//------------------------------//
// Chapter Nine 
// Story: The Fantastic Adventures of Dr. Whooves: The Planet Eaters 
// by The-Pony-Librarian 
//------------------------------//


Chapter Nine
In which the Doctor is shoved through a window and Pinkie Pie learns about doorbells

"Scootaloo? Do you think you could fit through a window?"
The doctor made a little square with his hooves, squinting through it with one eye first at the little orange pegasus, and then at the tiny window in the back of the schoolhouse that was slightly open.
"Wait" Scootaloo said "So we're sneaking into the schoolhouse?"
The Doctor nodded distractedly, looking for other ways to enter the building. Unfortunately the locking mechanism on the door appeared to be wooden, so they couldn't just waltz in through the front door. Pinkie Pie was still in the front attempting to open it, but since time was of the essence, they were attempting to utilize a faster way to enter.
Sweetie Belle's eyebrows furrowed "Isn't that.....Illegal?" her voice raised into a piercing squeak on the last work.
"Oh of course not" the Doctor replied, standing on the tips of his hind hooves and attempting to force open the window.
"Cool!" Scootaloo said "Does that mean we can do this anytime we want?"
The Doctor snapped back into focus "What? No! No breaking into buildings. No. Bad Scootaloo"
"Then why are you doing it?" Applebloom asked.
"Because I have Super Secret Special Sun Sovereign School Scrounging Sanctions okay?! No more questions" The Doctor finally opened the window and he quickly picked up Scootaloo and pushed her through it "In you go!"
There was a large thud, and the Doctor winced.
"Why didn't she just fly?" he muttered to Twilight "That sounded painful"
Twilight facehoofed "She can't fly"
"Ohhhhhhhhhhhh" realization dawned, and the Doctor leaned over to the window "Sorry!"
"No problem..." squeaked Scootaloo's voice from inside "Just got the...heh...wind knocked out of me"
"Oops..." The Doctor muttered quietly "So Scootaloo, can you open the door from the inside?"
"Uhhh..." There was some shuffling, and then a rattling "No"
The Doctor seemed to draw a blank "Are you sure?"
Twilight rolled her eyes "Just go in after her, Doctor. I'm pretty sure you could squeeze through the window, after all, you're pretty skinny from all that running"
"Oh, no. No. You've already put me in a dress today, I am not trying to fit through that window. Besides, Scootaloo can handle herself, she can just get the instruments"
"Do you think I'm really going to let an irresponsible filly wander around a schoolhouse without any adult supervision?"
The Doctor looked down for a moment, deep in thought, before saying hopefully "Yes?"
"Doctor..."
"Why can't Pinkie go in the window?" the Doctor grumbled.
"Think about it" Twilight deadpanned "I want to get the instruments, I do not want Pinkie and Scootaloo to destroy the schoolhouse"
"But it would be so easy for her to squeeze through a tiny window she always seems to be defying the physical limits of the body..." The Doctor began to trail off
".....and physics....and the universe.... I mean she pulled a tuba from her hair! And the other day I'm pretty sure she grew a third foreleg.... She also talks to things that aren't there- I'm kind of unsure if I should be scared of her or not"
Twilight raised an eyebrow, and the Doctor slumped.
"Fine. I'll go through the bloody window."
The Doctor stood up on his hind legs and began to clamber through the aperture, making it a good way through before reaching some difficulty.
"I think I'm stuck" he finally mumbled in defeat.
"Oh come on" Twilight tutted "Just suck in your stomach"
"What do you think I'm doing already?"
Rolling her eyes, Twilight focused her magic and used it to shove her earth pony friend fully through the window. Followed swiftly by a heavy thump and a curse.
She grinned "See? There we are. Easy as pie"
Now inside the school, the Doctor dragged himself to his hooves, wincing. From a little ways off, Scootaloo was trying to hold in a laugh.
"So" the Doctor said "Do you have any idea where the music supplies are kept?"
Scootaloo nodded "Last I saw they were in that storage closet over there"
"Brilliant!" the Doctor trotted over to the closet and began looking through the myriad of supplies inside.
"So you're a Doctor?" the little orange pegasus chirped curiously.
The Doctor blinked "What?"
"Well that's what Twilight keeps calling you" Scootaloo explained.
Shaking his head, the Doctor gave a soft chuckle. He would have to remember to inform his unicorn friend that it was no use having a fake name if she continued addressing him by the old one.
"Well yes, in a sense" he replied.
"Then why is your cutie mark a clock?" Scootaloo asked
"I like to think it's a metaphor, I give people-er...Ponies....more time" The Doctor explained, pulling out a harmonica from a drawer triumphantly.
The little orange pegasus scuffed a hoof on the floor awkwardly "Then..." She said slowly "Do you think you might be able to fix my wings? So I can fly? All the other Doctors say there's nothing we can do....but maybe-maybe you could..."
The Doctor's shoulders slumped as he gave a long, sad sigh, expression pained "I'm sorry Scoot. I can't help you, not with that."
"It's okay..." Scootaloo said voice breaking "I just had to ask.... I had to make sure. I just want to be just like Rainbow Dash, be just as fast as she is, just as brave....All my pegasus friends can fly! B-but they all say that I won't be able to fly for years- If I'm ever able to at all..."
"Rainbow Dash? I know her"
"You do?" the orange filly perked up "She's amazing isn't she? I've been working on a new stunt I can show her! Maybe then she'll take me under her wing just like a big sister!"
"You don't have any siblings?" the Doctor asked, still digging through the closet in search of cymbals. That was odd, of all the ponies he'd met, he had hardly ever seen any only children"
"I have sister" Scootaloo said, expression darkening "But she left me and my parents to go to Cloudsdale"
The Doctor tilted his head to the side "And your family didn't move there with her?"
"No. My parents think it's too dangerous considering I can't fly and couldn't save myself if I ever fell" Scoot sniffed "She could have stayed on the ground with us, but instead she left. She just left!"
Finally digging out the pair of cymbals, the Doctor looked at Scootaloo sadly "I'm so sorry" he said finally.
"No, it's fine" Scootaloo said, getting up and wiping her face almost angrily "I'm fine. Tough ponies don't cry. Rainbow Dash wouldn't cry. I- I'm fine."
"Come on" the Doctor said putting the cymbals and harmonica in his saddlebags "Let's see if Pinkie has unlocked the door yet"
Meanwhile, Twilight, Pinkie, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom crouched by the schoolhouse doors.
"Almost got it! " Pinkie said cheerfully as Twilight carefully maneuvered a bobby pin in the lock, biting her lip in concentration. She had her ear pressed against the doorknob and was grinning in her usual manner "Just a little to the left..."
Click!
"There we are!" Pinkie chirped
"How do you even do that?" Twilight said incredulously.
The bubblegum pink pony shrugged.
"Yeah...thought so" Twilight rolled her eyes "Now lets go find the Doctor and Scootaloo"
Standing up, she gave the door a push, only to have it smack against something on the other side of it. There was a yelp of second later, the Doctor poked his head through the doorway, clutching his nose and wearing an annoyed expression.
"Gee, Sparky...shoving me through a window and then attacking me with a door?" He grumbled, voice slightly muffled from his hoof pressed against his injured nose "What do you have a death wish for me?"
"Heh...Sorry" Twilight gave the Doctor's head a quick pat, wearing an apologetic smile.
"Well, I got the harmonica and cymbals at least" the Doctor said, getting up and moving from the doorway, behind him followed Scootaloo, who bounded over to her friends. "Now we just need that accordion"
Twilight sighed "Where the heck are we going to find an accordion?"
"Oh, that's easy" Pinkie chirped "Vinyl has one"
"Vinyl?" Twilight  "As in....Vinyl Scratch?"
"Well yeah! What other Vinyl would I be talking about silly filly?"
"It's just that....Vinyl doesn't seem like the accordion type." Twilight replied slowly "I mean, she likes dubstep and....oh never mind. I shouldn't even be surprised anymore...... I'm guessing we have to go back to the party?" Twilight's ears drooped.
Pinkie shook her head "Nah! Me and Vinyl are best buddies, she won't mind if we borrow it"
"But she won't be in her house" Twilight said.
"And....?" Pinkie asked, obviously not getting the point.
The purple unicorn facehoofed "Don't tell me we're sneaking into her house to borrow her accordi-" She trailed off as she saw Pinkie and the CMC already trotting off  ".....and we are, aren't we?"
"Well, come along Sparky!" The Doctor said "No time to waste!"
"I bet there would be a lot more legal ways to get an accordion" Twilight grumbled
"Pshhh" the Doctor snorted "Legal. Where's the fun in that?"
"Not getting arrested is pretty fun" the purple unicorn rebuffed dryly.
"Ohoho. You've never been arrested then. It can be quite the party. You should try it sometime"
Twilight rolled her eyes "I'll take your word for it, thanks"
Soon they were outside of Vinyl Scratch's house, and Pinkie was already looking at the door.
The Doctor trotted over and peered at the knob "Brilliant!" he said cheerfully "This is a metal locking mechanism, so I can just use my sonic screwdriver to unlock it!"
He pulled out the tool from his saddlebags, and moments later, there was a whirr and then the click of an opening lock
"Don't try that at home, kids" He said casually to the Cutie Mark Crusaders
"Woah" Applebloom said "How'd ya do that?"
"Science." the Doctor said, reaching to open the door.
They all walked slowly into the house one by one, lead by Twilight.
As they made their way further into the house, the purple unicorn stopped and held a hoof out "Careful guys" she said "There are some stairs- Eek!"
She gave a squeak as the Doctor bumped into her from behind and they were both sent toppling down the stairs into what must have been the basement, making considerable noise and finally landing in a heap at the bottom.
"Oops..." the Doctor said slowly.
The room they were in appeared to have been converted into a studio, with musical equipment everywhere. It was a strange mash-up of both electronic speakers and turntables, as well as several classical instruments.
There was a clattering of hooves, and a grey earth pony wearing a pink bow tie emerged from around a corner, brandishing a cello bow threateningly.
"Stay back!" She shouted, cultured accent strained "I have a bow and I am not afraid to use it!"
"I can explain? Also, nice bow tie. Bow ties are cool" the Doctor began, before being interrupted by an exuberant pink earth pony.
"Hi, Octavia!" Pinkie greeted cheerily, hopping down the last two stairs and wrapping the grey mare in a hug "Nice to see you!"
"Oh! Er...Hello, Pinkie" Octavia responded uncomfortably, trying to extricate herself from the surprise hug "It's certainly a... surprise...to see you."
"I know, right?! Don't you love surprises?" Pinkie said, bouncing up and down happily.
Octavia's face dropped into a deadpan as she realized that the pink pony was completely missing her point "You might have rung the doorbell, you know" she said dryly. Why did Vinyl have to have the most eccentric friends?
"Do you think Scratch would be okay if we borrowed her accordian?" Pinkie asked.
Octavia sighed "Sure."
Pinkie grinned, making a squeeing sound not unlike a rubber dog toy, then bounded over to grab the instrument from where it rested nearby.
"Thank you so much" Twilight said as they returned up the stairs and out of the house. Octavia gave a brief nod, and shut the door. Twilight blinked, apparently the grey earth pony really didn't like her practice being interrupted.
"So where are we going now?" Applebloom asked.
"Actually" Twilight said "This next part is super confidential, so unfortunately, this is where we part ways"
"Awwwww..." The Cutie Mark Crusaders said.
"Sorry" the Doctor said "Rules are rules, after all."
After some more cajoling, as well as a bribe of several Jammy Dodgers from Twilight, the three fillies finally relented and went on there way. That taken care of, Pinkie, Twilight, and the Doctor began the walk to Ponyville Square.
"You know, I rather like those three" the Doctor said musingly as they trotted swiftly to their destination "They're quite entertaining. Especially Scootaloo, mostly because of her name. There are just so many different ways to rhyme it. Scootaroo, Scootazoo, Scootablue, Scootaboo, Scootamoo....."
Twilight rolled her eyes "As if you didn't already have enough rhymes just from my name"
The Doctor brightened "Oh yes, your name is quite versitile too! I came up with several more just the other day....Twilight Darkle, Twilight Barkle, Twilight Sharkle, Twilight Sporkle....that one's not really a rhyme though....As well a Flylight Sparkle, Crylight Sparkle, Sighlight Sparkle, Frylight Sparkle, Thighlight Sparkle, as well as all the different combinations between all those first and last names, including my personal favorite, Drylight Snarkle. Geddit? Like 'dry snark'.... Except its with your name."
Twilight facehoofed. Opening her saddlebags, she began levitating the things she needed for the spell out onto the pavement, using her telekinesis to hold the book out in front of her while simultaneously copying the runes inside onto the ground with several pieces of chalk. Next she layed out the magic amplifying herbs and salt on various points, stepping back to admire her hoofwork.
As she did so, the extent of what she needed to do finally hit her, and she suddenly found herself feeling rather scared. She was going to have to execute the spell perfectly or the result would be disastrous. The only time she had done magic this powerful was when she was aided by the elements of harmony...and possibly when she was a filly during the entrance exam. What if she failed? If the unsuccessful spell didn't destroy Ponyville, the giant bugs definitely would.
Twilight began to feel her breaths coming short and sharp, and tried failingly to slow down her breathing. She needed to calm down. She needed to focus.
"Gummy worm?"
Her thoughts were interrupted by her time traveling friend, who held out a bag of gummy candies to her.
"Did you get those from my saddlebags?" she asked.
"Maybe...." the Doctor said slowly
"How did you even know where they were?" Twilight's saddlebags contained many, many pockets. It was only because of her meticulous organization that it was possible to find anything at all in them.
"Well maybe I've looked through them a couple of times..."
"You know" Twilight said slowly " One day I am going to hide an envelope somewhere where I know you'll find it, with a mysterious name on it so you won't be able to resist opening it, and inside will be a long letter on respecting other people's personal privacy"
"Oh come on, I asked you if you wanted one, didn't I? At least I'm not taking snacks from your saddlebags without offering you any"
He proffered the bag of pilfered treats to Twilight once more, and, with an eye roll and a small chuckle, Twilight took a few of the candies from the bag, relishing their sweet taste.
Then Pinkie bounced up to them, donning her full instrument setup "Are we ready?" she asked.
Twilight nodded and moved to her proper place in the circle of runes.
Pinkie Pie began to play.
....And up above, Rainbow Dash watched, mouthing quietly "What the buck?"