//------------------------------// // An Absolute Gem // Story: Tales from the TARDIS // by Gherkin //------------------------------// The many halls that made up the interior of the TARDIS were eerily quiet, but with good reason. The Elements of Harmony were asleep, tucked up in bed in their rooms. The Doctor, however, was wide awake. It was a well known fact that Time Lords did not need to sleep as often or regularly as humans (or, in the context of his current company, ponies), but The Doctor took this trait to a whole new level. His friends weren't even sure if he had his own room or not, as he always spent his time fiddling with things in the main console room. Now, however, the last of the Time Lords was creeping down the bedroom corridor, desperately trying not to make a sound. He was so focused on remaining silent, in fact, that he didn't notice that one of the bedroom doors was slightly ajar. He reached the end of the corridor quickly enough without incident, and continued on without worrying about the noise he made. He trotted past the ship’s indoor helter-skelter and looked up at the next door, having arrived at his destination. The wardrobe. He pushed it open and stepped into the expansive room beyond. The place was stacked to the ceiling with all types of attire, all of which was suited to an equine body. There was everything from formal dresses and dinner jackets to simple shirts, and everything in between. Still, The Doctor hadn't gone there to gawp at his selection of clothes, and so made his way towards the stairs that lead to where he kept his formal suits. He reached the third floor quickly, and now stood before a clothes rack, lined with a variety of multi-coloured suits. Now all he had to do was decide which one to wear. “Hmm... cream? No, too bright,” he muttered, sifting through them all. “Grey? No, that colour’s banned in three galaxies...” He sorted through hundreds of forms of attire, still not finding the right one. “Ah, perfect!” he exclaimed, having come across something that took his fancy. He took the jet black dinner jacket and matching top hat and slipped them on, adjusting the cuffs to fit his hooves. Smiling proudly, he took the hat and gently placed it upon his head, examining himself in a nearby mirror. “Heh, cool,” he muttered, satisfied. With that, he trotted back down the stairs towards the exit. He had almost reached the door when he was distracted by a prissy, ladylike voice from somewhere deeper within the room. “Ooh, this looks just fabulous... oh, the lace is a tad too long. Shame, if I had my equipment here I’d be able to make adjustments...” The Doctor smirked. It seems we have a late-night ‘intruder’. Grinning mischievously, he made his way towards the voice, tiptoeing so as to not be heard. Pushing himself up against a shelf, he peeked around a corner to see none other than Rarity, curiously browsing through a selection of dresses. She hadn’t noticed him yet, and he was going to use that to his advantage. “You know, I didn’t peg you for a late-night wanderer,” the Time Lord announced, stepping out into the open. “Guess I was mistaken.” The white unicorn jumped about a foot in the air at the sound of his voice, before whirling round to face him, the dress she was examining hidden behind her back. “Oh, um, Doctor! I, uh, didn’t expect to see you here at this time of night!” she stammered, trying to maintain an innocent smile. The Doctor chuckled. “The feeling’s mutual,” he said, walking towards her, “So, why are you out here at this hour?” Rarity coughed nervously. “Well, honestly, I was just admiring some of the attire in here,” she admitted. “When you told us about this place yesterday, I just couldn’t help myself.” She stopped and noticed what he was wearing. “Why are you here, Doctor? Where are you going in that suit?” “A party,” he answered simply, before adding, “On a planet in the Solana Nebula. Beautiful place really. Did you know that, for half a minute on one day every year, in a certain spot, the view of the countryside is the most stunning in the entire universe?” The fashionista’s eyes lit up with hope. “There wouldn’t be a chance that I would be able to tag along, is there?” she asked tentatively. The Doctor sighed, pulling a leather wallet with a thin sheet of paper inside out of his coat jacket. “Sorry, but I only have one ticket.” Her face dropped. “But I can bring along a plus one,” he said, grinning. The unicorn burst into a fit of glee, leaping forward to hug him. “Oh thank you!” she exclaimed. “I’ll never forget this.” “No,” the Time Lord told her, leading her out of the room. “You won’t. I can guarantee it.” They made their way back to the console room as quietly as possible, trying not to wake their friends. Once inside, she leaned against one of the room’s pillars as he danced around the controls. With the push of a button, the column in the middle of the console began to move up and down, whirring all the while. “Something’s different,” Rarity observed, as she slipped on a dress that she had been looking at, “I don’t have to hold onto anything for dear life.” “I’m sticking to the speed limit for once,” The Doctor explained, pulling a nearby lever. The column ceased moving, and the whirring stopped. “We’re here, end of the line.” He held out his hoof to her. She took it eagerly. “Beyond those doors is an alien planet,” he told her, stepping towards the exit, “the likes of which your kind has never seen before. Are you sure you’re ready?” “Positive,” she answered, nodding. He smiled. “Excellent.” He put one hoof on the wooden double doors. “Geronimo,” he said, flinging them open. They stepped outside into the chilliness of the alien air. Rarity stared upwards, in awe of the amazing night sky. To the right were a group of constellations, the likes of which would send Twilight giddy, and to the left was another planet, hanging there like a second moon. Her gaze soon moved to the huge spire that they both stood before. It reached up into the sky as far as the eye could see, and seemed to be constructed with some sort of gemstone. Something akin to diamond, perhaps. It was truly a sight to behold. The Doctor noticed her gazing, and simply smiled. Every time they went somewhere new, the look on their faces was priceless. He turned his attention away from his companion towards a native alien, clad in a modest tuxedo, who was quickly approaching them. It was equine in basic form, but was quite a bit taller, had little to no mane, and his eyes were perfectly black. “Good evening sir,” it greeted them. “Welcome. I trust you have an invitation?” “Here,” The Doctor said, flashing the alien his psychic paper. “And this is Rarity." He motioned to the mare, who had stopped staring and was instead looking at the alien, a sheepish smile on her face. "She’s my plus one.” "Hello there," she managed to say. “I see. Well, I hope you enjoy yourselves.” He nodded to them and trotted away. “Doctor,” Rarity whispered as they entered the large building, “Why were they speaking Equestrian?” “TARDIS translation circuits,” he explained, smiling at passers-by as they noticed the pair. “Subconsciously translates any foreign language into your own, and vice-versa.” “You mean your ship is inside my head? I’m not sure if I like the sound of that.” By then they had arrived in the main hall, where a number of guests of varying species were already mingling, sipping cocktails and munching on hor d’oeuvres. The ceiling stretched high above, from which a magnificent chandelier hung. “So,” The Doctor said, turning to her, “Want to go meet some aliens?” Rarity smiled. “It’d be my pleasure.”