//------------------------------//
// Chapter One 
// Story: The Fantastic Adventures of Doctor Whooves: Hourglass 
// by The-Pony-Librarian 
//------------------------------//


Chapter One
In which we start at the beginning.... before going back to the even earlier beginning, and the Doctor goes to get some soup


In a dusty room, amid piles of half built and broken machines, sat a young unicorn, tapping away at her computer, and wearing small smile on her face. 
She did not have a name; those who had cared for her first had never bothered to give her one, and the names she had been given at each of her foster homes had been quickly left behind, along with the foster home itself, as she slipped out of each one in the dead of night. She didn't need a title anyways. She had returned to her first home, the empty one, and names are useless when it's just you. 
The unicorn typed in a few more lines of code and looked at it critically, smile growing just a hair. She was so close to success she could taste it. After days of trial and error, spell casting and code writing, she was certain that this time she had finally gotten it perfect. It had taken months of research, countless hours searching the equinet for every scrap of information she could get, her eyes peeled for the smallest mention or reference. If she hadn't stumbled upon the jackpot that was Canterlot's private security files, she would probably still be fruitlessly scrounging for facts, making no progress.		
The device itself had taken even longer to create, and she shuddered remembering all those days she had spent digging through the dark, abandoned parts of the facility in search of scrap metal. Just like the bare bones of many a failed prototype in her workroom, picked clean for their useful parts, it was a testament to how badly she wanted this. Only one of her early creations went untouched, and it lay nearby on her desk, gleaming metallic in the low light. She had often been tempted to cannibalize it for it's parts and wires, of which she was often in very short supply, but could never quite bring herself to do so. It was stupid, really, but the thing was sentimental to her, it had earned her the cutie mark that she displayed proudly to this day: an hourglass.
With a final keystroke, she set the program into affect, and let her own magic flow through her horn to the machine as well. She quickly found what she was looking for, reaching out to it with her mind and wrapping the spell around it, her device served as an anchor, pulling it towards that moment and place in time.
With an odd noise, it began to materialize, fading in and out and becoming clearer and more definite with every passing second. The unicorn allowed the smile on her face to spread to an excited grin, and shook her light and dark blue bangs out of her eyes. Soon that machine, that wonderful, brilliant machine, would be hers.
The doors opened and a brown stallion stepped out. His mane stuck up in all directions,  his eyes were a bright, light blue, he wore a pair of dark blue saddlebags,and...oddly enough....was carrying an old fashioned soup tureen by it's handle in his mouth.
He stopped dead, eyes flicking about curiously
"This isn't the library...."

Earlier...

Twilight lay at the open door of the TARDIS looking out to what lay beyond. Her hooves, delicately crossed, hung over the precipice into emptiness, and on her face was an expression of pure, wondering happiness. Her violet eyes were lit with it, and her mouth was shaped in something between a little 'o' of awe and a smile of joy. 
The spaceship was sitting in a cloud of dust and debris left over by a comet, and all around her the tiny particles entered the atmosphere of her planet and began to glow like tiny, burning stars. It was amazing.
"Alright....I admit it" She said slowly, never taking her eyes from the fantastic display "Meteor showers do look better from up here"
Behind her the Doctor gave a snort "Well of course" he shook his head "And to think that you wanted to sit outside with a boring old telescope"
Twilight chuckled, rolling her eyes "For your information, my telescope is awesome, but.....you were right." She turned her gaze back to the myriad streaks of light "...It's incredible"
"Please," the Doctor joked "I'm always right. Shouldn't you know that by now? It's already been a couple of months since I first crashed out of the sky...Trail mix?"
He held out a small bag of assorted nuts and dried fruits to Twilight.
The unicorn raised an eyebrow "Did you get those from my saddlebag?"
The Doctor nodded
"And..." Twilight said snarkily "You do realize that you could always...oh, I don't know....Get some of the food that's in your own saddlebags?"
The Doctor waved her off with a hoof "Pshhhh.... Where's the fun in that? It's much more fun to see how long it takes you to notice that I've taken some from yours. It was a record this time, twenty whole minutes! I even tried chewing really loudly. Finally I just gave up and offered you some...you really need to work on your observation skills"
"Well I was kind of distracted" Twilight gestured a hoof to the meteor shower
"Excuses, excuses. Life is full of distractions! What if I was stealing valuble objects instead of non-perishable snacks? You'd certainly be in trouble then....Granola bar?"
Twilight turned to look at the Doctor, who was holding the oat bar and wearing a cheeky  grin. 
Twilight blinked, tilting her head to the side "Wait... you took that just now? Just during our conversation? I....what....How?"
The Doctor burst out laughing "Actually this is from my saddlebags, but the look on your face was hilarious."
Twilight rolled her eyes, but couldn't help chuckling slightly, snagging the granola bar with her magic and muching on it
"Don't mind if I do"
"Oi!"
"You offered." Twilight just responded matter-of-factly, smirking 
She swished her tail back and forth absently, then returned her gaze to the brilliant show of streaking lights. Despite the fact that the Doctor had taken her to different places in space many times, she believed that she would never tire of seeing the raw beauty of it. Even during her youth, she had been enraptured  by the stars. From the age of five or six, she had constantly begged her brother to take her out to stargaze with his telescope, and when denied (despite the fact her parents didn't want her leaving the house without supervision) she would usually just use her already growing magical skills to aid her in sneaking out to go look at the night sky herself, Celestia darn the consequences!
Just as bookish as a filly as she was now, Twilight had spent most of her time furiously studying astronomy before she discovered her calling in magic....unfortunately, her constant reading didn't earn her many friends. That, along with the fact that she almost constantly carried her stuffed doll Smarty Pants around with her, had made her one of the most teased students in her magic kindergarten class. 
Despite that, the fact that she could now see those same stars she had loved so much as a filly up close was more than a dream come true.
Eventually though, she felt herself beginning to yawn, and slowly got up, stretching like a cat.
"Ready to head home?" the Doctor asked as Twilight reluctantly closed the TARDIS doors and returned to the console 	"Big day tomorrow after all. Ready to explore that planet I was telling you about?"
Twilight grinned "Sure"
"Ooh! That reminds me!" her energetic friend disappeared, only to return a moment later and toss a long, multicolored scarf at her "Dress warm. Did I mention it's nearly entirely covered in ice?"
Twilight rolled her eyes, smiling "Sounds fun." she attempted to put the oversized scarf around her neck. She somehow managed to get it tangled around her horn and front two legs, subsequently running into the TARDIS console while trying to free herself and ending up upside down on the floor, hopelessly tangled within the evil winter accessory.
The Doctor looked down at her, wearing an amused expression
"Spatial awareness, Sparky?"
"You're hilarious" Twilight deadpanned back. Closing her eyes, she teleported herself out of her woolen fetters and got to her feet, wisely choosing to fold the long scarf with her magic and place it on her on her back rather than attempt to put it on. "Now can you take me home?"

After the Doctor dropped her off, Twilight trotted into the Library "Hey Spike!" she called "I'm home!"
At her call, Spike bounded down the stairs, carrying a small stack of books. They wobbled precariously "Twilight! Did you see the meteor shower?"
Twilight nodded "Beautiful, wasn't it?"
The little dragon nodded, and she looked at him appraisingly, narrowing her eyes slightly "And you had dinner, right? Something other than gemstones?"
"Sandwiches" Spike said "There are some extra on the table if you want some"
"Cucumber and daisy?" Twilight asked, ears perking up.
"Of course!" Spike grinned
Twilight smiled, ruffling the spines on the top of Spike's head affectionately "What would I do without you?" 
"Well..." Spike looked thoughtful "You would have to do both of our chores instead of just yours, so the bookshelves would get really dusty, Peewee would throw a fit because I'm the only one he lets feed him, you'd probably get a lot less writing done because you would have to go out to get quills every time you ran out instead of sending me, and you may or may not starve depending on if you still know how to cook."
"I was asking hypothetically" Twilight muttered "and I can still cook!"
"Ramen noodles don't cou-" Spike trailed off as he saw Twilight's death glare "I mean...kidding!"
Twilight trotted into the kitchen and sat down at the table, taking a bite of her dinner. She closed her eyes, savoring every bite. She was glad Spike had taken cooking duty when they had divided up the chores between them....he was good at it.
As she polished off the last of the sandwich, she felt a small tickle in her throat. The unicorn levitated over a glass of water and took a sip.....still there.
Twilight knew exactly what this was. The Sparkle family curse. She wouldn't believe it if she hadn't experienced it dozens of times, but invariably any time she, her brother, or her mom got even the slightest case of the sniffles or scratchy throat it would invariably develop overnight into a full blown, taps-running head cold. Twilight sighed....Pony feathers.

The next morning, the Doctor trotted into the library, decked out in a hat and green earmuffs and whistling cheerfully. Then he stopped.
"What the blazes happened to you?" he muttered slowly
The aforementioned unicorn looked up from the cocoon of blanket she was wrapped in and set down her mug of Earl Grey.
"The Sparkle family hit and run head cold" Twilight said casually, and then sneezed. There really wasn't much more explanation today.
"Sooo.....I'm guessing exploring an ice covered planet would be a no for today then?" 
Twilight's expression was answer enough, and, despite the fact that she wasn't in top form due to illness, still managed to pack a good amount of snark. 
The Doctor gave a little sniff, looking indignant "Well what am I supposed to do when you're all indisposed and such? Very inconsiderate of you...." Despite having had some time to become more acquainted with the pony world, it was still a lot harder travelling around it without someone along who was familiar with the customs and working of it.
Twilight began to speak, but was interrupted interrupted.
"Oh no. I've already read all of the books in your library....Twice"
She shut her mouth again, stumped. She made a thoughtful noise, wracking her brains. It was in her best interest to come up with something for the Doctor to occupy himself with, after all....Celestia knows what trouble he might into otherwise. Hmmm.....she had wanted some soup earlier.....
"Well, there is one thing-" she said, coughing.
"Ooh! Do tell!" the hyperactive stallion perked up, cutting her off once more "Do you have two shadows? Did you spot a sinister looking statue of an angel? Ooh! Ooh! Is your cold actually caused by an alien parasite that is feeding on your life force as we speak?......Come to think of it, those would all be really really bad things....Exciting though!"
Twilight rolled her eyes "Eager much?....Celestia, I think Pinkie Pie is starting to rub off on you" She gave a little wince at the thought, then sneezed again, pulling the blankets closer around her "I was just going to ask if you could get me some soup"
"Soup?.....Really?" the Doctor deadpanned.
"Please?"
"Well I don't really-" The Doctor paused, trailing off  "Oh, no. No. You are not using the puppy dog eyes on me! You stop that right now. No. Bad. Bad, Sparky"
Twilight continued her baleful gaze, adding a slight pout.
"That won't work on me, Twilight Sparkle. You might as well give it up"
"Pretty please?" Twilight asked.
The Doctor hesitated.
"Pretty please with a sugar cube on top?"
"Gah! Fine, okay, I'll get your soup!" he gave an annoyed little huff, muttering "...Curse you ponies and your gigantic, adorable eyes...."
Twilight smiled, clapping her forehooves together "Thank you so much! Normally I would just ask Spike" she explained apologetically, snuffling slightly  "but he's hanging out with Sweetie Belle, and I really don't want my house burned down by the Cutie Mark Crusaders Soup Makers"
"Isn't the library fireproofed? Fire-breathing dragon in the house and all?"
"They'd find a way. Trust me"
The Doctor chuckled "It's fine, Sparky" he looked thoughtful "Now for the soup....any particular time period you have in mind?
"....You do realize that you could just pick some up from Golden Harvest around the block?"
"Oh, no." the Doctor said "If you wanted plain old boring soup, you should have asked somebody else..... So?"
Twilight looked thoughtful, taking a contemplative sip of her tea "......Surprise me"
"Can do!"  The Doctor grinned, giving a mock salute and heading out the back door.