The What and Whatiful Who

by cosby7

CHAPTER ELEVEN: Putting on a Show

Trixie had never seen the Doctor so serious. She had seen how serious he was about protecting Ponyville and getting his TARDIS working again, but that was somehow different. It was like he understood how important it was, but he wasn’t as worried as he should have been. Maybe he just wasn’t as worried as anypony else should have been. There always seemed to be another solution he could throw together on the spot. This was something else though. The way he talked about this other pony manipulating time, he seemed truly offended. He seemed like he had taken it personally. She couldn’t deny that it scared her a little, even though she didn’t know quite why. Regardless, it was a relief he was on her side.

Unfortunately, or perhaps very fortunately, judging by the track that train of thought was taking, Trixie did not have time to contemplate the mystery of the pony much longer. As soon as they removed themselves from the passage they had left Menlo in, the Doctor took off at a gallop. She balked at the notion of him once more leaving her behind, but, after a certain point, there was only so much incredulity one could muster.

“Doctor Hooves,” she called, doing her best to keep up with the stallion’s pace, “our seats were over that way.” Pleadingly, she nodded off in the opposite direction of where they were now headed.

“We’re not going back to our seats. Like I said, we can salvage this day yet.”

Shaking her head in fatigue and frustration, Trixie hurried after her partner as he bobbed and weaved among the various ponies drifting around the meeting hall. By the way they were beginning to stray closer to their tables and podiums, it quickly became clear that the break was soon ending and the meeting would be resuming before long. Whatever it was Doctor Hooves intended to do, they had best make haste.

Of course, that’s the moment the brown blur chose to stop. Trixie was about to voice how tired she was of these shenanigans, when she realized who the Doctor had stopped to talk to.

“Star Swirl the Bearded.”

“Yes?” Bells jangled as the bearded pony came to a halt. He looked the Doctor up and down appraisingly, most likely trying to remember if he knew this character and why he might stop him so. It did not escape Trixie’s notice that the elderly unicorn cast a glance her way as well, smiling slightly as he lingered on Trixie’s garb. He really did have good taste. “I am sorry, but any personal matters must wait for now and anything regarding the summit can be said when the meeting resumes. Excuse me.”

“You’re right, Star Swirl. You’re right about all of it. If the Elements are forged without another presence to match their potential energy output, then the results will be disastrous. That day will come, but not today.” The Doctor’s speech was pleading and impassioned. It was enough to gain Star Swirl’s attention, but the old unicorn only seemed more distraught.

“I’m glad there are those among the assembly who see reason, but I fear Menlo’s bold claims have reached more ears than my words of caution this day.” He sighed unhappily, resigned. “He almost has me believing it.” As the words escaped his mouth, Star Swirl’s front leg looked to move of its own accord. While the unicorn himself appeared completely unaware, Doctor Hooves stood transfixed as Star Swirl’s hoof absentmindedly tapped the hard stone floor: Tap, tap, tap, tap.

It only lasted an instant, and then Star Swirl shook his head, clearing up his foggy gaze and waggling his shaggy beard. “Well, not yet, at any rate,” he finally said to himself, harumphing. Without another word, he went on his way once more, the host’s call for the session to reconvene was already drifting above the crowds, but Doctor Hooves stopped him one more time.

“Star Swirl the Bearded,” he began ceremoniously, “greatest mind of your generation and many more to come, the fate of your people lies with you today. Now, if you let us,” Us? When did I get included in this? Trixie silently screamed, “we can help you. It’s up to you to make the decision. We can’t do it without you. What do you say?”

Skeptically, he eyed Doctor Hooves. It had only been a moment since his first appraising glance had swept over the pony before him then, but he looked again this time, as if seeing something new. Something he hadn’t quite caught before. An appropriateness in the hourglass on his flank. A confidence in the curve of his mouth. An agelessness in his eyes. A reflection of himself. Whatever it was, it was certainly something.

“Who are you, my,” he paused, but only for a moment, “young friends?”

“My name’s the Doctor. Doctor Hooves, if you’re one for being biologically topical. And this is my companion—”

“The Great and Powerful Trixie! Trixie can introduce herself. She tires of you ruining her introduction.” It had been several hours since Trixie was the center of attention and it was becoming gravely difficult to cope with.

“Um, right. That’s us,” Doctor Hooves followed, doing what he could to take the reins of the conversation once more. His smile was pleading and he sort of waggled his head around for emphasis, waiting for Star Swirl’s response. A quick bump and a look at Trixie got her smiling too, albeit hers was a bit more forced.

Star Swirl’s smile was not. “Well then, Doctor, Trixie, just what did you have in mind?”

“Doctor, Trixie is not so sure about this,” the blue unicorn complained.

“Look, Trixie, you’ll do fine. When I give you the signal, just focus on the energy signature of the TARDIS, let it lock in on you, and work your magic, so to speak.” His tone was reassuring, but his words seemed unnecessarily complicated.

“Oh, no, of course Trixie will have no problem with such a mundane feat. She is the Great and Powerful unicorn who restored your machine to life, after all.” Doctor Hooves had no problem believing that she was perfectly sincere. “No, Trixie is concerned that she will not be the one on stage. Surely, it is Trixie who belongs front and center if this little show you have planned is to truly ‘wow’ them.”

After a marathon of speeches, the Doctor seemed legitimately stumped for how to reply to this request. He started to wonder if there was a hypnotic suggestion hidden in the ‘adowable’ face Trixie was making at him, but the stakes were too high for him to be taken in for long. Beneath the soft blue face of this unicorn was the cunning mind of an egomaniac.

“No.” She pouted. “Star Swirl has to be given the credit or this won’t work. You have a tendency to lead focus to yourself.” She pouted. “You don’t even know what to say.” She pouted. “Next time. I promise.” Her face was placid, or as close to placid as her haughty disposition allowed, once more.

“Very well, Trixie shall release you,” Death glare! “for now.”

As the Doctor made his way over to Star Swirl, he reached to straighten his tie. Of course, he quickly realized he had no tie. Nor fingers. Would have to make a mental note to remedy at least one of those when they got back to the TARDIS.

“Star Swirl, are you ready?” he whispered in the bearded unicorn’s ear. They were standing off to the side of the main podium as one of the unicorn delegations was wrapping up their statements. Unsurprisingly, they were speaking in favor of creating the Elements; speaking in favor of power. It had quickly become clear to Doctor Hooves that the reputation the unicorns of old had for their greed was not entirely undeserved. Had Trixie been paying attention to such things, she might have noticed as well, but she was too busy fantasizing about what she might do with such power herself. Doctor Hooves remarked to himself that it was a relief she was on his side.

Despite the contrary opinions of the current speaker, Star Swirl had been offering his undivided attention, to the point he was nearly startled when the Doctor came up behind him. Doctor Hooves silently remarked that one who could maintain such respect for those he knew to be wrong was truly worth more than merely the sum of his abilities. History had been right to remember him.

“Doctor, are you sure this will work?” the bearded pony muttered, turning his attention only slightly. “You said you needed me for it to work, but your plan sounds like I will be doing very little. I trust you, all ponydom, help me, I trust you, but I do not enjoy being made to feel helpless.”

“Nonsense,” the Doctor soothed, “you have the hardest job of all. I’ll be talking, but all eyes will be on you. When all this is over, you’ll be the one answering the questions. You’ll be the one to make certain what we do here today isn’t wasted. If you have any second thoughts, now’s the time.”

Star Swirl did not hesitate before vigorously shaking his head. “No, if I must feel helpless to help, then that is the sacrifice I will make. I do not know how much I can do, nor for how long, but, as my apprentice would undoubtedly remind me, all these ponies are my friends. If I can save them, even if it’s from themselves, I’ll do it.”

“That a boy!” the Doctor whooped, perhaps louder than he intended. However, his outburst did have the beneficial side effect of getting the host of the assembly to look their way. He knew Star Swirl well, and had agreed to intervene the proceedings on his behalf when the signal was given. Star Swirl nodded. When the current speaker had finished, it would be time to put on their show.

“Alright,” the Doctor whispered with finality, “it’s almost time. I’m going to check on Trixie one more time. As soon as you have the go ahead, take the floor. We’ll be ready.”

And so he did just that.

“Trixie, we’re just about on. Are you ready?”

The blue unicorn looked worried and Doctor Hooves had a hard time imagining it was stage fright now. Something like the TARDIS earlier was one thing, but he definitely felt this mare was really in her element performing in front of others. Perhaps not so much when she was not the star, but this had been the most confident he had seen her all day, and that was saying something.

“What’s wrong?”

“Doctor,” she began haltingly, “Trixie has just considered something. What if Menlo tries to interfere?”

“He wouldn’t. Not in front of everypony else here. He’d be seen for a fraud immediately and taken away.” The Doctor had only half considered the notion previously, and only then because he considered every notion, even the notions he didn’t notice. Simply put, it had been too absurd to entertain. Menlo was a fool, but he was not stupid. Except for his dumb name.

“Well, yes,” she replied, considering what he had said, “that too. But I didn’t just mean during the meeting. If we really do succeed in this scheme of yours, then who’s to say he won’t retaliate once he’s lost everything? You said yourself that he is a powerful unicorn.”

That, of course, was something else that the Doctor had considered, but only once. Only once and a very long time ago at that. He had only ever needed to make the decision once and it had been made for him every time since.

“Then we’ll have to deal with him, should it come to that. We have to give him the chance to do the right thing.”

“What’s the right thing for him?”

“Giving up.”

“Thank you, Representative Glimmer.” Trixie and the Doctor were both startled by the announcement of the host pony. They hadn’t noticed the conclusion of the unicorn’s speech, but they were certainly paying attention now. “At this time, the hall has agreed to once more recognize Star Swirl the Bearded and associates. I am told that he has new information that may yet sway some of you and shed new light on these dire circumstances.” Murmurs of concern and even derision passed through the crowd, but no pony challenged the authority of the master of ceremonies. Menlo the Mustachioed was nowhere to be seen. “Star Swirl the Bearded, please step forward.”

And so he did. As the host stepped down for one of many times that day, Star Swirl the Bearded stepped up for only his second. The crowd was silent, his reputation afforded him that much yet, but many of the faces he saw were not so pleased to see him as they had been before. Light from the torches set about the hall flickered off his dangling bells. They jangled slightly as he raised his head to speak, the sound of them echoing throughout the cavernous room. He did not quite understand how the Doctor planned to do what he said he could, he was only a normal earth pony after all, but something about him claimed to be so much more. Not just more than an earth pony or even more than a unicorn, but something else entirely. Star Swirl just hoped, whatever he was, it was enough.

“Fillies, gentlecolts, friends, I thank you in entertaining me once more this day. I tell you now that I would not ignore the order so vital to this assembly were it not of the utmost urgency that I do so. I understand that you have your concerns on my position and you may even think that I have nothing new to tell you. About this, you are correct. I have nothing new to tell you. But I do have something to show you. This shall be my final warning to you. Heed it or do not at your peril.”

Quickly, he peered over his shoulder to give the signal to the Doctor. Trixie appeared to already be concentrating, a light purple glow about her horn. Wordlessly, Doctor Hooves admitted their readiness and moved to take the podium from Star Swirl.

“Hello there, I’m Doctor Hooves,” the new speaker announced jovially. Somehow, between these two speakers, the one without the bells appeared the sillier. “I am a friend and admirer of Star Swirl and I am happy to be able to help in his noble cause before all you kind ponies today.” With the Doctor’s arrival, Star Swirl had made his way to the empty oval at the center of the hall. “Now, as Star Swirl said, he has something new to show you. This spell, however, takes so much effort and concentration on his part that he will not be able to speak to you about the things you will see. So, instead, I will provide commentary for the presentation.”

VWOOOOORP! VWOOOOOORP!

“Let’s begin, shall we?”

Comments

[redmar]

It seems as if Starlight didn't completely stay away from time travel even thouihg this was written before her introduction. The presence of the drumbeat from The Master's mind is worrying.