//------------------------------// // Chapter 33. Magnum Opus // Story: Time Bubbles // by Janicethelight //------------------------------// The moon shone brightly when Derpy awoke, feeling the light movement of air in her face. Half-conscious, she stretched, briefly thinking she was in her own bed before wondering why her bed seemed to be moving. She opened her eyes and beheld a starry sky slightly obscured by a mysterious red haze. The red glow seemed to be everywhere as she looked around and saw she was being pulled along on a sledge. Others were being pulled too; unicorns, conscious, keeping all of their focus on a spell. Red light poured from their horns and merged with the red haze that surrounded them. A thermal barrier, keeping the army warm. Looking around, she saw there was no longer any sign of the forests. Clearly they were much further north. “How did we get so far so quickly?!” she asked. “Not so quickly. You’ve been asleep for days,” said the soldier pulling her sledge. Derpy slowly stood up, stepped off the sledge and slightly stumbled into the snow. “Nice to see you up and about.” another pegasus nodded to her, “careful with that wing though.” “Where is Luna? Is she still here?” “At the head of the army with her sister.” Derpy trotted ahead to the front of the procession and found the two alicorns. “Princess Luna!” she yelled. “Derpy,” Luna replied, embracing the pegasus in her wings. “I’m glad to see you’re recovering. You had me worried.” “Why was I asleep for so long?” “It seemed as though you haven’t gotten good sleep in quite a while. You were having another nightmare but fortunately this one I was able to spirit it away.” “How much further do we have to go?” Derpy asked. “Half a day at the most, I think,” Celestia said. “That pale glow up ahead, looking like a strange sunrise, that’s from the forcefield that protects them from the weather.” “Shall we rest the army for a bit? This might be the last night before we get there. I want to try again,” Luna said. “At this point it seems futile, but very well.” The sisters stopped walking and Celestia gave a wave to instruct the officers to have their soldiers take a break. Luna slowly walked away from the army where it was quieter. Derpy walked alongside her and Celestia followed closely behind. “Try again? Try what?” Derpy asked. Luna tried to hold back the tears. “To find Sombra in the dream realm. It’s how we used to talk early on when I couldn’t visit. We shared… so many dreams together. I’ve tried to reach him every night, ever since-- oh Sombra, what happened to you...” she clenched her eyes shut, sniffling. “Sister, duty first. Always, duty first,” Celestia said blankly. Luna sighed but regained her focus. “Alright, Tia, alright.” The three moved outside the crimson glow of the magical thermal curtain being maintained by the unicorns. Beyond the haze, the stars were even more vibrant, sparkling in every color. To the north in the direction of the Empire, a faint aurora borealis was becoming visible. Luna stopped, sat in the snow, and stared at the magical lights as they grew brighter and began to dance across the sky. Luna began sniffling again. “What is it now?” Celestia asked, sounding slightly annoyed. Derpy shot Celestia a look of frustration. “Give her time, can’t you understand how hard this is?” Derpy asked. “This is exactly why I thought it would be best if she stayed behind and let me handle it. It will only get harder, the closer we get, and there will be no room for emotions when we get there.” Celestia paused briefly. “Thirty minutes, sister, then we move again,” Celestia said with a huff before tromping back towards the army.” Derpy gritted her teeth, feeling ready to snap at Princess Celestia a second time, but thought better of it. She looked back at Luna. Her eyes still focused on the aurora as it spread overhead and embraced the moon. Luna mumbled, “So quickly it all changed. How could I have let this happen? He was fine. Everything was fine. Better than fine.” “Talk to me if you want. She might not listen, but I will.” “The northern lights. I just rememb-- back home, there’s a special filly. Born without sight. But she can hear music in the twinkling of the stars, and in the falling snow. She showed us a way to stay the fury of the winters. I was going to bring her to the Crystal Kingdom so she could listen to the aurora. Sombra, he was so excited to meet her.” Luna stared down at the snow. “His heart was pure gold. This isn’t him. I need to fix this. I have to get him back.” “That’s what we’re here to go. Now put those feelings to work. Go into the dreams. See if you can find him.” Luna took a deep breath. “Step back, Derpy, lest you be caught in here as well.” Her horn projected a sphere of blue energy around her, her body seeming to become motionless as she closed her eyes. ************************************************************** Sombra paced back and forth across the throne room for hours like a caged lion. Finally, one of the Taskmasters spoke up, “Your Majesty, things will come in time. Please get some rest.” “I don’t need rest. I need results!” “You look exhausted,” the Doctor said. “Nothing will require your attention until daybreak.” “I… don’t… need…. rest!” A scout darted into the room and bowed. His armor and some of his mane was covered in frost. Sombra turned to face him. “What is the meaning of this?” “Your Majesty, I got here as fast as I could. I regret to inform you that the invasion has failed.” The Doctor noticed Sombra’s expression. He didn’t look angry. He looked relaxed and satisfied. Sombra glanced at the Doctor. “It appears my attention is needed. Before daybreak.” He grinned smugly and then asked of the messenger. “Where is the invasion force now?” “On their way back. Perhaps half a day behind me. Equestria is following them. I was sent ahead, knowing you would want this information as quickly as--” “What happened? What kind of resistance did you encounter?” “The Alicorn, Luna, led her army to liberate the first settlement we took.” “Luna?” Sombra looked worried. “Only Luna? No sign of Celestia?” “Celestia arrived to reinforce Luna shortly after we were routed.” Sombra breathed a sigh of relief. “I apologize for our failure, Your Majesty,” the messenger said, bowing his head humbly. “On behalf of myself, my commander, and the crystal arm--” “Nothing to apologize for. It can’t be helped. Go now. Get food and warmth. Rest. Regain your strength.” The Doctor was confused. Sombra’s reaction made no sense. The scout bowed again, thanking the king, and quickly made an exit. The Doctor then suspected that he understood. “You didn’t intend for the invasion to succeed, did you.” “Very good, Executor.” “For what purpose?” “Celestia was far too passive. I needed a way to force her hoof. I must admit I’m a little surprised that both of them are coming, but that can’t be helped.” “You wanted a fight? Not her surrender? But why?” “Celestia’s reign will end.” “But a surrender would have accomplished that.” “Princess or not, she still has power; power that must be eliminated.” “What?.” “You lack vision. My knowledge and understanding is far above your own. She should be close enough now and I have gained enough power through the lights of my Ponies.” Without another word, Sombra began to exit the throne room. “Where are you going?” the Doctor asked. “To the royal balcony. I must be there at sunrise. Follow, if you will. And witness the beginning of my magnum opus!” The sky had already traded the black of night for the deep blue of dawn. Sombra stared at the horizon as it slowly grew brighter. On cue, the sun began to rise; it’s shape distorted into jagged horizontal waves by the atmosphere as it climbed into the sky. The Doctor, a taskmaster, and two guards stood in attendance behind Sombra. The King’s eyes turned white and he unfurled his magnificent black wings. “Now, sun Princess, you shall feel the darkness close around you.” Sombra’s amulet sparked to life. Purple energies swirled about his horn, growing in size until it encompassed his head, and eventually his entire body. The glow of the horn was now so bright that the Doctor couldn’t look directly at it. The sound of whatever power Sombra was using became deafening. The relative quiet of the balcony had been replaced with a terrible screaming noise, accompanied by intense winds that swirled about Sombra as he began to roar and scream. “Yes! Yes!!!!” The energies all disappeared in a sudden flash and a quake that shook the entire kingdom. Sombra collapsed from the exertion, breathing heavily. The guards and the taskmaster tried to approach, but the Doctor warned them back. “Your Majesty? Are you alright?” the Doctor asked, trotting closer to examine him. As he lay on his side, the amulet went dark. Sombra’s eyes became normal. “D...d... doctor. Where... am I? What’s... happen--” “Sombra? Is that you?!” “Wha... what have I done? I... struck Luna. I killed Derpy… all those Ponies. My subjec-- I’ve poisoned them all-- what’s happen-- no!” The amulet began to glow again. “It’s coming. It’s coming back!” “Fight it, Sombra! Don’t let it take you! Hold on!” “You’re all... in danger. Doctor... kill me.” “I won’t do that. I can’t do that.” “Kill me… while there’s still ti--” Sombra’s gentle eyes disappeared, replaced by the corruption of whatever dark entity had control of him. At once, Sombra stood up and looked out towards the sun, and the drifting snow that had been kicked up by his power. He began to laugh. The laughter grew more manic and uncontrollable, eventually so loud that it echoed throughout the crystal empire. **************************************************************************** “I don’t understand. He has to sleep sometime,” Luna said. “I thought closing the distance might help. Why can’t I find him?” “Maybe he has an enchantment that is hiding him from you,” Celestia said as she continued to raise the sun. “What kind of magic could possibly do--” A Pegasus flew down to meet the Princesses. “I can see the crystal army now. We’ve made progress catching up to them. But I don’t think we can catch them before they reach the Empire. And there’s something else, something just happened out there.” ‘What? What did you see?” “Hard to tell from so far away, but I could see the their palace from high up. For a moment it seemed to be engulfed in white light.” “What could he be up to?” Derpy asked, just before feeling a sharp pain in her forehead. “Derpy?” “Something’s coming!” “Something? What do you mean? How can you tell?” Some unicorns in the army seemed to feel it as well. “Whiteout, incoming!” an airborne Pegasus cried. “Brace yourselves!” The Pegusi immediately landed. All looked ahead at the massive cloud of snow that was speeding towards them almost like a dust storm. “Get ready. Stay low!” Celestia ordered. “Unicorns, shield barrier!” The magical sphere of pink formed around the army barely in time to meet the wall of whipping snow. “Stay strong, my Ponies! It will pass in a moment!” Celestia yelled over the loud winds. “Tia, there’s no way this is natural! There’s magic in this storm!” Black crystals began to grow out of the ground outside of the shield. Small at first, quickly expanding into impressive towers. “Reinforce the shield, we’re under attack!” The crystals haphazardly meandered in every possible direction. Only some of them grew towards the shield, bouncing off and growing in a different direction each time they did. Amidst the whipping snow were also broken crystals now, colliding with the shield like projectiles. Repeatedly the shield cracked, and the Ponies fought harder to keep it intact. From seemingly nowhere a bolt of green light collided with the shield. The shield turned green and quickly after, the horns of every Pony that was linked to it. Screams came from every unicorn and alicorn as they felt their minds turn to fire. Then she shield shattered. At once, the magic users were free of the pain, but the army was also exposed to the full force of the energy wave which knocked every pony over. A crystal sprung up right between Celestia and Luna. “Watch your hooves!” Luna yelled. Crystals began to shoot out of the ground, forcing the Ponies to leap from place to place as the relative safety of their position was quickly replaced by a field of razor-sharp crystals. Fortunately, the furious wave was subsiding now, moving onward further away from the Empire. “What in Equestria was that?” Derpy asked, painfully pulling a tiny fragment of crystal from one of her wings. “It doesn’t make sense. Sister, did you feel it?” Celestia asked. “Whatever it was, it infected the shield, used it as some kind of conduit. Magic was being yanked out of me.” “Yes, but then it just left. But why? It’s like it wasn’t meant for us. There was a lot more magic in there than we were hit with, and it just passed on by like it didn’t care we were here.” “But it used us. Somehow.” “Whatever for?” Those with wings took the the air to get a better vantage. Starting at the Empire, heading straight at them, and then continuing onward behind them, all the way to the horizon, was a stripe of crystalline black in the otherwise white landscape. “What cities will get hit if it keeps going like that?” Luna asked. “I don’t know, but we can’t worry about that now,” she said as they descended again. General Hay Brands rushed over. “Your Highnesses, many are wounded. Some of those crystal shards went straight through our armor like it was paper.” “How bad is it?” Celestia asked. “Nothing too deep. Fortunately the armor absorbed a lot of it. But I need some time if we want to be sure.” “Work as fast as you can. Use the sledges if any can’t walk. We’ll tend to them on the move.” An unexpected popping explosion seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. The sky darkened. Celestia gasped for air. “Tia?” The Princess of day dropped into the snow, breathing heavily, and she put a hoof to her chest. She struggled to get back up but didn’t have the strength. “Tia, what’s wrong! Are you wounded?!” Soldiers had run up to her now, forming a circle of shields around the Princess, suspecting some kind of assassination attempt. Celestia clenched her eyes shut, feeling pain inside. “I don’t know what it is! It’s deep, and it burns!” “Tia, what can I do?!” The sky grew brighter and Celestia opened her eyes again and slowly got up. “No, it’s fine. It’s going away now.” She slowly got up with a little help from her sister. “Are you sure? “I.. think so. It doesn’t hurt anymore. But something… something’s wrong. I’m not sure what.” Celestia looked at the sky, then looked back towards home, down the trail of crystals. The sun hung low in the sky, just above the blackened path. Celestia activated her magic again, raising the sun higher, finishing her morning routine. But it wasn’t coming easy. She felt winded. And she felt fear. “We have to keep moving,” she said. “I don’t even know why, but I have this horrible feeling that we’re running out of time.” The army marched onward into the late morning. Movement was slower now. They were pulling and healing the injured, and the terrain that lay ahead was now more like a jungle than a frozen landscape. Scouts ahead of the army cried out suddenly. “Oh, my Celestia!” The army quickly halted, waiting for another sound. Up ahead could be seen the shimmer of crystal soldier armor. One of the scouts came running back to the army. Terror was all over his face. “We… reached the crystal army.” “I thought there was no way we would catch them?” Derpy asked. “They’re… not… moving anymore. They’re all dead.” “What?!” the three said at once and galloped on ahead and found a slaughter. The snow was stained red as far as they could see. Corpses lay everywhere, some of them impaled on the tops of crystals. “They had no unicorns to protect them,” Luna said. “Why? Why would he do this to his own army?” “He’s out of his mind and it’s getting worse,” Celestia said. “They must be of no consequence to him.” “But... “ “Or a psychological tactic. He’s trying to scare us.” “It’s working,” Derpy said, looking like she might throw up. “Let’s keep moving. Get past this as quickly as possible,” Luna said. “Luna, we may be in over our heads here.” “I don’t want the soldiers spending anymore time here than they have to. It’s just going to demoralize them.” “Very well. General Hay-brands, quicken our pace. Once we’re through I’ll address the army to embolden them,” Celestia said. “This scene… is practically a living nightmare. I have far more experience with this sort of thing.” “You aren’t even dealing with your own nightmare of losing Sombra.” “I simply haven’t given up on him.” “What?! Look at what he has done! It’s Tartarus for him if we can even take him alive!” “This is not him! It can’t be.” “You don’t know that. This could have always been hiding just beneath the surface. You just never saw it, blinded by love as you were; still are.” “I’m in a much better position than you to make such an assessment.” “You barely knew him.” “I know him far better than you do.” “You’re too naive. You know as well as I how some nations are. Love, just a chess game to them. Emotionless political maneuvering.” “And your cynicism is what started this. That may be true of some rulers. Not him! Did you understand nothing about what keeps them safe out here? The Crystal Kingdom can’t survive without real love, and Sombra knew that!” “And yet, he plunged his country into this chaos. You didn’t know him as well as you thought.” “Sister, I’m saying this as calmly as I possibly can. This was no fling or schoolyard crush. In fact, in spite how how long we’ve known each other, you don’t even know me as well as he did.” “How could you say that?” “Because you never listen, and you don’t trust my judgement at all! I know him! Not just through conversation, but I’ve even seen his dreams before so yes, I know him, in ways you couldn’t possibly. He cared for his subjects with all of his heart! He wanted nothing more than for everypony to be happy.” “And how do you explain this?! How certain are you that he couldn’t have kept a dark side hidden from you?” “And why would he wait until now to unleash it?” “Sometimes Ponies just snap under the stress.” “What would you know about Ponies under stress? You didn’t consider any feelings but your own when you ordered me to break it off with him! What we wanted wasn’t even a factor! And now look where it has brought us! If he snapped under the stress, it would be stress that you put there!” “You are putting the blame for this on me?! Everypony has their own choices. Nopony can force another to do anything. Not without some kind of mind-con--” “By knowing his dreams, I also know what he feared the most! It’s how I found him. Tormented and unable to get decent sleep! There is nothing he feared more than being alone his entire life!” Without realizing it, Luna had begun to use her Royal Canterlot voice, and it boomed across the landscape. Luna’s eyes flashed white, she unfolded her wings to maximum height, and the magic in her horn sparked. Luna looked ready to attack! Celestia was shocked. “Are you challenging me?!” “Celestia, you... have made his nightmare… a reality!” Luna felt a tug on her leg and looked down with fury. Derpy was looking back up at her with sadness in her eyes. For a moment, she’d managed to get both of her eyes to focus. “Please don’t fight. Please.” Luna took a deep breath and her eyes returned to normal. She then looked back to Celestia. “It’s not him! I refuse to believe it! There’s something else going on here, something with that amulet of his.” “He shouldn’t have meddled with it if he didn’t know what it would do.” “I’m not sure anypony could have known.” “Attaining power in such a way always comes at a terrible price.” “He didn’t want power. He didn’t care about power. He only did this to appease you!” “Your Majesties, apologies, but we should keep moving,” General Hay-Brands said. Both Alicorns looked towards the General and then at the soldiers behind him. The head of the army was in the midst of the forest of death, looking at the scenery with horror. Celestia groaned. “Perfect, just perfect.” She shook her head and then said to Luna, “I won’t let you endanger any more lives over this. If he will do this even to his own Ponies, what else is he capable of?!” She began marching again. “Now let’s go!” *********************************************************************************************** As the hours passed, the Doctor was very much on edge. Sombra had retreated to his chambers, presumably weakened from his efforts. The Doctor thought of returning to the mines, but he couldn’t focus. He thought over all the things that might be impacting his psyche and eliminated them one by one. Sombra’s strange power. The obvious presence of a parasite creature within him. The approaching army. The impending war. Derpy. No, none of it. None of that should be making him feel this way. He’d been through this much and dealt with it. There was something else. There was an electricity and an anxiety in the air. Leaving the Empire wasn’t enough. Not even leaving the planet was enough. His subconscious had him on the brink of a panic attack. His gut told him to take the TARDIS and get as far away from this place as possible, and soon. But why? The Doctor wandered the streets near the castle and could see a similar anxiety on the faces of some of the crystal ponies. The voices were strange. The mild commotion suggested great unrest. Random foals were crying. And while the Doctor had seen plenty of all that ever since Sombra turned the Kingdom into a Police State, today was different. The Doctor was certain he had felt this at least once before during his journeys. Something felt different. Something even looked different. He felt the answer was somehow staring him in the face but he couldn’t see it. Randomly he produced his sonic; the only thing that was familiar to him anymore. It was then that he noticed it. The color was off. It was no longer its usual silver. It appeared almost golden. He focused on his hoof. Then the buildings. The crystal ponies. Everything around him had a peculiar orange hue. Off in the distance he noticed a couple of ponies shielding their eyes and glancing skyward. A great moment of realization overcame him as the Doctor turned his eyes toward the heavens. The sun was near its highest point in the sky, but its color and size suggested it was near the horizon; and it casted an otherworldly light on everything. His eyes were wide with fright now as he hesitantly pointed his sonic at the sky. The trusty device confirmed his suspicions. Sometimes he hated being right so often and this was one time he definitely did not want to be right. This was no simple atmospheric phenomenon. The star’s spectral profile was shifting from yellow to orange. Its temperature was decreasing. Its radius was increasing. Far more rapidly than could happen naturally in his home universe. The amulet. The amulet was the key. But it was impossible! And yet, the Doctor had witnessed this process numerous times now. The candles, the torches, the pyre. And now, the biggest and brightest fire in the whole solar system. The evidence was undeniable. Equestria’s mother star was expanding into a red giant. “The sun. The sun is… dying.” The Doctor’s mind raced. What could he do? Could what was killing the sun be fixed? It wasn't natural, so that meant there might be hope. At any rate, he couldn't wait any more. Killing the sun would kill all life on the planet. He had to reveal his hand. He thought quickly. Once Sombra saw his true self, the parasite would use anything he could to attack The Doctor and control him. The ponies in the mine would be endangered...if they were still there. He turned toward them. “mamamamamamamamama.” he froze. His eyes met with the tiny pegasus foal looking up at him. He bit his lip. The baby. He had been so busy with Everything. Her playpen was filled with toys. She Seemed well taken care of, at least. She held her hooves out to the Doctor, eyes focused on him. Another innocent forced into a hopeless situation, amd a possible victim should he confront Sombra. He took a breath, before picking up the tiny baby. Old memories flooded hack to him of Other babies...and his own children. “come now, Mi Amore. Let's go save some ponies.” “ah baba?” “ah yes, we need to find and save your parents too. Oh. I understood that. I'm beginning to understand you. Soon, we can have conversations.” the doctor grinned, not finishing his thought. He held tight to the tiny pony, rushing out the door, grateful that the guards were too enamored with the sky to notice him. The entire empire seemed to be preoccupied with the sudden change in the sky. The doctor used this to his advantage, sneaking past the awestruck ponies. He was on a mission. Well, two missions now…..He scanned the area for either of Amore's parents. He moved toward the cave. Amore babbled As they went, the only Pony who seemed unaware of the change. He was close to the cavern now , with no sign of the young pony's parents. He was beginning to worry that he might not be able to find them that amore flew out of his grip with immense strength. “Amore!” he barely kept himself from shouting as he ran after the surprisingly fast foal, chasing her throughout the line of houses until she suddenly stopped. “Amore, you can't just-” “Mama!” she pointed. Inside the window, Doctor noticed the overworked mom tending to dozens of babies. Wailing erupted from different mouths at different times. The pegasus nearly robotically feeding each one. As she went from mouth to mouth, the Doctor couldn’t help but notice that she seemed a little malnourished herself. When was the last time she was given any leave from this work? Bags aged her face so much in only a month. There seemed to be one other crystal pony in the home, tending to all the mouths...two ponies against that many tiny babies was too much to ask for, and who knew if they had more in other rooms. But, they had found her, and the mines were still decently in sight, so the Doctor popped in. Melody and her helper took a momentary look at him, eyes dull and lifeless, puppets pulled on strings. Melody was closest, taking Amore from the Doctor. The Doctor wondered briefly if she remembered her own baby. The way she sat Amore down, forcing a bottle into her mouth disproved his thoughts. Amore spat her bottle, out, holding her hooves up, “Mama. Mama!” Melody ignored her. Amore screamed, crying hard and loud, but Melody didn’t stop any of her tasks. The doctor watched, interested. It seemed as if Amore was trying to think of a way to snap her mother out of it. He doubted it would work, but he waited, hoping it might. Amore finished her tantrum, making a face like she smelled a stinky diaper. She sat in her crib, thinking hard. Then, as the helper came over to her, Amore flew off once more. The helper didn’t stop her, obviously not ‘programmed’ with what to do if there was a winged pony. Amore flew straight back to her mother, hugging her. She snuggled her mother with a big smile on her face, “Love mama!” she grinned. Melody blinked. She shook her head, and looked around the room as if for the first time. “Wha-? Where am I?!” The Doctor’s jaw hit the floor. Amore’s love found it’s way past even Sombra’s mind control?! How?!!! “You’re still in the crystal Empire, Melody. You were under Sombra’s control until Amore found a way to release you.” “Amore? But...I mean, I know a foals magic is unpredictable, but this?!” she stood, awestruck at the rescue. The cribs lining the walls and wails caught her attention suddenly, “And why-” “He made you caretaker for the youngest of foals, along with your controlled friend still making rounds. I’m sorry, we don’t have time. Sombra wants to raise Amore himself for reasons I can’t quite fathom. He’s also done something with the sun. Yes, I know you want to ask what I mean, but I’m pretty sure you will see for yourself once we step outside. I have a problem though. See, I have something I discovered about Sombra, or rather what has caused him to become who he is now. I have every intention of showing my hand-er...hoof. To him, but I know he is manipulative, and use anything he can against me: the ponies in the mines, your baby, you, ruby…“ He looked over at the helper, going into a different room, making certain she couldn’t hear him, We have means to escape the empire at least. You need to take Amore and run!” “But...but I can’t leave all of these foals here helpless.” “Yes, I realized you might say that once I saw the extent of the babies...plus, your body is weak from malnourishment. Sombra’s magic may have had an ill effect on you.” “I’ll be fine. Where is this escape?” “First...how did we meet?” “What?” “Melody, please. I have to be certain it’s truly you…” “At the fair...Amore was trying to play a flugelhorn.” she smiled. The doctor sighed, leaning in closely to Amore, “In the mines, past the keep out tape, you can’t miss it.” He straightened before continuing, “Would you like some help?” “No, I’m sure that between little Amore and I, we can get these foals far from here.” “But, I” Doctor. You have an entire mine full of ponies to save. I can handle a gaggle of babies. I have some tricks up my mane, believe you me.” Melody smiled, “Besides, I can’t leave without Ruby. If I can find him, Amore can probably do whatever she did to help me. I might even find some ponies who haven’t been taken over, and have them help...with a little fib.” The doctor swayed. He didn’t want to leave all those innocents, but she was right. The mines needed him, and he could come back between then and now, “Fine, but I’m checking on you on my way back!” he decided, rushing to the mines as fast as his feet could carry him. Walking through the mines had felt comforting to the doctor over time. It was a small space of hope in a place full of turmoil...the one place he could truly be himself. A small pit of sadness settled in his stomach. No matter how things turned out, he knew that this place would soon be empty, his safe space gone again. “Doctor?” a voice shook him away from his thoughts. “ah, Hedron!” the doctor looked at him, stopping on a dime. “glad to see you! Do me a favor, and tell every pony you see to meet me at our dig dig sight quickly. No time to waste!” he nodded before doing the same thing himself. Soon, the entrance to their dig site was stared at by everypony in the mines. The Doctor stood at the mouth. “today is the day. The day all of our hard work becomes to our freedom. Through this mouth is your chance to run from this tyranny. So,” He stepped to the side. “please, take your first steps!” he smiled. Some filed without A second thought. most stayed. “what about you, doctor?” “ohhh, you know me. Things to do, ponies to see. Don't worry, I'll be right behind you before you know it.” Trigon stated, “by ponies to see, you mean sombra, don't you?” “well, him yes, and a house full of foals that i need to save.” “A house of foals?” “yes. Turns out the foals of the Crystal empire are close, and I need to find a way to save them.” “No.” “No?” the Doctor asked. Another mine pony stepped up, “you have worked tirelessly To keep us safe from Sombra. Now, you are planning to confront him, AND save a house full of foals before he notices we're gone?! You have proven amazing, but even you are only one pony! You may have to choose-” “Out of the question!” “Right. because you won't have to!” Trigon spoke out. “huh?!” “I'll lead a group of miners to take care of the foals, and take them through the mine!” Trigon nodded, “Hedron will lead the rest of the miners Through the tunnel. That way, you can focus of using whatever you plan to and get our Sombra back!” “I wouldn't hear if it. Your safety-” the doctor started. “Is now in our own hooves now. I for one can not leave and save my own fur While our future generations could be in danger. Your worry about Those foals would delay your goal. Let us help, Doctor! We will make certain that they are safe and away from here. Then all you have to worry about is Sombra!” The Doctor thought it over. “I have to admit...you have a point, and I would rather talk to Sombra sooner rather than later. Okay, if you are certain that you can handle the challenge.” “As well as you can handle Sombra...just be careful. We don’t want him mind wiping you, or...whatever he does.” “Oh, don’t worry. About me. “ The doctor smiled, thinking ‘that’s the one thing I know he wouldn’t do. He knows the knowledge I have would be lost, “ before he finished, “I’ve outwitted him so far. Besides, I’m a lot faster than I look.” “Good luck, Doctor.” the mine ponies waved. Some of them wanted to talk him out of it, but every pony knew they couldn’t. Once the Doctor was set on a plan, it seemed like no force on the universe would stop him. The mine ponies them divided up. Trigon took some of the miners up to the area with houses to search for the foals. Hedron took the others through the caves. The Doctor headed to the castle, his mind and heart set on what needed to be done.