“Doctor! Doctor!” Derpy exclaimed as she rushed in.
Sepia turned away from the wall of clocks he was winding to face the unexpected guest. “Yes, Miss Hooves?”
“You got a very important letter!” Derby continued, and then fished the letter from her satchel, presenting it to the clockmaker.
The envelope bore the mark of Celestia. The letter told of how Canterlot's Clock Tower had ceased to function. The source of the problem baffled those charged with the upkeep of the tower, and, as his father had designed the clock there was hope that Sepia would be able to repair it. Of course, he would be paid for his services.
“Why wasn't this with my morning mail?” Sepia asked Derpy Hooves.
“It... Kind of fell out, Doctor...” Derby answered, smiling awkwardly.
Sepia wrote a letter accepting the job and handed it to the wall-eyed pegasus mail carrier. “Get this delivered as quickly as you can,” he said. Derpy saluted and raced off.
Sepia went to collect his tools from the workshop, were Colgate was making adjustments to a few clocks. “Would you mind the shop for the rest of the day, Colgate?” he asked the unicorn, “I need to take care of something in Canterlot.”
Colgate looked at one of the many clocks. “Right now?” she responded, “It'll be night by the time you get there!”
“Well, Derpy only just now got me the message, and it was signed by Princess Celestia herself, so I think I probably shouldn’t leave her waiting,” Sepia explained as he donned the saddle bags with his tools.
“You want me to stay overnight?” Colgate asked, “Do the morning alarm check for you?”
“If you could that'd be great,” Sepia said, “Now, I'm off.”
As Colgate had predicted, it was well into the night when Sepia arrive in Canterlot, where he was greeted by an older pony, green in coat, his mane and tail already well-worn into grayness. “Well if it isn't the Doctor!” The older pony said, “You on another of your adventures?”
“No, I'm just here to fix the tower,” Sepia said, indicating the building.
The other pony considered this as they walked. “So the princess contacted you to fix it?” he asked, looking thoughtful, “Makes sense. Who's better for the job than a Time Lord, eh?”
“Yes, let's just go with that,” Sepia said dully as he entered the clock tower. His guide looked expectantly at him. “Is there something I'm forgetting?”
“Well...” the other began, “It's just that, in the stories I've heard, you always had help, and I just wondered if you want me...”
“No, that's quite alright,” Sepia interrupted, “I wouldn't want to keep you from whatever else you need to do.”
“It's fine with me; I've got nothing better to do,” the pony said with a wrinkly grin.
Sepia weighed his options. The extra hooves might end up being convenient. However, he'd probably have to spend the whole time listening to tales of his assumed exploits. “I think I've got it well in hoof,” Sepia said, closing the doors, “Thanks for the offer, though.” The doors echoed when they shut. Sepia shivered and then started up the winding staircase. It's rather chilly, Sepia thought to himself, perhaps I should have brought a scarf. Then again, I'm sure the pony that brought me here would just start telling people about how he saw Doctor Whoof with a miles-long scarf. Sepia smirked at the ridiculous idea. A long scarf would just be a hindrance.
Halfway up, Sepia began to hear the faint sound of voices echoing down from the top. He picked up his pace slightly. As he climbed, the voices began to become clearer, until Sepia realized it wasn't, in fact, multiple voices, but a single voice speaking at different registers.
“More tea, Brigadier General?” The feminine voice asked.
“Yes I would, thank you,” the voice said in a low, gruff voice.
“I must say, princess, you are a most delightful host.” This one was between the previous two.
“Thank you, Duchess Cotton,” the voice went back to its original state.
Sepia Tock reach the top the stairs, exiting to an open air floor, where Princess Luna sat, , socks puppets on her front hooves, hosting a tea party. “It too bad Felicity couldn't be here,” Luna said with the gruff voice assigned to the puppet on her left hoof, which had a mustache and monocle.
“Oh yes, where ever did she get to?” The duchess had a horn and pearl necklace.
“Um... Excuse me?” Sepia cautiously made his presence known.
Luna turned to face the sudden guest, “Oh!” She awkwardly tried to hide the puppets. “May I help you, sir?” she asked, smiling sheepishly.
Sepia pointed down the stairs, “I was climbing up here to try and fix the clock when I heard voices.”
“Oh. Sorry, I didn't mean to be a distraction,” Luna said awkwardly.
“It perfectly alright, Your Highness,” Sepia assured, looking at the small table, which had a silver tray and tea set laid out on it. “If I may ask, why are you up here all by your lonesome?”
“I'm not alone! I've got my friends!” Luna said, presenting the puppets, her face beaming with pride before deflating. “Well, most of them anyways…”
Sepia, deciding it best to play along, nodded, “Yes, I heard about Felicity.” He paused for a breath. “I assume she, too, is a sock.”
Luna looked at Sepia blankly. “You think I'm mad, don't you?”
Sepia recoiled. “O-of course not, ma'am!” He began to back away from the Princess, slowly.
Luna put her hooves down. “It's okay if you do” she said with a hint of sadness, “You might be right.” Luna sipped from her cup. “A thousand years alone might make you mad.”
Sepia looked at the face of the Moon Princess and saw loneliness radiating from it. He looked at the worn puppets, dirtied by moon dust, “I don't think you're mad,” he said, “Eccentric, sure, but not mad.”
Luna considered this, “Thank you... Uh...”
“Sepia Tock.” Sepia said, “I make clocks in Ponyville.”
“Thank you, Sepia Clockmaker.” Luna said with a smile, “Could I interest you to some tea?”
“Well, I’ve got to fix this clock.” Sepia said, nodding his head towards the stairs, adding “But once it’s working again, I would love some tea.”
“Did you hear that? We’ve got someone to replace Felicity at our party!” Luna whispered to the Brigadier General.
Sepia rolled his eyes as he trotted downward to the first landing, where he pushed open the door leading to actual engine of the clock. Nothing was moving, not even the mighty pendulum that powered the entire assembly, though Sepia guessed that was to prevent any further damage to the machine and parts. Carefully, Sepia jumped to a nearby cog, which was approximately the size of the first floor of his shop. He walked around its edges, checking the connection between it and those around it. As far as he could tell, they were all in good shape and should still work. He climbed up to another and inspected it, then another, and another, climbing around until he finally got to the subsection that directly controlled the hands of the clock face. At first he didn’t see an issue there, but when he turned to climb back down a tattered cloth wing struck the corner of his eye. Upon closer examination, he discovered that he’d solved two mysteries. He began to tug, but the sock wouldn’t budge from its firm hold within the mesh. He paused and considered his options. He could pull until the sock ripped to shreds, but he wouldn’t want to force anypony to have to explain that to Luna. He looked up at the ceiling, trying to judge its thickness. “Excuse me, Princess? I think I may have found Felicity,” he shouted.
There was a pause, then a rush as Luna flew over, “Where is she?” She asked, an excited smile spread across her face. Sepia pointed toward the poor sock, “Oh dear, she looks really wedged in. How do we get her out?”
“Well, if I could just find the controls,” Sepia mused, glancing around, “we could put the clock in reverse until there’s less pressure, but first…” Suddenly he felt himself revolving, an aura of magic surround the cog he stood on. The two gears released their hold of Felicity.
Luna smirked at the clockmaker knowingly.
“Well, yes, we can do that too,” Sepia admitted, “Well, I suppose I should head home. I can let the actual caretakers set the time and restart the pendulum.”
Luna looked dejected. “Weren’t you going to stay for tea?” she asked.
“Oh, well, you’ve got Felicity back, and I wouldn’t want to intrude…”
“Don’t be such a silly, Sepia Tock,” Luna said, “There’s always room for one more at a tea party.” She levitated the winged sock onto her horn, and then motioned Sepia to follow her to the roof.
“I cannot thank you enough.” The duchess said, “We were ever so worried over our little Felicity!”
“It was anything special,” Sepia said, “Anyone would’ve done the same.”
“Ah, but it wasn’t just anyone, my lad!” The Brigadier General said, “It was you!”
“Yes, thank you, Sepia Tock!” Felicity had a high, child-like voice, “I was so frightened, stuck in there, unable to move.”
Sepia blushed as he sipped the tea, “So… Princess… If I maybe so bold.”
“Don’t be scared,” Princess Luna said, “I won’t bite.”
“It’s just that, you know, you’re a princess, and I’m sure anyone would be more than happy to attend a tea party hosted by you, yet…”
“Yet I sit her with sock puppets,” Princess Luna finished his thought, “Yes, I suppose I could have anyone here I want. However, after all I did, I’m afraid I don’t deserve such kindness.” She quietly sipped her tea. “Besides, this party is for me and my dearest friends. These three were with me for my entire banishment.” She forced a smile, “They were what Tia left me with.”
“I see…” Sepia sipped his tea, “So… how is the moon?”
“Cold.” Princess Luna answered simply, “Not too much to do.”
“Don’t be daft, my dear girl!” The Brigadier General chimed in, “There was plenty! I recall that time when me and my forces charged the crater city of Gibbs! Yes, It was a cold night… or was it day… It’s hard to tell up there, you know.”
“Oh, Brigadier General, not now,” Princess Luna interrupted him, “As much as we delight in your tales of valor, we don’t want to bore our guest.”
Sepia hid his smile by taking another sip of tea.
Princess looked glumly at her socks. “To be honest, Mr. Clockmaker,” she admitted, “I do wish I could make some real friends, but… everypony knows of the horrors I comitted, and I know I’ll have to make reparations eventually, but I just don’t know if I can look anypony in the eye right now.” Luna glumly refilled her tea cup. “I just don’t know if I’ll be forgiven by others as easily as my sister did.”
“For what it’s worth, I forgive you,” Sepia said, “I know what it’s like to have ponies gossip about you.”
“Do you?” Princess Luna perked up slightly.
“Oh yes, back home, the other ponies somehow got it in their heads I’m some sort of hero by the name of ‘Doctor Whoof’. It’s very annoying.”
“You’re Doctor Whoof?” Princess Luna’s eyes filled with admiration, “I’ve heard stories about him! I never thought I’d meet the real deal!”
“Well… no… not exactly….” Sepia awkwardly scratched his mane, “They’re just stories that suddenly began to spread one day. All of them mere fabrications.”
“Oh…” Princess Luna looked disappointed for a brief moment, but then smiled happily, “That’s okay, I’d much rather know the real Sepia Tock than the fake Doctor.”
“Thank you,” Sepia said with much appreciation in his voice, “I’m certainly glad to have met you.”
Princess Luna beamed, “I hope it’s this easy to make more friends.”
“Oh, I’m sure you’ll have no trouble,” Sepia said encouragingly.
“Yes, well, my sister keeps giving me these letters to read,” Luna said, motioning to a small pile at the end of the table, “However, I just can’t bear to read them.”
Sepia looked at the pile, reading a few lines on the top letter, “Why not? It seems fine to me. It’s certainly eloquent.”
“I just can’t get past the first line of the letters,” Princess Luna said glumly, “The part where it says ‘Dear Princess Celestia’. I know she means well, but the letters are for her, not me.”
Sepia considered this, “Well, then, we’ll just have to fix that, won’t we?” He sat up boldly, “When I get back, I promise I’ll send you a letter once a week, and try and get others to do likewise. I’ll bet that, by the end of the month, you’ll have more letters addressed to you than you’ll know what to do with. I give you my word.”
“Thank you.” Princess Luna said, “More tea?”
“Yes please.”
The two ponies continued to converse with each other and the puppets until, with the rise of the early sun, Sepia politely made his leave, instructing the tower keepers to start the clock back up, and then marched on home.
Colgate greeted Sepia when he returned, “Good to see you’ve made it back safe!”
“Good to see you too,” Sepia said as he entered. He went to the workshop, put the saddle bags back on their hook, and went to bed.
After he woke up, he had Colgate act as scribe for his first letter.