Chapter 6: The Request
Refuge Clinic, Fort McDonald, Trixus, Regulus Orbit, Autumn, 6609 C.E.
Twilight and Trixie awoke to find the Doctor and the others sitting next to their beds.
"We're already back in here again?" Twilight asked with a smirk. The Doctor couldn't help but smile and give out a faint chuckle. Spike wrapped his arms around Twilight, hugging her tightly.
"I thought that I was never going to see you again!" he stated.
"Spike, I promise that I will never leave you behind. I'll always come back!"
"Well thanks for giving us all heart attacks!" Rainbow Dash snapped.
"Sorry."
Twilight blushed slightly. Trixie rose from her bed. She noticed that her cape and hat were now hanging from a hook on the wall nearby and she quickly dressed herself.
"How are you feeling?" the Doctor asked as he turned to face the magician.
"Better. Are there still flames in my eyes?" Trixie responded. The Doctor carefully examined Trixie's eyes and then turned back to Twilight's eyes. The flames were gone.
"They're gone. You have nothing to worry about."
"Thank Celestia! And thank you Twilight! I probably would have lost my mind from fear if you weren't there to talk sense into me!"
"Somepony had to be there to talk some sense into you," Twilight said.
"Do ah detect a change in attitude?" Applejack asked as she approached Trixie.
"Yeah. Listen, everypony. I just want to...to apologize for acting the way I have," said Trixie as she turned to face the others. "I was stupid and stubborn and a liar and-"
"Apology accepted," said Rarity as she held up one of her hooves. "You've obviously changed for the better and you did help Twilight return you two to the present as well as defeat those awful Weeping Angels. I think that at least warrants us to forgive you for being such a...uh-"
"Bitch?" Rainbow finished.
"I was going to say shrew but thank you for being vulgar, Rainbow Dash!"
"You were thinking it too!"
"She's right. I was acting like that. But I've changed now! Getting sent back in time and then getting trapped with a magical spell for ten years can certainly change a pony," Trixie said as she shuffled her hooves.
"So have you figured out what happened?" Twilight asked as she turned back to the Doctor.
"Of course. It all made perfect sense when I found you and Trixie. The Angel sent you back to 6599 where you both used the Master's Rejuvenation Spell to turn yourselves into the power source that would protect Alexander and the others for the last decade. The blue flames and the visions you two received were from your future selves, basically giving you instructions of what to do and how to do it. The spell helped keep you at your current age throughout the decade and the whole thing went by in a little over a minute from your point of view. It's all very simple when you think about it and I've already explained it to the others," the Doctor replied.
"Simple to you, maybe," Spike groaned. Derpy walked up and hugged Twilight.
"I'm glad that you're back, Twilight," she said as she pulled away.
"I'm glad to be back, Derpy," Twilight replied with a smile.
"But there's one thing that I'm still confused about."
"And what's that?"
"How did Trixie appear in the TARDIS and why did the TARDIS bring us here against our will?"
"It's obvious isn't it?" the Doctor asked. "Think about it. The power source never would have existed if Twilight and Trixie had never gone back in time and cast the spell. Twilight and Trixie would have never gone back in time if they hadn't received messages from their future selves and if the Weeping Angel hadn't touched them. The Weeping Angels wouldn't have stayed in Fort McDonald for ten years after appearing in this dimension if the power source had never existed in the first place, which is why the Angel touched Twilight and Trixie to begin with so that they could produce the power source that the Angels craved for the past decade. That's why the Trixie appeared in the TARDIS. The TARDIS called her to us and sent us all to Fort McDonald so that the circle of time could be completed. It's a paradox. A never-ending paradox."
"So if the TARDIS had never brought us here than none of this would have happened?" Applejack asked.
"The Angels would still be here but they probably wouldn't have stayed as long as they did if the power source never existed in the first place."
"My head hurts!" Derpy exclaimed.
"Time is complicated," said Twilight.
"You got that right!"
Alexander then walked into a room. His smile was so wide that his teeth gleamed in the light from Regulus.
"You look happy," said Fluttershy.
"It must be good news then!" Pinkie Pie cheered.
"It is! For ten years, those blasted Angels have kept our communications down. Now, with them gone, we were finally able to make contact to some other forts. We're all going to be leaving this place in less than three hours," Alexander exclaimed happily.
"I'm glad for you and your friends," said Trixie.
"How did nopony check up on you for ten years? Didn't they think it was strange that they weren't hearing anything back from you?" Rarity asked.
"The Angels were interfering with that too. They have frightening abilities in this world, the Angels."
"I'm beginning to see that," the Doctor sighed.
"Don't worry. Whatever happens, I believe that you'll be there to stop them!"
Alexander held out a hoof and the Doctor shook it.
"Thank you, Doctor. Thank you and thank you all!" Alexander exclaimed.
"It was our pleasure," Twilight said.
"We checked and, don't worry, the TARDIS is safe and is ready for use!"
"Then I guess it's time to head off then!" said the Doctor.
"Off again?!" asked an excited Derpy.
"Off again."
Hospital Wing, Fort McDonald, Trixus, Regulus Orbit, Autumn, 6609 C.E.
The Doctor and the others quickly made their way back to the TARDIS. None of them could feel happier about finally leaving the ruined Fort McDonald.
"I guess we'll need to drop you off back home first, Trixie," said the Doctor as he walked into the TARDIS.
"That would be nice," Trixie replied. The Doctor was about to begin working the controls when he noticed that some of the others were looking a bit...off.
"Is something wrong?"
"Not really," Spike replied.
"It's just that...we're all feeling a bit homesick," said Fluttershy. "I hope you don't mind!"
"I don't mind, Fluttershy! It's perfectly understandable! So I guess you all want to make a quick pit stop back home, right?" the Doctor asked.
"Actually...we think we want more than a pit stop, Doctor," said Rarity. The Doctor turned away from the controls. He knew what was coming.
"We don't want to stop traveling with you forever! Trust me, there are plenty of places that we want to see...but we just want to go home for now," said Rainbow Dash. The only ponies who seemed to be disappointed by this news other than the Doctor were Twilight, Derpy, and Applejack.
"We're...going home?" Derpy sighed sadly.
"We've been gone for a whole month. I haven't seen anypony else in Ponyville for a whole month!" Pinkie exclaimed.
"You too huh, Pinkie?" the Doctor asked. Pinkie nodded sadly. It was obvious that the ponies didn't want to stop their adventures...but their longing to be home again overpowered their lust for adventure. The Doctor was sad...but he understood completely. "Fine. I guess it is about time that we put our adventures on hold for now."
"We'll come back for more, Doctor! You can be sure of that!" Spike said. "Just don't lose anypony along the way."
Spike looked up at Twilight and she smiled back at him.
"I'll never lose any of you. That's a promise."
Everypony smiled as the Doctor began making his way over towards the controls.
"WAIT!" somepony called suddenly. The Doctor looked to see that Applejack had stepped forward, her hoof was raised. "Can we not go home...just yet?"
Everypony fell silent. This was certainly unexpected.
"Applejack? You don't want to go home?" Rainbow asked.
"I thought you of all ponies would be the one who wanted to go home the most," Rarity stated.
"Ah do want to go home! Very much so! There's just...something ah want to see before ah return home," Applejack continued.
"And what would that be?" the Doctor asked.
"It's an event that occurred in my life that I would like to take a look back at."
"I...I don't know, Applejack. Mostly, everypony here seems ready to go home. I bet Trixie's just dying to get back to her-"
"I don't mind, Doctor," Trixie interrupted. Everypony stared at Trixie. "It looks like this event is very important to Applejack. I bet she's been trying to ask you about it ever since you started traveling together but she didn't puck up the courage to ask you until now. I wouldn't mind waiting around a little bit longer so that Applejack can relive some old memories."
"Thank you, Trixie," said a stunned Applejack.
"Well if even Trixie, of all ponies, is willing to wait then I guess I can too," said Rainbow.
"Me too," said Rarity, Spike, and Fluttershy together.
"Me five!" cheered Pinkie.
"So we get one more adventure before heading home?" asked Derpy as her eyes lit up.
"Why not? What's the harm in making one last trip before taking everypony home?!" the Doctor asked as he began tweaking with the controls.
"This should be interesting," said Twilight as she stood next to the Doctor.
"It probably will be! So, Applejack, when and where are we off to?"
Applejack looked stunned, sad, and happy all at the same time. Something was definitely off about the earth pony. Whatever this event was, it was apparently extremely important to her. She looked at the Doctor and said, "Ponyville on July 6, 996."
"Okay then! Here we go!"
To be continued...