Chapter 5: Sacrifice
Gaia, 1002 C.E.
Carrot Top stared at the picture in the book with disbelief. The painting by Sir Isaac Longhair depicted Celestia banishing Nightmare Moon with the Elements of Harmony. However, there was one detail that stuck out to Carrot Top. In the lower part of the painting, there was an image of two ponies standing next to each other. One was a chestnut earth stallion with a brown mane and an hourglass cutie mark while the other was a gray pegasus mare with a blonde mane, a bubbles cutie mark, and a pair of inverted eyes.
"It can't be," said Carrot Top as she leaned in to get a closer look at the picture of the painting. She then noticed that the two ponies appeared to be stepping into something: a blue box.
Gaia, 0 C.E.
Derpy was in shock about what had just happened. The TARDIS, her only way home, had just been stolen by Nightmare Moon. The Doctor stood up and began pacing back and forth.
"Oh, this isn't good. This is not good!" he said.
"Obviously! Now how are we supposed to get back to the present?" Derpy asked.
"There's much more at stake here than just getting stuck in the past, Derpy. If Nightmare Moon manages to get her clutches on the energy that resides in the TARDIS then...all hope is lost."
"Why? What's inside the TARDIS?"
"The TARDIS is more than just a time/space traveling machine."
"The way you talk about the TARDIS, you act as if it's alive."
"That's because it is. The TARDIS has a soul of its own."
"How can that be?"
"Do you think a soul can just be limited to an animate object?"
"Yes."
"You'd be surprised, Ms. Hooves." Derpy sighed and rolled her eyes. She could ask the Doctor more about this later.
"Right now, we need to focus on getting the TARDIS back from Nightmare Moon."
"Exactly...and our best bet lies with Princess Celestia. We've just got to convince her to use the Elements of Harmony."
"Halt!" ordered a commanding voice. Derpy looked to see Captain Iroh approaching them. He was accompanied by a few armed guards. "What are you two doing outside?!"
"Great," said Derpy as she rolled her eyes again. "Just what we needed."
The Doctor and Derpy were led back into the castle by Captain Iroh's guards. They weren't led back to the underground room where they had left Isaac but were instead led to a room in one of the highest parts of the castle. Princess Celestia was waiting for them. She looked to be injured to extreme lengths and several nurses were working on her injuries. Captain Iroh approached the princess with caution.
"Your majesty, we found these two lurking about outside. What would you like to be done with them?" he asked. Celestia looked at the Doctor and a spark a familiarity appeared in her eyes. The Doctor gulped.
"LEAVE US!" Celestia ordered. Captain Iroh nodded before leading his men and the nurses out of the room. Celestia stretched her neck and exhaled slowly. "Is it safe to assume that the box my sister took belongs to you?"
"What happened to the whole shouting and we bit?" asked the Doctor with a grin.
"I've grown tired of such traditions. This should be a time of change, don't you agree?"
"Yes, your majesty. Of course."
"Now, the blue box belonged to you. Yes?"
"That is correct."
"It must contain quite an amount of power, for my sister would not have been interested in it otherwise."
"It does. Which is why it's crucial that we get it back from her. I can only imagine the damage somepony like her could do with that kind of power." The Doctor fell silent for a moment. His attention turned to a golden crown held in a glass case a few feet away. The crown had six multicolored gems welded into it. "Are those the Elements of Harmony?"
"Of course. If you have an interest in stealing them, I would advise you to rethink your plans. I'm not a pony who will lend over her belongings oh so easily."
"That's not it. Why have you yet to use them against your sister?"
"I still have hope for her."
"But there's no other way!" Derpy said suddenly. Celestia turned towards Derpy and the gray pegasus fell silent.
"You say it with such certainty." The Doctor felt his muscles tense up as Celestia scanned him and Derpy with her wide, old eyes. "Who are you two? An earth pony who owns a box of magic and a pegasus who seems to know more than she's letting on. You're not from around these parts, are you?"
"There are certainly a lot of questions to be answered but there is sadly little time to answer them, Princess. We need to get the box away from Nightmare Moon...and I fear that the best way to defeat her is with the Elements of Harmony," said the Doctor. Celestia stood up and walked over to the Doctor. She came to a stop right in front of him. Their eyes locked.
"Doctor was your name, wasn't it?"
"Yes."
"Where does the rest of your name reside?"
"In the past. A past that I think everypony would be happy to not learn about."
"I see much pain in your eyes, Doctor. Much sacrifice, much sadness, much anger, much...of everything I see when I look in the mirror." She turned around and began walking towards the Elements of Harmony. "Would it be safe to assume that you've seen your own share of war in your life, Doctor?"
"It would be very safe to assume that, your majesty."
"And...I'm sure that you've been forced to make your own set of tough choices."
"War does that to all of us. Sacrifices must be made in order for peace to ultimately emerge from the ashes." Celestia was silent for a moment. She stared into her reflection in the glass case and smiled sadly.
"My sister and I have sacrificed much in our lives. We had everything, lost everything, gained everything again, and have now once again lost everything. We've sacrificed much, yes, but never in my wildest of nightmares did I ever think that one day I'd have to sacrifice my beloved sister for the peace of this land." She fell silent again.
"She won't be gone forever," Derpy said suddenly. The Doctor felt one of his hearts skip a beat. "She'll come back one day." Celestia turned around to face Derpy.
"Again, you say it with such certainty." Derpy turned to face the Doctor. She had a look of sad determination on her face.
This is the only way, she mouthed to the Doctor. She then turned to face Celestia. The Doctor felt that he should stop her and yet he decided to let her continue. Derpy cleared her throat and said, "Princess Celestia, you have to use the Elements on your sister. It's the only way to save Equestria. But...don't worry. Luna won't be gone forever." Celestia's ears perked up a bit. "She'll come back one day. On the 1000th anniversary of this day, she'll return. That's when the Elements will be used again to help return Luna to you for good."
"Who...who are you two?"
"I don't know if I should say."
"We're travelers," said the Doctor with a grin. "Very unique travelers. Trust us. Everything will be fine in due time." The Doctor could feel Celestia mentally drilling into him as their eyes locked again.
"Strangely...I believe you," said Celestia. The Doctor turned his attention to the night sky outside. The night seemed to be slowly growing darker.
"We don't have much time. We must go now in order to stop Nightmare Moon."
"Yes. The time is now." Celestia walked over to the glass case and lifted it up. She then placed the crown with the Elements of Harmony on her head. She seemed to radiate a light of pure energy following the placement of the crown on her head. She spread her wings out and began making her way over to a balcony. She turned to look at the Doctor and Derpy. "I do not wish to put you two in danger but-"
"I think it would be best if we did come with you," said the Doctor. Celestia nodded though she still looked uncertain. The Doctor became weightless and smiled with glee as a magical field appeared around him. Celestia's horn shone brightly as she lifted the Doctor into the air. Derpy spread her wings and levitated herself. Celestia then took off into the night sky with the Doctor floating alongside her and Derpy flying behind her.