Canterlot Dungeons:
The Doctor absentmindedly whistled a tune under his breath as he listened to the gala going on up above. Thanks to the plumbing running through the stonework, he could hear various conversations and the music being played, even if he couldn’t make out quite what was being said or sung. He could tell however, it was quite the party. From the cell next to him, the pony who that orange pegasus had told to shut up was singing opera music for some reason or the other. The Doctor had to admit, despite the pony being probably insane, he was a very good singer. The other inmates didn’t seem to share this sentiment, as they kept hollering for him to just shut up. He was very good at hitting all the right notes, and his run-through of Carmen by Georges Bizet or whatever the pony equivalent was here was excellent even if it sounded somewhat off thanks to the accent of the pony singing it.
“Have to wonder, what got him locked up in here in the first place really? He seemed to know that Captain and that pegasus, even by name in the latter’s case,”
The Doctor thought back to the conversation that had taken place only a few hours before...
“Oh, back and forth, I do love that Shiny! Reminds me of the old days!” The northern accented voice exclaimed from his cell. “Shiny” gestured to his orange furred compatriot to walk over to the cell. Next thing the Doctor heard was the sound of metal against metal and a nervous stuttered shout of “S-shut it, you!”
“Lack of confidence, how the mighty have fallen. Step down from your father, Flashy. The North Wind’s coming, so better batten down the hatches.” The voice taunted and then there was the sound of an angered growl and a whispered: “Shut up.”
The Last of the Time Lords rubbed his chin in thought. “Okay, so it’s safe to say that the Captain is named Shining something something, and the pegasus is probably Flash something or other. Least I know something of who’s keeping me captive here. Well, least I’ve managed to figure something out, so good on me. Still wish I could figure out how to get myself out of here, and more importantly, where my TARDIS is. Old Girl’s got to be getting lonely without me.”
The Doctor grumbled something in Gallifreyan as he trotted back and forth in his cell, his hooves clopping against the cold stone floor. He was starting to get rather bored, and irritated as well. He hated not knowing what was going on, he liked to know everything that might be important. The Doctor chuckled to himself, he suspected if he was on a train one day and something weird was going on, he might introduce himself as a nosey parker or something of the like. He sighed, if he had his Sonic on him, he could be out of here in a jiffy and that would be the end of it, but those bloody guards took it away from him the moment they nabbed him.
“Remind me to speak to that Filthy Rich character the next time I meet him about reporting me to the police when all I am is just a harmless little pony! ...Still going to have to get used to that.” The Doctor thought to himself. Right about then, he heard the sound of a wooden door opening with a creak and then slamming shut with a loud thud and armored hoofsteps trotting up towards his direction. The Doctor grinned, seemed like he had a visitor, and from the urgency of those footsteps it was something very important indeed. His smile faded from his face when he saw exactly who it was.
“Oh, lovely. Your dear old boss decided it was time to go “Off with his head!” time for yours truly?” The Doctor snarked. Shining winced, he supposed he deserved that much. He then shook his head and the Doctor noted the very worried look on his face. He recognized that look, he’d seen it far too many times to even count. It was the look of someone who’d lost someone close to them and was very afraid they’d never even get them back. The cell door opened with a creak.
“Well, this is a bit of a change of heart isn’t it?” The Doctor commented. Shining winced again, he deserved that too.
“Shut up…” Shining whispered.
“Sorry, couldn’t hear you. Might want to speak up.” The Doctor remarked.
“I said shut up!” Shining shouted, and winced when he saw the Doctor take a step back in fear.
“Sorry, so sorry, it’s just…” Shining trailed off, hanging his head and stifling a sob.
“You’ve lost someone, haven’t you?” The Doctor asked, and Shining looked up in surprise.
“Yeah… I have. My marefriend, something… I don’t know what it was, some type of statue or something, it… It took her!” Shining began, starting to babble incoherently. As soon as the Doctor heard the word statue, both of his hearts skipped a beat.
“Did you say what I think you just said?” The Doctor asked, his tone going from snarky to very worried indeed. “Describe it to me, this statue.”
“It was a statue, simple as that. Looked like a stone gray pegasus, had its eyes covered by its hooves like it was weeping.” Shining started, growing very worried by the way the Doctor was speaking like he was pumping him for information. The Doctor’s eyes widened in fear before they narrowed.
“The Weeping Angels. Captain, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, but if what you’re saying is true there’s not much I can do for your marefriend. I’ll be damned if I don’t try but I wouldn’t hold out any hopes,” The Doctor said in a no nonsense tone, quick, blunt and to the point. “First things first though, I need to know how that statue got here.”
“It’s the Princess, she wanted a few new statues for the castle grounds, so she ordered a few from a Prince in Saddle Arabia. This one must have come along with the order in that giant crate they arrived in a few days back. It was only earlier tonight that we opened the damn thing up.” Shining informed that Doctor, who could only growl.
“Okay, in that case… Take me to your leader. She and I are going to have to have words.” The Doctor snarled…
Raven Inkwell, sweat trailing down her light gray muzzle and her normally neatly kept jet black hair in a frantic, frazzled mess galloped through the halls of the Castle. She brushed past any guards who tried to slow her pace, knocking them aside. Bursting through the giant wooden doors of the throne room, she adjusted her glasses and tied her hair back in its usual neat and tidy bun. At the sight of her worried assistant, Celestia rose up from her throne. Nearby, her pet phoenix Philomena stopped preening her wings and looked at her, tilting her head curiously.
“Something the matter Mrs. Inkwell?” Celestia asked calmly. In a manner that reminded Celestia of her personal student in some forms, Raven spoke very fast and very hurriedly.
“It’sPrincessCadance,she’sgonemissingandeveryone’sinapanicandIdon’tknowwhattodo!”
Raven stammered out in fright, hooves trotting on the marble floor as she paced back and forth. Celestia sighed to herself.
“Slow down, Raven. Take a deep breath, and have some water and then speak.” the Princess said calmly, never losing her composure. She levitated a glass of water over to Raven, who took a deep breath as instructed and then drank it all down before speaking again.
“It’s Princess Cadance, she’s gone missing and everyone’s in a panic and I don’t know what to do!” Raven shouted out. Despite being worried herself for the safety of her niece, Celestia at first went to the rational parts of her brain.
“Are you sure she hasn’t gone for a walk on her own, or a late night flight over the city?” Celestia asked, raising an eyebrow. She had to be calm, she told herself. There wasn’t any reason to get worried, at least not yet. Perhaps Raven was exaggerating and had gotten worked up over nothing at all.
“Do you really believe that dear sister of mine?” A smug voice sounding frighteningly like a certain Nightmare commented. “Since when has your dear little assistant ever gotten worked up over nothing at all?”
“Shut up!” Celestia hissed at the voice.
“That’s just it, last I saw her she was with her coltfriend, Captain Shining Armor.” Raven explained.
“Then it’s possible they may have gone back to Cadance’s house for some time alone together,” Celestia theorized. “I did notice that Shining did seem rather uncomfortable this evening because of the crowds.”
“That’s just it, Princess,” Raven said worriedly. “Next time I see Shining, he’s in a panic and rushing past me in a big hurry like Tirek himself was after him,”
Celestia now really was worried, even if she didn’t let it show. She had to keep a calm face, as if she showed even the slightest hint of fear, everypony else would begin to become afraid as well.
“Yes, that’s it. Be the emotionless, uncaring Princess I know you are. Worked out so well for me, after all.” Nightmare Moon’s voice taunted. Celestia ignored it.
“Something’s wrong, and I know it. Plus, I’ve gotten reports that several of the Royal Guards have gone missing. Flash Sentry hasn’t shown up for his patrol and neither has his partner.” Raven continued.
“That is… concerning. Heighten the patrols. I’ll find Shining Armor myself.” Celestia ordered and Raven nodded.
“I’ve got your Captain right here so no need to worry about him at least, and your Royal Guard won’t do you much good Princess,” A Trottingham accented voice commented as the Doctor and Shining entered the room. Celestia’s eyes widened, that was the stallion who kept showing up at various points in her memories! “Not with what you’re up against. Not the Weeping Angels. There’s almost nothing in the universe that can stop them. Almost nothing, but you haven’t met me yet have you?”
He winked in a charming way, and Raven flushed even if the stallion’s tone was somewhat haughty.
The Doctor studied Celestia even as he spoke. She was beautiful, no getting around that. She was pure white in coat color and had gigantic, almost angelic wings. The effect was only heightened by her silky light green, pink and pale blue mane. But underneath all the beauty, the Doctor sensed a warrior who had seen the passing of many a year even if she herself looked to be in her thirties. She’d seen the fires of war, heartbreak, and happiness. Even as the Doctor studied her, she studied him. Celestia noted that despite the admittedly rather handsome stallion’s age, his eyes showed that of a man who had gone through Tartarus and back. More impressively perhaps, he had lived to tell the tale. He’d seen horrors unimaginable and lost so many to the ravages of time. And somehow, Celestia got the feeling that no matter what anypony tried to say or do, nothing could stand in his way.
“We’re alike, he and I, in a way I suppose. But he’s impossible. He’s not an alicorn, yet just by looking at him I can tell he’s seen and done it all, a warrior and yet a gentle soul,” Celestia thought to herself, pondering on this conundrum of a pony. “But there’s rage as well, a fire that never should be stoked nor ignited. I can only pity those who have the foolishness and stupidity to enrage him.”
“So, what do you suppose we do Mr…” Celestia asked, flushing slightly as she realized she didn’t know who this stallion even was.
“The Doctor.” the stallion answered, bowing.
“What exactly are you a Doctor of?” Celestia asked, gesturing for him to get up off the floor. Time was running out if what the Doctor said was true.
“Well, now there’s a question that’s never been asked enough,” The Doctor commented, sounding amused. “Let’s say… intestinal parasites.”
Raven, Celestia, and Shining all raised their eyebrows, not believing him for a moment.
“Okay, I was lying there. But I can help you,” The Doctor stated kindly before his tone became more firm. It was almost accusatory. The Weeping Angels, they’re the universe’s most oldest and deadliest predator. Once they start… Hell. That’s what about to happen to your city, Princess. Hell’s come to your city.”
“Okay, I’ll repeat Princess Celestia’s question, but my way,” Raven snarled out. “Hang on a minute. Who put you in charge? And who in the Tartarus are you, anyway?”
The Doctor grinned once more.
“I'm the Doctor. I'm a Time Lord. I'm from the planet Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous. I'm nine hundred and three years old, and I'm the man who's gonna save your lives and all of the ponies in this city that you live in. You got a problem with that?”
Nopony dared to say anything against him. Shining, somewhat in awe of the stallion, hoofed over the Doctor’s sonic screwdriver and psychic paper with a: “Here, believe these belong to you.”
“Doctor... “ Celestia began. “I’m willing to trust you, you seem to be the only one who knows about these creatures so do what you have to. I won’t stand in your way.”
Raven stared at the Princess.
“A-Are you sure about this, you barely know him!” She stammered out.
“Perhaps, but we don’t have many options at this point, do we? Plus, does he have any reason to lie to us?” Celestia asked, and Raven sighed. The Doctor smirked as he brushed off some of the dirt on his suit and adjusted his tie before that smirk turned into a wild grin.
“In that case... ALLONS-Y!”