Ch. 1: Standing Still
Chapter 1: Standing Still
Town Square Cafe
Ponyville
9:17 a.m.
It was the beginning of a beautiful day outside as the cafe was quickly filling with colts and fillies looking to grab a quick bite to eat before getting started on their day. By the time Spike arrived with the Doctor in tow, there was only one outdoor spot left, and they both quickly took their seats on two piles of hay stacked next to the mushroom-shaped table.
The Doctor had been quiet since Twilight had left a short time ago in spite of Spike’s attempts to make conversation, instead simply nodding and following the dragon to get something for breakfast.
“Come on, it’s just for one day,” Spike tried cheerfully as he set a chessboard onto the table and began to set up the pieces, noting the downtrodden expression in the Doctor’s eyes. “You can relax and take a trip around Ponyville. There are all sorts of shops and stuff to see.”
“Yes, yes, I’m sure it’s a very nice town and all, but…” The Doctor looked about at the gathered ponies, all happily going about their business, wrapped up in their silly lives and trivial problems. “Anything could happen at any time, and if I wasn't there, I couldn’t… I mean--”
“Doc, it’s okay. Twilight and I used to live in Canterlot. It’s just an hour away by royal carriage. Jeez, I didn’t think you were that wrapped up.”
“Wrapped up?” The Doctor looked up in a bit of confusion.
“Yeah, you know; lassoed.”
“Not sure that I follow…”
“Tied and hitched to the post…? Come on, do I have to spell it out for you?”
Realization dawned on the Doctor. “Wait, you think she… and that I am… Oh, nononoNO…” The Doctor shook his head vigorously, quick to correct the small reptile’s mistaken insight. “No, Twilight and I are strictly… That is to say, she's a sweet girl but… No. While I do care about her well-being, I am not--”
“Yeah, uh-huh. Sure.” Spike smirked knowingly, a gesture that made the Doctor’s denials feel all the more useless. “Anyway, I don't have a problem with it.”
“There is nothing for you to have a problem with,” the stallion assured him.
“It’s okay, Doc. I know how it is when it’s all one-sided like that. It's the same way with me and Rarity; she doesn’t see it, either.”
“Excuse me, sir?”
“Spike, I most certainly do not have any romantic intentions for Twilight Sparkle!” the Doctor exclaimed, perhaps a bit louder than he would have liked and drawing the attention not only of the stiff, snooty-looking waiter pony that had come up to their table, but a few other patrons at the next table as well. Several fillies amongst them turned away with a sudden case of the giggles, and animatedly restarted their conversations, the Doctor was sure, with the addition of some hot-off-the-presses gossip.
He rolled his eyes a bit. Perhaps he was still shaken up from the thought that he had, for the first time in a good long while, been the one sat back and told to "wait" in an unfamiliar situation with little idea of how to interact with the environment. He supposed this must be how his companions tended to feel most of the time. It was a refreshing perspective, but not something that he wanted to get used to.
“I’ll have the hashed oats with some garnets on the side,” Spike told the waiter plainly, snapping the Doctor out of his quiet musings.
“Mr. Spike, you know that we don't--”
“Yeah, yeah...” The dragon sighed, crestfallen. “You don’t serve gemstones. Fine, just hashed oats.”
The Doctor had not even had a chance to open the menu yet, and as he attempted to do so, ended up dropping the laminated pamphlet into the mud as he again found his hooves to be truly clumsy tools.
“Trouble, sir?” the waiter asked, an air of impatience about him.
“Where?” The Doctor turned around in his seat, alert for anything that might be a threat.
“Uh, Doc? He means your menu.”
“Oh, right.” The Doctor looked sheepish for a moment then looked to the ground, thinking it best not to bother trying to pick up the fallen menu, given how it had gotten there in the first place. “How about a fruit salad, then? Extra bananas, please. Bananas are good.”
“Very good, sir.” The waiter nodded.
“Oh, wait! And no pears, I still hate pears!” the Doctor added hastily to the retreating waiter, before bringing a hoof to his chin in thought. "At least, I think I do... Well, I wouldn't want to risk it in any case.”
“You really gotta learn how to hold things properly,” Spike commented as the Doctor sat back down, hopping off his own haystack and retrieving the menu. “What were you where you came from, again? And how did you get by without knowing how to use your hooves?”
“Time Lord. Although really, that's more a species and a title than an occupation. But honestly, Spike, I don’t feel like reminiscing about the past just now. Not my past, in any case.” The Doctor shook his head, looking at the chessboard that Spike had set up. White and red pieces not unlike the game he knew were placed in the familiar positions, but all of them appeared to be horse-shaped, instead of just the knights. Still, assuming the rules were the same, the Doctor reached over the table with his snout and carefully took a piece in his teeth, moving a pawn up two spaces.
“How about I move your pieces for you?” Spike offered, noting the Doctor’s still somewhat unfamiliar method of moving around. “And why are you being so moody? I get that it’s a drag Twi left town, but it’s nothing strange. Are you telling me that your friends back home never had their own stuff to take care of?”
“Most of the time, Spike -- knight to rook-three -- my friends and companions tended to tag along with me as long as they could. Part of the appeal of traveling in the TARDIS is that we can always keep going. The discovery, the excitement, the adventure that never stops. After all, when you have a time machine, you can skip all of the boring days.”
Spike countered the move after a moment of thought. “But you gotta slow down eventually. You know, relax. Take a vacation. I mean, after that whole thing with the Weeping Pegasi, I think I’ve had enough adventure for a little while.”
The Doctor smirked and shook his headt. “I have a different definition of ‘vacation’ than most, Spike -- bishop to knight-five -- I call it ‘being stranded.’”
“So, what? You never stop? Don’t you ever want to rest? Smell the flowers? Take a break? Besides, I thought that your box-machine-thing needed to recharge.”
“No, I don’t. And yes, it does -- knight takes your queen, checkmate in four moves -- which is also strange. She’s been acting sluggish ever since I came here, and my last outing with Twilight strained her almost to her limit.” The Doctor sighed as Spike tried to recoup the loss of his queen so early in the game. “I know Twilight means well and she wants to make sure things are straight. But I'm simply not cut out for sitting on piles of hay playing chess when there is a whole new universe full of mysteries waiting to be cracked open and challenges begging to be overcome.”
The Doctor seemed to lighten up for a moment as Spike tentatively moved a piece forward. “Say, my good dragon. How would you like to--”
“Oh, nuh-uh! No way! Nope!” Spike shook his head forcefully and animated his refusal with his arms as well. “You said the box needed to rest and Twilight said you needed to take some time to get used to all of this before you go running all over the place. I mean, seriously, you can’t even hold a menu, Doc.”
His enthusiasm sufficiently punctured for the moment, the Doctor sighed again. “TARDIS… It’s not a box, it’s a TARDIS… Queen to rook-four, checkmate in three moves. And don’t be such a stick in the mud, Spike -- pawn to rook-3, checkmate in two moves. As riveting as this game is, I simply need more excitement in my day.”
As the Doctor spoke, the very will of the multiverse appeared to appeal to this simple statement, as was evidenced by the sudden appearance of something bubbly, bouncy…
…and pink.
“Hiya, Spike!” Pinkie Pie appeared from under the mushroom table suddenly, sending the dragon gasping from shock and rolling him off of the hay pile he had been sitting on with an exclamation of surprise. She then turned to the Doctor, a carrot in one hoof that she took a bite out of with ease. “Ehhh… What’s up, Doc?”
Even as the Doctor tried to wrap his infinite mind around how Pinkie was even holding the carrot with one hoof, the pink earth pony grinned and giggled sweetly. “I’ve always wanted to say that.”
“...Good morning, Miss Pie.” The Doctor’s expression widened a bit as he observed her a moment longer, while Spike pulled himself up off the ground. “Pinkie, iif you don’t mind my asking… Why are you wearing…?”
“Oh, the umbrella hat?” Pinkie motioned to the rainbow-colored hat that had been fitted around her ears, holding a flume umbrella over her extremely well-fluffed mane. “I know I put this on for some reason… What was it?”
Spike’s eyes grew to the size of dinner plates as he watched her, his pupils dilated to pinpoints. “Twitchy tail…” he uttered quietly.
“Oh, that’s right!” Pinkie turned to the side, keeping herself upright and on her hind legs in a particularly unequine fashion as she showed off her rump, and brought attention to the pink mass of curly hair that was her tail. It was twitching and spasming wildly. “It’s been doing this all morning.”
“My word, perhaps you should see a medical practitioner about that, Pinkie.”
“TWITCHY TAIL! DUCK AND COVER! EVERYPONY, TWITCHY TAIL!” Spike cried out loudly, rushing away and diving for the entrance to the cafe’s indoor seating. Before the Doctor could inquire, many of the other patrons had already looked in his direction, similar expressions of horror coming over their faces in a panicked frenzy.
In a matter of a few seconds and several stomped up dust clouds later, there wasn’t a pony in sight except for Pinkie Pie and the Doctor.
He blinked for a moment before looking to the pink pony that moved to Spike’s seat. “So, how's your day going, Doctor?”
“I am going to regret asking this, I'm sure, but why the reaction to your tail, Miss Pie? Is it contagious?”
“Oh, don’t be silly.” The pink pony smiled cutely as she waved a hoof. “It just means something's going to fall from the sky.”
“Something is going to fall out of the sky?” The Doctor raised a brow curiously, trying very hard not to laugh. “That’s it? Just ‘something’? Dare I ask what?”
“I dunno…” Pinkie shrugged.
*SPLAT*
“But I'm guessing it’s that.”
The Doctor had barely felt the impact of the fruit as a juicy, ripe apple hit him square on the head, splitting apart and sending bits of juice and broken up apple down his mane and face.
————————
Just outside Ponyville
At that exact moment
“Apple Bloom!” Applejack stomped a hoof furiously as the three filly ponies turned to look at her with large, innocent smiles, while attempting to hide a large makeshift rubber band cannon behind their collective backs. With her applecart hitched up, the orange-colored farm-pony had been en route to her usual spot at the marketplace when she heard the distinct giggling of three fillies that were up to no good, causing her to investigate. She found the self-proclaimed Cutie Mark Crusaders letting loose a projectile high into the air, judging from the small pile of fruits on the ground next to them that their ammunition was some of Sweet Apple Acres’ own stock. “What in the wide, wide world of Equis do y'all think yer doin’!?”
“Uhhhh... Trying to earn a cutie mark for slingshot targeting?” Apple Bloom gave her sister a large grin, attempting to use her youthful charm to wriggle out of a scolding before she turned to look down at her flank, her expression disappointed when she saw it was still blank. "Anything yet...?"
Scootaloo shook her head with a sigh “You would think we could get some credit for distance at least. That probably came down near Town Square.”
“Dangnabbit! Go on, get outta here and stop wastin’ perfectly good apples!” Applejack snapped at the trio, perhaps a bit more strongly than they deserved, but her patience was already a bit testy after the disastrous Bloom Festival a couple of days back.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders did not hesitate to follow the instruction, quickly gathering and climbing on board their primary form of transportation: a wagon hitched to Scootaloo’s scooter, and racing away from the agitated cowpony.
“Well, that was a bust. So, what’s next on the list?” Sweetie Belle asked as Applejack started off again towards town with her applecart in tow.
“Next up is Cutie Mark Crusaders critter wrangling!” Scootaloo shouted with enthusiasm.
"Yeah!" the three fillies shouted together, pumping their tiny hooves into the air.
————————
Town Square
Ponyville
“Ooooooohh, applesauce!” Pinkie Pie was next to the Doctor faster than even he could react and gave him less than a fraction of a second to brace himself before she gave him a long lick across the cheek, cleaning away a swath of the broken apple fragments and juice. He merely stood stunned for a moment as Pinkie savored the flavor.
“...Well, I would think that probably counts as first base,” the Doctor noted, his voice even despite his horrified tone. “I don’t think this could get any more awkward if I tried…”
“Check.”
The Doctor shook his head suddenly and snapped back to reality as Pinkie moved a chess piece on Spike’s side of the board.
Wait... That couldn’t be right.
“How did you… Hold on, pawn to… No, I can’t do that…” The Doctor was reeling slightly as he looked over the board.
How had he not noticed that? Spike should have easily noticed the gap in his defenses there.
His curiosity suddenly piqued, the stallion carefully used a hoof to make the only move he could, moving a pawn to block the attacking bishop. If Pinkie saw what he now saw, however…
“Checkmate.” Pinkie grinned happily, putting Spike’s other bishop into place as the Doctor looked on in shock.
“Is it… Is it safe to come out now?” Spike had returned, tentatively sticking his head out the cafe's doors.
Pinkie checked behind her for a moment, then smiled with her usual enthusiasm. “Yep, all done twitching.” She reached up, peeling off the umbrella hat with ease and slinging it into the air before cheerfully bouncing away, her every movement making a definite "poing" sound.
Spike let out a relieved sigh as the Doctor gaped at the chessboard in disbelief. “Whew, that was close. Uh... Hey, Doc, you got a little something in your mane.”
“...How did she…?”
“Whoa. Huh, I guess I win.” Spike smirked happily as he looked at where his chess pieces were in relation to the Doctor's. “Hey, what do ya say to two out of--”
“Excuse me, Spike. I need to take a closer look at this.” The Doctor heaved himself off of the haystack, his expression one of concern as he got to all fours and galloped off at top speed after the bouncing pink mare.
“Oh, uh, okay.” Spike sat a moment longer, trying to think of whether he should go stop him as the waiter pony came out with their two dishes. Not one to waste food, Spike turned the Doctor's abandoned bowl of fruit salad up and swallowed most of it in a wide gulp.
He regretted it immediately, as the pears were sour.
————————
Moving at full gallop, the Doctor followed the pink pony out of the town square. If there was one major advantage to this new regeneration, he figured this was it. Not only was he much faster and more stable in a straight run -- something that he found himself doing far more often than he would like -- he was able to do so for much longer periods without running out of breath and could change gears much more quickly.
Slowing to a trot as he came up alongside Pinkie Pie, he watched her springing, bouncing motion a bit more closely, curious as to how her frame could withstand the shock and recoil of each landing.
“Pinkie?”
“Oh! Hello, Doctor,” Pinkie replied bubbly, greeting him with such enthusiasm that an onlooker might have thought they had not been sitting together only moments ago.
“How did you do that? With the apple? Precognitive ability? And with the chess game? I may not be at my best, but the last time I lost a game of chess, it was with a robot dog capable of several billion calculations per second.”
“You have a dog? What kind? Does it talk? Can I see it?” Pinkie giggled, halting her forward momentum instantly but still bouncing in place as the Doctor turned in mid-stride to come to a stop himself.
“Now, hold on, there. I asked first!” The Doctor couldn’t help but smile as the pink pony kept bouncing. With the exception of Twilight Sparkle, the Doctor had spent more time with Pinkie Pie than any other pony in Ponyville, and he had to say she was really starting to grow on him. Between her boundless energy and manic personality, she had a definite spark of life and enthusiasm that he couldn’t help but admire.
He was slightly concerned as to her mental stability, but that was something that could wait for the time being.
“Oh, I get it! Q&A! Wanna play? Huh-huh-huh?”
“Q&A?”
“Yeah! Question and Answer, duuuh. You ask a question, then I do, then you do, then I do, then you do, then I do, then you do!. I mean, you probably have sooo many questions! Twilight’s really, really smart, but she really should get out more. She spends so much time reading but when somepony asks her something about anything that’s going on she has no idea. Like this one time, we were cleaning up the library when Rainbow Dash came crashing in… SWOOP! CRASH! And then Fluttershy was all, ‘You rock, woo-hoo!’” Pinkie punctuated her story with a lively reenactment, throwing herself down on the "crash" and doing a spot-on impersonation of Fluttershy for a few moments before the Doctor decided to stop her, fearing she might pass out from lack of breath.
“Pinkie. Pinkie. Alright, I get the idea. I’ll play along,” the Doctor said, nodding. “I’ll go first. How did--”
“Pinkie Sense.”
The Doctor paused. He was not accustomed to being interrupted. And less so to such a quick pickup of his intents. “Pinkie Sense?”
“Ah-ah-ah! It’s Question and Answer, not Pinkie Answers. My turn to ask a question.” Pinkie smiled, poking a hoof at the Doctor as they stood at the side of the street. She had stopped bouncing and moving at last and the other ponies that were going along their daily business seemed quite content to ignore the two of them as they spoke.
“Alright, fair enough. I suppose I need to ask for more details next, but go ahead.” The Doctor grinned broadly in anticipation.
“Why are you so sad?”
The Doctor’s smile faded instantly. Pinkie’s attitude and very body language had changed in a nanosecond, her bubbly happiness replaced with a look of concern and empathy that might have melted both of his hearts had it not been accompanied by such an unexpected query.
“I’m not sad,” he denied quickly, forcing his smile to stay.
“Ummm, yes you are, Doctor. You think you can cover it up with a smile and a wave, but it shows in your eyes. All the time.”
For a brief moment, less than a second, the Doctor’s deep blue eyes were locked on Pinkie’s own, and she cringed at what she saw.
He looked away.
“I’ll… have to pass on that one. For now, at least, Pinkie,” the Doctor faltered slightly, but quickly recomposed himself.
“Okey-dokey.” Pinkie Pie perked up almost instantly, the bubbly nature of her tone already returned. “But I’ll hold you to it later. Your turn.”
“Alright, so tell me: What is a Pinkie Sense and how does it work?”
“Well, it’s kinda like…” Pinkie started, but then cut off as her ears suddenly and sporadically started smacking down onto her face and to the side of her head wildly. “Uh-oh. Pinkie Sense kicking in… Ears flopping,” she stated calmly. The Doctor then noticed how she suddenly took a good two steps back away from him.
“What? More falling fruit?”
Pinkie got a sly look in her eyes. “How about I explain it during your bath?”
“During my--”
“GANGWAY EVERYPONY!” a shrill voice came accompanied by the squeal of tires, a revving engine sound, and a blur of orange, magenta, and blue zipping past them.
*KA-BUMP*
*SPLAT*
As the scooter-riding pony passed at high speed, a slight bump in the road sent a large can from her wagon flying over Pinkie Pie and landing squarely in front of the Doctor, the lid bursting open as a bright red substance exploded upwards and onto his face, clothes, and coat. Licking his lips, the Doctor identified the offending substance immediately: tomato sauce.
“Oh! Sorry, Pinkie. And, uhhh... Mister. It’s an emergency! Critter wrangling, skunk, need tomato sauce, gotta go!” The orange-furred filly turned and made a circle around the two to apologize quickly before zipping off again.
In spite of the situation, the Doctor just shook his head. It seemed this universe had a real sense of humor.
“Actually, a mixture of baking soda and peroxide would work better..." he remarked candidly as he swept some of the sauce off of his muzzle with one hoof. "Well now, isn't this just lovely."
"Don't worry, Doc. I'll take care of it," Pinkie assured him. "Come with me to Sugarcube Corner and you can use my bathroom. I'll have you squeaky clean in a jiffy!"
Correction: It seemed this universe had a twisted sense of humor.
————————
Sugarcube Corner
Ponyville
10:45 a.m.
*SPLASH*
As warm, soapy water was dumped over his head, the Doctor’s mane fell into his eyes and obscured his vision for a moment before he felt a soft scrub-brush running down the back of his neck.
“You do realize that in some cultures, this would be considered quite awkward?” the Doctor mused. Pinkie had been kind enough to offer him the use of her washtub, but he wasn’t sure at what point he had agreed to letting her scrub his fur clean.
“So, it works like this,” Pinkie ignored his comment, holding the brush with both hooves as she managed to clean the red sauce and leftover bits of apple out of his mane. “I get these little feelings that tell me when something's about to happen. Like when my ears are a' floppin', it means somepony is gonna get splattered with stuff. Usually it’s mud, but I guess it works for tomato sauce too. And when my knee gets pinchy, it means there's something really scary and dangerous around. That’s how I knew those pegasus statues were scary before they started moving.”
“I see...” The Doctor was intrigued as Pinkie set the brush aside. “Precognitive awareness manifested as physical irregularities… And this happens often?”
“It’s pretty much random. Some days it happens a bunch of times and sometimes I’ll go a week without so much as a twitch. I think I've figured out what most of 'em mean, though. Like when my tail is twitchy, things will fall from the sky. If my nose is itchy, then it means there's a swarm of angry bees approaching. And when my shoulder’s achy, it means--”
“There’s an alligator in the tub.”
Pinkie's eyes went wide as she gasped in amazement. “That's right! How did you know that? Are you reading my mind!? Oh, oh! Can you tell what I’m thinking now!?”
“No, Pinkie. I try not to make a habit of that sort of thing. And what I mean is there is an actual alligator in the tub.” The Doctor lifted his foreleg to reveal a small, green reptile latched onto his knee with a tight grip in its mouth. Despite this, however, he didn't feel any pain. “Actually, that may be inaccurate. Judging from the snout and the bright green colorings, it may actually be a crocodile. And I do think he’s trying to eat me. Doing a pretty poor job of it, though.”
“Oh, you silly! That’s my pet alligator, Gummy. He’s fine; he’s got no teeth.” Pinky reached over and tapped the top of the creature’s head, making him let go of the Doctor and jump up out of the tub onto the pink pony’s back. “Anyways, sometimes it’s small stuff like that. Sometimes it’s a bunch of stuff happening all at once. But I don’t have any control over it.”
“That’s quite a gift you have, Pinkie,” the Doctor remarked as he pulled himself out of the tub before shaking himself dry like a dog would. He didn’t know why, but it always felt good to do that, like a cathartic release.
His outfit had been all but ruined for now, so it seemed he would just have to go au natural until he managed to get back to the library to change. While he always felt naked without pockets, he did find it quite liberating that the locals could go about in naught but their fur coats and it was considered completely normal and casual.
Still, just to be safe, he edged his sonic screwdriver out of his coat pocket with his teeth and flipped it up in the air, managing to catch it (with some difficulty) behind his ear for safe keeping.
“In any case, I believe it’s your turn for a question.” Having already started charting a pattern, the Doctor braced himself for another probing personal query.
“Would you like a tour of my place?”
The chestnut stallion let go of a held breath as he deflated. “Oh, I'd be delight--URK!”
Before the words had left his mouth, the Doctor was grabbed and dragged along for a tour at breakneck speed.
“Well, I live and work right here at Sugarcube Corner, so I can always go downstairs and do some baking whenever the mood hits me," the party pony explained, launching right into things. "This is my bathroom, but you knew that already, and in here is the main living room. I don’t know why they call it that since I don’t do much living in it, but sometimes I throw small parties up here. Maybe I should call it a 'living-it-up room.' This is my party table and my sofa and over there are my cookbooks and that’s my bed and this is my Treasure Wall.”
The pink pony's flat was a one-room studio setup; small and cozy in the Doctor’s eyes, the entire living area was less than half the size of the TARDIS’ control room. Obviously it had been an expansion built on top of the confectionery within the last few years -- probably specifically for Pinkie. The Doctor nodded as the pink pony led him on the short-lived grand tour of the circular room, indulging her this moment to share. Until they reached the "Treasure Wall."
A bulletin cork-board hanging on the surface was filled with pictures of Pinkie and various ponies from around Ponyville, and had several shelves surrounding it, the objects that adorned them obviously of great sentimental value to the pink pony. A deflated balloon sat next to a framed portrait of what must have been a very young Pinkie Pie, her hair flat and straight rather than the curly mess of a mane she now sported, with four sour-looking, dark-coated ponies that must have been her family on a desolate-looking farm. Next to and down the line from a stack of "party albums" was a cupcake that had been bronzed, a yellow foam #1 finger, and an old-timey photo (reminiscent of late nineteenth century Earth) of Pinkie in a strange lacy getup, the aptly named Rainbow Dash, and an unidentified creature that looked vaguely like a young buffalo.
Right in the center shelf was a framed picture that was identical to one that Twilight kept on her own desk. One of herself, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and the orange pony he had heard referred to as Applejack but had yet to be introduced face to face with.
But what really took the Doctor’s attention was the object that lay next to that picture.
“Pinkie, what is that?” The Doctor pointed with one hoof as he looked over the object with an odd mix of fascination and trepidation.
“Hmm? Oh, that’s my necklace. I got that the day we saved Equestria from that Nightmare Moon meanie. Do you like it?”
Through his eyes, the eyes of a Time Lord, what might have been seen as a piece of simple jewelry to most -- granted, an impeccably and expertly crafted one -- shone with an internal radiance invisible to normal sight. Glowing with energy akin to a small sun, the brilliant golden necklace was adorned with a single blue gem in the shape of an inflated balloon. But as beautiful as it was, it also stirred something deep within the Time Lord’s soul that he did not expect.
Awe.
He dared not touch it.
Flipping his sonic screwdriver from its resting place behind his ear and catching it in his mouth (with great difficulty) the Doctor set his trusty device to scan the area for radiation and energy signatures, taking a sample before spitting the screwdriver into both hooves to check the readings while he balanced precariously on his hind legs.
“The workmanship is extraordinary. No, absolutely flawless! Is that a sapphire? No, the shine is wrong… Blue opal? Fabergé himself couldn’t have done better,” the Doctor stated on a tangent, trying to keep himself contained as he double-checked his readings.
The sonic screwdriver detected nothing. No energy signatures. No trace auras. No radiation. Absolutely nothing out of the ordinary coming from the necklace at all.
“What’s a Fabergé?” Pinkie asked curiously.
“Oh, he was a jeweler. Rather good one, at that. Earth, late nineteenth, early twentieth century. He made the Fabergé Eggs.”
“Oh, so he was a chicken?”
“What? No, I--” The Doctor finally stopped and looked away from the necklace, something that he had passed over before now catching his attention. The sonic screwdriver clattered to the floor as he went back to all fours. “Is that a… foam finger?”
“Oh, yeah! I got that in Cloudsdale on the day Rainbow Dash won the Best Young Fliers Competition. It was great! She did this crazy SWISH-SWISH-SWISH and then Rarity’s wings went all POOF and then Rainbow Dash went neeeeeeeeeaaaah BOOOOM! And then--”
“That… is a foam… finger…”
“Ya-huh!”
“A human finger… for a human hand… made of foam.”
“With a big number one on it.”
“And this doesn’t strike you at all as strange?”
“What’s a human?”
The Doctor’s mouth hung agape for a few moments as he tried to comprehend how what he was seeing was possible when his intimate understanding of non-linear time mechanics was failing him. Finally giving up with a sigh, he leaned down and tried to retrieve his screwdriver from the floor. He was having some trouble getting his snout down to pick it up with his teeth, fumbling a bit as his large face prevented him from getting a grip on the smooth metal. As if oblivious to his difficulty, Pinkie Pie started talking again.
“Is that what you used to have instead of hooves? Wow, weeeeird. I mean, griffins have talons, dragons have claws, and wolves have paws, but still, it’s kinda freaky when you think about it. How would you know which of those things to move?” Pinkie filled in the silence, holding up a hoof as if trying to contemplate what fingers would feel like.
“Well, I was rather partial to the thumbs myself. Useful for holding things. Not like these... confounded…” The Doctor stomped his forehoof in frustration as he dropped his sonic screwdriver to the floor with a clatter yet again. “…hooves. Alright, I have got to ask: How do you--”
Pinkie moved next to him, stomping hard on the floor at the very tip of the sonic screwdriver to send it flipping upwards, and snatched it out of the air with a well-timed bite before deftly taking it in one hoof, balanced perfectly, and setting it back behind the stallion’s ear.
“We manage.”
“You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you?” The Doctor smirked. “And that answers my question, so I guess that means it’s your turn. So what would you like to know?”
Pinkie’s face scrunched up a bit in thought as she brought one hoof to her chin, pondering a good query for a moment before looking to the Doctor. “Would you like a jelly filly?”
The Doctor’s enthusiasm sank as, in his mind, multiple red flags were thrown out and a thousand memories long since past stirred. “D…did you just say ‘jelly baby’?”
“What? No, jelly filly. Mr. Cake just finished his latest experiment with them this morning and they should be set by now. He says this is the treat that will put Sugarcube Corner on the map! I’m not sure which map, but come on! I’ll show you.” Pinkie exited the room at top speed, faster than the Doctor could follow.
There were many things that the Doctor was willing to accept about this new world. He could accept that ponies could talk and that magic was in charge here. He could accept that a baby dragon could eat gemstones and that Pinkie had an innate precognitive ability.
But this was more than coincidence.
“You can’t possibly know about that…” the Doctor uttered as he slowly paced towards the door, so distracted by this turn of events that he didn’t even bother to check his sonic screwdriver for the new scan it had taken moments ago, when it had analyzed the new biological life-form it had come into contact with.
Nor did he notice that the device had been pushed beyond its limits, shutting down and resetting itself purely from the strain of doing so.
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Squeee
Although I shall withhold my "squeee" for now, I will give this a tentative "Woo-hoo."
Number 12/Traveler was the first MLP fanfic I ever read. Quite frankly, I can't think of a better introduction to the community, and still eagerly await Squeak's eventual conclusion of it. A sequel to it, even written by another author, is quite a welcome sight in my book.
Your characterization of the Doctor is done fairly well thus far; quirky and odd, just the way the Doctor should be. And sending him off on a quest to understand the impossibility that is Pinkie Pie may very well drive him even closer to the edge of insanity, something I'm very much looking forward to.
However, there are a few things that bug me slightly about your story. First off, your capitalization seems quite arbitrary; words in the middle of sentences are just randomly capitalized. Perhaps you've got some pattern, however. If so, the please continue.
Second, this doesn't quite feel like a real Doctor Who story, due to its seeming lack of consequences. No imminent danger, no mysterious enemy lurking over the horizon, no fanatical organization attempting to tear the universe apart (Although that last one might be a bit overboard for a MLP crossover). Then again, this is only the second chapter; maybe you've got the Master or Valeyard showing up in the next update.
Finally, and most concerning, is this an official sequel to Traveler, or just a spin-off? Do Twilight and the Doctor really just return from the future, seemingly unchanged, with everything resolved? No lingering lusts for power, no life-changing revelations? After everything that happened, merely returning to the status-quo feels... empty almost. If this is canonical, then I'm going to be somewhat disappointed. Not unhappy, just slightly unfulfilled. But, if it's just your version of what might happen, then I can resume my blissful ignorance of what will happen to our favorite displaced Time Lord and studious Unicorn.
In any case, this does seem like it'll be quite the entertaining read. Keep it up; I'm eagerly awaiting the next chapter!
41219 In order:
My Capitalization style is meant to show what words are emphasized by the speaker, intending to show rises and falls in their speech patterns. I may water that down in the future, but that was the intent.
On the second concern... wait *re-reads*.....
....
*Maniacal Laughter*
*ahem* sorry, sorry...
There are times when the multi-verse gives even the Doctor catches a break, particularly when he's in a whole new situation where ALL of the rules have changed. A break where he is allowed to connect with his inner stallion and start discovering who he is this time around.
Even if it is only for a day.
Pinkie Conundrum is the first in eight planned episodes of the Doctor Whooves series, with possibly more depending on reception. To further address this, I ask only that you please await the epilogue of this episode, which should be up before the weekend is out. Promise you won't regret it.
Also, I am a bit cocnered at your thoughts that things are unchanged.
The Doctor is the ever stoic doctor, moving on to what's next.
Twilight is obviously still scarred from what she experienced, as scenes between her and Celestia show.
And as far as the rest of Equestria, it hasn't happened to them yet and If Twilight get's her way, it never will.
This is less an 'official' sequel and more a branching off. As Squeak has commented, his time has been monopolized by multiple projects (including Caramel Light, which I adore) and he has fallen behind. The Doctor Whooves Series by me is not intended to 'take over' from him, but work as a sort of 'branched off' and seperatecontinuity. A sapling cut off the parent tree if you will. Unless Squeak himself posts in these comments that he is relinquishing the storyline to me (I rather doubt it) then assume that only Squeak-Anon's fics are 'Number 12' Canon and mine are meant to be a diversion to entertain and give doses of Doctor Whooves for everybody else's enjoyment.
I believe River Song said it best:
"You Might want to find something... to hang Onto."
I still need to read the next chapter, but one thought has crossed my mind with this one:
Is Pinkie related to Idris, by any chance?
*heads onward to read the next chapter*
346358
You mean a Tenzite, like the kid from Night Terrors? That doesn't really make sense to me- the thing about Tenzites is that they supposedly want to fit in, and the problems only started when the kid was scared his parents didn't want him anymore. Pinkie Pie couldn't fit in if she used a crowbar; she stands out like nopony's business.
346358
You mean a Tenzite, like the kid from Night Terrors? That doesn't really make sense to me- the thing about Tenzites is that they supposedly want to fit in, and the problems only started when the kid was scared his parents didn't want him anymore. Pinkie Pie couldn't fit in if she used a crowbar; she stands out like nopony's business.
My own theory involves Weeping Angels.
did i miss a book or something or are you going to do like sw and start in the middle and go back later? ik this is realy old dont judge me
No romantic intentions for Twilight Sparkle.
Riiiiight.
This is even better written than Traveller, and I'm enjoying the storyline just as much. Has this been sent to EQD? I can't find the link to give it 5-stars. =( If it does't immediately get past the pre-readers as good as this is, I'd be shocked. I'd expect it to at least get a 5-star tag.
First comment ever here. First off; I'm a HUGE fan of both Doctor Who and MLP. So far, i'm loving this mix you have of two great... I don't know what the word is... storylines/shows?? Anyways, I agree with some people saying your writing is better than Squeak-Anon; maybe he needs you to prof-read and expand on what he writes?
Now, Pinkie Pie:
I've heard that in some stories, Pinkie is a Time Lady - Female Time Lord. Just changed like how the Doctor was with that Fob Watch. Then again, she's even more random then even the Doctor.
That's all I've got for now. Later and keep up the good storytelling!
Doctor Whooves reminds me of the 9th Doctor...
hhhmm. i will continue to read this
Hmmm, you know, I noticed something after re-reading this chapter.
The screwdriver strained itself from coming into contact with a new lifeform, but the only other thing it touched was...
YOU MAGNIFICENT WOMAN! JUST WHAT DO YOU HAVE PLANNED FOR HER!?!?
Good show, sir, good show.
This doesn't exactly put Traveler and Number 12 to shame, per se because it needs to be a bit better before we can compare these two (Three?) together, but so far it is indeed a comedic and funny thing you have done here.
As a stand-alone from Traveler/Number 12, however, this is a very good start for something that I know will go on for at least a while.
Compare it to my Doctor Whooves story, and I must say... this is about 20% Cooler.
(Please excuse this overused meme, but it had to be done.)
I now leave you with the other four moustaches you deserve.
So was the screwdriver trying to scan Pinkie and it went nuts? And if so what does that really mean? I have to ask because I was never into Dr. Who so that item needing to shut down sounds important but has no intrinsic meaning to me yet. Are you able to elaborate or is that important in a future story?
"Would you like a Jelly-Filly?"
Reminds me of the reason I tend to randomly ask people the following destruction of a famous question:
Wujulaggejellebebbe?
Is good story. It's like some sort of awesome spin-off series to an equally awesome series. Which it is.
I'm the 7777 view.
HOW MANY POINT'S DO I RECEIVE!!!
ANDIAMO!!!
The screwdriver shut down from scanning her? Can't say I'm surprised!
1330103
The Doctor's sonic screwdriver is a tool capable of many things. Opening every door in the universe is one of it's features ( as long as it's not made of wood or deadlocked)
It also has scanning capabilities it can pretty much Scan every know and unknown race in the universe in a few seconds. And can Scan for radiation it can scan and interact with almost anything technical.
The kind of readings of information so complicated to make it shut down is incomprehendable.
Then again so is Pinkie Pie! All it's saying is that Pinkie is very very very very veeeeery special. Nothing we didn't already know! :P
Now onwards and upwards! To the next chapter!
Pawn to rook-3, checkmate in two moves… As riveting as this game is, I simply need more excitement in my day.”
Well, that WAS technically accurate..
“Checkmate.” Pinkie grinned happily, putting Spike’s other bishop into place as the Doctor looked on in shock.
I am noticing just a little dash of Colin baker in him... but mostly Smith & Tennat. And tehn Pinkie continues to demonstrate why she is my favorite charector
“I’m not sad,” he denied quickly, forcing his smile to stay.
“Yes... Yes you are, Doctor. You cover it up really well and you keep on grinning in spite of it, but it shows in your eyes. All the time.”
though to be perfectly honest I expected this more from Fluttershy... speaking of which, there's an awesome DW/MPL fan fiction that features a techno babble explanation for the Stare... its called Time lords and terror and is the only Doctor Who fan fiction I have had the pirvalidge of reading that comes close to your own. The only fanfiction of any category is by a professional writer called Soulfulbard (also on fan fiction) but your writing is a bit easier to read. (Mostly because soulfulbard writes novel... he/she is really awesome but novel length fan fiction updated by chapter... sighs)
Well...I heard from a not-very-reliable source that tomato PASTE also works to get rid of skunk.
Sonic screwdriver: DOES NOT COMPUTE DOES NOT COMPUTE! *BOOM*
-random skyrim reference- i used to be a pony like you. then i took an arrow to the knee. -i currently a yautja hunter-
The Doctor is trying to make sense of Pinkie Pie. Oh dear. I think for once, the Doctor may be out of his league.
Also, Pinkie is my most preferred pony, so I'm glad to see her popping up.
Pinkie is best pony! Also a good companion for the Doctor
PFFFT Oh man. The Sonic Screwdriver overloaded then reset after a GLANCING SCAN of Pinkie Pie. Apparantly, Pinkie HERSELF is beyond understanding, even by TIME LORD TECHNOLOGY! 7/10
Pinkie is incalculable, even by Time Lord standards.
Is this even possible?!
I like this Doctor's talent for understatement.
5353075 yes i have a frend from the vary start of the game can checkmate you in 6 moves pinkie started after the game was allmost over
Damn not even timelord lvl tech can tell what pinkie is hehehehehe