//------------------------------//
// Prologue: An Unintentional Detour 
// Story: The Doctor Whooves Chronicles Episode 2: Queen of the Moon 
// by Doctor Perseus 
//------------------------------//


The Doctor Whooves Chronicles: Episode 2


Queen of the Moon



Prologue: An Unintentional Detour


The Moon of Gaia, 2000 C.E.

The Doctor was happy when the TARDIS finally came to a stop. Derpy let out a surprised yelp as she fell back onto her rump.
"Ow!" she groaned as she rubbed her bottom.
"You alright?" the Doctor asked as he leaned around the main console. Derp pulled herself off the floor and tried to get her balance back.
"Uh...I'm fine." The Doctor watched as Derpy's eyes began to invert and he cocked his head in response. He wanted to ask her about it but she spoke up before he had a chance. "What did you mean when you said that we wouldn't be returning to my time just yet?!"
"I meant what I said."
"Are we still in the past?"
"I don't know. The TARDIS is still trying to recover from its trip through the void. Outside those doors could be anywhere at anytime in your universe." The Doctor was quiet for a few seconds until a huge smile suddenly appeared on his face. "Well we might as well go ahead and enjoy this little detour of ours!" He began making his way towards the doors but Derpy got in his way.
"Oh no! You're not going to head out and drag me through another dangerous adventure! You're staying here to fix your ship so that you can get me home!"
"The TARDIS can heal itself. It's not too badly damaged. In fact, I think it'll be ready in a little bit. But come on, Ms. Hooves! Aren't you at least a tiny bit curious about what lies beyond those doors? Anywhere at anytime. Isn't that exciting?" Derpy was quiet for a moment. The Doctor could see a spark appear in her eye. He knew that spark. It was the spark the signified the wanting for adventure. The lusting of answers. The desire to see the unknown. He knew this look all too well. A smile appeared on her face and her eyes slowly began to revert back into normal positions as she calmed herself down.
"Well...I guess a quick look wouldn't hurt. Just promise me that we won't be arrested or something!"
"I'm afraid that I can't make any promises like that as I am still unsure about what lies beyond those doors." The Doctor took a few steps towards Derpy and clasped one of her hooves in his. "But listen to me carefully, Derpy Hooves. I will never let anything happen to you while you're under my care. That's a definite promise. Do you understand?" Derpy fell silent again. The Doctor could feel her peering deep into his eyes. He broke eye contact with her as if to prevent her from looking into his soul.
"I understand, Doctor," Derpy replied. The Doctor smiled and nodded.
"Well then," he said as he beckoned Derpy towards the doors, "ladies...er...mares first."

It would be a lie to say that Derpy wasn't nervous. She was excited, sure, but the Nightmare Moon adventure was still fresh in her mind, as well as Isaac Longhair's warning of "the monster behind the glass". Still, it couldn't hurt to take a quick peek outside the TARDIS just to see where they ended up. Derpy approached the doors with caution and grabbed the handle with her hoof. She pulled the door open. For a few seconds, Derpy was blinded by a bright, white light. She even thought for a moment that they had landed on a star, if that were even possible. Eventually, her eyes adjusted to the light. A white, metallic room awaited Derpy and the Doctor outside the TARDIS. It looked so clean and perfect that Derpy couldn't help but feel intrigued. She walked through the doors.
The room appeared to be a lounge of sorts. Blue and white sofas and padded chairs were situated all throughout the room. Coffee tables were placed in front of the sofas and Derpy could make out the remnants of coffee, cookies, and...was that blueberry muffins that she smelled? Normally, her attention would have been immediately drawn to the leftover plate on the coffee table that had a few crumbs left behind from what had once been a fresh blueberry muffin, but Derpy was too busy focusing on what was situated outside the window. 
One of the room's four walls was a giant window that appeared to be made out of durable and expertly-cleaned glass. Through the window, Derpy could see a barren and rocky wasteland. The wasteland was gray and was filled with millions of craters that came in varying sizes. A wide, starry sky opened up above the wasteland. The main attraction in the sky was a planet suspended in space. On the other side of the planet, a burning, yellow sun could be seen. Derpy was speechless.
"Doctor...what is that?" she asked with a croak. The Doctor looked out the window and let out an entertained chuckle.
"That, Derpy, is what I assume to be what your planet looks like from space. Huh...it doesn't look that different from Earth, to be honest," the Doctor replied with a grin.
"We...we're on the Moon...aren't we?" Derpy turned to face the Doctor. He turned to look at her and sighed.
"Yes. It appears that we are indeed on the Moon."