//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: The Doctor Displaced // by Kaffeina //------------------------------// Twilight sighed. “Well, whatever he did, it worked and maybe now we’ll have a little better leeway in fighting the courts. It won’t be much, but every little bit helps.” “Good to know,” David said, smiling. “Well, as much fun as this has been,” Ben started, “Shouldn’t you be on your way, Mr. Tennant?” He shoved a piece of pancake into his mouth. “I’m sure you have other places to be.” David nodded, “Usually. Before I go, I believe Twilight wanted to see an Earth play or two?” David watched as Ben shrugged, “Don’t worry, I’m just providing her a way to watch them,” David pulled out a small TV, about eight inches by five inches. “This has any and all Earth forms of entertainment.” Twilight poked the TV with a frown. “A little small isn’t it? I haven’t seen one this small since I was a filly. Didn’t even know they still made ones this small.” David gave her a mischievous grin, “Quick to judge are we?” He pressed a button in the back and the device expanded to about three feet tall and eight feet wide. “Its got multiple functions like that. Also, its touch screen, voice activated, and has a rockin’ stereo.” The sudden size expansion forced several at the table to duck, trying not to get hit by the massive screen. “Oi! Watch it! Tryin’ ta eat here!” Ben shouted from under the table. “UEC, Mini size please,” David said, and the device shrunk to its previous size. “It can project the video and it is very portable. Just, don’t system reset it, okay? You’ll wipe around 50 terabytes of information from it.” “Oooh~,” Twilight said in awe, cradling the new device. “I’ll call it ‘Uie’!” “Mommy, you’re being weird again.” “I know, Nyx. Just let mommy be weird for a few moments.” David laughed, “Well, there’s that done. Unless there’s anything else, I’ll head off.” “Yeah, that’d probably be best. Don’t want Kat coming home to find you here after all,” Ben laughed. David raised an eyebrow, “So, why exactly would that be bad?” “Kat’s still having issues with being a time lord, so it would just be better that another wasn’t within the vicinity. You’ll probably end up on a metal table in Twilight’s lab.” “Shush!” Twilight hissed. “That’s my lab. Kat can use her own.” David winced, “Give her this,” he pulled out a laptop. “It's always connected to the TARDIS and can access the data storage. That aside, she can video call anyone in the TARDIS. Which, of course, I can do the same for, and have, the UEC. I’ll really just act as Tech Support. Ben, you can use either one of those. I’d do the same for your watch but I figure you’d rather not have anyone randomly calling you.” “Yeah, that’d get weird.” Ben took the computer and placed it off to the side on the table. “Now, you’d better scram before the higher ups,” he pointed up, “Start taking notice of you here.” David’s eye widened, “So, this is one of THOSE universes. Anyway,” he snapped his fingers and started inside of the TARDIS, “Feel free to call.” Ben gave a two fingered salute. “Don’t count on it. Just keep on keepin’ on, Doc.” The TARDIS doors shut and a hum and groan were heard before it began to dematerialize. Once it was gone, the two ponies and human resumed finishing breakfast. After a moment, Nyx spoke up, “Soooo… can I play with Uie?” Ponyville (Ekko) [A few weeks after David's encounter with Ben] As the Afternoon sun was continuing to burn down on the town of Ponyville, Ekko took his time to look around the surrounding area before deciding to go help Spike run an errand at the nearby flea market. It might have been short and simple for having to buy some hardcover books, but the looks he got from the surrounding ponies were just off setting for him. The only kind of looks that were like that when he had seen them before were from the kids that he met in Zaun that he made friends with and protected them from the criminal scum that polluted the streets. The looks of fear, confusion, worry. He was familiar with them. “Ekko? You alright?” Ekko snapped out of his thinking when he turned to see Spike. Who was holding some of the books on his own. “Oh yeah, just got a bit… distracted. Let me help you with that.” “Sure thing.” The baby dragon replied as he handed some of the books to him. Before going anywhere else though, Spike had to check the list that Twilight had given him. “I’m not completely sure why she needs all of these though.” “All of what?” “The science of Chrono magic by Professor Clock Hand, volumes 1-4,” Spike read from the piece of paper. “Do you think she might be going a bit crazy after that time thingy that you showed her earlier today?” “Personally, I think she just wants a better understanding of it. Trust me, I’ve seen crazy,” He told the dragon. “Ever had a girl in your life that you liked? Like a crush?” “Once. Why?” “Think of that, but then her going full blown crazy to where she starts talking to her weapons like they’re actual people. Not to mention that destruction is what she sees as fun.” “What was her name?” “Jinx,” The boy replied. “Now though, a lot of people just see her as the “loose cannon” and I agree with them on that.” The two of them soon walked through the door, only to find a stallion in a tie talking to Twilight in the guest room. They seemed to be talking something important, given the fact that there was still a full pot of tea, biscuits, and there seemed to be quite a lot of tea drinking between the two of them. “Maybe we should just leave them be.” “Good idea,” Spike replied. “Still though, I wonder why Time Turner would be here.” “Who?” “The Stallion. His name is Time Turner. But he’s sometimes referred to by others as “The Doctor”. Not quite sure why they call him that for being a clockmaker.” Spike told him as they made their way up the staircase and took a left. Spike decided to leave the books in Twilight’s personal study while he began to catch up on something he was reading. As Ekko turned around and closed the door though, somepony was waiting for him…… and they didn’t look happy. “Oh… Hi there, Rainbow-.” Ekko’s brief reply was cut off when Rainbow grabbed him by the scarf and brought him down to her level. “We need to talk. Now.” “Talk? About what?” “The walk you went on. I saw you go into the Everfree Forest and meet your friend that lives in the river.” When Ekko heard her say that, he released himself from the pegasus’ grip, telling her to follow him into another room. “It seems like you have some questions for me.” “Just two,” Rainbow snorted. “One, who the hay is he? and Two, why the hay were you talking to him? That creature looks like he can eat up the entire town. I wanna knock it out of the river and beat him to a-.” “Trust me, don’t do that.” Ekko told her. “Never mess with Tahm Kench.” “Tom? Are you talking that one rock-?” “No, that’s his name. Tahm Kench. Remember earlier when I told you that I was a champion in the League of Legends? And the urban legend Spike was on earlier today?” “Briefly,” Rainbow grunted. “Why?” “That’s the thing. He’s a champion as well. He and I are both from the League, but the thing is, he calls the river his home.” “What does this have to do with the legend though-?” Rainbow tried to interrupt. Being very impatient and really wanting Ekko to get to the point that he was trying to make. “He is known as Tahm Kench; The River king.” Those words from Ekko caused Rainbow’s eyes to widen. A lot. “Seriously? He’s the River King?” “Yes… There are a LOT of stories about him and none of them are happy endings.” The boy sighed. “Making a deal with him is the last thing you want to do.” Rainbow was not lost in thought. Ekko. Tahm Kench. This “league” he keeps mentioning. How in Celestia’s name does this all add up? She asked him about it a few moments later and Ekko explained everything he knew. The genius from Zaun simplified things by explaining that how the League of Legends worked was like a court. Two sides take Legal disputes into the fields of justices so they wouldn’t harm the fragile world that was Runeterra. Also, to take things further, Ekko used the pieces of a nearby chess set and some maps that he kept with him on the fields of justice to explain to Rainbow how it worked. Besides, it was easier to show with a visual demonstration than just explaining it. But the one thing that continued to linger on his mind was the idea of other individuals that got “Displaced” as Tahm had said earlier. If only he had some sort of guide to explain everything to him. Someone that can show him the ropes. Zilean did that for him in explaining the League, but the Chronokeeper wasn’t here to help Ekko now. He needed someone elses help. The Tardis "That is the last time I try to help a floundering nation," The Doctor, or David as he was known by his friends, grumbled flipping switching and such as the TARDIS dematerialized. His eye was caught by the book on panel, the enchanted tome on Displaced, and he checked the page. "Well, who said coincidences don't happen. Might as well. Says he needs a guide so I'm off!" David input the coordinates and the TARDIS flew off through the Void, leaving a rather confused group of officials behind as well as a giant flounder with a city on its head. "Sir?" asked the youngest official, "Who or what was that?" The stallion next to him shook his head, "I have no idea."