1004 ALB
There was a tendency for things not to go to plan in her long existence. Yet, somehow, it always surprised her. A lone irritating constant.
A crank spun around on a wheel, a lever pulled by a hoof.
This reality had been quite trying in several unanticipated ways. A mechanism locking into place, the blue coated mare glancing around, waiting for something to happen. A low rumble echoed, propmting her to groan, and slouch against the console.
"Lovely, sweetie, this is boring." The Professor said. "It's so boring...so bored, bored, boring, borededly borednessticitynessocity." She grumbled, the Tardis making a sharp click. "I know I know, I know you can't help it. But you know I hate this. Being stuck in one place, nothing to do."
The Tardis made a soud like a churn. A drawer opening, revealing a chess set. The Time-Lady giving a mild dismissal to it.
"Too many chess matches. And besides, I've already visited their history museum. Strange thing, filled with magics and myths, and all fashion of oddities." She then added. "Security wouldn't let me touch anything, or see anything. It was miserable." There was a cranking noise. "Different dimensions, different energies. Conversions and calculations needing to be done, so we don't wind up on the bear planet again, yes I understand."
Once upon a time, she had been attempting to visit the library in the capital city of this strange equine nation. She had worked incredibly hard to avoid hearing the name. As she wanted to hear it when she visited that location, rather than from a static museum with a bunch of people who were offended when she laughed at the name of military generals. Dull people, averse to fun, in her opinion.
"And I've read the books we have. Twice." The Professor heard a low whoorble. "I don't need company. I have company, I have you. You're the only company I've ever had, and the only one I need." A click emanated from the console. "Yes, well, you wouldn't let them on board remember?" She grumbled. "Besides, we're divorced now. Probably be a little cruel to pop in for a visit using cheap time travel." A low whirr filled the air, another drawer opening. "What's that mean?"
The Professor glanced into the drawer, presently occupied by a single item. A signet ring, with a blue gemstone in it. She hesitated, and pushed the drawer shut.
"Just stop it, please." The Professor requested, getting a curious chime. "Because he was a bastard and just...gave it away. And besides...I put a replacement there...she'll never know the difference." She shook it off. "Ya know what? I'm going to go watch a movie, maybe two. Possibly three at once with the volume on max."
With that statement, The Professor got up from her spot on the ground, and adjusted herself. Feeling annoyed at everything, in the moment. Wagering she'd hold off on even trying to get to the library, considering that something went wrong every-time she tried.
The Time-Lady well aware it was probably intentional on Lovely's part. Especially given that The Tardis was still acclimating to the universe. She wagered she could also be wrong, and let it go.
She dusted herself off, and brushed across a barely visible stitch in her coat. Venturing around Manehattan, while amusing sounding, wasn't what she wanted to do. She didn't want to repeat the past, and become a pub-rat again.
Besides, she could tell that there was 'something' going on, somewhere. And interacting with that would violate her no-adventures policy. So she had done her best to avoid it. Wagering that The Doctor, presuming he was still lurking in the city would figure it out eventually anyways.
Compounding this point, was the fact her desire to assist people had been diminished a fair bit. The ponies of this city were rude little bastards, and sorely failed at basic conversation. Calling her a dellusional freak, when she began a conversation about dimensional engineering with someone who claimed to be an 'adept engineer.'
Despite the many beings she encountered, not one of them was worth her time or effort, which was saying a lot, in her estimation.
"If you would be so kind, please give me a heads-up when everything is opreational again." The Professor muttered, starting off. "I'm considering seeing what's at the edge of this galaxy. That'd be neat, wouldn't it?" The Tardis made an odd whir, prompting her to stop. "Change in plans? What do mean by change in plans?" Why would there be a change in plans?" The Tardis door creaked open. "What?"
The Professor turned, and took note of a head peaking inside The Tardis. It was attached to a semi-familiar pony, presently peering within. The expression of sudden bewilderment obtained, as she went back out, and then peaked in again. Promptingly vanishing from the doorway, leaving it slightly ajar, as The Professor stepped nearer slowly. Hearing hooves clattering against concrete, however faintly.
The frequency, the ambiance filled the air, a song of curiousity, and upbeat swaying. Flowing from the semi-familiar mare. Who suddenly opened the doors properly, getting a full look in, and offering one in return.
The pink mare, with messy hair, held up in a red headband stepped inside, dumbstruck. The Professor shaking from the confusion. Properly processing the presence.
"It's bigger on the inside." The newcomer said, The Professor wincing. "What is this?"
The Professor had begun closer, originally intending to push this intruder out of her Tardis. However, her movements slowed rapidly when she noticed a very particular key hanging around this womans neck. Worn like a necklace.
She let out a hesitant breath upon noticing it, looking over this newcomer. Now having the desire, and need to try and recall her. The identity clicking in that moment.
"I know you. Sarah J-no...Amelia...no not ginger." The Professor glanced at her jacket sleeve. "You're the mare who stitched my jacket." The newcomer looked to her. "Wearing...a tardis key...which means you're...you might be..." The potential bore hesitence. "Forgive me, I think there's a chance that you're not meant to be here yet."
"Why, did I get here before you expected?" The stranger asked with a little smirk, before asking. "Actually...how did you get ahead of me?"
The tailor inquired this, while glancing over the staircases, the star maps carved into the walls. Only partially giving The Professor any attention. Still taking in the sight of everything.
The Professor drew near, and dug out her sonic. "There is a proper, and very clever explanation that I'm sure to offer when next we encounter one another." She scanned the newcomer with it. "Like why...why would I?" She checked the sonic, as the newcomer turned to her. "That might be the reason...curious...hmm."
"What are you doing?" The mare glanced at it. "That's the screwdriver, thing, right?"
"Yes it is. And I'm scanning you, well, mostly you. As well as Zygma energy, somehow. Zygma Energy?" The Professor asked in confusion. "Minor traces...like dust particles. From what?" She noticed the confused look. "I'm off track. Listen, miss, I don't mean to sound rude, but I feel like, perhaps, you've gotten the wrong Tardis by mistake."
The mare replied. "The wrong...this thing?" She glanced around. "Wait but...you invited me here, into this...what exactly is this?"
"The Tardis, it's The Tardis, welll, my Tardis, her name is Lovely. You didn't know that?" The Professor asked quickly, stepping past her, looking outside. "How could you not know that if you're...if...pardon miss...miss, oh...what was your name?"
"Suri." Suri said, looking hurt. "You...so you forgot my name, in one city block? And you're trying to kick me out?"
"That would be correct, Yes. So you can just-" The Professor noticed her expression, heard a shift in the music. "I mean no. No, no, absolutely not. It's more...it's a bit complicated."
The curious tune had taken a hard turn. The ambiance of the world seeming to grow stiller. Instruments fading out rapidly. Leaving only brief cords behind.
"Ya know...if you didn't want to show me your stupid box, you didn't have to invite me here." Suri said, visibly upset, adding. "And how the hell would I know what it is, I didn't know you had a stupid magic box?"
The Professor was taken a bit aback, brushing at the bluer part of her mane. Spitting spite at her apparent future self for this situation. As well as the fact it was even a thing in the first place.
Getting involved, and apparently inviting some person back to her Tardis. Well, she knew why that would happen, and then realized, she had just hurt said person in some fashion. Which felt less than stellar. The Professor waiting for her future self to come rushing into the door to gather Suri, explain the mishap and leave, but it wasn't happening. Suri instead turning, and starting out on her own, looking quite upset.
"Suri-" The Professor promptly hurried over. "Suri, listen. I'm sorry, first off. I'm not the best, at things, at anything. Really. But I can explain. I'm not trying to kick you out. I promise." She laughed nervously, regaining the mares attention. "First, you have a key, to the Tardis. Meaning, I gave you that key. Judging by your comments, this was clearly just moments ago, no, no more like minutes. Either case, please humor me." She then asked. "Did I just ask you to come here, or did I tell you anything else?"
Suri looked annoyed and hurt. "You said you had to do something, and asked me to come here. Said you'd meet me here." She added. "Which really..."
The Professor worked to compose her thoughts as best she could. "All of that is probably important, very important. Thank you, thank you very much." She said, nodding. "Now, I wouldn't do all that for no reason. I certainly wouldn't go passing around keys for no reason either. The implications are...concerning overall." She closed the door leading in. "Please don't go. I can explain this, but I'm going to need you to stay to be able to do that."
Suri glanced her over, and seemed hesitant. "Fine, I guess. You're lucky I like you, mad-mare." She added. "Now explain, idiot."
"Idiot?" The Professor asked.
Suri seemed to calm some. "Sometimes you act like an idiot."
"Admittedly, that's fair." The Professor gave a nod. "So, here's the deal, this is the Tardis. Have I mentioned a ship, or a vessel, or travel?"
"When we...first met I think. You rambled about something being temperamental. I guess you meant your ship or something?" Suri replied, following along. "You don't... remember?"
"I do recall that conversation, bits of it. Just, nothing beyond it." The Professor admitted. "See, Tardis, it stands for Time and Relative Dimension in Space. It's, well, it's a space ship that travels through time." She explained, getting a raised brow in resposne. "And because of this, I sometimes experience things out of order. Including meeting that I might...give a key to...which is what's happening now, I imagine."
There was a distinctive lack of response lasting far too many moments for comfort. Suri taking a moment to step past her, The Professor watching, as she passed one of the couches. Stepping near to the console, watching the golden sand dancing around the center, before coming back around, circling to the front of the blue mare.
"Magic box." Suri spoke. "You're saying...it travels in space...and time?"
"That'd be correct, Yes. You...don't looked pleased." The Professor observed.
"Do you have any idea how insane that sounds?" Suri asked.
"From a linear path, like the one I'd presume you've been walking, yes. I do suppose it does. But it's not. I assure you." The Professor began as Suri turned. "Suri, wait, please, listen. I am telling you the truth. Honestly." She assured. "I mean, look where you are. Is all of that really so impossible sounding, when you're standing in it?" The other mare seemed to hesitate at this suggestion. "But there is something far more pressing than all of this. More important. You see...I gave you that key."
"Yeah you keep mentioning it." Suri noted, asking. "Why do you keep doing that?"
"Suri. I promised myself I'd never give out a key like that again." The Professor told her. "I only kept that copy to remind myself of that. And that means, you're...'somepony' that I care enough about to break that promise." Suri seemed to blush a little. "Because if I gave it to you, it means I'm concerned about something. Worried for your safety."
"Why do you say that?" Suri asked, looking, feeling anxious. "Is...this about the roof?"
"Don't know what that means...probably bad." The Professor shook it off. "But the reason I'm saying it is because I'd never miss the moment you walked into these doors, unless I thought it was safer for you here, while I did something else."
Suri seemed resilient to this, leaning against the door enough it creaked open slightly. "You seriously don't know me, do you?"
"No. But I'm positive you're marvelous. And I can't wait to." The Professor glanced over her shoulder. "But for now, I need you to focus on me, and hurry." A chill ran down Suri's neck. "Suri!"
The pink mare turned, finding a presence there. A sudden motion seeing her vanish from The Tardis. The Professor diving out, only to grasp at air.
"No...no no no no." The Professor huffed, and hurried over to the console. "Oh no you don't. Can you travel?" The tardis whirred. "Well good thing I stole a vortex manipulator. " She grinned a little, and slid it onto her foreleg. "And since everything in this bloody world sings. I should know exactly where to go. More or less."
She hurried over to the point that they vanished. Listening. Hearing the traces of sound, of a frequency. Adjusting the leg mounted manipulator, she waited until it was tuned, and matched.
"Festina!" She cheered out, and hit the button, vanishing from the Tardis.
Vortex Manipulation was always the 'cheap' version of traversing time and space. And despite its functions in extreme situations, The Professor was typically reminded why she opted away from it, whenever she used it. As it worked, certainly, and yet, as she materialized, it resulted in her falling.
Manifesting several inches above the ground, rather than on it. This little miscalculation leaving her to land, and wince. Nearly falling flat on her face. Something she was more than thankful to avoid.
The place she'd appeared notably lacked Suri, or anyone else of greater importance. It did however have a cacophony of obnoxious music, and ambiance. All of this brought about by dozens, and and dozens of passerby's. The Professor having appeared on the side of the sidewalk somewhere in the city.
It was about then a rather menacing tune came to her attention. Her purple eyes following, then, coming to rest upon a Pegasus. The mare had a crimson coat and black mane, eyes shining, and gold. Her cutie mark appearing to be a set of scales, weighed to one side. As the Professor tried to process what she saw, someone bumped into her, the pegasus taking the moment to begin running away.
"Oh no you don't." The Professor declared, and began pushing through people. "Move Aside!"
She barreled through a couple ponies, maneuvered past astonished onlookers, attempting to chase after the strange pegasus. Reaching a four-way crossing, she struggled to hear anything amidst the cacophony of hundreds of ponies. Their own little songs, and frequencies making it difficult, if not nearly impossible to hear anything.
"Can't you all just shut up for five seconds?" She hissed in frustration.
She started off, and around. Spending the next several hours wandering about the city. Keeping the area semi-local, attempting to scan for any anomalous readings. To detect anything. She started to feel, anxious, furious with herself.
The Professor spent the next few hours exploring the city, searching for any unusual readings and growing increasingly anxious and furious with herself. As she returned to a side street, she realized that evening had turned into morning. Her body ached from constant walking, but she remained determined. Suddenly, a familiar menacing melody broke through the noise. She spotted the pegasus, now wearing a pink scarf, emerging from a shop.
Seizing the opportunity, the Professor sprinted through the street, deftly navigating around carriages and carts.
Naturally, rapidly progressing towards a lone individual resulted in said individual taking notice. The Pegasus getting a look of surprise, promptly turning and trying to hurry back into the show. The Professor dove out, and snatched the end of her scarf.
She held onto it, as the pegasus slammed the door shut. There was a faint tearing sound, The Professor yanking the door back open, to see her target fleeing through the store and out the back door. Giving a brief pause, to wave, as she went.
"Bit arrogant, aren't you?" The Professor remarked, running after her. "Sorry, coming through."
The shoppers, much like the ponies on the street were largely brushed aside. Their importance to her mission being none. Leaping out the still opened back door, she landed, and slid for a moment. Nearly knocking into a few people who moved back from her.
It seemed the door was another entrance back out onto the street. The Professors eyes darting, watching as her target was heading around the corner. The blue mare racing forward, getting closer and closer. Nearly catching up, only to have someone knock into her from the side, leaving her to fall. Rolling, and slamming against the ground, in an almost cartoonish fashion.
The stallion growled at her. "Watch where you're going!" He huffed. "Dumb mare."
The Professor wanted to respond to this, but there were more important things to focus on. Getting back up, she continued forth, coming to the corner. She heard a door slam, initially limping before shrugging off the feeling. A sensation like something patching whatever damage she'd done, within her veins. As she came around the corner, she was greeted with a familiar sight.
"Suri?" The Professor noticed, and then called out. "Suri!"
She came to a sliding halt, the movement ending near the pinkish woman, who was presently standing out in front of a building. She had cloth and materials held in her saddle-bags. Some jotting out a bit loosely. Suri lookin a bit off-put by the sudden presence, taking a step back.
"Who-" Suri was promptly cut off.
"I can't believe I was able to find you so quickly. For a minute there I was developing some concerning theories regarding your fate. That...that...hmm." The Professor stopped herself, noticing something. "Slightly different song. Wrong eyes, confused eyes. Plus you're...younger than before. Oh, toss."
"Hello. Hi. How do you know my name?" Suri scanned her, before saying. "Wait...it's you. I remember you."
"Yes it is, it is me. Silly, random, barely cohesive me. Glad I made an impact though." The Professor laughed nervously. "As for your name. Your name, yes, you see, I know your name because there was someone who passed by muttering it." She squinted. "A couple days ago. Mentioned particles or something, odd bloke, brown with an hourglass rump tattoo. You should definitely avoid him. He's rubbish."
"Sure." Suri replied, seeming mildly confused. "Right, well-" She dropped her accent. "if, whatever this is, is you wanting your bits back, you can kiss that chance goodbye." She stated. "They're gone, I spent them on food. Can't really get that back."
"Take it back?" The Professor recalled their first encounter. "Ahh, you mean when you stitched my jacket." She inquired. "Why in the world would I want the bits back? You did wonderfully."
"Seriously? Hmm, well, if you don't want your money back, why are you here?" Suri inquired, with a skeptical look. "What do you want?"
"That, yes, well, actually I was going to see if you could fix something else for me." The Professor told her, digging out the torn scarf. "I already scanned it while running around, but I'm a bit of a sucker for mementos. Either case, it's 25 bits, correct?"
"It seems your memory may be a smidge off." Suri then said. "It was 30, actually. However, as you're a repeat customer, I'll lower it down to 25. Consider it my little generous act, for you."
Except, The Professor knew that to be a lie. A rather bold one, admittedly, said with a tone of certainty. Hearing it, experiencing it, left the Time-Lady perplexed.
A con-man...or, con-mare? This was who her future self wanted to keep, and travel with? Someone worthy enough to be given a key to The Tardis, her Tardis? Thus far, she didn't get it.
"Well that is quite generous, admittedly. Sometimes I worry I'll run about of bits, when the deals are so good." The Professor sounded amused, and handed her the bits. "Also, regarding the scarf. Can you hold onto it? I'll be right back, okay?"
"Sure?" Suri replied, raising a brow, asking. "Don't wanna watch again?"
"Honestly, I would love to watch you work with those hooves for as long as you could last." The Professor remarked, prompting Suri to get redder in the face. "However, I've a previous obligation that I must keep up with. Hopefully."
With a brief salute, she turned and headed into the building nearby. It was obvious for three reasons. One, she could hear the music from within, two it was the only door nearby, and three...
"Peaking through the window, honestly?" The Professor asked, with a smirk. "Don't worry, I often leave people curious, so I won't fault you for that specifically."
The interior was that of some form of record store. Though, there was nobody else around. The Professor briefly scanning with the sonic, while walking further in. Finding more traces of Zygma energy were present.
The Professor felt a presence, and turned, aiming the sonic in the direction of it. Being greeted by the Pegasus. Said being appearing a touch annoyed.
"Well isn't that charming. You're a Time Traveler." The Pegasus remarked.
"Guess we have that in common." The Professor motioned. "Wanna talk about it over a pint with Cherrie, and Cheese? Sort this out?"
"Vortex Manipulator, huh?" The pegasus "This is not your jurisdiction, Time Agent. You have no authority. And no, I don't want a drink with you." The Pegasus said. "Now, piss off, and do not interfere."
"But interfering is one of my top ten hobbies." The Professor replied. "Welll, I gave it up for awhile there. But, then you went and sparked my interest." Her eye twitched. "What'd you do with the woman outside?"
"Woman hmm, less common terminology in the present. I'd assume you're futureborn then." The Pegasus stepped towards the back door. "Why do you care?" She asked. "She's a parasite, that's never meant to accomplish anything. No friends, no remaining family that's concerned about her." She added. "History will forget her. And so should you."
"Well when you put it like that, I simply can't." The Professor replied. "Because now I'm wondering why you won't just put her back?" She added. "Why you thought to steal her away?"
"You're quite annoying, and you know well I'm not going to answer your questions further." The Pegasus considered something. "Perhaps if you catch up with me again, perhaps not. Farewell." She opening the back door, sprinting out.
"Agh, damnit, I should have seen that coming." The Professor raced after, heading out, and into the alleyway the back door led too.
The Pegasus promptly vanishing. Stepping out of sync with everything. The Professor scrambling with her vortex manipulator, getting the signal right. She really hated these things, but at least it was handy in the moment. With that thought, she hit the button, and vanished as well.
Three days had passed, since the last encounter with the crazy blue mare, with the white jacket.
In many ways, Suri regretted that moment immensely. The encounter, however bizarre, had left her with a small gain to her confidence. A minor restoration to her drive. Enough that she had mustered the courage to try and take a risk, to get back into the world. To change her fate. It went poorly.
"Get out!" A voice roared, something flinging, shattering on the wall.
The earth pony hurried out of the shop, leaving the little bell to ring at the top of it. Glancing back, with a spark of irritation in her eyes, she found the owner glaring at her. A unicorn with a particularly nasty expression, and unwelcome hostility.
"Wow, fantastic, look what you accomplished. Now your plate is broken...because you're a loon." Suri remarked in irritation. "All you had to say was no."
"The fact you had the gall to try and scam me, pisses me off." The unicorn scoffed. "As if anyone would carry your rip-offs."
"They aren't." Suri said. "They're my designs."
"They're made of useless materials, by a useless mare." The Unicorn declared, loudly. "Now get away from my shop!"
With that demand, the unicorn magically tossed a bunch of clothes at her, though most fell to the ground. This display earning a few snickers from those passing by, or mockery as they talked with their friends. Most simply ignored it, however, far too busy or perceiving themselves too busy to concern themselves with it. The more annoying ones however, stepped on, and over the clothes. A couple bumping into her, as she was trying to get back up properly.
The mixture of things left a crushing feeling, to flow within and around her. It was like the sky was crashing onto her, making breathing a bit hard. The door to the shop slamming. The owner, like everypony else, simply going about their days.
Taking a few deeper breaths, Suri focused. The loose strands of her purple mane covering her eyes. She had spent days making these, weeks cobbling together, stealing, or salvaging the materials to even try. Her brown eyes, dull, with a glint of anger in them.
Rising, she planted herself firmly. Leaving others to bump off her, rather than knock her around. Pulling the clothing that she could up. Dusting them, before shoving them into her rather makeshift saddlebags. Her practiced smile wavering, with each new step, each passerby. An urge to strike someone rising, before she noticed somepony pick up one of her jackets, dusting it off.
"Are you all out of your minds? Is this the kind of people you are?" The newcomer demanded loudly. "Petty and cruel, the kind to trample over someone else's work, instead of taking a moment, a single bloody moment, to help?" She hissed. "Disgraceful, all of you."
The outburst of anger was not what Suri was anticipating, at least not in the direction it went. And judging by the ponies nearby, and their surprised responses, neither had they. Leaving some to seemingly register her, and her situation for the first time. Yet, they didn't help, they just made a point to walk around the mess. Suri got a better look at the individual who assisted, and felt amused, and confused to find it was the familiar blue mare, dusting off another of her coats.
"It's you again. Heh...I guess it would be somepony who's crazy." Suri hesitated, taking the jacket. "Why are you here?"
"I was in the middle of tracking a rather annoying 'bird,' while debating creating a temporal snare. Along with attempting to deduce the next jump point, and the prospect of it leading to something more than another day. Perhaps it won't, in which instance I would need to discern a path to get ahea-" The Professor noticed her confused expression and said. "I'm trying to find a bird or something, it's complicated. Anyways, I was just passing by, is the point." She then added. "I...overheard some of that, and saw what happened. Are you alright?"
"I exist." Suri replied, adding. "And, I don't need your help. I can't stand people stopping out of pity, I didn't ask for."
The Professor obtained a half-smile. "It's not out of pity, I assure you. It's entirely selfishly driven." Suri glanced. "I've experienced similar moments, and your experience related to me. I like to call it inspired empathy. Thus, why I'm asking if you're alright."
"Why, because nobody checked if you were?" Suri asked, sarcastically.
"When it came down to it, when it mattered...nobody came." The Professor laughed a little. "Most just ignore me, forget I exist, or grow to pity or fear me. Feeling 'remorse' for my existence." The pink mare paused at this, her hostile expression dimming some. "Would you mind if I inquired what that was all about?" She asked. "That unicorn seemed...incredibly upset, but I couldn't hear a reason."
"Everyone's pissed when I'm around. It's like...an automatic response." Suri admitted, no longer wearing her smile. "In this case, I was an idiot."
"What happened?" The Professor inquired, dusting down a shirt. "Disagreement about something?"
"It doesn't matter." Suri rapidly picked up the rest. "I don't need your help. I'll be fine. Just go back to...hunting your bird, or whatever."
With that, and her things gathered, Suri turned, stopped, took the shirt, and then started away. She headed along, and through the crowd, venturing into an alleyway. Her ear flicking, hearing steps behind her, as the blue mare followed along. Much to her mild confusion, slight anxiety, and irritation.
Thinking for a moment The Professor jogged up beside her. "It's just a stupid bird. It can wait. Thinking on it, the trace energy is quite unique, and will last at least the rest of the day. So I've got plenty of time." She considered. "Do you need help getting your things home?"
"I-I no." Suri looked embarrassed. "As a matter of fact. I was thinking of...taking a break. Right here." She sat beside the wall of a building, in the alley. "So, you can...wait a minute. Oh, I know what you want."
"You do?" The Professor asked. "Marvelous. If you could inform what it is, I've been trying to determine it for years and-" She had something tossed at her. "W-well that was rather direct. What is this-oh, oh, it's the scarf. I almost forgot about this, wait-you kept it?"
Suri shrugged, and adopted feigned positivity. "Well you paid for it. What kind of mare would I be to go getting rid of it?"
"Admittedly, I presumed you'd resell it to someone else." The Professor said. "Given that I simply ran off like that, I wouldn't have blamed you. It was entirely my own fault for not coming back on time."
"Well yeah, I guess it would have been huh?" Suri contemplated it, watching as The Professor placed it in her pocket. "Well, you have it back now. So, you can leave. Nothing else for you here, after all." She added, noticing the playful smirk of the other mare. "You're under no obligation to sit here and...do whatever you're doing."
"You're absolutely correct. Completely, utterly. However, I've had a thought." The Professor said.
"Congratulations. I knew you'd get there one day." Suri snickered to herself.
"And I'm just one away from beating your record." The Professor replied, adding. "Can you show me off those outfits of yours?"
"What?" Suri asked, in disinterest. "What do you mean?"
"Well-" The Professor shrugged. "I was curious if I could see your collection?"
"You've already seen them." Suri replied.
"Well sure, but I haven't seen them presented to me." The Professor said. . "Like a show. Spin and twirl, all that, or just general display. I'm not quite sure which way is considered better. Or which you'd prefer." She added. "I'd just be watching, afterall."
Suri adjusted herself, a touch red in the face. "Mad-Mare." She muttered, thinking. "You should know I don't let people just look at them." She added. "You'd have to buy something."
Suri promptly felt a touch off, about what she was trying to do. To begin with, there was no way it'd work. Her clothing was mostly ruined, some of it torn, most of it dirty. Further, she noted to herself, she was trying to swindle someone who was clearly a bit 'out of it' which felt...strange. She didn't much like the sensation.
However, the quiet growl of her stomach, the recollection of coin, it beckoned. She heard the rattling of it, as The Professor pulled out a small container of bits. Setting 30 down, which left her confused. She had expected 5, maybe 10, considering everything.
"I'm more interested in watching for now." The Professor told her, adding. "I like to reserve touching, feeling, trying things out for once I know it's worth the trouble required to break it in. Especially if I'm going to be inside it." She added. "Besides, it's new to me, so it's best to move slowly, right?"
"Th-that is...there's no way you don't realize what that sounded like." Suri said blushing hard.
"What d'ya mean by that?" The Professor asked. "Honestly, the only clothing I really have is this jacket, and I fell over a few times just getting it on. I can't imagine how hard it'd be to wear a dress." She paused, and added. "Or socks, my ex was rather curious to see me in those...not sure why though?"
Suri blinked, and glanced away. "You're...impossible."
"Anywho...what can 30 bits get me?" The Professor asked her.
Suri tried to compose herself. "W-well, it'd get a decent presentation, sure." She bit her lip, and hesitated, before adding. "If uh...it were 50 bits, then, I'm sure it'd be a bit nicer." She added. "Just don't expect me to go...throwing anything on. Got it?"
The additional commentary, the additional request of bits, it wasn't part of her plan. Suri cursed herself for the momentary greed. What in Celestias name, was she doing?
She'd just been offered 30 bits, to do practically nothing. The fact some part of her had overplayed her hoof, was a miserable realization. This was it, it was over. The scheme ruined, she just knew it.
Another 20 bits were placed, catching her by surprise. An eye twitching as she did her best to hide the confusion, albeit poorly. She analyzed the blue mare, looking back at her. After a moment she took the bits, and hesitated. Promptly pushing back 5 of the bits.
"You overpaid. That was...25 bits." Suri lied.
"Was it?" The Professor smiled more earnestly. "Thank you for letting me know. I appreciate it."
The feeling, perplexing, vexing, wasn't gone. But Suri got up anyways, and picked out the nicer things from her 'collection' she'd been working on. She took a moment to make sure they were brushed off, or free of dirty hoof-prints. And began to show them off a little bit.
It wasn't the longest show, nor was it something she'd considered a proper one. But she didn't really have much that was worth the bits given. And yet, when it was completely, she found the mad-mare smiling, wearing that odd half-smile of satisfaction.
Suri couldn't grasp it. Admittedly, they weren't anything all that special. Nor was her displaying of them, given that she'd mostly just held them out, or turned them around. And yet, she was given complete attention, the entire time.
"Well that's everything." Suri told her. "I hope you...enjoyed the show."
"I thought it was marvelous." The Professor told her. "Honestly. I have no idea how you've managed to make these things. Like, conceptually I understand the process, but in practical execution, it's admittedly astonishing." She laughed briefly. "Did I tell you I tried my hoof at sewing, shortly after you showed me how?"
"No." Suri then asked. "When would you have-"
"It was dreadful, the whole process went terrible. I even managed to sow my hoof to a hat. And I wasn't even sewing a hat." The Professor told her. "I was working on turning a napkin into a triangle, and accidently made a decahedron." She explained. "Then I dropped it...no idea where. But sometimes I think I hear it taunting me." She then added. "Of course it's not the worst contender in that regard. That 'bird' is easily far more irrit-"
She suddenly felt a little bop against her head. Promptly cutting off her ramble. Her eyes meeting the other mares, finding a stern sort of confusion there.
"What are you talking about?" Suri asked, scanning her over. "Just...rambling like...an idiot?"
"One, ow, but I see your point. I got a bid side-tracked." The Professor admitted. "Two, listen, Suri, my point is that I spent days, months trying to do something 'simple' and couldn't. I don't hold a candle to you, at all in that regard. You've done an amazing job with these, and you deserve to give yourself some credit for it." The pink mare began to reluctantly smile. "And, I genuinely hope I get a chance to see more in the future. Because it's going to be marvelous."
"You're...joking right?" Suri inquired, hesitantly maintaining the half-smile.
"I'm not, I swear." The Professor glanced to the side, noticing 'the bird' in the distance. "I wish I could stay, a bit longer. However, I do have to get going. Though, before I do, I want to thank you for the show."
"Well, you paid for it." Suri reminded her. "So you don't...have to thank me."
"You've provided my with a once in a lifetime experience, and I'll remember every piece of it." The Professor told her, turning Suri beat red with embarrassment. "Thank you, and, as I have to dash away now...a little saying I've been toying with. Festina!"
With that odd proclamation, The Professor raced off once more. Leaving Suri confused, and unsure. Both for what the word meant, and everything that had been said. Was this odd string of compliments some kind of joke? A prank perhaps?
She glanced around, waiting for something to come and deliver the rude realization. A bucket of water, paint, something to trample her clothes. Some form of cruel followup. But it didn't happen, and that confused her more. Leaving her to examine the bits she'd been given.
"If...if she wants to throw her bits away...who am I to say no?" Suri reasoned to herself. "Not my fault she's an idiot. Dumb...stupid crazy idiot." She sighed, and added with a mutter. "Dumb enough to...probably come around again...maybe?"
With that, she laid down, and rested her head. The small smile remaining on her face as she did so. It wouldn't be the worst thing, in her mind, if it happened one more time. It was nice to have someone to talk to again.
A week had passed since the last encounter with the weird pony.
Suri had taken that time to contemplate her approach to things. To try a little bit of introspection, and analyze how she'd been approaching her own survival in Manehattan. Given how poorly everything was going, she simply hoped this new tactic might ensure she could at least eat regularly.
The pink mare examined herself, and her reflection within the glass of an abandoned store building. Taking a moment to compose herself as best as possible, and sort her thoughts. If her talent was left meaningless, if everything she'd worked for was laid to rot, she determined there were other skills she had. Other things she could utilize.
Adjusting her smile, as she had before, she got it into place. Hearing some weird whoorbling sounds in the air somewhere nearby. She presumed it was a machine of some kind, and focused, placing on a headband, to hold her purple hair some. The mare feeling confident viewing her reflection. She almost looked like she was back to her old self, the final being a slight adjustment to her scarf.
Starting off, and down the street, she kept a bit to the side. Easier to avoid any rude individuals that way. Her eyes falling on a brown coated stallion, with a long multicolored scarf. He had stepped out of an alleyway, and seemed to be looking about, taking in the sights of things. She felt like she may have seen him before, but it was hard to tell. Finally, she noticed his cutie mark, an hourglass, albeit one with white sand, instead of black sand. Her mind making an 'association.'
She stepped forwards, and sorted her accent. "Hello there, and excuse me, okay?" She giggled. "Are you new to Manehattan by chance?"
The stallion she'd approached looked her way. "Hmm, yes?" He scanned her, with a dubious expression. "Why?"
"Well, as it just so happens, I've lived here for years now." She told him cheerily. "If you're looking for assistance in navigating the city, I'd be more than happy to help you out, okay?"
"And why would you do that?" The brown stallion, asked.
"Just being generous." She made the laugh again. "One good deed-"
"Let me stop you right there. I can tell you're a con-artist." He observed, glancing her over. "Not sure what the con is exactly. But I'm quite adept at spotting liars."
"I-" She began. "well I'm not-"
"Honestly, whatever it is, I'm not in the mood to deal with it. And I haven't the patience to pretend to tolerate it either." He admitted, and added, in a lower tone. "So why don't you run off, and be a parasite to someone else instead?"
Suri flinched. "Fine..." Her accent dropped. "I was just offering. Prick."
Someone called out. "Doctor, you should come and see this-" From somewhere nearby. "it's doing the thing again."
The stallion turned. "Coming."
With that, he trotted off. back down the alleyway, and out of sight. Suri didn't bother to follow, knowing it'd likely lead to more trouble for her at this point. Feeling deflated, she started off back the way she came.
"That went well." She muttered to herself.
She was incredibly frustrated with herself. In her brief moment of delusion, she'd made some connection that didn't exist. Just because that stallion shared the same cutie mark, as her favorite mark, didn't mean he was going to be anywhere near as polite, or friendly, or as much of an idiot.
Suri found her thoughts turn back to the blue mare. It had been a week since their last encounter. She couldn't help but wonder where the stranger had made off too. If she was alright? After all, she'd mentioned something about hunting, or chasing someone, or something? She recalled a bird, or something? It was a bit fuzzy.
These thoughts distracting her, as she moved to cross the street, suddenly feeling something slam into her. Causing her to stumble, and fall, barely catching herself. Glancing up to see a pegasus there that seemed, oddly familiar. She then noticed said pegasus had her hairband, as her mane fell to the sides.
"H-hey!" Suri said, getting laughed at. "Give that back!"
"Oh, what happened to that 'fancy accent' hmm? Right, it's as fake as you are." The pegasus remarked, quickly running forward, before flying up and into the sky. "Just give up Polomare."
Suri attempted to snatch the pegasus, and simply fell again. Growling at the situation, looking around at others who were watching it all play out, doing nothing. The moment they noticed she had turned to them, however, they simply hurried off. Nobody doing a thing to help. Her expression darkening, as she turned, and walked quickly away. Sniffling.
The scene had been observed from a distance by The Professor. Who felt a twinge of irritation, her focus back to the Pegaus briefly. Hurrying along after the obnoxious entity. Moving across the town, stumbling, and running into a few people. Tsk'ing.
"This is taking entirely too long." The Professor muttered, still sore, and tired. "Think I was right before. I need something more efficient, something functional. I need a temporal snare." She then nodded. "Need parts for a temporal snare...right...well, bad ideas are fun ideas."
Hurrying off, she made her way back to where the Tardis had been parked. Pausing briefly upon arrival, trying to think back to where she was at this particular date and time. Stepping over, she carefully unlocked, and opened the door, peaking inside. Finding that her past self wasn't in the lobby area.
The Tardis chimed some. "Yes yes, I know, I know. I shouldn't be here." The Professor quickly hurried over. "I just need to get a few parts for something, honestly. This is...I'm in the pool right now, with the floaties aren't I?" There was an affirmative ding, the Professor digging a few things out of a box. "Marvelous. Okay. I'm good, I just need this, and this and-" She hummed, and pulled out a key. "oh spare key. I wondered where I put that." The Tardis made a curious hum. "It's Suri, she's in trouble, and I'm trying to help." A happy swoosh. "I-It's not...she's not a companion. I don't do companions...and this is not an Adventure." A faint whirr followed, and she hesitantly smiled some. "Maybe...but not unless I can pull this off."
She shoved the items into her pockets, which showed no signs of anything being present. Giving a quick kiss to the console, she hurried back outside. Locking the door, while starting off. The Professor coming to a conclusion, an idea. The Pegasus was clearly targeting Suri, which meant the best place to place the Temporal Snare, would be wherever Suri was.
Contemplating the location, she noted that her encounters with the mare were always within the same general area. Wagering she might be around there, which would in itself be fairly convenient. She headed along, and cut down an alleyway to the calculated mid-point of the various other meetings.
Arriving at said location wasn't entirely difficult. It was revealed to be a rather familiar alleyway. The Professor taking stock of this fact, and looked around, requiring someplace a little higher to set the snare. It was then she noticed an old fire escape, leading up to the roof of one of the buildings the alleyway was between. Aiming her sonic, she activated it, prompting the ladder to drop.
She appreciated, and was mildly amused to find it wasn't a vertical ladder, rather it was steps. Hastily climbing them, she found the structure was creaking, and a bit unstable, making careful note of each of her movements. It would be more than a little inconvenient for it to break. The trek leaving her panting slightly, at least when combined with everything she'd done today. Faintly she could hear the 'music' associated with The Pegasus, suggesting she was nearby somewhere.
"Been awhile since I've done much running." The Professor muttered to herself, heading onto the roof. "Okay. This should be easy." She dug everything out. "One temporal snare, coming up."
A voice asked. "It's funny you think you have the time."
The Professor let out a long sigh, and turned. The Pegasus standing there, observing her. The maligned entity wearing a smug grin.
"Were I to say that I am invoking Convention 15, of the Shadow Proclamation, would you know what that meant?" The Professor inquired.
The Pegasus replied. "You're requesting a cease of hostile activities to parley." She shrugged. "Very well, you did catch up to me again. Might as well."
"Well, in that case, I demand you identify your place of origin, and species designation." The Professor added, getting a little chuckle. "According to the universal ratification of the Shadow Proclamation"
"Erinyes. Equestria." The Pegasus replied flatly. "You?"
"Time Lord. Gallifrey." The Professor noticed the quizzical look. "Never heard of it?"
"It's a bit presumptuous to call yourselves lords of time." The Erinyes said smirking.
"Not as much as you'd think." The Professor then asked. "Where is Suri Polomare?"
"Around the corner." The Erinyes shrugged. "Didn't you see her?"
"Not that one." The Professor glared. "You know what I mean."
"I don't see why I'd need to tell you anything." The Erinyes paced, and examined the Time Lady. "You may have a clever little device to follow me, but it's quite inferior to my own natural capabilities." She added. "Plus, I think, eventually, it's just going to wear out, don't you?" She hummed. "So all I really need to do, is wait out the clock. Boring as that resolution might be."
"And who are you to be doing any of this?" The Professor asked. "Tormenting some random mare, in the big city?" She scowled. "What, does it amuse you to get you licks in, on those who can't defend themselves?"
"Bite your tongue, you arrogant rat. She is a parasitic little leech who has destroyed lives. A criminal that never got a proper trial." The Erinyes remarked. "And given she never faced retribution for her crimes. It seems only appropriate to dole out a punishment."
"Crimes, what crimes?" The Professor asked. "What exactly did she do?" She added. "What, the fact that she's conning people?" She added. "There are hundreds, thousands all doing that same thing, and you're not bothering them. I'll admit, it's not exactly the best thing. But I hardly see why that would require you. Let alone why it'd give you the authority to do anything."
"My authority comes from my job, designated by my existence." The Erinyes remarked, and added. "What I know, is that there are so very many out there who seek some kind of vengeance upon her. So~" The pegasus got close, the gold eyes shining. "I took it upon myself to do so. Subtle things, little changes, minor alterations. A couple rumors, here and there. And suddenly-" She smirked, revealing fangs. "there isn't a soul in the city, who'd care if she lived or died."
"So you sabotaged her life. Ruined her chances and opportunities, just so she would be abandoned and forgotten by the world?" The Professor asked. "Knocking her down, each time she tried to claw her way out." Her eye-twitching, adding. "Which is why you stole her. Pulled her from my Tardis. Because it was a way out. An escape from a cell she doesn't know she's in. It's why you've ensured I couldn't find her. Because you know the moment I do-"
"You'll get involved where you shouldn't." The Erinyes commented flatly. "Feeling content, with your rambling?
"What are you?" The Professor asked.
"Vengeance." The Pegasus replied, plainly. "I'm an Erinyes. And I've grown tired of your presence."
The Professor moved to make an action, namely to turn a piece of the device she'd been cobbling together, only to be greeted with a sudden rush of movement. A pair of hooves hit her. The blue mare being knocked back hard against the railing of the fire escape. The Erinyes looming, hoof on the edge of it.
"This isn't going to end the way you want it to." The Professor warned, with a cold glare. "And you will regret this."
"So speaks the stubborn 'Time-Lord' struggling to save a life, worthless in history." The Erinyes commented, spinning the headband in her wing. "I think it'll go exactly how I want it to."
With that the pegasus pushed on the side of the railing. Causing it to creak violently, breaking behind the Professor. She let out a breath, snatching something from the Eyines, much to the beings surprise. The Professor falling back, feeling a sharp pain as she did so.
As all of that had been transpiring, Suri had found her way back to the abandoned corner of the city she called 'home.'
It wasn't much, but with some of the bits she'd been paid, she actually managed to make a little something. It was tucked away in the corner of an alleyway, in a space where nobody really went, caught between two buildings and a large fence, that had boards on either side.
She'd placed a sheet of metal up, jamming it into place, to act as a roof. Another at the side that could slide out like a door, which she pushed aside to get in. Inside was a rug, the same one she'd tried to hawk wares on at one point. Alongside some of her clothing, she'd given up trying to sell. Moving, she took a seat and sighed, glancing at a page from a magazine she'd torn out.
It depicted a picture of fancy buildings, and strange structures. With a welcoming looking stallion beckoning the viewer to it. The words 'city of tomorrow, underground' etched on the bottom. The company indicated to be 'Stable Tech.'
Before she could fall too far into her thoughts, a sound came to her attention, like something hitting metal. She looked about the area visible from her spot. There was another noise, prompting her to wander out, before noticing a blur of movement, and a thud. Someone falling to the ground a short distance before her, with a chunk of metal landing, clattering nearby.
"What?" Suri looked up, and noticed the fire escape, with broken railing. "Hey, are...are you okay?"
Stepping over, she noticed who it was, the realization and confusion over whom setting in. The blue mare with the white jacket, well, mostly white. There was a slowly spreading red to it now, though that didn't quite register. She noticed the blue mare was holding onto something, notably, a headband, her headband. Shaking that off, she quickly nudged the mare, and shook her a bit.
"H-hey you, get up. C'mon...seriously. Please don't be dead." She muttered anxiously, feeling something warm, wet. "Is that...blood?" She registered the red, and a deep, bleeding gash in the side of her. "Somepony...Help!" She got no response. "HELP!"
She yelled this out, while looking out to the street, being ignored. She fidgeted moving back and forth from the possibly dead woman before her, and the end of the alley. Nobody seemed to pay attention, nobody was coming. She heard a breath, and noticed the stranger making pained breaths. Thinking for a moment, she quickly dragged the blue mare back to her little space. Leaving a trail of blood in the process.
"Okay. Don't die. No dying. Dying is no. Just...don't die. You idiotic, idiot, what did you do? Ugh, just, it'll be alright." She assured hastily, while looking her over, stopping in her shelter. "Bleeding, bleeding...you're bleeding. That's not..." She observed a gash on her side, and shivered. "oh, you blasted crazy idiot, what did you do?"
A few things were knocked around, those being the couple boxes, and supplies that Suri had. She scrambled, grabbing some of them, tossing others out of the way. Taking some of the fabric she had left, she pulled off the bloodied jacket, and pushed it out of the way. Taking a thread and needle she observed the wound, and placed a hoof near it, body shaking hard. She took a deep breath, and her own shaking slowing to a stop.
She moved hastily, but precisely, stitching up the wound as best she was able with the strongest thread she had. When that was done, she grabbed a sheet of fabric, and began wrapping it up. Having to pull the strange up to get it around, over and over. She made a point to use the fabric that tended to be a bit too absorbent, something more akin to proper bandages which she didn't exactly have in the moment. Getting everything wrapped up tightly, she clipped the ends with a pair of scissors, and then stitched those parts together carefully. It wasn't much, but it was something.
"I'm...I'm going to go and find you help. Don't you dare die while I'm not here...or when I am, either." She requested, shaking, trying to snap herself out of it. "Someone...someone has to pay for the rug you ruined."
She moved some of the clothing beneath the mares head, and propped her up slightly, uncertain if that was the correct move or now. Glancing at her headband, she turned, and rushed out to the street. Bursting out, demanding the attention of anypony who was nearby, trying to get them to help.
Yet, they continued to ignore her. Even when they were able to see what had happened, or saw the blood on her. All it made them do, was avoid her further.
Suri growing increasingly frustrated, stated. "Help me, Celestia sake. She's going to die if you don't!"
The other ponies promptly hurried off. Many moving to avoid her, looking at her like she was deranged. Suri frustratedly tussled her mane, turning and running back into the alleyway.
Several hours later...
Suri had sat there the entire while, anxiously observing her defacto patient. She had expected someone to inform a doctor, or the guards, or anyone really. Yet, it didn't happen. Instead, it was just her, doing her best, which was to say, not a lot in her view.
The hours had ticked by, and the day had faded. The former fashion designer finding her eyes weighing heavier as it went. She felt desperately tired, but was trying her best not to pass out. Thankful to hear that the blue mare was still breathing regularly. The bleeding hadn't lasted, and it seemed her bandages and stitching did something to help. She hoped the fall hadn't broken anything, or done too much damage anywhere else though.
These thoughts having been what kept her in the same place all that time. Eyes heavier, her vision almost blurring. The night sky upon the world, her posture shifting, as she closed her eyes. Feeling like she was unable to hold on for another moment. It was then, that a low groan of pain caught her attention, opening her eyes again.
"Oh...ow...wow..." The Professor groaned out, eyes opening. "That...that hurt...so much."
"You're alive!" Suri exclaimed, letting out an anxious breath. "Oh thank Celestia you're awake, I-I didn't think you'd...er, c-can you even hear me?"
"Yup. Yes...can hear." The Professor replied, struggling to sit more upright. "It's good...I placed nanomachines...into my bloodstream. Which, I feel like I've lost blood?"
"You did, you idiot!" Suri stated in frustration. "What the hay were you doing?" She heard a chuckle, and a groan of a pain. "Why are you laughing?"
The Professor finally glanced over at her. Registering the state of the purple maned mare. She looked awful, and exhausted, and had blood smeared or splashed on parts of her body. Most notably the forelegs. Eyes revealing that she was feeling overwhelmed, and tired.
"You...I...sorry." The Professor shifted some. "It's...a coping mechanism...when I don't know what to do. What happened?"
"You fell, idiot." Suri informed her, giving a still soft bap to her snout. "And tore open your chest, a-and bled e-everywhere. You could have died!"
The Professor could feel the tiny machines beginning to more properly patch her body. She knew they would burn out, really only meant for one use. Making a mental note to see about adding more later, or at least making more, just in case.
"That'd be a bit soon for my liking." The Professor smiled a little. "Beats a day though?" She found herself being glared at. "I said something wrong. Are you okay?"
"Am I okay?" Suri blinked in confusion. "What do you mean, am I okay?" She gestured. "I'm not the one who was bleeding out, or fell out of the sky-" She picked up the headband. "and had this. Why do you have this?" She asked. "What were you doing up there?"
"Shh." The Professor made a motion.
Suri briefly felt an odd compulsion to remain quiet, but shook it off. "Don't shush me."
"Huh...didn't last. Weird." The Professor felt her eyes growing heavier. "Ah...their finishing...well, leaves me tired."
"Hey, hey no. Stay awake." Suri looked nervous. "I uhm...I read if you have a concussion...you shouldn't fall asleep."
"Yeah probably not." The Professor admitted. "Some believe...the affected might slip into a coma or lose consciousness. But that's...only if it's really bad."
"You fell off a very tall building!" Suri exclaimed in exasperation. "Earth Pony or not...that's...bad."
"Not my worst fall." The Professor laughed slowly.
The blue mare moved, working to get up, wagering the Erinyes would likely be around, somewhere. Presuming it hadn't left the area, she imagined she could still track it. The thought, and action ended, as she was greeted with Suri taking a moment to straighten some things out. Before pushing her back to laying down.
Suri put a hoof on her chest. "Don't you even think, about getting up."
"But, I'm-" The Professor began.
"Shh." Suri shushed her, surprising The Professor. "After that...you...just...let yourself heal okay?" She added. "I'll be here, so...nobody will bother you."
The Professor felt compelled to explain the little robots and that she was in fact, feeling better. However, the tiredness in the words, and the concern were noticed. It was abundantly clear, Suri had worked hard to keep her alive. Looking over, and feeling it, The Professor also had to admit to herself, it had probably stopped her from regenerating. Something The Professor didn't want another of, anytime soon. She resisted her own impulse, instead laying back, and thought about it.
"Yes ma'am." The Professor replied. "Thank you."
Suri let out a sigh of relief, feeling some of the anxiety and stress fading. She wanted to laugh, and cry in relief, but resisted that impulse. Instead, sitting, laying down in the small section of her dwelling not occupied. Noticing The Professor examining her over.
Suri let out a breath. "Okay. I have questions." She thought for a moment. "And don't you lie to me. I spent the last bits I had, just to go get a potion to help you heal. So...so don't even think about it. Got it?"
"You did?" The Professor asked, sounding surprised. "Why'd you go and do that?"
"I...I don't know." Suri answered in frustration at herself. "Just, answer my damn questions Namely...what the hell?"
"Right." The Professor pondered. "I uhm...well, I was...on the roof placing something. It was a device meant to...well, it's meant to act as a temporal snare. In fact it is one." She hummed. "A temporal snare, it's a device that's meant to limit time travel via Zygma energy. Among others, but...that doesn't matter." She got no response. "I uhm...earlier I'd noticed that pegasus who stole from you. She confronted me on the rooftop, calls herself 'Erinyes' which is, well it begs questions." She said, groaning in pain, feeling more of the nanomachines burn out. "We argued, when I tried to get her to leave you alone. Then we fought...turns out she hits...much harder than I expected."
It took Suri a moment to understand. Well, she didn't completely understand. Most of it sounded like half-crazed babble that she imagined was either because the blue mare was crazy from blood-loss, or just normally crazy. But the parts that stuck out, well, that part, left her feeling off.
Suri asked quietly. "You almost...died because of me?" She asked, shaking her head. "You don't...you don't even know me." She then asked. "Why, why would you confront her?"
"Because she treated you poorly." The Professor said. "That's more than reason enough."
"That's...stupid." Suri said, sounding upset. "You almost died because someone was mean to me?"
The blue mare laughed nervously. "I mean. Admittedly, I didn't think it'd go that far. Or that it'd get 'that violent' so quickly." She added. "Or that the railing was that flimsy...or sharp."
"Idiot. Y-you're...you're an absolute idiot." Suri remarked, feeling confused. "Don't you know it's everypony for themselves?" She added. "You should have kept up with your...snaring or whatever. Instead, you almost died."
The Professor scanned her over. "Suri, I almost die, a lot. It's...one of the perks of my job. Traveling. Exploring. Learning." She added. "Danger's just a part of it. I don't seek it, but, that doesn't mean I'm gonna back down from it either." She added. "If someone is in trouble, I help, even if I don't want to. But I was never was a fan of bullies."
"That's idiotic. Foolish. Reckless." Suri tried to grasp it. "Don't you realize, being-helping ponies like that...people are just going to abuse you?" She asked. "They'll...use you, you'll get nothing but pain." She said. "And then, when they've got what they wanted they'll-"
"Leave me to die in an alley?" The Professor guessed, prompting her to hesitate. "You didn't."
"Well...I-" Suri trailed, and shook her head. "I...I have to prepare things for tomorrow, get water. Just...try not to fall asleep too quickly, okay?"
"I'll do my best." The Professor replied. "And thank you, again."
Suri didn't respond, instead she set about gathering the cloth and items that weren't bloodied or ruined. Putting them off to the side. Given that she was now flat broke, she wagered she'd need to try and sell something. Which, considering all that got damaged, would be difficult. But she assured herself it'd be okay. She always managed to sell something, even if it was just enough that she could barely survive.
Eventually however her movements came to slow, and exhaustion caught up with her, after retrieving water. She stopped, if only for a moment, just to take a break. Said break, promptly ending, with her eyes shutting, as she fell to sleep. The Professor watching her for a moment after she did.
"So that's what I saw." The Professor commented, quietly. "I really screwed you over this time, didn't I?"
She thought of something, and grabbed her bloodied coat, finding something beside it. A replica, made of cheaper fabrics admittedly. Alongside her vortex manipulator. A note on it.
It read : "I don't know what this is. But it was beeping. Wanted to let you know in case you wake up."
"Just registering that it was disconnected from the user." The Professor commented, sliding it back on, with the newly sewn jacket as well. "I'm gonna make this right. I promise."
She dug out the coins she had, and left the coinpurse beside Suri. It only have a hundred bits in it, but The Professor hoped it would be enough to pay for the damages. Or at least, help keep her afloat until she could put an end to this nonsense.
Sliding the door open, The Professor exited into the alleyway. Properly taking stock of where she was. She looked back, taking note of the conditions Suri was living in. She closed up the door, then scanned the air with her sonic. The pieces of her snare were still on the roof, though, she imagined the moment she went up, she'd just be knocked back down. And without the nanomachines, she'd definitely end up with a new face.
"Can't keep playing catch up. There has to be a way to get ahead of this." She muttered to herself, pacing. "Something I'm missing, some way of knowing where Suri was taken." She huffed. "If only I had an item, an object, something to track. Something with a distinct frequency that I could-" it clicked. "oh. Oh...I'm an idiot." She turned to head to the shelter, but paused. "No, it's too late today. Next one. Okay...next one. Can't believe I didn't see it sooner."
With that she headed off to continue her pursuit. Electing to sneak back into the Tardis. If only to take a quick shower, and remove the stitches. Her past self likely being in the movie theater at this hour.
Two weeks had passed.
Five bits were placed down, one of the scarves selling. Tossed around the neck of a stallion with a long dark robe-like jacket, with the new silvery scarf. His mane and tail equally dark, his coat pale. The jacket barely reaching a cutie mark, resembling a broken hourglass filled with black, leaking sand. His posture a touch off, like he was holding himself up through force of will alone.
"Trouble, my dear?" He asked, grabbing the mares attention.
Suri blinked. "Huh?"
"You seem distracted by something. Didn't even notice me underpay." He said with a soft laugh. "Are you alright?"
"It's nothing." She replied scanning him over some. "I just...somepony I met...almost died. I haven't seen em in two weeks, and I...I dunno."
"Then it worked." He muttered.
"Worked?" Suri asked.
"Oh, I'm...an author, of sorts. Did a bit of rewriting, changing an event in my story." He told her, smiling. "I didn't like how it went, so I scrapped the whole thing, and started from the beginning. Whole new branch of possibilities." He explained. "I was just...commenting on a stray thought about that." He laughed nervously. "So, this mare, is she a friend of yours?"
"No. I...I don't have friends." She replied, adding. "Don't even know if she's alive anyways. She just...vanished in the night."
He adjusted some. "Wherever she went, I imagine she'll show up soon. Alive and well." Suri managed a small smile. "Wager you'll chew her out a bit for vanishing like that though, won't you?"
"If she's alive. Then yes." Suri replied. "Definitely." She then asked. "Why uhm...did you think she was a friend?"
"Because you lost that fake accent of yours." He said, prompting her to look embarrassed.
Suri replied. "I mean, I guess. I dunno. Wait, you're just distracting me, aren't you?" She asked. "That scarf is 10 Bits. So..." She noticed his expression was almost sad. "Hey, are you alright?"
"Right. Just something in my eye." He placed down the next five. "For what it's worth...when the time comes, I think you'll go on to do marvelous things." He smiled some. "It was good to meet you, Suri. "
"Thanks I...how did you know-" Suri began, before feeling strangely.
Her vision seemed to blur, everything flickering for a moment. As if two things were present in unison, and then, one. The mare blinked a few times, and found the space in front of her empty. A silvery scarf sitting among the pile of her clothes.
"What was...I saying?" Suri asked herself, feeling a touch confused.
She presumed her newfound headache was because of how badly she'd been sleeping. Leaning back against the wall, she rubbed her sore forehead. It had been two weeks since she last saw the strange blue mare. Recalling briefly, the comments about her being a traveler. Wondering if perhaps, she'd simply wandered off to have some adventure.
It was far more reassuring than other possible alternatives, and yet it still bothered her. Almost ached, in some odd fashion. That weird, deranged traveler, who risked her life, because of some jerk pegasus's rude comments. She almost laughed at how insane it had been, how odd it had felt.
Opening her eyes, she expected to be greeted with the familiar face, and some odd ramble. And yet, there was nothing. Looking up at the setting sun, she began to gather up her things. Putting everything into her saddlebags, neatly folded down, getting prepared to start on her way.
"Suri!" A familiar voice greeted, prompting her to pause. "There you are. Oh you would not believe how difficult it is to find you sometimes."
Suri stepped back. "You...you're...you're alive?"
The Blue mare had come running over, with a rather excited expression. "You're not going to believe it, but I figured it out. Oh, I'm such an idiot. The solution was painfully obvious, it was right there." She giggled some. "Like, it was so obvious. All I have to-" She noticed Suri's expression. "have to...to...uhm..hi?"
"Hi." Suri replied, looking visibly upset.
"I...it's been-" The Professor glanced at her manipulator, and tsk'd. "it's...it's been a little while hasn't it."
Suri gave a nod. "Bout two weeks."
"Huh, I didn't expect the jump to take that long." The blue mare hummed. "Feels like it was only yesterday. Well, I mean, I suppose in a linear sense for me, it'd only be-" She was suddenly thumped on the snout with fabric. "He-hey...what'd you do that for?"
"I thought you died idiot!" Suri shouted in exasperation, causing passerby's to look briefly, before hurrying on. "You just...leave in the middle of the night. Half dead, and expect me to be okay with that?"
The Professor replied. "W-well I got better. And, I-"
Suri glared. "Do you know how many pretty mares go missing in Manehatten?" She asked. "That there are bad folks out there, who will come and take them somewhere that they never come back from."
"I uhm..." The Professor wasn't sure how to respond.
"You wander off, half dead, after bleeding everywhere. I had to stitch you up, and wrap you up, because I thought you were going to die. Staying up for hours, literal hours, worried if I dozed off for a moment, or moved, or did anything else, I wouldn't be able to do something, if it somehow got worst." Suri declared talking faster, The Professor frowning, glancing away. "I spent the entire day looking for you. Tried to ask the dozens of people who just ignore me, or push me around if they'd seen you." She added, eyes watering. "And then, and then, I got to the point, the next day, that I just accepted it. Because you're crazy, and weird. And I figured 'hey' she'll just show up in a couple days like normal. And then you didn't, and then you were just gone." The blue mares ears dipped back. "I had no idea what happened to you, you didn't tell me anything, o-or leave a note, and...and I thought you were dead somewhere. Or worst, a-and I don't even know your name to ask anypony who might know you!"
Once Suri had unloaded her frustrations, she sniffled some, and wiped away the tears in her eyes. The mare getting mad at herself for the expression, for the feeling. The Professor standing there, silent, seeming to yet again, struggle to respond to this. Looking and feeling terribly guilty.
"I'm sorry." The Professor apologized. "I...I'm so sorry. I didn't...I just got caught up in things." She admitted, prompting Suri to glare, and look away. "I figured...you'd know I was alright."
"How was I supposed to know that? You just vanished for weeks." Suri replied, growling. "Look it's...it doesn't matter. It just-" She shook herself some. "It annoyed me, or something. So, you go, traveling or snaring, or whatever you're doing." She said, gathering the last of her things. "Have fun."
"Suri-" The Professor began.
"No. Just, stop it. I don't...I hated that." Suri told her, sounding confused. "I hated every single moment, and I...hated that I hated it." She then said. "And you, you...you just stroll up. You didn't even care that entire time, did you?" She demanded, hurt in her brown eyes. "So just...get away. Go shoo, leave. I know you will eventually anyways. Said so yourself."
"I did?" The Professor asked.
"You're a traveling mare, right?" Suri asked, while starting to walk off. "Travelers leave, and I can't. So it's stupid. I just...had this dumb thought that..."
She gave a dismissive motion, and started off. The Professor waited for a moment, swallowing hard, while seeming to shift in her spot. She looked around for a moment, and then smacked herself on the head. Quickly jogging to keep up.
"Suri, honestly. I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry." The Professor apologized, being ignored. "I'm not the best with...social queues, and things like that, get too focused on things. I-I'm a very bad judge of 'what to say' or-or when to say it kinds of things. Or how, for that matter." Suri glanced. "Which is all pointless in this context. I didn't mean to make you worry. I really, really didn't."
"What's done is done." Suri replied, glaring. "Just...let it go, and move on."
"No." The Professor replied, sternly. "I want to make it up to you. Anyway I can. Anything I can do to make it right." The other mare huffed, and came around the corner. "Please, something, anything. Uhm, anywhere you wanna see, or something you wanna eat?"
Suri paused, scoffing. "You're...inviting me out to dinner?"
"Yes, that, absolutely." The Professor replied. "I mean, I was going to ask last time. But you were asleep, and I was bleeding. So, I just left some bits instead. Did...did you get the bits?"
"No." Suri replied.
"That blasted bird." The Professor huffed. "I did t-"
"Just stop it. You don't get to just jump back into my life, when it's convenient for you." Suri told her. "You don't get to make me feel terrified for somepony else, and then just waltz in like nothing happened." She sounded confused. "That's-you especially don't just follow it up by asking me out, thinking that'll make it better." She then added. "And besides, if you did, I'd make it something expensive out of spite."
"Then have it be something expensive. Absolutely." The Professor replied confidently. "Any place, any at all. Doesn't even have to be food. I just, thought you might like some?"
Suri scanned her over. "I don't...I don't get you." She replied. "Why do you try this hard, and then just leave?" She asked, annoyed. "You do realize I don't...have anything for you to gain, right?"
"To gain?" The Professor shook her head. "Suri, I'm not trying to get anything out of you."
"Then...then what, what's the goal?" Suri asked. "What's the angle. I don't get it." She huffed. "What, is it all for...a date, or something?"
"Maybe I enjoy your company? Want to keep you, around?" The Professor suggested, adding. "And I'm a big idiot, sometimes."
"Don't lie to me." Suri hissed. "Nobody enjoys my company." She shook her head. "A-and besides. All I've...no, ya know what no. I'm not doing this." She said, turning away. "Because soon, you're just gonna run off, and leave. And then, eventually that's it. I won't see you again, and I'm not...I'm not doing that. Especially not for some mare, who won't even give me her name."
"But I-" The Professor began.
"Just, stop, please." Suri skulked off. "I'm not doing this."
She went around the corner, and back to the alleyway. Her defacto home. Not entirely different from last time, albeit less bloody. Slinking into her cubby spot she let out a tired sigh, glancing back over the alleyway, not spotting the blue mare yet. Pulling the door shut, she sulked there, leaving herself in the quiet of the dark space. Almost an hour passing, before the silence was interrupted, with a soft knock against the 'door.'
Suri stated. "Noponies home. Go away."
"What if I need a repair?" The Professors voice asked.
Suri let out a hesitant breath. "Then...you should...go somewhere better for it." She added. "If you head across town, there's a place that could patch it up for free. Congratulations, I just saved you 20 bits."
"I thought it was 30." The Professor laughed nervously. "25 due to being a repeated customer. That sort of thing."
"I lied to you." Suri said flatly. "Conned you. Took your bits. Now you know, and now you can go away."
"I mean, it's not really a con, if it was always worth it, and then some." The Professor replied. "Honestly, I should have paid more."
The former designer got up, feeling very annoyed. She pushed back the metal door, and found The Professor standing there, wearing a small smile. She sighed tiredly at the sight.
"I ripped you off." Suri told her flatly. "What about that don't you get?"
"Correction. You showed me something I'd never seen before." The Professor replied.
"Oh yeah, how's that?" Suri asked.
"From what I've witnessed, a lot of things are done with magic. A lot of the more 'complicated' tasks. Things that require a bit of dexterity, or well, various appendages that are lacking from these bodies." The Professor shook her head. "Anywho, it left me curious. What happened if individuals lacked magic, or such capabilities? Could they still perform such tasks?" She motioned to Suri. "And then I spotted you, sitting there, and thought 'no way' and had to come running over."
Suri raised a brow. "Why, because you'd never seen a non-magic tailor?"
"No, welll, yes, but that was very different. They had hands. Ya know, fingers, and the sort." The Professor noted.
"Gyphons?" Suri half-asked.
"Sure, yes, that'd...yup." The Professor then added. "Regardless, you were the first pony I'd seen perform that. And, admittedly, I'm rubbish with these suction cup graspy hooves things." She noted. "And, seeing you, showed me a whole new thing I flatly didn't think was possible. And then you just went and did it. That's incredible."
"You...make it sound like a big deal." Suri noted.
"That's because it is. Did I tell you, I tried to replicate your technique, mostly from observation. I tried to stitch together a triangle-" The Professor began.
"And stitched a hat to your hoof." Suri mimicked her accent.
"Oh, is that an imitation of me?" The Professor asked. "Is that what I sound like?"
"More or less." Suri said.
"Can't tell if I like it. Does it sound good?" The Professor asked.
"I mean, it's passable." Suri said, briefly smiling, before catching herself. "Now, what do you want, and why are you still here?"
"I'm here...because my name is The Professor." The Professor replied.
"Professor who?" Suri asked.
"Just The Professor. It's been other things, but that's what it is now. That's me." The Blue mare told her.
Suri took a seat. "But you have another name. If you had another, right?"
"It's terribly complicated." The Professor replied.
"Uncomplicate it." Suri demanded.
The Professor half-smiled. "I'm the shadow of who I used to be. I'm not the same person I was back then. And, the other name, it was...a sort of promise I made." She half-explained. "One I couldn't keep. One I tried very hard to be...and just...couldn't." She added. "All that is to say, it doesn't matter, because I'm trying to be someone different. Me, not the memory of me...does that...help at all?"
"You abandoned your old name...because you did something wrong?" Suri guessed.
"In a way." The Professor replied. "It was taken from me. I was given another. And then I...was made to do things I didn't want to do. Be things I didn't want to be." She seemed hesitant. "So, I try not to remember it, if possible. I'd much rather be The Professor, I think?"
Suri felt she had a vague understanding, but also sensed she wasn't going to get more information. At least not at this time. Determining that the reason for the 'lost name' was probably deeply personal, and likely rather unpleasant.
"I'm...sorry you were made to do...bad things." Suri apologized to her.
"It's okay. I, well, I survived." The Professor winked. "And now, I travel. Go about the world, seeing impossible sights, learning incredible things. Sometimes I...stop to try and help people. Try to make some miniscule, positive little difference in their lives." She added. "Then I meet the ones I want to keep with me, and completely screw things up. Because I'm an idiot."
Suri contemplated this. A bit more of 'The Professors' character becoming obvious to her. Given the context, the craziness was a bit more understandable. Some of the past comments making far more sense. Yet, she still had to say something.
Suri spoke. "I need you to know that I was...really hurt, and angry at you."
"I-" The Professor had a hoof placed against her mouth.
"No words. My turn." Suri took a breath. "I can't...completely relate. But...I get wanting to be somepony else, in some sense." She told her. "I even changed my name when I got here."
"How do you mean?" The Professor asked.
"Well, I'm an idiot, from a small town. I lived close to someone who had the same talents as me." Suri explained. "She overshadowed everything I did. Everything I tried to do. To the point, some joking called me a 'knock-off' of her."
"Did she do this intentionally?" The Professor asked.
"Nope. And that made it worst." Suri laughed a little. "I worked so hard...and it never mattered. Never meant anything." She took a deep breath. "I got so tired of being considered second-rate that thought I'd come to the big city. Really get that chance to be my own person. Be the pony, everypony should know."
The Professor finally sat down properly. And listened attentively. Suri waited for a remark, or an interruption, or dismissal, but it never came.
"It went...badly." Suri replied quietly. "I learned prettty early on..that it was everypony for themselves. And the only way to survive...was to be better, at being awful."
Her brown eyes as empty as they'd been, cold, and calculating. She took a moment, and adjusted her face. Putting on the synthetic smile.
"I grew to hate myself." Suri admitted. "So I changed my name. It used to be Button Belle" She adopted the accent again. "I changed my accent. Thought I'd try something else, and ya know what?" She snickered, the accent dropping. "I was really, really good, at being worst than anypony else."
"Funny enough, I understand that sentiment." The Professor replied with a small smile. "It feels good at first...indulding. 'Cutting loose' from our restrictions."
Suri fell into quiet, but kept the smile. Her eyes betraying a mixture of disdain, hurt, and agreement. Frustration laying beneath the surface of her being.
"Didn't matter in the end. Thet same one...from home, she showed up." Suri told her. "Overshadowed me again...no matter what I did. But then again, that's what happens when you have a princess as a friend, huh?" She asked. "When you get the nicest things. When people just listen to you. When nopony forgets you exists, treats you like you're fake. When you meet the biggest names, and go to the fanciest parties~" She made a dismissive motion. "When you can afford to be generous, knowing someone's gonna pick you up when it backfires. That you failing doesn't matter. Because you will 'always' be given another chance. Not like everypony else. No, no...we screw up and it's...that's it. That's all we get. Then the world just forgets...and everyone walks by, like you never existed."
"It's easy to be good, when there's no consequences. When you aren't afraid of losing someone, or losing yourself." The Professor guessed, gaining a glance. "That little assurance you're real, that you matter. That everything will be okay, and you can afford to make little mistakes. Knowing if you fall, someone will notice, and catch you."
"Yeah." Suri said quietly, adding. "You...you really do get it don't you?" She adopted a small smile. "I'm sorry I unloaded all that on you. That I got so upset."
"Don't apologize for being cross with me. I was an idiot, absolute idiot." The Professor replied. "I should have waited, and I didn't. And-" She dug something out of her pocket. "I'm more than happy to listen. Here."
"What's...what's this?" Suri asked, finding a necklace with a key on it placed around her neck.
"It's a key, to a red police box." The Professor told her, adding. "I left something in it for you. Something I really want to show you. It's...I know it sounds weird but-"
"You're a bit crazy, to be fair." She smiled some. "So, key to a red box?"
"Yes, I'd bring it here, but it's quite large and immobile, a bit broken at this moment. It's-" The Professor heard a song in the wind. "Suri...there's a lot I want to tell you, but can't right now." She considered something, while giving her the key. "I have to...run into the store over there. Can you take this key, and head down the street to the left ha-hoof side of the road there?" She requested. . Not to the right, I don't think?" She felt her sense of direction was a bit off. "I promise, I will catch up with you there."
"You're not going to just...leave again, are you?" Suri asked her.
"Not without you." The Professor said, surprising her. "Please don't...give up on me yet."
"You want me to come travel with you?" Suri asked, noticing her take out the sonic. "Wait, what's that?"
"Yes, I do. And this is the sonic screwdriver." The Professor said feeling a mixture of hope, and anxiety. "I'll explain soon, I promise. Festina!"
With that, The Professor turned, and hurried over towards the store. Leaving Suri looking a bit perplexed. Briefly glancing down at the key necklace. Sliding it on, considering.
It was quite the request, and one she wasn't entirely sure about. Tet, she was curious. And that inspired her to start heading to go investigate this 'red box.'
The Professor walked into the store, and found the interior devoid of any living beings, aside from herself, and the Erinyes. The psuedo-pegasus smirking. The Time-Lady letting out a breath, her gaze hardening. She set the sonic on a shelf, whirring softly.
"Before we begin, I'm going to give you a second chance. We don't have to do this. We can end it peacefully." The Professor said, calmly. "Return Suri to me. And we both walk away, peacefully."
The Erinyes asked. "And why would I do that?"
"Because I believe in offering second chances. She's more than served a fair sentence." The Professor replied. "Take the offer."
"You stupid mare. We're all caught up now." The Erinyes noted. "You know what that means, don't you?"
"It means neither of us knows what's going to happen next." The Professor reasoned. "No more moments needing to happen. The paths have converged, and time has become still. Waiting to determine which track the river goes."
"Exactly." The Erinyes added. "Which means I can kill you, and end this. No more annoyance." She suggested. "Or you can simply move along, leave, and never come back."
"If that's the case. Then answer me, genuinely, what did you do with Suri?" The Professor inquired.
"She's in a pocket dimension. You'll never reach it. There's no way for you to find it." The Erinyes said. "Don't worry. I'll put her back in her little hovel once you leave. You have my word."
"Mild problem with that suggestion. Namely, she's not yours to take." The Professor replied, adding. "Now...Erinyes. I've heard your name before." She said, pacing about the convenience store. "Erinyes. Fury. Eumenides. Though I think that one is plural." She smiled. "I did a brief check in on things. You're just one of many. Like a beat cop for vengeance, correct?"
"My, my, you seem to know me well enough." The Erinyes pondered, and hummed. "All those names, and I don't have a single one for you. 'Time Lord.'"
"Very well, before we begin, we'll have our introduction then." The Professor cleared her throat. "I'm...no...no you don't deserve that name." She laughed darkly. "So, in this context, you can call me the Prosecutor. Wait, no, that's rubbish." She hummed. "I've always hated the translation for it, so I'll give you something more 'Time Lord.' Something from my native tongue, a bit more my style."
"And what's that?" The Erinyes asked.
"You may call my, The Valeyard." She said, plainly. "It means Educated Prosecutor. And, as a demonstration, I find it curious, honestly. You're meant to be punishing wrongdoing and blood-guilt. Murders, those who commit genocide, torture. Not petty cons. What's the matter, did your boss not give you any good jobs?"
"Valeyard, hmm?" The Erinyes snickered. "You're discussing the more 'important' work I do. But everyone picks up side-cases. It's something of a hobby. After all, nothing is above my notice, or jurisdiction."
"That right?" The Valeyard asked, calmly. "That's an odd sentiment to me, considering you're lying, in multiple ways." The Erinyes glared. "But we'll focus on one, for the moment. See, if I'm right, and I am, I'm very clever. Your power isn't based on your own ability to sense wrongdoing. It's based on perception, of wrongdoing." She added. "Specifically, the perception of others, judging an individual." She then added. "I wager you're meant to gather evidence to confirm if public opinion is accurate, but probably stopped doing that awhile ago, am I right?
"And what makes you say that?" The Erinyes inquired.
"Simple. Because you aren't targeting me." The Valeyard laughed softly at her confusion.
"I haven't sensed any wrongdoing from you." The Erinyes added. "What is this bluff meant to accomplish?" She added. "I'm not intimidated by you. You're weak, unimpressive."
"Oh, I am weak. But not unimpressive." The Valeyard stopped her pacing. "See, what I just did, was present a counterargument, to your lie. Not a bluff. Just more evidence. After all, you're being tried, miss, try to keep up." The pegasus rolled her eyes. "See, if you were able to actually tell when someone did something wrong, you'd sense it on me, wouldn't you?" She turned. "I mean, hypothetically. The very first thing I ever did, was betray those I was meant to protect for my own benefit."
"What?" The Erinyes asked.
"Just follow along." The Valeyard requested. "More than that. I was dragged into wars, the Time Wars. By people who thought I was someone else. Someone who could save them. Instead, I ended up killing them all." She added, with a little laugh. "I stole from one, my freedom. And when I was done with that, I decided to fight, to kill, to destroy with 'righteous cause.' Billions, and billions of lives erased, by me. I've destroyed entire timelines and possibilities. Reshaped the cosmos, to win one more day." She then smirked. "And you're still focusing on her?"
"You're lying." The Erinyes replied. "I would sense it."
The Valeyard stepped nearer, and replied. "Not if everyone who ever knew what I'd done, was dead." She let out a cold breath, against the Erinyes. "Because your power isn't punishing the wicked. It's torturing those perceived to be wicked." She added, stepping past. "You're the walking definition of mob justice." She added. "Which is why I suggested you're meant to confirm. To double check. So, why didn't you even bother to try, with Suri?"
"What would be the point for someone so clearly guilty?" The Erinyes demanded, stomping. "And you, if you are a creature so heinous. You have no right to judge me, and I cannot permit you to continue your existence."
"So you're admitting your verdicts are flawed, and that you've acted outside your jurisdiction?" The Valeyard inquired. "That you are are actively flaunting the rules, and refusing to perform your duties properly? Condemning potentially innocent souls, in your reckless vigilantism?"
"And what of it?" The Erinyes replied.
The Valeyards eye twitched, and she stepped over to the sonic. "Well then, the prosecution rests."
The Erinyes began to move, starting towards The Valeyard, before suddenly gasping. A song, different than her own flowed within the room. Piercing it from a place unseen, the fiery orchestra unheard by her. But not by the Valeyard.
The Erinyes took a step, and staggered. Feeling off. She looked at her wings, watching as they began to fade.
"What did...what did you do?" The Erinyes asked in alarm.
"I'm weak, and clever, and I-" The Valeyard waggled her sonic. "Put you on speaker phone. Guess the judge agreed with me." She laughed a soft, sadistic laugh. "My perception of your guilt, and our testimonies of your failures... since it's based on perception, well, why don't you be clever and guess what that means?"
"No...no. You can't...you're a monster!" The Erinyes roared, struggling towards her. "I know you are!"
"You've admitted your perception is flawed. No court would accept your claims. But-" The Valeyard shrugged, the Erinyes fading into dust, as it reached her. "I am so glad you said no to my offer...you should never have touched her."
With the verdict complete, she adjusted her vortex manipulator, hitting the button as it transported her back to the Tardis. She stepped over to the console, and began making a couple little adjustments. Waiting until she heard an affirmative ting, before throwing the last switch. Tracking the signal of the spare Tardis Key.
Once it stopped, she opened the door, and found a small flowing pocket of space. Suri stationary in the center, by the door. Reaching out, she took the mare, and pulled her inside, the door slamming shut behind them.