Doctor Whooves Episode 22: Black Sun

by Doctor Perseus


The Life and Lies of Discord Whooves

Chapter 4: The Life and Lies of Discord Whooves

???

The Doctor couldn't remember when he had stopped falling nor could he recall when the void of black had come to be replaced by an endless realm of blue and silver. The air around him felt crisp and clean and had absolutely no scent to speak of. As he walked forward, it felt as if he were underwater but without any resistance to fight against. There was no real ground beneath his hooves. He was literally walking on air. The realm he was now in seemingly stretched on into eternity from all sides.
The Doctor stopped walking as a large piece of metal appeared literally out of nothing and floated past him. He examined the random scrap of debris and couldn't help but feel sad upon looking at it. Only a few seconds had passed following the arrival of the metallic slab that the realm was spontaneously filled with an endless sea of debris. Rusty metal, broken wood, shattered glass, and numerous other materials floated in the blue and silver void.
The Doctor sighed and gave a solemn expression. "So this is all that's left, isn't it?" he asked aloud. The eerie quiet of the realm remained. The Doctor nodded his head as if an answer had been spoken. "He broke your heart."
The materials floating past started to change. Each new peace looked more like wads of fur and flesh than anything else. The Doctor took this as a sign to continue on. He started at a trot but quickly brought his speed up to a gallop as the abundance of metal, wood, and glass came to be replaced by hair, flesh, and blood. The blue and silver makeup of the realm became a tinted red and orange. The sound of the TARDIS cloister bell began to pound against the Doctor's eardrums. He was running at full speed now. The grotesque debris flying past him became nothing more than blurs in the corners of his eyes. Suddenly, an invisible force collided with the Doctor's forelegs and he fell forward.

The TARDIS, Time Vortex

A quick shock coursed through the Doctor's body. He blinked his eyes in confusion as the fall had been cut short. He was now standing as if he had never tripped in the first place. It didn't take long for him to notice the change in scenery. The void of red and orange had disappeared and he was now standing in the middle of the TARDIS console room. Or rather what he could tell was the TARDIS console room.
The console room he was in was considerably different from the one in his own TARDIS. It was filled with bright lights, considerably more golden in nature. The walls were curved and filled with dozens of open holes. The main control console was an insane combination of levers, buttons, and more diverse controls. The floor beneath the console was see-through with all of its wires and gears open for display. The Doctor was standing right next to the main console. "It looks like you've been redecorated," he said. He lowered his shoulders a bit, sighed, and looked down at one of the panels on the main console. "I don't like it."
Suddenly, a man raced past the Doctor and began looking at the television screen protruding out from the console. He had long, dark hair and a chin that was a challenge not to take note of. He was dressed in a tweed jacket with a faint striped pattern, a light blue dress shirt with a red bowtie and braces, a pair of black trousers, and a pair of black boots. He had a childlike face but his eyes seemed like that of a wise, ancient being.
The Doctor waited for the man to notice him but no such reaction came. "Do you know I'm here?" the Doctor asked. No response came from the man as he continued to examine the television screen. "No. Clearly not." The Doctor became quiet once again as he examined the man further. In a flash, he raced over to the man's side and came to a halt barely an inch away from his face. The Doctor cocked his head a bit as he stared intensely at the man's face. "Are you...you can't...can it...are you the-"
"Doctor!" called a female voice with a Scottish accent. The Doctor felt a shiver run down his spine. He had heard this voice before. He turned around in time to see a young woman with long, red hair enter the room from one of the passageways.
The Doctor's eyes widened. He stepped in the direction of the woman as she walked towards him at a brisk pace. "You," he said in shock just before, as if he were a ghost, the woman passed straight through him.
"What are you looking at now?" the woman asked as she leaned against the console, one of her eyebrows raised.
"Where to go next, of course!" replied the other Doctor with an excited tone.
"Already?" asked a male voice. The Doctor watched as a young man with light brown hair entered the room from the same passageway the woman had come from.
The other Doctor leaned around the console and stared at the man. "Well why not?"
The man shrugged. "We have been running about for some time now. A little rest wouldn't hurt."
"Mr. Pond does bring up a valid point," said the woman with a smirk.
"Again with Mr. Pond." The man sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Why can it never be Mr. Williams?"
The woman's smile grew bigger. She then turned to face the other Doctor. "You've been running up and down the walls to take us to all these places, Raggedy Man."
"Raggedy Man," the Doctor repeated under his breath as he continued to listen.
"I don't see anything wrong with that!" exclaimed the other Doctor as he continued to walk around the main console. "Doesn't seem that different from what we usually do."
"Don't lie to us, Doctor. Rory and I know when something's wrong. Or at least I do."
Rory smirked as he walked towards the woman. "Nice to see the confidence you have in me," he joked. He swung around her and gave her a quick kiss. "And for the record, Amelia Williams, I can tell when something's wrong with the Doctor too."
"I can deal with being Mrs. Williams but don't call me Amelia. You know I don't like being called that."
"You let the Doctor call you that sometimes."
"It's different when he does it."
Rory gave an amused chuckle. "Amy-"
"You know what I mean." Amy wrapped her arms around Rory and held him close. "I jumped off a building with you. Don't ever forget that."
The Doctor noticed the other Doctor stop his pacing. His giddy grin was replaced by a somber expression.
"I don't think that's something someone would forget that easily," Rory replied.
"You're right," the other Doctor stated. "It isn't."
Amy and Rory broke apart their hug and stared at the other Doctor. "Doctor," Amy started.
"If you want a break, it's fine. I understand. You probably have lives you'd like to go back to for a time. I'm sure Brian would be happy to see you again."
Amy stepped towards the other Doctor. "We're not trying to push you away if that's what you-"
"Of course that's not what I think." The other Doctor's face morphed into a small, yet sad, smile. "I've just recently realized how much I love having you both here with me. I've always known that...but it wasn't until recently that I really noticed how much I truly love traveling with my in-laws."
"In-laws?!" the Doctor asked as he focus moved between Amy, Rory, and the other Doctor.
"This is about what happened in New York, isn't it?" Amy asked. The other Doctor's silence and melancholy stare confirmed her guess. "It's not like we've never been in life-threatening situations before, Doctor."
"You're right. Very right, Pond. Very...very right." The other Doctor leaned his head back a bit, causing his already protruding chin to make its presence known that much more. "This was different."
"How? What made it worse than when we faced the Weeping Angels the first time? Or when the whole universe had to be rebooted? Or when all of time and space collapsed into one moment? I can go on, Doctor."
The other Doctor remained silent for a brief moment. He brought his hands together and cleared his throat. "I remember...being at the top of that building and watching you two jump off. I watched you fall all the way down to the ground. I saw you hit the ground just before the paradox kicked in. For a brief moment...I saw my two best friends dead."
Amy looked grim for a moment before giving a small smile of reassurance. "But it all worked out in the end. Just like it always does. Besides, this isn't the first time Rory or I-"
"Exactly." The other Doctor stepped closer to Amy. "That's exactly what I'm talking about. You and Rory have died too many times. We've been lucky too many times. I suppose...I'm just afraid that the next time won't be so forgiving."
Everyone was silent for a lengthy period of time. The Doctor quickly grew uncomfortable in the silence and quietly wished for the conversation to continue.
"I...remember watching you die, Doctor," Amy said. "I know now that it wasn't really you but...that still doesn't change the fact that I had to carry that with me for so long. So...very long. I thought I saw my best friend die. Then I had to travel with him all the while knowing when, where, and how he was going to die." A few tears rolled down Amy's cheeks and she bit her bottom lip in an attempt to hold the rest in. "That was torture, Doctor. The only things worse than that were when I gave up Rory and when I lost Melody." Amy wiped away the tears and gave another smile. "But it all worked out in the end. I got my husband back, I reunited with Melody, and I learned that my best friend wasn't going anywhere." Amy adjusted the other Doctor's bowtie. "You're not going anywhere, are you?"
The other Doctor shook his head. "Of course not."
Amy stepped forward and hugged the other Doctor. "Then we aren't either. Everything will always work out in the end. Don't forget that, Raggedy Man." Amy broke the hug and walked back towards the console. "So where to next?"
The giddy smile returned to the other Doctor's face before he practically skipped over to the main console. "There actually is a planet I've had on my mind for quite some time," he exclaimed. "Home to the largest collection of pony plushies in the universe!"
"Pony plushies?" Rory asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes! Any pony plushie you can think of! Big ones, small ones, blue ones, purple ones, ones that can mow your lawn while doing your Spanish homework. Anything!"
"Why not?" Amy said with a shrug. "Sounds tame compared to the Planet of a Trillion and One Cheeses."
Rory placed a hand over his mouth. "Don't remind me. I'm still not ready to have anything with cheese in it again."
The other Doctor began to hastily work the controls of the main console. With a few lever pulls and button presses, the TARDIS began to make the journey to its new destination. Everything was going as expected until a massive jolt rocked the entire ship.
"What the hell was that?!" asked a surprised Amy.
The other Doctor gave a concerned look as he continued to work the main controls. He stared at the television screen only to see nothing but distorted static. The TARDIS shook violently once again, nearly causing the trio to fall over. The Doctor was unaffected physically by what was transpiring.
"The didn't sound good," Rory stated.
The other Doctor ran around the console and pulled on an odd lever. "Something is pulling on the TARDIS," he explained.
"What?! How?!" asked Amy.
"I...I don't know." The other Doctor pressed another series of buttons just before another jolt rocked the TARDIS. Amy nearly lost her balance but Rory was there to prevent her from falling.
The jolts began to become more and more frequent. Each span of time devoid of activity was shorter than the last. The other Doctor struggled to gain control of the TARDIS but whatever external force they were fighting against was far stronger than he had originally expected. Sparks started to rain down from the ceiling and a red light began to blink on and off from high above the main console.
"Doctor?!" gasped Amy as she and Rory struggled to hold onto the console. The TARDIS was now in a perpetual state of rocking back and forth. Loud groans of metal echoed throughout the ship. Sweat dripped from the other Doctor's brow as he tried his best to regain control of his ship.
"I'll get us out of this, Pond! Trust me!" exclaimed the other Doctor as he pulled two more levers. A loud pop rang out as one of the main console's panels blew off in a small explosion of smoke and sparks. Amy and Rory jumped back in surprise. The television screen spun around the console. The other Doctor caught it with one of his hands and stared straight at the static contents on its screen. "What are you?" His face became much darker and demanding. His tone less playful and more ancient and threatening. "What is it that you want?"
Through the static on the screen, the fuzzy image of a massive black hand appeared. It caused the other Doctor to lean back a bit and sent a sharp chill through the Doctor's body. Whatever was on that screen was nothing close to good. Steam began to emanate from the screen as the static became more erratic. The colors changed to a sharp mixture of red and black and phrases of ancient writing scrolled across the screen in unpredictable patterns. A sound resembling a mixture of a shriek and a roar could be heard off in the distance. The Doctor quickly noticed that it was only he and the other Doctor who had heard this call.
Suddenly, the hand on the screen became almost crystal clear. It was pitch black and looked like it was made up of both flesh and smoke. With a flash, the hand slashed forward and the television died in a flurry of sparks and flames. The TARDIS continued to violently rock in all directions. The other Doctor's breathing became quick and hoarse as he pushed himself to the limits in order to take back control over his TARDIS.
Amy and Rory held onto each other tightly as the ship entered a frenzy all around them. Amy reached out for the other Doctor and grabbed one of his hands. The other Doctor looked and locked eyes with Amy. "Doctor," she uttered.
"Don't give up on me yet, Amelia," stated the other Doctor. Just then, the TARDIS slanted at a dangerous angle. The sound of roaring flames and thunder permeated the air from outside the ship as the TARDIS began to fall. In which direction and to where, the other Doctor was unsure.
"WHAT'S HAPPENING?!" called Rory as he held onto Amy and one of the control console's remaining panels.
"I've got this. I'm getting us out of this. I've got this," the other Doctor started to mutter as he struggled to work with the remaining controls. More sparks rained down from the ceiling and fires sprung up in various random spots in the room. A bright light began shining in through the windows in the TARDIS doors.
The Doctor could tell that the air was getting considerably warm but he was sure that the other Doctor, Amy, and Rory were getting the worst of it. The light outside the TARDIS continued to grow brighter as the roaring and rocking increased.
Suddenly, the other Doctor, Amy, and Rory all started to glow. Amy was shaking as she looked at her hand. "What...what's happening?!" she asked with a stunned look on her face.
The other Doctor looked at his own hand. The light emanating from his body was golden in color while the light surrounding Amy and Rory was white. Then, without warning, the other Doctor and his companions all began screaming in agony.
"Burns! It burns!" shrieked Amy. Rory quickly muffled his own screams and tightened his grip on Amy, though his face was contorted into an obviously pained expression.
Gold smoke began emanating from the other Doctor's body. The other Doctor shook his head. "No. This can't be happening! I've got no more left!" he exclaimed. His expression became more horrified when he looked at Amy and Rory. "Amy! Rory!" His two best friends had fallen away from his grasp and were now dangling from the main console a few feet out of his reach. The light around them was growing brighter and brighter. At the same time, their bodies were contorting and shaking. It looked almost as if they were imploding.
The other Doctor tried to make his way towards them but his tweed jacket got caught on one of the clamped levers on the control console. He reached towards Amy and Rory. Rory continued to hold tightly onto Amy whilst Amy reached a hand out to her Doctor. As she did this, her fingers began to fuse together and her hand proceeded to contort into a shape resembling that of a...hoof.
"Raggedy...Man," Amy croaked as a mixture of tears and blood streamed down her face.
The other Doctor reached as far as he could. His and Amy's hands were only a few centimeters apart. "Amelia," the other Doctor choked as more golden steam emanated from his shaking body.
At that moment, the light from outside the TARDIS became unbearably bright. Amy and Rory let out a loud mixture of cries and screams. The other Doctor could only groan in agony as his skin began to turn red and burn. There was no part of his body where golden smoke wasn't present. "Amy...Rory," the other Doctor continued to croak as he tried his best to reach towards his friends, almost as if believing that their reunion would solve everything.
The Doctor wanted to turn away from the scene before him. He wanted to close his eyes and run far away. But, alas, he could not. He could only stare and watch the tragedy slowly unfold before him.
Then, in a flash, Amy and Rory imploded in an explosion of light. Strands of red and light brown hair filled the air like loose paper in the wind. The last remnants of their screams reverberated through the air.
The other Doctor let out an animalistic scream. It was a sound the Doctor was sure would haunt his nightmares for many incarnations to come. The other Doctor's eyes glowed bright yellow and his skin burned deep red. Tears streamed down his face only to evaporate into the cloud of gold steam. "AMELIA!" the other Doctor managed to shout as he imploded in a violent array of gold smoke and sparks. A vortex of fire emanated from the spot the other Doctor had been situated and spread out throughout the room, destroying everything in its path.
The Doctor raised his forehooves in defense as the wave of fire reached him. A powerful electrical surge coursed through his body. The scene around him turned into a fiery blur and the ground disappeared beneath him.
Once again, he found himself falling into nothing.

Home of Derpy Hooves, Ponyville, Equestria, Gaia, Summer, 1000 C.E.

The Doctor opened his eyes to find himself no longer falling. Much like the last transition, he was standing as if the fall had never occurred. He blinked a few times as he took note of the change in scenery. The flaming TARDIS console room was gone and replaced by the calm environment of a living room the Doctor had visited many times before.
The sound of innocent, cheerful whistling filled the air. The Doctor couldn't help but smile as she saw none other than Derpy Hooves sitting on the couch. Her muzzle was buried deep in the newest issue of The Ponyville Express. A half-eaten banana nut muffin was neatly wrapped up in a napkin and sitting on the coffee table.
The Doctor approached Derpy and reached a hoof towards her. As expected, his appendage passed through her as if he were a ghost.
Suddenly, Derpy looked up and stared at the clock. A relieved sigh escaped her lips as she examined the time: eleven o'clock in the morning. "Don't have to go in for another hour," she muttered to herself before turning her attention back to the newspaper.
The Doctor's eyes trailed over to a nearby coat rack, where a mailpony outfit dangled.
Derpy had only just taken another bite out of her muffin when the calm morning was disturbed. An alien sound permeated the air. The Doctor instantly recognized it as the sound of the TARDIS. Derpy looked around frantically for the source of the sound. With the passing of each second, the call of the TARDIS only grew louder and louder.
The ceiling above Derpy spontaneously broke apart as a large blue blur came crashing down from the skies above. Derpy jumped back and shrieked as the object flew down past her, smashed through her floor, and came to a rough halt in the depths of her basement.
Dust and smoke filled the air and Derpy started coughing up a storm before taking to the air. The Doctor remained still as he watched Derpy fly over to the new hole in her living room floor. "What in the name of Celestia?!" exclaimed the aggravated pegasus. The Doctor watched Derpy fly through the hole and land a few feet away from the crashed TARDIS, which was now embedded into one of Derpy's basement walls.
Derpy took a moment to look over the foreign object before her. She took a few steps forward and, as if on cue, the TARDIS doors opened inward. Nothing but black smoke exited through the threshold. Derpy swatted it away with her forehooves. She stopped her action, however, when a figure emerged from the TARDIS.
It didn't take much of the Doctor's intellect for him to recognize the figure as himself...or rather the version of him the other Doctor had regenerated into. The regenerated other Doctor's mane was frayed and all over the place. His clothes had burned away into nothing. Golden steam continued to pour out of his mouth and his body twitched with every other step. Odd mumblings and phrases were spoken from his stuttering mouth but none could be understood.
"Who...who are you?!" asked a stunned Derpy.
The other Doctor looked up at Derpy, his head swaying back and forth like a rag doll. "Amelia?" he managed to ask before falling forward and passing out.
"Oh no!" Derpy rushed towards the fallen stallion and tried to wake him up. "Are you okay? What's wrong? Mr...er...Box Pony? Mr. Box Pony? Are you okay?! Wake up! Please, please wake up!"
The Doctor felt a familiar static shock run down his spine as the scene shifted once again.

Ponyville Hospital, Ponyville, Equestria, Gaia, Summer, 1000 C.E.

The Doctor looked down at his dimensional duplicate, who was fast asleep in a hospital bed. Puffs of regeneration steam continued to emanate from his mouth every few seconds. A small collection of flowers was gathered next to the bed. Each bundle of flowers had a white card with Derpy's name written on it.
The door to the room opened and Derpy entered with another bundle of flowers held carefully in her mouth. Nurse Redheart followed close behind.
"How are the repairs coming on your house, Derpy?" asked Nurse Redheart.
Derpy placed the bundle of flowers down and smiled. "Good. They're almost done," she replied.
"And what about that box down in the basement?"
"I'm leaving it there for now. It's not my property to mess with." Derpy glanced at the other Doctor.
Nurse Redheart looked concerned. "But it did cause damage to your property."
"I don't like revenge. It's not nice. Once he wakes up, he can take his box and leave." Derpy's eyes inverted slightly. "After he explains why he crashed into my house in the first place, of course." Derpy gave a short, giddy laugh.
Nurse Redheart rubbed the back of her head awkwardly before walking over to the window and pulling the curtains open, thus allowing the glowing morning sunlight to enter the room. "You've brought him flowers every day since he arrived," she said as she turned to face Derpy. "May I ask why?"
Derpy shrugged her shoulders and sighed. "I just feel like I have to," she replied. "He looked really sad when I first saw him."
Nurse Redheart raised an eyebrow. "Sad?"
Derpy nodded. "Yeah. I don't know why but he was very sad about something." The other Doctor remained still as another cloud of gas poured from his mouth. Derpy glanced at Nurse Redheart. "What is-"
"We don't exactly know at the moment," Nurse Redheart responded awkwardly.
Derpy cocked her head slightly. "He should lay off those enchanted cigars."
Nurse Redheart rolled her eyes and gave a motherly smile. "That's probably it, Derpy." She headed towards the door. "I'll leave you alone then."
Derpy nodded her head and watched Nurse Redheart leave the room. She turned her attention back to the other Doctor and pulled a chair next to his bed. "I wish you'd wake up already," she sighed as she sat in the chair and began playing with one of the flower bundles. "Really weird things have been happening in town recently." The Doctor approached the side of the bed opposite to where Derpy was sitting. He smiled as Derpy grabbed one of the other Doctor's forehooves and held it tightly in her forehooves. "You come crashing into my house. That whole thing with Nightmare Moon happened. That unicorn from Canterlot moved here. And now ponies are disappearing left and right." Derpy suddenly let out a gasp. "What if it's a conspiracy?!" She pointed at the other Doctor. "Do you know something about any of that?!" She stopped pointing at the other Doctor. "Maybe that unicorn knows something." She looked over at the mirror hanging from the wall and laughed. "Or maybe I'm just sounding like Lyra now."
The door to the room opened and in walked a stallion in a doctor's uniform. He looked considerably young but had the colors of an older pony with his coat and mane being deep gray. Even his eyes looked glossy and distant. His face was completely devoid of emotion and he walked almost in a pattern, as if every movement had been artificially coordinated.
Derpy looked up at the peculiar doctor as he came to a stop at the foot of the other Doctor's bed. "Hello, sir!"she said with a happy grin.
The doctor remained silent as he examined the other Doctor and Derpy with his frozen face. "Your eyes," he said in a monotone voice.
Derpy's eyes continued to cross. "My eyes?"
"They are unique."
Derpy's grin grew wider. "Thank you!"
"I would like to have them."
Derpy shrugged her shoulders. "Well, we're all stuck with the eyes we're born with."
The doctor began to slowly move towards Derpy. "I would like to have them."
Derpy awkwardly stood up and began to back away from the approaching stallion. "I'm glad that you like my eyes but you're starting to really creep me out."
"I would like to have them."
Derpy backed up into the wall. "If this is a joke, it isn't funny!"
One of the doctor's eyes spontaneously fell out. Derpy froze as she watched it fall to the floor and land with a muffled plop. She began to shake as she looked straight into the hole that had once held the stallion's lost eye. Several spinning gears and metallic parts could be seen through the opening. The stallion raised one of his forehooves. With a click, the hoof divided into several different objects which included the likes of a filled medical syringe, a scalpel, and a small flamethrower. Derpy wanted to scream but was completely frozen with fear as the disguised monster continued to approach her. "I would like to have them."
The Doctor wished he could jump into action but he knew that his efforts would be in vain. He was merely an observer of an event that had already transpired.
The other Doctor spontaneously opened his eyes and threw all of his bed sheets on top of the mechanical stallion. He then grabbed Derpy and pulled her across the bed. The duo landed right next to the Doctor and looked back at the robotic doctor, who had just managed to throw the sheets off his body. "The lady's eyes are not for sale, in case you didn't get the hint," stated the other Doctor with a cocky grin. He then proceeded to a do a double take upon fully looking at Derpy. He gave a bewildered expression before slowly looking back at the robot. "Mare. I meant the mare's eyes are not for sale."
The droid began to slowly circle around the bed towards the duo. "I would like to have them," he said in a slightly more threatening monotone voice.
"Well we all want things but, sadly, none of us gets everything we want."
Just then, another stallion and a mare, both in medical outfits and with similar colors and expressions to that of the droid, entered the room. "We would like to have them," they said together.
Derpy began to take quick and heavy breaths. The other Doctor looked at her. "Pardon me but what's your name?" he asked.
"Derpy...Derpy Hooves," the frightened pegasus managed to reply.
"Right. Could you stop breathing so loudly, Ditzy? It's distracting my train of thought." Derpy stopped her loud breathing but looked pretty insulted while doing so. The three droids continued to approach the trapped duo. The other Doctor glanced back for a second. "Tell me, Dopey, what floor are we on?"
"It's Derpy and we're on the third floor."
The other Doctor grabbed Derpy and proceeded back up with her towards the window. He looked at her wings. "Can you fly with those?"
Derpy gave a deadpan expression. "Of course I can fly! I'm a pegasus!"
"Excellent! Now we have a plan!"
"We do?"
"Yes indeed, Dobby."
"It's Derpy!"
"Whatever you say. Now I need you to do just one thing for me!"
"And what's that?"
The other Doctor smiled mischievously. "Fly!" The other Doctor suddenly threw himself and Derpy back through the window. The glass shattered outward as the duo plummeted towards the ground below. The Doctor watched as Derpy flapped her wings vigorously and managed to successfully fly away with the other Doctor hanging on for dear life. The Doctor turned and watched the three droids exit the room just before the scene changed once more.

Home of Derpy Hooves, Ponyville, Equestria, Gaia, Summer, 1000 C.E.

The Doctor looked to find himself back in the basement of Derpy's home. There was no longer a hole in the ceiling but the other Doctor's TARDIS was still embedded in one of the walls.
The other Doctor was sitting in front of the blue box and was curiously examining his forehooves. "How is this possible?" he asked. "I had no more regenerations left. How-"
The sound of hoofsteps echoed through the basement as Derpy trotted down the steps. "Doctor!" she exclaimed with relief. She flew towards him and landed a couple feet from where he was sitting.
The other Doctor turned to face the pegasus. "Hello again, Derpy."
A wide smile appeared on Derpy's face. "You...you remembered my name!"
"Of course I did. It would be a challenge to forget the name of someone who took on a whole group of Clockwork Droids with nothing more than a rolling pin."
Derpy suddenly rushed over to the other Doctor and hugged him. "I was afraid you'd left! You and that...er...Clockwork Droid just floated away in that hot air balloon and crashed in the Everfree Forest!"
"Well, you and everyone else in Ponyville won't have to worry about any droids or disappearances anymore."
"Hey. You said Ponyville without laughing this time!"
"Huh. I suppose I did." The other Doctor's ears twitched. He stood up and approached the TARDIS. "Looks like she's ready."
Derpy stood up and tilted her head. "Who's ready?"
"My TARDIS!" The other Doctor pushed the doors open and stepped inside. Derpy was quick to follow and the Doctor was close behind.

The Doctor was surprised to find that the other Doctor's console room had completely changed. The room was now gray and metallic in nature. The main console was in the shape of a definite hexagon. A cylindrical tube was situated in the very center of the console with blue light emanating from it. Railings and other panels bordered the platform upon which the console was situated. The tube in the center connected to a large display of rotating rows displaying various Gallifreyan symbols. The console room was in a more definite circular shape with an extra walkway and metal supports. To top everything off, a series of orange and blue circles were spaced evenly along the wall where the second walkway circled around the room.
"I like it," the Doctor said with a nod.
The other Doctor had a look of wonder on his face as he walked around the main console. He took in a deep breath and sighed. "Ah! That good ol' new control room smell!" he exclaimed.
As expected, Derpy was in shock. "It...it's...it's bigger on the inside!" she stated.
"You bet your bubbly flank she is!" The other Doctor continued to dance around the room. "This is the TARDIS, Derpy Hooves. Time and Relative Dimension in Space! This is my ship. My home. The one thing that has stayed with me for a long, long time."
Derpy slowly stepped towards the main console. "You really are an alien."
The other Doctor winked at Derpy. "Told ya."
"And...this is your...ship?"
"Pretty much. I can go anywhere in space and time with this sexy thing."
Derpy was taken out of her state of shock for a moment and proceeded to raise an eyebrow at the other Doctor. "Sexy?"
The other Doctor looked worried. "Be careful how you say that! She gets cranky really easily."
Derpy took a step back. "Alien or not, you are crazy." The other Doctor and Derpy proceeded to share a long, cheerful laugh. "So...what now?"
"Now, Derpy, I head off to find a way back to my home dimension."
Derpy's smile faded. "You mean...you are leaving?"
"Yes. I'm leaving. This isn't my universe. I need to get back to my own."
"Will I...will I ever see you again?"
The other Doctor shook his head. "No."
Derpy looked sad for a brief moment. She then smiled and took a few steps towards the other Doctor. "Well, do you think you might need some help with-"
"No." The other Doctor's face became incredibly distant and serious.
"Please can I just-"
"No."
"But you could probably use the-"
"No."
"We made such a good team!"
"I know."
"Aside from Nightmare Moon, you are the most exciting and interesting thing to enter my life. I want to get to know you more. I have so many questions. Please, please can I travel with you for a little bit? At least until you find a way back to your own universe?"
The other Doctor was silent for a brief period of time. He ultimately shook his head. "No, Derpy. This is where we part ways."
It was clear that Derpy was hurt. She tried her best to hold back her tears as she backed away. "Okay. I understand. I'd probably just get in your way. Who'd want to travel with somepony like me anyway?"
"I would," the other Doctor stated suddenly as his expression softened. "In all honesty, Derpy, I would love to have you travel with me. But you can't."
"Why not? Is it because I-"
The other Doctor walked up to Derpy and grabbed her shoulders. "Listen to me, Derpy Hooves. It has absolutely nothing to do with you! You are a unique, capable person...er...pony. You have the potential to be something absolutely spectacular. Don't let your wandering eyes or anyone else make you think differently. You are special, Derpy Hooves." Derpy stopped her crying. However, the other Doctor's eyes became much sadder. "That is why you can't travel with me. Traveling with me is dangerous. I've traveled with many, many different people in the past. Eventually...they leave me, I leave them, or they pay the ultimate price. In the end, they all break my hearts. My last two friends...they were some of those who didn't make it."
"I...I'm so sorry, Doctor."
"I can't force that risk on you, Derpy. I can't let you allow me to do that to you." The other Doctor patted Derpy's shoulders and stepped back. "Go out into that strange world of yours and live. You don't need an old man like me in your life."
Silence fell amongst them. A couple minutes passed before either of them decided to speak once again.
"Thank you, Doctor. Thank you for everything you've done," said Derpy.
"It was my pleasure," the other Doctor replied.
"I...I'll miss you."
The other Doctor chuckle. "Nah. You won't miss me. Give it a few weeks and you'll have forgotten all about me."
"I think it would be a challenge to forget somepony who lives in a blue box that can travel all throughout time and space."
The other Doctor gave an impressed smirk. "Touché."
Derpy flew forward and wrapped the other Doctor up in one last hug. "Goodbye, Doctor."
"Goodbye, Derpy Hooves."
Derpy didn't take the time to take another look at the other Doctor. She ended the hug as quickly as she had instigated it and ran out of the TARDIS. The other Doctor clapped his hooves and the TARDIS doors proceeded to shut. He gave a long sigh before turning around and approaching the main console.
The Doctor stumbled slightly as the scene changed again.

Orbit of Castor, Equinox Collection, Twin Galaxy, Space, Autumn, 146 P.C.E.

The Doctor looked to see the other Doctor sitting on the floor of the TARDIS control room and examining a calendar. He was now wearing a white collar and a long green tie. "How long has it been now?" he asked as he crossed a day off the calendar. "Five years already? Time sure flies when you're busy finding nothing." He tossed the calendar up into the air. It fell down on one of the main console's panels.
Suddenly, a quick beep rang out and a small compartment opened up under one of the panels. The other Doctor turned around with an expression of shock. "Hello there!" he said before running over to the revealed compartment. "Never seen you before." He reached into the compartment and found a video camera. "Never seen you either." He flipped open the screen and turned the camera on. Upon activating, the camera started with its flip screen displaying its video library. There was only one video in the library. As the other Doctor looked at the video icon, his eyes widened. "Amelia?!"
The Doctor looked as well. The video's icon was indeed showing Amy Pond. Wasting no time, the other Doctor clicked the play button.
The video started with Amy sitting in a chair, which was located in what appeared to be a patio at some sort of fancy resort on the banks of a forested river. "Hello, old friend," Amy started. "And here we are, you and me, on the last page. If you're watching this then me and Rory will have been long gone. I know you've been worrying about us a bit more since New York and I wanted to make this in case...something happens. I just want you to know that our lives were...great. No, perfect. Thanks to you. Both our lives at home and with you were perfect and Rory and I will love you always. I'm afraid that, if something happens to Rory and I, you'll be alone and try to stay alone, which you should never be. Don't be alone, Doctor. Please, please don't be alone. Find someone. Travel with them. Show them the stars. Help them create days that they'll never forget. Take them to sea and fight pirates. Help them find love, meet great painters, save whales in outer space, and everything else in between. Whatever happens, I'm sure you'll never forget us. At least I hope you don't. But I want you to continue living and making friends after us, Doctor." Amy let out a short laugh. "I suppose this where the story of Amelia Pond ends. But just because my story ends doesn't mean yours has to as well." Amy leaned towards the camera and smiled. "Goodbye, Raggedy Man."
The video ended. The other Doctor stared at the camera in silence for a minute. Suddenly, he jumped up and began circling the main console. He hastily pulled down one of the levers. The scene changed just as the TARDIS started to travel.

Outside the Home of Derpy Hooves, Ponyville, Equestria, Gaia, Summer, 1001 C.E.

The Doctor shook his head following the change in scenery. He was now standing on the porch of Derpy's house. Derpy was drinking a glass of lemonade and staring out at the town past her front lawn. The Sun was shining brightly in the sky and the citizens of Ponyville could be seen going about their daily summer activities.
Just then, the ancient call of the TARDIS began to reverberate through the air. Derpy's eyes widened. She placed her lemonade down and stood up just as the TARDIS materialized in the middle of her front lawn. The front doors instantly opened inward and the other Doctor stepped out.
"Doctor?" asked a stunned Derpy as she slowly approached him.
"Hello, Derpy Hooves," the other Doctor said with an awkward grin.
"You're back."
"Yes. I am. Has anything else exciting happened in the week since I left?"
"Week? Doctor, it's been a year since you were last here."
"A year?! Are you sure?"
"Yes, Doctor."
The other Doctor sighed. "Damn. Missed the mark again. Oh well. It's been five years for me so at least you didn't have to wait that much longer."
"Five years?!" Derpy glanced at the TARDIS. "Oh...right...time travel." She let out an amused chuckle. "It took you five years to decide to come back?"
"Well...searching for a hole in the fabric of time and space takes quite a bit of time."
"Why did you stop then? Why come back? I thought you were gone for good."
The other Doctor took a step towards Derpy. "That was the plan."
Derpy tilted her head. "So what caused it to change?"
"I was starting to feel a bit burnt out. Five years of searching with no leads made me feel a bit...tired. Then, out of the blue, I...heh...I found something left behind by an old friend. It didn't help me heal completely...but it was enough to show me what I should be doing right now."
"And what's that?"
"Traveling! Exploring! I've spent the last five years moping about and ignoring this amazing new opportunity: experiencing a brand new universe with someone by my side!" The other Doctor awkwardly shuffled his hooves. "That is, if she's still interested."
Derpy's eyes widened again. "Are...are you saying what I think you're saying?"
The other Doctor backed up and presented the TARDIS to Derpy. "Derpy Hooves, will you travel with me?"
Derpy's face went from shock to joy to confusion in almost a flash. "I thought you said it was dangerous."
The other Doctor sighed. "It still is. I don't know what's out there. Especially since this is a different universe from my own. I've only been to a handful of places since I arrived here. I've mostly spent my time hidden away in the TARDIS. There will most definitely be danger. As much as there is excitement and surprises around every turn! I was...in a very dark place when you met me. I had recently gone through...quite a loss. But I know that my friends wouldn't want me to be alone. They'd want me to go out and see the stars with someone." The other Doctor fell silent for a moment. "I'll understand if you don't want-"
Derpy flew forward and wrapped the other Doctor up in a big hug. "Of course I want to travel with you! I've wished I were out there traveling with you every day since you left!"
"Really?! Are you sure?"
"Definitely!"
"As I said, there will be danger every now and then."
"I think I'll be able to manage, Doctor. I've seen Equestria nearly fall into eternal darkness, had a blue box crash through my house, and fought off a bunch of monsters with a rolling pin. And don't even get me started on the parasprites!"
"Parasprites?" The other Doctor shook his head. "Nevermind! You can tell me later! Are you ready?"
"We're leaving right now?"
"Of course! It's a time machine as well, you know. I could take you all over the universe and have you back in time for tea!"
Derpy raised an eyebrow. "Let's not forget that you came back a year later than you originally planned."
"True but at least you didn't wait five years like me."
"Fair enough."
"Are you ready, Derpy Hooves?!"
"Ready, Doctor!"
"Alright then!" The other Doctor and Derpy began to run towards the TARDIS. "GERONIMO!" The other Doctor suddenly stopped running.
Derpy came to a halt and turned around to face the other Doctor. "What's wrong?" she asked.
"Oh nothing. It's just...it's been a long time since I last said that," the other Doctor replied.
Derpy smiled and laughed. "I like it."
The other Doctor smiled back. "Me too."
Derpy turned around and ran into the TARDIS. "GERONIMO!"
The other Doctor quickly followed suit. "GERONIMO!"
The Doctor couldn't help but smile at the sight. The scene changed once again just as the TARDIS started to dematerialize.

???

The Doctor was surprised to find himself back in the realm of blue and silver. He had only taken a few steps forward when objects began materializing around him. However, the objects passing by him were no longer bits of metal, glass, and wood. It didn't take much examination for the Doctor to deduce that they were broad windows, frames and all.
"Curiouser and curiouser," the Doctor uttered before continuing his walk forward.
The speeds of the floating windows appeared to decrease as they moved closer and closer to the Doctor. Through the clear surfaces of the glass panes, the Doctor saw not through the glass but instead saw frozen images of other events and moments in time.
The first window to pass the Doctor showed the TARDIS in space. The other Doctor was standing in the open doorway. Derpy was floating outside the TARDIS. Her mane and tail were floating upward and the other Doctor was holding onto one of her hind legs.
"All of time and space. Everything that has happened and everything that will happen," echoed the voice of the other Doctor. "Where do you want to start?"
"Everywhere!" exclaimed the voice of Derpy.
The next window showed the other Doctor and Derpy walking through a futuristic city with touchscreen skyscrapers stretching high up into the sky. Derpy was munching on a muffin while the other Doctor was trying on a pair of circular glasses. A unicorn stallion with a black coat, purple and black mane, five point star cutie mark, and dressed in black suit, tie, and hat could be seen watching the duo in the background. He appeared to be whispering into a recording device of sorts.
"These are quite nice. I think I'll keep them," chuckled the voice of the other Doctor.
"The future is great! Apple banana is my new favorite type of muffin!" giggled the voice of Derpy.
"The Doctor is spotted. Will observe for now. Should avoid contact as much as possible," whispered the voice of the suited unicorn.
The following window showed the other Doctor and Derpy running away from a tribe of angry zebras.
"This isn't what I had in mind when you said we'd do something relaxing!" said the voice of Derpy.
"It's not like I meant to destroy their sacred statue!" scoffed the voice of the other Doctor.
The next window showed the other Doctor and Derpy surrounded by Cyberponies in a dark cavern.
"PREPARE TO BE UPGRADED!" ordered the voice of one of the Cyberponies.
"Doctor...you've got a plan, right?" asked the voice of Derpy nervously.
"Of course I do! I just need a minute to add in the final touches," replied the voice of the other Doctor.
The window after that showed the other Doctor, Derpy, and Twilight Sparkle trapped between a wall and an army of Weeping Pegasi.
"Who are you two and what are those things?!" asked the voice of Twilight.
"I'm a Time Lord, she's a pegasus, and those are Weeping Angels!" replied the voice of the other Doctor. "Whatever you do, don't blink!"
"The lights are going out, Doctor!" shrieked the voice of Derpy.
The next window showed the other Doctor standing in a doorway with an awkward expression on his face. Derpy was in the room trying on a pair of socks. She was frozen in an incredibly uncomfortable position.
"Derpy?" called the voice of the other Doctor. "I was just wondering if...uh-"
"GET OUT!" shouted the voice of Derpy.
The following window showed the other Doctor and Derpy laying down in a grassy field at night and watching the stars of an alien solar system up in the sky.
"Can I just say...traveling with you...I love it," said the voice of Derpy.
"Glad to hear it. It would be a disappointment if you hated it," joked the voice of the other Doctor.
The window after that depicted the other Doctor and Derpy in Ponyville. The strange unicorn from earlier was there as well.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Warden," stated the voice of the unicorn.
"Likewise. I'm the Doctor," responded the voice of the other Doctor.
"And I'm Derpy!" exclaimed the voice of Derpy.
The following window showed the other Doctor and Derpy in a grim orphanage in a steampunk civilization. They were talking to two unicorn fillies. The oldest unicorn had a light purple mane striped with an even lighter shade of purple, a pink coat, and a cutie mark consisting of three diamonds. The youngest unicorn had a blonde and tan striped mane, a gray coat, and no cutie mark.
"I'm Sparkler and this is my sister Dinky," stated the voice of the oldest unicorn. "We've been here for a long time."
"We just want somepony to love us. Is that too much to ask?" asked the voice of Dinky with a sobbing tone.
The next window showed the inside of the TARDIS with the other Doctor smiling as he watched Derpy wrap Sparkler and Dinky in a big hug.
"You really want us to come with you?!" asked the joyful voice of Sparkler.
"Yes!" replied the voice of Derpy.
"We found a momma, Sparkler!" cheered the voice of Dinky. "We finally found a momma!"
The window after that showed the other Doctor and Derpy watching fireworks in Ponyville alongside Sparkler, Dinky, and Warden.
"Four years of traveling," said the voice of the other Doctor.
"Two for us," the voice of Sparkler corrected.
"I don't understand you sometimes, Warden," whispered the voice of Derpy.
"I care about you, Derpy. You need to be careful around the Doctor. You can't trust him," the voice of Warden whispered back.
One final window appeared showing the other Doctor and Derpy confronting Discord.
"I must say, you are the most entertaining pony I've met in quite some time," the voice of Discord teased.
"Good to know," stated the voice of the Doctor.
"We'll beat your game! Nopony can best the Doctor and I!" exclaimed the proud voice of Derpy.
The Doctor braced himself as the window came flying towards him. The surface collided with his skin and the scenery around him was altered once again.

The Caverns of Truth, Badlands, Equestria, Gaia, Autumn, 66 P.C.E.

The Doctor found himself standing in the middle of a vast cavern. The walls were illuminated by glowing rocks and radiant sapphires. The chamber had an immediate beautiful quality; but it wasn't hard to notice that something dark hid beneath the mask.
The other Doctor entered the scene. Sweat was dripping from his brow and his breaths were quick and hoarse. "Derpy?! Derpy, where are you?!" he called with a panicked tone.
The mocking laugh of Discord permeated the air. "Don't worry about your friend, Doctor. She'll be fine," laughed the voice of the mischievous draconequus.
"Discord! What have you done with Derpy?! Show yourself!" The other Doctor pulled out a green-tipped sonic screwdriver and began examining the entire chamber with it. "Face me!"
A loud yawn echoed through the chamber. "I must admit, Doctor, I've grown bored of our little game. I think it's time for you and your friend to go on back to wherever you came from."
"I refuse and so will Derpy. We could never leave this place with the knowledge of what you're doing to these ponies!"
Suddenly, Discord appeared right in front of the other Doctor. His eyes glowed bright yellow as he placed one of his talons on top of the other Doctor's head. "Then I suppose some persuasion is needed then."
The other Doctor had no time to react as a small spark emanated from Discord's talon and magical energy consumed his entire body.
The Doctor jumped slightly as darkness filled the entire chamber, shrouding everything in a blanket of pitch black. All he could hear were the sudden terrified screams of the other Doctor.
"What...what is that?!" asked the voice of the other Doctor.
"The Truth, Doctor. The Truth," chuckled the voice of Discord in return.
"No. No! It's impossible! It can't be true! I refuse to believe-"
The other Doctor's shrieks were cut short as the Doctor felt the scene begin to change.

Outside the Caverns of Truth, Badlands, Equestria, Gaia, Autumn, 66 P.C.E.

"How did I end up out here?!" the Doctor heard the confused voice of Derpy ask as the new scene faded in. The Sun sat high in the sky and sent down continuous waves of heat and light upon the scorched land that was the Equestrian Badlands. The Doctor turned to his right to see a frantic Derpy looking around in every direction possible. Her attention was soon focused on the nearby rock wall. "The cavern entrance is gone!"
The Doctor looked at the wall. A dark imprint was left on the dusty surface. Something had definitely been there before but it was clear that magical means had been used to nearly perfectly erase its traces. The Doctor turned away from the wall to see the other Doctor's TARDIS sitting a few yards away from a high cliff. In front of the open TARDIS doors sat none other than the other Doctor.
"Doctor!" gasped Derpy as she ran towards the still stallion. The Doctor got a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach as he galloped after Derpy. Once he and Derpy reached the other Doctor, it was no mystery why he felt that way.
The other Doctor's coat was no longer warm chestnut but was instead a light gray. He brown mane was now deep black. His eyes appeared lifeless and cold. When he turned to look at Derpy, his expression refused to show any emotion aside from sadness.
"Doctor?" asked the confused Derpy. "What happened to you?!"
The other Doctor slowly stood up. "Come on, Derpy," he ordered with an emotionless tone. "It's time for us to go."
Derpy's confusion faded to show a small smile. "You already defeated Discord? I knew you could-"
"No. I didn't." Silence fell. No sound could be heard aside from a tiny wind blowing across the desert.
"Then...why are we leaving?" Derpy managed to ask.
"There's nothing more we can do. It's pointless," the other Doctor replied.
Derpy was stunned. Her jaw dropped as she watched the other Doctor approach the TARDIS. She then suddenly flew in front of him and landed in between the other Doctor and the open TARDIS doors. "What do you mean that there's nothing more we can do?! There's always been something we could do! It was never pointless!"
"There's no use arguing, Derpy. Let's just go where we belong."
Derpy shook her head. "No, Doctor. We need to stay! There are ponies who need us! Remember what you told me when Merry was taken by the Old God?" Derpy took a step towards the other Doctor. "We don't walk away."
Suddenly, the other Doctor grabbed one of Derpy's wings with his teeth and began to pull her into the TARDIS. "We do now."
Tears were beginning to form in Derpy's eyes as she was dragged through the TARDIS doors. "Doctor, stop! You're hurting me!" The doors slammed shut.
The Doctor stood in silence as the scene changed once again.

The TARDIS, Time Vortex

The Doctor watched as the other Doctor finished working the controls on the main console. Derpy was leaning against the railing a couple feet away. She was nursing the bruise on her wing all the while looking at the other Doctor with a hurt expression.
The other Doctor looked at Derpy with a cocked head. "What's that face for?" he asked.
"How could you do that?" she asked, almost on the brink of tears.
"Do what?"
"You know what!"
The other Doctor shrugged his shoulders as if he had made a simple mistake like forgetting to take out the trash. "What's done is done."
"We need to go back, Doctor."
"No. We don't need to go anywhere. We're staying right here. For good."
Derpy slowly approached the other Doctor while making sure to keep her injured wing relaxed. "What? No more travelling? We're just going to stay in Ponyville-"
"Ponyville?" The other Doctor raised an eyebrow. "I didn't say anything about Ponyville."
Derpy's eyes widened. "Then where are we?!" She began to make her way towards the TARDIS doors.
"I wouldn't open those, if I were you," warned the other Doctor with an uncaring tone.
Derpy pulled the doors open to find herself staring out into an abyss of swirling darkness. She gasped and jumped back. The other Doctor clapped his hooves and the doors slammed shut.
"Where...what is that?!" Derpy asked.
"The Time Vortex. What we've always traveled through to get where we wanted to go," the other Doctor replied. "Here, we're safe. Here, we won't have to worry about anything else ever again."
Derpy looked at the other Doctor. She stomped towards him and came to a halt only when her face was a few inches from his. "Why, Doctor?! Why are you acting like this?! What happened to you?!"
"I saw the Truth, Derpy."
"The Truth?"
"Everything makes sense now. No matter what you do, no matter how good you are, no matter how hard you try, the universe will always screw you over. The universe simply doesn't care; and neither do I."
The other Doctor turned his attention back to the main control console. Derpy stood in stunned silence for what felt like an eternity. The Doctor approached Derpy and reached a hoof out as if to attempt consoling her. As expected, his hoof phased right through her.
"Let's go home, Doctor," Derpy said spontaneously. "I think you need some rest. Just some time to relax and clear your head."
"This is our home, Derpy."
"No it isn't! Ponyville is our home! It's been your home for five years and it's been mine for my entire life! Please! Let's go back!"
"How could that possibly be a home? A pitiful town in an ignorant world? Why would you, of all ponies, want to go back?"
"There are ponies there who I care for. Ponies who care for me. Ponies who care for you!"
The other Doctor let out a chilling, mocking laugh. "Oh, Derpy. Blissfully ignorant Derpy. Do you honestly believe that? A town full of ponies who barely acknowledged your existence?"
"That's not true! I have friends there! I have loved ones there!"
"Really? I don't recall you ever bringing anypony over to your house."
"Have you really forgotten about Sparkler, Dinky, and Warden?!"
"Warden is untrustworthy. Sparkler and Dinky are just desperate freeloaders. They were desperate to have somepony take care of them and they found you. Gullible you."
Tears began to form in Derpy's eyes. "How can you say something like that? About them? About me?!"
"Ha! You think I'm being mean? You have no idea what other ponies say behind your back!" The other Doctor began to bear down on Derpy. "Idiot! Useless! Nuisance!"
Derpy covered her ears. "Stop it!"
"Crazy! Embarrassing! Disgrace! There is no love for you back in Ponyville! There is no love for you anywhere in the universe!"
"You're lying! You're a liar! Ponyville is my home! I want to go home!"
The other Doctor shook his head and sighed. "Fine. You want to go home? I'll take you there." He walked over to the main console and violently pulled one of the levers down.

Outside the Home of Derpy Hooves, Ponyville, Equestria, Gaia, Summer, 1006 C.E.

The TARDIS shook significantly as it landed. "Here you are," stated the other Doctor coldly. "You're home." He clapped his hooves and the TARDIS doors flung open. "Now get the hell out of my TARDIS."
Derpy looked at her front yard through the TARDIS doors and then back at the other Doctor. "Doctor," she pleaded.
"I don't think there's anything left to say. Get out."
"No, Doctor. I don't know what's happened to you but I'm going to fix it! We're best friends. That's what friends do for each other."
"Exactly. I tried to help you see the Truth. I wanted to help you stay away from this town. But you clearly don't want my help. You want to continue living in your ignorance. So be it." The other Doctor began to slowly approach Derpy. "Now...do I have to repeat myself, Derpy Hooves?"
Derpy pushed her chest forward and stood firm. "I'm not going anywhere, Doctor. Not without you. Please, let's just go back in my house and rest a bit. I'm sure Princess Twilight can find some way to-"
The punch arrived without any warning and was joined with a sickening crack. Derpy fell back onto the floor. Her nose was now leaking streams of blood. Tears started to roll down her cheeks. The other Doctor still had his right forehoof raised as he stood over the fallen Derpy. As he looked down at the hurt pegasus, his form started to flicker between his original self and his current darker self. Derpy looked confused but had no time to ask questions. The other Doctor picked her up and pushed her towards the open doorway.
"Please go before I hurt you any further," the other Doctor said with as much care he was able to force out of himself.
Derpy gasped as she was pushed through the doorway. The other Doctor hastily clapped his hooves and the doors shut and locked behind him. Derpy began pounding on the outside of the TARDIS. "DOCTOR! DOCTOR, COME BACK! PLEASE DON'T GO! LET ME HELP YOU! PLEASE!" she cried.
The other Doctor looked back at the closed doors, his form still flickering back and forth.
"Don't be alone, Doctor," spontaneously echoed the voice of Amy Pond. The other Doctor frantically looked around the room but saw that he was alone.
The other Doctor's form stopped flickering. He nodded his head as he approached the main controls. "Just how I like it," he muttered as he pulled one of the levers down.
Just as the scene started to change, the Doctor noticed that a pair of wings was starting to protrude from the other Doctor's back.

Overlook Hill, Ponyville, Equestria, Gaia, Winter, 1006 C.E.

The new scene brought the Doctor to a hill that was just beyond the edge of Ponyville. The entire town and the land around it was cloaked in a soft layer of snow. He could just make out Sweet Apple Acres in the distance but was surprised to see a crystal castle of sorts standing a little ways away at the edge of town.
"That's...new," the Doctor commented. He then noticed the TARDIS standing a few feet away from him. At that moment, the doors opened and out stomped the other Doctor.
His coat and mane seemed slightly darker now and his wings were now fully grown and developed. His green tie was also now replaced by a black bowtie. He let out an annoyed groan upon seeing the town before him. "This is the twelfth time you've brought me back to this town!" he snapped upon glancing back at the TARDIS. "Fine, if you want to be difficult, we can stay here for a while then. But I'm not coming out!" The other Doctor turned around and walked back into the TARDIS. The doors proceeded to loudly slam shut.
The Doctor looked just in time to see Sparkler walking up the nearby path. She looked slightly older than she had when the Doctor had last seen her. She froze in her tracks upon noticing the TARDIS. Without a moment's hesitation, she vanished in a flash of light.
Just then, the Doctor turned around to see a peculiar earth pony stallion approaching the TARDIS. He had a blue coat, a blond mane, golden eyes, and an hourglass cutie mark similar to that of the Doctor's; though, it was at a slightly different angle. He was wearing a white collar with a red bowtie.
A devious smile appeared on his face as she stood next to the TARDIS. "Well, this unexpected trip just got a lot more interesting," he said with a chuckle.
The Doctor felt a chill course through his body as the scene was changed once again.

???

The Doctor was somewhat glad to be back in the calm blue and silver realm. As was the case with his previous visit, the realm was crowded with floating windows filled with frozen glimpses into random points of time.
The Doctor sighed. "Looks like we're doing this again," he deduced. "Alright then." The Doctor casually strolled towards the windows.
The first window showed Derpy standing outside the TARDIS. Mounds of snow surrounded the blue box.
"Please come out, Doctor!" pleaded the voice of Derpy.
"Don't make me hurt you again, Derpy," growled the voice of the other Doctor. "Go away!"
The next window showed the Doctor being confronted by the mysterious blue stallion inside the TARDIS.
"You know who I am," laughed the voice of the stallion. "Say my name."
"You're...the Master," stated the angry voice of the other Doctor.
The following window showed the other Doctor standing over a pegasus stallion lying on the ground. The stallion had a dark blue coat, a light blue mane, and had a cutie mark consisting of a constellation of stars. He was wearing a white dress shirt and a black vest.
"Why hello there," teased the voice of the stallion.
"It can't be," uttered the voice of the other Doctor. "Jack?! Jack Harkness?!"
The window after that showed a bruised Derpy sitting in her bedroom with Sparkler and Warden.
"He needs my help. I can save him. I know I can!" argued the voice of Derpy.
"Please, Derpy. Stay away from him," pleaded the voice of Warden.
"I...I think the Doctor we knew is long gone," stated the voice of Sparkler.
The next window showed the other Doctor tied to a chair. The stallion that was the Master stood over him with a furious expression.
"Enough games, you piece of trash!" shouted the voice of the Master.
"Who's playing games? I hate games," responded the voice of the other Doctor.
The following window showed the pegasus that was Jack Harkness sitting at a cafe with Warden.
"You remind me of myself a bit," said the voice of Jack. "Who are you really, Warden?"
"A friend to everyone...except the Doctor," replied the voice of Warden.
The next window showed the other Doctor standing over an incredibly bruised Derpy. The other Doctor's form was obviously flickering again.
"Why do you keep coming back?! You know I can't stop!" pleaded the voice of the other Doctor.
"I'm not giving up on you," croaked the voice of Derpy.
The window after that showed a slightly older Dinky standing over the beaten and bruised other Doctor. Dinky now had a cutie mark consisting of five four-pointed yellow stars. A bloody brick was being levitated by Dinky's magic. An injured Derpy and frightened Sparkler looked on.
"If you ever touch my mother again, I WILL KILL YOU!" shouted the voice of Dinky.
The following window showed Jack and the Master at the edge of Ponyville at sunset.
"You could come work for me, Jack," said the voice of the Master. "Believe me, you'll find more of a purpose with me than with the Doctor."
"No thanks," replied the voice of Jack coldly. "I'd much rather deal with how the Doctor is now than work for you. There's a chance for him. I know it."
The next window showed Ponyville Hospital in flames. The other Doctor and the Master were standing in its shadow.
"Look at what you've done!" shouted the voice of the other Doctor.
"No, Doctor," said the voice of the Master darkly. "Look at what you've done."
The final window showed Derpy talking to a strange earth pony stallion in Sugar Cube Corner. The stallion had an orange coat and a dark brown mane. He was wearing a red velvet shirt, a long black coat, and a large black top hat with a black ribbon tied to it.
"Really?!" asked the excited voice of Derpy. "You know how to help my friend?!"
"Yes," replied the voice of the stallion. "I've traveled to many different worlds. One important piece of information I've picked up along my travels is that true love's kiss can break any curse."
The Doctor readied himself as another window came flying towards him and sent him off to the next point in time.

Overlook Hill, Ponyville, Equestria, Gaia, Autumn, 1010 C.E.

The Doctor looked down to see the other Doctor asleep against the outside of the TARDIS doors. He jerked awake at the sound of approaching hooves. The Doctor and the other Doctor simultaneously looked at who was trotting up the nearby path. It was Derpy.
The other Doctor slowly stood up. He didn't look angry or threatening. Instead, he looked sad and almost a bit frightened. "Four years," he sighed with a sad smile. Derpy came to a stop a couple yards away. "You never give up, do you? No matter what I say, no matter what I do, you always come back."
"You may have given up on yourself, Doctor, but I haven't," stated Derpy confidently.
"I've said this a million times before and I'll say it again: go home, Derpy." Derpy began to slowly approach the other Doctor. "Please. Before I hurt you...again." Derpy continued to walk towards him. "Dinky's going to murder me if I touch you again. Please don't make me hurt you again."
Suddenly, Derpy sprang forward. Before the other Doctor could react, Derpy wrapped her forehooves around his torso and kissed him dead on the lips. For a moment, the other Doctor was in shock. As the seconds passed, he gradually became involved with the kiss. He closed his eyes and hugged Derpy back.
For what felt like an eternity for the Doctor, Derpy and the other Doctor remained bound in their sign of mutual affection. The Doctor noticed that the other Doctor was starting to slowly revert to his original color scheme.
Derpy slowly broke the kiss and smiled when she noticed what was happening. "It's working!" she exclaimed joyfully.
"Derpy," the other Doctor uttered. "I...I-"
"That stallion with the hat was right!"
A smile was beginning to form on the other Doctor's face when the sound of a cocking gun permeated the air.
"Step away from him, Derpy!" ordered Warden as he stepped towards the couple. He was wielding what the Doctor could best describe as a steampunk handgun made for ponies.
"Warden?!" asked a surprised Derpy. "What are you doing?!"
"This has gone on for long enough, Doctor! I should have taken care of you when I had the chance; but I was foolish enough to wait it out."
"I knew it," stated the other Doctor with a glare. He dark color scheme was gradually returning to normal. "From the moment we met, I knew."
"Warden, stop!" shouted Derpy.
"Move, Derpy," Warden ordered.
"Not until I know the truth!"
Warden sighed while still keeping his weapon aimed at the other Doctor. "My real name isn't Warden. It's Tesseract Comet. I'm a Time Agent from 5000. I was sent on a mission to keep an eye on the Doctor. Many tragic events in history are connected to him. What happened at Ponyville Hospital will only be the first of many if I don't put a stop to him!"
Derpy was in shock for a moment. She then shook her head and stepped further between the other Doctor and the stallion who she now knew as Tesseract Comet. "Listen...Tesseract. Please don't hurt the Doctor! I'm close to saving him. Please trust me!" she pleaded.
Tesseract refused to lower his weapon. "I'm sorry for lying to you, Derpy; but I want it known that I truly do care about you. However, even though you're my friend, I can't afford to let the Doctor go."
"Please! Don't-"
Suddenly, the other Doctor pushed Derpy aside. Derpy fell to the ground. She looked at the other Doctor in horror. The other Doctor turned to face Tesseract.
"Go ahead and do your job. There's no hope for me," said the other Doctor with a lowered head.
"No! I was so close!" Derpy cried under her breath as she started to sob. "Please! He can't die!"
"Warden! Stop!" cried Jack as he started to fly down from the sky. Tesseract wasn't listening. He readied his weapon and prepared to fire. "STOP!"
The gunshot rang out. The Doctor's hearts stopped as he saw what happened next.
"No!" cried Tesseract in horror.
The other Doctor looked up. The Doctor was frozen. Derpy has jumped in front of the other Doctor. A bloody bullet hole was now situated right where her heart was. The pegasus slumped over and fell to the ground.
"Derpy?!" cried the other Doctor as he knelt down and held the injured Derpy in his forelegs. Jack came down and knocked Tesseract out with a swift kick. The gun slid off Tesseract's hoof and landed on the ground a couple feet away. The other Doctor started to flicker between his original and present selves. "Derpy?! Derpy, hold on!" He took his bowtie off, wadded it up, and pressed it against the wound in order to try stopping the bleeding. "Why?! Why would you do that?!"
"Because...I'm your friend. I...care about you," Derpy replied. She coughed violently as trails of red emanated from her mouth. "I...I love you, Doctor. I should have...told you that...a long time ago." A smile grew on Derpy's face. "At least...you know...now."
"Please, hang on, Derpy! Just hang-" The other Doctor fell silent. Derpy grew limp in his forelegs. The Doctor slowly approached Derpy's side. He could hear one last breath escape her lips. Her eyes became glossy and lifeless. She was gone.
The Doctor immediately turned away. Even though she wasn't the Derpy from his world, it still made him feel sick to even think of the image of his Ponyville friends cold and dead.
"Derpy?" asked the other Doctor with a shaky voice.
Jack slowly stepped towards the other Doctor and the departed Derpy. "Doctor," he started. "I-"
"Derpy? Derpy...please." The other Doctor's head started to shake back and forth violently. The flickering of his color scheme became progressively more erratic with each passing second. He started to sound off names like a glitch. "Katarina! Sara! Adric! Kamelion! Peri! Alistair! River! Amy! Rory! Derpy!" Then...he stopped.
The Doctor and Jack shared equally disturbed expressions as the other Doctor slowly placed Derpy's body on the ground and stood up. He stepped over her body and began to walk down the hill. He had stopped flickering and was now back to being in his full dark color scheme. His eyes were frozen wide open. One of them was twitching wildly.
"Doctor," Jack uttered.
The other Doctor paid him no attention. He simply walked over to Tesseract and looked down at his unconscious body. His eyes slowly trailed over to the gun that been used to inadvertently take Derpy's life. He cautiously approached it.
Jack began to give the other Doctor a suspicious glare. "Doctor?"
The other Doctor bent over and picked the gun up. He turned around and looked down at Tesseract.
Jack cautiously started to edge his way towards the other Doctor. "Doctor...I know what you're thinking."
"Do you, Jack?" asked the other Doctor as his head instantly snapped in Jack's direction. "Do you really?"
Jack shrugged his shoulders. "Well, it's not hard for me to put two and two together here, Doctor. Just put the gun down." The other Doctor continued to hold the gun tightly in his hooves. "It won't bring her back."
"Of course it won't. Nothing will. Just like all the others. Nothing will bring them back." An amused smile appeared on the other Doctor's face. "I finally realize what was keeping that part of me alive. The part of me who was so desperate to forget the Truth and go back to being the madman with a box." He gave a quick, chilling laugh. "But now that part of me is dead. Like...her."
"Doctor-"
"And stop calling me that. The Doctor died today. The universe takes everything away. Today, it took away what was left of the Doctor. Now, everything changes!" The other Doctor aimed the gun at Tesseract.
Jack ran towards the other Doctor. "WAIT!"
Three bullets were shot into Tesseract's skull. Jack stopped in his tracks with a look of shock etched into his face. The stallion that was once the other Doctor looked at Jack with the widest and most sadistic smile he could muster. "Today, the Valeyard will start taking everything from the universe!"
The Doctor felt himself grow incredibly cold. Silence fell on the hilltop. Jack slowly started shaking his head. He was clearly refusing to accept that his friend was now completely beyond help.
The Doctor felt the cold inside him get replaced by intense heat when a loud crack shot through the air. A bright light lit up the hilltop from right behind Jack.
The Valeyard looked on in awe. "Incredible!" he exclaimed as a surprised Jack was sucked into the dimensional rift. For the brief moment before it disappeared, the Valeyard took his time to examine every part of the rift. Another crack rang out as the rift disappeared. Another wide smile appeared on the Valeyard's face. "Perfect." He started to casually walk towards his TARDIS. "This will take some time looking into."
The last thing the stunned Doctor saw before the scene changed was the Valeyard stepping over the mangled body of Derpy Hooves.

Castle of Twilight Sparkle, Ponyville, Equestria, Gaia, Autumn, 1005 C.E.

The Doctor looked to find himself standing in the middle of a library. Or rather was appeared to be the library wing of a castle. The bookcases stretched up to the ceiling and sunlight poured in through a nearby gargantuan window. The Doctor felt a bit of happiness course through him when he saw Twilight Sparkle enter. However, he immediately noticed that this Twilight had a pair of wings.
"When did that happen?!" the Doctor asked as he looked at the wings. "I...I'm not sure whether I like that or not."
Just then, without any noise, the TARDIS materialized in the middle of the library. The Doctor was quite puzzled by this. Twilight looked a bit surprised but still smiled when the doors opened. Out stepped the Valeyard.
"Good afternoon, Doctor," said Twilight.
The Valeyard twitched upon hearing his old alias but appeared to let it slide. "Afternoon, Twilight," he replied with the friendliest voice he could muster.
Twilight raised an eyebrow as she examined the stallion before her. "So...what's with the new look?"
"Must have traveled back to before he changed," the Doctor deduced.
"I'm trying something out for Nightmare Night," the Valeyard lied. "What do you think?"
"It's nice. Of course, I prefer your normal look." Twilight chuckled and the Valeyard gave a short forced laugh. "So what brings you to my library?"
"A question just popped into my head and I knew that only you could answer it. I'm always seeking new knowledge, you know."
"I do. You know that I can definitely relate. So what do you want to know?"
"This is mostly a question of curiosity and I hope you don't mind me asking. I've been pondering this for quite some time but never found the right time to ask it. Are you immortal like Princess Celestia and Princess Luna now that you're a princess?" Twilight gave a bit of a tired expression. "I'm guessing this is something you get asked often."
"Pretty much, but I'm happy to answer you! No, I'm not immortal. The option was there but, like Cadance, I turned it down. I'm fine living a bit longer than the average pony but I'm not up for living forever."
"Understandable. Although...that raises another question."
Twilight looked interested. "And what would that be?"
"Are there other ways for ponies and other creatures to become immortal?"
Twilight stroked her cheek. "Well, aside from being granted by another immortal alicorn, the only other way for that to happen is for a creature to be immortal naturally. Like a draconequus."
The Valeyard nodded. "Such as Discord."
Twilight rolled her eyes. "Don't remind me of him. That particular draconequus can remain a statue for all eternity for all I care." Twilight stopped talking for a moment and began to stroke her chin. "Huh. That actually reminded me of another method for somepony to gain immortality."
"A third?" asked the Valeyard with the most convincing amount of genuine surprise he could apparently pull off.
"Yes." Twilight flew up into the air and began to searching through one of her bookcases. She eventually pulled out a green book and descending back down to where the Valeyard was standing. "But if I remember correctly...ah, here we go!" The Doctor and the Valeyard stepped in closer. "Paramae."
The Valeyard looked intrigued. "Paramae?"
Twilight nodded. "Yes." Her eyes darted as she quickly scanned the page. "Oh...oh my."
"What?"
"It appears I forgot more about these than I originally thought. This is very dark, ancient magic from way into our world's past. Probably even before Star Swirl the Bearded's time."
"Interesting. So what exactly is...Paramae?"
"It's the impure way for somepony to become immortal. Especially because only those with the darkest souls can succeed in performing an act like this." Twilight took an uncomfortable breath as she continued. "Paramae are essentially objects that are used to protect part of one's soul."
"Part of one's soul?"
"Yes. Somepony with the darkest of hearts must take a life and then immediately perform the specific ritual described in this book in order to transfer their soul into the object. Once the object has been turned into a Paramae, it becomes mostly indestructible. The Paramae would only be destroyed if it were damaged beyond any sort of physical repair. As long as somepony has at least one Paramae, they basically become immortal. They can always get hurt but the Paramae will keep them from completely dying or aging."
"Why does that sound so familiar?" the Doctor asked aloud with a gulp.
"That's incredibly fascinating," the Valeyard stated. "Would you mind if I looked at that book for a bit longer? There is still so much about this world of yours that I'm interested in learning about."
"Sure!" Twilight replied before handing the book over. "Just promise me you won't be going out and making any Paramae."
The Valeyard and Twilight shared a hearty laugh. "Of course, your majesty."
Twilight started to walk away when she suddenly turned back. "And, for future reference, you can just knock on the front door. You can visit anytime you want. You don't need to use the TARDIS to visit my library."
"I was lazy today."
Twilight giggled. "Oh! Is something wrong with the TARDIS by any chance?"
"Why do you ask that?"
"It didn't make any sound when it materialized."
"Oh! The sound you always hear is me leaving the brakes on."
"The brakes?!" asked a stunned Doctor.
"I normally leave them on because I like the sound but I decided to turn them off while coming here. I didn't want to disturb you," the Valeyard explained.
"Oh you could never disturb me, Doctor." Twilight said with a smile before heading out of the library. "Happy reading! Spend as much time here as you like!"
"Thank you, Twilight!" Once Twilight was gone, the Valeyard turned around and began heading over to one of the tables. "Now let's learn more about this ritual. I've grown a liking to this form and I'm going to need a lot of time for me to accomplish all of my goals."
"That...does not sound good," the Doctor stated just as the scene changed again.

Home of Derpy Hooves, Ponyville, Equestria, Gaia, Autumn, 1010 C.E.

The Doctor saw that he was now in Derpy's living room. Sparkler and Dinky were sitting on the couch. Each were busy reading. It was nearly nightfall. The orange light of the sunset was peering through the nearby window.
"Mom's not usually out this late," Sparkler stated.
Dinky slowly looked up from her book. "You don't think she went to see him again, do you?" she asked.
"Let's not go there right now. Maybe she's just hanging out with Warden or something."
Dinky scratched her chin. "I don't know. She'd normally tell us if she were going to be home late."
The Doctor could see the TARDIS materialize in the middle of one of the hallways. As was the case in Twilight's castle, there was no sound to be heard. The doors slowly opened and the Valeyard stepped out. He was wearing a long black coat now.
Sparkler's ears twitched as the sound of the Valeyard's hoofsteps apparently reached her. "Who's there?!" She jumped off the couch. Her horn was glowing brightly.
The Valeyard didn't hesitate to step into the light of Sparkler's horn.
"You!" snarled Dinky as she stood up. "I knew you had something to do with Mom not coming home! What have you done to her?!"
"Nothing," the Valeyard responded.
"Horsefeathers!" snapped Sparkler as she stepped forward. "Why else would you show up here?! Where is she?!"
"I'll kill you if you hurt her again!" shouted Dinky.
"Your mother is dead," the Valeyard stated with a chillingly nonchalant attitude. Before Sparkler and Dinky had any time to react to the terrible news, the Valeyard suddenly reached into his coat and pulled out Tesseract's gun. The Doctor hastily turned around just as the Valeyard aimed the gun at the two sisters.
The Doctor wasn't sure who was killed first. All he knew was that one was shot a split second before the other. The sound of the two gunshots and the bodies falling to the floor echoed against the Doctor's inner ear. Once the unforgivable act was over, he turned around.
The Valeyard looked down at the departed sisters. His face showed no change in emotion. He reached into his coat and pulled something else out. The Doctor instantly recognized it as the video camera which had been used to record one final message from Amy Pond.
"Alright then," the Valeyard said as he knelt down next to the bodies. A dark smile slowly appeared on his face. "Let's get started, shall we?"
The Doctor felt a wave of nausea pass over him as the scene faded away.

???

The Doctor's return to the blue and silver realm was coupled with unexpected events. The realm was no longer calm and peaceful but glitchy and violent. The colors of blue, silver, red, and orange flickered in and out all around him. Windows flew past him but all were filled with nothing but static. The Doctor thought he saw the Valeyard, the Master, and Discord in one window but it went by too fast for him to be completely sure. The silence of the realm was now replaced by the sounds of angry shouts, frightened screams, loud explosions, firing lasers, and an ominous cloister bell. The Doctor had hardly any time to fully take in the confusion of the realm before another window came crashing down on him in order to send him to the next event.

Dark Dungeon, The Enchanted Forest, 300

The Doctor wasn't very keen about where he now found himself. He was in the middle of a long underground hallway. Torches hung from the walls, casting eerie shadows all over the place. He looked and saw that the end of the hall closest to him was a cell of sorts. Within the shadowy confines of the cell, the Doctor could just barely make out what appeared to be a man with sparkling skin, messy hair, and ragged clothing that had once been reasonable formal attire.
"So, this is Rumplestiltskin: the infamous Dark One," chuckled the voice of the Valeyard. The Doctor turned around to see him approaching the cell. It was as if he had appeared out of thin air.
A giddy laugh emanated from the strange man known as Rumplestiltskin. He stood up and walked towards the bars of the cell. His fingers wrapped around two of the bars like long spider legs. "I was expecting you, Doctor," laughed the imp.
The Valeyard looked like he was about to snarl. "The Doctor has been dead for centuries. I'm the Valeyard."
"Are you sure? There might be another name in your future."
"Names are not what I'm here for. I'm orbiting a supernova just to make this trip possible."
"Yes. I'm aware that you've traveled a long way to see me. You want to know about the rifts."
An amused smile appeared on the Valeyard's face. "It looks like my research about you being able to see the future proved correct. Right now, knowing my future would prove to be quite helpful."
Rumplestiltskin pointed a finger upward. "Ah! You must have missed the fact that I don't just hand out information."
"I expected as much. You want to make a deal." The Valeyard's smile grew even wider. "You tell me about the rifts and where they lie in my future and I'll tell you some future info about your son: Baelfire."
Rumplestiltskin's smile faded. "How do-"
"I've done my research. I may not be able to tell my future but I happen to know a bit about yours."
"I wouldn't go around lying to the Dark One if I were you."
"Please! What could you do to me from in there anyway? Besides, I didn't come all this way to lie. What I know about you is the complete and honest truth." Rumplestiltskin was silent for a brief moment. "Fine. I understand if you've lost hope and don't care about any information involving your precious Bae."
"Wait!" Rumplestiltskin reached through the bars as if to pull the Valeyard towards him. "Deal. It's a deal. But you have to speak first!"
"Fair enough." The Valeyard cleared his throat. "Your son is still alive. He's in the world the Dark Curse is going to send you. And, remember this. No matter what happens, you will be reunited with him in the end." A spark of genuine joy seemed to flash through Rumplestiltskin's eyes. "Your turn now, Dark One."
"The rifts...are of your own making."
The Valeyard looked dumbfounded. "What?"
"It's true. The rifts are products from a machine you will create at some point in your future. You better start right away, if I were you. Your...TARDIS is losing patience with you."
"Losing patience?"
The Valeyard's eyes grew wide as Rumplestiltskin let out a giddy laugh.
The Doctor stepped back as the scene changed once again.

Castle of the Valeyard, Rainbow Falls, Equestria, Gaia, Winter, 3500 C.E.

The Doctor looked up. The room he was now in seemed to be ripped straight from an old monster movie. Gray brick walls. Electric Sparks. Everything.
It didn't take much effort for him to notice the machine in the center of the room. He instantly recognized it as the bare structure of what would eventually become Discord Whooves's rift generator.
The Valeyard was sitting at a nearby table. He was illuminated by a series of candles situated in various spots on the table. Across from him sat an inactive Cyberman.
The Doctor walked towards the table. He quickly noticed a strange computer chip of sorts sitting on the table. The Valeyard was eyeing it intensely.
Suddenly, the Valeyard picked up the chip with a flick of his forehoof and placed it against his head. The Doctor's eyes widened as he watched the chip slowly sink into the Valeyard's head like a rock moving through pudding. The Valeyard didn't seem to feel any pain from the experience.
Once the Valeyard's head stopped vibrating, he blinked his eyes several times and smiled at the inactive Cyberman. "Who do you serve?" he asked.
The Cyberman suddenly burst to life and stood up. It saluted the Valeyard. "THE CYBERMEN SERVE YOU, MASTER," replied the metallic monstrosity.
The Valeyard broke into a fit of joyfully sadistic laughter as the scene changed again.

Rosewood Plaza, Canterlot, Equestria, Gaia, Spring, 1002 C.E.

The Doctor jumped when he realized that he was standing in the middle of a plaza cluttered with the bodies of fallen human soldiers. Cybermen were walking around and disposing the cadavers. The Valeyard was strolling through the plaza of corpses. An emotionless expression was etched into his face.
Just then, one of the alleged corpses started to move. The Valeyard raised an eyebrow and chuckled before approaching the surviving soldier. "Come on, soldier. Stop fighting. Your death will be quicker that way," he said before flipping the soldier on his back.
"You'll never...win, Discord Whooves! Never!" choked the soldier.
The Valeyard cocked his head. "Discord Whooves? Is that what they're calling me here?" He was silent for a few seconds before shrugging and giving an entertained expression. "I like it. I think I'll take it." Discord Whooves pulled out a knife and stood over the soldier. "Congratulations, soldier. You actually proved to be a tiny bit useful before dying."
The scene started to fade as Discord Whooves drove the knife into the man's heart.

Canterlot Castle, Canterlot, Equestria, Gaia, Winter, 1002 C.E.

The Doctor stumbled slightly as the new scene started to play out in front of him. He was in what appeared to be a lab. Discord Whooves was standing a few feet away. He was examining what the Doctor deduced was the human Celestia turned into a Cyberman weapon.
"Oh no," the Doctor uttered in response.
Suddenly, the insane human Pinkie Pie entered the room. "Is she ready yet, sir?" she asked with childlike excitement.
"Almost...but not quite," Discord Whooves replied. "She requires one last crucial element before she's ready to become my perfect weapon."
Pinkie began jumping up and down with her arms raised up in the air. "Let me guess what it is! Let me guess!"
Discord Whooves smiled at his unhinged assistant. "Guess away, Pinkie."
"You have to make her into that thing you made me! A...oh...um...it's right on the tip of my tongue!"
"Paramae."
"Right! A Paramae!"
Discord Whooves smiled. "You're exactly right, Pinkie. How could my Black Sun possibly become an ultimate weapon without a little bit of me in there?"
Pinkie clasped her hands over her heart. "That's what helps me be your perfect assistant!"
"Exactly, Pinkie. Now, if you don't mind, could you go and bring in my guest? It's time she became useful."
Pinkie nodded and dashed out of the room. She returned a moment later with a young woman. She had fair skin and violet hair consisting of rose and pale gold streaks. She was wearing tattered pink clothes.
"Nice to see you again, Cadance," said Discord Whooves with a smirk.
"Oh no," Cadance uttered as she looked at the weapon known as Black Sun. She began to shake. "What...what have you done to her?!"
"I've made her perfect. Well...almost perfect." Discord Whooves began to slowly approach Cadance. "This is where you come in, Cadance. You should be happy to know that your time as my prisoner is up." With a flash, Discord Whooves drew a knife and drove it deep into Cadance's chest. Tears started to pour from her eyes as life began to quickly leave her body. "Sleep well, Cadance. Rest assured, all of your little friends will be joining you in due time."
Cadance let out one last gasp before sliding down towards the ground. She was gone within the minute.
Discord Whooves turned to face Black Sun. "Now, it's time for you to be complete."
The Doctor gasped as the floor gave out from under him. Instead of the scene simply fading away like the others, he was now falling into darkness once again. As he fell, he got random images in his head. Twilight and her friends tied up. Derpy and Spike in a cage. A town by the name of Rainbow Falls.
"Twilight, Derpy, everyone, everypony," the Doctor muttered as he continued to fall. He could feel the bottom of the drop coming up on him. "I'm coming! Just hold on!"
The Doctor woke up.