"Oh that's right," said the Doctor. "We were just about to finish this." He and Soren could heard the Elementals talking to each other in the distance as they stared at Burning Dash.
"What do we do now, Blaze?" asked Frostbite. It seemed like he was the only one of the two who was now worried.
"What do you mean?" smiled Blaze. "One is defenceless, one can barely stand, and the other doesn't look so tough. We got this." Burning Dash puffed out hot air through her nose and flew insanely fast at Blaze. Soren and the Doctor saw the expression on Blaze's face quickly change to one of shock and surprise as she was struck in her chest. Meanwhile, the Doctor and Soren started to talk as Dash attacked the Elementals. Soren would have helped her, but he was too weak and he would probably just get in her way.
"You took a beating for her?" the Doctor asked. Soren nodded. "I could tell she means a lot to you. All of us can; Twilight, Octavia, everyone. You two may have only started your relationship not too long ago, but I can tell it will last a long time." Soren stared at the Doctor for awhile. Dash did mean a lot to him. He still had one question for the Doctor though.
"Why won't you tell me The Truth?" The Doctor sighed and began explaining.
"Before I came into this spirit world, I told Twilight the truth about you. She was surprised to say the least, and that's really saying something considering she used to travel with me. I couldn't tell you because it would have created a paradox. If you knew the truth before this, you wouldn't be here fighting, then you wouldn't be here as the truth unfolds, thus creating a paradox." Soren's eyes widened. He was right. The Doctor was absolutely right. Feeling more at ease, Soren went back to watching Dash make quick work of the Elementals. Soon, he arched an eyebrow at what he just saw.
"Did Rainbow just absorb Blaze's fireballs with her mane?" Soren asked.
"Fancy that. I can see why you brought Rainbow Dash to fight over Twilight. I don't even think Twilight can manage that." Burning Dash was now using her fiery mane to blast back Frostbite and Blaze. Frostbite looked like he was now unconscious or at least faking it. As for Blaze, she was beat up almost as bad as Soren.
"This is impossible!" Blaze growled, staggering a bit. "You're a pegasus, yet you have magical powers like a unicorn." Dash grabbed Blaze and began flying high. "W-What are you?" Burning Dash just stared at her and finally spoke.
"I'm Rainbow Dash," she said as she threw Blaze straight towards the ground. Blaze bounced twice before skidding to a stop. The Fire Elemental looked up at Dash, her voice weak and defeated.
"Hehe...looks like you two beat us...but before we leave...we need to do something first...Isn't that right, Frostbite?" Before any of them could look at Frostbite, Blaze shouted "Now!" Soren and Rainbow then saw a blue beam of energy shoot past Soren, then they heard it impact something. 'The Doctor!' Soren looked next to himself and saw the Doctor on the ground, holding his chest. He quickly sat beside him and turned the Doctor onto his back.
"Doctor! Are you ok?!" Soren was slightly panicking. He saw the bright blue mark on the Doctor's chest.
"I'm fine...kind of...but don't worry. This was supposed to happen." The Doctor's voice sounded strained. 'What kind of spell was that?!' Soren heard Dash give a sound of frustration and a sound of a hit which he assumed was a buck to the face. "Time is a funny thing sometimes," the Doctor said. "Looks like it's time for the truth. Before I go, you need to promise me a few things, Soren."
"Anything. What is it?" Dash flew to Soren's side and sat next to him.
"First, when I regenerate, I'm afraid that there's a chance I won't remember any of you. Don't be concerned. Second, bring me to the past. Twilight will know which point in time. Last, I need you to investigate the project the princess is working on. I wouldn't trust those Lunar stallions without knowing more first." The Doctor sighed contently. "I'm afraid that's it. It's been fun...Soren. You, me, and the weeping pegasi...but I'm afraid this is goodbye...technically. Get back!" Soren and Dash did as they were instructed and stood away. The Doctor then curled up on the ground, and yellow mist protruded from his body. A few second passed before the mist shot out of his body in all directions like a geyser. Soren and Dash shielded themselves with their wings.
When they heard the sound stop, Soren and Dash looked back at the Doctor. Soren stumbled as he looked at the new Time Lord; he couldn't believe his eyes. The Doctor regenerated, except he looked way too familiar. His coat had changed to white, and his mane and tail changed to black. Also, his cutie mark resembled a brightly-colored six sided gem. And most shockingly: he grew wings and a horn. He looked like Soren! 'No...he is me. I'm the Doctor?! How is that even possible?! And why is he a foal?' Soren just stood there, confused beyond belief.
"Soren, look at that."
"It can't be!"
"Is that...you? The Doctor changed into you? How...why... what?!" Dash was stammering as much as Soren was in his own head.
"I...don't know how...but it's there...right before our eyes. I'm the Doctor." Soren looked at Rainbow Dash; she was back to normal. "This is too much to take in." A rumbling soon occurred. The spirit world began disappearing all around Soren and Rainbow Dash.
"Quick! Grab the Doctor...me... whatever. Hurry!" Soren and Dash held on to the unconscious past version of Soren as the world around them became darker and darker...
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Soren awoke with a jolt. He looked around and saw that he was in the TARDIS. He continued to look around and soon saw Twilight Sparkle sitting next to the newly transformed, foal-sized Doctor. 'How awkward will this get?' Soren asked myself. 'I used to be in love with Twilight.' Twilight heard Soren stir and looked over at him. Her face and eyes were so sad, yet she still smiled at him. "It's time," she said softly, sadness in her voice as well.
"Where do we take him? He said you would know. I'm still trying to wrap my head around this." Twilight nodded and walked over to Soren.
"I'm sorry for doing this, but...he never gave me a proper goodbye. Please don't tell Rainbow Dash." Before Soren could put one-and-two together, Twilight walked closer and kissed him. It was passionate on her part, but Soren just stood there since it was awkward for him. The kiss ended, and Twilight just looked down shyly. "Sorry, I...I just had to. Anyway, I know where the Doctor, or you, needs to be dropped off."
She walked towards the TARDIS console. 'Poor Twilight. She lost the pony that loved her the most.' Soren sighed and heard Rainbow Dash beginning to stir. The TARDIS began to move, and Soren waited for Dash to regain her senses before filling her in on what they were doing.
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"Twilight," Dash started as the TARDIS moved through time and space, "where exactly are we taking past-Soren?"
"We have to take him to the past a few months after Octavia was born. She's the older sibling after all."
"What?"
"Isn't it obvious by now? Soren was never 'born' from his parents. He had to have been adopted by his parents. Therefore, we need to take him to the Melody family's house so they can find him and adopt him."
"A foal on a doorstep..." Soren added. Twilight nodded.
"When we arrive, past-Soren will be a foal and Octavia should be a few months old. Hopefully, Soren's body should grow normally as he ages, making him seem normal." The TARDIS landed.
"Well," Soren said, "this is it." Twilight nodded. Using her magic, Twilight created a basket with a blanket to put past-Soren in. Levitating the basket with the child in it, she took him outside to the Melody Mansion in Canterlot.
"You alright, Soren?" Rainbow Dash asked as Twilight stepped out of the TARDIS. "I know this is just as weird, if not weirder, for you then it is for me."
"I'll be fine. It's just so... complicated. Time travel hurts even my head sometimes. I guess it all makes sense when I think about it: me acting similar to the Doctor sometimes, my knowledge at random times, and I guess my adventurous spirit. All because I'm the Doctor." Soren sighed again.
"Well, I wouldn't say the Doctor is a major part of you. He's just your past. You never even had dreams about him. It wasn't the Doctor that fought Nyra, it wasn't the Doctor that saved Appaloosa, and it defintely wasn't the Doctor that beat the hay out of the Elementals." Soren looked at Dash with watering eyes. Touched by her comforting words, he quickly embraced her and kissed her.
After the kiss, Soren hesitated to say something but he felt it has to be said. Even though it has only been a short amount of time, Soren already felt a strong bond with Rainbow. "I-I love you...Rainbow Dash," he said as he still hugged her. She tensed up when he said that but she quickly calmed down.
"Love you too, Soren." The two continued to sit there, hugging each other until Twilight walked back inside. The unicorn was now wet from the rainy night, and as she saw Soren and Rainbow, she didn't want to interrupt their moment. Twilight simply walked to the TARDIS' console and set their course for present day Ponyville. They had a lot of explaining to do.
After they stopped hugging, Soren and Rainbow looked at each other and smiled.
"So what happens to the TARDIS?" Soren called over to Twilight. She looked at the console with distant eyes. "Twilight...do you want to be the new Doctor? Is that what you think the Doctor wants you to do?" She shook her head.
"He wouldn't want me traveling around alone, risking my life and those who will try to help me. He'd want me to just stay in Ponyville and wait until the TARDIS is absolutely-"
DING!
Something made a noise on the console. It took awhile but Twilight managed to find out what it was. There was a slot and it had a key coming out of it. "A TARDIS key?" Twilight wondered. "The TARDIS must have made it for me. But what about-?"
DING!
Something next to the slot went off. This one produced a sonic screwdriver personally made for Twilight.
"Wow, egghead," Dash joked whole-heartedly, "it looks like the machine wants you to be the next Doctor." Twilight didn't look too thrilled about that. Soren stepped next to her and draped a hoof around her to comfort her. She looked at him.
"Why me?" she whispered. Soren smiled at her.
"Because. You traveled with the Doctor a lot, you know how to work the TARDIS console, and you know how the Doctor did things. No guns, no violence, no harming. You don't have to be the new Doctor...but the Tardis will need you someday." Twilight smiled and hugged him. Soren returned the embrace.
"You're still so much like him," Twilight commented, fighting back tears. Soren patted her back, and the TARDIS soon landed.
"Come on, you two," Rainbow Dash said. "We got a lot of explaining to do." Soren and Twilight both nodded and started to follow Dash outside. One more thing still bugged Soren though.
"Where are you going to keep the TARDIS until it needs you?" he asked Twilight. She chuckled.
"In the library basement, of course. The Doctor used to keep it down here when we were traveling, so I figured why not bring it back." And sure enough, the three friends found themselves in the basement of Twilight's library when they walked out. 'It's good to be back,' Soren thought to himself. The three friends looked at each other and smiled. Then they exchanged nods and headed out to gather all of their friends.
(End of Arc: The Quest For Truth)
(Next Arc: The Lunar Assassin)