//------------------------------//
// Future Lesson Part 2 
// Story: The Adventures of Doctor Whooves and Friends (Season 1) 
// by Cameronguy2 
//------------------------------//

	The Doctor was in complete shock. “It can’t be,” he said, “It’s impossible.”
“Doctor? Do you know that pony?” Twilight said.
“Yes,” said The Doctor, “and she shouldn’t be here.” Once she’d finished talking, the mysterious mare vanished in a flash of light. The crowd started talking amongst themselves, and The Doctor, slowly but surely, pushed his way through the crowd towards the elevator to the ship. He and Twilight got on to the elevator and rode it up to the ship’s entrance. The Doctor maintained a stern expression during the entire ride. This made Twilight a bit nervous about what was going to happen, but she was used to unexpected things happening by now, and she’d seen The Doctor like this before. The two made their way up to the bridge, and once they arrived, The Doctor immediately started asking questions.
“Who was that?” he started, “Wait, never mind, I know who it was, just tell me why she’s here and why you allowed her to speak.” Luna turned around.
“Doctor!” she said, “How nice to see you. I wasn’t expecting you here today, though I suppose I should’ve been considering your history, or should I say…” she smiled, “our history.”
“Just answer the question,” The Doctor said with seriousness and just a hint of annoyance or anger in his voice. Luna’s smile disappeared.
“She told me that she was a friend of yours, and that she had a message to deliver,” she replied, “Was that the answer you were looking for?”
“Do you have any idea where she is now?” The Doctor asked.
“No, not at all,” Luna said.
“Come on Twilight,” said The Doctor, “your lesson will have to wait.” He grabbed Twilight’s arm and started for the exit.
“Leaving so soon?” Luna said, “If you’d like to stay, I suppose we could find an extra room… for Twilight at least.”
“Tempting, but no,” The Doctor shouted back, not even pausing to turn around. They went back to the elevator, got off the ship, and started walking back towards the TARDIS.
“Doctor, what’s going on?” Twilight asked as they were walking, “Who was that? Why do you seem so angry?”
“That,” said The Doctor, “is someone who shouldn’t be here, and that I have to send back before this universe gets ripped apart. Does that answer your question?” Twilight decided against responding to that, and instead just kept walking.
They arrived at the TARDIS and The Doctor, planning to go back and ask the mare a few questions, entered followed by Twilight. The Doctor started flipping switches, pulling levers, and typing numbers.
Just as he was about to pull the final lever a voice said, “Aren’t you going to turn the brakes off?”
The Doctor turned around. Standing in front of him with that smile that only she could have was a tan, almost white pony with big, curly blonde hair. “River,” The Doctor said.
“Hello Sweetie,” she replied, “did you miss me?”
“Doctor,” Twilight said, “who is that?”
“She’s my-” The Doctor started.
“I’m his wife,” River interrupted.
“It doesn’t matter. Why are you here? How did you get here?” said The Doctor, “You never mentioned anything about a magical world of talking ponies whenever we did diaries.”
“Oh, that reminds me,” said River, getting out a TARDIS blue book, “where are we?”
“I said it doesn’t matter, why are you here?” The Doctor asked annoyed.
“Ooh aren’t we the angry one today,” River said, pulling back sarcastically, “Spoilers.”
“Alright fine, how are you here?” The Doctor asked, “You were never supposed to exist in this universe.”
“Neither were you,” said River, “So I suppose I’m doing it the same way you are.” The Doctor opened his mouth to say something else, then quickly closed it, and looked up like he was thinking. “Oh come on,” River said, “don’t tell me you’ve never paused to think of how you’re existing here without ripping apart the fabric of the universe.” The Doctor thought for a minute.
“And if I were to tell you that?” he said with a hint of embarrassment in his voice. River rolled her eyes and looked at Twilight.
“I swear, he’d never figure anything out anything out if it weren’t for me,” she said.
“Hey!” The Doctor yelled. River turned back to The Doctor.
“You know about the Crystal Empire right?” she asked. The Doctor and Twilight nodded in relative unison. “Think about it,” River said, “a whole city disappears for a thousand years, and then suddenly reappears just a few months before you’re dropped into the universe. What does that sound like to you?”
“Time travel,” said The Doctor.
“Oh, it’s more than time travel,” River said, “it’s a paradox machine.”
“What’s a paradox machine?” Twilight asked.
“It’s a machine that allows paradoxes to exist without damaging time or the universe,” The Doctor said, “For example, if you went back in time and killed your parents,” Twilight reeled back in horror and put a hoof over her mouth. “Just an example!” The Doctor said.
“Yes, a very good example,” River said sarcastically.
“Shut up,” said The Doctor, “anyway, normally you would vanish from existence, but if there were an active paradox machine, you would continue on even though your parents were never around long enough to have you. They’re very useful, but I’ve only ever seen one built on…” The Doctor’s eyes widened and he looked up at River. “No!” he said in utter disbelief.
“Yes,” River said smiling, “The entire city.”
“What?” Twilight asked.
“That’s impossible,” said The Doctor, “no race in this entire universe ever has or ever will have technology like that.”
“What is it?” Twilight asked again.
“You’re absolutely right,” River said, “No race in this universe ever will. But there is someone else who could do it quite easily. And it just so happens that he’s the same someone who dropped both of us in here.”
“What’s going on!?” Twilight asked, confused and annoyed.
“Oooh,” The Doctor said, “I get it.”
“I knew you would eventually,” said River.
“Excuse me!” Twilight shouted.
“I was wondering when I’d get to see him again,” The Doctor said.
“COULD SOMEPONY PLEASE TELL ME WHAT THE BUCK IS GOING ON HERE!!!” Twilight yelled.
The Doctor and River backed away from Twilight and looked at each other. River motioned for The Doctor to tell Twilight the whole story.
“Well,” The Doctor began, “The Crystal Empire isn’t just a paradox machine… it’s a TARDIS that was made by a virtually all powerful, pan-dimensional being that happens to be a very good friend of mine, and it’s also what’s been allowing me and River to exist in this universe.”
“Oh…” Twilight said, “OK.” River was surprised at how easily Twilight accepted the information as truth. She leaned over towards The Doctor.
“You picked a good one,” she whispered in his ear.
“I know,” he whispered back.
“Right then!” The Doctor yelled, shooting his hoof up into the air, “What do we need to do with the Crystal Empire? He didn’t happen to tell you did he?”
“No,” said River, “he didn’t tell me, he just gave me a number.”
“And what number might it be?” The Doctor asked.
“Forty two,” River replied.
“Forty two? That could mean anything! A year, a day, a location…” The words of The Doctor and River talking about the number were drowned out of Twilight’s head. She put a hoof on her forehead and shut her eyes tightly. She had a terrible headache. She felt like that number should mean something to her, but she couldn’t remember what. She also felt slightly sick.
“Twilight, does forty two mean anything to you?” The Doctor asked. Twilight snapped out of her confused state.
“No, nothing at all,” she said.
“Well that’s great,” said The Doctor, “Now we have absolutely no idea whatsoever as to what we’re supposed to do.” He started pacing, annoyed that none of them knew what was going on. Twilight felt sick again as she tried to remember what forty two meant.
“Wait,” he said, “I think I might have something.” The others all turned to face him, eager to hear what he had to say. 	“Princess Celestia gave you an assignment on The Day of the Launch.”
“Yes,” said Twilight.
“So why would she give you an assignment on something that hasn’t happened yet?” The Doctor said.
“I don’t know,” Twilight said, “maybe she knew you’d help me?”
“That’s exactly what I was thinking,” said The Doctor, “So why don’t we go ask her?” He started pressing buttons and flipping switches, and with one final pull of a lever, they were off. The TARDIS made its familiar sound, and the group got thrown around as they rocketed through the Time Vortex.
Suddenly, the sound stopped and everything was still. They exited the TARDIS into Canterlot Castle and made their way to the throne room. Princess Celestia was sitting on her throne looking at a picture of Twilight and her friends when The Doctor burst in followed by Twilight and River.
“You gave Twilight an assignment on something that hasn’t happened yet,” said The Doctor, “Why?” Celestia looked up from the picture.
“What?” she said.
“You gave Twilight an assignment on The Day of the Launch. That hasn’t happened yet. Why?” said The Doctor.
“Doctor, I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about,” Celestia said, “Then again, I never really understand anything you say in general.”
“Maybe you have the wrong time period,” Twilight said to The Doctor.
“Yes, I do. You there!” The Doctor shouted, pointing to a guard, “What’s the date?”
“September 5, in the 2002nd year of Celestia’s rule,” he said.
“See? I told you,” The Doctor said. He turned back to Celestia, “So, a few hours ago today, you gave Twilight an assignment to study for a test on something that hasn’t happened yet. Why?”
“Doctor, please,” said Celestia, “you’re mistaken. I have done no such thing, nor do I intend to.” The Doctor looked at Celestia suspiciously.
“Why can’t you remember?” he said quietly to himself.
“Doctor,” said Twilight.
“Not now Twilight,” he responded.
“Doctor,” Celestia said.
“Shush, all of you,” The Doctor said, “I’m trying to think.”
“Doctor,” Twilight said again.
“What?” The Doctor said annoyed.
“Why do you have stitches on your arm?” Twilight asked. The Doctor looked down at his arm.

“Those aren’t stitches,” he replied, “they’re tally marks.”