//------------------------------// // The Night of the Doctor // Story: Doctor Whooves - The Nightmare of Hearths Warming // by Time Pony Victorious //------------------------------// Fluttershy found it difficult to sleep under these conditions. The impending danger and doom wasn’t what was keeping her awake, it was the fact that two seemingly immortal, powerful and intelligent ponies were by her side, watching her try to sleep. “Just try to relax,” the Doctor advised gently. “How is she able to relax with you looming over her?” Princess Luna snapped. “Um, actually, if I could just get—“ “What about you?” the Doctor argued. “You’re much more intimidating than me, it doesn’t help that your horn could put an eye out.” “I think I would be able to sleep well if—“ “Our royal presence is one of warmth and comfort, Time Lord, I am sure your presence is much more disturbing.” “Um, guys—“ “I don’t recall telling about Time Lords, how did you—ugh, don’t tell me I’ve gotten involved in your life as well?” “Doctor…” “What was the word you used before? Ah, spoilers.” “Doctor!” Fluttershy all but squeaked, quickly regretting such an outburst covering her mouth as all attention focused on her. “Ah, never mind, I’ll just try to sleep…” The Doctor frowned, hating the implication of yet another mixup with royalty. It always got on his nerves whenever he did that, he hated not knowing his future but someone else having knowledge about it. Shaking his head slightly, he gave Fluttershy a gentle smile. “No, sorry, dear, ignore our prattling. What did you want to tell us?” Fluttershy nervously poked her hoof. “I would be able to sleep well if I could just get a cup of warm milk, to be honest.” Princess Luna considered for a moment. “I’ve a better idea. Close your eyes, Fluttershy.” Fluttershy complied, closing her eyes as tightly as she could. Princess Luna’s horn glowed brightly, she leaned in and touched Fluttershy’s forehead gently. Fluttershy instantly relaxed, her head slumping backwards and all tension leaving her body. The Doctor raised an eyebrow at Luna. “Minor sleep spell,” Luna explained. “I am the Mare of Dreams, after all.” The Doctor scratched the back of his head awkwardly. “Yeah, about that, not exactly sure how I feel about that, invading dreams and such.” “Then what, pray tell, are we doing here with Fluttershy, Doctor?” Frowning the Doctor glared at the princess, aware of the hypocrisy but he didn’t exactly enjoy the implications she was bringing up. “We are trying to protect her and save everyone from these wraiths. That’s what I’m here for, princess.” “That is why you chose such a name, correct?” The Doctor took a moment to consider, glaring hard at the Princess who barely to his harsh gaze. “I’m the Doctor, I help everyone, so yes, if I have to peek into Fluttreshy’s dream to accomplish that then I have to.” “What do you think I do then?” She asked, her tone now becoming edged and harsh. “My powers are not intended to spy on anypony, it is intended to help them dream happiness and to prevent nightmare. A penance for my past sins, if you wish to think of it as that. You, of all ponies, should understand.” “Who are you?! To me?” Princess Luna appeared conflicted, as if debating to answer but she shook her head instead and said, “Be the Doctor and help as you always do.” Memories of a former life flashed in his mind, the memories of a particularly short, impossible girl telling him the same thing. Smiling wistfully, the Doctor placed a hoof on Fluttershy’s head, the pegasus sighed in her sleep nuzzling her head closer to his hoof. “Alright, ready then? I’ll establish a psychic connection so we can enter her dream.” Princess Luna’s horn glowed brightly. “No need, we are already there.” The Doctor blinked and the library melted away and a cloud home appeared around them. The home was large yet humble and unassuming. The Doctor wasn’t sure how wealthy pegasi would design their homes but it was obvious that this homeowner was extremely well-off. Black nimbus lined the floors and walls, brilliant portraits decorated the room. Faux-Mist (a substance quite common amongst pegasi, according to Rainbow Dash, as a substitute to windows) composed the large windows which held elegant designs of military-looking pegasi. Taking another look at the portraits, the Doctor noticed the subject matter was all the same. A filly Fluttershy shyly smiled in every portrait, hiding behind her distinctively pink mane. The Doctor frowned to himself. “Fluttershy had a cloud home?” Princess Luna shook her head. “This is her old family home, Doctor. Look.” She pointed at the sitting room, adjacent from the loft, at Fluttershy sitting in the middle with a large drawing pad by her hooves. Fluttershy was about 10 or so years old (age was hard to tell with the Doctor, oddly enough, with these ponies) but she was so radically different the Doctor would’ve had trouble believing it was her. She was lankly and thin, her legs were long but her body was tiny as if she hadn’t grown into those appendages well. Her mane was longer and messier, her eyes larger and sadder than her aged counterpart. Her wings looked too big for her body as well, true to her name they fluttered nervously at her side. Another thing the Doctor noticed was her lack of a cutie mark, he always was curious how a pegasus could obtain an earth-related cutie mark but never bothered to learn anything about Fluttershy. Guilt prodded the Doctor’s hearts, he expected Fluttershy to jump to action to help him stop these monsters but he didn’t know anything about her. “Look,” Princess Luna said, snapping the Doctor out of it. A stallion approached little Fluttershy. He was stout and filled with military decorum, he walked with the purpose of a General, although his mane was longer than regulation. The stallion looked almost exactly like Fluttershy. His coat and mane were similar, but with age his coat appeared more like rust than gold and his mane was more red than pink. His eyes were stately and focused yet soft and kind, a 5-Star emblem shone proudly as his cutie mark. “Captain Jetstream,” Princess Luna said. “Fluttershy’s father, a famous military pegasus who reversed a class five tornado by himself and combated a dragon.” It was difficult to believe that Fluttershy could be related to such a prominent military figure but the more he looked at him, the more he was convinced they were related. They had the same gentle expression, it was merely his bulky figure that betrayed such kindness. “Fluttershy,” Jetstream said, his voice uncharacteristically timid for such a large pegasus. “Don’t you have class tomorrow, sweetie?” Fluttershy froze slightly, trying to remain as focused as she could to her drawings but failing to do so. She dropped her crayon and stared at her father with those big sad eyes of hers. “B-but tomorrow is race day, everypony has to complete an obstacle course and… I don’t want to go.” Jetstream knelt beside Fluttershy with a kind smile, patting her shoulder affectionately. “I understand but what of your friends? Rainbow Dash? She would miss you if you weren’t there.” Fluttershy frowned, it was weird to consider such a well-known pony like Rainbow Dash as her friend. The only reason the hyperactive pegasus even talked to Fluttershy was because she helped her with some weather theory homework. All Rainbow Dash understood about being a pegasus was the flying, none of the more practical sides. “I… guess…” She didn’t want him to know she was completely friendless, it would make him feel bad which made her feel bad. “So, will you be getting ready for bed then?” Jetstream asked gently. Fluttershy nodded. “But… could I finish this drawing first?” Jetstream smiled, sitting beside her and taking a look at the drawing himself. “Of course!” “If Twilight’s recollections are to be correct, this is the day before Fluttershy received her cutie mark,” Princess Luna said. “The day of the race where she fell from the clouds to be rescued by a swarm of butterflies, wherein she learned of her ability to communicate with animals thus earning her cutie mark.” The Doctor shook his head, his muzzled mixed in a confused expression. “A pegasus falling from the sky to land in butterflies? That is physically impossible, unless Fluttershy is made of dark matter or something—“ “How will we summon the wraiths?” Luna interrupted. “What is this plan of yours, Doctor?” “Oh, I’ve got a few ideas…” Princess Luna grimaced as she stood in the middle of Cloudsdale. Looking around she noticed the ponies walking around were appropriate to this time period, Fluttershy’s attention to detail was quite a feat, to be frank. She even noticed a young Rainbow Dash off in the Thunder Fields racing with the local fillies. In spite of how idyllic the dream was, Luna was less than pleased by the Doctor’s plan. She stared at her suddenly tall body and frowned. Upon the Doctor’s word, she took Nightmare Moon’s form (complete with false teeth, courtesy of Pinkie Pie) it was basic illusion magic but she still hated assuming this form. The last time she had to was to appease yet another poorly thought out plan by Twilight Sparkle to appease the colts and fillies she terrified during her ill-named holiday. The Doctor’s plan was simple and sound, he figured that since Nightmare Moon was the commander for the wraiths that she would be able to control and lock them away with her powers. While it was true that she commanded the wraiths back in the day… they wouldn’t take well to her form now. The reason she was attacked by them previous was example of that, they hated her new form and wished to induce Nightmare Moon; but Luna fears they wouldn’t mind tearing her apart to get to Nightmare Moon. Plus, she didn’t want to become Nightmare Moon again, she wanted to forget that part of her life but the Doctor dragged her back into it and she complied like it was nothing… Luna had difficulty believing that this Doctor was the same as the one she knew when she was young. They were the same, however, the same brash, crazy, brilliant Time Lord. Princess Luna blinked to focus her illusion magic to maintain her form, it wouldn’t end well if she reverted back in the middle of this. She exhaled and a cloud puffed up before her, looking around she noticed that the town back enshrouded in darkness as the temperature dropped below freezing. Dozens of shadows morphed from the walls and floor, peeling themselves out of the surfaces and manifesting to life. The wraiths had her surrounded. They didn’t attack, only looking at her carefully as if seeing if it truly was Nightmare Moon. They circled predatorily but never neared her, the plan was working… so far. Luna cleared her throat. “What is the meaning of this?!” The leader wraith floated forward, his horrible face titled curiously. “You are the Sleepless Devastation?” Princess Luna slammed her hoof against the ground, a small, yet effective, shockwave blew away the wraiths for a moment but they regenerated. She glared darkly at the leader wraith, baring her teeth. “You doubt me insolent foal?!” The wraiths shrunk slightly, bowing their heads quickly even the leader knelt before the Princess. “N-no, Mistress, it is just… you smell like the mortal ponies, we meant no disrespect.” “I will spare you,” Luna growled. “Only because I require explanation. Who granted you permission to attack these foals?” Confusion rippled within the ranks, the wraiths weren’t sure how to respond and Luna feared she said the wrong thing but the leader groveled further. “Apologies, Mistress. We were merely following our objective, to spread nightmares everywhere. You tasked us with this when you created us.” Luna swallowed nervously, remembering how chaotic she behaved during her time as Nightmare Moon. With her powerful magic, she manifested her own nightmares to life and they became the first wraiths. When she was locked away at the moon, Luna assumed the wraiths were locked away with it but for some reason they are still around… how did they escape? “Of course,” Luna answered. “But the orders have been changed. You are to cease and desist until further ordered.” The air got colder and darker, Luna focused hard to stop her shaking. The wraiths stopped groveling and stared at her darkly. “You…  Our Mistress would never order us like you have, you are a fraud!” “You… useless foal!” Luna roared, thunder crashing overhead as her power shook the dream. But the wraiths weren’t intimidated. “I can see it… your fear,” muttered the leader. “You are not our Mistress, you are the tiny mare we faced before!” The wraith slashed at Princess Luna who dodged instinctively, but the act was more than enough to dissolve her illusion. Her true form reappeared and the wraiths cackled and laughed as it appeared. “The little mare who hides under her covers by her past transgressions!” screeched the wraiths. “You dare order us around?!” “You will stand down!” ordered Luna. “I may not be Nightmare Moon any longer, but I will stop you!” “We will consume everypony’s dreams,” they chanted. “We will throw the world into an eternity of darkness and nightmares, and you will be powerless to stop us!” “Well, that’s a hardy assumption!” Rang out the Doctor’s familiar voice, Luna could practically hear his smile. “After all, it isn’t just her, I’m here as well…” A brilliant light exploded within the circle of wraiths, dispelling them momentarily and when the light faded the Doctor stood there with his madpony smile. “And we will be more than enough to stop you.” Laughter rippled throughout the wraiths, an offensive sound that Luna recoiled from. “The fallen Time Lord and the shamed Princess? How, pray tell, will you be able to stop us? We are the knights of nightmares, the vortex of horrors, the—“ “Talkative lot that bullies and picks on ponies smaller than them!” the Doctor interrupted. “Honestly, can we skip the evil banter? I’ve heard it all before, let’s just get to the part where you surrender and leave peacefully?” The leader wraith floated in front of the Doctor, growling menacingly as the Time Lord stood ready and unflinching. “You talk big, Time Lord.” “Thank you. You summed me up in five words, what’ll it be?” “This.” Black smoke surrounded the Doctor and Luna, when it faded… the duo had shrunk and turned into a filly and a colt! Princess Luna’s magical mane shrunk into its more solid form, her cutie mark, however, was gone unlike the Doctor who’s colt form still held his distinctive Hourglass cutie mark. “Time is but a tiny realm to the masters of the dreamworld,” the wraith explained. “So we’re more adorable and cuddly, so what?” the Doctor snorted. “You’ve done nothing to stop us.” Princess Luna suddenly collapsed, crying out in pain and agony gripping her head as the tears fell. The Doctor ran to Luna, trying to calm her to little avail. “Luna! What’s wrong?” “No! Sister! I’m sorry, I’m sorry! Please forgive me!” Luna wailed. “Adults conceal their nightmares under the guise of age and maturity,” the wraith said. “A filly, however, is an open book to their worst nightmares.” “Stop this!” snapped the Doctor. “Now!” “Do not fear, Doctor. You will share her fate…” “NO!” A pink and yellow blur swoop in, landing with a flourish in front of the Doctor. Fluttershy, fully aged, gave the wraiths The Stare as most as she could without breaking down crying. “Leave my friends alone!” “Fluttershy? How?!” the Doctor gaped. “This tiny foal should not be able to break our hold on this dream, how is this possible?!” cried the wraith. “This is my dream,” Fluttershy explained with an uncharacteristically steely tone. “Not yours.” “No matter, you will be consumed along with everypony else!” They reached out to touch Fluttershy’s head, the Doctor cried out in protest but a brilliant light shone from the pegasus, pushing the wraiths away. “You… are a big bully!” Fluttershy shouted. “There I said it! You hurt little fillies and colts without any regard to how they feel. You make them live their nightmares and scare them away from reality… but that’s all you are… a bad dream.” “You… dare!” Fluttershy took flight, meeting the leader wraith to his level without fear. “You can’t do anything, you can only scare ponies… but there’s nothing to be scared of. As long as we face our fears… you have no power! And you have the gall to scare ponies? You should be scared of us!” With every word the wraiths recoiled and physically shrunk, cowering away from the quiet-spoken pegasus now chastising them. “Sure the world is scary, but as long as we have the ponies that we love and care about near us… it isn’t that bad. That’s why you capture the parents, right? Because they are the only force that can get rid of nightmares… a loving, caring parent.” “You cannot speak to us like that!” “This is my dream,” Fluttershy repeated. “And you aren’t invited.” “What my lovely friend is trying to say is," interrupted the Doctor. "She’s the one in charge here, not you lot. This is her playground, and you are the playground bullies, she isn’t very pleased with that. Basically…” “Run.” Fluttershy whispered. The shadows faded and the temperature increased as the wraiths began to wither and fade away from Fluttershy’s influence. They wailed horribly as they disappeared from existence. Fluttershy landed, letting out the breath she was holding, when she turned around she noticed the Doctor and Luna had reverted back to their normal age. “Ah… Doctor, can you wake me up now?” The Doctor wiped the front of the TARDIS with a cloth and grinned as the old box shined brilliantly. Stepping back he took a moment to admire the Old Girl. Once Fluttershy woke up, the Doctor had moved Princess Luna into the TARDIS then parked her in Twilight’s basement once again. With a little help from Fluttershy, they moved Luna to Twilight’s bed so she could get a little rest from the whole fiasco. He took a quick trip back to Trottingham and confirmed Bluebell’s, and her father’s, safety. They were safe and sound with no sign of the wraiths. Dinky and Ditzy were both returned as well and resting up in their nice and comfy beds, Fluttershy was the only one unable to relax, nervously pacing by Luna’s side. Sighing, the Doctor took a seat. He had miscalculated Fluttershy, assuming the timid pegasus wouldn’t be up to fighting the wraiths much less dispelling them herself. Fluttershy wasn’t like his conventional companions, she was scared, absurdly shy and withdrawn, traits that would’ve annoyed former incarnations but something he was weirdly tolerant of this time around. His faith in Fluttershy nearly cost them this victory… something that filled his hearts with dread. “Um, Doctor?” the Doctor instinctively smiled as Fluttershy’s gentle and quiet voice came from the stairs. Turning, he gave her a grin which she shyly returned. “Princess Luna seems better, I think she might wake up soon so I’ll just get going now…” “Your family,” the Doctor suddenly said, stopping her in her tracks. “They’re your nightmares, correct?” Fluttershy blanched, rubbing her hooves nervously, all but whimpering at the Time Lord’s scrutiny. “It’s fine, Fluttershy, we all have our fears. But the reason you dreamed of your home was because of the wraiths, they feed off it.” The Doctor walked up the stairs, approaching Fluttershy and held her little hoof tenderly. “You’re scared of them?” Fluttershy shook her head. “It’s not… that, Doctor. It’s… complicated.” “Try me.” She took a deep breath, finding some comfort in the Doctor’s big sad eyes. “I’m not exactly the strongest pony, or the fastest, or the smartest, even as a pegasus I’m… not very good. I like the ground, I like animals and the grass. I live in a tree… Everything a real pegasus doesn’t do.” “As a pegasus you’re expected to be a good flier or on the weather team,” Fluttershy continued. “I take care of animals. I’m not a good pegasus and… my parents are. I’m… I’m different and I know they’re ashamed of me and—“ “Stop,” the Doctor interrupted. “Fluttershy, you are brilliant, you just saved everypony from nightmare monsters. You did. What’s so wrong with being different? You being different and unique saved us. You are nothing to be ashamed of, Fluttershy, you are amazing.” Fluttershy blushed, looking down at her hooves trying hard not to smile at the Doctor’s compliments. He was right and it was difficult to argue with him, 1,000 years of experience was hard to argue with. She nodded, finally meeting the Doctor’s eyes. “Princess Luna… she thinks I’m scared of her, right?” Raising an eyebrow, the Doctor frowned slightly. “You aren’t?” Fluttershy shook her head forcefully. “No, of course not? Why would you think that?” “Well…” “I’m not scared, I’m… sorry.” The Doctor’s confused expression only intensified slightly and Fluttershy realized her faux pas. “Well, it’s… when she came around before, I was so scared of her that I didn’t want to leave my home. I’ve seen Nightmare Moon before and she’s scary… but after that night, I realized Princess Luna wasn’t anything like her.” “So, what’s the issue?” “What do I say to her?” she asked. “What can I say to apologize for the thousand-year imprisonment, for… everypony being scared of her and me being scared of her? I feel like she resents me for being scared of her, to be honest…” The Doctor laughed, rubbing Fluttershy’s shoulders and hugging the pegasus tightly. “Fluttershy, you are brilliant, you know? Just treat her as a friend and everything will be alright.” “O-okay, thanks, Doctor…” The two left the basement in time to find Princess Luna up and ready to leave. “Oi! Luna!” the Doctor called. The Princess of the Night flinched, sheepishly looking at him with a meek smile. “Going already?” “Yes, Doctor,” she answered. “Princess Celestia will be holding a party to celebrate Hearths Warming at the castle… and it will be a shame if I do not join the festivities.” “Aha! Righty-o,” the Doctor clapped Luna’s shoulders, laughing to her discomfort. “Tell her I said hi, and, ah, I never officially apologized. Sorry about landing in your bath, the TARDIS was being a bit cheeky.” Princess Luna blushed fiercely, moving away from the Doctor with a determined look on her face. “Y-you.. I have still not forgiven you that, Doctor!” “Of course, of course!” the Doctor laughed, walking toward the kitchen. “Have a good time, Starbutt.” Before Luna could banish the Time Lord or utter another curse, Fluttershy quietly intervened. “Um, Princess Luna…” “Please, Fluttershy, call me Luna.” “Okay.. Luna… would you, maybe, mind having tea with me one day? If you don’t mind, of course, you don’t have to so…” “I would love to, Fluttershy. Thank you…” The two timid mares nodded at each other before bidding adieu. Once Princess Luna left, Fluttershy turned toward the Time Lord, she was able to befriend one ancient, powerful, awkward pony… now there was another. “Doctor,” she called as she followed him into the kitchen. “Just making a salad!” he answered as several power tools went off wildly. “Want some?” “No, well… Doctor, my parents hold this quiet celebration for Hearths Warming every year and…” Fluttershy swallowed nervously. “I was wondering if you wanted to join us.” The power tools ceased for a moment. The Doctor stepped out of the kitchen, his bowtie covered in sawdust (oddly enough), and a sullen look on his face. “I’m a bit rubbish at parties, last Christmas dinner I attended no one wanted to play twister Probably due to the fact that I was nak—“ “It’s fine,” Fluttershy said. “It’s just… you’re lonely, Doctor. And, well, I want to be your friend.” Smiling sadly, he patted Fluttershy’s shoulder. “Fluttershy, we already are friends. That wasn’t up for debate.” “I’m your companion,” she corrected. “But I want to be your friend, not just somepony to travel with.” “Yes, but—“ Fluttershy held up her hoof. “No arguing, Doctor. You’re coming with me, okay?” It would’ve been easy to decline, to lie and promise his attendance when in reality he would scamper off elsewhere, a galaxy away just to avoid a nice dinner. But the Doctor looked at Fluttershy’s soft, kind eyes and for once, in a very long time, he found it impossible to lie. “Of course… I’ll see you in a bit, I’ll take the TARDIS and be there before you know it.” Fluttershy nodded, smiling along with the eccentric Time Pony. “Okay, but pinkie promise that you’ll be there.” For the second time tonight, the Doctor recited the promise laid down by Pinkie Pie along with the necessary gestures. “Speaking of which, we’ll need to drop by Ditzy’s afterward, if that’s alright?” “Of course,” nodded Fluttershy. “How long will it—“ “Fluttershy, it’s a time machine!” answered the Doctor, laughing as he ran down to the basement letting the engines run the magical sound filling the library and Fluttershy’s heart. The TARDIS materialized before the familiar Cloudsdale home, landing with its customary thud and when the door opened the Doctor stepped out. His brand new purple coat wrapped around his body, matching his purple bowtie perfectly. With a grin, he adjusted his bowtie and checked his hooves. The spell Twilight taught him to walk on clouds was working perfectly, after he adjusted the settings on his screwdriver to implement the spell it was easy-peasy… Well, the spell did nearly burn a hole through his ponyshoes but that was nothing! The Doctor knocked, waited a beat before the door opened and he grinned. “Hello! I’m the Doctor, a friend of Fluttershy’s. May I come in?”