//------------------------------// // Chapter 17 - The Wreckage // Story: The Timepony’s Journal // by Penny_Shavins109 //------------------------------// A fire crackled across the stone-paved ground, the world coated in soot and ash. The city of Canterlot stood silent for longer than it ever had before. The shops were empty and the food running cold, nopony in sight for miles around. Where did they go and more importantly why? It'd been a hundred years since the coronation of Twilight Sparkle and something had clearly gone wrong. Underneath one of the many bridges where the iron piping drips, small droplets of the flowing water that was carried from the river nearby, contained a box that began to materialize out of thin air. As it finally became solid the ground below it slightly sank into the slurry of cracked stone and mud. Light shone through the cracks in the foundation above it casting a peculiar shadow on the new object. With a silent creak, the door opened and an elderly grey stallion trotted out, making sure to watch his step. Three others followed behind him: a younger red unicorn stallion with a black mane, an adult blue pegasus mare, and a purple unicorn foal with a shortly cropped black mane. This was the Doctor, Spark Reaction, Berry Blossom, and Susan arriving at their next destination. They looked around at the decrepit scene that laid before them. "Rather musty don't you think?" said Spark. “Yes, yes. It appears to be Canterlot yet this place that surrounds us is completely in shambles.” the Doctor replied, straightening his coat. “Well, maybe we’re near one of the back alleys. Or maybe in a maintenance area.” “I’ll fly up ahead and get a good look at the scenery above.” The conversation continued below as Berry flapped her wings and took flight. It wasn’t much of a mystery as to where they were but the when was more important. Spark and Berry were on Equestria but how long had they been gone? The TARDIS’s instruments were still “on the fritz” as Berry put it. “You think we should go have a look around ourselves on the ground level?” “No, no, we should wait for her ourselves. Splitting the party has never been good, hmm. But just look out there and around us.” “There’s a large sign right here. ‘Don’t dump bodies in the river’. Why would anypony ever want to do that?” “I don’t know Spark, but it seems like we’re in dire trouble.” Susan let out a cry as she fell off of the wall that led up to the ground above. Berry quickly tried to catch her but didn’t make it in time. The others gathered around her to make sure she was okay. She was alright but her hind leg was slightly swollen from twisting it. Berry was the first of them to tend to her wounds, soaking her light scarf in the river water to wrap around the leg and dull the swelling. "My dear child, what on Equestria were you thinking?" "I-I'm sorry grandfather, I only wanted to see for myself what was going on." "Very well, I can excuse your curiosity. It is, after all, something you likely got from me." A dull rumble sounded as some of the brick and stone began to crumble around them. "Everypony duck for cover!" Luckily they got out of the way just in time as the bridge collapsed over the TARDIS. Covered in wooden beams and stone girders, it was completely blocked off. Spark tried to buck down some of the wood but it held to firm and strong. Despite the decay, it wasn't going to budge one little bit.  "Hmm, we'll probably need some tools for this. A crowbar or maybe a hammer will do." huffed Spark. "There's a warehouse just up the lane, you and I should take a look around just in case. It is, after all, the most sensible place to look." The Doctor took the lead and paused before looking back. As usual, she was wandering off without much of a second thought. "Oh, I'm very sorry. Are you two going to be alright with us galavanting off?" "We'll be alright for now Doctor. We're in a good hiding spot and should have a good amount of time for Susan's leg to heal." "Very well then, come along Speck." "It's Spark, Doctor." Spark sighed in exasperation before following quickly behind. For an old stallion, he sure was fast. The interior of the warehouse was, as expected, completely deserted and empty. Boxes and crates laid askew across the long and musty wooden floor, mostly empty from being scavenged for resources. They hadn't found much at all, especially not a single tool for them to pry their way through the rubble surrounding their ship. Spark nearly leaped in panic as he saw somepony's hoof lying on the ground. "Who is it, and are they alive?" The Doctor placed a hoof on the body's forehoof and then the neck. "No, they're dead, unfortunately. I'm very sorry poor fellow, if only we knew what happened to you." "What's that on their head, it looks like some kind of metal brace. Perhaps it was holding their skull together?" "No, this is for a much more diabolical purpose. It seems to go into the skull, latching onto their cerebral cortex." "In Ponish?" "It's latched onto their brains and taken control over their every action. They've just been trotting dead for a long time, being forced to do things against their will. Even if they could take it off, even if they could escape, the device's removal would fry their mind entirely." "So he's just a walking corpse. It really is sad." The Doctor closed the stallion's eyes, letting him finally rest in peace. Looking on a floor a pocket calendar fell out of the stallion's coat. It read the date: November 2nd, 2164. They were a long time away from home, and now it was clear that they weren't the only ones here. A loud explosion sounded outside, causing them to rush back to the bridge where Berry and Susan were located. What greeted them was not friendly in the slightest. Berry and Susan were nowhere to be found, either taken hostage or escaped from the deadly menace. Right from the river itself raised the familiar horse-headed tank of a Dalek. It was almost the same as the one they'd encountered back on Skaro but with a slight alteration to their backs. “Do not attempt to move inferior ponies.” the Dalek spouted in its usual monotone voice. "How's this possible Doctor, I thought all the Daleks were wiped out on Skaro." "I believe that we're in an earlier period in their history. Our arrival on Skaro has yet to happen to them, this is why they're here present before us." "Silence, you will follow our orders as supreme rulers of Equus." "Supreme rulers eh, but that's impossible. In order to conquer Equus you'd need to subdue every species alive, Griffons, Ponies, Dragons, and any other living creature alike. You cannot destroy everything in this world, not at all." "Your words are inferior, you will be taken as prisoners for processing." "Hmm, and only one Dalek eh? Surely it'll take more than just one." Several Daleks crept out of varying places such as the bushes, behind walls, and even more out of the river. "Seems you may have spoken too soon. Please make sure we don't end up as walking zombies." "You still have my word my colt. I will truly get you back home someday soon." The Dalek's ship was a large flying saucer sitting on the ground, a ramp open for them to slide upon. It seemed that their small alterations allowed them to glide across smooth surfaces without the need for static electricity. The air once again had that familiar sterile smell like in the city. It was like they'd begun to infect Equus with the grand vision of perfection that was Skaro. There were plenty of ponies around them of varying tribes, ages, and gender, most of them wearing the same metal gear on their heads with the dead look of horror frozen into their eyes. Those that weren't being controlled looked to be on the edge of death, starving and tired from being overworked. They all carried baskets of minerals and ores from a mine a not so far distance away, likely to power the ship or aid in their plans. These monsters had no mercy whatsoever for their enslaved workers. Everything was grim and hopeless, hopefully, that would all change soon. There was nothing they could do at the moment except be carried away by the Daleks to the same fate as those being forcefully controlled.  Then suddenly, several explosions occurred. Small black bombs exploded on the Dalek's metal casings and shattered it like glass. Only a few Daleks were destroyed, but a lot of their prisoners got away including Spark. The Doctor was not so lucky though. He could see Berry and Spark off in the distance, congratulating themselves before seeing him and looking horrified. They'd saved so many yet still lost him to the Daleks. The processing machine was a large set of three probes hovering over a small platform. He was forced down and strapped down to prevent him from any escape at all. He had to rely completely on the resolve of his friends to get him back to safety. A Dalek nearby stayed silent as it activated the machine, the probes pulsating with light that stretched across his mind. He became more delirious and tired, closing his eyes but trying not to sleep. He had to stay strong, he must stay strong, for what would his friends do without him? His slumber did not last long as Spark and another stallion lifted him up off of the table. Had it been minutes, hours? There was no telling time with his weariness causing him to almost collapse upon standing back up. It felt like he’d failed them by allowing himself to be captured. It wasn’t in any way his fault but emotions weren’t always rational. It took a while before he was taken to the rebellion base hidden away in a deeper corner of Canterlot. The natural streets hadn’t been used by rebels in years due to heavy surveillance of the primal areas in the city. Constantly Spark and some other stallion constantly evaded the Dalek’s watching eye , he knew he had to do something soon or else all of this would fall apart. The fabric of Equestria was a delicate thread that had yet to be cut. Even on an alien planet to his he felt a bit of connection here, an urge to protect what may be a new home. He’d always kept to himself whether it be in school or the TARDIS when they were on Equestria. The camp wasn’t far now, and nothing was going to stop them. The inside of the camp was bustling with worn down ponies of every variety just like the enslaved. It was amazing to see them put aside their differences for a certain cause, but if only it wasn’t so dire. Everypony had a part to play here like in a well oiled machine. Even the foals were working, washing dishes and counting rations. The Doctor was taken away from the main room and into the makeshift barracks. Here he could rest safely, but he could hear his friends talking in the other room planning out their next move. “It’s good that we have more ponies in our group after freeing the prisoners at the Dalek ship but it still isn’t enough.” said Susan in a more serious tone than before. “You said you’ve fought them before?” said the stallion who rescued him earlier. He didn’t really get a proper introduction but the Doctor thought he had said he was Open Sky. He was olive green with a dark brown mane that dropped over his shoulder. He was clearly used to the life provided here and was certainly trying to do something about it. “Yes, the Daleks don’t have their need for solid metal surfaces anymore but they still have the weakness of mobility. They’re slow and can be struck from behind. Now that we have a weapon that breaks the casing easily it should be a piece of cake once we get all the resources.” It was truly amazing seeing what she could do on her own but it was also sad. She’d always clung to his side wanting to be like him, but now she’s changing like the planet. Equus always changes ponies in some strange way. Susan was growing up, and someday soon she’d go out into the world on her own and not need him anymore. The Doctor slowly awoke from his nap, still tired and woozy from the mental processing the Daleks forced him into. Brushing his mane and straightening his coat he trotted out onto the main floor. He was in a unit separate from the main base set up for sleeping quarters just in case one sector was raided by those nasty creatures. Just the thought of them put a sour taste in his mouth. Today was just not his day it seemed. The group had been split up for so long that he felt a distance between them all. It was a first considering they'd been so tightly knit, even in times of trouble. So many new experiences and he was still so young by Time Lord standards. Gallophrey may have been long behind him but there was still more to come. Berry and Spark were gathered around a pony with a hind wheel brace since his legs had stopped working, holding a hodge-podge metal sphere with a large button in it. "I call this Dalekanium, since it's made from an acid containing a liquid version of the metal. You see the thing about Daleks is that their only vulnerabilities come from themselves. If we can use that method it could give us a high advantage at ridding this planet of those foul beasts. Quite poetic in a way actually." He rotated the sphere in his hooves, letting them observe the mechanism. It was a simple explosive yet very effective. The only problem being was the lack of resources. Dalekanium had to be stripped off the shells of dead or nonfunctioning Daleks, which was a rarity in and of itself. The somber tone was in the air again, Susan looking around confused as if she sensed something. The Doctor could almost sense it too, like something inevitable was going to happen. "Now, we have word that the Daleks are going to plant a bomb around here soon. We don't know how and we don't know when. That's our major issue so we may need to reloca-" Just before the stallion could finish his sentence a loud rumble shook the entire building. Crumbs of dust dribbled down from the ceiling as the Dalek barrage from outside waged on. Gunfire could be heard, the first from a once peaceful race now forced to resort to cruel violence. He handed the Dalekanium bombs to some of the soldiers as another advantage point in the ever-growing war. “We’ve got to escape, NOW! Go, go, GO!” Ponies ran frantically to and fro towards the exit, yet somehow able to do so in an orderly fashion. A Dalek screamed, the Dalekanium acid drooling down their seamless casings. It melted them as it should, the perfect design. The Doctor was witnessing everything. It was the first time he’d ever seen a true battle, both sides in nearly equal forces. It was terrifying, and he never wanted it to ever happen again. Luckily they were able to arrive at the secondary shelter where the surviving escapees from their previous location met up with them. Just another terrifying word to sum up the whole moment, survive. Not everypony had made it alive as known by the headcount. With a deep breath and a heavy heart, he fully got back onto his hooves and carried on forward. “Doctor, are you alright?” asked Spark heavily concerned. “Yes, yes. I think that I’ll be just fine. It’s this blasted war between pony and Dalek that sickens me. Get Berry and Susan back here, we’re going to stop this Dalek invasion on Equus once and for all.” The Dalek base stationed in Canterlot laid on top of the mountain, connected to several mine shafts. The plan was to send two of their chief technicians, Berry, Spark, and one of the few Griffons for extra muscle. The older stallion, the grandfather of a stallion that Susan had been spending a lot of time with, continued to develop the Dalekanium acid and bombs that would soon be the main artillery. The Doctor was off to the side near some bails of hay, taking stock of their resources. He saw Susan trot up from behind him and greeted her with a warm smile and a small hug. “So grandfather, what’s the next course of action?” “Well, why don’t you give me a suggestion, my dear. I haven’t really been talking to you as of lately.” “I know grandfather, it’s hard to stay together in a dangerous place like this. But we always come back together don’t we?” “Yes we do, my foal, but I’ve seen all of the great work you’ve done. You and I do have quite a lot in common.” “Maybe when Berry and Spark get here we can finally sit down and relax again. It’s been so long and we’ve been through so much together.” “Yes, yes. It rather does feel like an eternity from when we started out in the junkyard. We’re different ponies now though, and I’m proud of who you’ve become.” “Oh grandfather.” The two of them sat on a bail of hay, truly talking to each other for the first time in a long long while. Later on, the Doctor and Susan regrouped with the other rebels to converse on their portion of the plan. It was their duty to split into parties of three and defuse as many Dalek bombs planted around Canterlot as possible. Canterlot was the highest point of the Dalek control, meaning that once they reconquered the capital they had the best chance of wiping the Daleks off of the rest of the planet. With the help of the Doctor and Susan, they were able to devise a tracker that could easily locate the explosive devices within a tenth of a mile at best. They weren't always reliable but they were the best bet with their long-range location. The Daleks would be swarming and guarding every corner of the city looking for the advancing rebels as they continued to grow in both strength and numbers. Different rebel factions existed across the globe, awaiting any new developments on progress. They had an army and all they had to do was position it the right way and the battle was theirs. They were off, with the clock as much of an enemy as the Daleks. The Doctor, the stallion called Frozen Forest, that  Susan had been hanging around for so long and Susan herself were grouped together and camped out near an area where they tracked a bomb on the move. They cautiously prepared, the Doctor starting to feel dizzy again as time wore on. The effects of the Dalek mind control machine we’re still slightly affecting him in the background like a slight migraine. He was able to ignore it for now, but as the Daleks drew closer and closer he continued to feel nauseous, slowly fading in and out of consciousness.   “I-I have to...protect...Susan,” he muttered to himself before finally collapsing from the strain. He could hear her cry out faintly, feeling like he was failing at the first thing he swore to do. He was putting her in more danger, and he blamed himself. Luckily he was hidden in the small camp behind the rubble of an old wall. The robotic voices of the Daleks were nearby, the Daleks planting the first of their ring of explosives that would surely destroy Canterlot if detonated. He tried fighting it, but he was still a weak and old stallion. He thought of what he should do next, laying out the next plan of action to Susan Berry and Spark. They’d become more of a family than anyone on Gallophrey. How long had it been since they were all together like this, hours, days? The Doctor wasn’t sure. When he awoke the bomb had thankfully been defused by Frozen with Susan’s assistance. “Are you going to be alright grandfather? I know you’ve been through quite a bit today.”  “Yes, yes, I’ll be alright for now. But you should go on without me, I’ll just return to the base and get some rest.” “B-but grandfather-“ “I know the way, and I can handle myself. You know that, my foal.” There was a moment of silence between the three of them, Forest not entirely sure what to say at the moment. “What if we go with you? Just to make sure you’re safe and don’t run into anymore Daleks. If something triggered a reaction to make you collapse you’d be vulnerable.” said Frozen concerned. “I know the risks and those are ones that I’m willing to take. Now, you two take care of each other. And especially don’t get into any trouble without me.” They all had a bit of a laugh before packing up and parting ways. There was a report called in by the rest of the bomb squad, updating their position and success. No casualties yet, so that was a positive. The Doctor trudged on, doing his best to avoid the wandering eyestalks of Dalek patrol units. At the same time, he began to get lost in thought, contemplating on what to do now.  “I’m not holding anyone back... am I?” the Doctor thought to himself. “Everypony’s drifting away from me. Spark, Berry, and Frozen had to rescue me from the Dalek ship. That led to Susan and Frozen needing to protect me due to those wretched machine’s influence on my mind. I feel like a fool... have I really done everything I can?” Shortly after his wandering thought, he arrived at the current rebel base. Frozen’s grandfather sat at the table, continuing to perfect the already adequate Dalekanium weapon. He was working out how to synthetically create the Dalekanium acid rather than boiling down a chunk of a dead Dalek. “Why hello there, nice of you to stop by. How’s the mission going?” The Doctor paused, thinking over his words. “Frankly, there are times when I feel like a burden to the others around me. Before we were the closest of friends and even family. Now Susan is off gallivanting with Forest with no need of staying behind to help a silly elder stallion such as myself. Not to mention Spark and Berry, I’ve barely seen their faces all day.” “I know the feeling, being in this wheelchair since an accident fifteen years ago when Forest was still young. He cared for me every single day, but I had a feeling he couldn’t just look after me anymore, he had to grow up. It took a little push and an alien invasion but eventually, he left my side. Not for good of course, no never that. Even when he’s gone I know he’s here in my heart and fuels my spirit every day. Do you think the same of your friends, Doctor?” The Doctor’s mouth felt dry, knowing what he’d later have to do. The fight wasn’t over yet though. Again the Daleks interrupted him, practically chanting in that hideous robotic tone. They’d seen him, wandering across the desecrated buildings stealthily yet they had still tracked his every move. He’d led them right here to the rebel base, even though it was mostly empty. “The enemy has been spotted. Exterminate and destroy, exterminate, and destroy!” With a single fire of a Dalek gun, Forest’s grandfather went down. Another casualty in this everlasting war. The Doctor stood over the barely breathing body of the stallion he’d started to grow close to, somepony that seemed to understand him. But the stallion’s life had been snuffed out in the blink of an eye. That was all it took to kill a pony, and many had fallen before him in this peaceful world. Guards rushed in and joined the fight, the sounds of the battle waging around them, but the Doctor could not hear it. It was all just a blur of random cacophonies to him. “Please... tell Forest I always loved him. He can handle himself now... on his own.” With that he passed, the final bit of life fading from his eyes. The Doctor picked up a large amount of the Dalekanium Bombs, angrily hurling them at the Daleks over and over until they were all vulnerable enough for his escape. Some exploded, others simply cracked and melted. He then grabbed the notes on the explosives and made a bolt for it. No doubt those monsters would burn them to save their metal hides. Then he stopped, standing still in the center of Canterlot square. Typically the sounds of Dalek patrol units were easily heard around him. Everything was starting to spiral out of control, somepony even dying at his hooves. He had caused it, even with his cautiousness there was nothing that he could’ve done. He didn’t think that to himself though. Nothing but silence for what felt like ages. No violence, no Daleks, no death. Just absolute silence. Then he could hear the uproar of hundreds of Daleks and ponies alike. Rushing over to a balcony overlooking the mines he saw every Dalek slave destroying their captors, freeing the masses after years of torturous labor. Berry and Spark’s mission to reprogram the Dalek slaves must’ve been a success as they were assisting the rebels in their plight to destroy the enslavers. The Doctor smiled, his work was done. But at what cost had it come from? He took a deep breath, sighed, and headed back to the base where no doubt everypony would be celebrating their newfound freedom. It was a wonderful party, finally meeting up with the rest of the group from another successful toppling of a corrupt regime. But the Doctor couldn't ignore the pit in his stomach, how short everything had felt when he remembered it all. That was just the perspective of the memories, how time continued to march forward for himself yet he could go in any direction in time for anyone else. It was sad, he wanted to turn back time just a little. At least enough to prevent the Daleks from capturing him and to make sure he didn't lead the Daleks to a near-abandoned rebel base. He had a time machine but he couldn't change his own past, that was the number one rule that even he couldn't break.  "Is everything alright Doctor?" asked Berry, a concerned look on her face. "Yeah, you've just been staring off away from the party for the past few minutes," Spark said. "It's nothing, still just a tinge of drowsiness from the Daleks’ machines. It's really getting to me at the moment, especially since I haven't had the comfort of being with you all the time like before." "It's alright grandfather, you'll always have us even if we're apart. Whether it be Daleks, ancient warriors, or anything of the like we'll always come back together in the end just like right now." That made him smile. Susan and her own innocence had always brightened his day. She wasn't the same foal that ran away with him from Gallophrey only a few months prior, nor the young mare that had begged to stay in one place on Earth in a near ancient time compared to theirs. "This is a party for us and our victory, I suppose a little cheering up would be in order." The party lasted for hours on end, but the moment itself felt endless. He did share his grievances with Forest, mourning over the loss of his grandfather, somepony he'd cherished for years. Everything stays the same but changes little by little every second. It was nearly no effort to free the TARDIS from its forced containment in a cage of metal girders and wires. Berry and Spark had already entered the ship, starting to wind down from all of their fun over the past few hours.  "Is it alright if I say goodbye to Forest, grandfather? We've been through quite a lot together." "Yes, yes. Take your time, my dear." Susan sadly trotted over to her compatriot, the Doctor stepping through the doors and into the bright mint green console room.  He looked over at the scanner before turning a dial, locking the doors. When Susan tried to re-enter she tugged on them, only to find that she was being denied reentry. "Grandfather, what's going on?" "Listen Susan please, I've double-locked the doors so you can't get in. Stand back my foal so I can see you on the scanner."  Susan took a few steps back, not certain of what was going on. This had never happened before, then again neither had many things they'd experienced on their travels. "During all the years, I've been taking care of you, you in return have been taking care of me." Susan began to cry, not believing any of the words she was hearing. "But grandfather, I belong with you!" "Not any longer, Susan. You're still my grandfoal and always will be, but now, you're a mare too. You've grown up, all without me. I want you to belong somewhere, to have roots of your own. With Forest, you'll be able to find those roots and live normally as any mare should do. Believe me, my dear, your future lies with Forest, and not with a silly old buffer like me." The Doctor looked up from the console, barely able to even look at her face; he was still sad. He knew that she might not grow into the pony that she wants to be if she keeps tending to his side. Just like Forest did she had to move on, even if it took a bit of a push to do so. Even though this was a bit more than he wanted, he still wasn't good at emotional situations. He stared into the eyes of his grandfoal for the last time for a very long while. "One day, when the TARDIS is fixed, I shall come back. Yes, I shall come back. Until then, there must be no regrets, no tears, no anxieties. Just go forward in all your beliefs, and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine. Goodbye, Susan, goodbye, my dear." With the shift of a switch, the TARDIS was gone. It dematerialized away with no certainty that it'd ever be able to return to this time or place. The TARDIS wasn't easy to control, but in time he'd return. One day he would truly see her again.