> Such a Strange Stallion... > by The_Whovian16 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Prologue > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Prologue: Such a Strange Stallion.... By The_Whovian16 .... Our story is a tale of strange coincidences, and alternate timelines. One of unspeakable secrets, and of Higher Intellectual beings. One of strange Boxes, and Mad Stallions. One of Great Beginnings, and Spoiled ends. This is a Story of great things. True- it is no ordinary Adventure, no Epic, no single Tale to be passed on from Generation to Generation. But never the less!- that does not mean it isn’t as hearts pounding as one, as jaw dropping- or as “Awesome!” as one might think. This is the tale of the missed chances, being taken instead, and seeing new perspectives. A chance at the things that could have been. For once.... Turning Left may not be such a bad Idea. ============ 4 Years Ago: The Right Path Twilight smiled, reading her book in peace under that of a big tree. It was the latest version of Daring do, the fifth one in the series. “I wonder what A.K. Yearling will come up with next....” She giggled a bit, before Spike’s snoring was interrupted by a sudden belch, waking him up from his midday nap. “He-hu?! .... Oh... Just a letter....” He yawns a bit, before reading it, and his tired eyes open in shock and surprise. “Twilight!TWILIGHT! You’re going to want to read this!” He said quickly turning and giving her the letter. “What is it about?” She asked reading the letter. She gasped a smile growing across her face. “Finally! The copy of Mythical and Ancient Folktales has arrived! I can finally learn about these “Elements” I’ve been hearing about, in some of these old stories” She smiled, and took the letter putting it in her pack. “Spike! Go ahead to the Castle, and hold the book for me.” He nodded, and saluted “Ai-Ai, Captain!” He smiled and took off quickly in the wrong Direction. She sighed “The OTHER way!” She yelled down. He came running back a moment later, past her, saying something along the lines of “I knew that.” She only giggled and sighed. That silly dragon.... She smiled and quickly packed her things, her mind racing away at the thought of what these Elements could be. She was thinking so much that she wasn’t paying attention to where she was going. Suddenly a brown blur ran directly into her from the side, knocking her to the dirt. A few moments later she could hear something... or rather, someone. “Oh- Oh! Oh oh oh! Sorry! Oh! I am SO sorry!” she heard a stallion’s voice say... He sounded as if he was from Trottingham or something. Twilight looked up from the ground and saw the stallion, quickly taking in the details of his features. The Earth stallion had a Brown coat, with a darker Brown Mane, a green tie, and Blue eyes. The Bluest she had ever seen.... There was something else about his eyes, but she wasn’t paying enough attention to get into the details about the details. “Ugh.... What just happened?” She asked, checking herself for injuries, which were none except for a sore spot on her side, where he had head butted her. Thank Celestia he wasn’t a Unicorn. “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going.” He said quickly. “Here- take my hoof.” He said holding out his hoof to her. She looked at it for a second, shook her head. “N-No it’s ok. I’m alright.” She said getting up on her own. He looked at her for a moment and nodded. “Oh, alright. If you say so....” He looked at her for another moment, before remembering he was doing something important. “Oh! Oh! Sorry- I need to go!” He said before darting to the left, and down deeper into the park. Twilight Just watched him for a moment, looking after the strange stallion. She then snapped back to reality, and went to the right. Towards the Castle grounds. ============ 4 years later: Present Day Princess Twilight Sparkle..... Princess Twilight Sparkle..... Princess Twilight Sparkle....... She groaned in annoyance. The name... It just didn’t seem right to her.... It didn’t seem to suit her- and she was sure of it.... But it was hers. Her Title. Her new being. It was extremely valuable, and was the highest honor to have ever been bestowed.... Yet she didn’t like it. She sighed running the name through her head again, and again, trying her hardest to make it fit her mentally.... Princess Twilight Sparkle..... Princess Twilight Sparkle..... I am Princess Twilight Sparkle...... “Uh.... Twilight? .... You alright in there?” Spike asked from the other side of her door. “You’ve been in there for a while.... and we have to say our goodbyes before we go to Canterlot... You know, keeping to the schedule....” Twilight sighed for a moment thinking “..... I’m fine Spike. Just studying is all. Studying and thinking....” She lied. She hated lying to him, but she honestly didn’t feel like saying goodbye to the townsfolk.... that and her head was killing her trying to wrap around the recent events. She sighed again thinking “.... Ugh, my head....” She groaned again. “.... I need some tea... And Someone to talk too....” She got up and opened the door to see Spike in front of her. “Spike I’m going to Zecora’s to say goodbye first, since she’s the one who lives farthest out of town, and everyone is probably too busy with taking down the decorations from the Summer Sun Celebration at the moment. Alright?” Spike nodded quickly, beaming up at her. He was glad to at least see her out of her room, and going out into Town again. She’d been this way ever since she got her wings. Even after the Summer Sun Celebration “Sure thing Twilight!” She smiled back, patting him on the head “That’s my number One Assistant.” She giggled a little, and continued to the front door. She wanted to go to Someplace, quiet and secluded, with good Tea, and someone to talk to, and Zecora’s seem to fit the bill. ============ Twilight walked through the Everfree forest, following the path she remembered (avoiding the Poison Joke) and approaching the small Hut in the middle of the forest. She saw the Wagon still outside, half full of Zecora’s things, which meant she was still unpacking. Oh... Maybe Now’s not such a good time? She began to second guess herself, and turned to leave, only to see the Zebra standing in the tree line behind her, cutting off the heads of some flowers trying to bite her, with ease, and a bit of grace, as if she was used to it... Which Twilight didn’t doubt. Still though- a friend of hers was being attacked! Oh no! Zecora’s under attack! She glared at the plants, her eyes turning white as she used her magic to wrap the plants around one another, turning them into a giant green, and slimy ribbon. She quickly trotted up to Zecora who was just looking confused, until she saw Twilight, and smiled kindly. “Welcome Twilight, to my den- might I ask why you have come again?” Zecora asked. “Zecora! Are you Alright?! I saw you were being attacked by those plants and-” Zecora looked at her for a moment, before cracking a kind, understanding smile “The weeds you mean?- Oh they aren’t as tough as they are green.” Zecora said, laughing lightly. “Oh... Sooo... You weren’t under attack then?” Twilight asked, making sure. “Quiet so my dear. I am sorry for making you fear.” Zecora said, patting her shoulder “Now tell me child- What has you so riled?” Twilight looked at her for a moment and sighed. “Can we talk inside? ... It’s all rather hard to explain” Zecora smiled and nodded, leading her into her home. ============ Twilight sipped her tea quietly, trying to think of how to explain her feelings of confusion and a feeling of doubt. She sighed and continued thinking “.... Take all the time you need. You cannot rush a plant, when you have just buried the seed.” Zecora said reassuringly, which made Twilight smile a bit. She nodded. “Thank you....” She looked back down for a moment and sighed “.... Alright.... I think I know how to explain it....” She looked up at Zecora “Zecora.... I feel like there is something... Something different... well something I could have done differently.... No, that’s not it....” She sighed and thought again, looking away from the wiser mare. “.... I wonder sometimes.... What would have happened, had I found another way to defeat Nightmare Moon.... had I not been the Bookworm I was, or had I not been so anti-social.... With my life about to become something permanently stamped in the history books- I’ve started to wonder how it could have been different.... How I could have been different.... I know I shouldn’t dwell on the past, and should focus on my future- but I feel like my future is too much for me to look at- so I’m turning to the past to see if it could have been any different. To give me a better hope at looking back into my future.... Do you know what I mean?” She asked her Zebra friend. Zecora studied Twilight for a moment, before speaking in a calm and understanding tone. “I see your meaning, though it does defy my own reasoning. You, Twilight worry about what could have been, and about what you couldn’t have seen. Hmm... Perhaps I have a brew, like the memory potion I gave you.” She turned to her rather large potion collection, rummaging through the potions until she came across a small chest, with a skull shaped lock. She sighed putting it off to the side, before looking though some more. She then saw the brew of which she seeked, and grabbed it quickly, balancing it in her muzzle. She gently set it down, and pushed it to her. Twilight studied the bottle for a moment, the lid seeming to be sealed by some strange wind up contraption. The Technology of it seemed out of place in the Enchantress’s hut. “This potion is one of a kind- Much like the traveler who gave it in kind. To make a long story short, I cured him of a rather strange infection of some sort. He promised that I- would only need to utter these words five” She sighed and took a moment, closing her eyes, looking through her memories. The she slowly repeated the words spoken to her those some odd years ago. “.... What Could Have, Will Be....” The Potion wobbled for a moment, slowly turning from a deep blue, to a light blue, to white color, then a coco brown, and finally reaching a golden coloring, that for a near second burned as brightly as the sun. Twilight looked away, for a moment, before hearing the sound of something popping. She looked to see, the cork pulled out, and the strange lid yanked free. “.... What is it suppose to do?” Twilight asked Zecora. Zecora’s eyes were still shut when she spoke. “... In every beings life, there is one moment... one that decides the fate for every filly, stallion and mare.... One in which a choice is given upon which path to go....” She repeated, the stallions words still in her mind. Twilight realized she was in some form of memory elapsed trance. This wasn’t Zecora speaking but a memory of hers, of someone else. “... This potion is to let you see what would happen if you choose the other path.... To see the other life fate had planned for you....” Zecora said, then slowly came too, blinking rapidly. She looked around as if just waking up. “... What... What happened to me? .... I feel as if I’ve been hit by a tree....” She notices Twilights state of shock “.... What? Have I done something wrong? .... The way you are looking at me is as if I have just sang a song.” Twilight, just looked at her for a moment. “.... Y-Yeah.... Something like that....” She said looking back to the potion. This potion is to let you see what would happen if you choose the other path.... She looked at it for a moment more, before slowly reaching out her hoof, and holding onto the potion. She looks at it in her hoof, and takes a deep breath, before drinking the whole bottle. She looks to Zecora wiping her mouth. “ Alright... So I won’t move right? This is all just going to happen in my head? Like the other potion, right?” To Twilight’s mortification Zecora simply shrugged. “Beats me. As far as I know, I’ve just been hit in the head by a tree.” Then everything went black as Twilight fainted.... ============ 4 Years Ago: The Left Path Twilight smiled, reading her book in peace under that of a big tree. It was the latest version of Daring do, the fifth one in the series. “I wonder what A.K. Yearling will come up with next....” She giggled a bit, before Spike’s snoring was interrupted by a sudden belch, waking him up from his midday nap. “He-hu?! .... Oh... Just a letter....” He yawns a bit, before reading it, and his tired eyes open in shock and surprise. “Twilight!- TWILIGHT! You’re going to want to read this!” He said quickly turning and giving her the letter. “What is it about?” She asked reading the letter. She gasped a smile growing across her face. “Finally! The copy of Mythical and Ancient Folktales has arrived! I can finally learn about these “Elements” I’ve been reading about, in some of these older history books.” She smiled, and took the letter putting it in her pack. “Spike! Go ahead to the Castle, and hold the book for me.” He nodded, and saluted “Ai-Ai, Captain!” He smiled and took off quickly in the wrong Direction. She sighed “The OTHER way!” She yelled down. He came running back a moment later, past her, saying something along the lines of “I knew that.” She only giggled and sighed. That silly dragon.... She smiled and quickly packed her things, her mind racing away at the thought of what these Elements could be. She was thinking so much that she wasn’t paying attention to where she was going. Suddenly a brown blur ran directly into her from the side, knocking her to the dirt. A few moments later she could hear something... or rather, someone. “Oh- Oh! Oh oh oh! Sorry! Oh! I am SO sorry!” she heard a stallion's voice say... He sounded as if he was from Trottingham or something. Twilight looked up from the ground and saw the stallion, quickly taking in the details of his features. The Earth stallion had a Brown coat, with a darker Brown Mane, a green tie, and Blue eyes. The Bluest she had ever seen.... There was something else about his eyes, but she wasn’t paying enough attention to get into the details about the details. “Ugh.... What just happened?” She asked, checking herself for injuries, which were none except for a sore spot on her side, where he had head butted her. Thank Celestia he wasn’t a Unicorn. “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going.” He said quickly. “Here- take my hoof.” He said holding out his hoof to her. She looked at it for a second, and- she looked at it some more... and she looked at the hoof some more, before realizing she was just leaving him there, standing awkwardly with his hoof out to help her. She blushed, and took his hoof quickly out of embarrassment. “T-Thank you... I’m Twilight... Twilight Sparkle.” She said a bit more confidently. The Stallion smiled, and shook her hoof that he still held in his. “Well hello Miss Sparkle. I’m the Doctor. Nice to meet you.” She looked at him confused. “Doctor? Doctor Who?” She asked him. Just then he had a sudden realization. As if he had just remembered something crucial. “Oh! Oh! Sorry, I need to go-” He said quickly letting go, and darting to the left, down the path he had gone down before..... before.... Before? .... She thought about it and shook her head, feeling as if she was having a bad case of Deja Vue. She looked back down the path to realize that the strange stallion was getting away. “Hey! Wait! You didn’t Answer my Question!” She yelled before groaning and chasing after him. All thoughts of the Elements of Harmony, forgotten to her as she chased after this “Doctor.” > Chapter 1 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 Years ago: The Left (Detour) The Stallion who called himself 'The Doctor' smiled sweetly at the mare before him- after helping her up. He suddenly frowned though as something was nagging at the back of his head- and his eyes opened wide. "Oh! Oh- yes yes! Sorry, um- Twilight, was it?" He asked her, before shaking his head and backing away. "I'm terribly sorry again- for, well knocking you over- but I am in a bit of a hurry." He said, smiling looking back behind him to make sure he wasn't running into anyone else- and then back to her. "Um... So- if you'll excuse me- I need to really get going." He said, chuckling before turning around and running off. "Allons-y!" He called, chuckling a bit as he ran down the path to the left. Twilight however- was confused, curious, and now a bit miffed that he just ran off like that- even if he had given her his apology- he had left her question un-answered. “H-Hey! Wait!” She called after him- before groaning to herself. Looking back to the right- she could still hurry up and catch Spike at the Canterlot Library- and get a good head start on her Research into these Elements.... But looking back to the Left- Twilight could also tell that there was something too this stallion. Something that didn’t quite add up- and she wanted to get to the bottom of it. “.... Uggghhh!” She groaned again- before running down after ‘The Doctor’, into the Park. Without so much as a look back- he made a sharp turn into the tree line- seeming to disappear into it almost- much to Twilight’s further disgruntlement. However- she quickly made that turn as well, and followed him into the foliage- only this time she didn’t shout at him. Now- she was just curious as to what he was doing out here specifically.... But- it didn’t seem like he knew either. The trees were thick- and the stallion seemed lost in the woods for a short time- even as the magically knowledgeable mare tried to keep track of him- his movements seeming as random as a 5 year old who had to just walk over and look at EVERYTHING there was too see. They both made twists and turns- occasional dead ends- it almost seemed impossible to keep track of the stallion, who wandered through the wooded area of the park without almost a care in the world. Twilight now believed that he had lied about being late for something, was just looking to get away from her politely by this point. However- just before all hope had been given up on keeping track of him- The Stallion walked right in her line of sight- towards a large pile of boulders in the middle of the forest. Then- there was squeaking of old hinges, and squeaking more with a solid shutting noise. Twilight blinked a bit, and frowned slowly, before quickly approaching the boulders herself, getting her ‘analytical’ part of her brain to take in as much detail about whatever he had just done. However.... she found herself almost at a bit of a loss for words.... Well- ‘Almost’ being a key word there.... “.... Police. Public. Call Box....” Twilight read outloud- reading the words at the top of the large blue box, finding them strange, even though they rolled off the tongue very easily. Phone-Boxes existed in only Manehattan, Phillydelphia, and Canterlot alone- but, there was no purpose for one to be in the middle of the Park- hidden behind a Small mountain of rock and rubble. That stallion certainly didn’t SEEM like he was a police officer- otherwise she would have seen a badge, or a law related cutiemark on his flanks. It was a curiosity really- but one that she would not be able to enjoy for long. Vwwwoooorrppp..... Vwwwwoooorrrrrpppp! .... Vwwwoooooorrrppp! Slowly, that noise grew from the box- one unlike any other she had heard before. Like slow groanings, but made most melodic like a small tune. The Box's light at the top flashed with each wave of the noise, it's Intensity dying slowly with the tangibility of the Box- as it simply vanished right in front of her eyes. Twilight immediately took steps away from the box, watching it quickly- having seen spells that could do similar Particle manipulation before- but this..... This was the next Level- and then the one above that combined. Whatever that was- was actually taking the object and moving it in and out of the Universe at a natural ebb and flow of sorts- like the ups and downs of a frequency that was changing its band. Before she knew it though- the Box was gone, leaving her in the woods all on her own. For a time, Twilight just stared as she tried to go over what she had just witnessed in her head- trying to run calculations, and numbers that she was pretty sure were all theoretical- before realizing something else. She couldn’t tell a word to this to anyone.... If she did, they would think she might have gone crazy again, and no one would believe anything she would have to say! So, Twilight kept this little secret to herself.... Well.... Maybe to her and a Friend..... ============================= And so, History happened just as it had before (if not a few minutes behind Schedule.) The Castle of the Two Sisters, Everfree Forest- 13 hours Later Nightmare Moon fell, as Princess Luna was revealed under the shroud of Darkness beneath it. Celestia had come not a moment too late, and hugged her sister as the finally brought that 1000 year gap apart to a close. “Sister.....” The Sun Goddess whispered to the Mare in the Moon. “.... It is at last.... Over....” Luna smiled as she hugged her sister in return, and the 6 other ponies present- now dubbed ‘The Elements of Harmony’ rejoiced as a great evil had been purged this day.... However- Twilight noticed something her friends did not.... Princess Luna, looking around, over her sister’s back- searching for something. “.... Sister? .... Where is he?” Luna asked as she looked back to her sister, seeming confused about someone important possibly... Celestia gave her sister a look of confusion as well, before smiling slowly as she realized what she meant. “..... He is.... Watching over us... still....” She said sweetly sighing as she kept a wing around Luna, before helping her up. “Twilight?” She asked, looking back to her ever so faithful student. “.... Why don’t you and your new friends head home for the night? .... I’ll send a Royal Messenger to retrieve the elements tomorrow....” She said softly, giving a small sigh as she looked back to her little sister, trying to hold back her tears. With a flash of light, Celestia and Luna were gone- and the Mane Six were dropped back off on the Outskirts of Ponyville. (While the Reader was dropped off to later that night~) ========================== Golden Oaks Library, 1 Hour Later. The Mane Six had a small party at the Library, talking about what they had just experienced, what had transpired tonight, how it would effect them in the future, and just wondering what this could all mean.... When all was said and done though- Twilight was left still with that... 'smoldering' question inside of her- the one of which she hadn’t gotten answered by that stallion earlier today. Now- In the events of all that had happened in one day and night- such a strange, and seemingly insignificant thing would have been forgotten by most any other Pony... but then again- this was no ordinary mare~ This was a mare who didn’t know when to stop asking the right questions~ ".... Twilight?" Spike asked, walking over to her while the others were sitting and showing off their elements to one another.... Her- old habits of being alone seeming to be getting to her again- as she sat out by the window in the reading nook of the Library and was looking up at the stars. Spike took a long look at her- and tried to think of how best to approach her again- or what she could even be thinking of that she wanted to be alone about. "..... You're still thinking about that guy who ran into you earlier- aren't you?" He asked her with a small frown. Twilight blinked herself back to the small nook she sat in of her new ‘home’, and blushed as she looked from the stars out the window, to Spike- who stood at her side. “Hmm? .... Oh- sorry Spike.... I was just.... thinking about what happened earlier today...” She muttered, looking back to the window for a few moments, before looking back to him. “Am I needed with the others or something?” Spike rolled his eyes and shook his head as he hopped up onto her back. “Yeah- no. You’re not.” He said, looking out at the stars with her now. “.... And- thanks for repeating me, Captain Obvious.” He muttered, talking to her like almost any younger brother would to their sister. Twilight blushed in embarrassment, but giggled at how Spike just shrugged it off. “Hehe.... Sorry Spike.... Come on- it’s getting really late. Lets go to bed...” She said, getting up. The two went and said that they were getting rather tired- and everyone agreed when they saw the time. Nearly 2 AM- something of a rare occurrence for Spike to be up this late- but considering today’s excitement, no one could blame him Everyone got up and said their goodbyes, as the night wasn’t getting any younger, and most needed their sleep for tomorrow. They left shortly after, with promises to meet again tomorrow for lunch to continue their conversations. When everyone had gone home, Twilight walked to bed with Spike- skipping the usual nightly ritual of teeth brushing, and showering for tomorrow morning- seeing as she was too tired to do so. “Goodnight Spike....” Twilight muttered with a small yawn as she slipped into her bed. Spike looked at her for a time, and then blinked a bit as he laid down in his bed/basket.... He didn't seem too comfortable- he was shaking actually, which was unlike him. Looking around as the lights went out outside the window, Spike couldn’t wait for more than 2 minutes before getting out of bed, and climbing up into Twilight’s to wake her up. ".... U- .... T-Twilight?" Spike asked, looking at her before she went to bed. ".... Do- .... Do you think you could read me a bedtime story tonight?" He asked her softly, trying not to sound ‘scared.’ Considering the day these two had been through- with Nightmare Moon reappearing (even if defeated) and the horrors and chaos the town had gone through with her return- it was understandable that a baby dragon like Spike (with such an overactive imagination when it came to monsters and the things that go bump in the night) would be a little more than scared. Twilight blinked a bit, as she rose herself from her almost sleepful state, and sighed as she sat up, though smiled still at him as she rubbed her heavy eyes. “Alright.... Sure Spike.... Why don’t you go and pick something out...” She said, yawning as she turned on the oil lamp beside her bed- preferring to read with it over an electric one. I just didn’t feel the same to her- reading while burning the midnight oil~ Spike smiled at her, and quickly scampered off- and down the hall. He came back a moment later with a tome called 'Bedtime Stories of the Forgotten'. "This one." Spike said, holding it up to her. It was a collection of short stories about 'supposedly' true accounts of great Ponies and Beings, long since to be thought forgotten. It made sense why he would pick this. It was the only book Twilight had probably never read to him before, seeing as it was one of this Library's few books that she didn't need to bring back with her from Canterlot. Twilight smiled softly, and read the cover, raising an eyebrow. “You sure about this Spike? .... Seems like there might be a few Scary stories in here....” She said with a small giggle. Spike blushed slightly, but nodded as he cuddled up into her side, as Twilight put her hoof around him. “Alright.... Let’s see what stories we have to read...” She said softly, sighing as she opened the book, and turned the pages to the Directory. ============================== Summary: Bedtime Stories of the Forgotten, are a collection of old, and long since ‘forgotten’ bedtime stories from a darker age in our history. These are the tails that mothers told their foals before going to bed, to help them grow up into ponies who would learn that the world is not truly as Dark and bleak as these stories might portray.... That they have the ability to make it better for themselves, and those they care about. Story Directory: pg. 01 - The Prince of Darkness pg. 16 - A Lullaby for a Princess pg. 27 - The Tail of the Two Sisters pg. 42 - The Doctor of The Moon pg. 58 - The Shadow’s Web ============================== “..... That one.” Spike said, pointing to ‘The Doctor of The Moon.’ Twilight blinked a bit, but smiled and nodded, flipping to page 42 of the book. “Alright.... Once upon a time-” ============================== “-nearly a thousand years ago, The Two Royal Sisters fought and battled upon the sacred grounds of their castle. A Story as old as time- as the Younger Sister- Princess Luna- was consumed by Jealously and Envy, and allowed the demons of nightmares to consume her form, making it their own, with it's ending yet to be truly known. The Elder Sister, Princess Celestia, now ruled the lands of Equestria with great pain- and sorrow. For how, she had caused her sister great harm- and had no strength to protect her precious ponies from the evils of the night, the ones that Luna had spent her whole life protecting us from..... That was- until a certain stallion came to her.... During a great seige with evils from beyond the Veil of the Night had began upon our Capital City- so small, and weak back in the days of it’s founding- a strange stallion came forth. Clad in no armor, no sword- brandishing only a magic artifact of great purpose- he protected the filly’s, and colts of canterlot during the battle. He co-ordinated with our troops, and pushed back the monsters- the evils- these Nightmares of Children. When the battle ended, and his name was asked forth- he never gave the answer we desired. Instead- he told us only to call him as ‘Healer’, for he said he was no warrior, but a defender of the defenseless. Our Princess of the Sun saw greatness within this stallion- and came forth to him- this being the first acts of any she had made in her deep and guilt ridden depression, and asked forth for his name as well. “I have no name....” The Healer repeated to our Princess. “I am no Stallion- no man who deserves great honor, and riches for his deeds. I have done many wrongs in my life, and seek no thanks for my actions, but rather forgiveness for my wrongs....” His words rang amongst the city with confusion in each retelling told, however our Princess saw something that we did not. She asked him to come with her, for she did have another favor to request upon him. “Healer.... I have but one request to make of thee....” She said in a soft, and pained tone. “.... This Darkness- it plagues us because of me... of what I have done to my beloved sister. She is responsible for hiding our world from those beyond the Veil of the Night- and I have corrupted her, and banished her from our world for a thousand years.... Only she knows how to once more hide our world again.... Sadly- she lies upon the moon- and I am unable to lift thy banishment- for the relics are no longer bound to me....” She said softly, looking to the petrified stone of the Elements of Harmony. “.... Healer.... I beg of thee, help us once more.... Speak with my Sister- find the mare shrouded in shadows, and ask her of how to prevent these Evils from finding our world....” .... And so.... He did. With a gung-ho to his gallop, he took off towards the Moon itself, his craft unlike any we have ever known before. It groaned, and sailed through the wails of the night’s winds, escaping our world, and traveling to the embodiment of the Light in the Darkness. The Healer stepped forth upon the Moon’s surface, and was graced with the form of Princess Luna, rather than the expected Nightmare Moon. The Evils that had infected her soul had been bound to our world- and ours alone, ripped forth from her body as she was banished. Their Evil would remain dormant until her return- a thousand years later- unable to harm our world until then. “Healer....” The Princess Said quietly- having a premonition of what was to come should she fail to defeat Celestia..... However- now she saw just how the evil had tainted her thoughts, and saw fit the punishment subjected upon her. “.... Healer.... You wish to know how thy world is protected from those beyond the Veil? .... The Truth is- we are not.... We hold no great cloak of deception- able to hide our world from those of others.... We hold only a Shield.... One as alabaster as bone- one large enough to defend our world from most any attack....” She said, looking away slowly. “.... Thy Siege’s will continue- the shield will hold for as long as is required, but the body can only take so much.... Healer....” She said quietly, looking at him. “.... You must heal thy world.... You must drive back the forces of Evil- you might fight back the Things of Children’s Nightmares... You must heal thy world until my return- please.... We know we ask much of thee- a thousand years of thy’s life force.... But you must help us.... There is no other way.... “ She said quietly, looking at him for a long time. The Healer was then given an ultimatum.... Stay with us- with our world for 1000 years, and wait for Luna’s return..... Or leave us to our doom- to our own demise.... The Healer agreed- but on one condition.... The Princess of the Night was not to spend these 1000 years alone.... “W-What? .... But- Healer.... No one else but thyself is capable of traveling to see thyself....” She said, before the realization had dawned upon the Princess of the Moon- like the sun dawning over the horizon of the battle scarred world. She gazed upon thy Healer, and smiled slowly as she hugged him. “.... H-Healer.... I- .... I cannot thank thee enough....” She said quietly. “.... Do not thank me.... I know the pain of solitude- I’ve known, and endured it for so long, that I have become accustomed to it....” Our Healer spoke in kind and caring words. “.... No one else should ever deserve to be alone for so long.... And you shall not suffer like I have.... Of this- I promise....” And thus- The Healer healed thy Moon. With his word made, the Healer set off into the Veil of the Night in his craft- warning worlds of the Danger they would face if they brought harm, and fury to this world..... Even with this warning, they came still.... And as they came- they were driven back. Our Healer kept his word to our Princess’s- he would defend our world from the Evils beyond the Veil. He would watch over our world for 1000 years, and would take on a task fit for only a hero.... .... He would stop all the children in the world from having nightmares ~ ============================== “To this very day, he still watches over our world.... He still flies through the Skies in his craft- it’s noise unforgettable, yet lost in the winds of the Night~” Twilight read, with a small smile on her face as Spike seemed to be almost out of it. “.... Vwwwwoooorrrppp..... Vwwoooorrrppp.... Vwwwoooorrrppp!” She said in her story reading voice- very tired still, but unable to help herself, as she got sucked into the story. Spike smiled as his eyes started to feel Heavy once more, liking when Twilight acted this way.... She was always comfortable when she told him a story- it was the only real time he ever got to see her so happy.... “.... To all the Children of the World.... I tell you this now.... Though The Healer of the Moon watches over us, with the Princess herself from her banished place.... It is alright to be afraid.... it is alright to be scared.... There are many scary things in this world- many monsters, and creatures of the night that we cannot fight on our own.... However, there are many ways that we can grow- and there are many lessons to be taught.... Teach your children this lesson for all time.... Though there will always be great Darkness on the Road ahead.... Though the light is not always visible at the end of the tunnel.... Do not lose hope. Do not let the Darkness consume you- do not let it take hold of you, and whisper into your ear.... Hold onto that hope for a better day- that light you so desire to guide you. For with it- you shall never be truly lost.... You shall always find a way....” Twilight said softly as she looked to Spike, a small smile on her face as she saw he was out cold. With a small yawn, Twilight closed the book, and floated it over to her nightstand- before turning out the oil’s light. She sighed and cuddled into her younger brother like he were a teddy bear, and sighed- as the Moon’s bright light washed over the small town of Ponyville.... A small star winking on and off in the distance as the wind rolled over them- though this time, it was not able to hide the noise. ============================== “Vwwooorrrppp.... Vwwwooorrpppp..... Vwoorrrpppp!” ============================== 10 Hours Later, Golden Oaks Library Twilight gasped and jumped out of bed- looking around suddenly at the noise- only to see the sun shining in her window, the night far since passed. Blinking a bit, she held a hoof to her chest as she looked around the room, and sighed softly as she calmed her beating heart. “.... Spike? .... Did you hear that?” She asked slowly- only to see he wasn’t in her bed. Blinking slowly, she looked around her room- to see the book right where she had left it.... Frowning slowly- she pulled it back over to her, and re-read that story 3 more times, something seeming.... ‘Familiar’ about it. “Twilight! ..... Twilight- brunch is almost ready!” Spike called from downstairs, in the Library’s kitchen. He saw her though only moments later- her head in the story book, as she was writing down something else as well on a piece of parchment. Blinking a bit, Spike frowned at her slowly, and sighed- knowing his sister would never really change. “Jeez.... You okay Twilight?” “Spike- I need you to send a letter.” She said, rolling up the scroll, and tying it off with a ribbon quickly, before handing it to him. “I need you to send this too Celestia right away.” She said, looking up at him with her ‘serious’ face on. She knew what was suddenly so familiar about this book- it was the character within it. The Healer. “The Doctor.” Twilight muttered under her breath, shaking her head. Spike gave a confused look, but rolled his eyes as he sent the letter on it’s way, and brought her breakfast. “Alright- alright. Put down the book and eat.” He said, pushing her plate of Pancakes before her. Knock Knock! “Oh- come on! Who could that be?” Spike muttered, sighing as he walked over to the door in his apron.... He blinked quickly, and frowned as he suddenly slammed the door, and ran back inside. “S-S-SHE’S BACK!!!!” He shouted as he ran back to the Kitchen. Twilight did a spit-take with her OJ, as Spike hid under the table. “T-Twilight! N-N-Nightmare Moon is back!” ============================== Outside the Golden Oaks Library Doors, High Noon. Princess Luna blinked a bit, and sighed softly as she shook her head, looking around at the other ponies behind them- giving her the same reaction on different scales. “Tia.... I- I tried to tell you....” She muttered under her breath, in her still weakened state of being. Her mane was pale blue, and her body held close to no Celestial power to it at this time. It would be a while before she regained her powers. “.... They still fear me....” She said, looking over to her Sister- who was walking over to her from their chariot (the poor Pegasi Guards panting very hard from such a dexterous exercise.) She had only just received Twilight’s letter, when she was taking Luna on a closer tour of Equestria- to see how their kingdom had grown in 1000 years. “Luna.... Spike is but a baby still- and has a very overactive imagination...” She said quietly, with a small, but kind smile. “My student shall see to it that he is corrected....” “Spike- there’s no way that’s Nightmare Moon...” Twilight said opening the door and smiling at Luna politely. “See? .... It’s just Princess Luna, and- Princess Celestia!?” She shrieked, blushing deeply- surprised to see her teacher at her new home- and in such a ‘disheveled’ shape (bed mane, and a day and a half without a shower, or brushing her teeth.) She blushed deeply, and eeped adorably- before suddenly falling back into oblivion. “.... Well.... When she wakes up that is....” Celestia muttered, with a small sigh, and a shake of her head, while Luna gave a small giggle at Twilight’s reaction. > Chapter 2 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Location.... Gaia (Earth)... Continent... Equestria... Time.... 2,000 ACC (After Celestia’s Crowning)... Dimensional Standard.... Unknown.... Dimensional Anchor.... Unknown.... Dimensional Time Vortex Standard.... Cannot Specify... Dimensional Time Vortex Anchor... Gaia (Earth) .... “What does all of that mean?” Twilight thought slowly, hearing this... voice in her head, start chanting those lines of code. “.... What is a Dimensional Standard? .... Or an Anchor?” Currently, the sweet librarian was lain upon the ground of some cold surface she could not feel.... The entire room around her seemed to be some... ghostly apparition- of some place she wasn’t familiar with.... She could sense an aura though.... A part of the misty room around her- there were no solid lines, no solid blocks... everything was wavy, everything was smoke almost, the entire world around her seemed to be... almost like it wasn’t even there.... The Aura... She was sensing the Aura- it was a part of the entire room.... Of Everything within the room. Then she felt the chanting start up again. Location.... Gaia Earth.... “Blast!” A firm and transfixed voice cast out against his carefully calibrated instruments. “A thousand years in this world- and you think you might get to know your surroundings a bit better...” He muttered slowly, looking back to the center console he had been walking in circles around. “... You’re Transfixed on this world... Aren’t you?” He asked it slowly, gently looking to the large lever like thing jutting out beside him. “.... It’s been a Thousand Years... We aren’t needed here anymore- they have their Princess back... No one remembers me- no one even knows I exist besides the Princesses!” He said, but the screen just flashed at him, and the chant continued. Continent. Equestria.... Time. 2,000 ACC Dimensional Standard.... Unknown. Dimensional Anchor.... Unknown. Dimensional Time Vortex Standard.... Cannot Specify.... Dimensional Time Vortex Anchor.... Gaia (Earth) .... “BLAST!” The Stallion shouted, before turning around as he came down the steps- Twilight blinked as she looked at him curiously, seeing him in such distress... but... She knew him. “.... D- .... Doctor?” She asked softly, cocking her head to the side. He stopped when she said his name, and turned directly to her. As if only just realizing she were in the room. “.....” He said nothing at first, blinking swiftly, before hurrying down the steps to her side, curiously looking the mare over. “Well now- what have we here?” He asked curiously, pulling out some... short silver device from his tie, seeming to be curious about her. “.... Some kind of... Sentience? .... Floating through Space?” He muttered to himself, frowning some. “.... A Sliver of Silver Sentience, Sifting through Space.... Try and say that five times fast.” He joked, before clearing his throat. “Not very often I get a traveler that comes with me.... I don’t know if you can hear me- or perhaps even understand me- but if you’re here then I’m to suppose you’re here for a reason.... Greetings then- I’m the Doctor. Pleasure to meet you.... Can you speak?” “... So... You are The Doctor....” She said slowly, blinking as she tried to take a step away when he approached- but quickly realized she couldn’t. She couldn’t pull herself away from him- and it was at this point that... She got to see him. Fully. In detail now- see the details she couldn’t before, foggy and slower as they might have seemed.... “Hmm?” He blinked slowly as he looked to her, confused as his little device began to buzz. “Rather fuzzy that was- I think I heard you say my name.... Would you like to try again?” Twilight blinked before she giggled slowly at the buzzing, it starting to tickle her. “Hehe... H-hey, stop that~ I-It tickles.” She told him, the little device making her giggle more as her horn began to glow with the joy she felt, and a bit of the device’s own workings. “Oh! Sorry then.” He said, before noticing something, looking to her head as he lowered his little silver cylinder. “... What’s that... Glowing thing you’re doing?” Dimensional Time Vortex Standard, in Range of Specification. The Doctor’s eyes suddenly shot back to the console he had walked away from and ran towards it swiftly, looking to the Monitor. “What?! Where?” He asked quickly, pushing buttons quickly on the console. Twilight blinked as she looked to the console now- but struggled and grunted as she couldn’t move still.... Her horn dying out slowly. Dimensional Time Vortex Standard, losing Range of Specification.... Can no longer Specify.... “No! Common!” He shouted angrily, before sighing as he fell onto his rump and rubbed his eyes... “So Close....” He muttered in a much softer voice.... She could hear the pain in his voice.... This was the Doctor wasn’t it? .... The ‘Healer’ from her story? .... She had seen him not too long ago- the stallion from Canterlot- it had to be him... Was this his advanced ship? Unlike any witnessed before it? ....Well- he had done was he needed too... hadn’t he? Watched over the world for a thousand years?.... Was he looking for some way to go home now?.... Where even would his home be- perhaps his ship could find it? .... Maybe that was the problem he was currently facing? .... “.... Are you looking for a way... Home?” She asked him slowly, still unable to move from her spot... The Doctor looked back to her slowly, and sighed as he shook his head. “.... Yes.... Home... I- ... I want to go Home....” He told her slowly, shaking his head as he looked back to the console. “.... The Problem is... I know where Home is- but.... I can’t start going Home, if I don’t know where the ‘Start’ is....” He said, looking back to her over his shoulder, before sighing as he shook his head. “.... Nevermind. You wouldn’t understand....” She could.... Her entire first Day in this town was a disaster... All she had wanted to do since she had arrived there, was stop the imminent return of Nightmare Moon, and go Home.... And- she couldn’t imagine just... Living with those feelings forever.... Alone... on a day to day basis.... She looked back to the console, and focused her energy upon it- trying to move again, this time attempting to teleport to it... and this time, it worked. She appeared beside him, looking over the console now herself- though it just... looked like a great big blob of ‘gray’ to her- everything becoming more misty with this- the aura around her beginning to scatter. “O-Oh no, my Magic! I-I must have disturbed the aura!” She said quickly- Dimensional Time Vortex Standard, in Range of Specification. The Doctor’s eyes jumped to the console, before he turned and looked directly to his side as she appeared there, before looking back to the console, and then back to her. “.... What is your name?” He asked her quickly, turning to her fully. Twilight turned back to him quickly- seeing him started to fade into dust. “W-What?!... M-My Name?!” She asked, glaring at him a bit. “You still haven’t told me yours! I should be the one asking you that!” She said, before sighing as she tried to focus on her magic again and stabilize her connection to whatever Aura was keeping her here... In this... in this dream.... “What!?! Yes I did- I told you my name! It’s the Doctor!” He said, frowning back at her, as if this was the time to be arguing about it. He took in a quick breath before he shook his head. “Oh- Oh no, you’re fading! Quickly-” “That isn’t a NAME it’s a Title!” Twilight clarified, before turning back to him. “And I’m aware of that! I’m trying to restabilize it!- Besides. I already told you my name.” She clarified for him with a small frown, before closing her eyes and focusing again. “... What?” He asked, now sounding perplexed. “.... N-no you have not! I’ve only just met you-” “I told you my name in the park 2 Days ago!” Twilight told him before sighing as she tried to refocus again- the world really starting to fade away. She needed to concentrate or else she would slip out of here and back into her body- “The Park?! What Park!?! I haven’t- ..... Ooohh- Oh! Of course!” He declared suddenly, smirking as he danced around, Twilight’s magic taking effect as she started to refocus on her surroundings. “You- you’re the Unicorn! The one I ran into! Umm. Umm... What’s your name... Midnight... Sprinkle? .... No- Uuuhh... Starlight Glimmer? ... No- no, close, but not quite.” “Oh you’ve got to be kidding me...” Twilight muttered, sighing as she just tried to ignore it now. “What was your name? .... Sunset Shimmer? No- no. That’s not it... Uumm. Hanz Zimmer? No- wait, that’s not even remotely close- Oh! Oh! I know! Midnight Sparkler!” He said suddenly, as if he should feel very proud of himself for guessing that. “UURREEGH!” Twilight glared and turned to him swiftly, now a bit angry. “It’s TWILIGHT SPARKLE!” She shouted at him, before gasping slowly as she saw him now fading away much faster. “Omigosh! Doctor!? Doctor!?!” “... Twilight Sparkle?” He asked calmly, his voice starting to fade as the misty grey slowly grew into a blank white. “... Right then... Twilight Sparkle! Keep an eye out for me, I’ll b e c o m i n g . . . ” “Doctor!?” Twilight shouted, before looking around as it all went to white- everything disappearing. “Doctor?!!?! DOCTOR?!?!” She shouted out one last time, before- ================== “DOCTOR!” Twilight let her lungs waist their remaining oxygen on that last call for the Mad Stallion, before she gasped, and looked around the room- blinking as she saw herself now once more, back in the Library she had just moved into. She took note of the couch she was laying upon... she hadn’t bought any furniture yet besides a bed, so she didn’t own a couch.... Then how was she laying on a couch? .... She blinked and followed the gaze around the room- it was bright in here. The Windows were shining too brightly, and it was hurting Twilight’s eyes to look around. “Sister. Turn thy sun away- you’re hurting her eyes.” Her ears flicked and searched for that voice, before she heard someone close some of the shades, and a sigh of relief from a very motherly and regretful voice. “Oh, thank goodness, you’re alright Twilight....” “Ow...” Twilight muttered slowly, wincing as her ears heard things so loudly at that moment. “My... Head Hurts...” She muttered, rubbing it- only to realize she’d had it bandaged. “Well I would hope so.” Another, unfamiliar voice commanded, as Princess Luna sat beside her. “You gave yourself a concussion when you fell back from shock!” Twilight blinked as she... tried to recall that... Oh- Right... The Princesses had arrived.... “Oh. Right.” She said, nodding slowly as she rubbed her head, before turning from Princess Luna to Celestia. “.... So... You got my letter?” She asked slowly, before seeing the confusion upon her teacher’s face. “Letter? ... No- did you just send it?” She asked, smiling softly as she shook her head. “Then I shall read it when I return to Canterlot-” “No, no... I’ll just tell you what it was about.” She said slowly, before blinking suddenly as she sat up straight like a stick and looked to Celestia swiftly, before her head turned to Luna. “Wait. Why are you two in Ponyville?! ... At my House?!” She asked. (Well, she couldn’t call it ‘her’ house just yet. It was still... just... the place she slept in for one night.) Luna smirked some, and giggled as she shook her head. “Oh, most likely for the same reason you wrote to Tia, I do not doubt.” Twilight blinked a bit as she looked to Celestia with a raised eyebrow and a small smile. “... ‘Tia’?~” She asked, giggling a bit- having never heard anyone call her Teacher that before. Celestia blushed and smirked at Luna who was returning it in kind with her own, before she turned back to Twilight. “It’s an old Nickname.” She explained, before laughing in the sweetest tone as she hugged Twilight. “I’m just glad you are alright Twilight....” “Yes, thy tossing and turning, and shouting of the name ‘Doctor’ was most unsettling.... And it was not a dream- if it was, I would have been able to view it in the Dreamscape.” Luna said. “Ugh- It’s not a name, it’s a Title!” She said, glaring at the Lunar Princess swiftly as she pulled herself out of Celestia’s warm embrace, before something hit her like a pony-powered locomotive. “.... Wait.” She said suddenly, turning back to Luna and swiftly getting up. “You know him- don’t you!” Luna’s smirk didn’t disappear, rather it grew larger as she looked over to Celestia, who in turn gave Twilight a worried look. “... I thought you said she wouldn’t bother bringing him up~” She teased, before looking back to Twilight. “I didn’t think she knew about him....” Celestia commented, before sitting back down. Twilight’s aghast look was almost understandable- her own teacher knew?! And she didn’t tell her?!?! “You know him too!!?!” She asked- well, almost cried out really. “.....” Spike blinked, holding up a heaping pile of Pancakes in his hands that was 3 times taller than him and looked to the 2 alicorns, and then Twilight. “.... Um.... Doctor Who?” Spike asked curiously, bringing the pancakes to the table that now separated Twilight’s couch and 2 cushions that the Princesses sat upon. ...... Luna was the first to crack as she giggled softly, trying to contain her amusement in Spike’s question with her hoof... but the credulous look Celestia had in her eye for her sister was too much- and the blue princess was laughing back in her seat, probably turning blue too, from the lack of oxygen she was getting. “... What? ... All I asked was ‘Doctor Who?’” Spike muttered, setting out the plates for the 3 of them, before shrugging and running back into the kitchen to get syrup and juice (and maybe some silverware.) Celestia sighed, and shook her head, holding it up in her hoof before speaking up. “Let us... Talk about this over Breakfast... Shall we?” She asked calmly, before looking to Twilight first. “Would you like to start with your experience with the Doctor thus far?” ================== About an Hour Later, after the recollection of the past 2 Chapters, and a whole bunch of other non-important stuff. “Oh- so then... The Book was telling the truth?” Twilight asked curiously, looking upstairs as she levitated the book and brought it down to her level, reading it again now. ‘Bedtime Stories of the Forgotten’ “Heh...” Celestia smiled as she looked upon the book herself, seeing it from her distance away from her student. “Even the smallest of stories, contain the strongest of truths Twilight....” Celestia told her calmly, as she took a closer look at it, lifting it out of her students gaze. “... Though... I will be honest- I do not know the author of this collection of Stories... Or- how they obtained such information- even a thousand years ago...” She admitted slowly. “Do not question such a gift Sister.” Luna said calmly, handing the book back to Twilight, who set it down on the couch beside her. “It is because of that book that we are able to have this conversation at all.... Though... May I ask to have a copy?” Luna inquired calmly, making Twilight smiled and nod, making a copy for her with her magic, and hovering it over. “Thank you. I think I will hold this as a new admission to my Collection of Bedtime Stories.” Luna commented calmly, seeming quite pleased with her book. Twilight couldn’t help but giggle, feeling a little better about living in a library now, after seeing Princess Luna that much happier about having the book for herself.... Though... it did make her wonder something else. “.... So.... Does this mean the Doctor’s gone?” She asked slowly, looking to Celestia first, as always, before her eyes fell upon the other Princess in the room. The silence in the room became slow but thickening.... And for a Library- such silence seemed so out of place. Celestia turned to Luna, whom gave her the same look, and sighed as she hung her head. “... I am... Afraid so.” She admitted, looking to Twilight. “.... The Doctor was our ‘Guardian Angel’ as it were.... He protected us from from beyond the Veil of Night for a thousand years- but now that-” “Now that I have returned from my 1000 Year Banishment, his time has comet to an end. Equestria- or, rather Gaia as a whole, no longer needs his protection.” Luna commented swiftly, holding the book closer to her chest still. “Well... Perhaps that is not true.” Celestia said, before sighing again, seeming so downtrodden. “It is unlikely that we would ever be seeing the Doctor for some time though... Unless our World is in grave peril of a threat from beyond the stars....” Vwwoorrpp...... The Princess of the Night nodded solemnly in return to that comment, having nothing to add with a response of her own. Vwwooorrrrpp..... Twilight sighed slowly in return, feeling that sadness at the thought... She only met the stallion once? ... A Stallion responsible for saving their lives countless times- and she only got to meet him... by bumping into him? .... That didn’t seem fair.... Vwwooooorrrpppp! “Hey- what’s that Noise?” Spike asked suddenly, walking back into the kitchen with his apron, and yellow rubber gloves on- doing the dishes apparently. Vwwwoorrrppp! ... Vvvwwwoooorrrpppp!! ... Vvvwwwoooorrrppp!!! Both Princesses gasped suddenly as there was a flashing light coming from behind Twilight’s head- her entire head swiveling around to find the source of the light, before gasping herself... As... As... “.... How did THAT get in here?!” Twilight shouted suddenly, glaring at the familiar blue Police Box she had encountered in the Forest. “That- How did that get in here!?!?” Twilight asked, turning to Celestia and Luna- only to see their still shocked faces. Their jaws nearly striking the floor... It was... almost priceless actually~ The door to the box opened on Twilight’s left with a loud, yet anonymous squeaking. Really- the Squeak was Anonymous. In this old rickety library- it fit right in with every door and floorboard this place had to offer.... “Is this the right place?” Came an even more familiar voice, before the Doctor peeked his head out to the left and then right- seeing the other 3 sat before him. His eyes mostly landed upon Twilight though. “Ah! Wonderful! There you are Miss Sparkler!” The Doctor said brightly, flashing a grin to the other two as well. “Oh, Luna! My you look ravishing~ And Celestia, as delightful as ever.” He said with a quick bow to them both as he walked around the couch..... “.....” The literal silence they were returning would have been enough to make a sane stallion question what they had just done wrong to be worthy of such shock. “Anyway- sorry to bother you all, it’s a pleasure seeing you again!” He said, coming around the couch.... Obviously- he was no ‘Sane Stallion’, but rather a Strange Stallion. “... D-... Doctor?” Twilight said slowly, seeing him approaching her- before squeaking herself with a heavy blush as he picked her up and put her on his back. “H-Hey! What are you doing?!” “Sorry Tia, need to borrow Midnight-” “Twilight!” She corrected angrily, while also trying to get down- but was feeling very wobbily. “-here for a quick moment! Promise, I’ll be back in a jiffy!” The Doctor said, chuckling a bit as he started to carry on for a moment and take Twilight back around the couch. “.....” Celestia for the most part was still dumbstruck, and just... sorta ‘nodded’ to him as he watched the two of them. “...... Do .... Doc ....Doctor?” Luna said slowly, as if she were a young child whom had just seen a puppy she thought had run away some time ago return. “Hey- Put me down!” Twilight said, struggling more noticeably now. “Are you out of your mind?! You can’t just take me-” SLAM! The door didn’t squeak this time- it just sort of shut in a very loud manner. Then the Light began blaring up above it once more. And then came that noise again- along with a mysterious breeze.... Vwwooorrrppp.... Vwwwooorrpppp..... Vwoorrrpppp! .... And then... like that... The Box was gone.... Leaving the Princesses just sitting there. Dumbfounded. Staring at the spot where the Doctor had been a moment ago- and his Blue Box. And Twilight too... but that was kinda an afterthought. “.....” Spike just blinked a bit as he looked to Celestia and Luna, and then back to the where the box had been and then back to them. “.... Soooo.... Does this mean I can have Twilight’s room now?” He asked hopefully. The answer would have normally been a firm “No” but... it didn’t seem like either of them was going to tell him that. > Chapter 3 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.