• Published 30th Dec 2013
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Time Keeps Wibbling On: A Doctor Whooves Adventure - Shotoman



Something's wrong with time. Again. Why else would there be more than one Doctor at once?

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Sum of His Memories

The Magical Land of Equestria, a very, very long time ago:

It was snowing outside again. Of course it was snowing. It was always snowing in this Princesses forsaken place. Why would today be any different? Even the amazing view outside the little colt's window did little to soothe his bad mood. Honestly, he couldn't figure out what the big deal was, anyway. Yes, the crystal spires and the myriad ways they refracted light were always beautiful, but that was just it, they were always there. It was boring. The little one desperately wished his parents had allowed him that trip to Everfree, if only for the change in scenery.

"Maybe next week," they had said. "The Fair is coming up, and you know how important that is."

Yes, of course he knew how important the Crystal Fair was. As Prince of the Realm, it was one of the many, many things that had been drilled into his head practically since birth. It was one of the pillars of the Crystal Empire's culture. That didn't stop the young colt from moping in his room tonight. "Hmph," he muttered under his breath. "Who needs them, anyway?"

Who needs them?

The colt sat up stock straight in surprise. The question was quiet--he almost didn't quite catch it. But it had seemed to come from outside his own window. "Who goes there?" He asked, sounding much braver than he felt.

Who goes?

Definitely from outside. The young one felt a shiver of fear, but also mild annoyance. Did whatever-it-was out there really mean to imply it didn't know him? Him of all ponies? "I asked first," he said, as he threw the window open to confront the whatever-it-was. If it was a foalnapper, they were going to learn the error of their ways. He was already a powerful mage--had skipped several years in school, and was a nationally ranked dualist even at his young age.

I asked first,

"No you didn't, I did!"

I did.

The fear was gone, completely replaced by irritation. The whatever-it-was certainly had a childish sense of humor. But what was it, anyway? If he didn't know better, he could have sworn it was the snow itself talking. "What is your name?"

What is your name?

The colt tilted his head in confusion. Definitely sounded like it was coming from the snow. But that was impossible, even in this world full of magic and unicorns and cities constructed out of crystal. Maybe he was just... No, no that was impossible as well. He was a prince! What need did he have for an imaginary friend?

What is your name?

The repeated question caused to colt to scratch his chin thoughtfully. His imagination was certainly vivid for something he didn't really use much. Perhaps he was lonelier than even he was aware of. Oh, what harm could it do? If nothing else it would keep him entertained for a while.

"Sombra," he said out to the frigid air. "My name is Sombra."

Time Keeps Wibbling On: A Doctor Whooves Adventure
By
Shotoman with creative input by sgamer82

Part 1
Sum of His Memories

Dodge Junction, Equestria, 784 C.R:

The desert heat beat down on the now quiet town of Dodge Junction. Funny how quiet things always were after the shooting stopped. Standing in the middle of the town was an odd quartet of ponies. The largest and strangest of them all turned sadly to the others. "It seems I am now a weapon without a purpose." He cast a look over to the smoke rising in the distance, then back down at his metal armored foreleg. "What do I do now?"

The current, temporary sheriff of Dodge Junction smiled up at the half metal pony before him. "A weapon? Oh, you're no weapon. I mean, don't get me wrong, you have weapons in you and quite a lot of them and most of them are really quite deadly..."

"Doctor..." the red maned mare said in irritation. "The point."

The Doctor coughed into his hoof. "Sorry." He removed the sheriff's badge from his decidedly out of place tweed jacket at hoofed it over to the cyborg. "If it's a purpose you want, perhaps you can try protection. I'm sure the ponies here wouldn't mind." The Doctor gestured to the surrounding buildings, where the townsponies were cautiously stepping out into the streets, watching the exchange. "They need a sheriff, a pony who can look out for them, keep them safe. One who'll stay by them, and that's something I can't do. I've got places to go, things to see, running to do. But you...?" He pinned the badge to the weather beaten brown cloak the cyborg was wearing.

The large pony-turned-weapon looked down at his new proof of office, then back at the doctor, the organic part of his face twisted into a smile. Dodge Junction had it's new sheriff.

~DrW~

"How was that for a weekend trip, eh?" the Doctor crowed as he gleefully threw the TARDIS door open. "Where should we go next, hmm? Signing of the great peace treaty with the griffons? Maybe a day among the dinosaurs? I know a space station in the 60th century that makes the best fruit smoothies in the universe."

"Actually, Doctor," spoke up Ripple Pond, sharing a significant look with the third member of their little party, "I think we'd better get home before anypony notices Blue Shield and me're aging faster than they are."

For the briefest of moments, the Doctor's face fell, but his smile returned almost instantly. "Yes. Good idea. Definitely something to consider. I forget how that works sometimes. And I suppose we should see if your dad's made any progress on those cubes, eh Shieldey?"

Blue Shield rolled his eyes. At least the Doctor didn't call him Mr. Pond this time.

The Doctor began his mad dash around the control panel in the center of the room, turning knobs, slamming levers into place, and pounding buttons. "Let's get a move on, then. Sooner I drop you two off at home, the sooner we can leave agaiAHG!!"

The TARDIS shook violently. Much more so than the Doctor's driving usually merited. Ripple would have landed quite painfully on her flank if Blue Shield hadn't caught her and took the painful landing himself. The Doctor got through by holding on to the console.

"Doctor, what's going on?" Ripple asked in annoyance.

"Looks like there's an irregularity in the Time Vortex, it's playing havoc on the temporal couplings and the chronodar, making it very difficult to steer right now."

"Is that your way of saying you don't know?" Blue Shield asked.

"Yes!" the Doctor replied, though his face had a gleeful smile that made his two companions groan. "Hang on to something, Ponds. Looks like we're in for a bumpy ride." He then thew his head back and shouted wholeheartedly "Geronimo!"

~DrW~

"Was that supposed to happen?" Ripple asked around coughs as she stumbled out of the little blue barn that disguised one of the greatest ships in the universe.

"Supposed to happen?" The Doctor asked in irritation, even as he was desperately trying to put out the fires their little entrance caused. "Of course that wasn't supposed to happen? When is that ever supposed to happen?"

"And yet it does," Blue Shield replied dryly.

"Oh, shut up you. Go outside for now and let me deal with the fires."

The other two did what he asked (for once) leaving the Doctor to do his work. The fires weren't a particularly big deal and he almost had them all out when Ripple called back in to him. "Oi, Raggedy Colt! We got a pony out here!"

"Yes, the owner of the shop, probably," the Doctor replied, as he got his first look at the building they'd crashed into, taking note of the many, many now-broken clocks hanging on the walls. "It's a clock shop, apparently. Oh, isn't that nostalgic? Well you wouldn't know it's nostalgic, I don't speak of the Ponyville days. But nostalgic it is. Keep him busy while I put this last fire out."

Moments later, the Doctor exited the store, his mouth running and his attention most certainly not trained on the shop owner they'd inconvenienced. "Hello there. Sorry for the mess. Our ride is giving us a bit of trouble. The fires are out but I wouldn't go in yet if I were you. Don't worry, though. I just need to see where the hiccup is get her fixed. We'll make sure the place is clean when we leave, you won't even know we were here. Oh, right. Introductions. This is Mr. and Mrs. Ripple Pond and I am the Doctaaah!"

Just as he was about to extend his hoof, he saw the pony before him, and it caused him to leap back several hooves. It... it was him. From before! From... from the Ponyville days! Looking on with a mildly amused smirk on his face. Was he really that skinny back then? The Doctor supposed he had to be, because here he was. But if he was here...

The Doctor looked up at the sign hanging above the clock shop door. An hourglass, naturally. Then... In a panic the Doctor searched the skies. Good. No sign of her. Yet. The Doctor brought his gaze back down to look at, well, at himself, and there was only one word that could possibly encapsulate all the very complex feelings churning through his hearts.

"What?"

Ponyville, Equestria. 1002 C.R.