Before Luna. Before Celestia. Before Discord, and even predating the Crystal Kingdom. Before the Wendigoes were beaten back by the First Six. Before those terrible creatures even came to power...

In the time of Starswirl, Equestria was a very different place.

Dr. Pruitt has been working for the TrotWood Institute for Scientific Research for almost a decade now. Every morning, he wakes up and he tells himself he's working for the greater good. He believes he'll be the one to turn TrotWood around; he'll work his way to the top, and then rebuild it.

But every night, he goes to bed, defeated, damaged, and knowing he's become a little more like the stallions he wants to replace.

Author's note:

This is the darkest thing I've ever written. I don't mean a comical overkill kind of dark, like 'Cupcakes'. I mean to say that it is dark in a very subtle, gritty kind of way. Reading this will probably make you feel bad. You have been warned.

Additionally, there's some harsh language. So if you don't like ponies swearing, it's not recommended reading.

Oh, and I don't have any kind of idea what groups this would fit into, so by all means, if you think you know of a group that would appreciate the story, by all means, let me know or add it yourself. I would be grateful for any assistance in this matter.

Derpy is clever mare who wants nothing more than to get the respect she deserves in a field dominated by unicorns. She's tried so many times to enroll in the Royal Canterlot Acadamy of Science, but every time, she's rejected before she even makes it to the interview stage. Could a chance meeting with a most unusual Doctor turn her luck around? Will everything go wrong? Or will it be more right than ever?

When two time traveling ponies wipe out in the not-too-distant past, they have an unexpected interaction with a certain pink party animal. Pinkie tries to get a little too friendly with the heart of the TARDIS, and shenanigans come about as a result.

The Doctor's life is very busy, and very dangerous, and to bring a filly along would be irresponsible, or perhaps even reprehensible! Occasionally, though, a quiet moment crops up - a brief period of peace during which he's not attracting danger like a magnet attracts iron filings. Whenever such a moment arises, there are only two ponies on his mind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This story just came out of the blue today, I sat down in a fit of procrastination, aiming to write a (mostly) unrelated short story about Pinkie Pie, but this ended up getting typed instead.

While studying the founding of Equestria in the Royal Library, Twilight comes across a very odd, and very old, book. Some of the historical accounts found therein are very familiar, part of any filly's childhood education, but there are more details. Troubling details. Since Celestia has taken leave for unknown reasons, Luna is the only pony around who gives Twilight any hope of finding out the truth. A truth that, as it turns out, Celestia never wanted her to know.

Teen rated for 'sad feels' and implied (though not explicit) deaths.

Special thanks to sqarishoctagon for giving me some useful pointers on formatting and helping to edit the first five chapters!

This was initially an in-universe story, but as of February 16th, 2013, it was rendered non-canon. It takes place in an alternate universe in which Season 3 never happened.