Lyra shook as she held the lantern in her small mouth, not as sure as she had been about venturing closer to the fallen star. She stopped immediately as she found a big, glowing box smoking in a small crater- the lantern fell from her grip as two doors swung open on the front, and a tall biped fell out of the box, hacking as it thumped its chest with one of its appendages.
"Okay, not doing that again-" it coughed.
It stood up and dusted off its jacket and pants, then scanned the area. Lyra scooted closer to the box to avoid the creature's line of sight, and held her breath as the biped looked around the field. It took a stick out of its pocket, and pointed it at the ground, a blue light shone from one end as a whirring sound filled the air. The sound stopped, and the creature peered at the stick, then dropped its arms and sighed. Lyra let out a sigh of relief as the creature walked further from the box, and headed straight for the lantern she had dropped.
"Hello?" it called, picking up the lantern.
Lyra's breathing hitched as she heard its voice.
"Is anyone out there?"
'Anyone?' Lyra thought
"I think you dropped this"
Lyra's terror spiked as she thought the creature had spotted her, but soon figured out it was just asking a general question.
"Is anyone out there? Hello? Nevermind...this is ridiculous"
The creature turned and walked back towards the box, Lyra hid behind the box as it did, and waited.
The doors closed, and the everything was silent.
Lyra staggered to her hooves and got as far away from the box as she possibly could. A thousand questions were running through her young mind, such as 'What was it?', 'Where did it come from?' and, 'What was inside that box?'.
Her thoughts were interrupted as a low growling came from distance, her brain restarted and she bolted, her fear of the ravenous Timberwolves fueling her legs as they thumped against the ground- putting a small distance between her, the box, and the Timberwolves.
Huge, green eyes and gaping maws greeted her as she dug her hooves into the ground, turned tail and ran, fleeing for her life in the opposite direction. Her terror clouded mind pushed aside all rational thought as she panicked and looked for somewhere to hide.
'Where did the wolves come from?' she thought, growing more anxious each minute that passed. Biting her lip, she rapped on the door of the box, actually hoping the creature would offer her saftey. Just one of the doors swung open as the wolves edged closer, she bolted in almost as soon as it opened, and hid.
It stared at her in confusion, then back out the door, its eyes widened in terror and slammed the door shut and held it closed, its broad chest heaving up and down.
Only part of Lyra's fear had subsided, as she was now trapped in...wherever this was, with the creature- and she now had time to wonder just how the hay all of this could fit into this teeny box.
X X X X X X X
The TARDIS shuddered as the Timberwolves clawed against the doors, attempting to get in. I stood just inside, scratching my head as I stared in wonder at the tiny, mint green horse that had just ran into the TARDIS, shaking as it hid under the console in the center of the
room.
'Well, she's adorable, I'll give her that...' I thought
I held my hands up and sat cross-legged in front of her, whimpering as I got closer.
"Wh-who are you?" she squeaked.
'Yep, she's adorable, alright'
"I don't know...at least...not yet, are you alright? Those Timberwolves can't hurt you now"
"P-please don't eat me"
"I'm not going to eat you, Lyra- I don't eat ponies"
Those golden eyes stared at me.
"H-how did you know my n-name?"
'Dammit!'
"Er, lucky guess?"
Her small head tilted, as if she didn't understand.
"Well then, they should be gone by now- let's get you back home" I said, standing up.
"Wh-what if they're n-not?"
"We'll have to wait a little longer then, won't we?"
I walked to the doors of the TARDIS, and cracked one open- I cautiously peeked out and saw none of the Timberwolves, probably wondered off in search of food elsewhere.
"Alright, they're gone, let's go" I said, motioning to her.
She shot to the door, and trotted out, I went to the console and picked up the key, and shut it as I followed her.
X X X X X X X
"So...what are you?" Lyra asked slowly, trotting after me as we walked under the cover of the night sky.
"I'm a human" I replied.
'Or...actually Timelord now...'
"A- hu-muh-an?"
"Eeyup"
Lyra tested the word a few more times, rolling it around in her mouth and extending or shortening the vowels.
I smirked as she fell silent and we continued to walk for what felt like miles. I kicked at the dirt as we went, almost making a game out of it, scuffing the dirt every couple of feet.
"What's wrong with your hooves?" she asked.
"They aren't hooves, they're called hands and feet" I said, doing a jump.
"How can you tell which is which?"
"My hands are up here"
I wiggled my fingers a few inches from her face, a look of interest and curiosity lit up her muzzle.
"And these-" I stomped "-are feet"
"Oh..."
We continued walking and a medium sized house came into view, Lyra walked up and tested the door.
"Shoot, it's locked- if I knock, my parents'll know I was out"
"Here, let me see" I said.
She scrambled out of the way as I knelt down and inspected the doorknob. I palmed the Sonic Screwdriver in my pocket, and hesitantly took it out- I held it to the knob, I pressed the button, and it activated, it whirred for a few seconds and the door silently opened.
I pocketed the Screwdriver and held a finger to my lips, indicating for her to be quiet, she nodded, and trotted inside. I locked the door from the inside and closed it, and headed off towards the TARDIS.
X X X X X X X
I slid the key into the door of the TARDIS and went inside, closing it behind me. I sighed as I took in the damage; putting it lightly, it was a complete wreck.
'How did it get this way?' I wondered 'Does this TARDIS belong to the Doctor? Why is it all in disrepair?'
I messed with the various switches and knobs on the console, against my better judgement, probably. Simultaneously turning a large dial and flicking a switch, the screen hanging from the console column flickered to life, showing a picture of a fairly young woman. At the same time, the column itself sprung to life, a dull glow eminating from it. Music began to play throughout the room.
"...slipping through the cracks of a dark eternity with nothing but my pain and the paralyzing agony..."
'Well at least the radio works...I've finally got power!'
"Hello? Who are you?" I asked, pulling the scanner closer "Where are you? Are you somewhere in the TARDIS?"
"You ask alot of questions" she said "I like you already"
"Thank you- but you still need to answer me"
"Why should I?"
"Because I'm stranded in Equestria, turned into something I'm not, and not even sure if I'm still in my own universe!"
"Fine, no need to shout; and you're not stranded, you've got me"
"Okay...how is that supposed to help? No offence, but I'm currently in a broken-down TARDIS, with no idea who or where you are, for that matter"
"Who are you calling 'broken-down'?"
"What?"
"Haven't you figured it out yet?"
I shook my head.
"I'm the TARDIS"