The dining hall was incomprehensible, such architectural beauties beyond even the city outside, what little she could comprehend we will try to convey. The very walls seemed to generate phantasmal images in thousands of colors, the silver ceiling seemed to ripple like the ocean with shadows passing through it, sometimes stars. Magical projections of shooting stars flews and whirled about the room, never touching anything or anyone, just arching around them and dancing away as though they were playing a game. The table itself seemed to be made of a green marble, edged with yellowed ivory, and it was levitating above the floor with sparkling violet cushions around it for ponies to sit upon. The floor too was immaculate and boastful in its very existence, a fairy red that burst into gold flames around the hoofs, feet or various other walking extremities that strode over it, sending pleasant and welcoming warmth coursing through the bodies of guests. Hovering over the table itself was a brilliant magical projection of a world, perhaps this one, and it's three great satellites. Stuffed in a corner of the room was a statue, obscured by blue veil, perhaps, Derpy thought, unfinished as of now. But these were only a few of the things which she could describe, countless others stole her breath and changed what she knew of reality, even the Doctor appeared to be visibly shaken in pure awe.
Celestia took her seat alongside Discord at one end of the table, while Luna took her place at the other. The projected moons above the table shifted towards the night princess, or empress now, and side of the table where Celestia sat seemed to grow brighter. All three of the rulers wore smiles up their faces as their two guests sat down somewhere at the table's center so that it wouldn't appear they were more partial to either side. covered dishes were immediately brought in by a troop of aliens with brilliantly colored fur, and possessing ten feather-covered tentacles each for which they walked and carried the food the table with amazing grace and speed, and then leaving before anypony could say anything.
"I just love Mautsas," the Doctor laughed afterwards, causing Luna and Discord to laugh with him. Celestia just kept a small, amused smile upon her face. The Doctor continued, "Always in a hurry because their too shy to take compliments. Remember, my dear Ditzy, never get into an argument with a Mautsa, he'll burst into tears at the first contradiction and apologize for offending you for at least two years."
Derpy gave a little giggle. "Thanks, I'll remember that."
"The best part is their revolutions," Luna stated in a strong tone, lifted the artificial leg up in a dramatic pose. "They attempt to annoy their enemies to death with such energy to become the Element of Laughter's rival."
Derpy laughed a little louder at this.
"I've witnessed a fleet of a thousand ships self destruct just to get away from their incessant energy," Luna continued with a majestic guffaw.
Derpy was quiet for a moment before bursting out in a fit of laughter. This made everypony else laughed as well.
"Oh, this is a good evening," Celestia said with a happy sigh as she leaned towards Discord. The dish covers started to lift. "But alas, we have a schedule. Please eat your fill and I will tell you what must be done."
"Wait just a moment," the Doctor said, the lids stopped moving, he gave all three of the leaders a curios glance. "It seems a bit odd that you were expecting us, and now you're going to tell us to do something, well... I don't like this. I don't like being told what to do."
Celestia smiled place a crystal cube upon the table, one that the Doctor immediately recognized. "Th-that's a..."
"Time Lord distress signal," Celestia finished for him, activating the cube with her horn. The Doctor's voice burst from the cube loud and clear.
"You will, or rather, I will take orders, do I hear me?" the voice said.
The Doctor produced his sonic screwdriver and turned it on, making some guards move to defend the rulers, they were stopped by a scowl from Luna. The Doctor's eyes went wide as he listened himself speak.
"I am going to what has to be done for the good of New Gallifrey."
That caught the Doctor's attention and elicited a gasp from Derpy.
"It's time for me to run in a new direction. I will no longer be running away from endings, I will be running towards a new beginning. Keep that pegasus mare close, me, or I'll come back and knock some sense into me. I have no qualms with slapping myself in the face a hundred or so times. Remember, do what must be done."
The message ending and the Doctor was left speechless, processing what he had just heard in his head. Derpy scooted over and held onto his foreleg, looking his over with concern. It seemed an eternity before he appeared to regain himself. He took a deep breath and patted Derpy's wings to let her know he was okay and then turned to look at Celestia.
"What do I have to do?" he asked in a serious tone that Derpy had never heard.
"Why does everypony ask her?" Luna muttered in good humor to herself, knowing full well that her own appearance was a little foreboding, especially now with her false leg.
Derpy turned and gave Luna a wave to let her know she wasn't forgotten, to which Luna returned with a fervent smile.
"For the last twenty thousand years of the Empire of Harmony," Celestia began, sitting up straighter, even Discord was taking this seriously, "an unholy army of abominations from both machine and life have been seeping into this universe from another, at first they were just infestations that were easily rooted out and exterminated, but gradually, they became more sophisticated and..."
"And they're beginning to overrun you, right?" the Doctor asked with a knowing look. Everypony nodded. "How dangerous are they?"
Luna swallowed heavily before she took this part. "There are, presently sixteen million worlds under the protection of the Empire of Harmony... there used to be forty million. We have been losing, my dear friends, and this world stands to be the first to be devoured in their biggest wave yet."
"How do mean?"
Luna appeared to be holding back tears. "We've detected a super portal forming not five hundred light years from here. We've taken every weapon and solider we have and sent them to fight them when it opens. We've left entire worlds undefended in this final effort. The bloodshed this sacrifice will cause amongst the our beloved civilians across the universe will be catastrophic. Yet we can take comfort that it pales in comparison to what these abominations would do."
"Will it be enough?" the Doctor asked.
Celestia shook her head. "Even with seven hundred billion soldiers we can not hope to hold out more than five hours once it opens."
"Then it's hopeless?" Derpy asked clinging to the Doctor in horror. "No, I've got to get back home, I've got two daughters that need me, and a colt I'm taking care of. Let's go back to the TARDIS, Doctor."
"Oh, but Derpy," Celestia said soothingly, "there is always hope."
"But you said..."
"I said we cannot hold out for more than five hours once it opens," Celestia reminded her. "That should give the Doctor enough time to complete the Harmony Bomb."
The Doctor sputtered in disbelief. "A bomb? Me? What it supposed to do? Destroy the portal?"
Celestia looked him in the eye with a stern gaze. "No... it will destroy their entire universe."
The Doctor appeared about ready to argue, but seemed to think better about it. "Who came up with such a concept?"
This time it was Discords time to speak. "You tried to warn us several times about the dangers of these abominations. We all just thought you a mad pony in a blue box at first. But when we realized you were right, it was too late, we were unprepared for what these creatures could do. Entire worlds were devoured and cannibalized for resources. We thought we were would surely perish. Then a couple heroes showed up and gave us the Harmony cannon, which we replicated and turned against them. Finally we began to feel hope again. But it slowed them down, but it didn't stop them. But fortunately, they also told us to build the Harmony Bomb, which we have been working on for the last twelve thousand years. Right now we feel we might be able to finish it in another two hundred years."
"But you think a Time Lord can finish it much sooner," the Doctor stated with a hint of distaste on his tongue.
Celestia nodded. "We are so sorry to ask this of you both."
"No," the Doctor angrily. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to explore this universe, helping every now and then, when there was trouble in the area, but I never once thought to purposely look to help anyone. I've always been running, running from endings, running from my past, but never moving."
Derpy felt her heart rate go up when she saw the Doctor stand with a deep scowl impressed on his face and determination etched upon his soul through those magnificent eyes. It was the feeling of excitement.
"Well no more," the Doctor shouted, slamming a hoof down upon the table. "From now on, I build the future, I am the Doctor, the last of the Time Lords, and the laws of time belong to me."
He turned to Luna and looked upon her as one great being to another. "Where is this bomb."
"Eat first," Luna told him in a cordial tone. "You will need the strength. Derpy, I trust you still like muffins."
The lids were wrapped in a royal blue aura and lifted away to reveal an assortment of wares, but the in front of Derpy were familiar and alien muffins. She gasped in joy and surprise at the reveal, quickly stacking her plate high. Then a thought crossed her mind. Her cheeks flushed and she turned back to Luna.
"These two heroes Discord was talking, who were they?"
Luna turned towards the statue in the corner covered with the veil. With a sweep of her horn, the veil flew off the reveal a metal statue of both the Doctor and Ditzy, entitles: The First Time Lord and Ditzy, Our Greatest Heroes. The figures wore regal clothing, Derpy was armed with some sort of battle saddle and the Doctor had a bandoleer of sonic screwdrivers strapped across his chest, both were smiling confidently and looking out as though to challenge the universe.
"How does it feel to know that you're first encounter with the Empire of Harmony would result in you saving the universe?" Luna asked with a broad smile.
Derpy was speechless for a moment, looking at the Statue. Even the Doctor appeared transfixed to the spot at it. Derpy slowly turned back to face her plate full of muffins, reminding her of the most wonderful muffins back home. With a gulp, she spoke without looking away from her plate. "What am I supposed to do?"
* * *
"That's Gallifreyan," the Doctor had said as soon as he spotted the machine in the warehouse beneath the pyramid. It appeared to be a solid sphere of silver-veined bronze, perfectly smooth with not even a single scratch upon its surface. It hovered above the floor a few hooves lengths above the floor and seemed to rotate constantly. "Where did you get it? This shouldn't even exist."
Discord chuckled and leaned up against the orb. His paw actually stopped a hoof's length from the surface of the ship, an invisible force holding him back. "A Time Lord gave it to us, you silly Doctor."
"This doesn't make sense," the Doctor commented. He immediately felt foolish when he saw the smirk on Discord's face. He watched as Derpy stepped up to get a better look. "Well, that comment aside, it's not going to just open for you. You need a special key, a code, or a..."
"Welcome, Ditzy Doo," a voice ushered from the orb as a crack appeared and widened to expose an opening. A couple steps formed for her to walk inside. "Are bringing aboard guests?"
"...or a DNA signature," the Doctor finished with disbelief evident in his voice.
Derpy looked back at the Doctor for advice on what to do. He simply nodded at her and she stepped up, and cleared her throat. "Yes, one guest."
"Four," Celestia corrected her.
"Okay, four," Derpy said with a nervous shrug.
"Then please board, are refreshments required?" the voice asked again.
Derpy seemed to gain confidence. She shook her head and stepped forward with collected steps. "No. We just need to get to a super portal."
"Locating nearest super portal," the voice said, then was silent. "There is one forming almost five hundred light years from here. Is this your destination?"
"Yes," Celestia said, following Derpy.
"You are not recognized as command," the voice snapped at her.
"Why you," Discord growled gruffly, but bit back his tongue, literally.
"I think it will only listen to you, Ditzy," the Doctor said with gesture for her to proceed.
"Yes," she said as stepped inside, "that is our destination."
Time Lord technology, bigger on the inside, not as big as the TARDIS, but still very spacious, enough room for maybe a hundred ponies to move around without getting cramped. Strange golden nobs clung to the interior dome, all the way from the floor to the inner peak of the dome. The floor was hard wood, with a hand burnt image upon it much like the map in the throne room. All of this surrounded a raised, circular platform with a cushioned, red chair designed for pony to sit in comfortably, with controls on the sides to maneuver the ship.
"What is this?" Derpy asked in awe.
"This is a Gallifreyan Absolution Sonnet," the Doctor explained matter-of-factly. "See all these nob? These are all Guided Blackhole Projectors, or GBPs, I love acronyms, meaning they fire miniature blackholes that you can then guide through enemy ranks. Unstable blackholes mind you, they dissipate after a little while. Can just go created permanent black holes across the universe, can we?"
"How does it work?" Derpy asked walking up to the chair.
"Just sit down Ditzy and I will explain it to you," the Absolution Sonnet said.
Derpy did as she was told and was immediately graced with a view of the exterior of the ship. The ships quickly explained that a small lever could rotate the chair. She rotated it and saw the view shifted as she did. The ship then explained a larger red lever moved the ship, and teleportation and small amounts of time travel could be done with voice commands. That last bit was really useful. But then something caught Derpy's eye.
Stuck to one of the chair's control arms by a small piece of tape was a picture of Dinky as an infant. Tears of happiness and wonder came to her eyes as she lifted it up and held it close to her face. "This is my ship. Doctor, this is my ship."
The Doctor peered over the back of the chair to look at the photo. He too had conflicting feelings. He always knew she was more than just a clumsy mailmare, she had always been special, but this was a new revelation that made him look upon her differently. If Derpy was captain of an Absolution Sonnet at some point in her future, or at this very moment, then she was truly a marvel of this universe.
"Take us to the...," Derpy began, but was stopped by Celestia's hoof on her shoulder.
"We need to get to the flag ship, Union Absolute," she said with urgency in her voice.
Derpy nodded in response and face forward. "Can you take us to the Hamrony Bomb aboard the Union Absolute?"
Instead of speaking, the entrance simply sealed up and a loud hum filled the room, and Derpy watched the view screen as the warehouse faded away and was then replaced by the deck of a ship, directly ahead of her was a large rocket with scientist and soldiers standing all around it. They were looking at the Sonnet, and the soldiers were quickly moving to surround the ship with weapons at the ready. Apparently they were expecting a giant ball to suddenly appear in the lab.
"Well, this saves us some time," Discord said with a shrug.
"You didn't have to take us directly to the bomb," Luna said with a chuckle. "Only the Doctor needed to be here. But, Celestia and I, with Discord, can make our way the bridge fast enough from here. Please open the door to let us out. Oh, and you should be able to just ask your ship to take you to the front lines."
"Front lines?" the Doctor almost shouted as the door opened. "You want to put her..."
"It's fine, Doctor," Derpy said with a no-nonsense look on her face. "This is a Gallifreyan ship after all. I should be able to handle myself with this."
"Gallifrey is dead," the Doctor shouted, ignoring her expression. "you're a mother, and my best friend in the universe, Ditzy. You don't have to do anything more, just leave the rest to us."
Derpy turned back the view screen and took a deep breath. "I probably have some great-great-great, far too many greats to list here, grandfoals here right now, or maybe they all got devoured. What kind of grandmother would I be if I let them do this alone, or didn't avenge them? I'm sorry if this upsets you. But I can't die here anyway, this ships is from my future, which means I survive this, so you have nothing to worry about. Right?"
After a pregnant pause, the Doctor sighed and nodded in consent. "Very well. Just be careful, please. I don't know what I would do if you got hurt."
Derpy gave him a comforting smile and nodded. She watched him leave with the Empresses and Emperor, before ordering the doors closed and watching as the soldiers realized their mistake and stood at attention. With a smile at the picture, she leaned back in the chair and took deep sniff. "How long before the super portal opens?"
"Two days," the Sonnet said.
"The Doctor will do his best to dissuade me," she said with a contemplative tap of his nose. "I can't bear to hear him beg. Stallions shouldn't beg. Take me to the front lines and at least ten minutes before the portal opens."
The loud hum filled the Absolute Sonnet as it faded out of the Union Absolute, jumping through time and space to the forefront of war. Then, she felt her heartbeat quicken and her breath stop at a sight that put the dining hall to shame.
There must have been a few million ships all around her, of various shapes and sizes, with small craft zooming around in formations as the super portal began it's final stage of development. The portal itself was a brilliant scheme of bright colors, shimmering in with trillions of rays, it also must have been a couple thousand miles in diameter. A black space in its center was rapidly growing larger, making Derpy sweat with nerves.
"Uh oh," said suddenly. "How do I fire?"
"Press the red button on your left," the voice said in answer to her question. "Don't worry about aiming, anything you set your eyes upon will be chased down by the GBPs, allowing you to concentrate on other targets. The blue button on your right disengages GBPs you have accidently shot at friendly units."
"Thank you," Derpy said with heavy relief in her voice. That was the most useful piece of information yet. Then she wondered if it was necessary to thank the machine.
"You're most welcome, Ditzy," the Sonnet said happily.
That answered that question as well.
Derpy moved her hooves over the buttons, ready for the onslaught. She had faced dangers before, with and without the Doctor by her side, and she had always come out unscathed. She had used her own back and head to protect her unborn daughter, she had drawn a dirk on a crime boss multiple times and walked away, she had survived Tirek, faced horrors with the Doctor, and had always gotten away. Today would be no different.
"Transmission from the Doctor, he just wants to talk," the voice said.
Derpy took a deep breath and held it, watching the ever-expanding void as she thought. "Ignore it, but send my apologies to him, tell him I'll be okay."
"Yes, Ditzy," the voice said.
Derpy squared her shoulders and shifted a little in her seat. "I guess this is it. I am Ditzy 'Derpy' Doo, and I shall prevail. Hmmm, that sounded kind of nice."
Although there is no sound in the vacuum of space, static discharges from a high energy source, like a super portal, will act as radio signals through metal or other hard materials, resulting in unintelligible noise. Usually this noise is so low as to be imperceptible. The static wave rocketing off the completed super portal, however, sounded like an artillery barrage, leaving every ear that heard it ringing.
Then came the abominations of the other side. Like snakes covered in bubbles of fat and machines interwoven throughout their beings, sickly and perverse, with spindly legs like spiders. Beyond number they emerged like a tidal wave of writhing flesh. They were beyond number, but none of that mattered now. This was the universes last stand, and there would be no running away. Magic blasts, metal projectiles, and explosives tore silently through space and into the abominations. But none were doing as much damage as the Absolute Sonnet, as the GBPs seemed to flow off the outer hull like a river while its captain, with her funny eyes, could easily target multiple spots at once.
The abominations had their own ranged weapons as well, devouring their fallen and then spitting out veritable cannonballs filled with explosive chemicals. Six ships exploded and others began to follow. Derpy was having to maneuver her way around these cannonballs with a hind hoof on the red lever while she used both her forehoofs to press the red button in rapid succession. By the time the first hour had past, there was no end to the abominations in sight, and over a thousand ships were lost.
Derpy had taken several hits herself, but the Gallifreyan ship held strong for her, and it's ammo bays apparently had no end. Extra-dimensional storage aside, she found her self quite soaked in sweat from the strain of just pressing a single solitary button. Her muscles and head ached from the concentration and the salty sweat was stinging her eyes. This focus is what made her not notice all the ships within close proximity to her were gone, making her a prime target for the abominations.
Warning lights and alarms went off as the Absolute Sonnet was knocked around, almost throwing Derpy from her seat, costing her precious seconds. "What happened?"
"These creatures are gnawing upon my exterior, Ditzy," the voice said urgently. "I suggest maneuvering and firing like a lunatic."
"Strange advice," Derpy responded as she found a buckle that she had somehow missed before and locked herself into the seat. She spun the chair around in circles to look at the abominations, and sure enough, she could see space for the monsters. GBPs flew in all direction as she spun wildly, ignoring the nausea it was causing. Suddenly, a blinding flash of light dazed her for one angle and knocked the ship off course.
"Now what," she shrieked loudly.
The news wasn't good. "Apparently the other ships think a group of these creatures attacking me makes us a prime target."
"What?" Derpy yelled just before another violent shake ran through the ship, and then another and another. sparks erupted from the walls and a couple fires broke out. The Sonnet was screaming.
"Ten percent of GBPs inactive. Fourteen percent of GBPs inactive. Twenty percent of GBPs inactive. Teleportation and time travel destroyed. Thirty percent of GBPs inactive."
All Derpy could do was scream, yell and fire like a lunatic. But, none of it seemed to matter. Tears burst from her eyes as fewer and fewer of the GBPs were responding, and then, all were gone. Fires erupted all over and the ship continued to rattle and shake. she continued to press the button but soon gave up. This was truly hopeless. She burst into sobs as she waited for it all to be over.
They had told her that she had had a future after this battle. They made her believe it, showed her a statue of herself as a hero, knew she would show up at a set point in time. The Doctor had always saved her, what was different about now? Why wasn't her raggedy knight coming to her rescue aboard his blue steed? Maybe he was a part of this as well. He had abandoned her. She was a mother, a guardian of foals, and he was letting her die here. Even the rulers of this horrid future knew she was going to die. They had just wanted her to fool herself into thinking she could be a hero, that she could be more than a clumsy mare. Now she was going to die like a animal.
Her eyes turned towards the photo of Dinky. So little and tender at that age, wanting nothing more than mother's warmth and perfect milk. Her first words, her first little spell, that last words she had ever heard her say. Then there was Amethyst, that beautiful orphan who was sure to make a very lucky stallion happy someday, taken from an orphanage to be Dinky's sister. And then there was her little charge, Conquest, broken goods according to horrid slang, a strong colt who needed love and understanding in a troubling time. He had cried against her breast, against her heart, she had held him in her hooves and comforted him, listened to his woes and made him feel better.
Her hoof suddenly began pounding the button again. A primal savagery building up inside her. All those maternal chemicals flooded her system as she remembered her reason for living.
"I am not an animal," she shrieked as she literally ripped the buckle from seatbelt away from her and climbed out of the chair, managing to stand on the buckling deck. "I am not the culmination of experiences and knowledge. I am not going to give into worthless instincts and die here. I am Ditzy Doo, Mother of two daughters, and guardian of a colt who should be somepony's son. I saw a statue of myself, I will survive this and become a hero. I will stand by the Doctor's side forever. And there is no force in heaven or tartarus that can stop me."
"We cannot fire exterior weaponry," the voice crackled as it's tech began to burn.
"Then fire all GBPs inwards," Derpy said as inspiration struck alongside another blast of friendly fire, sending her to the floor.
"That would generate a permanent blackhole," the voice crackled back.
"Exactly," Derpy said. "Ship teleportation in disabled, right?"
"Affirmative."
"What about one little mare in a spacesuit?" Derpy asked slyly.
"The location would not be too far and tech is too fried to pick a point."
Derpy grunted and she looked around for a trapdoor. "Just sending me in the opposite direction of the super portal." She found it, stuffed in a corner. She quickly yanked it open and dropped down inside. It was a spacious area with more of those GBP knobs and a central pillar with the equipment she was looking for. She hurriedly rushed to put on the orange spacesuit, having worn them before on planet without breathable atmospheres. Then she looked about for some sort of weapon to arm herself with. A battle saddle with weapons with heavy weapons attached to it; an in-space variety, linked to her suit's helmet so that all she had to do was say "bang" and it would fire. She had seen enough of these in Equestrian Frontier Space to know how they worked. Once it was attached, she began to give her final orders to the Absolute Sonnet.
"Once you teleport me away, head to the center of the super portal and begin firing GBPs inward. And then a send a message to all ships to pull back. I've seen what blackholes can do."
"I cannot create permanent blackhole with an authorization code," the voice stated. Of course, there had to be a catch to it, or else anyone could just hack the system and destroy entire fleets.
Derpy didn't even bat and eye. "Dinky."
Light shimmered around her and she found herself drifting in space, facing the super portal. She readied the weapons on her battle saddle and twisted about in search of abominations that had slipped past the blockade. Sure enough, there were dozens of them within her sight, and she within theirs.
Magical energy bolts erupted from her battle saddle, more complicated to aim with than the Absolute Sonnet's GBPs, but that was expected. But despite this, the amount of shots she was firing and her dedication to seeing her children again were a deadly combination. These stragglers were not coming within twenty hooves from her.
The Absolute Sonnet chose now to ignite the GBPs, mashing them together to start forming the incredible force of nature. The ship imploded on itself, the blackhole generators coming apart and igniting the already enlarging black orb, erupting it to begin filling the super portal. Abominations and, sadly, ships that didn't heed the Sonnet's warning, were pulling in and crushed into spaghetti-like strands of matter. Nothing was going to pass that giant void of gravity and power. All that needed to be done now was destroy what abominations had gotten past, and there were a lot, and wait for the Harmony Bomb.
* * *
Derpy felt lonely, it had been hours, and she was still drifting alone in space, ever now and then she would blast apart an abomination. But she felt she really needed somepony to talk to. Heck, silence was fine, just as long as there was at least a hug. But the silence was getting to her. It was indeed boring. She tried to play I-spy with herself, but even she could find anything really that different. A bit of mental chess and... she fell asleep three moves in.
The next thing she new, somepony was shaking her. Remembering the abominations, her eyes shot open and she began yelling. "bangbangbangbangbangbangbang... oh."
She was in a room, gold and red patterns everywhere, and she was laying atop a purple mattress with a soft blanket overtop of her. Probably stuffed with the feathers of an exotic bird. Standing around her were the two empresses, the emperor, while, snoring beside her, was the Doctor.
"Owww," he said as he bolted upright from Derpy's hoof across his cheek. He became confused when she afterwards embraced him tightly, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Th-that was f-f-for l-letting me go to the f-front lines, you w-w-wonderful stallion, you," she said as her embrace tightened even more. "You saved me."
"Actually that was Discord," Luna said with a merrily chuckle at the couple's interaction.
"Indeed I did," Discord said, proudly puffin out his chest. "Those portals tend to ruin my chaotic abilities, which is why we took your ship instead of just snapping over her. But that blackhole you created cancelled that out, and allowed me to find you after the Harmony Bomb was launched."
Discord then knelt down at Derpy's side, soon followed by his bride and Luna, they bowed their heads low in respect. "You saved the day with that action, Ditzy. The Doctor didn't complete the bomb within the time limit, but you gave us more than we could ever need. Now we only have to worry about the clean up, but those abominations should be no more."
"What does this all mean?" Derpy asked in astonishment, looking to the Doctor for help.
He laughed and rubbed her blond mane affectionately. "It means, my dear Ditzy, that you're the hero of a twenty thousand year long war. Ended because of your actions. Tell me, Ditzy, how's it feel to be one of the greatest heroes in the universe?"
Derpy thought for a minute before shrugging. "Needs more muffins."
Discord snapped his fingers and more muffins than she could eat in three years appeared amidst the joyous laughter that erupted around the room. Derpy cried again that day in joy and happiness. Yet another adventure she had come out of unscathed and stronger than ever. She truly was a marvel of the universe.
Luna lifted her voice. "We will take a few months to assess and repair the damages, and then you two are to be presented before the whole of the empire and be awarded for your indomitable actions this day. On that day shall be a celebration that lasts weeks."
"Now, that won't be necessary," the Doctor said with a dismissive wave. "Saving the day is reward enou..."
"You will not refuse this," Celestia scolded him like a mother catching her foal's hoof in the cookie jar. "If you are not here on that day to be awarded, I will hunt you down till the end of your days and force you to come in that time machine of yours."
The Doctor's ears folded back in fear and he nodded furiously at her. "Of course, of course. How silly of me."
"Can I bring my foals?" Derpy asked around a particularly delicious muffin.
Luna gasped and nodded. "Of course, let the hollowed halls never be void of children's laughter. Really the only good thing to come of my sister's choice."
Discord gave her a glare amidst more laughter. Celestia leaned into him and gave him a bright smile.
* * *
"Do not forget to return," Celestia said as she watched the Doctor head into the TARDIS while Derpy talked with Luna. Her royal guard were holding back the crowds that, even though Discord had generated an impervious shield, wanted to see their heroes, but she would not allow it. They deserved their rest.
"No need to worry about that," the Doctor responded nervously. He ducked inside the TARDIS with haste to escape the Sun Empress's gaze.
Luna sat with her false limb upon Derpy's shoulder, an honest smile upon her face. She looked as though she were talking to an old friend. "Ditzy, It has been a pleasure having you here. How I wish we could have talked more, but, I understand your desire to get back to your family. I know what separation is like."
"I remember the day you returned," Derpy said with a chuckle. "That was a year or so after I met the Doctor. Dinky had nightmares about it for a while afterwards."
Luna smiled. "I remember them. I walked in her dreams to relieve her fears."
Derpy gasped. "That was you, princess Luna? I-I mean, empress Luna."
Luna pulled her into a friendly embrace, discarded conduct for this mare. "Luna is just fine. In time, as you meet me again and again in my past, you will become as a good friend."
Derpy returned the embrace. "Well, I should get going. I really don't want to be apart from my family for too long."
Luna released her and nodded. "I understand. I look forward to covering you with medals. Be sure to return, even if it means slapping that Doctor around the inside of that box."
"I will, Luna," Derpy said with a happy smile. She turned towards the box when Luna stopped her.
"One more thing, Derpy," she said in a collected tone. "You once left something for me to give you on the day you first met me in the Empire of Harmony."
Derpy cocked her head in confusion. "My future self gave your past self something that your future self was supposed to give my past self?"
Luna nodded, producing a folder from under a wing and levitating it over to Derpy and tucking under her wing. "This is very important, Derpy. Do not lose this, and do not show it to the Doctor. Understand?"
Derpy took a look at the folder and then nodded. "Yes, Luna. I will, or won't. Whichever is the appropriate response."
Luna giggled and shook her head. "Either one is acceptable. Now go on home, and be sure to give the Doctor a kiss. Faust knows he deserves it."
Derpy blushed and hurried on inside the TARDIS with cheers of farewell sounding out behind her.
* * *
None of the young ponies heard the hoofsteps as the gray mare slipped silently into their rooms and gave them each a soft kiss on the foreheads and made sure they were all properly tucked in. All the while she hummed her little lullaby of stars and moons. None of them even knew that she had gone. She paused a moment to make sure Conquest was alright. A decision finalizing itself in her head.
She then slipped back into her own room and lifted her mattress to look at the folder Luna gave her, then lowered it back down, resolving to check it later. He slipped beneath her sheets and blankets and let herself drift off to sleep.
"Conquest," she muttered as she slipped away, "you're not broken goods. I may not have much money, but I know there's only one way I can be sure you get a loving family. I'll figure out a way. Don't you worry."
There were no nightmares to haunt her this night. Past Luna seemed to sense something terryfing happened to Derpy and made sure her dreams were sweet. A hillside of glazed sugar and rains of muffins upon a family picnic with her daughters and favorite stallion. Even Conquest had place in this dream, a happy place.