. Two supernatural and super-powerful artifacts. One old, one new. One given openly, one left hidden for me. Luna’s gift was a Lodestar, a tracking spell so complex and powerful that I had only ever heard it described – but the mere description made it unmistakable. So long as I held it, I would always know the way home, no matter how far away it was, whether I was in this world or the Nevernever. Hell, it might even work across the Nevernever between different worlds. There was supposedly no limit to the distance you could travel and still find your way home.
You’d think I would already know if it worked across worlds, but neither my apartment nor the city of Chicago had been set as the Lodestar’s ‘home’. It was linked to Luna herself. What she had given me was not just a mind-bogglingly complex and beautiful piece of spellcraft, not just a personal ticket back to Equestria no matter where life took me. It was a tacit promise of safety and shelter.
I had been awed when I had first opened the velvet box, and it was still humbling and so very tempting to take her up on that offer right now. The star could lead me straight to Luna, and with her help I could easily slip out of reach of any wannabe sorcerer in Equestria. It wasn’t like I was hurting for enemies back home. But I couldn’t. Instead, I turned my eyes to the softly shining hammer. It looked like a medieval weapon, barbed along the sides with a jutting point on the top. Unlike any hammer I had ever seen, it was made entirely of the strange metal, head and shaft all one continuous piece. Its looks, however were nothing compared, to what I felt from it.
It was alive, and it was hungry.
That’s not to say it was intelligent or even aware, but in some inexplicable way, it was actually alive. And just like any living thing, it needed to eat. I reached out to confirm what I already suspected. A tiny spark arced between hand and haft as I touched it. I felt my power, what little I had left after this crazy night, seep out and into it. I lifted it, finding it far lighter than should have been possible. I swung it experimentally a couple times, feeling almost no physical exertion to the action. That’s not to say it was without cost. As I waved it around, that siphoning feeling intensified to an almost painful level. I put the hammer back down, and it emitted a faint sensation that was almost mournful.
I finished dressing, still watching the two artifacts uncertainly. One of them represented home and the illusion of safety. The other represented battle, and my own self-destruction.
I had a choice.
If I took the Lodestar, there was no sense lugging a magic-draining hammer all the way back to Chicago. Not when somebody else could put it to better use here. And if I took the hammer, I wouldn’t need to find anyone. He Who Walks Behind would be the one finding me.
“Hello?” A voice echoed from the hallway, interrupting my reverie. It was a curious, almost whimsical voice, and it had a faint British accent. “Is anybo- anypony here? Just that I’ve been wandering these halls for a good ten minutes, and haven't had anyone try to arrest me or throw me into a dungeon or something yet. Actually, thinking about it, someone might want to file a complaint with Castle Security really, because they seem to be sleeping on the job. Hmm… I’m reading some life forms in that room, at least.” An odd high-pitched whir sounded from just outside the door, and the lock popped open.
With a small effort of will, my staff shot to my hand and the carved symbols lining it began to glow orange-red. The door creaked open, and a pony wandered in. He was wearing a vest with plenty of pockets, and a pair of goggles were perched on his head. “Hello?” he asked again. “Sorry to interrupt, but I’m in a bit of a pinch. Popped off the rails so to speak. I don't suppose you would have about two ounces of silicon, three crystals, and a silver fork perchance?”
“Don’t move,” I commanded, leveling my staff at him. I wasn’t sure what his reaction would be, but fear, hostility or shock would have been my first three guesses. Instead, he blinked in surprise as though he hadn’t noticed me until I’d spoken up. Then he started talking.
“A human? In Equestria? Hmmm, if the accent is right, mid to late twenty-first century America? Yes, No? Yes!? Annnnnnd you’re pointing a glowing thingy at me, which, judging from the first two points, is probably a weapon of some kind.” I had a spell ready that would bury him three inches into the opposite wall, but from the tone of his voice you’d think I was kid with a slingshot. “Well, that’s hardly polite.”
Mouse shuffled over to him, sniffing carefully. Both the strange pony and I remained silent as he completed his inspection, though the stallion seemed more amused than concerned by Mouse’s actions. Eventually, the puppy seemed satisfied and began to pant happily again. That relieved most of my tension. If Mouse liked this guy, he couldn’t be too bad.
My reaction didn’t go unnoticed. “So now that I’ve passed your intensive and no doubt sophisticated security measures, would you be ever so kind as to point the dangerous glowing things elsewhere?”
I lowered my staff and let the glowing sigils go dark. “Forgive me, your Lordship,” I replied sarcastically, “but after the last ten attempts on my life, I’ve gotten a little jumpy.” My mild scowl deepened as the full impact of his early statement hit me. “More importantly, how do you know what humans are?” He seemed familiar for some reason, though I couldn’t tell you why.
“Oh, I’ve met plenty of humans in my time, though none that wielded glowing sticks. Well, none that were literally sticks, anyway. That’s new, but strange universe and all; you’ve got to expect some surprises. Say, is that some kind of perception filter?” With that he pulled a silvery cylinder out of one of pockets and pointed it at me with a thoughtful expression on his face.
That was enough for me to connect the dots. “Hey! I remember you. We met in Ponyville a couple days ago. You’re that guy… Doctor something.”
At this he started in surprise, as though that news was somehow the most shocking part of this conversation. “DID we? Oh, something to look forward to I suppose. And no, not Dr. Something, it’s just ‘the Doctor’, but are you quite certain? I wasn't planning on sticking around once I get ahold of some materials to help with the recalibration,” he said, as the silver cylinder started making the high pitched noise I’d heard just a few minutes ago. Then it exploded into sparks, and the noise died out.
“Yep,” I confirmed. “The same thing happened last time. I mean, I was a unicorn then, so I’m not surprised you don’t remember me, but I’m Blackstone. Pinkie Pie introduced us, sort of.”
Doctor stopped fiddling with the smoking remains of whatever technology was my latest victim to react with a little more surprise. “Pinkie Pie knew me? How? I haven’t even met her in this univ−” He stopped as I regarded him curiously, then shrugged. “Well, this is quite awkward. I don't mean to sound rude, but let's try to keep the spoilers to a minimum, shall we? I haven't gotten that far yet.”
"Spoilers?" I just stared at him, the implications raising a dozen red flags in my mind. “Now... hold on, that... sounded a lot like you were just talking about time travel.”
He stared back, seemingly surprised that I’d noticed. “Oh… oops. Can we pretend I didn’t say that and just shrug it off instead? You know, ‘Oh, imagine that. This world’s a funny old place, isn’t it?’ and all the rest.”
My eyes rolled almost of their own accord. “It’s a bit late for that. Besides, not if Chronomancy is involved. Jesus Christ, I thought all the Transformation was bad enough, but this takes the cake.”
“Chronomancy?” Doctor stopped and sputtered as realization seemed to strike him, standing at attention as if I had insulted his honor. “I'll have you know, I happen to be a professional. Isn’t the difference obvious?”
I shrugged, not sure what he meant by ‘professional’. “Not really, but you’re the first I’ve ever met. Not only is time magic insanely difficult, but where I’m from, there’s a Law of Magic against it.”
“Against the law?” he asked with a trace of humor in his voice this time. “What do they do? Fine you?”
“Yeah, the first offense only costs your head. They’re pretty serious about preventing paradoxes.” Hell, I’m pretty sure even attempting time travel buys you a short appointment with a long sword. The only Law the Council enforces even more zealously is the Seventh, the final Law.”
“How very draconian,” Doctor replied, wearing a mildly perturbed expression at that news. “Remind me not to visit.”
An awkward silence fell between us as we each studied the other. Either Doctor was from some alternate world of ponies who were not only aware of humans, but had achieved time travel through technology instead of magic, or he was from some point in this world’s future. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if either explanation made sense. That old chestnut from Mark Twain about truth being stranger than fiction had never seemed more right to me. Seeking to break the awkward impasse, I reached into the deep pockets of my duster, and withdrew a few of the pieces of quartz I keep on hand for various spells.
“You said you needed crystals, right?” I asked, offering him a few. “Would these work?”
Frowning intently he studied them, tapped them with a tiny hammer and even sniffed one of them. “Yes,” Doctor said cheerily, deftly tucking them into one of his many pockets. “Those should do nicely. No silicon or silver forks, by chance?”
I shook my head, mildly amused by his actions. Amused or not, I was hoping this would get rid of him. He was a distraction, albeit an interesting one, and I still had too much to do for any time wasting.
Doctor shrugged at my response. “That’s all right. I think I’ve got an inkling about where to find them.” He paused. “I don’t have any bits or other local currency to pay you back, but I can offer you some advice.”
I was about to refuse his offer until I caught sight of his expression. The words never came. His odd mannerisms and cheerful weirdness were gone, replaced by a look of unashamed sorrow and empathy.
“Don’t,” he said, simply and powerfully. His old, sad eyes drifted from me to the unearthly hammer resting behind me. “I don’t know the details, and it’s really none of my business. I am not getting involved, but I know desperation when I see it. I know what it’s like to be alone with the weight of a world on your shoulders.”
His eyes met mine and I didn’t need a Soulgaze to feel the years they carried. I know wizards older than three centuries, and not one of them carried the same heartbreaking combination of age, regret and exhaustion in their expression. I tore my eyes away before the Soulgaze began, and this time it wasn’t because I was afraid of what of the other person might see.
Doctor didn’t seem put off by the break in eye contact. He continued speaking, almost rambling, but with a subtle intensity to each of his words. “That weight can and will break you, if you let it. It can change you, convince you to do things that you would never dream of otherwise. Things that you spend the rest of your life regretting.”
My first response, as was typical when outside my comfort zone, was snark, and a reply was already brewing in the back of my mind. I forced it down, but it wasn’t as hard as it was normally. There was a sincere and honest solemnity in what he had said. Besides, I was too well acquainted with the same emotions. “I know,” I said. “I’ve been there, too. I know rage and fear and regret. I’ve done things I’m not proud of. I’ve failed those who depended on me.” An image of Susan, my former girlfriend, flashed through my mind. “And that’s why I’ve got to do this alone. This isn’t like any of the other times. If my friends come with me,” And if they’re even still my friends… “they’ll die.”
He raised an eyebrow and glanced at Spike’s snoozing form. “Forgive me for assuming, but if that little fellow there is who I think he is, I’d guess this universe’s Twilight Sparkle is one of the friends you’re talking about.” My expression gave Doctor all the confirmation he needed and he smiled. “Then I think you’re underestimating her quite a bit.”
I scowled. “Or you’re underestimating the threat we’re facing. This thing already put Celestia in the hospital. I’m not under any illusion that I’m going to win, but I can buy the time they need to put down the pony behind all this.”
Doctor shook his head. “Maybe it’s just me, but that seems like an awfully expensive exchange.”
The thought of facing He Who Walks was still terrifying, but not half as bad as imagining what He would do anyone else. “I’ve been living on borrowed time since I was sixteen. I’ve made peace with my death.”
“Do you think Twilight has?”
The question was delivered in a gentle tone of voice but it struck me a blow that twisted my stomach into knots. Images flashed through my mind, the shock of our first meeting, her early fear and suspicion, her heartbreaking sorrow at Spike’s kidnapping, that moment when suspicion first gave way to trust, her brilliant gambit that brought Trixie to her knees. But most of all, I remembered when she took the fatal strike I had meant for Trixie. I remembered her sad, gentle smile as she lay dying and the raw anguish I had felt.
There were tears in my eyes when I raised my head to look at him. “You don’t fight fair,” I retorted.
“Never have,” Doctor chuckled softly. I had no reply, and he continued. “Dying is easy, leaving others behind is what's hard. Believe me, I know. When everything is at its bleakest, that isn’t the time to push your friends away. You’re only giving into despair, admitting defeat before the battle even begins. A good companion can give you something that lets you win any battle.” He paused as light flooded into the room from the windows.
Dawn is significant, and not just magically. Get up early, watch the sun rise, and tell me that it doesn’t mean anything to you. Something in the first light of day strikes a chord inside every person. It’s a testament to the fact that no night lasts forever. It’s the promise of a new day and a new beginning. The subtle power of daybreak washed over me as the cheers began in the courtyard outside.
“They can give you hope.”
Doctor was smiling. The sorrow and regret still lurked beneath the surface of his expression, but they were submerged by a simple, honest joy in life. Then he ducked his head, his foolish and whimsical grin reappearing. “At least, that’s what I’d like to think. And if you’ll excuse me, I need to get moving before I run out of fuel and get stranded in this universe.”
I made a shooing gesture with one hand, and he left. I turned back to the two objects that I had been unable to decide between. The choice now seemed obvious. My hand stretched out as I made my decision, only to be interrupted as Doctor popped his head back into the room.
“Besides,” he added his eyes pointed in my direction but, for some reason not focused on me. “If you take a moment to think, I believe you’ll find that somebody’s already lending you a hand.” He paused. “Or hoof, I suppose. Horn, maybe? I’ll have to ask Twilight about that one.”
His words, and more importantly his actions, sunk in. I spun to look outside, the sunlight making everything clear. Chains of logic cascaded in my mind and I was pretty sure I’d figured out at least part of the puzzle. “Clever girl,” I chuckled. This changed things. This changed everything.
I picked up both the velvet box and the hammer.
………
The hall leading to the throne room was three deep in guards, and that was only the ones in plain sight. There were probably who-knew-how-many still in hiding. They were ready for just about anything, though it was obvious that they were nervous. From the sidelong glances a few of them exchanged, they weren’t entirely sure they could trust their fellow guards either. Paranoia was setting in as the reality of the situation became apparent. If anyone could be an enemy, and there was no way to tell, who did you trust? That hallway was a powder keg that only needed a single spark to go off.
I sauntered into plain view, my staff in hand, massive hammer and cane sword on my belt, duster billowing out behind me, and an ephemeral ball of silver light leading me towards their only ambulatory ruler.
Not one of them noticed. A few even subconsciously shuffled a step or two out of my way as I approached them. Unfortunately, the doors weren’t as obliging, so I stopped and waited impatiently. I couldn’t open the doors myself without giving the game away, but how long could I go unnoticed? The world may never know, because after ten minutes of waiting, somepony new finally showed up.
All of the guards drew themselves to attention as he approached, and I knew this guy was my ticket in. His two-tone blue mane looked messy for an officer, but I hadn’t seen anyone sporting a crew cut, so they probably had a pretty loose dress code. His eyes passed by me, just like everyone else, but then they darted back. My heart immediately went on strike, demanding that my lungs start working again before it pumped any more blood.
“Sir?” One of the guards asked.
“Nothing,” the officer replied turning to look at the doors, but still with a puzzled frown.
Negotiations with my heart concluded, and I let out a relieved breath. The massive doors swung inwards and I quickly slipped in behind the white-coated officer. “I’ve got the latest reports from the field, your Highness,” he said, “but I’m afraid we don’t have much.”
“We are most grateful, Captain Armor,” Luna replied before glancing up from the mountains of paperwork surrounding her. Her mouth tweaked upwards into the slightest suggestion of a smile as her eyes met mine.
“I got your invitation,” I replied drily, my gesture taking in the Lodestar floating above me and the oblivious captain in front of me. “Though, I want to know just when you put this…” I paused for lack of a good description. “...this chameleon spell on me.”
Captain Armor’s ears swiveled towards me and he glanced behind himself. He stared hard in my direction and his horn flickered with light for a second, but he didn’t come any closer to penetrating her spell than he did the first time. “Dost something trouble you, Captain?” Luna asked, her smile expertly masked.
He frowned, but shook his head. “Sorry, Your Highness. It’s nothing.” Captain Armor resumed a more militaristic posture and continued. “Anyway, we did find a location matching your specifications.”
Luna’s smile became predatory, causing the officer to take an unconscious step back and sending chills down my spine. “Good,” she said. “Then all the players are gathered, and we can begin.”
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While I think I would've preferred without a crossover with another fic universe that's also a crossover, I guess Harry did need a Yoda speech.
Loyal2Luna does have a very good Doctor series going of course.
Oh and found an error!
it's a chapter! and it's good!
Good as always. I wasn't sure about the Doctor who appearance. Was afraid it would be too out of place for me to enjoy. And while it was odd, I feel that having him only provide advice, and nothing else, was the perfect choice. Nice job.
A LITTLE cheesy this chapter, but not bad.
Okay. I really don't like this chapter with the Doctor, mostly because of the implications with the Mythos involved and the general different scale between the Dresden Files and Doctor Who. One is just so much larger that it makes the Dresden aspects a lot smaller in comparison due to the scale by which it all operates. The difference in the level of stakes they play for. And I don't feel that is the right tone to set in a story with Dresden as the main character.
Dr. Who actually strikes me as something Dresden wouldn't be able to watch. The old stuff was before his time, and he's waaay too busy now to catch the new stuff (especially considering all the hoops he has to jump through). So I'm perfectly Okay with Dresden having never heard of the Doctor.
Just my two bits...good "downtime" chapter before the final confrontation.
.
Ah, so this is what's been keeping Loyal busy. Oh well, still an awesome chapter, and seeing the Doctor is always fun
Good chapter my only complaints is that Doctor Who doesn't exist in your Dresden Verse since you already stated that this Doctor is from another universe and if you consider the comments in the Tabletop RPG canon then Harry has seen old Who and like's The Fourth Doctor the best but that is just my thoughts and it is a minor thing.
honestly, you could have left the Doctor out of this chapter. Other than that it was good.
EEEEEEEEEEEEE
While doing something of a crossover like this might be questionable, it isn't really a big problem in my eyes.
It doesn't dominate the story. He is unlikely to show up again, and has a minor role. Namely, giving minor advice, forcing Dresden to rethink his approach. That isn't really something that was likely to happen without some trigger.
As long as he doesn't show up again, I doubt there will be any problem.
The Doctor gets everywhere, its part of reality. If time travel exists at any point in any reality, it has aways exsted in all realities. It just depends how careful the travelers are.
We could just be someones egg sandwich.
Yay! New chapter! And I wasn't a day or two late to see it!
Lots of people are upset about The Doctor... I might have been, but not a Whoovian, so don't know of anything to complain about...
I had waffles for breakfast today. They told me that my favorite story on the whole wide site would be updated today. The waffles tell the future! They also said they'd be delicious.
Nice chapter, could have worked without the Doctor, but he was already there a few chapters before... so...
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It's true that the Doctor (usually) plays for bigger stakes than Dresden (not always, though... compare something like Amy's Choice to Changes), but a recurring theme in DF is Harry learning just how little he really is compared to the reality of the supernatural world.
Also: if you include The Coming of the Terraphiles in your DW canon, the Doctor is an incarnation of Michael Moorcock's Eternal Champion, who exists in all universes. Take from that what you will.
I just started reading this story a few days ago and once I got caught up, the wait for more was agonizing. So glad I didn't have to wait very long
Never really a fan of the Doctor cameo, but meh.
I read the 1st dr whooves story, but I got distracted and forgot about it. I'll have to get back on the...pony. Loyal2Luna's Mass Effect fanfic is amazing though.
I've come across a few fanfictions that abuse the insertion of Dr. Whooves to deus ex the story a bit, but I'm okay with this bit since this is just a simple crossover from different fan-fiction.
Being extremely well written doesn't hurt either.
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Not the point I was trying to make, or at least not the point in whole. The Doctor is multiversal. He makes Mab or even Uriel (Mr, I-make-galaxies-disappear-by-willing-it-to-happen-Archangel) petty and unimportant.
He is cheap and ultimately he fundamentally ruins everything he touches as far as crossovers go. Unless you are dealing with a setting like Nobliss or Exalted or Marvel, the Doctor usurps anything you are trying to do because 'Fuck you, you are not important, your entire world and setting is not important, it is but a blip on the scale I operate on.'. And that is sad and a very poor convention to operate on in terms of story-mechanics for writing as a whole.
It poisons everything it touches, and that is why Dr.Who who should remain its own thing. Because it trivializes everything else when its used in combination with it.
Well now I really want to wee what the conversation would be like between Dresden and Discorded Whooves.
A good chapter. Proof even the Wise can benefit from a different perspective.
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Oh, really? I think you need to go re-watch some Who.
A Christmas Carol:
The Doctor may operate on grandiose scales on a weekly basis, but (at least in his opinion) everything is important, no matter what scale it's occurring at.
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Bullshit. When you operate on a scale where you can partition off a universe or outright Sanction it, that makes others unimportant. They cease to be a figure who can influence a series of events but an ant to be crushed. The Doctor is down right wrong, and frankly that is a shame. That is what ruins the series as a narrative.
Dr.Who would be better served by tightening the effects, and making the characters more relatable. Because it removes any tension from the writing. And when you put it up against the Dresden Files where Harry has to work hard and sacrifice for his victories where the Doctor is guaranteed his due to the nature of his canonical plot shields it destroys the narrative forces.
Its a fun show. But horrible writing.
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You're welcome to your opinion on the show's writing, of course, but the specifically inhuman character is, in fact, canonically capable of inhuman things. Like caring about things that would be beneath the notice of a human in his same position. (Being inhuman is the reason for the Companion role -- the show needs an audience insert, and that ain't the title character!)
I can certainly agree that, were I in the Doctor's shoes, I wouldn't be taking the time to care about my flatmate's life or his
soccerfootball game (The Lodger). But my mind also doesn't work the way that his does.Let's put it this way: many humans claim to be good at multitasking (hint: they're not). The processing capability of the Doctor's brain impressed the Cyber-Planner. His brain competed with the largest distributed computing network in the universe, and won. (Nightmare in Silver) You might call the gold foil trick "cheating," but it was a software bug that none of the Cybermen had fixed up until that point (since Revenge of the Cybermen which aired in 1975), and all it did was buy some extra time, anyway.
Yeah, that puts him leagues and bounds above Dresden. Of course it does! But it also means he's capable of thought processes no human would have. Like, for example, sparing the time to speak with the only human currently in Equestria.
As far as "knowing the hero will win in the end" goes, I'll just say that's the default assumption in most fiction; the fun is in finding out how it happens. In other news, Spoilers Don't Spoil Anything.
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Every point you just made is does not even come close to addressing the salient argument - that Dr.Who trivializes anything it touches, with bad writing, worse characters, and (somehow even worse, if that is possible) power creep. It poisons an outright otherwise quality work. And frankly psychicscubadiver made a rather bad error of judgment by making this choice to do so.
And that is a tragedy :(
Great
To elaborate my feelings right now are... "Why should I care about what happens to Dresden now, now that the Doctor's presence is blatant enough to show how trivial Dresden's problems now'? Because that is what happened. And that makes me sad.
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While you've certainly made that argument, I never made any attempts to address it. I've been sticking with the discussion begun by your initial comment: (emphasis added)
Mythos: I addressed the Doctor's status as The Eternal Champion in Moorcock's work, and you also later called the Doctor multiversal. Such a character appearing outside his normal setting should not be surprising.
Scale: I agree about the difference in scale, but I feel that part of the Doctor's character is that he could care less about that difference.
Tone: Repeatedly throughout Butcher's work, Harry discovers he's in a lot deeper than he had previously thought, and that the supernatural world is a lot bigger than he thought it was. At the start of the first book, Harry's world is Chicago and the White Council, and he's generally aware of his godmother and the big hitters like Mab and Titania. By the end of Cold Days, he's learned why Mab can't simply roll over Titania with her armies, he's discovered monsters deep-six'd by Merlin (and taken over wardenship of them), and he's found himself embroiled in the "Black Council" conspiracy.
I have no intention of touching a discussion like "Doctor Who trivializes anything it touches," as that's dictated by individual writers, not by established DW (or DF) canon.
All that being said, there's very little in this chapter that actually requires the Doctor to be the Doctor. None of the story-crucial lines are about the Doctor flying around in his TARDIS or referencing previous deeds of the Doctor. The scene could have almost as easily been between Harry and a castle maid, or a blind mule wandering around. The choice of the character is largely a function of two authors who wanted to collaborate, and for a chapter in a fan work, I don't see any problem with that.
Interesting question would be: how does Dresden get so well acquainted with the pop culture references to movies and television he constantly tosses around? It doesn't seem like the sort of thing he'd be able to do. I mean, literally unable, on account of the TV exploding the moment he sits down.
I've been enjoying this as I've been working through the books, and I have to compliment you on how well your style has improved since the first story. With the exception of the perspective switches, you've really Butchered it. Hahahaha. . . You know what I mean.
One thing to note: in one of early chapters, don't recall which, you mentioned Waldo Butters in a context that doesn't really apply to him at this point. He doesn't really believe in magic until the seventh book.
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I stand by those initial points and I believe you are wrong here is why. I'll address it point by point.
Yes. I am not objecting to him appearing, but what it indicates. Which is that this fic, (and Dresden in general if you accept that) is a microscopic scale compared to the at large issue. Making him irrelevant. Which is bad. The protagonist should never be overshadowed in his own story so directly.
What the Doctor is as a character does not matter in terms of what he feels. Because what the Doctor is, still ruins the work by showing how small and insignificant everything else. This is objective fact. When you have one guy saving reality from ending, what the other guy does is not important unless they are on a similar level.
Except Dr.Who is worse by several orders of magnitude. The Doctor's work outperform's Uriel (arguably the strongest hitter in the DF-verse) by several orders of magnitude with the way way he casually can deal with multi-universal stuff. Mab? Does not matter. Because the Doctor exists. Titania? Does not matter. Because the Doctor exists. The Outer-Gates and the Merlin's Prison? Does not matter. Because the Doctor exists. It trivializes not just Harry (who is one thing) but the entire setting. The heavy hitter's are no longer important and relevant and that scales down to Harry himself. It takes away anything meaningful that it had going for it.
Does not matter. Because it effects it on the scale of those things involved. That the Doctor is the Doctor with all that makes it is what is wrong. Frankly? I would have preferred a castle made or a particularly wise Butler. Because it would not have carried any of the baggage of 'Who with it. And left this fic unfucked as a result.
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Sorry if I was unclear, but my final point wasn't "it could have been different so it doesn't matter," but rather a variant of the MST3K Mantra: "it's only a fanfic, I should really just relax."
Is there a legit Dresden Files - Dr. Who crossover? There should be. Until then, this chapter will do just fine.
YEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSS
I nearly shat myself in glee when I saw this updated.
Joking of course, but I did let loose a decidedly non-masculine sound of delight.
3826473 By "legit" do you mean canon and officially recognized within one or both of the universes in question? If so, I'm sorry to let you know that that wild dream is all but impossible.
Out of universe: due to the complications of international copyright and trademark laws, but just as importantly in universe: because I'm almost certain that Harry being within the same state as the T.A.R.D.I.S. would create an explosion capable of destroying ALL universes. The man can't be within ten feet of a cell phone without destroying it. Can you imagine what would happen if you applied the principles of Harry's magical/technological disruption field to spatial compression and time travel technology?
If you just mean a fan-creation, I'd be willing to BET it already exists.
Hungry Hungry Hammer.
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Legit, as in completely revolving around the two universes.
3826905 I have supplied a link to five such fics. I make no claim to ownership nor quality. These seem to be set primarily in the Dresden-verse. Also one seems to be in Spanish...
The Doctor is an overrated hack.
3826408 Chill out dude.
3827226 Chill out dude.
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Honestly. I agree with you. Keen Vision would have been a better choice (in fact, blind seer NPCs are made specifically for this kind of situations).
If the hammer can absorb energy, can it also release it?
Hey now, there's some amazing kindergarteners.
One too many quotation marks in here.
I have to agree with several other comments - as much as I like Doctor Who, he's not needed here. Harry could have gotten the change in perspective just as well from one of the Mane 6, or Luna, or remembering a conversation with Ebenezer.
Damn you, psychic! Upon seeing that this had updated, I felt compelled to express my joy with interpretive dance and now all my fellow worker bees are looking at me funny. >.>
^_^ More seriously, this is fantastic; Luna does manipulation more better and less troll than her big sister.
I initially thought having the Doctor in this chapter was a cop out to increase chapter length or to just increase your range of readers and collect the views, but then he ended up giving some good advice which I thought was nice.
However, I still feel he wasn't needed. One Doctor Who reference was good enough. The first was a bit of light humor and to show your love for the show, but it just felt rather extremely forced in this chapter.
I agree with the others in saying that Dresden could have gotten this advice from more relevant sources.
This chapter is alright, but not much happens. He infiltrates the castle, sneaks past the guards, and enters the room only to be found by the Doctor who gave very lengthy advice and also shared a lengthy conversation with Dresden; Ending the chapter with a hallway and hospital room.
I duno, just something about this chapter seems slightly off and rather different than the previous chapters.
Anywho (no pun intended) I eagerly await the next chapter~ CLIFFHANGERS!!!
I'm really disappointed that you made the same sort of mistake as the author of This Platinum Crown. I'm sure you have the characters to write this sort of advice scene without bringing in another author's characters.