//------------------------------// // Prologue: Clockwork's Choice // Story: Doctor Whooves Episode 13: Clockwork and the Doctor // by Doctor Perseus //------------------------------// Doctor Whooves: Episode 13 Clockwork and the Doctor Prologue: Clockwork's Choice The Clock Tower, Ponyville, Equestria, Gaia, Winter, 1001 C.E. Clockwork sat silently at his desk. Everything was silent aside from the sound of the gears and cogs of the clock turning and the sound of his own, heavy breathing. The chestnut stallion was currently busy fixing another clock. That was his profession: a clockmaker. He loved clocks, and the study of time in general. That was why his cutie mark was an hourglass of all things, though he sometimes wished that it were a normal clock instead. However, there was one thing that Clockwork loved more than clocks and time: his dearly beloved fiancée. Three knocks ran out from the nearby door. "Who is it?" Clockwork asked. "Who else?" replied a familiar, snarky voice. Clockwork smiled as he ran over to the door and opened it. Twilight Sparkle greeted him with a warm kiss to the cheek. "How's my favorite clockmaker?" "Fine. I was just working on another clock for Pinkie." "Another one? Seriously, how many clocks is she going to go through?" "You know Pinkie. Sometimes those parties of hers can get out of hoof." "And your clocks always seem to pay the price." "I know. It's sad...but at least I get to continue doing what I love to do!" Twilight turned around and kissed Clockwork straight on the lips. "I hope I'm not interrupting you." "Of course not, love. I'll always put time aside for you." They kissed again and Twilight giggled. Clockwork smiled and walked over to a nearby sofa. "I've already begun packing," he said as he sat down. "Already? The wedding's not for another month," Twilight said as she sat down next to him. "Besides, you'll have plenty of time to move in after the honeymoon." "Are you kidding? I want to be ready to move in as soon as I say I do." "I guess I'll have to warn Spike then. He's yet to clear out a space for your supplies." "I admit that I'll miss this old place...but at least I have something even more wonderful waiting for me at my new home." Twilight looked into her future husband's eyes. Something else appeared to be on his mind. "Something's on your mind. What is it?" she asked as she stroked her hoof through his brown mane. "It's just this random series of dreams that I've been having recently," he replied. "Good dreams, I hope." "They are...in a way." "What happens in these dreams?" Twilight scooted closer to Clockwork and Clockwork wrapped one of his forelegs around her. "In these dreams, I'm a different pony. I look the same but I go by a different name. I'm called the Doctor." "The Doctor? Doctor who?" "That's just it. I'm just the Doctor. Don't care to tell anypony my real name. I'm not even a pony. I look like one but I'm not. I'm a member of a species called the Time Lords. I travel around through all of space and time in a blue box called the TARDIS, it stands for Time and Relative Dimension in Space." "Do you travel by yourself?" "Yes and no. I occasionally have different companions who travel with me." "Am I in your dreams?" "Yes. You're there too. And so are others." "Others?" "Yeah. Spike's there...and Applejack and Rarity and Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash and Bright Eyes is there too, only she goes by the name of Derpy Hooves." "What type of adventures do we go on?" "Oh. We go on marvelous adventures. Truly marvelous. We fight aliens and clones. We create paradoxes and fix them. We even come across creatures from alternate universes like moving statues and human beings." "You should write a book about your dreams. It could be a big hit. I already have a title planned out: Doctor Who: Master of Time and Space!" "How about just Doctor Who?" "Good enough, I suppose." Clockwork and Twilight kissed again. Twilight looked seductively into Clockwork's eyes. "I can't wait for the wedding...and the honeymoon." "Me neither. Where do you want to go?" "I don't know. Anywhere with a nice, warm, cozy room is fine with me." "Then we can start a family." "A family. I like the sound of that." "Yeah and-" Twilight put her hoof up against Clockwork's mouth. "No more talking for now." She began advancing on him. "Who says we have to wait for the honeymoon? Why not try for a head start?" Clockwork kissed Twilight again. "Happy Hearth's Warming Eve, Twilight," he whispered in her ear. Everything afterwards became a blur. The Clock Tower, Ponyville, Equestria, Gaia, Winter, 1002 C.E. "Happy Hearth's Warming Eve, Mr. Clockwork!" said Bright Eyes as she walked through the door. The chestnut stallion was sitting silently in front of his desk, as usual. "Clockwork?" She noticed that he was busy writing something. Bright Eyes shook her head and sighed. She could only think that at least he was doing something for a change. He had stopped working on clocks or talking to anypony else for that matter since the death of his wife earlier that year. She didn't want to disturb him, for she knew all too well that it was best not to make him angry, but she felt that he needed somepony to talk to on Hearth's Warming Eve. "Mr. Clockwork?" Clockwork turned around to face his visitor. He was wearing a brown, striped suit, a black tie, and a long, light-brown overcoat. "Oh...hello, Bright Eyes," said Clockwork as he approached the gray mailpony. "Do you have mail for me or something like that?" "Well...no." "Then why are you here?" "I...I just felt that you maybe wanted somepony with you. It is Hearth's Warming Eve after all." "I don't need anypony with me." "Yes you do. You need somepony, Clockwork. Especially since...you know." Clockwork seemed to shake with anger and sadness at the reference to the demise of his beloved wife. "Get out." "Clockwork, I-" "Get out." "I didn't mean-" "I DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT WHAT YOUR INTENTIONS WERE! GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!" Bright Eyes began to cry. "Please, Clockwork. I'm so-" A hoof came down and struck her across the face. Clockwork grabbed her and pushed her towards the door. "GET OUT AND NEVER RETURN, YOU BUMBLING PEGASUS!" The door shut with a loud bang. Bright Eyes stood outside the slammed door for a moment, tears rolling down her face. "I'm sorry, Clockwork." She then turned around and began making her way down the stairs. Clockwork kicked a chair over in anger. He looked back at the letter he had been writing. He suddenly realized that he was finished. He looked at the letter and read it silently. It read: To Anypony Who Continued to Care for Me, I apologize for what I have done to you. What happened to me wasn't your fault. None of you were in the wrong. I...I just can't do this anymore. I miss her. The pain hurts to much. I simply cannot live on anymore. I need to see her again. I need to be with her again. Is the choice I've just made selfish? Most likely. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I just can't do it. It's the end, my friends. Don't feel sorry for me. By the time you read this, I'll be with her again. We'll be together at last. We may have been denied happiness in this life, but we will have it in the next. Goodbye, until we all meet again. --Clockwork Tears were rolling down Clockwork's face now. He laid the note out plainly on the table before him. He then turned towards the door that led out to the balcony. He slowly walked outside. Snow was falling down and the entire town was covered in a blanket of snow. The wind was harsh. Clockwork put on a hair of black, square glasses to give his eyes some protection, though they really didn't need any. He looked over the edge. The ground was far below. He could just make out the outline of Bright Eyes exiting the ground floor entrance and running off back to town. "Happy Hearth's Warming Eve, Bright Eyes," said Clockwork as he closed his eyes. "I'm sorry, Equestria." He took a step forward and fell. Snow and wind whipped against his body as he fell towards the ground far below. Due to Clockwork's eyes being closed, he didn't notice the rippling air situated just beneath him, located about halfway between the balcony and the ground. Bright Eyes turned around just in time to see the depressed stallion fall straight through the dimensional rift. The rift closed with a loud bang and a flash of light. The confused mare just stood there, staring at the looming clock tower that blended in so well with the snowy night.