Chapter 6
A Very Good Reason or The Start of a Quest
"Rarity is really super stressed and grouchy nowadays…" Pinkie Pie said, looking a bit sad, as she ate her breakfast, which was three batches of cupcakes, two pies, and one whole birthday cake. Doohickey was puzzling about how she didn't gain any sort of weight after that.
"Oh dear… why is that?" Fluttershy asked eating her muffin.
"Trixie." Was all Pinkie Pie said.
"Trixie? Trixie unicorn? The boaster with the coaster?" Lyra asked.
"Yep, she's Luna right-hoof mare. She's very… bossy." Pinkie said eating another cupcakes in one gulp.
"Oh dear, I bet she doesn't like that…" Fluttershy whispered.
"Nope." Pinkie replied before lifting the pie and eating it in one gulp as well. Doohickey had abandoned her muffin, which was growing cold, to watch the mare eat.
"Well, then she'll be easy to convince to join us! That's a plus!" Bon Bon said ever being the optimist.
"Um, no." Pinkie said eating another cupcake. Ditzy flew in and saw the cold muffin in front of Doohickey who was watching the mare eat. She shook her head and placed a warm buttered muffin in front of the filly. The smell made Doohickey automatically reach down and take a bite, still staring at the pink pony.
"Huh? Why not?" Lyra asked eating her apple salad.
"She stays for her own reasons… you'll have to ask her, I pinkie promised not to tell anypony else her reasons for helping Luna, and believe me…" tears began well up in Pinkie's eyes and the curl at the bottom of her mane deflated a bit "they're good reasons." The ponies all looked at each other. Bon Bon cringed, her ear flattening,
"So she might not help us?" Pinkie shrugged.
"We won't know until we try… of course we could always use our secret weapon." The mare said smiling again.
"Um? Secret weapon… oh, Pinkie, um, we don't hurt other ponies." Fluttershy said shrinking a little.
"Not an army weapon silly! Applebloom!" the mare said licking her lips before eating the cake in one swallow. Doohickey's mouth dropped open a bit. Ditzy pushed it back into place with a click of Doohickey's teeth.
"Applebloom?" Bon Bon questioned worriedly "it's she a bit young to be fighting?"
"She won't be fighting silly! Sweetie Bell is with Rarity!"
"Sweetie Bell!? Where?" Applebloom asked running right up to the table.
"Who's Sweetie Bell?" Doohickey asked. Applebloom squealed
"Sweetie Bell is onena my best friends! She 's the treasurer and Co-president of the Cutie Mark Crusaders!"
"The Cutie Mark Crusaders?" Doohickey asked with distaste.
"We've got branches all over Equestria! But the Ponyville branch is the original one, it's a group of foals dedicated ta finding their cutie marks, and trying whatever they can ta get it." Applebloom said. Then she cringed "Course ya wouldn't be interested in that sorta thing…"
"Not really…" Doohickey said flattening her ears. Ditzy frowned a bit from the oven as she began baking more muffins.
"Anyway! Ya said something about Sweetie Bell! What is it?" Applebloom asked Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie.
"We're going to be visiting Moonhorn Moor to see Rarity! Sweetie Bell has been living with her so you two will get to see each other again.
"YAHOO!" Applebloom said jumping around in a random pattern before throwing her hooves around Pinkie Pie, then Fluttershy, before galloping off "I gotta get ready! Gotta look ma best ya know?"
"Moonhorn Moor?" Doohickey asked.
"Yep! There're a whole bunch of caves in the mountains around the moor. The whole thing is shaped like a crescent moon and that's where the Republic is hiding. The caves are connected by a natural maze and even though Celestia knows Luna's there, she can't get through the maze. Luna has a secrets back door, that's how she gets her troops out. Who knew you had to go UNDER the caves to get out… hee hee." Pinkie Pie said before eating her lat cupcake. "Whew! I'm stuffed! See ya!" the mare said before bouncing away. Doohickey looked at the mare in confusion and shock.
"How…"
"Don't try and figure it out, you'll just get a headache." Lyra said before turning back to her half eaten salad. Doohickey looked down to see her plate was empty. She shrugged and placed her plate in the sink. The Doctor walked it, looking like the sun had frozen over. There were bags under his eyes, his hair was a mess and his tie was wrinkled and crooked. He sat at the table, yawning widely causing tears to prick the corners of his eyes. Doohickey shook her head and flew to the second fridge. She placed a tray of butter beside the muffin that Ditzy was placing in front of him. She looked at Doohickey bewildered. Doohickey smiled and pointed to the fridge. Ditzy shrugged before flying to get a glass of milk for him, while Doohickey sat down with a second muffin. Fluttershy giggled slightly. The Doctor picked up the butter stick and took a bite out of it before he took a bite out of the muffin. He swallowed the rest of the butter before he licked his hoof then drank the entire glass of milk. He then finished eating the muffin. Finally he wiped his eyes.
"Mornin'" He mumbled. He walked out of the kitchen. Doohickey knew that he was going to the washroom, where he would brush his teeth, comb his hair, wash his face and straighten his tie. Five minuets later, the Doctor returned.
"Good Morning every one! Alright let's get going then!" he said bubbly and bouncy as always. Doohickey collapsed onto the floor laughing. "Uh… what exactly is the little one laughing at?" the Doctor asked Ditzy. Ditzy tried to hold it in, before she too dissolved into peals of laughter. The Doctor looked at the whole room bewildered as they all laughed. Even Pinkie Pie was laughing, despite the fact that she hadn't been in the room seconds before. "Alright alright you lot calm down! We've got to get going!"
"R-r-right." Ditzy said laughing. She snorted " Moonhorn Moor…" she chuckled again "There's should be a giant cave some where under the moor." She said finally wiping her eyes and ending her laughter. All around her the ponies were doing the same.
"Alright then! Let's get going!"
"Andiamo!" Doohickey shouted happily trotting up to him. The Doctor blinked in shock.
"Is… is that Italian?"
"Yep! For 'let's go'." the filly said innocently. The Doctor blinked again. As the group left he got more suspicious
"Ditzy… has she said that before?"
"Yep, she said it the first day we met her. Why?" Ditzy said slightly confused.
"Right, the day Luna was banished…" the Doctor said. Ditzy frowned, as she finally understood.
"Doctor, she not some evil alien out to take over Equestria."
"Hardly! The usual suspects never try to invade when the worlds already at war… except dalecks, but they are quite easy to identify… I'm actually afraid she's a spy… after all, she speaks Italian, she knows my habits, she seems to understand the Tardis, at least more then you lot do, and think about it… She was in Canterlot when Luna was banished, before she vanished, then she was in Canterlot AGAIN when Luna attacked, then she vanished, AGAIN! And then she just 'turns up' in sweet apple acres, and she knows the Tardis number, and Applejack hadn't even touched her, not a nick or scratch… it can't all be a coincidence…"
"Or she's just a incredibly unlucky filly who has had a very difficult life. As for understanding the Tardis, I've found she's just mechanically able. Her cutie mark is probably going to have something to do with machines, but don't mention that, she doesn't really want a cutie mark…"
"Because her cutie mark will have something to with espionage!" the Doctor said. Ditzy face-hoofed.
"No, because she doesn't think it's important! Honestly Doctor, she's just a filly! Don't be like this!" Ditzy angrily flew to the door "You're acting like Celestia!" she flew out of the kitchen. The door closed rather louder than usual. The Doctor blinked in shock. He swallowed and rubbed the back of his neck with his hoof. He rubbed his face and blowed out a breath of air. He snorted at the noise, but didn't laugh as he usually would. He trotted out of the kitchen into the control room. Doohickey was talking with Applebloom in one corner, as she described Sweetie Bell. Pinkie pie and Fluttershy were talking about Rarity and The New Lunar republic in another. Ditzy was staring at him from the control panel. He trotted up to her and smiled.
"Don't worry Ditzy, I'm still very much in." Ditzy smiled and gave him a hug.
"Be sure to tell me when your not…" she said into his ear. Over on the other side of the room Pinkie's eyes widened then she smiled.
"FLUTTERSHY! She loudly whispered. Fluttershy looked at her to see that Pinkie was no longer beside her but at the end of the hall hiding in a rather obvious potted plant motioning a hoof to move towards her. Fluttershy flew to her
"Um, yes?"
"The Doctor and Ditzy are in love!" she whispered. Fluttershy blinked. She looked over at the Doctor who was talking animatedly to Ditzy as he pushed buttons and flipped switches.
"Um, they are?"
"Yes! We need to set them up!"
'Um, no."
"What?!" Pinkie Pie said sticking her head out of the plant in annoyed shock "Of course we doooooo!
"Um, no."
"Yes!"
"No."
"Yes!"
"No."
"YES!" Pinkie shouted. Everyone in the control room turned to her and Fluttershy
"No." Pinkie pie frowned angrily before she disappeared into the plant again and walked away. Fluttershy looked back at the Doctor and his companion. Ditzy was smiling while the Doctor recounted some story about an alien race on an alien planet. She blinked as she watched Ditzy laugh. The Doctor and her smiled at one another before he went back to prepares for travel. Fluttershy placed a hoof to her mouth and smiled. "Oh Pinkie Pie… you're good." The Doctor pushed a few more buttons before he moved to the ignition lever
"Alight everyone, hold on, it might get a bit bumpy." He pulled the switch. The whirling sound rang out through the halls. The Tardis did jump once or twice before the whirling sound began again. The light outside flashed before settling on a pale blue white. Suddenly an alert sounded on the screen. They had landed in Rarity's office. The white unicorn with the fabulous curly purple mane had jumped over her desk into an attack stance. Rarity was charging a spell. "Oops… bit too close wasn't I," he said cringing at the ponies that were glaring at him. Doohickey walked up to the door. She tightened her bow. The Doctor saw this and gasped "Doohickey! What are you…" but she was gone before he could stop her.
Rarity fired her spell the second the door opened. But it closed before she could see who was inside this odd box that had appeared with flashing lights. The spell was absorbed in the blue wood.
"Well that is an impressive protection." She said.
"Thank you." a small voice replied. She gasped and turned her glowing horn towards the voice. She stumbled a bit with what she saw. It was a pegasus filly with a smoke brown coat and light yellow and brown mane. She had blue eyes that were crossed like that mail pony Rarity had met in Ponyville, the really clumsy one that destroyed the town hall.
"Who are you?" the white unicorn asked angrily, horn glowing ominously.
"My name is Doohickey." The filly responded formally. Rarity turned her head quickly when the door to the blue box opened again.
"RARITY!" Fluttershy shouted angrily. Rarity was so shocked her spell dissolved. "How could you threaten a filly?"
"I thought she was an Empirial spy!" the unicorn said, defending herself.
"Oh, well that's okay then… wait, no it's not!" Fluttershy said glaring at Rarity before she scrutinized Doohickey for injuries.
"I'm okay Fluttershy." The filly said dipping her head at the pegasus. Fluttershy chuffed before flying back to the Tardis. She opened the door and Applebloom leapt out.
"Hiya there Miss. Rarity, um, can ya tell me where Sweetie Bell is?" Rarity smiled sadly just as her office door opened behind the Tardis.
"Sist… what is this box doing here?" A sweet high voice called out from the door.
"SWEETIE BELL!" Applebloom shouted happily. A white unicorn filly with a light purple and pink curly mane popped out from behind the Tardis
"Applebloom?" when the unicorn filly saw Applebloom they squealed and hugged each other, hopping up and down. Doohickey suddenly felt a little lonely, it didn't last long.
"Sweetie Bell! I want ya ta meet somepony! This is Doohickey! We met her by Ponyville, Doohickey this is Sweetie Bell." Sweetie Bell smiled at Doohickey.
"It's nice to meet you!" the unicorn filly said holding out a hoof. Doohickey smiled and shook it. Rarity looked at the two fillies and cringed.
"Why are you here Fluttershy?" Rarity asked. Fluttershy opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted
"Not just her! I'm here too!" Pinkie Pie said leaping out of the Tardis and giving Rarity a big hug.
"P…Pinkie?" Rarity stuttered out, shocked. "You sided with the core?"
"No silly!" Pinkie Pie said moving to stand beside Fluttershy "I sided with my friends."
"Oh… I see, well then what are you two doing here?" she asked with distain moving back behind her desk.
"We need your help." Doohickey said. The unicorn turned to the filly
"Oh, with what?" Rarity asked with a raised eyebrow. She conjured a tea set and poured her self a cup of tea, which she sipped daintily, listening to the filly.
"We're going to defeat Celestia." Rarity spewed her tea in a very un-ladylike fashion. She sputtered a bit as the filly continued "and we need the Elements of Harmony to do it." Rarity looked at the filly before she began to laugh, quite loudly in fact.
"My dearest little filly, Luna has attempted to overthrow Celestia for two years now… even more evidence against your ludicrous plan is the fact that three of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony are loyal to the very mare you intend to defeat… you have to realize that I must take this plan, with at least a tablespoon of salt." Rarity said lifting the sugar spoon with her magic and waving about in an animated fashion. She poured half a spoon of sugar into a new cup of tea and sipped it as the three ponies before her absorbed her words. At last, after a few sips and seconds of thought, she spoke. "I suppose… there is one way I could be convinced to help you…"
"What is it?" Doohickey asked in desperation.
"If you were to bring me some sort of proof… that the ponies working for Celestia can be convinced to fight against her… I might be willing to agree to fight for you. As it is I am really quite busy. I am one of the only ponies that actually does any work around here and Princess Luna simply cannot get anything done without me. I would have to be absolutely certain that this scheme would amount to anything before I spend the Republic's very valuable time and resources on such a project." Rarity said sipping her tea thoughtfully. Doohickey looked at the ground a bit before she smiled and looked back up to Rarity.
"Very well, we'll get you your proof! You won't be disappointed. I promise you! This will work." Doohickey said before turning back to the Tardis. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie took this as a sign that it was time to go.
"Applebloom… we're leaving…" Fluttershy said flying up to the two reuniting friends
"Already? But we just started talking!" Applebloom said pouting sadly. Fluttershy looked at the filly sadly and urged her towards the Tardis "bye, Sweetie Bell!"
"Bye, Applebloom!" Sweetie replied going to stand beside her older sister. Before Fluttershy entered the Tardis she turned back to Rarity.
"Oh, um, It was nice to see you again Rarity, if we ever get the chance, we should go to a spa together again, just like old times." The pegasus smiled before she closed the Tardis door behind her. The Tardis disappeared in a bright flash of light.
"It was nice to see you too, Fluttershy…" Rarity finally chocked out, her eyes swimming with tears.