Such a Strange Stallion...

by The_Whovian16

Chapter 3

Author's Note:

Okay. I'll beg.

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Twilight struggled some more when the door closed behind them suddenly on it’s own, and struggled like that for another few moments. “Hey- Put me down already! I don’t need to be colt-handled you know!”

“Colt-what?” The Doctor asked with a small smirk back to her, it seeming almost sly and patient as he set her down. “Alright, suit yourself Miss Sprinkle.”

“Sparkle.” Twilight added with a small growl as she picked herself back up, and noticing the room they were now standing in for the first time.

It was a lot bigger than she was anticipating.... Brass along the roof, coral columns looking like they’d been taking out of Atlantis- organic too. They weren’t just carved stone, they pulsed with aura. Alive? But how? ... Wait- no. The columns didn’t just pulse with aura- the entire room did. It pulsed with a sense of patience and grace- .... Warmth.... She felt her eyes move around the room in a fluid motion- out of her control but... not out of her desire. “.... Wha...” She blinked before here the sound of... something possibly dropping?

Gaung!

Vvvwoorrrppp.... Vvwwwooorrrpp.... Vvvvwwwoooooorrrppp!

Her ears flicked about at that noise, sounding so strange and alien- melodic in her own eyes, something she had never truthfully heard before in her entire life.... Well, except for one other time. In the Park....

She looked to where the Doctor had gone- the center console. Slowly- it was coming back to her... She’d been here before- hadn’t she? ... The Aura felt similar- had she been here before? This would be hard to forget.... Unless.... “Is- .... Is this were I was in my vision?” She asked slowly, feeling the thrum of energy beneath her hooves, looking to the grates along the floor, and gently sitting down beside the railing to the console center... just... being silent and listening into it for a moment.... Taking note of everything going on around her- this felt like it was important.... No- it was important, Twilight could see the signs all around her... She could see the signs of something greater happening to her- or perhaps, something lesser.

“.... Heh-hem.”

Twilight’s head turned to the stallion sitting before her.... Just as she remembered him but 2 days ago.... Except, he had a green tie now- but his eyes were piercingly blue. Not painfully, nor abrasively, but... they just seemed to have such an edge to them... such a crisp and clear cut- brighter than any diamonds she had seen, and older than any she had too....

That was it...

The ‘Detail’ she hadn’t noticed before- when she had met him in the park. One of the few things that had bugged her about him- besides his name.... How old his eyes looked, how strange they seemed- even though they looked like anyone else’s.... His eyes showed such age, they were older than any creature she had seen before, and she knew the Goddess of the Sun. The oldest living being Ponies knew of on record.

“....” She opened her mouth to speak slowly, before shutting it again as she... she wasn’t sure what to say.

And he seemed quite alright with that. “.... You know. I think this is the first time someone’s been stunned silent.” He admitted, his voice being calm, and yet- not raising itself to a threshold that could ruin the tranquility in the room- the equilibrium of Harmony that Twilight could feel around her. “.... Honestly, the silence though... It isn’t a bad thing... It’s nice- a bit of a different change in pace.” He told her sweetly, smiling as he held out his hoof to her again. “Let’s try it like this then. Shall we? .... Hello... I’m the Doctor.”

Twilight could only think so far ahead right now- how was this going to play out? .... He had just... basically kidnapped her- why again? ... She couldn’t recall. “.... Um.... H-Hello...” She said slowly, blushing as she saw him in the light of this room, taking his hoof into her own. She had to admit to herself... she didn’t remember him looking so ruggedly handsome last time she saw him... Then again, she had just taken a hit to the gut. “.... I’m... Twilight Sparkle.... Please- don’t... call me anything else.” She said sweetly, giving a hopeful smile.

“Twilight. Sparkle.” He said with another nod, smiling as he pulled his hoof back and tapped his own head. “Alright. I’ve committed it to Memory. Twilight Sparkle, it’s a pleasure meeting you. Welcome- to my TARDIS.” He said, motioning around with another hoof. “This- is my spacecraft. Capable of going anywhere and anywhen- to wherever and whenever we would so desire to go in the existence of everything ever to be known.” He told her, before looking back to her as she took in the room again.... He could only smile more- she was absorbing all of this like a sponge, wasn’t she? Brilliant!

He in turn walked over to her, and sat beside her, rear end to the rail as he followed her gaze around the room. Up over the ceiling, to the coral columns, to the grated floor, the railing, the weird holes in the hexagonal walls.... Then they came to the front Doors.... That part worried him a bit, but she soon paid it no mind as she in turn looked the opposite direction, to the console piece, sitting in the middle of the circular room... And that got her up- which he in turn followed her up to it.

“.... What’s... a ‘Tardis’?” Twilight asked him slowly, looking over the controls- they all seemed so weird and alien to her. Half of it looked like it was made with rejected junk from some failing prop company, while the other half looked like it wasn’t designed to be used or held by hooves or mouth, or even magic. The Screen also caught her attention though, making her turn her head to the side.... Was that some kind of Language on Display? .... She couldn’t read it.... It was- circular, but her keen eyes could quickly pick up the fact that it was forming a pattern- a moving language? ... Talk about complexity times a million...

“It’s an Acronym, a um...” He paused softly there, before finding his words. “... A ‘Friend’ of mine came up with some time ago.... It, stands for ‘Time And Relative Dimensions In Space’ if that makes any sense....”

Twilight’s eyes suddenly regained their clarity as she turned to him. “Time And Relative Dimension In Space? ... Are you saying we’re in a dimensional bubble that is intersecting and partaking in the same place in space in our own universe, but on a different wavelength of space-time as we know it?” She asked him curiously, seeing a look of shock in his eyes, but a welcomed smile as well.

“Precisely!” He admitted, feeling rather shocked- she knew what that was then? “That’s precisely what it is! Though that in it of itself might break a few of your known laws of Quantum Mech-”

“How big is the Dimension?” She asked, quickly making a jog around the console as her inner Scientist began to make the cogs in her brain wizz out of control. She wanted to learn everything she could from this place- as soon as she possibly could if it wouldn’t be too much... Ah- who was she kidding, this place broke so many known fundamentals of Science just by existing, that as far as she knew, she could spend her entire life here and never even put a dent in it.

She soon came around and saw a door in the far back- opposite of the way they had come in, one of metal that was oddly shaped, but obviously a door nonetheless. She almost started walking towards it, until she felt herself walk into a hoof, it pressing against her chest.

“As big as is required for the moment.” He told her calmly, before putting his hoof around her neck and turning her around. “We’ll take a Tour in a bit- but right now, I... I’m in need of some help Miss Sparkle.” He told her, sighing as he sounded rather serious.

It was apparently still Twilight’s turn to look confused and curious. “My help?” She asked him slowly, looking back to the console that sat in the middle of the room. “.... Why? .... You could have Princess Celestia, or Princess Luna’s help. They’re-”

“About 3.7 billion light years away in that direction.” The Doctor told her calmly, pointing in a random direction. “And... They have both already tried to help me- and failed.... So- now I’m going to turn to you.” He said slowly, getting up and walking back over to the console. Pushing a few buttons here and there, and then pulling the screen around on it’s roller so he could look at it.

Leaving a bamboozled Unicorn sitting in place as she looked back to him, unsure what she could say. What could she say? .... How could she help him- he had a time machine! What could she do that the Princesses couldn’t?!? Twilight’s gaze once more became transfixed upon the stallion with all the whimsical curiosity she had known as a child- this stallion was stranger than any she’d ever met....

.... She was getting lost on this train of thought, wasn’t she? .....

She blinked slowly as she looked back at him, sighing as she shook her head eventually and cleared her throat. “.... Doctor.... Who?” She asked firmly, getting up as she looked back up to him with a small glare.

“.... What?” He asked, turning back to her, now the bamboozled stallion, raising an eyebrow back at her.

“Doctor. Who?” She asked him again, before trudging up to him- her hooves clanking as they met the metal gate beneath them. “The Princess’s know more about you than I do... I’ve only just found out you existed a day ago- and met you 2 Days before that..... So I’ll ask again. .... Doctor Who? ..... Who ARE you.” She told him, pushing her hoof to his chest when she was close enough and pushing him onto his rump solidly with it. “I’ve had it up to HERE with having to constantly re-ask that question!” She said, motioning to her bandaged head. “I’ve yet to get an answer from ANYPONY about it! I want one! Now! I want to know who you are! I want to know why you stayed in one place for a thousand years- when you CLEARLY could have gone anywhere you wanted!” She said, her voice raising as her hair began to rise a bit behind her- her emotions seeping through the usually calm exterior of the student.

More confusion- this was just the turn of uncertain events as of late for the Doctor. “.... Such a strange mare.” He muttered eventually. “.... I’ve- I’ve already explained-”

“You haven’t explained horse-manure to me!” She interrupted, glaring him down as her horn sparked just a bit like a sparkler on the Hoofth of July, her eye twitching a bit more. “All I know about you is that you call yourself ‘The Doctor.’ You have a Time Machine for a Spaceship. You have been secretly watching over my home world of Gaia or a thousand years- without reason other than ‘Selfless Kindness’, with the ‘Infinite Patience’ of some Godly being! That’s all I know!” She screamed, her aura sparking to life around her horn as she glared him down- her eyes suddenly calming down though as she resumed a relaxed state of sorts.... And one would quote ‘of sorts.’

“.... I want to know who you are. Before I help you do whatever it was the Gods of my World couldn’t.... I want to help you. I do.... You watched over the world for a thousand years- probably doing the loneliest job there is... There isn’t a reason why I won’t help you.” She told him slowly, her magic coming to a slow ebb as her face softened a bit. “But.... I- I want to know why you did that for us.... What- how did you manage it for a thousand years?! You- you don’t even look like you are over 28! But- you have an aura that says you’re older than Celestia! .... I want to know why you need me- but I need to know who you are. Before I do anything else.” She told him straightforward, sitting down with her hooves crossed over her chest as she glared at him still, almost looking like she was pouting just a bit. “.... If that... makes any sense....”

Shock. Shock and awe riddled the time traveler’s face as he looked upon the mare before him, now seeming a little shier after that outburst of hers. ‘Ah, so that was it.... She wanted to know why I wasted a thousand years of my own life just- watching over her world?’ He thought to himself, his blue eyes still upon hers as he couldn’t help but smile a little more now.... Could he just- go and tell her about such things? ... Such impossible things that made up his life? ....

“.... You want to know about me?” He asked her curiously, his body relaxing as he sat forward, spine straighter and taller at an angle.... He was a little bit taller than her. Lanky fellow- she probably hadn’t realized that until now, and now she saw it, he could see her eyes twinkle just a bit... Such young curiosity, such a benevolent desire to learn.... She wanted to know for herself more than anything- but to think that she thought he was just going to tell her everything?

.... Well... Why shouldn’t he?

“.... That’s... a rather long story...” The Doctor told her in a slow and drawn out fashion, seeming to imply it might almost be too long to bother with.

That made Twilight give sign of hope in her eyes, her thirst for knowledge growing greater as she looked up at him. “You’d be surprised how long I can listen to a good story.” She informed him quickly- having heard that same excuse so many times before from Celestia and the like when she was but a filly.

He laughed just a tiny bit at that, shaking his head some. “Oh- have we now? How long would you be willing to listen to the entirety of my being, from beginning to end Miss Sparkle? Hmm?~” He asked, pulling a few levers, and messing with a clear green ball that spun around in it’s socket in the console.

“....” She followed his hooves and smirked slowly as she looked back to him, reaching up and putting her hoof onto the ball to stop it from spinning in place as she made him look back at her. “Well- you’re the one with the Time Machine.” She pointed out slyly, before pulling her hoof back as she turned and looked to the rest of the console, being sure to not touch any other buttons or dials as much as she might have wished too. She was a scientist afterall. She knew better than to mess with another’s equipment- she held restraint for such things like this.

“Touche.” The Doctor admitted, before sighing slowly as he once more thought this out.... His own thoughts seemed just, slightly clouded as he looked back at her. He had to pull his gaze away once again, until he looked to the console already messing with more knobs and buttons and levers and strings and things that he had no more of a need, nor desire to mess with. “.... Very well Miss Sparkle.” He spoke up, turning back to her with a kinder and... noticeably sadder smile- perhaps a more ‘depressed’ smile. Fake couldn’t have applied, he seemed happy to speak to her, or pehaps just speak freely for once.

==================

“..... Where would you like to start first?”

Twilight smiled as she looked around at her friends- having gathered them about 3 Weeks after her ‘vanish’ into the great big beyond with the Doctor. Truthfully told- she didn’t know how long she had been gone for... In her own time at least- all she knew was that she had been gone for ‘3 Weeks’ and had thusly missed about 3 Weeks worth of Friendship Lessons, but... That... Really wasn’t important anymore- as much as she didn’t want to disappoint the Princess at least. That’s why she had actually called them all here anyway. To talk about where she’d been.

“.... So. Let me get this straight.” Rainbow Dash said slowly, holding a hoof out in front of her as she seemed to be struggling with her thoughts over all this stuff. “.... After the Princess’s came knocking on your door... You fell back, and passed out... Then you talked with them- about a stallion you read about in some book. Who didn’t exist. Then kinda came and existed right then... And then kidnapped you? .... And then decidedly told you about everything about himself?” She asked with a small glare.

Twilight seemingly blushed as her ears fell back a bit, her body language vaguely reading Fluttershy levels of shyness. “... W-well... W-when you put it like that.... I-It doesn’t sound... nearly as a credible.” She muttered slowly.

“Well, that’s what you just said happened.” Rainbow Dash pointed out.

“She... does have a point Darling.” Rarity told her slowly, frowning some. “I won’t outright say what you saw was impossible, but your story does seem rather... ‘whimsical’ perhaps... at best... And this ‘Doctor’ stallion certainly doesn’t seem like he’s any more real... I’ve certainly never met anyone like him before.”

Twilight would have responded if AJ hadn’t spoken up immediately after Rarity. “Yer sure ya’ll didn’t just wake up back in bed after that Fall? Maybe the Princess’s thought it better to leave ya there, and you dreamt the rest up?”

“She couldn’t have.” Spike admitted, walking out in his apron once more with fresh muffins on a tray, Pinkie Pie following behind him with another. “She was gone for 3 straight weeks.... Plus- I saw the box thing. And the guy. So she’s telling the truth up to that point.” He muttered, putting the platter down as Rainbow greedily helped herself to 2 and everyone had one.

“Twilight!” Rarity said, gasping suddenly before pulling Spike in close for a hug. “You left Spikey-Wikey all alone for a whole 3 Weeks?! Oh you poor darling, you must have been bored out of your wits!” She said, pulling the dragon in closer to her fur... not that he seemed to be minding any, hearts in his eyes as he seemed to be taking in her scent and holding her back. Lucky little dragon....

Twilight rolled her eyes with a small smirk though, shaking her head. “Oh please, Spike loved not having me around for 3 Weeks. Must of have been like a mini-summer vacation for him~”

“How would you know- you never even took a summer vacation before!” Spike said, getting a laugh out of RD who nearly choked on her muffin- while Twilight through one at the back of Spike’s head. Where it stuck to his spike securely. Leaving everyone to laugh as he struggled to get it off, until Pinkie Pie jumped onto him. “Mine!” She declared, nomming the muffin off of his head and sitting back down with the others.

“... um.... Well.... where is he now?” Asked the more feeble of the bunch, Fluttershy, seeing as how the conversation hit a lull when Spike confirmed the rest.

Twilight blinked slowly as she looked down to her Muffin slowly, blushing some as she thought about it. “... Um... You know....” She muttered slowly, looking away from the others. “... around.”

There was a moment of pause in the group as all 6 pairs of eyes turned to Twilight with curious gazes. Only one spoke up though.

“.... He’s not in your bed right now, is he?~” Rainbow asked curiously.

Twilight’s blush hit an all time high as she glared at Rainbow dash suddenly and threw a book at her, and sent Rainbow crashing into the ground. “I did NOT sleep with him!” She said, glaring at her now cackling friend, her cheeks redder than an apple.

“Well- shucks, why so secretive then?” Applejack asked, shaking her head as she helped RD back to her hooves.

“She has a point as well- why seem so embarrassed about it?” Rarity asked.

“.... B-Because, I ... I don’t know where he went.” Twilight admitted, rubbing the back of her head some. “He never told me what he needed me for- or what I could do to help him... We just- ended up talking for a while until we ran into-”

Knock Knock!

Twilight blinked as she sighed and got up. “Oh- Horse Manure... It’s a Public Library, not a house.” She muttered quickly, smiling to the others. “I’ll be just a minute girls.” She told them swiftly, before going to the front door and opening it wide. “Welcome to the Golden Oaks Library- ....” She paused mid introduction as she looked at the person in front of her, raising an eyebrow...

“.... Um... Hello.” The Brown stallion said, smiling as he chuckled a bit, his accent noticeably holding a bit of confusion at her staring. “... Are you um... Miss Sparkler? ... The new Librarian?” He asked her, straightening his green bow-tie a bit as she gave a slow nod. “Oh, wonderful! I’m Time Turner, the town’s Time Keeper. I see to it that all the clocks in Ponyville are perfectly functioning, on time and in sync in all public and private properties.” He said, smiling as he ran his chestnut brown hoof through his chocolate brown hair, his blue eyes looking back to her before... noticing the others behind her. “Oh.... Dear, um, did I come at a bad time?” He asked curiously, seeming clueless to the jaw-drop Twilight was giving him at that moment.

“Oh, Time Turner! Lovely to see you Darling, no no!” Rarity said, quickly helping Twilight to the side as she giggled a bit. “We were just having a little get together- would you like a muffin? Perhaps some Tea?” Rarity asked, Twilight turning to her with more shock, as if the fashionista was speaking gibberish.

“No no, I’m afraid I haven’t time for- did you say Tea?” He asked suddenly, cocking an eyebrow curiously before smirking as he gave the Fashionista a small smirk, leaving her to giggle a bit. “Well now- I suppose... a small break would be in order.” He admitted, before clearing his throat. “But- no no. I’m afraid I haven’t the time for drinks Miss Belle, I’m here to do a quick inspection of the Grandfather Clock, and the other clock here within the Library.” Time Turner said calmly, Twilight looking back to him like HE was speaking gibberish now.

“Hey- who’s at the Door?!” Rainbow asked, flying overhead, before noticing who it was and smiling a bit. “Oh! Hey Doc!”

Twilight’s head spinned like a rocket at Rainbow, before looking back to Time Turner- the stallion whom she recognized as the Doctor.

“Now- Miss Dash, we spoke about that nickname.” Turner told her with a small smirk. “When you call me the ‘Clock Doctor’, we’ve had incidents of other Pegasi seeming to think of other things.” He joked, shaking his head though none the less as he looked back to Twilight. “May I go and do a quick inspection Miss? I promise, I won’t be but a second.” He promised quickly.

For all her mental capacity, Twilight couldn’t fathom how her friends suddenly became blind- nor did she have the capacity to verbally respond to him, so she just gave a swift nod. The stallion then wasted no time walking right past her and the other mares, greeting them as he went. She then turned to Rarity slowly with a raised eyebrow. “... Never seen anypony like him before, huh?” She asked slowly, getting a confused look back.

“Excuse me? ... Oh- are you referring to Time Turner?” She asked, giggling a bit and shaking her head. “No no darling- Time Turner isn’t anything like the Stallion you described. He sounded heroic and more charming- dashingly so if I might add~”

“Yeah- Time Turner’s been a part of the town since I moved in I think.” Rainbow muttered, scratching her head a bit.

“Honey- you don’t live in Ponyville.” Applejack pointed out. “‘Sides, Time Turner’s family’s been doin’ the job of ‘Time Keeper’ since the town was founded. Granny showed me some images of the town foundin’ when I was a filly, and named off everypony there- including Time Turner’s granpa.” AJ told her calmly, smiling as she shrugged.

“But he’s still not nearly as heroic.” Rarity pointed out with a small giggle. “Plus, if he DID have a time machine, I think he’d actually show up to his ‘appointments’ on time. He almost never comes when you ask him to on certain days- just the days that he needs to come and keep up the maintenance. I should know I own several timepieces in my shop that Time Turner keeps up in tip top shape.” She commented calmly, before seeing Twilight give her a credulous look.

“Really? Since when are you a big fan of keep track of time?” Rainbow asked Rarity.

That look Twilight was giving her said she knew why she really had all of those clocks, and was just waiting for Rarity to spill it. Which, she did. “.... What? ... I said he wasn’t heroic- I didn’t say he wasn’t handsome~” She said with a small giggle and a wink as AJ groaned in the background, leaving Twilight to giggle and roll her eyes.

“Alright! All Done!” Time Turner called out, coming back down the steps.

“Already?” Twilight asked with a curious look.

“Oh- yes, that’s part of the problem.” Rarity admitted. “He’s always a quick worker...” She muttered, before sighing as she smiled, hooves outstretched. “Come now Time Turner- surely you can stay for just a little bit longer~”

“Afraid I can’t- I have other business to attend to across town.” He admitted, though he did hug the Fashionista, and smiled as he turned back to the others. “I’ll be around some time this week for Sweet Apple Acre’s Miss Applejack. As with Sugarcube Corner Miss Pie.”

“Hehe- Okie-Dokie-Loki!” Pinkie called out, before nomming back on her muffins.

“....” Twilight blinked slowly as she looked at the stallion curiously seeming nothing out of place with him. Her friends all accepted him... They all saw him as... Some ordinary stallion- the Fact that PINKIE had yet to do anything or say anything spoke more than Pinkie had since she was finished baking with Spike. Her smile turned into a smirk as she looked at Time Turner, nodding to him as she held out her hoof. “Sorry.” She told him quickly stopping him before she went out the door. “I thought you looked like someone I knew before... I’m, Twilight Sparkler. It’s a pleasure to meet you Time Turner.” She told him calmly, seeing him look to her hoof curiously, before nodding as he shook it in return.

“Not at all Miss Sparkle- it’s perfectly acceptable. I get told I have a very recognizable face quite often.” He commented, chuckling a bit.

“Oh what I wouldn’t do to meet those who look like you then.” Rarity muttered so quietly, that only Rainbow Dash and the others heard over their sudden bout of giggling.

“.....” Twilight paid it no mind though as she smiled and suddenly pulled his head in a bit closer. “.... I didn’t say my name was ‘Sparkle’~” She told him sweetly, before pulling back and looking him in the eyes... those blue... old eyes of his....

Time Turner raised an eyebrow back at her curiously, before he began to realize his mistake. His mouth quickly opened up- but the clock upstairs wrang loudly upon the group, making the stallion gasp. “Great Whickering Stallions!” He pronounced, before looking back to Twilight. “Another time then Miss Sparkle! I must get going- I’m already late!” He said, before quickly running back out the door. “Allons-y!”

“That Time Turner.” Rainbow muttered with a shake of her head. “Always running late...”

“.... Yeah... Always running.” Twilight muttered as she stood in the doorway, watching him as he ran off, smiling slowly to herself, a little lost in her own thoughts... or at least lost enough to not realized how much time was passing her by.

“... Hey uh... Twilight?” Spike asked, pulling on her tail gently to get her attention. “... You wanna come back and sit down? ... You’ve been looking out the door for like... 5 Minutes now.”

Her focus re-tuned, Twilight blinked as she looked to Spike and the others whom were all conversing among themselves, and smiled still as she giggled more. “Yeah. Alright.” For now though, perhaps it was best to leave those thoughts behind. Just for the moment... She had her answers, she had her reasons to help him... Now it was just- up to him to decide if he really needed his own assistant. Or, at least one like her.

Comments

[DTMgenuis]

So happy it's back!

[Jake Shadow Wings]

Was the last line supposed to be if he needed his own assistance or was it supposed to be if he needed her assistance? Either way great chapter.

[The_Whovian16]

8192413
Thank you, it's nice to be working on this again, after all this time.

8192563
.... -Shrugs- Bit of both in all honesty- still deciding for myself what Twilight's 'purpose' down this other path is suppose to be. She's the Doctor's Assistant now (or 'Companion' whichever you prefer, but Assistant sounded like it had more possibilities) and I feel like there might be a little editing in the future on my part to this to clear that up. Not Sure at them moment.... And, thank you.... It's nice to see someone say something about the story. Just- anything.

[everydaygamer]

I like this story so far, always been a fan Doctor Who cross overs but unfortunately they always wind up getting abandoned. Still I look forward to the next one.

[Fluffy-Boi]

This was a good chapter. Love it.

[Waiting for Godot]

By all that is holy you must continue!
No exaggeration, your characterization is spot on.
Please proceed. DON'T LEAVE US HANGING!!