The Changed One

by peacevic

The Lost One- part 3

The Lost One- part 3

"Here we are." The Doctor said as he flipped the parking brake on.
"Are you absolutely sure?" I asked. "I'm not doubting you or anything, but I'd rather not walk into another ambush. God knows, waking up to one is enough."
Twilight nodded, lips pursed, and Derpy did nothing. I'd be lying if I said that didn't worry me a little. The Doctor double-checked his instruments. "Yep. Tenpony Tower, just like you asked for."
"All right, let's go." We all started for the door. I stopped short as a thought occured to me. "Wait, guys. Hold on."
They all turned to face me. "What is it, Verdant?" The Doctor wondered.
I pointed at Twilight. "We need to cover her wings."
"My wings? Why?" Twilight demanded. "What, do they not have alicorns here?"
"They do, but that's the problem. Please, just trust me on this."
Twilight groaned. "Fine. Come on, Derpy. You can show me where you keep the clothes around here."
The Princess stomped off, with Derpy trailing meekly behind. The Doctor and I waited in silence. After a while, he started fiddling with his sonic screwdriver. More awkwardness ensued as we found ourselves with nothing to talk about.
Finally, he put the screwdriver away. "So." He said. "Are you-"
Acrash came from down the hall, followed a few seconds later by Derpy shouting, We're fine, don't worry! And, um, don't come in here!"
I was glad to hear she wasn't completely catatonic, and I said as much.
"Yeah." The Doctor agreed. "Now I'm just worried about what she broke."
"Buns of steel."
"Are you two talking about me?" Derpy rejoined us and Twilight followed a second or two after, making final adjustments to the bow of her new dress.
"What do you think?"
I studdied Twilight's attire. It was simple enough, a short blue frock with black polka dots, the bow being the only accessory. "Well... I don't really know pony fashion. So I guess it looks fine."
"You're so encouraging." She deadpanned.
"Whatever, let's go." Together, we marched out of the Tardis.
Right into an armed security team. "Hold it!" The captain snapped. "Who are you ponies? How'd you get in here?"
I elbowed my time traveling cohort. "Doc, the paper. Show them the paper!"
"Oh, right." He produced the psychic paper.
"What are you two whispering?"
"He was just reminding me to show you this." He held up the paper.
The Captain read what he thought he saw on the blank card, frowning. "Super maintainence team. What the hell does that mean?"
Derpy spoke up, knowing the steps to this dance. "Just that we're, well, super. Pegasus, earth pony, unicorn. A pony for every problem."
"How many maintainence pegasi do you see in the Wasteland?" I put in.
"Right... Putting aside the fact that none of your cutie marks are remotely connected to fixing things-"
"A pony has to make a living." I interruppted.
"And the fact that you look to be an ex-Raider." He continued. I winced at that, silently cursing the fact that I had forgotten my own cutie mark. "Why are you here? I didn't place any order."
Aha! "We got a call from some of the tennants." I went from cursing to commending my own cleverness. "They said it was a four man- ahem- maintainence pony job, and to get here quick as possible."
The Captain slowly nodded, starting to buy it. But he still had doubts. "So you all got here, and then decided to cram yourselves into this tiny box."
"It's a storage shed." Twilight explained. "It's bigger on the inside. Afraid I can't tell you how it works, though. It's a trade secret."
"Can you go get Mr. Life Bloom and Ms. Homage? The order came from them, and we'd like to get started on what they want us to do." I tried to sound somewhat bored.
He groaned, apparently deciding we were who we said we were and annoyed at the inconvenience of now having to fetch our 'clients'. "Just stay here, I'll send them down. Come on, guys."
They left us there, to the relief of all. Except for Twilight, who was offended by their unprofessionalism. "Those were the worst security ponies I've ever seen. They didn't even detain us!"
"And yet you seem upset." Was my snarky reply.
"While we have some time to ourselves, could you tell us more about this world?" The Doctor asked before Twilight could think of a comeback. "I think it'd be best if we all knew a bit more about what we're dealing with."
I scratched my mane. "Like I said before, this is Equestria. About 200 years after a cataclysmic war with the Zebra Nation. Almost every are is at least slightly magically irradiated. And there are other, worse things."
"A war..." Derpy muttered. "Doctor, I think I'll go back in the Tardis now." Before we could say anything, she turned and walked into the Tardis, forgetting even to shut the door.
"I'll go see if she's ok." Twilight offered. I could see that 'ok' was the state she was farthest from, but I nodded any way. Hopefully they could help each other.
Our fake clients showed up just as Twilight telekinetically closed the door. Homage saw the Tardis and stopped dead. "You're him. The pony with the blue box..."
"Not exactly." The Doctor corrected. "I'm... a version of him."
"What?"
I stomped a hoof. "Look, we don't really have time to explain. We need to find Littlepip."
She furrowed her brow, seeming confused. "Little-who?"
The secrecy was exasperating. "You know... Littlepip. The Wasteland Savior? The Lightbringer? Come on, we're in a hurry."
"A Savior?" Life Bloom couldn't possibly be any more condescending. "No such thing. Not in the Wasteland."
"I've been hearing rumors of a Stable Dweller near Ponyville." Homage informed us. "But nothing like what you're talking about."
I facehoofed. "Oh, God..."
"What is it?" The Doctor asked.
"We're too early. Way, way too early. She hasn't gotten here yet."
The Doctor looked thoughtful. "Well that's not good."
"No, it's not." I agreed. "We'll have to forget about trying to talk with her. Any contact now could ruin everything."
"Contact with who?" Life Bloom groused. "Ruin what? What are you talking about?"
"I'm sorry, sir. I can't tell you. It was a mistake even saying what I've already said." I actually was sorry.
"But-"
Homage cut her friend off. "I get the feeling there's some sort of time-travel thing going on here, Life Bloom. Let's drop it."
"Thank you, Miss Homage. And thank you for not calling the guards on us." I started to leave, then turned back. "Oh, and I know you have no real reason to listen to my advice, but I'll give it anyway. You should trust toaster repair-ponies."
Before she could respond, a security pony entered and began whispering in her ear. Her eyes widened and she looked at me, confused. I just winked and walked away.
The Doctor trotted after me. "Verdant, the Tardis is back there. Where are you going."
"To find a good view of the front date."

I watched the Savior and her friends walk through the gate and start toward the front door. The Doctor joined me, having stopped to check on Derpy before following.
"So which one's Littlepip?" He asked. I pointed her out and the Doctor frowned. "She's so... little."
"She's big where it counts." I told him. "She has to be, to survive what comes next."
He turned to me. "What happens to her?"
I told him. Every painful detail. He looked back at the tiny mare. "She's so little." He whispered.
"I'd go to her, if I could. Tell her everything she needs to do to win. How to avoid the danger. How to be the Savior. But I can't."
The Doctor was skeptical. "Why is that?"
"Because she's not the Savior, not yet. All that pain. The fear. The love she finds and enemies she makes. Every bullet she takes and every friend she loses, it builds her into the role." I could see he wasn't quite buying it, so I kept going. "I could go tell her, sure. Maybe she'd even do what needs to be done. But what if she doesn't? What if she runs away, or gets someone else to do it? Well, then she'll never be the hope of the Wasteland. She'll always be the Stable Dweller, not the Lightbringer, and this place will never get better."
He thought for a while. "You know..." He finally said. "A wise man knows restraint."
I smiled. "I've heard that."
He didn't smile back. "He also knows the difference between a reason and an excuse."
I locked eyes with him. "How about you? Do you know the difference?"
After what felt like an hour, he backed down. "I'm not that wise." He started walking away.
"How's Derpy doing?" I inquired, hoping to sound concillatory.
The Doctor stopped, but didn't turn around. "Not great. She's not the kind of pony who takes being splattered with brains very well."
"Which is why she's your companion... wait!" I had an idea.
"What is it?"
I strode past him. "We're all done here, so come on."
"Where are you going?"
"Back to the Tardis! There's someone Derpy needs to meet."