The Day of the Doctor
Prologue
The Ponyville Schoolhouse
Ponyville, Everfree Province of Equestria
1033 C.R. (Celestia's Reign) 3:20 P.M.
The sounds of Miss Twilight Sparkle's class chatting and cutting up filled the room as the last bell for the day tolled over the loudspeakers. Each of the students was absolutely thrilled to leave school, as it was the last day that they needed to spend in that wretched building before Summer Break. They laughed and cheered whilst they shuffled out of the room, leaving their teacher, Miss Sparkle, behind. Not that she cared, really. She obviously loved them, but it was apparent from her fleeting smile that her mind was elsewhere.
While she had her back turned to the doorway, their came the clopping of hooves on the tile floor, followed by several quick pants. Twilight turned to the door to find her colleague, Cheerliee, standing there. A chuckle escaped the young teacher's lips as she turned back to the board. "Have you been running?" she joked, taking a quick moment to write something down on the green chalk-board.
"Are you ok? There was a call at the office, from your Doctor." Twilight's ears perked up at Cheerilee's last statement, and a joyful grin spread across her face. It quickly left her, however, as she was determined to look somewhat worried.
"Did he leave an address?" The lavender maned unicorn inquired when she turned back to her colleague, grinning as she was handed a small slip of paper. "Thanks." She said, before picking up her motorcycle helmet and leather jacket with her magic. Giving a curt nod to Cheerilee, she raced out the door and into the halls, letting out at a full gallop towards one of the exits.
It had been months since she had seen him, and every day, she hoped - no, prayed - that he would come back. Her admiration for him didn't stray into romantic territory, though; at least, she didn't THINK it did. Strictly platonic, she told herself.
Whilst she made a rush for the door, she couldn't help but remember all of that stallion's quirky features; his elegant, purple frock coat and bow-tie; his gracefully clumsy nature, and his bold chin. Twilight often mocked his chin playfully, if only to see his reaction.
Once Twilight had exited the building, she took a moment to locate her motor-bike, before galloping off towards it. The mere thought of seeing him again was exhilarating to the young teacher.
Climbing onto her vehicle, Twilight revved the engines, pushed it back from where it had been parked, and shot off down the road.
******
An elated grin spread across Twilight Sparkle's face as she rode up over one last hill to find a tall, blue box, standing at a junction nearly one hundred yards away from where she was at the moment. With a delighted chuckle, the violet-maned mare sped off towards the box on her motorcycle, aiming directly at the door. If she knew the Doctor well, he would be opening the doors any second.
The doors swung open with a loud squeak of the hinges, and not a second too soon, as Twilight shot through the door. Pulling on the brakes, Twilight came to a halt inside of the box, removing her helmet with magic. After a quick look around, she found a skinny stallion sitting on the stairs that led up to what she knew was the console unit. He appeared to be reading, although it was obvious that he noticed the young mare's appearance. "Draft," He stated nonchalantly. Twilight looked back to the door, clopped her hooves together loudly, and grinned widely as the doors to the box slammed shut.
The Doctor closed his book and took off his glasses, turning around to meet his companion. "Fancy a week in ancient Equestria, followed by a trip to future Mares?" He asked with a slight smile.
"Will there be cocktails?" Twilight countered.
"On the moon." Her friend stated.
Twilight shrugged and answered, "The moon will do nicely." After a quick moment of silence, the two leapt onto each other and hugged as if it had been years since they had seen each other.
"How's the new job? Did they teach you anything new?"
"No. Learned anything?" Twilight seemed very displeased as she said this, since she loved learning about new things.
"Nothing." With that, the two friends gave each other a double hoofbump. Just as they did this, however, the TARDIS was shaken by something, startling the two ponies that occupied the ship. The Doctor rushed over to the console and took a look at one of the screens. "We're taking off. But the engines aren't running."
Suddenly, there was a sudden jerk upwards, confirming the Doctor's fears. Without a word, he galloped over to the door, threw it open. He was greeted with the sight of the countryside. The sound of helicopter blades chopping through the air was the only thing that could be heard.
Grabbing onto the door, the time-lord yanked a small telephone from it's place behind a small trap-door. It was slightly difficult to dial the number, yet the Doctor managed. He held the phone up to his ear, listening to the monotonous ringing. "Come on, come on, Tavi. Pick up." He whispered into the phone.
Almost a second after he had uttered this, someone picked up and said, "Hello. Octavia Melody's phone." The voice was that of a young mare, possibly not much older than twenty years old.
"Hello, yes! This is the Doctor! Can you give the phone to Octavia?!" The Doctor heard a quiet gasp, followed by the muffled clopping of hooves on pavement.
"Doctor," A slightly older female voice began, "We found the TARDIS in a field. We're having it brought in."
"No, Tavi!" He shouted in reply.
"Doctor, where are you?" The voice of Octavia inquired in an extremely confused tone. As if to answer her question, the Doctor held the phone up towards the helicopter above the TARDIS. "By Celestia's beard!" The mare gasped, "Oh, Doctor. I am so sorry. We had no idea that you were still in there." By now, the helicopter was coming into view of Canterlot. "Doctor, can you hear me? I don't think he can hear me..."
All of a sudden, the Doctor fell out of the doorway, narrowly saving himself from death by putting his hind legs behind both doors. The helicopter was now changing its course, most likely to where it was the Doctor was needed. "Next time, would it kill you to knock!?" He bellowed through the phone in a mix of anger and shock.
"I'm having you taken directly to the scene." The old, charcoal-maned mare said. After several moments, she asked, "Doctor, are you alright?"
With a slight shout of surprise and pain as the telephone hit his temple, the Doctor grasped it firmly and held it up to his head. "I'm just gonna put you on hold for a minute." Just as he had said this, the chopper began to descend, causing him to fall yet again. Luck seemed to favor him, however, because he was able to grasp the bottom of the TARDIS with his front hooves.
The Doctor's legs began to tire from holding onto the bottom of the box, but he had no need of waiting any longer, as the the TARDIS was brought down just low enough for the Doctor to release his grip and suffer no damage from the fall. He was in one of the Canterlot's outer districts, in front of an art museum. Standing between him and the museum was a group of black clad soldiers, a young earth pony clad in a white labcoat and a vaguely familiar, multi-colored scarf, and a slightly older earth pony, dressed in a black coat. There was a call for the squad to snap to attention, which they did, clicking their hooves together. The Doctor saluted to them, before asking to himself, "Why am I saluting?"
"Doctor," Octavia Melody began as she stepped forward, "As Lead Scientific Advisor, may I extend the official apologies of U.N.I.T."
"Octavia , a word to the wise, and I'm very sure your father would have told you...I don't like being picked up." The Doctor answered in a somewhat angry tone, although it was obvious that he was glad to see the alicorn.
"Sorry, but I'm acting on official orders of the Royal Sisters." She said, producing a small envelope from her coat. "Sealed orders from her majesty Lady Astrolia."
Twilight, who had just now exited the TARDIS, was confused by this statement. "Hold on...Lady Astrolia?"
"Yes. Her credentials are inside." The chestnut brown-maned stallion began to rip into the envelope, but was stopped by the young princess before he could see the contents. "No, inside the museum." With that, Octavia turned and trotted off towards the building.
Before following, the Doctor looked to the adviser's assistant, and pointed to her scarf and said, "Nice scarf." Then, he followed after his old friend's daughter, leaving the young mare in complete awe. She had never seen the Doctor, yet she had read the files on him. He seemed quite amazing to her. She snapped herself out of her thoughts, and quickly let off at a brisk pace behind the Doctor.