Wings

by Silent Bob

The Inner Light

"T-Three months," an earth pony croaked, his voice hoarse and gruff. Dried by the same wetless air that had haunted their lands all summer. "Three months.. how could a drought last this long? Where are the p-pegasi?"

He toiled and toiled upon fields that would grow no food, that would not shed any evidence of giving life. Yet still, he toiled, out of tired desperation more than the fact he thought he'd actually find one sprout, and the summer sun hovering high above, taunting him, wouldn't help.

"The pegasi aren't coming," another field worker spat. "Didn't you hear? They used up too much of their water reserve last year, and now they're having to seed only pockets with rain... sometimes I wished we lived in an area where mother nature was in charge of mother nature. We ponies have no right to control it."

"My mind says no, but my belly says something else," the first worker croaked. "If we don't get at least two rain falls on this harvest... I don't know what we're going to do-"

And suddenly, as he spoke, the sky began to darken above.

"What in the-"

"Rain!" the first worker cheered, as drop after drop began to cascade downward. "What in the world, where did that storm even come from?"

The first worker's eyes widened as he glanced to the side, motioning to a cloaked figure on the hill, two palms outstretched into the air and glowing an eerie blue.

A humanoid, cloaked figure.

"Is that a-"

The second pony blinked. "It-it is... it's a Teranid. What are they doing out this-"

"Look! In the distance!"

The first pony narrowed his eyes, glancing as storm after storm seemed to form out of think air all over the lands the Earth Pony Tribe gazed upon.

"By the Earth Mother, It's a friggin' miracle!"

The second merely smiled. "No, just a helping hand."

The first shook his head, baffled. "B-But how in the world are they just making water and not moving it?"

"Cus they are in fact makin' water," another voice said, approaching the scene. "Humans know a bit bout' alchemy even the unicorns don't."

The two field workers turned, their eyes widening at the sight of the Tribe's adviser, Smart Cookie.

"Just thought I'd go for a walk n' see what was going on," she smiled. "And I'm glad I did."
'

"With the intervention of a trained group of Teranid mages," Rainbow Dash read. "Without them, it was well believed that the Earth Pony Tribe would have sufferer major losses due to starvation. However, this would not the first time that humans had stepped in to lend a 'hand,' as their primary aperture for moving material was called. Coming out of a stage of isolation, the humans acted as mediators during squabbles between the three pony tribes in the area, and also helped introduce them to the arctic ponies, whom the three had not known of. Their ability to communicate with winter itself allowed them to bring natural storms from the north the pegasi would have taken years to do."

At that, Rainbow Dash closed her book, smiling. "See, not so bad, huh?"

Tom merely stood silent, blinking occasionally as his mind went over the information.

"Your dad's a wise man, just like my own. One time he told me something that's stuck to me ever since, and that we shouldn't ever judge anything soley by what it is at the worst of times or best of times, we have to weigh the good qualities against the bad."

The Teranids... for no apparent reason had seen the tough times the Earth Ponies were going through... and had decided to intervene. They weren't rewarded for it save for a thank you or two. They just... couldn't bare to see them suffering when they could do something about it.

"You see, Tom. We're all capable of great good when our heart's aren't clouded by anger. You know what I'm saying?"

Tom smiled slightly. "I know what you're saying. And if the humans were like this here..."

"It's probably the same on your own world. Think of it, Tom: there's got to be something besides war and depression going on there, right? Not to sound like some cheesy poet, but: a light in the dark, I guess?"

He thought for a second. "Well..."

Dashie put on a cheeky smirk. "Come on..."

Tom gulped. "I-I just... I've seen so much terrible sh-, I mean... crap during the depression. People screwing over others for money, neighbors refusing neighbors food..."

"Good points..." that same voice called from earlier, and into the scene stepped the brown pony with an hour glass for a cutie-mark. "But- let me ask you something, Tom Mayflower."

The two children's eyes widened as they swivelled about to face him.

"Y-You can see me?!" Tom gasped.

The hour glass pony simply nodded.

"B-But nobody else can," Dashie growled. "How can you?! Tom's my friend."

"Indeed," the brown pony smiled. "The friend he needs at the moment. A friend in a better world than his own, but one who he can still relate to."

Tom narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?"

"Me?" he said, quirking his head. "I've gong through many names throughout the years. I have been John Smith, I have been Time Turner, I have been the 'Great Enemy', but most simply know me as... the Doctor."

"Just... the Doctor?" Tom asked.

He nodded. "And let me ask you something Tom, something about humans: when do you usually see them doing bad actions?"

Tom squinted in though. "I don't get what you mean..."

"What kind of emotional states are they in."

"I-I don't know," he grunted. "Angry? Afraid? Sad?"

"Exactly. And there is a lot of that going around in your time, isn't it? And soon, there will be much more..."

"So you're saying humans can be considered monsters are the worst of times, but angels at the best?"

"Yeah, just spill what you mean," Rainbow Dash grunted. "Come on, Tom, let's get out of-"

The Doctor shook his head, chuckling slightly. "Hold on a second, you two. Tom: even at the worst of times humans are capable of great things. Even right now, in Alabama, churches are hard at work providing for the needy, even if those needy would have nothing to do with god. That's because, they know, deep down inside that the only way to bring out the inner light in people is to... share a little of your own."

"So spreading good... will help solve the problem?" Tom asked.

"Indeed," the Doctor nodded. "And you're just the type of person needed to do that. You're disturbed by your world and have a desire to fix it. May we speak alone for a second?"

"Nuh-uh! He's staying with me," Rainbow growled defensively, stamping between Tom and the Doctor and narrowing her eyes.

"It will only be a second," the Doctor noted, smiling slightly.

"It's alright, Rainbow," Tom said, nodding. "He seems alright."

Dashie lowered an eyebrow, before taking a deep breath. "Fine, but do anything to hurt him, and filly or not, I'm kicking your flank!"

"By all means: I deserve it more than anyone," the Doctor sighed, before leading Tom to a silent area.

As Tom stood awkwardly, the Doctor glanced about a brief second, before gazing right into his eyes.

"What are you doing here, Tom Mayflower?"

"What is this, an interrogation?! Are you the Equestrian secret service or something? How do you even know my name?"

The Doctor gave a chuckle. "As for your name, I heard you and your blue friend talking, so no, I'm not the secret service. I merely have a... connection with this universe. I can feel when a foreign entity enters it, and you- you are a foreign entity."

"Hmph, I'm still not sure this isn't just my imagination."

"Perhaps it is," the Doctor smiled. "Partially. Nobody knows for sure. I certainly don't. But my question remains: what are you doing here?"

"How am I supposed to answer that?! I have no idea! Dashie just showed up in my fields one day..."

"What were you feeling that day?" the Doctor asked.

Tom looked away from him. "I-I don't know... lonely... a bit confused. Had a few things on my mind."

The Doctor tapped his chin. "And Rainbow Dash... how was she feeling when you met her?"

Tom lowered an eyebrow. "What are you getting at? That somehow because me n' Dashie were looking for a friend that this weird connection was made. If that's true, how come it dun happen every time a pony and a human feel lonely?"

The Doctor's smile widened. "And that... is a question for the ages."

"Well, it's gonna have to wait. I need Dashie right now, I really do. I don't feel like trying to figure out how this is all happening: cus I like it."

"It may have wider implications than you-"

"I don't care!" Tom growled, turning his back on the Doctor. "Just leave me alone, OK?"

"But that's easy..." the Doctor said. "You're already alone. Tell me Tom, where are you really, right now?"

He shivered. "In the skies over Britain."

"The year?"

"1940."

"And what are you about to do?"

"Kill huns."

"Why?"

"Because they took my father from me. At least that is why I joined up, that is."

"And what will happen if you take one of their fathers from their sons?"

"The same thing I'd want to do."

"But do you want to do it anymore?"

Tom took a deep breath. "No. I'm not that person, anymore... I don't want to kill them, but what else can I do?"

"There's not much you can do," the Doctor said. "You're part of a circle of hatred that has been going on for many years. You can try to shoot them down and let the pilot escape, but you may inevitably have to kill. The Nazis are currently bombing industrial zones, but soon they will be bombing civilians directly." The Doctor held up a hoof. "However, even with that, the cycle may yet be broken soon.""

Tom shook his head, exasperated. "How the heck do you know all of this stuff?!"

"A Doctor's secrets," he smiled. "But the point is, humanity is at a state where hatred and viciousness are prevalent. Don't judge them too harshly because of it, however, because as you've just seen, they are capable of great kindness. Whether or not the balance leans towards good or evil... well, only god knows that, doesn't he? It doesn't matter though what everyone else is, however, the choice is yours: who do you want to be?"

"I-I... I want to be a good person. I want to be friends with Dashie again... she kept me on the right road for so many years..."

The Doctor gave yet another chuckle. "Time... can bring about some interesting surprises. And your time... may be coming soon. It's time to snap back to reality."

"W-Wait! I don't want it to be over yet-"

And suddenly, the library had vanished. Tom Mayflower was flying towards a formation of German ME-109s, and twenty fingers gripped the triggers to their planes' weaponry.