Election Day

by Fedora

Blank Stares

Derpy and Lyra trotted through the streets of Ponyville, about a body’s length behind the Doctor himself. The Doctor was searching for a store that would sell him some blue paint that matched the color of the TARDIS exterior. The sun was beginning to set, and night was quickly approaching. As a result, many storefronts were packing up, and shops began to close down.

“Doctor, I think it’s a bit late, you’ll have to try again tomorrow!” Derpy called up to him.

“Not too much of a problem, considering,” he said, “but since I’ve taken the time to come all the way out here I’d like to get this done and over with now.”

He found a shop that had not yet closed, and entered inside. Derpy and Lyra followed.

They were inside a hobby shop, with small model kits and plastic vehicles on display. The place had a very colorful feel to it, though it was dimly lit as half the lights were shut off. There was nopony at the counter, but the Doctor went about searching in the paints section anyways.

“I used to have one of these,” Lyra remarked, picking up a cardboard box. The front displayed a drawing of a metallic warship, marked with Gryphon insignia. The model was of a Gryphon warship from decades prior, still popular among naval model enthusiasts.

“It looks like the one in the pictures from the Daring Do books,” Derpy noted. She glanced over her shoulder toward the Doctor, who was frowning.

“Something the matter, Doctor?” she asked.

“Yeah,” he said, “these paints are pitifully small.”

He held up a small glass jar in his hoof, which contained barely enough paint to cover a single letter on the side of the TARDIS.

“Y’know,” Lyra said, “If you’re trying to paint wood, you’d be better off with wood paint from the hardware store.”

“Maybe,” the Doctor said. He placed the item back on the shelf, and paced in front of the paint shelf.

From somewhere behind the counter came a thudding noise, and a brief flash of light from under the crack of the door. Derpy recognized it as a similar light to the one she had seen in the Mayor’s office.

The door opened, and a middle-aged looking mare trotted out. She had very wide eyes, and an almost zombie-like stare. She shifted her head from side to side, taking in all three of the ponies on the other side of the store counter.

“We’re closed!” she growled to the closest pony, who was Lyra.

“Oh,” replied Lyra, “You still had the flag up outside though...”

“It’s a mistake, now get out!” the mare ordered, her stare twitching.

The Doctor positioned himself in front of the counter, drawing the mare’s attention. The two stared at each other, in a battle between the sharp perceptive stare of the Doctor and the mare’s creepy blank stare. The mare lost, blinking repeatedly and becoming angry when the three didn’t leave her store.

“I told you to get lost!” she yelled, shooing the three ponies out the door and slamming it shut behind them. The glass door clicked, and shortly after a blind closed.

Lyra, the Doctor, and Derpy stood outside, perplexedly blinking at each other.

****

By the time the three were heading back toward Carrot Top’s cottage, the sun had set in the sky completely. A faint orange glow on the horizon was all that remained, guiding them on the dirt path to the cottage.

“I’ll just pop forward a day and get the paint, get it done in tomorrow’s daylight and then come back this evening,” the Doctor said, “then we’re all set to go.”

Derpy paused, standing at the threshold of the cottage. Lyra had already gone inside before her.

“If it’s all the same to you, Doctor, I think I owe Carrot Top some of my time and attention,” she said, “If it’s all the same to you, I’ll just hook up with you in the morning.”

The Doctor nodded slowly. He stepped forward, shaking Derpy’s hoof quickly.

“Alright then,” he said, “Tell your friend Lyra that she’s got to be ready in the morning if she wants to go travelling and all.”

“I will,” Derpy said, “See you tomorrow, Doctor!”

She closed the door and went inside, leaving the Doctor to round the back side of the cottage off in the direction of his TARDIS.

Carrot Top sat atop a pillow in her sitting room, listening to the radio warbling an orchestral tune while she knit. Derpy took a seat as well, smiling to her tired-looking friend.

“How are you doing?” she asked.

“Better than earlier,” Carrot Top admitted, “I took a little nap, and I’m feeling a lot better.”

There was a pause. Derpy didn’t know if she should speak next or not, but it was Carrot Top that continued the conversation.

“Derpy, I just want to say that I’m sorry for freaking out at that stallion earlier,” she said, “I was... I was stressed out. I’ve been stressed out all week and...”

“and?”

“And I’m just really glad that you’re safe, that’s all,” Carrot Top concluded, smiling back to Derpy, “I saw the blue box thing when he showed it to Lyra and... it’s.... I can’t even believe it.”

Derpy nodded. She wanted to broach the subject of her and Lyra both going about travelling with the Doctor in the morning, but decided against it. Not now, at least.

Carrot Top switched out the yarn she was using for another color, at the same time that the music ended. A newer song started up soon after it, a swing piece with a faster tempo and driving brass. Carrot Top’s head bobbed to the beat of the music, and her knitting needles worked themselves in a sort of tempo.

It was then that the Doctor burst into the room, breathless and upset-looking.

“Oh..... hello Doctor,” Carrot Top said with a frown, “Is something the matter?”

“You bet something’s the matter,” he fumed, “The TARDIS is gone.”