//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: Trapped! // Story: Time Bubbles // by Janicethelight //------------------------------// They were graciously thanked by the two they helped save. Everypony was still in shock about the event. It would take time for tension to die down. "Can you believe it, Doctor? They crashed down so fast and everypony was running like crazy and they were around me, so I tried to fly, but they flew too, and they blasted me with their green magic yuck and my poor wing was just so gunked up, I couldn't fly, so I fell, and I landed right on top of three of them! I helped! I actually helped you! It was the most amazing feeling, and-hey, are...you alright?" "Huh-oh, yeah. Just...shocked is all. It's not every day that things go right without a little help with me...it's a bit bittersweet feeling." "Yeah, about that. You said you have more to learn about us ponies, but you're a pony too..." "Uh, right. But, I'm not from here, so..." "Oh, you meant ponies from Equestria, then?" "Pretty much, yeah." He nodded, seeing the blue box, "But I promise I was listening. Is it really so weird for you to help? "Well, it's not that I don't want to help.It’s just that a lot of times when I try to help, I end up doing more harm than good.” “Oh, I doubt that.” “It’s true! Just last week, I was trying to help out Minuette the dentist in her office, but I knocked over the tray with her dental tools. They flew straight at her patient. If that poor pony didn’t dodge in time...I don’t even want to think about it.” “Sounds like no one got hurt.” “Thank Celestia for that.” “By the way...who is Celestia?” Derpy froze in shock a moment. She shook it off, “I keep forgetting you aren’t from around here. Celestia is our Ruler, the princess of the sun!” “D-don’t you mean queen?” “What? Oh, no. I mean Princess. In Equestria, Princess is the highest title you can achieve. I don’t think I have ever heard of a pony being called a queen..” “Why? Derpy thought about this, “I don’t know. “ She admitted. “I wonder if those invaders had a queen.” “I suppose it’s possible...have you seen them before, Doctor? Before you moved to Ponyville, that is.” “Seen? No. I can’t say that I have.” “I just hope we don’t see them again.” Derpy sighed. They had found their way back to the Tardis. Derpy was glad about the idea of going back to Ponyville. She flew in as the Doctor started pushing and prodding all around the console. Derpy watched for a moment before running over, “Hey, Doctor, can I tr-whoops!” She tripped over her own hooves, falling and rolling into the console, dislodging a few pieces while her backside rested on a section of knobs and buttons for a moment before she flew off in worry. The doctor’s face seemed pale, and his mouth was agape. “Derpy...what...what happened? How...did you manage-" The Doctor was at a loss for words. Derpy felt her heart sink. I...did it again. He won't forgive me for this...I broke his ship...how are we going to get home? How is he going to be able to fix things? He can't. Not if I'm around. I'm too clumsy to be any use as a companion... “I am...SO sorry, Doctor. I didn’t mean to...I would understand if-” The Tardis Whirred off, bouncing, and twirling faster by the moment. Derpy felt herself slide across the floor with a dizzying sensation before the spinning pushed her to a wall, the force gluing her to that spot. The Doctor was only a few feet away, trying desperately to pull against the force that stuck them to the wall. She pushed against it too, only managing to slide up the wall a bit. Slowly, the Tardis stopped it’ spinning. Derpy’s vision spun a bit after the Tardis stopped. The Doctor swayed around, trying to stop the world from moving in his mind. “Guess I should see what kind of Damage I’ve done..” Derpy sighed, slowly opening the Tardis Door. Darkness was the first thing Derpy noticed. A night with no stars in the sky and not even the moon to shed a bit of light. Snow gently drifted all around. It wasn't cold to the touch...weird. And the snow seemed to settle in odd places. She noticed small tremors every few seconds, as if the whole world was shaking, causing the snow to drift up from the ground before gently dancing back down again. Two tall buildings were seen nearby, with only a street lamp between them. The silence was deafening. Derpy’s ears drooped as she walked outside of the blue box. “Hello? Is any pony around?” she called into the nothingness. No answer. Fear gripped her heart...she didn’t know this place. The buildings looked like they belonged in a city, but no city had only two buildings in it...And where was everypony? She walked past the buildings only to run into a mysterious barrier. “Wait, what?” she put her hoof to it. She saw nothing, but felt like some sort of force field was keeping her from going any further. “Uh, Doctor...I don’t think we should stay here…” She stammered, “I want to leave!” She heard the whirring. Her eyes looked up, unbelieving at what she saw. The Tardis was leaving her. “No, no, no, no, no, no! Derpy screamed, running over to the Tardis. It disappeared. “Doctor! Please! I know you’re mad at me...I know I broke your Tardis, but don’t leave me here...please…” Tears fell from her eyes, "I'll be trapped here without you..." The realization of the last statement plunged an icy knife of grief in her heart, and Derpy cried alone in the silent two building city. She cried it out, and then took a breath, "No...I don't think the Doctor would leave me here on purpose. Not when he had such sad eyes when speaking of his other companions...I have to be brave. First thing is first...I have to figure out where I am, and the easiest way to do that is by going into the building. I should be able to find some clue there...I hope."