Vwhoom, vwhoom
A big blue box was hurtling through the skies of Ponyville, changing direction, spinning around, and sending its residents into a panic. Ponies were running every which way, unsure of what to do. Only two ponies were paying no attention to the phenomenon and both resided in the library. A certain unicorn was receiving a visitor from the future, and that visitor just happened to be her.
“Twilight please! I have a very important message for you from the future!”
“You’re from the future?”
“That’s right, but you have to listen.” Twilight wasn’t listening. She was pacing around her unusual visitor, taking in every detail from her burned out mane to her tattered black suit.
“What happened to you? The future must be awful.”
“Please, I don’t have much time," the other Twilight begged.
“Is there some sort of epic pony war in the distant future or something?”
“Actually, I’m from next tuesday morning, but that’s not important right now-”
Kaboom!
The entire building shook as both versions of Twilight Sparkle (resident and visitor) screamed in unison, "What was that?!"
They heard the front door being shoved open and slammed against the wall and then heavy hoof steps ascending the stairs. They were undoubtedly the hoof steps of a grown pony, but they were uneven and staggering, like the one wasn't quite used to legs. When the pony in question appeared at the top of the stairs, all of the rooms occupants were surprised to see that the colt before them looked more beat up than the visitor. He had chestnut fur and a mane that stood on end and was quite frazzled and signed. His bright blue eyes were wild and he wore a tweed jacket that would make Rarity squeal in horror. It clearly wasn't made for a pony as it and the shirt under it were much too big and bulky for anypony to wear, even if they weren't torn and burned beyond repair. A large red bow tie hung undone around his neck and doubtless would have made a statement of some kind or another if it was properly done. The oddest thing about the pony however, was the object he held in his mouth. Whatever it was, it clearly had not designed to be held in such as fashion. It was a long metal cylinder composed of three separate parts with a "cage" on one end encasing a green bulb.
"No! No, no, no, no, no!" the crazy stallion mumbled around the device. "Bad pony. Bad pony messing with time travel! You do not go back in your personal timeline. Any amateur knows that."
"The scroll never said anything like that-"
"You're lucky you didn't cause a tear in time and space," the strange pony scolded. "I only fix those once every thousand years and you are late by several hundred!"
The stallion's ill fitting jacket slipped for a fraction of a second revealing the strangest cutie mark the Twilight’s had ever seen. On the stranger’s flank was an hourglass. The future Twilight saw it and gasped, "You're a-" but before she could finish, strands of magic swirled around her and she vanished in a bright flash of light. Twilight allowed time for herself and the stranger to blink the spots from their eyes before she turned on him angrily.
"She was going to tell me something!" she cried accusingly.
"That's even worse. Whatever it was will no doubt work itself out on its own. We're just lucky I got here before something too bad happened." The stallion stumbled and Twilight stepped forward, ready to catch him of he fell, but he waved her away. "I'm fine, I'm fine. I just need-" He broke off mid sentence to exhale a cloud of golden smoke. Twilight's eyes went wide with alarm. "some sleep," he finished. The stallion's legs gave way and he crumpled to the floor fast asleep.
* * *
When the Doctor awoke it was early evening. He sat up groggily and surveyed his surroundings. He was on a couch in the middle of an apartment that was entirely made of wood; bookshelves claimed most every wall. A quick glance out the glass door leading to the balcony confirmed his suspicions: The apartment was carved out of a tree. He could hear voices originating from what he guessed was the kitchen, although they were too quiet to make out properly.
The Doctor attempted to stand but his efforts were rewarded with a face full of floor. In addition to the normal balance issues that came with the regeneration, he had become tangled in his clothes. The kitchen door was flung open and a remarkable purple unicorn cantered over to him.
"Are you alright?" she asked worriedly.
"I'm fine, just a bit... stuck."
The unicorn sighed and, with considerable difficulty, helped him to stand. "There." The unicorn gave the Doctor a once over as he did the same. It seemed that she was just as confused by him as he was by her. Finally, she spoke. "We'd better get you out of that suit." Noting the look on his face, she added quickly, "It's much too big for you. It doesn't even look like it was made for a pony! You'll only fall over again."
The Doctor looked uncomfortable but agreed. It would be easier to run without tripping on a ruined jacket anyway, he thought.
The unicorn set out about helping the Doctor undress. The uncomfortable silence was broken only by directions on how to lift a leg or move his head. The awkwardness was almost palpable. The unnamed unicorn finally broke the silence. "This suit has an odd design. It's almost as if it wasn't made for a pony. Where did you get it?"
The Doctor hesitated for a moment before answering. Wherever he was, it wasn't in his universe. Finally, he decided on the truth. "London."
"London? I've never heard of the place. Is it anywhere near Trottingham?"
"...Trottingham?"
"Well, yeah. I just assumed... You have the accent." The unicorn was beginning to regret bringing it up in the first place.
The Doctor jumped at the suggestion. "Trottingham! Yes. Definitely from Trottingham." He laughed nervously. "If you don't mind me asking, where am I, miss...?"
To the Doctor's relief, she didn't seem surprised by this question. "Twilight. Twilight Sparkle. And you're in Ponyville: the home of-" she paused for a second. "Of me." she finished lamely. "Although, we do have a decent library. It's no Canterlot Archives, but it's got a good selection."
The Doctor froze with a leg in the air. "Did you say Camelot?" he asked, before topping over.
Twilight helped him up and replied, "No, Canterlot," stressing the "t". "What's a camel?"
"Never mind." It was beginning to occur to the stallion that things were going on that were very much not good. And not a normal not good either.
At long last, he had managed to disentangle himself from his clothing. The Doctor made as if to go but was stopped by Twilight. "Oh no. You are going nowhere until you explain everything you said yesterday, why there is a smoking blue box outside my house, and why you keep staring at my horn." She forced herself to smile. "Would you like some waffles?"
* * *
They had hardly sat down to breakfast when there was a knock at the door. Twilight told Spike to stay put and got up to get the door. (The Doctor eyed the baby dragon nervously. Twilight however, acted as if a fire breathing lizard eating waffles was the most natural thing in the world. Perhaps it was.) Both dragon and pony strained to hear what was being said.
"Hello Derpy. What can I do for you?"
The reply made everyone on the street wince. "WHERE IS HE!?!"
"Where is-" There was a strangled yelp and several bangs and crashes. "Derpy wait." Crash. "Derpy-" Thump. "Derpy!"
The kitchen door was flung open and a gray pegasus with a yellow mane and tail burst in. She crashed into the table launching waffles across the room. Twilight appeared in the doorway behind her as Spike was knocked to the ground. The Doctor had somehow remained unscathed and sitting on his stool a midst the carnage. The pegasus' crossed eyes fixed on him immediately. She let out an excited shout of, "Doctor!" and leapt at him, tackling him to the floor with a bear hug. "Oh Doctor, I missed you so much! Why didn't you tell me you were back in town? Why is your TARDIS crashed in front of the library? Why-"
"Can't- breathe," he managed to choke.
"Oh sorry," the pegasus said sheepishly, and sat next to the stallion. "I was just so excited to see you."
The Doctor heaved himself to his hooves as Twilight and Spike set about clearing up the mess Derpy had made. "You know each other?" Twilight asked.
"Yes."
"No,” they spoke at the same time.
"Huh?"
The Doctor coughed politely. "Not yet." He shot the pegasus an apologetic glance. "Sorry."
Derpy looked close to tears. "Doctor, what are you talking about? I'm your companion! I have the key to the TARDIS and everything!
"I'm sorry, Depry was it? None of that's happened to me yet."
"Could either of you talk normally?" Twilight asked, exasperated. "Neither of you are making any sense. What's a TARDIS? You promised me answers!"
"On the contrary my dear Sparkle, I promised you nothing. Thank you for your hospitality, but I really must be going." He nodded to each mare in turn- angry unicorn and forlorn pegasus. He made a mental note to apologize to the walleyed mare when he met her. He had more pressing matters on his hands- hooves, whatever, than dealing with his future. Things like- he paused for a moment as he descended the stairs. He was forgetting something. Something big. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to remember. There was a Dalek ship, he knew that much. But after that... He shook his head to clear it and continued. Maybe there were clues in the TARDIS.
He had to push his way through a crowd of pastel ponies and several guards in golden armor to get to his beloved TARDIS that had managed to embed itself in the street. "Oh no," he groaned. The ship's exterior was unharmed as it always was, but smoke curled up from the doors and the windows were fogged up with it. The bulb at the top was out and the light behind the words "police box" were off.
"Sir," sounded a deep a voice from behind him. The Doctor turned to see one of the guard ponies. "Please get back. For your own safety."
The Doctor thought about arguing but didn't have the energy. It wouldn't do him any good if he won anyway. The TARDIS would be locked to anything and everything until it had repaired itself.
He wondered for a moment about what to do next. For better or worse, the decision was taken out of his hooves by a single shout. "Doctor! Come quick!"