"Doctor, what happened?" River couldn't take her eyes off of the ponies… or rather humans now. They were all laying around the console in a tangle of limbs, but they were slowly stirring. River heard the Doctor struggle to his feet.
"Uh… well…" He slipped his glasses on as though to get a better look. "It seems we're back to normal."
"Doctor, they're humans."
"Yes I can see that." He muttered. In unison, River and the Doctor looked to their right to view the princess. Her hair, still wildly colored, covered most of her body, but dark skin peeked out between the strands. She wasn't moving, and her breath was heavy.
"Did it work? Did you separate them?"
"I don't think so; I lost control when you jumped, and it's not in me…"
A scream from near the console woke interrupted their conversation. Rarity was sitting bolt upright, staring at her hands.
"My hooves, my hooves!" she shrieked. Her screams roused some of the other girls, who in turn began shouting and generally panicking. Fluttershy, Ditzy and Twilight remained unconscious, which River was thankful for. Three less hysterical pony-people to console.
Applejack crawled on all fours over to Rainbow Dash, who had her arms wrapped around herself.
"It's okay, sugarcube." She nuzzled the rainbow-haired girl, an action that looked a lot more awkward in human form.
"My wings. I told myself I would never lose them again." She looked dangerously close to crying. Suddenly she jumped up on to all fours, eyes blazing towards the Doctor. "What did you do?" She started to move towards him, but couldn't work her legs the way she wanted to.
"It wasn't me, Rainbow. When we entered into this universe, your body must've reassembled." He gestured towards himself and River. "It happened to us when we came to Equestria."
"So Twilight was right! Y'all aren't ponies!" Applejack gripped the railing to shakily raise herself up onto her feet. She glared at River in particular. "I knew we couldn't trust ya."
Pinkie bounced over, already comfortable on two legs. She grabbed Applejack's hand, distracting the girl's anger.
"Don't be silly, AJ, Celestia trusted them, so we should too!"
Applejack opened her mouth to disagree, but was interrupted by another shriek from Rarity.
"My horn!" The others turned their attention to her, knowing it would take all their powers to console her.
The Doctor nodded at River, and they moved towards the group of confused girls. Rainbow Dash shot them another evil look, but didn't stop their progress.
"As far as I can tell, you are something called humans," the Doctor began. "No magic or wings to speak of, at least in this universe."
River shot him a look. "Our universe?" she whispered.
The Doctor shook his head, and continued slowly towards the ex-ponies. "They walk on two legs. It should come naturally; the TARDIS will translate the movement for you."
Applejack staggered towards Rarity, but she kept her balance. "Are you okay, sugarcube?"
Rarity mumbled something and fumbled with her dress.
"No, you don't have a tail, either." Applejack offered a hand to help up the girl. Cautiously, Rarity accepted the help and stood shakily on her feet. She looked at the Doctor and River with wide blue eyes.
"I need shoes."
The Doctor's jaw dropped as River laughed. "Of course you do. We can't go out without shoes on. At least you all have clothes on."
Rainbow had jumped to her feet, refusing any help. "We need clothes?" she asked, trying to discreetly lean on the railing.
River shook her head as the Doctor interrupted. "We can't go out at all, River! We have a mission to accomplish. Plus, you don't know where we are!"
"Only one way to find out, sweetie." River strode over to the doors, and before the Doctor could stop her, she tore them open.
Sunlight streamed in, landing on the prone figure of Celestia, who stirred feebly. River didn't notice: her eyes were fixed outside.
"No, you're right Doctor, we can't take them outside." She started to close the doors, but the Doctor rushed over to see where they were.
"We're in Cardiff."
River nodded. "Exactly, they deserve much better than Cardiff."
The Doctor rolled his eyes. "It doesn't matter anyway. No one's leaving this TARDIS. We have a mission to –"
"Doctor?" Ditzy was sitting up, rubbing her head. Rarity put an arm around her, helping her stand up. Ditzy leaned against the railing carefully, eyes wandering the TARDIS. She nodded to herself, and then looked at the Doctor and River. River smiled when she saw that the girl's eyes were completely straight, making her look as intelligent as River knew she was. "So this is a human, huh?"
The Doctor beamed at his assistant. "You got it, Ditzy." He turned his attention to Celestia while River helped a still-dazed Fluttershy up.
"I… I think I'm okay with this," the pink haired girl muttered as Rarity and River showed her how to stand. She gazed at her fingers, and flexed them gently. "I always wanted fingers, ever since I met Spike." She smiled gently up at River.
They're all taking this pretty well, River thought to herself, gazing around the room. Ditzy and Pinkie Pie were rotating sticking out their tongues and clicking their teeth, while Rainbow Dash and Applejack had discovered their tongues as well, albeit for a different purpose. River turned to throw the Doctor a look, but he was crouched next to Celestia, staring at her in concern. She walked past Rarity and Fluttershy, who were waking up Twilight, and joined her lover.
"Is she okay?" she muttered when she got next to him. He shook his head, eyes riveted on the princess's face.
"She's not responding. She's barely breathing." He put his hands on either side of her face, closing his eyes in concentration.
River studied his face, and felt a shock of recognition. She had seen him in this body before. They had had a passing conversation, like he barely knew her. She remembered him avoiding her eyes, as though he knew something… River shook her head. This was his twelfth regeneration, and he had married her in his eleventh. He knew her now. She must be mistaken. But the hair, the face, even the suit was the same. He had said he had worn it before… Could regeneration work in reverse? Could he be the same man all over again? River hoped not, it was already confusing enough to keep up with his different faces.
"Doctor," Celestia mumbled, waking River up from her reverie.
"Shhh… I'm here," he muttered to her. River saw the concern in his eyes and smiled to herself. Celestia was in capable hands. She groaned again, eyes fluttering slightly.
"DOCTOR!" Ditzy's yell disturbed the peaceful moment, startling River and the Doctor.
"Stay here with her, River." The Doctor gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, and then ran to help his companion.
River placed her hands on Celestia's head like the Doctor had. She had only done this a few times, but the Doctor had given her tips. She imagined her mind becoming one with Celestia's, her will entering into the princess's mind.
It's me, River.
"River…"Celestia breathed.
Are you okay, princess?
"River," she repeated, slightly weaker.
I'm going to take that as a "no." River felt through the princess's body, trying to find any severe injuries. Nothing. She turned her attention to Celestia's mind, performing the same check. There was nothing wrong with her, mentally or physically.
"Doctor…?" River started loudly, turning to find the man. What she saw made her stop mid sentence, mouth open.
Twilight Sparkle was sitting straight up, all the rest of the crew gathered around her. Her hair was flowing as though a wind was blowing towards her, and she was staring right at River. But her eyes weren't hers; they were pure silver, emanating the same mist that had transferred between the Doctor and Celestia. The symbiant had moved to the princess's star pupil.
"Doctor, she needs me," Twilight's voice was not her own either. The consciousness was talking through her.
"But you wanted to come home, Eleadora." The Doctor was angry, but he kept his voice steady. River realized with a jolt that the symbiant had a name, she had just never asked.
Twilight's head turned slowly towards the Doctor, those eyes staring into him. "I was wrong. I've been with her for a thousand years… she's my home now."
The Doctor sighed helplessly.
"If I stay in this body much longer, it'll burn up."Twilight's eyes flickered in fear, momentarily returning to their bright purple state. Just as quickly, Eleadora's mist returned. "Help me, Doctor."