//------------------------------// // The Doctor's Dilema // Story: The Doctor Versus the Night // by Jacker //------------------------------// "SURPRISE!" With that, lights blared to life inside the library revealing party decorations and nearly fifty mares and stallions, the same mares and stallions he'd been avoiding for nearly a month. He had just gotten back from the TARDIS to tell Twilight the news. He did not expect this.... Awkwarrrrrd.... "Well- woah- wow!" he stuttered, not really knowing what to say. Sure, the Doctor had crashed many parties in his time, Rory and Amy's wedding guests could attest to that, but he had never had a party thrown in his honor. Ever. "You really didn't have to my fine equine friends-" "What?! Everypony deserves a party when they move to Ponyville!" the familiar pink pony who he'd seen occasionally hopping around town beamed while rushing over towards him. "And now you can finally have one and make lots of new friends! You've been so busy with your TARDIC that Twilight told me you couldn't have one but then Rainbow Dash said you had gotten the power back online in your TARDIC and I was so- mph mph mhp mph mphhhhh!" Rainbow Dash (apparently not Rainbow Smash) had ended Pinkie's barrage of her tightly contained thoughts with a hoof. "That's supposed to be a secret..." she whispered. And it was TARDIS.... TARDIS! Really, how easy was that to forget? The Doctor refrained from throwing her a somewhat thankful glance to spare the sugar-filled pony's feelings, instead opting to throw her an annoyed one with a raised eyebrow. "Have you been spying on me?" Around him he could hear the curious murmurs of ponies. "What's a TARDIC?" "Who is this pony, really?" "Does he know how sexy he looks with that bow tie?" Alright, he may have made the last thing up. But he was sure they were all thinking it. Rainbow Dash simpered, placing nervous hoof behind her mane. "Well uh... I was just checking up on you occasionally actually. Twilight asked me to keep an eye on you... soooo yeah, I've kind of been spying on you the last few days or so." The Doctor sighed, giving Twilight an annoyed look, "Thanks for your concern..." He then took a glance around the library. The ponies here truly were truly kind creatures. Though it was reasonable to say that his connection to Twilight had gotten him this party, apparently it was commonplace for the pink pony to hold welcome parties for every random stranger who had just taken up residence in town. He took a deep breath. If only he weren't such a traveler... this would truly be a nice place to live. So innocent and pure, so.... warm. And now he'd be asked to mingle with a bunch of ponies he'd probably never see again, only from the shadows. Sometimes things just weren't fair. But whatever, he'd make the best of it. With a smirk, he turned to pink pony. "Have any good tunes?" Her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree at that, "Do you know who you're talking to?!" (He really didn't) Like a lightning bolt, the pink pony somehow seemed to teleport across the room to the record player. Soon the sounds of an extremely catchy tune filled the treehouse. Really, he knew he was going to be humming it in the TARDIS the next few weeks or so. And so the party began. The Doctor may have been a bit of socially awkward, but he knew how to fun. He was soon dancing along with pretty much everyone else, and actually found it a bit easier to do in pony form. Still, he couldn't help but garner a few chuckles, being a bit better at it still meant goofy in the Doctor's case. It was whatever though, they didn't mean to hurt his feelings. Everything about the party was in good cheer. And he wasn't alone, Twilight seemed to be a bit... inexperienced at it as well. Probably because she didn't really spend much of her time at social settings either. As the night drew on the Doctor was surprised he didn't get any more questions about the TARDIS. An intriguing young brown stallion heading into the woods every day to work on a mysterious project? Who wouldn't be curious. Luckily, it seemed the ponies realized he wanted to keep it at that, a secret, and stayed away from the subject. The pink one and Rainbow Sma-Dash seemed to know, but now that the pink one knew to keep a lid on it and since Rainbow Sma-Dash was apparently the Element of Loyalty, he assumed the beans would remain from being spilled for the most part. Eventually, when he was at the punch-bowl, the pink one walked up to him. "How are you liking the party, Doctor?" He threw her a smile a smile. "Loving it, really. I'm not much of a party animal but... I just feel so relaxed here." She smiled back to him, though her smile seemed to have a hint of thanks to it. "So... you're not mad at me?" "Of course not," the Doctor chuckled. "You didn't know to keep it a secret. If I got angry at everyone for every simple mistake they made I wouldn't have any friends." The pink one's smile widened. "So, does that mean we're friends!?" she squealed. The Doctor nodded. "Of course we are!" He could have swore the pony was going to hit the cieling when she bounced into the air. "Yayyyyyy!" The Doctor's eyes widened at this. This pony REALLY loved having friends. He knew saying that would make her day but... wow. In any other place he might call that a flaw of a personality trait to hinge ones happiness so much on what others think of you, but here... perhaps it wasn't a flaw. Perhaps it was a way to sustain eternal happiness. There didn't seem to be any ponies who would outright reject her. Even Rainbow Dash, a pony who he thought would get annoyed easily at someone like her, was on good terms. Hell, they were even best friends. They were the keepers of some sort of powerful weapon. He couldn't help but smirk at this. Celestia was one clever horse for putting all six of its wielders together oh-so-subtly and then make them study friendship so their bonds would grow even tighter. The tighter the bonds, the more potent the weaponized friendship could be. Very clever indeed. He would have to meet this Celestia one day. Of course, that was his cynical side talking. She may have also sincerely wanted her pupil to make some friends, as bonds and companionship truly could be the key road to happiness. The Doctor, unfortunately (or fortunately depending on who asks) had taken the road less traveled. Sure his companions were close to him, but he never considered them 'friends.' He considered them their mentor and guide. And in turn, they provided him with praise and ego. He wouldn't call it selfish, as it was a mutual trade, but he wouldn't call it friendship either. He sighed at this. Maybe he should settle down here... maybe divide his time half-and-half between the travels and learning a bit about this 'magic of friendship'. It wouldn't erase the pain of his past, but it may... No. No, that just wasn't him. He needed to move on. He would be leaving tomorrow to explore this new universe and perhaps find a way back to his own eventually. It may have been the road less traveled, but it was something he was born to do. Something he had to do. His life wasn't one lived to achieve happiness. He was the Doctor. His role was to stabilize the universe any way he can, to heal the wounds that often came to it. And he was sure this universe would need healing somewhere at sometime as well. Eventually, the party came to a close around midnight. Rather early for a party, but he supposed many of the ponies had work in the morning. He had chatted with a great deal of them, and found them to all have simply marvelous personalities. He would regret doing this. Making bonds would make it harder to leave.... Eventually, he made his way to the door of the basement he'd been staying at. However, before he opened it he heard Twilight call, "Can we talk a second, Doctor?" The Doctor smile, lifting his hoof off the handle, before turning to the purple Unicorn. "Hello again, Twilight." "Are you... are you sure you want to leave tomorrow?" she asked, rubbing a hoof on the ground. "My friends really like you, you know, and you made Pinkie happy by accepting her apology (ahhh, so that was her name. Pinkie of all things. Interesting to be named after a color and finger.) Everyone else liked you too... we would be happy if you stayed, and I wouldn't mind you bunking here another month." The Doctor sighed, throwing Twilight a solemn smile. "I'm sorry, Twilight, but that just isn't me." He then turned a bit more chipper, "Is it you a bit, though? Do you still want to travel with me?" Twilight nodded. "As long as we can be back a second after we leave, I don't see why not." The Doctor grinned. "You know there could be a lot of danger waiting for us out there though, right?" "Well, it isn't exactly my middle name but I think it'll be worth it," Twilight chuckled "It will be. Trust me. You're going to have a wonderful few months," the Doctor said, before turning the handle of his door and making the way down to the cellar. "Pack for winter, summer, spring, the whole four seasons! You'll never know what kind of planet we may end up on." Twilight blinked at that. Wait, they were going to other planets? How was that- eh nevermind.