That Blue Box

by Aurora Aura


Something New

The Doctor sat upright, running his fingers through his hair as he looked around.

“I must have hit my head,” he said offhandedly. “Yeah, must be it, but I can’t help feeling I’m forgetting something.”

As the Doctor finished his sentence, his TARDIS made an enormous noise, wheezing and groaning as sparks flew from the main console and the column in the center of the device moved feverishly up and down. The Doctor looked over to the site, and his eyes became wide with a mixture of fear and wonder.

He shot up to his feet and ran over to the center console in his ship and began to working feverishly to stop his ship from crashing. But no matter how many switches and levers and dials he tried, the TARDIS was crashing, and the Doctor couldn’t remember why. The best the Doctor could do was to make an attempt to make a safe crash landing.

“I’ll just aim for some English countryside,” The Doctor told himself as moved to begin making the necessary adjustments. But as he did this, the TARDIS started to make that huge noise again. The Doctor looked up and in an exasperated tone yelled out “oh what now!?”

Then everything went black.


Some time later the Doctor awoke from unconsciousness in a daze and sat upright, rubbing his face.

“Hold on a second,” The Doctor began. “This is not my face!”

The Doctor looked around for any signs of damage or any sort of indication as to what had just happened. It was as if a hurricane had come through the TARDIS, again. Though the damage the TARDIS had took was great, the Doctor suspected he had been hurt more than he had originally thought because the face he had was not the one he had moments ago.

“Did I regenerate?” The Doctor asked the empty TARDIS. “No, that can not be. I still have the same thoughts, even my voice is the same.” The Doctor began to shake his head. He had no idea what had just happened, but he was determined to find out.

“Alright I should do a quick check. Make sure I’m still in one piece” The Doctor spoke again to the empty console room of the TARDIS.

“Eyes, two. Good. I like having two eyes. Nose, wow that is a honker. Face, I think it is longer than I've ever had before. But that is my face, I can feel it. Alright, hair” the Doctor brought up his hands to run them through his hair, but as he did, so he noticed a hoof where once a fleshy pink hand had been.

“Well now that’s new. I have a hoof, I can honestly say I've seen this before.”

The Doctor began to look around again, finding a mirror having moved up on his list of things to do. He had to seem himself, he had to know what exactly he looked like. But there were no mirrors in the console room; and even if there was, the Doctor wasn't sure they’d be in one piece anyway, not with the condition of the rest of the TARDIS.

“I should get out of the TARDIS, it’s going to start repairing itself soon” The Doctor said as he put a key to the TARDIS around his new neck.

The Doctor stood up to begin his walk for the doors. The first thing he noticed was the lack of increase in eye level between sitting and standing. The Doctor looked behind himself and saw a light bronze fur coated body with a deep chocolate tail right behind it exactly where he was standing.

The Doctor just stared, not knowing how he should react to this.

After a moment of silence, the Doctor began to move his newly acquired hooves around his chest and face.

“I’m covered in hair,” it was more of a statement than a question. “I’m a Sasquatch, a finger-less Sasquatch!” The Doctor proclaimed.

He moved his hooves to the top of his head. “Hair, normal enough hair. Good old reliable hair. And oh this is thick, good thick hair.” The Doctor noted. “Regenerating is so much easier when I can just see my reflection," said the Doctor, thinking again about the lack of mirrors.

Suddenly there was a knock on the TARDIS door. The Doctor looked over and then let out a short sigh before walking over there. Noting how easily he had walked in his foreign body.

The Doctor opened the TARDIS doors and swiftly stepped out and closed them behind himself.

In front of the Doctor stood a cream colored pony with a rosy mane on her head and a matching tail behind her. On both sides of her flank was the image of a rose, which was simplistic in its appearance yet still managed to give off a certain level of detail the Doctor couldn't quite put the hoof that had once been his finger on it.

“Hey stranger, would you do me two favors? One, quit staring at my flank, you aren’t even trying to be subtle. And two, get your big blue box off of my garden.”

When she spoke she kept her tone very low, but her annoyance was apparent. The Doctor turned to look at Roseluck, when he did he noticed a look in her eyes that told him that he had better do as she says and get away from her as fast as possible.

“Uh, yeah of course, just give me one moment to uh. Move my box.” The Doctor said as he turned around and pulled at the TARDIS doors.

They wouldn't budge.

“Really, you have to do this now. Can it wait five seconds?”

As the Doctor was bargaining with his box, a gray mare flew down and landed near the two ponies. The Rose colored pony’s eyebrow began to twitch with agitation.

“What’s up Roseluck? What’s going on down here?” Asked the light gray mare.

The Doctor turned around to face the new comer. She had a coat just a few shades darker than white and a distinctively blonde mane. Though the features that stood out the most was her wall-eyed stare and the wings on her back.

Roseluck and this gray pony had continued to exchange words the Doctor didn’t hear.

“Excuse me but, you’re a Pegasus right?” Asked the Doctor.

The Pegasus in question turned to the Doctor and said “Well yeah, obviously, and I have a name too. It’s Hooves, Derpy Hooves. But you can just call me Derpy" The mare told him with an innocent smile.

“Well hello Derpy the Pegasus” The Doctor said with a wide, cheesy grin. “Pegasi. How fantastic, how brilliant, how … cool.”

“Er- Right. Anyway mister, like I was telling Roseluck, I can help you move your box. I know some ponies in the moving business from when I used to work for Two Mares and a Cart, I’m sure they could help you move that thing. Whatever you keep in it, it can’t be light.”

“Oh why thank you Miss Derpy that would be greatly appreciated” The Doctor said as he gave Derpy a more sincere smile this time before turning to Roseluck. “And I am terribly sorry about this. Believe me when I said I had no intentions of ruining your garden. It was an unavoidable accident.”

“Unavoidable” Roseluck asked. Raising an eyebrow at the Doctor.

“Well, uh, you see. My box is um, you just-” The Doctor began. But he didn’t get far in his stumbling over his own words before Derpy spoke up.

“Maybe we should leave Roseluck alone until my mover friends get here. Come on Mister I can show you the way to the local bakery. They have the best muffins this side of Canterlot” Derpy offered.

“Sure, that sounds like a plan.” The Doctor said as he nodded in Roseluck’s general direction and began to walk away with Derpy close behind.

“So do you have a name mister?” asked Derpy.

“I do, actually. I’m called the Doctor.”

“Doctor who?” asked Derpy.

The Doctor looked over at Derpy and smiled at her before telling her “No actually, it’s just the Doctor.”

“Just the Doctor?” Derpy asked.

“Just the Doctor.” The Doctor confirmed.

“So, just the Doctor, what do you do? Your Cutie Mark is an hourglass, are you a clock Doctor?” Asked Derpy Hooves as she gestured to the hourglass that was on his flank.

“A what Doctor? My what?” asked the highly confused Doctor as he gave Derpy a puzzled look.

"Your Cutie Mark silly, what does it mean?"

The Doctor looked back and, just as Derpy had said, there was the image of an hour glass on his backside.

"Well now isn't that something, it's almost like a tattoo but, what did you call it Miss Derpy?"

"A Cutie Mark, it represents the thing that makes you unique. And you are special because you heal hour glasses" Derpy said definitively.

"I don't think that's quite right," said the Doctor.

"But what else could it mean? You’re a doctor, and your special talent involves something about hourglasses."

"Well I'm not a doctor, well I am but my name is the Doctor. And perhaps my, Cutie Mark was it, is a metaphor of some sort."

"You’re weird Doctor," Derpy said.

"And don't you forget it" The Doctor snapped back, shooting Derpy a sly smile.

“So why did you put your big blue box on poor Roseluck’s garden Doctor?” inquired the gray mare.

“I honestly didn't mean to do it. Time got all wibbly, and it became something even I couldn't control. I’m not yet sure I understand exactly what happened myself. But I intend to find out.”

"You're talking nonsense Doctor." Derpy said with a frown.

"I never talk nonsense. Well, hardly never" the Doctor told her.

Derpy rolled her eyes, a feat that seemed to take an extreme amount of coordination.

"So who are you Doctor? I mean besides your name" Derpy asked, a light, genuine smile on her face.

"Oh you know. Just a travelling man, out to see it all."

"Well mister traveling man I hope you didn't leave your appetite with that box of yours because we're here."

The Doctor looked forward and saw a large building in the center of what appeared to be a plaza of sorts. The Building itself had a tower coming out of the roof and seemed to have frosting coating the edges of the roof.

"It looks like a giant gingerbread house" The Doctor said in awe.

"I know isn't it awesome? Now lets go in and get some muffins" Derpy told the Doctor.

"I know it may be a bad time to mention, but I don't exactly have any money with me. I never do" The Doctor said with a sigh.

"Don't worry about it Doctor. I got you covered, now come on and lets eat." Derpy said with a large toothy grin. A smile the Doctor returned to the gray mare.


A few hours had passed, and they had eaten to their fill and were now on their way to the edge of town. Where Derpy Hooves friends had brought the Doctor's big blue box. The sun was already retreating into the western sky, and the Doctor had an eventful day and was ready to get back to his TARDIS.

The TARDIS was finally in view, but the Derpy's friends were nowhere to be seen. As they reached the outside of the TARDIS, Derpy turned to the Doctor.

"So Doctor, you have a place to stay tonight?"

"Actually I was just about to ask you the same thing." The Doctor told her.

"What do you mean? Why would I need a place to stay. And even if I did where would I go?" asked Derpy.

"Derpy I haven't been entirely honest with you. I haven't lied, but I haven't told the whole truth either."

"Okay." Derpy said, her curiosity now peaked.

"I'm a Time Traveler from another world. And this" the Doctor tapped on the door of the TARDIS "Is my time machine."

"Okay Doctor. That's really cool. Now. Which hospital did you say you were at?"

"Scoff if you must Derpy, but I'll let you see for yourself."

"That's your time machine?" Asked Derpy.

"Yes ma'am" the Doctor said with a courteous smile.

"It's made of wood Doctor" Derpy pointed out. "And why does it say police box on top?"

"Here let me show you" the Doctor said. He began to paw at the key around his neck with his hoof, to no avail.

"Are you alright Doctor?" Derpy asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course, a new body's like a new house - takes a little time to settle in, that's all," said the Doctor, still trying to grasp his key with his new hoof.

"Here Doctor, let me help," Derpy said as she lifted the key off his neck with ease and put it into the key hole in the door of the TARDIS. Derpy decided to ignore the Doctor's last comment and what it might have meant, and just wrote it off to his abnormality.

"Thanks Derpy," the Doctor said, walking over to the door. He tried to grab the key with a hoof but quickly ran into the same trouble. So instead he pinned the key between his two front hoofs and turned it. "Ah-ha!" he exclaimed triumphantly.

The Doctor slowly pushed open the door and said "This Derpy, is how I get around the universe. I give you the TARDIS."

The door swung open reviling a large foyer beyond the wooden door, a room that was far to big and shouldn't logically fit inside the small, square box. Derpy was instantly dazzled by the light, the warmth, the life (albeit alien life) that permeated this huge room with all its indented walls and the strange device in the center with all its switches and levers and dials. The Doctor just smiled at Derpy's moment of awestruck silence.

"It's" Derpy began.

"Yes?" asked the Doctor.

"It's bigger on the inside," Derpy said in awe.

"Oh I love that part" the Doctor said to no pony in particular.

Derpy was flying around the outside of the box for a moment before going inside to make sure it wasn't an illusion.

"It's called a TARDIS. It stands for Time And Relative Dimensions In Space" said the Doctor.

"That isn't a real word" Derpy accused.

"Yes it is. TARDIS' is a ... is a Gaelic word." said the Doctor defensively.

"A what?" Derpy asked.

"It grows on my home planet of Gallifrey," he told her.

"Where is Gallopfrey?" asked Derpy.

"What?" asked the Doctor, not sure if he had heard her right.

"Where is it, is it near Fillydelphia, or how about Baltimare?"

"Fillydelphia? Baltimare?" said the doctor, confused at first but quickly started to giggle uncontrollably.

"What's so funny?" asked Derpy.

"Oh it's nothing Derpy, don't worry about it" the Doctor said as he tried to stifle his laughter.

"You sure are a strange pony Doctor," Derpy said as she continued to look around.

Once the Doctor's giggles had subsided he turned to Derpy, watching her look around every corner, trying to figure it all out.

"This is an interesting trick and all Doctor, but I seriously doubt this will actually travel through time," Derpy said, turning to face the Doctor.

"Oh yeah? Watch this" the Doctor told her as he closed the TARDIS' doors and trotted over to the center console. After the Doctor had finished flipping a few switches, and pulling a large lever there was a loud sound. The sound was unique to any sound Derpy had ever heard, and after a few moments it stopped, and the Doctor lifted the lever back to it's original position.

"Look outside," said the Doctor. He had set it about twelve hours ahead so it would be morning when she opened the doors.

Derpy trotted over to the doors they had entered from. Derpy didn't believe anything the Doctor was saying, even if his box was bigger in the inside, time travel wasn't even possible.

As Derpy prepared to open the door, the Doctor came up behind her and said aloud to nopony in particular "Allons-y."

"What?" asked Derpy.

"It's a French. It means let's go" he told Derpy.

Derpy nodded, giving the Doctor a strange look, and pulling on the doors before running out to greet the world. The first thing they noticed was the blinding white light of the morning sun. The second thing the Doctor noticed was the fourteen white stallions in full barding, each wielding either a spear or a sword.

A few moments passed, and the Doctor realized they were standing on a marble floor, the ceiling high above them. The light hitting The Doctor and Derpy in the face came from one of the tall clear windows in the granite walls.

"Oh hello there gents. Don't mind us, we are just passing through and-"

"Doctor," Derpy said, nudging the Doctors sides one of her wings.

"One moment Derpy, I'm just explaining to these fine men what we are doing here."

"But Doctor, look."

The Doctor turned around to see they weren't just in a large room. They were in a throne room. And on the throne sat a pony who towered above the rest. With a snow white coat and what seemed to be an ethereal mane the Doctor figured this was the pony in charge.

"Why hello there. I'm guessing from the big crown thingy on your head you're in charge."

"Doctor, that's princess Celestia" Derpy hastily whispered to the Doctor. The Doctor turned to Derpy to see her kneeling down.

Then came a voice that was louder than anything the Doctor had ever heard in his long life.

"WHO ART THOU TO COME INTO OUR THRONE ROOM UNANNOUNCED?"

The Doctor rubbed his ears in pain briefly before saying to himself "I guess the term 'inside voices' doesn't hold any meaning here."