Zero Room

by FiveyWhooves

The Doctor (NEVER) Dances

The sun hung midway in the west as it foretold of the evening sunset to come. Bright oranges and yellows bounced off of the rooftops of Ponyville, and the grasses of the fields reflected in all sorts of vibrant greens. The same was not for the Everfree Forest, however, it's ominous and sinister presence still lying at the far edge of the town like a dark wall. Yet the woods felt more like safety to the Doctor(10). For the moment he felt certain that the Master was no longer on his trail, yet the wounds he received were certainly starting to burn. They were by no means fatal, which was a great relief to the Timpony, yet pain wasn't a good friend. The Doctor wanted him to go away. And Zecora, a zebra whom he had met long back in a previous adventure (and who was one of the few ponies that the Doctor frequented in Equestria), was the only one he knew with the right treatment.

The Doctor sprinted through the forest. Even though he knew that the place wasn't so dreadful in the outer-most parts, the sun was descending, and a night in the Everfree was by no means friendly. It wasn't long, though, when the Doctor approached a tree heavily decorated in cultural pieces from Zecora's native heritage, totems, masks, and all sort of other brightly colored items scattered here and there.

In hopes that Zecora would be home, the Doctor knocked on her front door. Gratefully, the door opened to the healer herself.

"What is this that I see?" she spoke in her smooth tone yet with a tinge of alarm. "Could it be a mangled Timepony?" Zecora motioned her muzzle for the Doctor to come inside, and soon as he did, the zebra shut the door.

"No certain pegasus by your side,/ but yet your eyes are open wide," continued Zecora in her enchanting style. "Could it be you've had a terrible fright/ that you are here at my abode tonight?"

"Yes, well, I am in a bit of a. . .well a bit of a jam Zecora," the Doctor said as the zebra walked around the room to take action. Already she was looking for various healing spices and herbs. "It's a little hard to explain. . .but I knew you would help with my injury situation."

"Running around is all you do/ but since you are stopped, I will listen to you," replied Zecora as she put a selection of leaves and vials on the floor. She then forced the Doctor to sit as she began tending to his cuts. "A story that you would think would be very wild/ to this zebra who has seen insanities, would be mild. Please explain how you got in this conundrum/ and perhaps I can help with a bit of my wisdom."

"Ah, yes, well, for the most part, and to everypony's relief, Ponyville and Equestria isn't in danger, or at least as far as I know," said the Doctor as if he had made a mess and was trying to come up with an excuse. "Ditzy is safe, all of you are safe. I just had a little bit of trouble with and old. . .well, an old adversary. He wasn't too happy to see me and I got in a bit of a rumble, and the next thing I knew I was running. . ."

"Why would this foe/ bother you so?" questioned Zecora as she pulled out wrapping gauze.

"We have a bit of an. . .old grudge," replied the Doctor. "That's how I'm certain he's not after Equestria. But still, I need to stop him personally. I'm afraid he's after my own life." Zecora, quick to bandage, started to finish the last of the Doctor's wounds on his head.

"Then defeat him you must/ to stop his evil lust. I may not know this fiend in you mind/ yet to me, he sounds far from kind. Trot with caution, and work carefully./ See that he's defeated, and you're life will be set free." The Doctor nodded at the reassuring words of Zecora before stumbling to his feet. Zecora calmly put her supplies away.

"Ah, that's much better," the Doctor said as he stretched his legs. "Thanks." Zecora nodded.

"Just one question, though," the Timepony asked. "Well, I came to you because this enemy. . .I want to keep him as far away from Ditzy as possible. Who knows what he would do to her. But I need somewhere to hide so that in case he's following me, I won't lead him to Ditzy and-"

"No," Zecora stated plainly as she held up a hoof. The Doctor bit his tongue.

"If it is of her safety you fear,/ then wouldn't you want to be near?" Zecora stated. "This enemy is yours to face, that is true/ but still Ditzy stays, without a clue. If the enemy finds her alone, how scared she would be./ So to stay to protect would be better than to flee." The Doctor looked at Zecora gratefully and nodded.

"Makes more sense," he said. "Especially since. . .my TARDIS might still be there, I think. I can't be sure anymore. But you're right." He thanked Zecora again before leaving her simple hut, Zecora seeing him out and making sure he made it safely through the forest back.

"I don't think the Master is following me closely," the Doctor said to himself. "Perhaps it is just safe enough to head back. Then maybe I can get Ditzy and her family under my protection and work to stop whatever hideous scheme the Master in planning this time. Why does he want the very few lives I have left, why is he here in Ponyville, why does he have my TARDIS?!" The Doctor scuffed his hooves to the ground and froze in his tracks. A sudden thought came to his mind.

"Wait, if that's my TARDIS from the past. . .then where am I?!"

* * *

The Doctor(5) facehoofed.

"I can't believe. . .why?!" he asked whilst standing in the middle of Carousel Boutique with Tegan. The two of them as well as Nyssa were finally able to meet up again at Rarity's place. Tegan and Nyssa had arrived first, Tegan already in the outfit Rarity had finished, a white crop top with a jacket to match and white bands around her front hooves. Nyssa was in the other room with Rarity, still fitting her outfit. The Doctor had just entered at this moment, having returned from the library chock-full of new knowledge about ponies, and ready to share it with his companions, when Tegan delivered the oddest news.

"Why did you accept the invitation?" he continued.

"It's just a party, Doctor," said Tegan, who would put her hands on her hips if she still had them. "We might as well go to not cause suspicion. I talked to Rarity about the strange pony that invited us, and she said that the host was a good friend of hers that threw a party to all newcomers to the town. Besides, we could use a break for a while."

"We haven't got the time, Tegan," the Doctor groaned. "We have too much to do with the Master and getting my TARDIS back as it is."

"Well, then maybe we can just use it as a place to talk," said Tegan. "There, happy?"

"Fine," said the Doctor. "We'll talk about the information I've learned about the ponies through readings, how to properly act like them, and so on."

"Nyssa and I also got some information," Tegan added. "Rarity told us a bit about the 'other Doctor' that happens to live here, you know, the one the first mare we met was apparently talking about."

"Hm, interesting. Well done," the Doctor said. "Maybe this event does work out after all." Tegan rolled her eyes. The curtain that led to the other room opened, Nyssa stepping out in a collared white and blue-striped top. She did a little pose.

"What do you think?" she asked her two friends. Tegan smiled.

"You look very nice, Nyssa," replied Tegan. The Doctor was too busy pushing the saddlebag off of his back that he had carried all day.

"Doctor," said Tegan.

"What?"

"Doesn't Nyssa look nice?"

"Hm?" replied the Timepony. He glanced quickly at Nyssa. "Oh yes yes fine."

"Ignore him, he's being himself," Tegan reassured Nyssa. Rarity burst through the room.

"Oh Doctor, I'm so glad you're back!" she exclaimed. "I just finished the last details on your coat! I know you will absolutely adore it!" The Doctor half sighed at the sight of the unicorn, but just nodded.

"Alright, let's take a look then," he stated. Rarity flung out a rolling clothes rack, the Doctor's new(ish) coat hanging in the middle of it. The Doctor's jaw almost dropped. Rarity started to babble on and on about "oh I used this fabric" and "the lining took this kind of stitch" but the Doctor really didn't care. All he saw was the perfectness of the coat, as if he had just pulled it out of the TARDIS that moment, and it was finally his size. Of course, he kept all this excitement in because he knew that at the saw time Rarity was a little. . .clingy. He didn't want to send the wrong message.

"Go ahead then! Try it on!" said Rarity.

* * *

It was about ten minutes later when the Doctor(5) and his companions finally left the boutique in their fitting clothes. Of course, the only reason it took so long was because Rarity didn't want to say goodbye to any of them, particularly the Doctor, and said she wasn't going to the party that night because she had an important family outing planned the month and a whole bunch of other rambling nonsense. She did, however, direct the three to the Sugarcube Corner as well as ask them to leave a quick greeting to her friend Pinkie Pie, the pony throwing the party.

"How'd you know it was her throwing it?" Tegan had asked.

"Oh, everypony knows," Rarity had responded.

Now there was a walk across Ponyville to take in the evening air. The town was actually very quiet.

"Where is everybo-er. . .pony?" asked Tegan.

"Probably at that party," guessed the Doctor. "Rarity had mentioned that everypony in the town knew about it."

"You probably should have given more of a compliment to her," Nyssa half-scolded.

"I said she did a fine job."

"And yet the moment you left the shop I could've sworn I heard you say 'My goodness there's a matching hat too!' and a whole bunch of other nonsense," Tegan said. The Doctor quickly looked at his new(ish) hat, much like his old one, that Rarity had also made. He had to admit it to himself that she did more than a fine job, what with the coat having big enough pockets to fit all of his random items and even the small one in the front for his hat. His hat even rolled up! There was that much detail put into it. Yet. . .

"You can't blame me for wanting to wrap things up and leave. We still have priorities and so many things to explain. . ."

"Well, alright," Nyssa let him off, although obviously in her face she was putting up with none of it. "We might as well start talking about it now then, seeing that the town is rather quiet."

"And we do have a long walk," added Tegan.

"Very well," said the Doctor. "I might as well go first with my findings." Off he went with everything basic about ponies that any stranger would most definitely want to know about: simple geography; the system of government, ruled by two ponies that apparently raised the sun and the moon; the three types of ponies that existed, pegasi, earth, and unicorns; about magic and how it was apparently something very common in Equestria.

"So if you're saying that unicorns have magic," interrupted Nyssa in the midst of his explanations, "then that explains the blue mist that Rarity was using in her shop."

"Exactly," nodded the Doctor.

"Does that mean Nyssa has magic too?" asked Tegan.

"It should," said the Doctor. "All unicorns have the ability to lift things with magic, Nyssa shouldn't be an exception."

"But how do I go about using it?" asked Nyssa. "In legends I was read when I was young, people chanted certain words or did some sort of ritual."

"Rarity just lifted things, though," Tegan said.

"Well, both of you are somewhat right," said the Doctor. "Advanced unicorns get into more complicated spells, like shape shifting items and teleporting, I had read, but all unicorns, starting at a young age, can have the simple ability of lifting items and using it as. . .sort of a pair of hands they don't have, I suppose. And usually this happens through plain focus on what the unicorn wants to do with the magic." The Doctor stopped his companions.

"Maybe you should practice quick to get it over with," he said to Nyssa.

"Using magic?" Nyssa asked. "But Doctor, I've never done such a thing before!"

"No harm in trying. Besides, it's best to give it a go to see how well you have the ability, and if you don't, well, if any of the ponies ask at the party we could say you have some type of temporary illness."

"Illness with magic?" asked Tegan.

"There were four volumes on such a thing at the library." The Doctor pointed at a broom that was resting against the outside of a pony's shop.

"Try focusing on that broom right there, Nyssa, and see if you can pick it up," he told his companion. Nyssa had no idea what to do for sure, having never been a magical pony in her life, but grasped some sort of idea of lifting the object and began focusing. She shut her eyes and tried to imagine she was reaching for it and holding it.

"Come on, Nyssa," Tegan encouraged. "You can do it." Faint flashes of light blue sparked from Nyssa's horn and even around the broom. The Doctor and Tegan's eyes widened. Perhaps magic was that simple after all. The broom shook and stuttered, and barely lifted above the ground, Nyssa's magic flickering around it. She hesitantly opened one of her eyes.

"It's working!" Nyssa exclaimed. The broom was actually lifting slowly toward Nyssa, until it started to shake violently. Suddenly Nyssa lost control of the broom, and the object zoomed through the air and straight toward Nyssa's head.

"Look out!" shouted Tegan. The three of them ducked as the broom zipped over their heads and landed on the ground behind them. All of them stood back up and looked at the fallen broom.

"Well, that's says one thing," Nyssa stated.

"I'm sure you'll get in the hang of it with practice," the Doctor stated as he trotted over to the broom to pick it up in his mouth.

"Doctor! Do you know where that's been!" Tegan told him with disgust as the Timepony put the broom back against the shop wall.

"Not ideal, no," the Doctor agreed after he let go of the broom, "but ponies do have to hold items in their mouths if they don't have magic. Hooves don't really do the job of holding." Tegan winced.

"I don't know what seems harder," Nyssa laughed, "getting me to use magic or Tegan to hold stuff in her teeth."

"We'll all learn how to get this pony thing down in time," the Doctor stated as he began to walk again with his companions. "A lot of behaviors as the species you can't write down in books." The Doctor suddenly turned around to face his companions. "Oh, and one other important thing. You know the symbols that seem to be tattooed to your flanks?" Both mares looked at the mention of it.

"I was wondering about that, yes," Nyssa replied.

"They're referred to as 'cutie marks'. Apparently it's something that is supposed to identify a pony's specific talent. Everypony gets one at a young age and no two are alike, except possibly in some cases, as the books mentioned." Tegan groaned externally.

"But mine looks like a flight-attendant's badge!"

"That was your talent at one point in time, Tegan," reassured Nyssa. "Like mine is the Keeper's symbol we used on Traken."

"Well, I suppose my life doesn't have to revolve around it," Tegan said. "Still it's a little weird to think that-"

"Wait," the Doctor interrupted.

"What?"

"My cutie mark is an hourglass," he plainly said.

"I thought we went through this," Tegan said.

"Your cutie mark relates somewhat to time," Nyssa added. "It makes sense."

"No no it doesn't!" said the Doctor as he started to pace back and forth. "How could I have been so stupid! Why didn't I see it before?!"

"Doctor, what? Tell us!" said Nyssa.

"Earlier in town. . .there was another pony. . .a stallion in a hurry," he said. "He had an hourglass as well. . ."

"Do you think it's a coincidence?" said Tegan. "You did say that in some cases ponies could have the same cutie mark."

"But it can't be," said the Doctor. "There was something. . .odd about him. . ."

"Do you think it was the other Doctor?!" Nyssa exclaimed.

"I could have been, possibly one of my future regenerations. I didn't recognize him. He was a brown-ish pony. . .had dark brown hair. . ."

"With lots of volume?" Tegan asked.

"What? Well, yes I suppo-wait a second, Tegan, did you see him too?"

"Rarity told us about another pony in town that referred to himself as 'the Doctor'," Nyssa explained. "Her description, leave out her rants about his attractive appearance, fits the very description that you just gave." The Doctor put a hoof over his face.

"I can't believe I missed such an opportunity!" he groaned. "I know when we crossed paths the other 'Doctor' was in a hurry, and a little beaten at that, yet I could've said something-"

"It isn't your fault," Nyssa stated. "How could've you known?"

"You know," suggested Tegan, "Rarity also said some ponies around town knew him. He might show up at the party, or at least somepony there might possibly know him better."

"Even more so, that grey pegasus that seems very acquainted with him may be there as well," Nyssa added. "Perhaps this party was a good idea after all."

"Very well, that does seem like a good plan," nodded the Doctor. "Now. . .we might as well be on our way. After all, the party does seem to be for us, we best not be late."

* * *

"So, you're just going to leave then?" Amethyst said as her mother put a saddlebag with simple resources on her back.

"Something really weird is going on, and it's time I go back out to look for the Doctor," Ditzy replied. "You just take Dinky to the party Pinkie Pie invited us to at Sugarcube and-"

"Why can't we just stay home?" Amethyst plopped down on the couch. "Invitations are suggestions. Besides, it's like you need me to babysit sis when you could just stay behind or something."

"Just lay off the attitude for a second, will you?" Ditzy scolded. "I could leave you home but there's something odd going on with the TARDIS that I don't know about. I don't want it to explode or something while you're at home, and the only one that could possibly help is the Doctor. I need to go out again." Amethyst didn't reply. Ditzy sighed.

"Please. . .just help for tonight? You don't have to do it for me, but please. . .can you at least do this favor for your sister?" The teenage mare paused for a moment, but then reluctantly sighed and stood.

"Fine," she said flatly. "But be home by tonight." Ditzy just nodded, hoping not to cause more rift between herself and her daughter.

"Dinky!" Amethyst called to the other room. "We're going to a party, let's go!" A scurrying of tiny hooves dashed into the living room.

"Yaaaaay!" the little filly called all the way down. "What kinda party?!"

"One of Pinkie's 'Welcome to Ponyville' ones. . .again," Amethyst said. Ditzy walked to her little muffin and looked at her in the eyes.

"Now Dinky," she said steadily. "Momma's got to go out and look for the Doctor."

"Why, 'cause his friend needs him?" asked Dinky.

". . .Yes," said Ditzy. "But listen, muffin, you have to promise me that you won't talk about the 'Doctor's friend' to anypony else, okay? Only the Doctor can know right now."

"I promise Momma," Dinky replied seriously.

"And stick close to your sister, will you?" Ditzy reminded.

"Okay." The two shared a quick hug.

"Let's all head out, then," Dtizy said. She looked toward Amethyst. "And please, Amy, just try to relax a little."

"Whatever," Amethyst said aloofly. The three ponies exited the house, Ditzy flying off towards somewhere else in Ponyville, and the other two fillies trotting along to join the get-together at the Sugarcube Corner.

* * *

The Doctor(5) really didn't see that party-cannon coming. His hat about flew off his head.

"YAAY! YOU'RE HERE!" shouted the pony Tegan and Nyssa described as Pinkie Pie. She was sitting behind the bright blue cannon that had sputtered a great deal of confetti in the three ponies' faces.

"WAIT!" she then stopped. "Who's this?!" Pinkie pointed at the Doctor.

"This is our other friend, the. . .um. . ." Nyssa said, looking at the Doctor in asking whether or not he should go by a different alias. He nodded.

"The um?" asked Pinkie.

"The Doctor," the Timepony said, holding out his hoof. Pinkie shook it violently.

"Oh cool! So glad you came!!!" she shouted. "Wait-" Her face came really close to Tegan's. "You don't have any other friends that I don't know about, do you?! 'Cause that would be awful if they couldn't come to the awesome party and then I'd be really sad because they would have been left out and-"

"Nope, just us," Tegan stopped Pinkie. "Promise."

"Okay!" the pink pony smiled. "Go and enjoy the party! We have games-" She pointed to ponies playing Pin the Tail on the Donkey. "We have scrumdidallyumptious snacks-" She pointed to a huge table filled with punch bowls and cupcakes. "And we have a great big dance party!" Pinkie pointed to a dancing floor, where a lot of ponies were staring strangely at a purple unicorn with wings that was krumping.

"Sorry you had to see that," Pinkie whispered loudly. "Anyways. . .ENJOY THE PARTY!" And it was then the pony jumped off to join the crowd. The Doctor, Nyssa, and Tegan stood at the entrance of the place, a little unsure of what to do. Each one of them looked around, a little confused, and the Doctor took a moment. . .a long moment. . .to manage to put his hat inside his coat.

"So what's the plan?" asked Nyssa, bringing the three in.

"Yes, what should we do Doc--are you hungry?" asked Tegan.

"No," the Doctor denied, even though he was looking right at the snack bar.

"You're looking at all the food," said Tegan. "Wait. . .no."

"What?"

"NO."

"I was just looking! Besides, it's all pastries, anyway!"

"I don't care if we suddenly end up in a world filled with vegetables, Doctor, you are NOT wearing a useless piece of celery like it's a fancy broach!"

"It isn't useless, it's purpose is to-"

"Can we focus again, please?" interrupted Nyssa. The Doctor and Tegan stopped their bantering. "I suggest we split up and start asking ponies about the Doctor."

"Good idea," the Doctor agreed. "I'll just ask ponies over here-" Tegan pushed him back.

"On the opposite side of the snack bar."

* * *

Nyssa starting walking towards her end of the shop when she was greeted by a group of ponies.

"Hello!" said one, who was cream-colored and had hair that was half pink, half blue. A completely sea-green pony was next to her.

"Oh, nice to meet you," Nyssa replied.

"I'm Bon-Bon, this is my friend Lyra," the pony continued. "And you are?"

"Nyssa."

"Nice," Bon-Bon replied. "Well, we just want to welcome you to Ponyville and-" The pony named Lyra came up to Nyssa and put a hoof around her shoulder.

"Hey, you wanna know what a human is?" she said suspiciously. Nyssa felt the blood drain from her face. Did this pony see something? Did she know something? About her? About how she used to look humanoid?

"Ignore her," Bon-Bon grumbled, shoving Lyra away. "She does this to everypony."

"They have the right to know," Lyra argued.

"She's a theorist, and a pretty fictional one at that," Bon-Bon continued. "She thinks that these really weird huemen creatures exist and that they're running around Equestria. . .and it's really stupid." Nyssa blew a sigh of relief and shook her head.

"I take my studies seriously, Bon-Bon!" Lyra argued. "One day, I will have my breakthrough!"

"Oh please," Bon-Bon replied, and the two ponies started a banter. Nyssa carefully snuck away from them both. Obviously she wasn't going to ask them any questions.

"Hey, you there!" came a voice from nearby. Nyssa turned her head until another pony, a pegasus, flew right in front of her. She almost startled Nyssa, especially since her hair was wild and full of all sorts of colors.

"You look like you have coordination!" the pegasus continued to Nyssa. "Do you?"

"Well," said Nyssa, a little taken aback from the odd question, "I suppose I am slightly-"

"Great!" the pegasus exclaimed before pushing Nyssa across the shop. "We need someone to beat Fluttershy at Pin the Tail on the Donkey! She's really slow, but she's never been beaten!"

"Wait, Fluttershy? I don't understa-"

"Don't worry about it! I'm sure you'll do fine!" the pegasus reassured as she pushed Nyssa over toward where the game was taking place. Nyssa was extremely confused and a little shaken by the pegasus' brash behavior. She was even more alarmed when a blindfold was tied around her face and a fuzzy fake tail was shoved in her teeth.

"Come on!" Nyssa heard the pegasus' voice. Nyssa was really uncomfortable being thrown into a really weird situation, especially when she had work to do, but she decided to just follow along and hope that this silly game would end. Maybe if she really concentrated and won the game they would leave her alone.

Nyssa heard a whole bunch of ponies around her cheering, which was encouraging, even if she was weirded out. Still, Nyssa managed to walk slowly forward until she found the wall. She then let go of the tail and pulled the blindfold off her face. She had put the tail. . .on the pony's nose.

"Nice try, I guess," the pegasus said.

"Oh, well, I suppose I tried," Nyssa said. "Now if you'll all excuse me I-"

"Hey, you wanna play some Toss Across?" the rainbow-maned pegasus then asked. "But against me. I'm unbeatable! But, hey, maybe you'll have a chance of possibly winning a game or two. . .just barely possibly though." Nyssa took a step back.

"I don't know. . ."

"I know, I know, I'm too good," the pony replied. "But hey, a game's a game! Let's go!" And the next thing Nyssa knew, she was being pushed to another party game.

* * *

"Howdy!" Tegan was just walking through the crowded party, asking ponies about the Doctor (getting negative answers, though), when a voice twanged with an accent that would come from the States called to her from behind. Tegan turned around.

"Ya'll enjoying the party?" the pony asked. "I helped Pinkie a little with the setup and was jus' makin' sure everything's alright."

"It's good," Tegan replied.

"Well that's good!" the pony stated. "Ah'm Applejack, by the way. You are?"

"Tegan."

"Well fancy meetin' you! Ah'm just as tickled as Pinkie when it comes to new folks!" A blue pony came into the conversation.

"Um, Applejack, can I talk to you for a sec?" said the pony.

"Hold on a sec," Applejack said to Tegan before exiting the conversation. Tegan stayed in case Applejack were to come back, and in case she knew anything. Fortunately, she did return, but her face didn't look so well.

"What's the matter?" asked Tegan.

"Er. . .well Pinkie put me in charge of finding the music for the party since she wanted some line dancin' for tonight. . .but they all got stuck between here and Apploosa." She pulled the hat she was wearing off of her head. "We already used up all of Pinkie's tracks since she expected me to provide the music. . .the town's DJ is in Canterlot. . ."

"Applejack!" the blue pony returned. "We found something!" Tegan didn't know what to do in this situation, so she just stood silently.

"What?"

"Octavia and her group's in town, and they agreed to pull out their instruments and play."

"But they play all classically and nonsense. We need somethin' upbeat!"

"Yeah, about that. . ." Music started to fill the room, slowly and steadily. Ponies faces started to show disgust and disappointment.

"You already got them to play?!" asked Applejack.

"What else was I supposed to do?!"

"Guys," Tegan interrupted the two ponies. They both looked at her. "What's the problem?"

"The problem is this fru-fru awful music! Nopony can dance to this!"

"Then play some. . .ragtime or jazz," Tegan suggested. "You still have the right instruments." Applejack looked at Tegan like she had a second head.

"What?"

"Just do it," Tegan said to the blue pony, feeling that she should just take charge, fix the situation, and then talk to more ponies. The blue pony was a little intimidated by Tegan's commanding nature, and obeyed.

"Don't you guys know what jazz is?" asked Tegan.

"Isn't that fancy music too?" asked Applejack. "How will that help?" Suddenly, the classical music stopped, the blue pony having finally reaching the musicians. Tegan and Applejack turned to see her talking to the group, them nodding, and then with the tap of their hooves, they started a different tune, something jazzier and livelier.

"Well, I suppose that. . .fixes it a little," said Applejack as the music started. She looked around at the room to see ponies nodding their heads to the beat. "It's just not somethin' everypony's heard of though, but it is better."

"It's at least something to dance to," Tegan stated. Applejack gave a look and started to do some type of line dance. She stopped.

"Still weird," she said.

"Well, you're in the wrong style. You need to dance the Charleston or-"

"The what?"

"You know," said Tegan. She took a deep breath and stepped back. It was a little difficult as a pony, but Tegan managed to pull off throwing her heels in the air to display the Charleston. Applejack's expression didn't change.

"That's still kinda wie-"

"Hey, can you show me how to do that?" asked a random pony that had happened to catch Tegan's dancing.

"Well, sure, I guess," said Tegan. "But-"

"Yeah, do that again!" chimed another pony.

"I wanna learn how to dance like that!" said yet another. Applejack looked at Tegan, impressed.

"Well, I guess you do know somethin'," she said. "You really helped the party!"

"But-" Tegan tried to retort. She had questions to ask, things to do, but more and more ponies wanted to see her dance the Charleston again. She sighed.

"Fine," she agreed. "It goes like this. . ."

* * *

The Doctor(5) asked enough ponies for the night. None of them knew that much about the other Doctor, and the ones that did said "Oh, yes, he's the one that runs around all the time!" But the Doctor already knew that. That's the kind of thing he did, after all.

He gained no information.

The Doctor also wasn't in the party mood. He never was, especially since the last time he went to a party. . .well that was when times were good. Much had changed since then, and it seemed like every part of the party flashed back to the times when it was fine. . .

He mostly wanted to leave. There was nothing left to do. The Doctor pushed through the crowd until he was able to find Nyssa, who was talking to two pegasus ponies and laughing.

"Oh, hello Doctor!" she said cheerfully. The two ponies near her looked up too to greet him.

"Hello, Nyssa," he replied. "I just came to pick you up. I think it's about time we head out-"

"Head out?!" said one of the pegasi, her rainbow mane flopping in front of her face. "But you just got here!"

"We're very busy," the Doctor replied.

"Are you not having a good time?" asked the other pegasus.

"No, it's not that, it's-"

"Doctor, I know we have. . .things to do," said Nyssa. She stepped forward toward him so that the others wouldn't hear. "But I don't think the other Doctor's here, and these other ponies don't know much about him. Maybe we should stay in case somepony else shows up, and besides, this day has been most stressful. You really should take it easy, Doctor."

"Well. . .I suppose you're right. About other ponies showing up, I mean," he said. "But not much longer."

"Alright," said Nyssa. She returned to a conversation with the two ponies, as the Doctor walked further into the party. He went looking for Tegan, leaving Nyssa back, as the Doctor didn't expect, to actually enjoy the company of others at the party.

It wasn't hard to find his other companion. Tegan was in the middle of the dance floor, dancing the Charleston with a few other ponies. She actually had a positive expression on her face.

"There you are, Doctor!" she said as soon as they met.

"Tegan," he said. "We need to talk."

"Fine," she said, leaving the floor to meet with the Doctor. "What's wrong?"

"Have you found anything out?"

"Not much at all. Not many of the ponies know about the other Doctor," she said.

"Well, that's helpful," the Doctor stated sarcastically.

"I don't really think they know anything," she said. "But they learn how to dance fast! You should join us, Doctor!" The Doctor was a little stunned by Tegan's excitement, which clashed from her usual snarky self. Still, he shook his head.

"Tegan, I'm trying to figure things out here and-"

"We've been doing that all day," she sassed. "Besides, I don't think I saw you dance before."

"That's because, Tegan, I don't dance."

"Oh really."

"I don't."

"I don't believe you."

"What's there to not believe?" said the Doctor. "I don't dance."

"We'll must have sometime before," said Tegan. "Just because you don't dance doesn't mean you can't." The Doctor just looked at Tegan.

"I'm not a dancer."

"Very well," sighed Tegan. "But you're missing out. I just taught all of these ponies to do the Charleston! Isn't that crazy?"

"Yes, very."

"Well, I'm going to enjoy this party," she continued. "I think you should too, Doctor." And with that, Tegan disappeared into the crowd once more. The Doctor remained where he was, standing by himself. He just didn't want to be there.

The last party he was at. . .it was spectacular, and just like this one, but it was who attended it that was different. Everything around him just reminded him of the recent past, from the dancing ponies, the cheerful laughter, the ponies cheering on others in the game area.

Now, the Doctor could dance. He knew how to. But he didn't want to. . .it just didn't feel right. It was too soon, and the party reminded him of too much. Still, it didn't keep him from wondering if he could dance again, somewhere in the distant future, in a time away from the recent pains.

Possibly in a time where everyone lived and was okay. If such a time were to exist.

Comments

[analzamboni]

But... It should be the doctor dances... It's like a thing, there's always a chapter called the doctor dances, and he has to dance... But seriouslt, great chapter.