Derpy Meets The Doctor

by Heavyhauler75622

Chapter Thirteen: Heroine

‘John’ fumed as he paced alongside the TARDIS. He saw the logic of leaving him for the moment with the blue box, should it be needed to be moved or activate its defences, but it left him out of the fight. And he was certain he was needed there.

First, Celestia took off. Immediately after that, Luna left. Then all of the Six, plus Discord, and a certain gentle grey Pegasus. And not being with her really rankled him.

He knew things were becoming ‘complicated’ with Derpy. His hearts had leaped in near panic when the group had disappeared. Oh, his hearts had leapt before. One of the worst times was with Rose Tyler. Or was it with Sarah Jane? Romana? Come to think of it, there were a few he had leaping hearts over. Martha, joining U.N.I.T. That terrible time with Alric; no that wasn’t because he had the same kind of hearts leap, that one was because of a clever, brave young man he couldn’t save.

Rubbish. All this sentimentality. He…

It was rubbish. What he was thinking. All of two days. But a grand two days. The lovely cottage. The clever filly that made pears right. And the lovely, gentle Pegasus mare with bubbles on her flank. That brilliance of hers. Those gold-green eyes. Her dainty writing, except when she was doing it in mid-air, he thought with a smile.

And she wanted them all together. Even his mad blue box. She liked his box. They got along famously.

Then he remembered the Angel, out there, hunting them. And it tore him asunder.

The universe wanted its say, too. And the ‘verse was saying no. Saying it with an Angel from nowhere.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became…

“Oh, sod it all…” he said vehemently, as he ran to the Throne Room doors. No more thinking. Time for The Doctor to do something…the somethings he was noted and feared for in that very same smug ‘verse.

Just as he got there, the doors burst open. The Mane Six, Discord, Derpy, and the unconscious forms of Celestia and Luna flowed through it. ‘John’ immediately slammed on the brakes, but he’d never run before as a pony, and hadn’t spent much time thinking about how stopping was done. Lacking any sort of canter to slow, he stumbled and fell heavily to the floor.

I am so rubbish at being a pony, The Doctor thought as he tried to catch his breath after getting the wind knocked out of him. And if I were a Unicorn or Pegasi, I’d still have mucked it up, I’m sure.

Derpy had caught none of this, as she was watching behind the group, while Rainbow Dash had the front of the formation. Fluttershy had naturally taken to seeing to the safe movement of the Princesses; Twilight and Rarity had them in their magic auras, carrying them. Discord was near the front with the TARDIS key. Applejack was at the front, mayhem in her eyes for anything that dared to oppose them.

That left the party pony.

Discord reached the doors, jammed the key home in the lock, popped the doors open just as the others got there. RD blazed in, then AJ, followed by the young Alicorn and the Unicorn floating the Princesses along. Discord had somehow managed to stay out of the way while the herd galloped in…

A giggly, bouncy voice yelled outside the doors. “Hey, Doctor ‘Smith’…THIS WAY!!’ Pinkie Pie shouted, gesturing, just as Discord reached out, grabbed the waving foreleg, and tugged her into the blue box.

Derpy immediately pivoted. ‘John’ was picking himself up off the floor near the Throne Room door, wincing as he breathed. She turned back toward Discord.

The draconequus was way ahead of her. The key was already flying through the air, tossed by the Lord of Chaos at her, as he then shut the doors.

Some of his Chaos must have leaked out, or he just wasn’t very good at throwing…the key arc was way off the proper vector to catch easily.

Derpy had spent almost every waking hour on the Wonderbolts learning about vectors and vectoring. She was outstanding with knowing how objects moved in spacial relationships. It kept you from colliding with things, like your fellow flyers or castle spires. When her eyes worsened, the inability to focus properly on moving objects led to several embarrassing moments; like a hay cart, an anvil, and an upright piano, eventually.

Not today. Her vision zeroed in on the wayward key with laser precision, and she caught it with her left forehoof while flying upside down and moving backwards to her right.

A second or two too long.

‘John’ had caught up to the situation in moments, started running again, back for the TARDIS now. They had a chance. A slim one, but a chance. They could all take refuge, come up with a plan to deal with the Angel together…

He saw Derpy’s face blanch, her eyes wide in fright.

No more time. He cantered to a stop, wheeled around.

The Doctor stared at the Angel from across the room, his eyes level with its chest. It was locked, unmoving, but its hooves were before its eyes, and it felt the time emanations radiating from him. It would take him into the past, and feed as none before it have fed. It had a Time Lord. And it could afford its patience, while it sought to build fear.

“You lot think you have what it takes to feed from me?” he panted under his breath, his eyes glowering from just under his eyebrows. “I’ve walked all of time and space, watched births and ends of entire galaxies, and warmed my hands in the heat death of eternity. Yea, ye gluttonous pig, you’ll burst from what I hold within myself. Try. Just try it,” he said, as a hoof sneaked back, reaching for one particular well-used pocket…

The Sonic Screwdriver. It would take time, but…

It wasn’t there.

It was under the Time Rotor platform. Where he and Derpy had been working. Both it and the Spanner. It might as well be at that Restaurant at the End of the Universe.

All of Eternity…now down to one thing. The dear, loving Pegasus with that wonderful Unicorn filly. She could get the TARDIS going, after she figured it out. She could save everypony.

If he saved her.

“Derpy…fly,” he said quietly.

He then slowly closed his eyes.

She flew, all right…right between them.

“NO!” she cried, as she landed, skidding to a stop exactly between the Angel and The Doctor.

“No,” she said softly. “Save us, ‘John’. You have to do your best. Get to the TARDIS. Save my world.” She blinked.

The Angel had its hooves down, was staring with unblinking orbs at the mailmare…as she looked at it.

The Doctor was in terror. “DERPY! STOP!!” he cried, though it was far too late…as his dearest lovely Derpy closed her eyes…

There was a loud snapping ‘POP’…

So this is what it feels like… she thought to herself. To be caught in the vortex of the Angel, being dragged to its alternative reality past, there to feed on the time displacement that she would never escape from…

She blinked…and the Angel hadn’t moved…

Involuntarily, she glanced upward at the face, expecting to see the horrid visage of its fang-filled mouth snarling as it fell on her…

It wasn’t snarling…

It was recoiling in terror…trying to look away from her…

She took as small step, hypnotically turning more toward the terrified face…as it splintered with spider webbed cracking…

As she stared, the cracking intensified, splitting throughout; the stone like features starting to become blurred, indistinct, as sand-like powder fell from it.

Two more loud ‘SNAPS’, sounding like cannon shots, exploded in the room…

The Doctor watched, astounded, as the Angel started to break apart under the gaze of one grey Pegasus, the features starting to flow to the floor, like a fine-grained beach sand figurine left drying under a punishing sun too long…

It was beginning to vibrate, the wave lengths palpable through their hooves. Both of them were rooted to the spot, unmoving, as the tremors increased…

One more extremely loud ‘CRACK’ sounded…and The Doctor leapt into action, thinking faster than he could consider what he was doing…

He jumped, grabbing Derpy in mid-leap, and bringing her down to the floor as he twisted, her body once more forcing a whufff of air from him as she fell on top of him, his back slamming into the floor hard…

Just as the Angel exploded into sand and small shards, whirring like wasps by their ears. The room was suddenly filled with thick clouds of dust. They coughed and hacked as the dust condensed on them in a sandy, powdery blanket. The Doctor was the first to recover some equilibrium.

“That was…unexpected,” he said calmly, as he started to brush the debris from Derpy’s face as she coughed. He produced a hoofkerchief from a pocket in his coat, which she used to wipe the deposits from her face.

“What happened?”

“I’ve no idea. Geroff a min, luv, and I’ll find out.”

Derpy rolled off, and with a great whoop of air which set him once more to coughing, he managed to stand up. He helped her up first, then grabbed his unusual colored lens glasses, putting them on, as he examined the dust and shards scattered everywhere with them.

“You have that mess cleared from your lungs yet, Derpy?’ he called, as he scrutinized the untidiness.

“Mostly,” she wheezed back.

He looked at her. Her body still had the dust on her, but the unusual particles he saw through the glasses had decreased markedly.

“That’s good, luv, because I’ve no idea what powdered Angel does to living tissue,” he said cheerfully, as he put his glasses away.

She stared back, startled, then shook herself like a dog, flinging dust and powder from her coat. She looked much more normal when she stopped. Just for good measure, she flapped her wings a bit as well to clear them, setting a small billowing cloud away toward the far wall.

He knocked the residue from his trench coat, which had picked up the powder rather than his fur, and was even more agreeable to release it easily. She glared at him.

“Oi, not my fault I’m an Earth pony. Could use a horn right about now for both of us. Still…” he said, relieved to be rid of the deposits.

“Okay. What happened?” she asked with an air of calm she didn’t feel.

“It shattered. Broke up worse than Humpty-Dumpty. Something triggered a feedback in its configuration. The strain of it crushed the molecular structure. BOOM,” he finished for good measure.

“Well that was as concise an answer as I can expect. Mind telling me what can do that to an Angel?” she went on.

“Got a theory.” He smiled.

“Lovely. Are you going to let me in on the secret, or shall I wait for you to publish?” she asked sarcastically.

“You,” he said, grinning one of his grins, pointing a forehoof at her. “Lovely, mad, beautiful Derpy. Brilliant as always. Must keep on my toes around you, I must. You saved us, my grey angel.”

She gaped at him.

“Angel, I mean, not like, Angel,” he said as he pointed at a larger pile on the floor, “…or Angel like bunny rabbit Angel Bunny. Angel, as in one who saves. The best Angel,” he said, rubbing a hoof along the back of his neck.

She actually managed to keep up with that conversation, for once. That left…

“How?” she asked, bewildered.

“Luv…” he said, laying a foreleg on her shoulders, “…you stared at it.”

Suddenly, her self-consciousness about her eyes flashed to the fore. She started to turn away…

As he gently turned her face back to his.

“Those lovely ponds of yours, Derpy. Especially that cuter right one. The Angel couldn’t take the stress.”

He continued to look into her eyes. “One eye on, quantum locking it. But what of the other? Off taking in the universe. Re-defining the Standard Sub-Atomic Particle Model. Contemplating muffins. One unlocking the quantum lock, somehow. Both present in the same lifeform. Two massive forces, acting on each other. One positive, one negative. Energy has to go somewhere, luv. BOOM.”

“I killed it.”

“Like the proverbial doornail. Or something similar,” he sighed gratefully.

“I…killed it.” There were tears in the voice. Shocked, he rumbled to life.

“NO! Don’t you go there, luv, ever! Just…no,” he said sternly, staring at her face. “It would have found a way to reproduce eventually, and those would have taken even more. Some of those would have killed ponies to have a voice. Like this one might have. They would trap the very young, for longevity, or the immortal, for the power. It would have never stopped, had it taken me, or Luna, or Celestia, or especially Discord,” he said gravely.

“IF they had all of us, they would then have free run throughout this existence, and try to tear their way into others. Dinky…” he said, and his voice caught.

He went on in a moment, his voice raw. “Dinky…would have been trapped, in an existence alone. She would have never seen any of us again. She would never have seen you again.”

He pointed at the dust. “Was this right?” He shook his head. “I’ve no answer for you. Maybe Celestia or Luna might know. But was it necessary? Think on your little, sweet filly first, then answer it.”

She wept softly. “John…I’ve never killed anything in my life. How,” she said, the pain in her voice evident, “…how can I live with what I did?”

“Luv,” he said, as he took the shaking Pegasus and rocked her back and forth in his forelegs, like a tiny, frightened filly, “…ask Luna to sing in your dreams. Please, let The Benevolent Princess of Dreams help.”

He wiped away the tears patiently. “She helped me when my fears grew too much. Oh, and need I remind you…you have saved, what, six ponies or more in a past someplace?”

She sat up, surprised, and wiped her eyes. “Oh, no! I forgot! We have to go help them!”

He let go of her, smiled and stood up. He then reached a hoof to help her. “Yes, we do, luv. Oh, yes, it’s time to do our helping. Come and lend a hoof, they’ll need a familiar face. And let’s get all those ponies and such out of the TARDIS, poor things.”

---

As they opened the door on the blue box, they met a familiar face, her head lowered, her horn fully energized.

“Easy, Princess, just us. Crisis averted. Everyone out,” ‘John’ said cheekily.

Celestia depowered her aura, looked at the both of them.

“Princess, the Angel has been destroyed. But if all of you don’t mind, we have a Steward, several Royal Guards, and a small colt to bring back. Like to get started. All ashore,” he said happily.

Celestia turned away from the mad pony, looked at Derpy, who nodded determinedly as she hovered nearby.

‘John’ went on. “Celestia, get your Guard, set watch over this dust. As you can, sweep up portions and float them into the Sun. Put half there, half into various active volcanoes around the planet; inside the lava flows, and in the crater proper. It scans out inert, but best to not take chances. Fling a hoof-full free into the Void for luck,” ‘John Smith’ said cheerfully.

“What is it?” Celestia asked cautiously.

“Powdered Angel.”

She stared around at the mess. “Won’t it form new Angels?” she asked, concerned.

“Quantum pairing. Like the quantum locking was both tremendous advantage and disadvantage, the quantum pairing that made it so strong when it was all together now works against it regenerating, once it’s all dispersed. All the material is associated on quantum levels with all the other material. Oh, perhaps, with the immensity of time, stupendous effort to bring it all back together, a huge amount of temporal energy to try for re-vitalization, and lots of glue, then maybe you could manage to put this one together. Sort of. Don’t forget the glue, it’ll be necessary. But it’s still not alive anymore, even with all that. So, there it is.”

“Princess Celestia, we’ll be back as soon as we can,” Derpy said as she hovered. “Allow everypony some time to relax and bleed off the stress, maybe let Pinkie throw a small celebration, not a party; that would be too much, probably, and welcome everyone back when we return. Then everyone can go home and recuperate. They need and deserve it.”

Celestia smiled, relaxed. “Then I shall do so, Royal Messenger.” She turned, looked at the small crowd watching expectantly. “You all heard her, everypony, Discord. I have a reception room here in the castle perfect for a quiet get-together.”

She watched everyone file by, Twilight Sparkle in the lead. She gestured with a hoof at Twilight, then gently tapped Discord and Luna out as well as they passed. ‘John’ stood in the door, waiting, as Derpy landed, a very confused look on her face.

“Yes, my little pony?” Celestia said mirthfully, as the others, smiling, watched.

“Royal Messenger?” Derpy said, baffled.

“If I recall correctly, and I always do,” Celestia chuckled, “…Special Delivery is near mandatory retirement, is he not? You have performed outstandingly brilliantly during this crisis, Messenger. You are intelligent, practical, eminently sensible, and your sincerity is unquestionable. And you always lead with your heart. I don’t give out positions in my administration of Equestria lightly. You have earned it, and you shall continue to earn it. When and where I need you, you must be ready. Besides, the Service Workers of Equestria Union would take long, well-considered pause before doing ANYTHING, er…‘unpleasant’ against my Messenger, whether or not they actually knew what happened to a certain axehandle,” she said, smiling brightly.

Derpy shook her head. She knew. Of course, she knew. She’s a Princess.

“And, as my Messenger, you would be expected to represent me in certain things, be my envoy, diplomatic courier, and undertake certain, ‘delicate’, negotiations. I’m sure ‘John’ would be quite happy to assist you there with transportation, security, and such,” she said, looking at the chestnut pony, who bowed deeply.

She turned back to Derpy. “In Fluttershy’s home we established the beginnings of a new force of Heroes. Luna and I. Twilight Sparkle and the Heroines of Equestria. Discord and the forces of Chaos. That quaint description of the Doctor, which I rather like, as ‘Time’s Champion.’ However, there is one missing right now. The one to formally represent the ponies. One who is a heroine in her own right.”

She smiled. “You.”

Derpy felt the weight of the responsibility crash down on her back. “Me?” she asked, incredulous.

“There is none better.”

“Why?”

“First, you have had the very things we must resist try to harm you and your daughter directly long ago. You know this enemy, and what drives it, firsthand. It was an inexcusable thing that you endured, but you came through it to the other side. You can explain such evil better than even I could to those ears that might listen,” Celestia said compassionately. “Then, facing such a trial again, you turned toward the sound of the battle and strode into it. No living being on Equestria could demand that you hadn’t endured enough in your first encounter. None. Yet, once that moment was in your hooves, you, Derpy Doo, turned to oppose it.”

Celestia paused a moment, then went on. “The first time, you were obliterated in drugs, intense psychological manipulation, physical and emotional abuse, horror upon horror heaped upon you. No one could fault you if after enduring that, you turned away. Instead, you girded yourself for battle. And you charged in, for all of us. As my Steward once said to me, ‘I want the one that won’t roll over and die as long as they can breathe just long enough to stay in there and fight.’”

“And second, I have need of such like you to be an emissary, to help bring others to our side. I have bureaucrats aplenty for speeches and paper shuffling. I need a champion. I need one that has faced this sort of evil, stood with others like them, and can tell others what it’s like to stare into its eyes, and still never give in.”

“Cely…Princess…I…”

Celestia held up a hoof. “There is no need to answer now. Take some time…”

“Yes.”

“Already?” Celestia asked, surprised. “I thought you would take at least two days to think about it.”

“No, I understand it now. I always tell Dinky, ‘Life is what happens after you make your plans,” mostly to get her to be prepared when things go wrong. Maybe…maybe that rule should apply when things are going right, too.” She smiled, though her eyes were watery from tears. “I’m your mare, Princess.”

“‘John?’” Celestia asked.

“Be delighted, Princess. Excuse me, Princesses. Princesses and the Lord of Chaos? Or is that one too far?” he asked, as he rubbed a hoof along the back of his head.

Discord poofed ‘John’s’ tie, pulling it down and putting it askew. Derpy smiled gently, as she sat down and started to fiddle with it.

“What? It helps her think,” he said defensively at the mild accusatory looks by the other ponies, as she worked the cloth.

“Yes, it does,” she said kindly, chuckling. “There. Perfect,” she said, pulling the knot up to its proper place. “And yes, my Princesses, Time Charger, and one silly Lord of Chaos, I accept.”

Discord smiled charmingly, gently took Derpy’s TARDIS key, and braided it back into her mane.

“Settled, then. We’re off on a rescue! Be back in a jiff,” said ‘John’, as he and Derpy boarded the TARDIS.

Celestia chuckled tiredly, turning toward the throne as the TARDIS left. It must be nice to be so sure things would work out…

She suddenly remembered. The past…

---

After the celebration in Ponyville, Celestia escorted Luna to Canterlot. The younger Alicorn was frail, but gaining strength as the power of the Nightmare continued to retreat from her. Celestia was concerned the ordeal had taken so much from Luna. Her colors were faded, the Magic within her weak. But she was back, and Celestia was loath to be away from her side.

At Canterlot, Celestia escorted her to what would be her new apartments.

Luna spoke up. “Will we not return to Our Castle, Sister? This place…”

Celestia opened the door, as Luna gasped. The great room was filled with most of Luna’s things from Two Sisters, placed appropriately for her use.

“Sadly, Luna, most of our old home was severely damaged. The seat of authority was moved here, to Canterlot. It is here, I hope, that you will live…with me.”

“Hullo.”

Luna turned, saw a strange pony in a trench coat…carrying a small box.

“I brought this…for you, Woony. It did get knocked about a bit,” he said putting it on the table and lifting the lid. “But the cake is still good, and that tisn’t a lie.”

Luna peered closer. “Doctor?” she whispered. She then looked at the cake, with the squished frosting that had said, “Welcome Home, Woony!”…and still sort of did, if one could interpret the words through the smeared parts.

“It’s wonderful to see you again. Please, help yourself to the bigger share. It’s been a long time for you.” He smiled, then nudged Celestia slightly, pointing to Celestia’s rooms with his nose.

“Doctor, perhaps now isn’t…” she started to say.

“Nonsense. Perfect time for her to sneak extra frosting, while we talk a bit. Won’t be long. Those dress forms in Rarity’s shop have been sorted out for fair, and I even saved the cake. Win all about for everypony.” He gave her a very gentle nudge toward the door.

Celestia’s eyes flashed in anger for a moment, and then she acquiesced, following him in.

He shut the door behind her. “Sorry, Princess, my profound apologies. Have to let you know how it went.” He took a chair, sat down. She stared for a moment, then seated herself on the bed.

“The figures had been animated with some unknown energy, probably Nestene Consciousness gestalt. I traced the emanations back,” he said matter of factly.

“And?” asked Celestia condescendingly.

“It was in your old castle.” He stood up, walked around, trying to release some stress. “I don’t know if that was what forced the change in Luna. It’s possible; it had been there a long time, gaining strength. She’s younger, less resistant, more receptive. And of the two of you…”

“Speak it, Doctor. You’ve never been one not to speak your mind.” She preened a wing, trying to be dismissive.

“Stronger. More powerful. And you know that already.”

“I have always known.” She stood up, the compulsion of a creature that must move, at all costs, lest they jump out of their own skin.

“You should have discovered this earlier. Before I had to banish her. Before I had to be without my sister for a thousand years.”

“I’ve enough recriminations for all of us, Celestia. And this isn’t the end of it. The gestalt left an imprint. Under the right conditions, it could manifest again. Nightmare Moon could come back.”

“So. My sister, the ticking time bomb.” She sighed, slumped wearily. “Is there nothing that can be done?”

“No. You can help her. You can love her, care for her. We’ll all help. Help by making Luna stronger.”

“Well then.” Celestia looked at him, the anger subsiding. “My apologies. I thank you for removing this enemy from our planet. I know you take no reward in your services, Doctor, but once more, I offer them. What is it we can do for you?”

“This time…I do need your help, Princess. I know you have Nightmare Moon’s Runic Scythe…”

Celestia’s eyes widened in understanding…understanding, and fear.

The Doctor held up a hoof. “And no, I don’t want it. And I know you’re trying to destroy it. You can’t. But one day, you’ll see it destroyed. I’ll be around. Make sure I get what is on this list. Don’t wonder why. Just make sure I get them as soon as possible after it is destroyed.” He placed a composite crystallized disc on top of the parchment. “That, too. Lives will depend on it.”

She stared at him.

“Oh… when I salute you like this,” he said, tossing his right foreleg to his eyebrow and back down nonchalantly,”…it’s to let you know that I know you. That we’ve interacted before. Now, right. That’s all I have. We need to see Luna. Please, come along, Majesty. I’ve taken far too much of your time already away from her.” He stood up, went and opened the door…

To a sleeping Luna, cake frosting smeared around her mouth and a hoof, laying peacefully on the cushions of a couch, the decimated remains of the cake and its box strewn about her.

Celestia smiled warmly. “You know, Doctor, I was furious with you, expecting you to drive the TARDIS out and stop her from becoming the Nightmare. Even with knowing that if you could, you would have done so already. I wanted to despise you for that.”

She sighed. “Yet, when I see this, I know the truth.” She sniffed the air. “Blueberry filling. Her absolute favorite. The smell of it must have driven her insane, she likes it so much…”

Comments

[redmar]

It's not hard to figure out that Nightmare Moon is a fixed point in time and space.
The description of the shattered Angel strongly reminds me of Discworld vampires and what to do with their ash.