//------------------------------// // Reunions and Half-Baked Plans // Story: The Sound Of Drums // by huffman8 //------------------------------// Reunions and Half-Baked Plans “Quick, he went this way!” The Doctor waited as his pursuers ran past the closet he had hidden himself in. Opening the door, he caught the tail ends of the guards as they disappeared around the corner. “I just can’t ever get a break, can I?” Stepping out from his hiding place, he took a look around to get his bearings. “I’m at the kitchens,” he noted. “So that means that I need to go… wait. Where am I going?” It had just occurred to the Doctor that, as usual, he didn’t have a plan. He had just been wondering around, hopping that he wound run into whatever it was that made the TARDIS stop here. He probably should go talk to Celestia. If anyone knew anything, then it would be her. And at this time of day he would probably find her in the throne room. Now with a plan, the Doctor set off to find the Princess of the Day… and in doing so collided with the Princess of the Night. “Oofff!” yelled the Doctor as he tumbled backwards. He looked up at Luna, who appeared to be staring at him in shock and disbelief. “Terribly sorry, Princess. I wasn’t watching where…” “The Doctor,” Luna interrupted his hasty apology. The malice dripping from her voice startled the Doctor. “Um, what?” He nervously looked up at her face, and instead of seeing the carefree Princess she had been the last time he had seen her, three hundred years in the future, he saw her displaying a look of pure burning hatred. Specifically, hatred that was being directed at him. “Um, Princess?” “My immortal nemesis.” “What?!” “YE SHALL PAY FOR THY TRANSGRESSIONS AGINST US, FOUL DOCTOR!” screamed the enraged Princess. The intensity of the Royal Canterlot Voice threatening to knock the Doctor back down. She reared back onto her hind legs, wings extended, her eyes glowing with powerful magic as an unnatural wind began to blow in from behind her. “A-alright then,” nervously said the Doctor as he began to slowly back away from the furious princess. “I’ll just be going then.” “DO NOT THINK THAT THOU MAY ESCAPE OUR WRATH!” “Gah!” ====+==== “YE SHALL PAY FOR THY TRANSGRESSIONS AGINST US, FOUL DOCTOR!” The sound of Luna screams shocked Celestia out of her thoughts. “Doctor,” she mumbled to herself. “If he’s here, then then he can hel… wait… Oh crap, Luna!” Jumping up, she raced towards the sound of Luna’s yells, desperate to find the Doctor before her sister can catch him. “Don’t you dare let her catch you Doctor. I still need you.” ====+==== “YE SHALL PAY FOR THY TRANSGRESSIONS AGINST US, FOUL DOCTOR!” “Well Luna found him much sooner than I expected.” Without a moment’s pause, the Master knocked on the door leading to her destination. “Come in!” At the voice’s approval, the Master entered the lavish office. Inside was a Unicorn behind a large mahogany desk, his horn visible above the enormous stacks of paperwork that covered its surface. “Sorry, but I’m pretty busy. So unless it’s important it will have to wait.” “Blueblood, we need to talk.” “Twilight?” Blueblood peered around the sight obstructing paperwork. “I didn’t know you were back in Canterlot.” “I got back earlier today,” said the Master. Her eyes wondered to the large map of Equestria pinned to the wall behind the prince. “I need your help with something.” “Of course! I could use a break anyway.” Glad for the distraction, Blueblood stepped out from behind his desk. “So what do you need?” “I need you,” she began. Taking out an old photograph from her bag and handing it to the prince. “To help me find this.” Blueblood looked at the photograph. The image was of low quality and it hurt his eyes to look at it. But he could still make out the blurry image of a large, blue box-like object. “What is it?” “That is none of your concern.” “Ok. Well, did you try looking where this picture was taken?” “It’s not there.” “Well, I’ve never seen anything like it before. I’d like to help you, really. But… well,” he began, glancing back to the menacing stack of paperwork behind him. “Even if I did know where to start looking, I don’t really have a lot of time to do much of anything right now. Sorry.” “Oh I know that.” Grabbing back Blueblood’s attention, she continued. “But, as a member of the royal family you can give me some of the guards to help me look for it.” “But that would mean even more paperwork,” he whined. “I’m not my Auntie. I can’t just give other people control of guards without going through the proper channels.” “Oh man up. It’s not that much.” “That’s easy for you to say. You don’t have to deal with the bureaucracy.” “Blueblood…” “That isn’t the only thing. There’s also the issue of it being a waste of Guard resources. It could be anywhere. So unless you know where to start looking it’s only going to be a wild goose chase.” “…Blueblood!” “Yes. Wha-Hugh!” Blueblood felt his breath leave him as his joints lock into place. Twilight was now staring at him, and she did not look pleased. He tried to turn away from the sight, but found himself unable to move at all. “I need your corporation in this matter Blueblood. Do you understand?” Blueblood felt himself nod. He didn’t know why. Everything was getting so hazy. The longer it lasted, the harder it was to… to t-think. “Good. Now, there are a few things I need you to do for your new master.” ====+==== “DO NOT LET HIM ESCAPE!” roared the infuriated lunar diarch. Not risking a glance back, the Doctor continued to run. At some point, Luna’s body-guards had joined the chase, and they had tried to, abet unsuccessfully, box him in. The fact that he was still able to keep one step ahead of them surprised even himself. “What did I ever do to you?!” he yelled back. “DO NOT THINK THAT YE CAN CONFUSE US WITH THY PLEAS OF IGNORENCE! THOU KNOW’ST WHAT CRIMES THOU HATH COMMITED! AND FOR IT WE SHALL VANQUISH THEE AND CAST THY SOUL INTO THE DEEPEST DEPTHS OF TARTARUS!” “Why am I getting in trouble for something I haven’t even done yet?” The Doctor turned another corner in an attempt to lose his pursuers. The chase then ended abruptly as a door flung open in front of him. He felt a powerful magic grab him and drag him inside, quickly closing the door behind him. Outside, he could hear the frustrated screams of Luna and her guards as they raced past his unexpected hiding spot. “Well Doctor,” chuckled a very familiar voice behind him. “I see that you’re keeping yourself out of trouble.” Turning around, the Doctor saw the last pony he expected to see. “M-Minuette?!” “Hello Sweetie.”