Interlude: Strange Behavior
The Doctor was thrilled; he had a new companion! Finally some company, it was nice. He wasn’t alone for that long, technically, but regenerating alone...it was uncomfortable. He didn’t want to repeat that. Yet like always he bounce back, and now he was better than ever.
Now he was a new man, a new Doctor, someone ready to explore the Galaxy, see the sights, maybe fight some bad guys. But most likely he just wanted to have some fun. Also he now had someone right away to share in his adventure. Sure Sunset wasn’t someone he’d usually pick, her strange demeanor, her temper, actually thinking on it, she seems to fit the bill for a Companion.
It had been-what a few hours, no longer than a day at least since he picked up Sunset and already he was on top of the world. So dancing to some Disco Girl was just what he was doing to celebrate
“Oh yeah- shake that booty Doctor.” He said to himself as he shook it around the TARDIS console room. “I haven’t been this agile in years.”
It’s true this was probably his youngest body to date, not even five was that young compared to eleven.
“Now old girl, let's get this party started we got all of time and space to, the world is our stage and I feel like dancing.”
His TARDIS council had become a mess instantly the minute he took the controls, papers and gadgets and gizmos laid everywhere. A few newspapers he found he scattered to take a look at what he was missing and maybe find a good place to explore. In Paris for instance, there had been sights of strange costumed freaks running around. In the state of Oregan there had been reports of things that could only be described with one word: Weird, one paper came from the Equin nebula; apparently tensions had risen between the two major powers of the time period.
So many places so many opportune places to go, all the Doctor could right now was dance and sing about it.
“Disco girl-coming through, that girl is you.” The Doctor sang as he piloted the TARDIS. “Oooooh! Oh, I don’t know why people hate this song, it is a beautiful thing to this universe. Now if only I can my Jizz record signed I’d be a complete man of music.”
He did a small twirl as he jammed to the music.
“I don’t care if I’m the only non-human who likes this song.” He declared getting excited. “Hopefully one day I’ll find someone who enjoys these show tunes like me, I mean they are number one for a reason. Well except for that one boy band that was cloned in a factory, had to put a stop to that-that’s pretty much slavery, at least clone slavery.”
Doing a little jig while messing with the control he wanted to know where Sunset was so that he could begin the introductory process of all the important aspects of space time and what not. Pushing a few buttons and dialing a few nobs he looked at the TARDIS screen to find where Sunset had gotten too, and apparently she had found the movie room.
“Oh-cinema file yay.” The Doctor grinned. “If I’m lucky maybe she’ll be a big fan of one of my favorite movies-Mama Mia or even better The Room.”
He danced his way to the movie room, skipping a beat and a shaking his way through the metal halls of the TARDIS, as the music. Loving it he wondered what sorts of movies Sunset liked to watched, or even what he hobbies were. If he was going to work with this new companion then it would be best to get to know her in all the best ways possible. Perhaps they could bond over something they had bond over-Bond, maybe she was into James Bond. That would definitely a good place to-
“MWAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!” Sunset Shimmer, of course, was just practicing, for fun, in case she’d ever have use for it later.
Immediately the Doctor froze maniacal laughter always mean villains and villains meant -bad things. And it was coming through the movie room, that mean the companion was in trouble. Or worse a bad guy was in his TARDIS and that mean he would have to get the locks changed again and getting the locks changed would be a nightmare.
Interdimensional locksmiths were the worst, they were expensive and they did everything on the cheap.
“Don’t worry Sunset the Doctor is coming.” The Doctor burst through the door only to trip and fall on himself but jumping up instantly sonic screwdriver in hand. “Don’t worry Sunset i’m here for-for-”
Nothing.
Nothing seemed wrong, in fact everything quite calm. Sunset was sitting on the couch one army leaned back as she was watching a movie-and looking quite calm. She was watching Sleeping Beauty of all films- classic.
“Yo.” She said raising a eyebrow. “Can I help you?”
The Doctor looked around confused. “Oh I heard maniacal laughter?”
“Oh-” Sunset shrugged. “Probably just the movie, or me I practice laughter from time to time, just in case I need it”
“Uh-” The Doctor turned to see Sunset watching Sleeping Beauty, Maleficent right now. “I mean-I suppose, isn’t that like practicing sneezing or breathing, why would you do it.”
“Because I’m practicing because she so gets me.” Sunset said taking a big chunk of popcorn. “She and Grimdale
“What is evil witch/queen part of the career goal.”
Sunset shrugged putting her feet on the coffee tabel. “Gotta think of something all I know is I’m gonna aim big, and bombasity is all part of it.”
Again another explosion from the movie.
“She so GETS ME!” Sunset said as if making a emotional connection.
The Doctor turned to look at Sunset and then at Maleficent.
“Yes because I see the resemblance, i’m sure poisoning apples and turning into dragons are big things at school.”
“Pfft-Villains get me WAY more than heroes.”
The Doctor sat down leaning against the wall. “Because there edgy? Hero’s can be edgy too, I mean I consider myself- Well a few of me consider themselves heros.”
Sunset raised an eyebrow. “You look like the kid we dunk their head in the toilet.”
“That’s happened to me a few times too-but really these two GET you, they are fiction how do they get you..”
“It’s true.” Sunset said defensively. “They are overdogs like me, people who are top of their game, and will fight anything above and below them to continue to rise, again like me. The best of the best again ….”
“Like you…”The Doctor looked confused. “Yes well hopefully in your travels will learn that the overdog isn’t necessarily a good things, this world is made of underdogs after all and they will surprise you.”
Sunset scoffed. “Doubt it.” She grabbed a bowl of chips nearby and took a bite. Clearly in her mind the Doctor didn’t ‘get her’ good thing he didn’t know about her secret FanFic.net account, he wouldn’t ‘get’ her stories either.
The Doctor took a deep breath before heading off, if there was one thing that he guessed he would have to deal with was his new companion sense of ego. Sure he had a few hot heads in the past, a few minds he needed to have come down to earth but Sunset this was different, and being at such a young age, even younger than someone like old Ace was at the time, she was going to need a bit extra persuasion of the matter.
Youth tended to see themselves as immortal and indestructible that was going to be something he’d have to get out of her and fast if she was going to survive in a galaxy that the one he was used too.
As the Doctor walked off Sunset just sat back and took a moment to continue ‘practicing’ her laughter, while in reality she was just enjoying the pretty princess getting what was coming to her.
“Pfft, see don’t touch things that are dirty.” Sunset snickered taking another bite of chips. “Mm this are good, wish I had cheese with them, or a casadia, mm human food is good.”
Sunset of course loved villains, Princesses were just so-so well she didn’t want to think about it to much all she knew was that she hated princesses. Hated them with a passion, if she could ban the world of princesses she could. Not literally princesses. She reveled in being royalty, even wrote about it a few times. But those girls who pretended to be just so sweet, just so honorable...deep down, she knew that everybody was a liar about that. They were all rotten, in the end. No exceptions. So why not start out that way and leave all pretense aside.
-000-
“And this Sunset is the TARDIS kitchen.” The Doctor stood before a single fridge.
Sunset looked confused. “Not much a kitchen.”
“On contrary the fridge is like other parts of the TARDIS it’s connected to your mental telepathic systems. It will cook food JUST to you're specifications, temperature, sauce anything and it will specially know what you want before you want it. That way you’ll have the perfect meal eating experience.”
The Doctor prided himself in his kitchen, sure he didn’t eat much-drinking was another matter depending on the incarnation. But his companions loved some of the food the TARDIS would cook up for them over the centuries. Good food too not just fried food that so many countries now used. Except for a few companions that fried food was there real source of substance, but even then it was the best fried food in the Milky Way.
Sunset seemed unsure, yet her stomach growled she hadn’t eaten anything since she left earth, whenever that was. Slowly approach the TARDIS refrigerator almost hesitant to see what was inside. Yet she opened it anyway opening one eye to see- A burger, two actually.
“Oh nice.” The Doctor took one of the burgers. “I do like indulging myself in human food as you know.”
Sunset blinked ant took a moment to think about what it meant before the Doctor took a bite and chewed it. Only for his face to freeze his eyes widen and to suddenly spit it out on the floor.
“Oh gross! Heigh!” The Doctor lifted his tongue to see the yellow weeds sticking out. “What on earth is wrong with this TARDIS.” He tossed the burger aside and closest the fridges, opening it again as it revealed some mouthwash.
Sunset stepped back in surprise.
The Doctor grinned; he liked to surprise his companions, each and every time! “I did say it reads minds didn’t I?”
“Yeah but-”
“Hey I don’t judge people on their food or drinking habits, only when it starts to becoming a problem will I judge.”
-000-
Sunset leaned back on the railing as she watched the Doctor mess around with the controls. She was tapping her toes looking impatient. She had come out here now after a while of just standing in her room doing whatever the Doctor didn’t want to know. She had been a curious girl. Her favorite place so far had been the library were she looked through as many books as possible. But now she was board and clearly wanting something to happen.
“What?” The Doctor asked keeping a focus on the controls.
“Nothing” Sunset said darting her eyes around. “Nothing….at….all.”
The Doctor shrugged. “Alright.
Again Sunset started strapping her toes again looking quite impatient, as if expecting something to happen. She bit her lip and looked like she was constipated or something
The Doctor again took notice and sighed. “What? Am I doing something wrong?”
“No-no...It’s just……”
“What?”
“I don’t know…...Aren’t you gonna…..Sing about working on the TARDIS or something.”
“Why would I do that, I mean I do like humming a diddy every now and then but what should I do a entire musical number. Have some song and dance routine with a few show people in the background doing backup while I talk about how great the TARDIS is and all the places in space time we are going to visit throughout the journey.
Sunset paused before stating matters a factly. “Yes.”
The Doctor seemed taken a back, this was definitely not the answer he expected. “Well I uh-uh...Hmm….”
“It’s okay I’m fine.” Sunset said looking nervous now. “I-I just thought aliens are weird and do that thing>”
“Well I don’t know what movies you are watching but please, I don’t sing.”
“Oh-” Sunset ears flopped down looking disappointed.
“Now six he did, or at least a few times and I'm….and…..” The Doctor frowned seeing Sunset disappointed face.
It was strange, why would she want him to sing. Still if music was what the companion wanted who wa he to not oblige. But what? Prince? No-to formal not appropriate here. Beatles..Nah. Then suddenly it came to him, he knew just what he would do. Typing quickly on the TARDIS computer he began to play some classical music as he adjusted his bow tie.
“Watch this.” He smirked.
I’m Lord President of the Seas.
Keeper of the Legacy of Time
Commander of the Fleets of Rassion
Defender of Gallifrey….
“Nope, nope……” Sunset shook her head stopping him. “Not that.”
“Okay…..”
Then finally he had it, turning to his TARDIS radio he activated it and began playing a light jig.
“Disco Girl….Coming through...That girl is you.”
Sunset jaw dropped. “You know what forget I asked, will skip out on musical numbers later.”
“Oh come on, this is good stuff-you're missing out!”
“Nope-I forget I asked!” she grinned
The Doctor grinned back: “Well, I remembered for you!”
He put the record down on a record player - it was a deluxe edition, complete with a 12” mix, an instrumental cover, and a very inappropriate song that happened to be recorded at roughly the same time by the same people, and had largely fell out of obscurity - it wasn’t even released on iTunes.
The Doctor began to dance wildly, his hands in the air, his fingers close together on each hand, like flippers: It was the Drunken Giraffe. Sunset shook her head and tried to facepalm, but it was hard not to smile.
-000-
“I know you like your jacket and all but if you ever want to change I have a whole wardrobe filled to the brim with clothes of all sorts. I know how teenage girls like clothes at least that's what the magazines said.”
Sunset rolled her eyes. “I’m not Rarity.
“Oh don’t give me that look, I know how the ladies, and even a few males I know love fashion, allows one to express and be themselves. Once knew a few nudist friends in my times, lovely chaps they were, a bit eccentric at times. Besides anything you like will probably be better than the stuffy old robes back home.”
“Robes, never wore those before.” Sunset chuckled nervously.
She looked around the place, it was definitely a concomfony of various outfits ranging from the normal to the bizarre. One in particular looked as if a rainbow had splurged all over it. Another was just a long brown suite with blue undershirt, definitely not here. Granted she didn't mind just her regular black leather jacket. She liked it made her feel tough.
Back in Equestria though her family had...unique taste, as they would say.
“You know back in the day I used to wear leather.” The Doctor said trying to make Sunset feel more comfortable.
Sunset almost wanted to laugh. “You wear leather, you would look like a dork.”
“Hey I happen to be a good looking devilish dork in a wicked bow tie.” The Doctor said straightening his bowtie. “They are after all-cool.”
“Sure whatever.” Sunset said looking at a few more outfits one with a big scarf. “I think I’l one fine.”
Sunset was about to leave before a idea popped into the Doctor heads and he quickly stopped her from leaving just yet. “Wait, wait, I have a idea, what if we use the TARDIS physic link. It could fit a outfit perfect to your own unique personality traits.”
“I think this outfit will do.’
“True, but it’s always good to have a backup right?”
Sunset pondered this for a moment. “True-okay hit me.”
The Doctor took out a remote and pushed it as a big tube, it made a few sounds before quickly zooming out and getting a mirror in place. The Doctor of course would be pleased i’m sure and so would Sunset as she it picked her new and TARDIS approved outfit. Which….Which….Which…..Was strangely a replica of the Evil Queen outfit from Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.
No really, a near perfect replica minus the headdress, it had the slim purple dress that covered most of Sunset body, as well as the high collar black cloak that wrapped itself snugly around her shoulders and back. Sunset blinked as she looked at it and the Doctor, well he was just confused as he started giving the TARDIS a kick.
“Okay old girl first the heigh now this, now I know you are having a malfunction. Well sorry about that I’m sure you want you're leather jacket back.
“I do.” Sunset said looking at the mirror a bit in shock. “But I’ll keep this too.”
The Doctor was about to speak but paused. “Say what now?”
“I mean- it does look nice, I look quite regal in it.”
“Really?” The Doctor looked taken aback. “Seems a bit-poofy.”
Sunset nodded admiring the lacing on the cloak and the fabric of the dress “Of course -Mind if I wear it in my room.”
“Uh-” The Doctor scratched his head. “Is this a teen edge thing.”
The Doctor wasn’t entirely off; like many adolescents, Sunset went through a phase in which she found antagonists far more engaging than protagonists. On top of the fact that, as an alien on Earth, different from everybody else, it was easy to feel alone, and to latch on more to the powerful and dangerous. She perhaps didn’t conciously understand this, but she often felt sorry for herself, sorry for being so different, unable to understand what the people of this world scrambled over half of the time. The sympathetic stories of villains in this human universe were so easy to relate to. And they had magic, just as she once had, and longed for, badly.
“It's nice-can I wear it.”
The Doctor shrugged. “Sure what rocks your boat.” The Doctor wasn’t sure about her, he hadn’t a companion who was this much trouble in such a long time...
Sunset beamed and headed off as the Doctor just looked out-yep teenage psychology was definitely on the list of things to study.
“Well...She definitely has interesting taste in clothing.” The Doctor replied. “Hope this version of me isn’t judgmental. Such strange behavior though, wonder if she’s always been like that?”
Several Weeks Ago
Dimitry Ivanov arrived inside Sunset room to check up on her and seemed taken aback by what he saw. She was sitting at a desk hunch over writing something. She was also wearing the Evil Queen costume she got for her as a joke gag, but she seemed quite taken by it.
He leaned in the doorway for a minute, thinking about what he was seeing. After half a minute, he realized that now was probably the time to speak: “Hey Sunnie! What’s up?”
Sunset looked up in surprise! “Dimwit! There you are-I’m just writing my story.”
“Story?” Dima looked over her shoulder to take a look. “Didn’t take you for a writer.”
“There’s a lot you don’t know about me,” she snickered, and then covered her work with her hand; “hey, don’t read over my shoulder you idiot!”
He smiled, but then cocked an eyebrow up: “But why are you wearing that?”
Sunset rolled her eyes. “The mood, duh-I need to get into the mind of my character?”
“The Evil Queen from Snow White?”
Not again, share a few stories about characters and she starts seeing their stories as like some sort of injustice. Sunset seemed to feel that the original version of the Evil Queen was too simple a character, and thus went out of her way to expand upon her tastes and backstory until she came up with a story that put Snow far more at fault than Queen Grimhalde.
But Sunset loved writing these characters-even back home she loved writing characters like this. Any details for the characters for the stories she was told were often lost over the generations, and so she went out of her way to provide more to them. The Hearth’s Warming story she heard sounded too wishy-washy. She recalled a Draconequus in the gardens outside of Celestia’s Castle, and decided that perhaps the origin of this beast was from a horrifying synthesis of Princess Platinum, Commander Hurricane, Chancellor Puddinghead, and Starswirl the Bearded. Then she made the Draconequus the loneliest being in all of Equestria. Just as she was.
She had many problems as a filly. She was actually very socially inept back in those days, and many fillies talked about her as if she wasn’t there. Life at home wasn’t better either: Her mother was dramatic and sometimes, in anger, threatened suicide or harm to others. In fact, it was her mother’s behavior, and how it impacted her, that may have impacted how the others treated Sunset Shimmer; she just couldn’t bond with the other fillies or behave naturally with them.. Really, the only pony whom she could really turn to was her father, who taught her to be strong.
“Yes.” Sunset said. “I’m telling her true story not the one that no good Mr.Disney thinks is true, the real story about how a Dark Queen is just trying to bring some order to her country and keeps getting duped by a no good princess rebel.”
“Ok…..” Dima seemed taken aback. “Why?” He wasn’t sure if he liked this fanfiction, but he was always polite around her.
“Because people don’t get us, they think being good and pretty and happy go lucky is the way to go and bla, bla, bla….It almost discussing. This story will set things right.”
Sunset wrote down a sentence, a evil grin morphing in her face as she continued to write it out, once she put the period she burst out in her best maniacal laugh she could manage causing Dima to flinch. She was quite good at that, perhaps a little too good. Reason being that Sunset learned being dramatic was the only way to get attention.
“Guess the Queen is still evil in your story though?”
Sunset snickered. “Hey, good and evil are just names we give things; I think she’s broken. Just broken, nothing more.”
“Broken yes but still evil.” Dima said. “Trust me Sunnie, I’ve seen alot of folk in my time who’ve been broken on the force, some tragic because of the systems we have to work in others….others less sympathetic. Psychopaths generally have unhappy backstories, but they’re the most likely to commit violent crimes. Though there are occasions...rare when evil people generally have good happy life's, but they just….they’re just...well just be careful.”
“Yeah, yeah whatever, I gotta have this dumb princess choke on a roofie.” Sunset chuckled darkly as she went back at it.
Sometimes Sunset just enjoyed writing scenes that would just be her playing out fantasies in her mind that she wished she could lived out in real life. Things involving Celestia, the fillies she disliked, parents, anything. Dark expression, yes, but expression nonetheless Though she did tend to get excited and express herself through maniacal laughter.
Dima took the book from Sunset hand who grimace and read it outloud. “The Dark Queen stool tall as she looked down at her hated enemy, her laughter echoing across the hall as her red hair blew against the wind dramatically…..Yep definitely FanFicy.”
“Hey!” Sunset snapped it back. “This is art, i don’t judge your lifestyle bub..”
“Says the girl wearing a Queen costume right now….But uh...Why is the Evil Queen evil anyway.” Dima asked
“Piss off!” she said with a giggle, “You know that Snow White told her evil mother about her forbidden love with the Stable Boy, and then the mother killed her only love, and that’s why she hates Snow!”
“I really hope they don’t put that in a show,” he said, and, as an afterthought complemented with a wicked grin, “that would be just stupid.”
“Hey….” Sunset gently slapped him playfully. “It’s a good idea and you know it, plus I have all sorts of ideas for the others who stories deserve to be told properly. I mean, why did Maleficent randomly curse a baby? Well, I came up with an idea - she’s a fairy, right? And fairies have wings, don’t they? Well, I thought, what if the King, when he was young, took her wings? That’s a good idea, right?”
Dima rolled her eyes. “Sure it is….Sure it is…...You strange...strange girl.”
Earth 21st Century
Soarin’ was trembling in his room. He was the sole survivor of the Samsara incident, as far as he knew. What was he thinking? Getting people together to drive all the way to Washington
He heard a doorbell ring downstairs. He didn’t go down. He could not be the same ever again. Not after what happened.
He heard his mother answer the door. He also didn’t go down. Under any ordinary circumstances, he would have done so.
Then there was a voice at the door. “Hi, is this the Rogers household?”
“Yes, there is,” his mother’s voice replied.
“Hi, I’m Jay Edwards, I’m a member of an investigative service. It’s about what your son saw at Samsara”
“Is he in more trouble?”
“Oh no no no no no no, he’s not in trouble! I just want to talk to him, learn more! You know, standard stuff!”
Soarin’ didn’t budge. He just couldn’t bring himself to care. He heard footsteps clumping up the stairs.
A voice was outside of the door: “Is Soarin’ there?”
Soarin’ didn’t answer.
“Hi, I’m Jay and I’m here to ask what happened that night.”
Soarin’ mumbled “just open the door.”
The door open to reveal a tall black man with a buzzcut. He wore a black suit with a black tie. He eyed a seat by Soarin’s desk: “May I sit down?”
“Sure,” Soarin’ mumbled.
Jay took a seat, and eyed Soarin’ intensely. Jay noticed that Soarin’ was avoiding eye contact at all costs.
Jay rubbed his eyebrows together in frustration; what did that book by Dr. Keel Lorenz say about people who were grieving? How was one supposed to speak to them again?
Nah, fuck it. Use the direct approach. It will get results anyway. Besides, it might be the only way to get him to open up at all. “Soarin’.”
Soarin’ lifted his eyes reluctantly. Jay seemed to struggle to smile: “I’m trying to help you.”
Soarin’ took a moment to pick the words to explain his thoughts: “We took...a dare...it was all Sky Dancer’s idea, actually.”
“Sky Dancer?” Jay asked.
“A girl,” Soarin’ mumbled, “who went to school with me.”
Jay nodded. “What happened there, what did you see?”
“I saw…” he licked his lips, “I saw...a monster. A big, tall, hairy monster.”
“Man-shaped?”
Soarin’ looked at him with eyes wide in amazement: “Yes.”
Jay’s breathing went faster: “...Bigfoot?”
Soarin’s eyes widened: “...Yes.”
Jay took a minute to think about it. “I see. How did you escape?”
“I climbed out the window as quickly as I could, ran back to the car, and drove away...I…” suddenly, he broke down: “...I left them all behind! I left them all behind!” he shouted. And then, he began to weep in pain and in shame.
“Soarin’,” Jay began, “it’s okay.”
Soarin’ tried his best to put himself together: “I wish...I just wish...I could forget about it! Forget all of it! I’m going to live with the memory of me abandoning them for the rest of my life!”
“Actually,” Jay began, pulling out a silver rod with a red light, “you won’t.”