• Published 8th Feb 2016
  • 1,804 Views, 63 Comments

DOCTOR - Deidorimu



Equestria has fallen into chaos by Discord, Celestia and Luna fight desperately to keep Equestria in peace. Simultaneously, criminals and villains take this time as an opportunity for greed and power. And in the mid-center of this chaos lies a doctor

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Corruption in Dodge Junction: Part One (S1C2)

The hot summer sun shone bright upon the town of Dodge Junction. Visual heat waves hovered upon the scorching desert sand. The desert creatures all hid beneath shades of cacti or borrowed themselves beneath the ground. All of them, unseen within miles of the town. Yet even if one happens to be trekking out of shade into the heat, the critter wouldn't have been seen by a single soul.

A single tumbleweed rolled through the silent, empty streets of Dodge Junction. Only the sounds of a few vultures, eating a desert mouse next to a barrel in an alley could be heard.

Fading hoofsteps through the streets was the only evidence that civilization did exist here at one point. However, the blowing wind, though not as strong as it had previously been minutes before, erased the marks slowly. Covering the marks with additional sand or disfiguring the shapes with erosion.

Dodge Junction seemed devoid of any life.

Except for the two ponies entering at the town's front.

One was a gray earth pony with well kept black hair. He had violet eyes and a shooting star for a cutie mark. He carried saddle bags filled with supplies upon his back.

Beside him was a well dressed elderly pegasus. He wore a black vest with a pocket watch chain hanging out the pocket and a blue tie, and a gray long sleeve button up shirt underneath with the sleeves rolled up to his knees. In addition to his attire, he wore a black fedora with a gray trim lining. His cutie mark was a shimmering, golden, eight pointed compass with a bright blue flame in the center.

A trail, created by their hoofsteps, lead to a large blue box out in the distance. A quarter of a mile from the town, next to the "Welcome to Dodge Junction" sign.

The two ponies looked about, taking in every detail of their surrounding.

"Wow, western styled. I like it. Cowponies of the wild west! With their stetson hats and street duels and the wild parties they have in the saloons!" the Doctor said excitedly.

Dean chuckled, "I'm not sure what kind of western town you've been to but I'm afraid Dodge Junction isn't like that. We're a lot more civilized here. Of course they wear stetsons and we do occasionally have parties in the saloon. However, our parties never get out of hoof so it's nothing to get excited for, and you definitely won't be finding any "street duels" here. Our sheriffs keep this town too well protected to allow that to happen".

"Really? So this isn't the "wild west, it just "the west?"

"Guess so, Dodge Junction puts the "C" in "common west".

"Oh, that doesn't sound too fun. I was honestly expecting to walk in town and be greeted by the townsfolk while simultaneously watching a drunk being thrown out of the saloons second floor window".

" . . . What western towns have you been to?" Dean asked, looking to the Doctor in confusion.

"Ones that put the "W" in "Wild West", that's for sure" the Doctor replied.

There was two seconds of silence before the Doctor asked, "hey, I just realized something. If you live in a western town in Equestria. Then how come you sound British?"

Dean blushed and looked away. "Oh, um, well . . . it's a little embarrassing. I at one point had a western accent, still do actually. However, once I moved out of town and left for college in Mane City, I felt too intimidated to speak with my accent in front of the "high class" ponies. I did try once, everypony laughed at me. Asked why a "stupid" cowpony would want to study astronomy. This one bloke even said I should, "get my dirty farm hooves off of royal ground and just go back and grow some fruit like I'm supposed to". I was just about ready to leave at this point until I found a drama class close to my college. I applied for classes and the teachers there taught me how to imitate a British accent. I studied every night as soon as I come home from school, speaking everything in my new accent. Eventually my accent sounded so convincing that I started speaking it out during the day. Ever since then I always spoke in a British accent, even when I returned home for the holidays. I was afraid, still am afraid actually, that if I try to speak in my western accent again that I'll lose my British one. I know it sounds silly, but that's just something I've done to try to cope with those "high class" snobs".

"So this isn't your natural accent?"

"No".

"Huh, guess you and I have more in common than I thought".

"What?"

The Doctor, ignoring Dean's question said, "listen, I'm glad you found a solution to your problem and all. But you shouldn't let ponies like that change you for who you really are. If you wanted a British accent, then practice for it. However, it sounds to me like you let them force you into getting one just so you can fit in. That isn't right Dean. Never let anypony change you, You be who you want to be, western or not. If you ever meet ponies like that again don't ever feel the need to lie to yourself just to be accepted. Because if it were me, I'd rather everypony hate me for something I am then something I am not. And I'd recommend thinking the same way".

"R-Right, I'll think about that", said Dean, looking to the Doctor.

" . . . But, I guess it is understandable what you did. Those high class royal rear ends are too stuck up and clean to ever associate themselves with a pony that might not be just like them. Don't get me wrong, I have met a few rich ponies who were decent. The majority, however, think that their better then everypony else because they have jewels, and money, and live near the princesses. Honestly, I think they deserve what Discords doing to them-".

"Whoa! A bit far don't you think?"

"Oh please! Those rich snobs are fine! Their not dying or in any serious danger! But if you ask me, I feel like they could use Discord as a form of punishment for the way they treat lower class ponies. Although you and I know they're not in danger, they don't. So maybe once Discord has been defeated, those ponies will start being more appreciative to other lives than themselves. Its a low chance, but one can hope after all" said the Doctor.

They continued walking through the streets for a few moments before taking notice of the towns silence. They looked around, searching for ponies.

"Your town seems awfully quiet Dean, is there some sort of holiday they're celebrating? Should I have brought something? Like a present or a meal?" asked The Doctor.

"No, at least, not that I know of. We don't celebrate holidays in the summer. I mean, asides from birthdays but that wouldn't make everypony disappear. Where is everyone?" asked Dean.

The Doctor looked to Dean, seeing that he was genuinely confused. The Doctor looked around for a bit, observing every detail of the town. He looked to the old hoofsteps beneath him and bent low. Gently, he touched a hoofstep that hadn't been too affected by the winds, one that had been pressed deeper into the ground then the other hoofsteps. He sniffed the mark, then took a pinch of sand a placed it upon his tongue. Closing his eyes, the Doctor swished the sand in his mouth back and forth before spitting to the ground and wiping his mouth. "Three days old, fresh but barely". The Doctor looked to Dean and backed a step.

Dean was giving the Doctor a look of absolute disgust and confusion. His mouth gaping as words seemed to fail him.

" . . . What?"

"Uh . . . uh-"

"What!?"

"W-why, why did you just pop sand in your mouth?" asked Dean.

"Oh, I was tracing back to when a pony had last stepped here. Speaking of which, is there a hat tailor here?" asked the Doctor.

" . . . You put sand in your mouth to find out when a pony stepped here"

"Well, yes".

" . . . . Doctor, where did you get your degree from?"

"DEAN! Now's not the time to mock me! Hat tailor! Does this town have one?"

"Um, yes! It does! Its close by here, why?"

The Doctor pointed to the hoof mark. "There's traces of mercuric nitrate in the sand. A chemical used to moisten the fabrics used on hats to reduce the time needed to produce one. This hoofmark hasn't eroded as fast as the other marks by the wind because this hoofstep is deeper. The reason for this is because water had been spilt here. This sand was mud three days ago, and whoever stepped on it must have worked at the hat tailor. Its faint, but the traces are still there".

"You found all that out just from tasting sand?" asked Dean.

"Well it takes lots of practice but, yes".

"Are you going to get sick now? Isn't mercuric nitrate poisonous?"

"I'll be fine, it has mostly faded since the pony last stepped here. Now, if all the marks on this street are as old as the others. Then that means no pony has stepped hoof outside in three days".

"But, where could they have gone?" asked Dean, becoming concerned.

"I'm not sure, but something is definitely wrong-".

Suddenly, the Doctor whipped around, facing towards one of the nearby alleyways.

A shadow darted away as the Doctor did so, disappearing behind the buildings.

The Doctor looked around quickly at each of the windows. Too fast for the eyes of the shadows to hide behind their curtains before they could be spotted.

Dean stepped forward, "Doctor, wha-".

"We're being watched".

"What! Where!?"

"Everywhere. Through the windows, in the alleys. Their close, they have us outnumbered".

"Maybe it's the townsfolk-".

"If that's true then what's with all the hiding and spying? If ponies really are here then how come not a single one has at least left their house let alone greet us?"

"I, uh, I don't know! They're usually a lot nicer than this, they would never hide unless something really bad happened!" said Dean, scared.

"Well it looks like something bad must have happened while you were gone-".

Suddenly, the Doctor and Dean turned to a two storied building marked "Dodge Desserts", as they heard the shrill screams of a mare peirce and echoed through the town.

"That's Mr and Mrs. Sugar's shop! They live on the second floor!"

Before Dean could react, the Doctor had already darted forward and was in the shop in a second. "Hello!!! Where are you!?!" the Doctor shouted.

Another scream caused the doctor to looked to the back of the store, where a flight of stairs were.

The Doctor galloped forward, up the stairs, and into a hallway. The Doctor kicked down the first door to his left and rushed inside. He immediately left the room (seeing as it was an empty washroom) and broke straight into the next door to the right. It was a messy bedroom with scattered clothes, candy, and a hole in the wall beside the bed. No pony was inside. Growling, the Doctor proceeded to the next room, then the next.

Until, at the end of the hall, the Doctor broke into the master bedroom.

It was a dark clean room with a queen sized bed and two dressers on each side.

The Doctor's vision zoomed left to right as he searched for the pony in danger. "HELLO! Do you need help!? Are you in trouble!?!"

"No, but you are" said a western voice behind the Doctor.

The Doctor turned and saw a peach colored mare with freckles and a brown mane in a ponytail shut the door. She had positioned herself so that when the Doctor had opened the door, the door would prevent the Doctor from immediately discovering her. However, the door swung with such force at the mare that her nose was now bleeding.

She held up a bat and positioned herself. "I'm so sorry".

"What!-"

The mare swung the bat, hitting the Doctor across the head.

The Doctor fell to the floor, unconscious.

THIRTY SECONDS AGO

"That's Mr and Mrs. Sugar's shop! They live on the second floor!"

Before Dean could react, the Doctor had already darted forward and was in the shop in a second.

"Doctor! Wait!" Dean shouted, galloping forwards into the shop. He heard a second scream just before entering. He entered, looking at the scattered tables and the front glass counter full of candy in the store. He rushed to the counter and peered over, seeing if anyone had been hiding there. After finding no one, Dean suddenly realized he heard hoof steps above him. He looked to the ceiling and waited, listening to find out if the Doctor had found the mare who screamed.

"HELLO! Do you need help!? Are you in trouble!?!" a muffled stallion voice shouted.

"Doctor?" Dean mumbled.

Silence for a moment, then.

"What!-"

There was a dull slam as something fell hard onto the floor above.

"Doctor!!!" Dean shouted, rushing to the stairs. He galloped to the top as fast as his legs could take him. Reaching the end of the hall within seconds. Just as he was about to enter the master bedroom, a mare rushed out and slammed the door.

She was a peach colored mare with freckles and a brown mane in a ponytail. Her nose was bruised entirely and bleeding. She looked in absolute distress as she fell to the ground.

Dean rushed to her side, "Mrs. Sugar!? W-What's happening? Are you alright?"

The mare whimpered, "Oh Dean! I'm so glad yer back! Its been awful! This town has been in a real mess since you been gone!"

"What? What's happened to the town? Wait, hold on, a stallion just rushed up here. An old white stallion wearing a vest and a fedora, where is he?"

"He a friend a yers?"

"Yes, where is he?"

"He . . . he . . .", the mare couldn't finish. She broke down and started crying. "He's dead!"

Dean froze, "w-what!?!"

Mrs. Sugar sniffed, "some bad ponies had broken into ma house and tried to kill me. But that brave stallion came in and saved ma life. But . . . they killed him . . . they killed him and took his body!"

'So she's the one who screamed', thought Dean. "Why would they take his body? And how did they even get out of the house? We'd have to have crossed paths in the hallway as I came up here".

"Oh, they . . . went out the window".

"On the second floor?" asked Dean.

"Y-Yes, they . . . had a ladder".

Dean took notice as the mare's tone suddenly changed. It still sounded scared, however, it wasn't the same fear as before. Her previous fear sounded genuine. Now, it seem like she was under some sort of pressure.

'Is she . . . is she lying? I mean, her story doesn't even make sense! Some "bad ponies", who even are these bad ponies? They came in, tried to kill her, but the Doctor intervened. They kill the Doctor instead and left out the second floor window carrying the Doctor down a ladder? What does she take me for? An idiot? I don't know exactly what's going on, but I do know that the Doctors in trouble. She must have done something to him. I need to find the Doctor' thought Dean.

"Mrs. Sugar, who exactly were these "bad ponies?" And what did they attack you for?" asked Dean.

"I-I don't know! Ah swear! They just came in and tried to hurt me!"

'Sweet Celestia you're a bad lier' thought Dean. "Did these "bad ponies" kill the Doctor in this room?"

"Y-Yes".

"Alright, I'm going to have a look" said Dean, trying and failing to walk into the room as the mare jumped to her hooves and blocked his path.

"Wait! You can't go in there!"

"And why not?"

Mrs. Sugar started to sweat at this point, looking back and forth between the door and Dean. "B-Because! B-Because of, uh, the . . blood! There's blood and uh, organs! His organs are splattered all over the place you wouldn't want to see yer friend like that!"

Dean said sarcastically, "Oh gosh you're right, that's just terrible! So, you're saying that those bad ponies didn't just kill the Doctor, but they mutilated him and splattered his remains all over the room?"

Felling her trick was successful, Mrs. Sugar said confidently, "Precisely!"

"Oh my goodness I can't believe my dear old friend is- oh, hold on. Didn't you say they took his body out the window and down a ladder?"

"Um . . . yes?"

"Oh, that's funny because-" Dean leaned close to the mare, their faces mere inches from each other. He looked fiercely into the scared mare's eyes. "If those ponies did take his body, then why are there remains still in the room?"

'Oh no! He saw through ma trick!' thought Mrs. Sugar. "Well, that's because, that's because . . . uh . . . they took . . . just his head?"

Dean stared at her for a second before saying, "you know. I'm insulted that you think I'm honestly stupid enough to beleive you".

"Y-you don't beleive me?"

"Not for a bit".

"Oh, uh . . . okay well. Would you believe me if I told you your friend was abducted?"

"Oh? And what was he abducted by?"

The mare bit her lip as she concentrated greatly on her next choice of words. "By . . . aliens".

'Genius!' she thought.

Dean didn't think the same way. " . . . Aliens?"

"Eeyup!"

"And what are these aliens called?"

"Uh! The, uh-"

'Quick! Think of something!' she internally shouted.

"Well?"

"He was, uh, abducted by a fleet of aliens called . . . the . . . Daleks?"

Dean looked to the sweating mare for a few seconds before sighing. "I'm finished with your lies. I'm going in now".

"Wait! No!"

Dean pushed the mare aside and entered.

The room was clean. No signs of an attack, to marks anywhere, no blood or gore ("thank Celestia' thought Dean). The room looked untouched.

However, what was also missing was the Doctor. Dean looked beneath the bed, finding nothing. He rushed to the closet and yanked the doors open, only finding clothes. No signs of the Doctor at all.

Except.

Just before Dean turned away he noticed something in his peripherals. Sitting atop a small cardboard box in the corner of the closet sat a black fedora. One with a gray string line trimming. Dean grabbed the hat and said, "this is the Doctor's! He's been here! Why did you- WHOA!!!"

Dean had turned to face Mrs. Sugar mid sentence. His timing was impeccable. Just as he turned he saw Mrs. Sugar in time take a swing at his head. Dean ducked and her bat missed, slamming into the closet doorway, breaking a large chunk off.

Dean jumped to the bed as she took another swing. Her bat breaking a hole into her wall.

Dean turned to the mare, his adrenaline and natural instincts fully kicking in now. "Mrs. Sugar!!! What are you doing!?!"

"You shouldn't have returned Dean!!!" she shouted with a shrill. She brought the bat up and slammed it with full force onto the bed.

Dean jumped towards the door in time as the bat missed, breaking through the mattress and wooden bed frame.

Dean reached for the handle and shook it as he found out the door was locked. He unlocked the door and tried to leave. He was too late, however, as another attack came his way. Dean saw the bat in his peripherals and ducked, dodging another head injury.

The bat broke a hole into the door and was stuck momentarily within the wood. Mrs. Sugar yanked the bat out of the door, breaking off more of the door as she did so. She stood on her hind legs and rose the bat above her head, ready to smash it down onto her victim.

However, her next attack never came. Dean, wanting desperately to get away from the crazy mare, turned and bucked her as hard as he could in the stomach.

The force of his attack knocked the wind out of her and pushed her through the door, smashing the wood to pieces. Mrs. Sugar felt the back of her head slam against the wall opposite of the room. Bright blue, red, and yellow dots filled her vision as she slid down the wall and onto the ground.

Dean wasn't going to give her the chance to get back up. He grabbed the saddle bag off his back and threw it to the ground. Using his teeth and fore legs, Dean bit onto the strap of the bags and ripped the strong material off. He rushed over to Mrs. Sugar and sat her against the door of the room. Using the strap, Dean tied Mrs. Sugar's fore legs to the handles on both sides of the door. He then turned to run down the hall before stopping himself.

He looked back into the room and saw the Doctor fedora, sitting upon the broken bed as Dean dropped it earlier to dodge the bat. He rushed forward, grabbed the hat, left the room, and rushed down the stairs. Leaving his saddlebags full of supplies in the room.

Mrs. Sugar's vision had returned just as Dean left the room with the fedora. She tried to reach for him and failed, finding that she had been tied to the door. "You little brat! Come back here! I need you! I need you!"

Dean ignored her, and ran down the stairs.

Mrs. Sugar could hear the store's entrance door open and close as Dean left, returning to the streets.

Tears formed in Mrs. Sugar's eyes as she shouted, "Come back! Please come back! Please! I need you! I NEED YOU!!!"

Upon hearing no response, Mrs. Sugar hung her head and started sobbing. "Come back . . . come back . . . I need you . . . I need you . . ."

ON THE STREETS

Dean galloped down Dodge Junction's dirt road, holding the Doctor's fedora within his mouth. He made a left turn onto a new street as he looked for his designated building.

'Got to get to the sheriff, he'll tell me what's been happening in this town. After that I'll have the sheriff help me find out what Mrs. Sugars done to the Doctor!' thought Dean.

He galloped for a few minutes until he came to a decent sized stone building with a "Sheriff's Office" sign painted in black on the top front. He burst through the door and looked to the two ponies closest to him.

Near the front of the building was a desk with two ponies sitting and talking. Their discussions abruptly ending as Dean had entered.

Behind them was a row full of jail cells, all empty. Across from the desk was a door, leading to another room.

One of the ponies sitting at the desk was a brownish green earth pony with a dark brown dirty mane. He had green eyes and a long dark brown curly mustache. He wore a large, light brown stetson and a brown vest.

The second was a gray earth pony with black hair. He had magenta eyes and a black raggedy beard. He too had a stetson. His was dark brown with a red rose design in the front stitches. He had a black vest with a white, dirty, ripped undershirt.

Both ponies had "Deputy" badges and a belt with weapons holstered (throwing knives, burning pepper powder, hoof chains, and a small sword).

The deputies rose from their seats and placed a hoof to the pouch with the pepper powder.

Dean lifted his hoofs in defense, "wait! Don't hurt me! I'm looking for the sheriff!"

"What do you want with the sheriff?" asked the gray pony with a very deep western accent.

"I've come for help! I just came into town with my friend and we heard a scream and when we went to see who was in trouble Mrs. Sugar, the sweets shop owner, attacked us and I think something really bad happened to my friend and I need your help!" Dean spoke fast while trying to regain his breath.

"You just came into town? You new?" asked the brown pony, who had a lighter, yet slightly drunk western tone.

"N-No, I live here with my family. I've been to college so I haven't been here in awhile. But that doesn't matter! I need the sheriff! Or somepony, I don't even care at this point! I need help! My friend is in danger!"

"Now just relax colt, we'll help you out" said the brown stallion, he and his partner placing their hooves away from their weapons. The brown stallion motioned something to his partner and the gray stallion nodded and left to the other room.

The brown stallion walked around the desk to Dean. "Before I can help you I gotta know yer name first".

"Dean, it's Dean Do. My family and I live on a farm, just on the other side of town" said Dean.

The brown stallion's eyes widened as Dean said this. "Is that so? Yer the son of Mr and Mrs. Do? The farm owner's?"

"Y-Yes, that's correct".

"Interesting, the sheriff's definitely gonna want to meet you!" said the brown stallion, smiling a long, yellow tooth grin.

Dean suddenly felt uneasy as the deputy said this. "He wants to meet me? What do you mean? Was he expecting me or-" Before he could finish, the door to the other room opened. Out came two ponies.

One was the gray pony. The other was a small, well toned, light yellow earth pony. He had thinning brown hair and piercing red eyes. He wore a large brown stetson and brown vest. He had a desert cactus and a tumbleweed for a cutie mark. He too had a badge, his said "Sheriff".

"Greeting! My name is Max Tumbleweed, I'm the sheriff around these parts".

Dean's expression turned to a confused one. "You? You're the sheriff? What happened to Cledus?"

"The old sheriff? He's retired! Left Dodge Junction and moved outta country. Now, yer name, it wouldn't happen to be "Dean Do" would it?"

"I-"

"It is sir! He told me! Just now before you and Arnold came in!" said the brown stallion.

Sheriff Tumbleweed smiled. "Is that so? Welp, guess that takes care of that! Arnold, Pat, hold him".

The two deputies nodded and rushed to Dean. They took hold of his forelegs as Dean struggled to break free. "Hey! What are you doing!?!"

Pat, who was holding onto Dean's right leg, reached for the fedora he held in his hoof. "Well isn't this a fancy hat! Do all the ponies in that rich city wear these?" he asked, replacing his stetson with the Doctor's fedora.

"Hey! Give that back! That belongs to my friend!"

"Freind? You brought a pony with you into town?" asked Sheriff Tumbleweed.

Dean struggled to reach for the Doctor's hat. Upon failing, Dean glared angrily at the sheriff and said, "that's right, I brought a friend! I don't know what's going on but when he finds out what your doing to me you'll be sorry!"

Arnold and Pat gave a hearty laugh as Dean said this. The sheriff, giving a light chuckle came close to Dean. "And who is this friend ah yers?"

"He calls himself the Doctor!"

"Doctor? Doctor who?"

Dean smirked, "just the Doctor!"

The sheriff's smile turned to an expression of confusion. "You've been travel'in with ah pony who calls himself "the Doctor?" That sounds awfully suspicious . . . alright. Arnold, you're going to go into town and find this friend ah his. Bring a longbow with you just in case. Pat, I need you to send one ah our messenger birds to the other deputies. Tell them to stop the search, their target came home all by himself!"

Dean stopped struggling and glared at the sheriff. "You've been searching for me!?"

The sheriff walked around the desk and searched the drawers for something. He extracted a brown looking bottle and a rag. "You see Dean. Yer family has gotten themselves into a bit of a . . . predicament. They've been very stubborn in cooperating with us. But ah think that with you, they'll finally be willing to come to an agreement with what we have planned".

"Agreement? What agreement, what are you talking about, how is my family involved, what have you done with them?" Dean spoke rapidly.

The sheriff took the rag to the bottle's opening and flipped it upside down. He allowed the contents to soak into the rag for a few seconds before stopping. He placed the bottle down and walked around the desk towards Dean.

"Yer family isn't safe Dean. Not until they agree to our plans".

"What plans!?! What've you done with them!?! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH MY FAMILY!?!" Dean roared in the sheriff's face. The two deputies had to tighten their hold on Dean to prevent him from reaching the sheriff.

The sheriff chuckled, "you want to see yer family so bad? Then by all means-". The Sheriff took the rag and forced it onto Dean mouth.

Dean's screams were muffled as he inhaled the fumes of chloroform. He felt his vision blackening and his muscles losing their tension with each breath.

"Sleep! Sleep now! And wake up to dear ol mama!" Sheriff Tumbleweed shouted. He pressed the rag hard against Dean as he laughed sinisterly, watching Dean fade from consciousness.

Dean fought, struggling to stay awake. The chloroform, however, was too strong. Dean's vision blackened entirely as the sheriff's laughs echoes further and further away, until no sound could be heard at all.

No sight could be seen nor sound could be heard as Dean drifted into a forceful slumber.

MEANWHILE

His headache rose slowly in strength as he awoke. The Doctor's vision still blurred, slowly focusing as he groggily lifted a hoof to his eyes. He blinked, groaned, and placed his other hoof to his left temple.

"Hmmm, ah! Oh . . . Oh my god . . . what the devil hap- OOF!" The Doctor had lifted his head, bumping into a flat surface. The Doctor cringed and held on to his head. His headache rising straight to a migraine after the bump. Once the pain subsided just enough for his concentration to return, the Doctor felt about the interior of the cramped space he was stuck in.

"Wood? I'm in a wooden box? How did I-" the Doctor stopped. Sudden memories of a peach colored earth pony hitting him across the head with a bat came to him.

He placed a hoof to his left temple, the side that was hit. He cringed, realizing he had pressed against a swelling bruise. "Oh are you serious!?! Hit me with a bat!?! Crazy mare- gah! Jiminy Cricket! That hurts! This migraines not going away any time soon. Best get back to the M.E.I.D.P.H.A.T and see if I have something for my head. Could be a concussion, though it better not be, or that mares going to be punished severely when Dean and I get to . . . SWEET CELESTIA'S SUNNY SIDE BUM!" the Doctor shouted, regretting it as his migraine worsened.

He just remembered about Dean. This box was too small for even the Doctor to fit. His back was arched against the side, practically curling his body into a ball. Therefore, Dean wasn't trapped with him.

Thinking quickly, he realized that he had last seen Dean outside of the shop. The two had heard the mare scream and he had rushed in to help. Upon entering, that mare knocked him unconscious with her bat (the Doctor growled at the thought). So if Dean had followed him as he was knocked unconscious, that means that Dean was left alone and defenseless with the crazy mare. Which means-.

"Dean's in trouble!" the Doctor concluded. He felt around the box, searching for a way out. A few moments of searching was futile as he failed to find an escape. Desperate to escape his trap and find Dean, the Doctor positioned his body so that he could lay on his back entirely, having his hind legs facing towards the top.

"Hope this box isn't sturdy" said the Doctor, as he bucked the top as hard as he could.

One kick was all it took, for the top crashed open. Allowing the Doctor an escape.

Pushing aside the broken wood and splintered ends, the Doctor poked the top half of his body out and looked cautiously to his surrounding.

He was in the same room as when he first encountered the crazy bat mare. Except now, the room was a mess!

There were holes in the wall, the bed frame was split down the middle, and the door had been smashed to pieces (the remains lying in the hallway).

The Doctor lifted himself out of the box and looked to his trap.

As it turned out, this "box" was actually the bedside dresser. Its inner shelves having been removed to allow a hollow interior.

The Doctor thought in confusion for a second then shrugged it off. He returned to observing the rooms destruction when his eyes had settled onto a lumpy object lying on the floor.

It was Dean's saddle bag.

He lifted the bag and saw that the contents were still there. The straps to the bag, however, had been torn off.

A small whimper caught the Doctor's attention. He held onto the bag as he walked to the sound in the hallway.

There, he saw the crazy mare.

She sat in an upright position, unable to move as her forelegs had been tied to the handles on both sides of the door. She was tied with the same material as Dean's bag, the straps.

She had her head hung low. Her cheeks stained with tears, telling the Doctor that she had been crying for a while (causing him concern as to how long he had been unconscious for). Her eyes were closed as she whimpered, not noticing the Doctor standing above her.

The Doctor coughed to catch her attention.

She gasped as she looked to the angry looking stallion above her. Her eyes wide in fear, allowing the Doctor to witness how bloodshot her eyes were.

"Hello there" the Doctor said with hot calmness.

The mare tried backing away, only to remember that she was tied. She looked to the Doctor with pleading eyes. "Don't hurt me! Please don't hurt me!"

"You hit me with a bat".

"I know! I'm sorry!"

The Doctor inched his face closer to the mare. "You hit me with a bloody bat!"

Tears returned to the mare's eyes as she said with a whimper, "I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please don't hurt me! Please!"

"Don't hurt you? You ask for me to not hurt you? Then tell me-". Suddenly, the Doctor rushed his face half an inch to the mare's nose.

"WHAT SHOULD I DO THEN!?!"

Tears fell as she began crying again. "I'M SORRY! I did it because they're going to kill him! Please! I only hit you because I was desperate! Please don't hurt me!"

"If I don't hurt you, what should I do then? Ah, I know". The Doctor back a few inches away from the mare and reached into his pocket.

The mare watched with anxiety as the Doctor rummaged for a second, then gasped in fear as she witnessed him extract a pocket knife.

"No! Please! Please don't!"

The Doctor glared down upon the frighten mare, the shadows around his eyes showing. Appearing darker than usual. The Doctor then said with bitter calmness, "you don't want me to hurt you. So I have an alternative". Slowly, he pointed the knife towards the mare and advanced forward.

The mare shut her eyes tight, tensing her muscles as she waited for the Doctor's blade.

Keeping her eyes shut, the mare suddenly heard an odd ripping sound. Then, she felt tension on her legs eradicate, causing her legs to drop to her side.

If this didn't surprise the mare enough, she suddenly felt the Doctor's fore legs wrap around her upper torso. His grip didn't harm her in the slightest. In fact, it felt comforting.

The mare opened her eyes slowly, seeing the Doctor hold her in a kind, comforting hug. She turned her sight to the door handles, seeing that the Doctor had cut the straps with his knife, freeing her.

"W-What?" the mare stammered, utterly baffled.

"You said I couldn't hurt you. So, I chose to forgive you", the Doctor said, taking the mare by surprise with his sudden kind tone.

"Why would you . . . I thought that-".

"I'm sorry if I scared you. I'm a cranky old Doctor, I can't control my temper like I used to. Getting hit with that bat really got me off my rocker you see".

"But I . . . hurt you . . . why-".

"Shhh, relax yourself now. You're scared and stressed. I want you to calm down, and tell me what the problem is afterwards".

"B-But-".

"Afterwards", the Doctor said sternly, while maintaining his level of kindness.

Tears flowed rapidly as the mare asked, "y-you won't . . . hurt me?"

The Doctor chuckled, "does my hug hurt?"

The mare couldn't hold back. She flung her forelegs over the Doctor as she wept into his chest.

The Doctor tighten his hold. Not too much too hurt her, just enough to better her comfort.

The mare sat crying into the Doctor's chest, weeping her sorrow away into a stallion she didn't even know. But she didn't care. She was hurting, she needed help, a needed care.

She needed a Doctor.

The Doctor smiled as he realized how corny this quote may have sounded, as he allowed the mare to weep onto him.

HALF AN HOUR LATER

The Doctor returned from the kitchen, holding a tray with two cups of hot tea. He approached the table in the center of the first floor room, handing the mare her cup, and sitting down across from her.

The window curtains had been shut, preventing anyone from discovering the two inside. As the Doctor had shut the curtains from earlier before entering the kitchen, he saw that night had fallen. The moon was at its highest position, indicating it was well into the middle of the night. This caused the Doctor to worry about his friends whereabouts.

"Thank you" said the mare, as she blew upon the hot liquid.

"You're welcome" said the Doctor, taking a large sip out of his tea.

The mare's eyes widen slightly, "that doesn't hurt, does it? You just poured it from the kettle, isn't it hot?"

The Doctor shook his head, "I'm not as sensitive to hot things. Now, why don't we start with names. I'm the Doctor, and you are?"

"Mrs. Sugar, ah own the shop we're in".

"I see".

'Still a bit shaken, yet trusting enough to tell me her name. Just keep your temper and she might just tell you the whole truth. It's so much better earning one's trust with kindness then forcing it with fear', the Doctor thought, reminding himself.

"Now, Mrs. Sugar. Before I can help you with your troubles, I need to know something very important-".

"You want to know where Dean is, don't you?"

Doctor frowned at the interruption for a second then smiled, "correct".

Mrs. Sugar lifted her cup to her lips, testing the temperature before drinking a small sip. Looking to the contents in her cup, Mrs. Sugar said, "ah think I might have an idea where he mighta gone to. But yer not going to like it".

"Like it or not, I need to know. Please, where is Dean?"

Mrs. Sugar looked to the Doctor with sad eyes for a moment, then sighed. "After I hit you with ma bat I kinda . . . stuffed you into ma secret box-"

"Secret box?"

"Its a box made to look like a dresser. But the shelves on the insides been taken out. So I can fill it with big stuff and keep it a secret and no pony will know. They'll just think its full a clothes er somthin".

"I see, so what happened after that?"

"Well after that yer friend Dean came after you. I tried to stop him comin in, but he got through me and went inside anyway! He found yer hat and knew you been there. I got scared, so I . . . tried to . . . knock him out with the bat too" said Mrs. Sugar, looking away sheepishly.

The Doctor try'd hard to control his temper. One because of this mare attacking his friend and two because he just realized his fedora was missing. 'I like that fedora!' the Doctor thought angrily.

"Seems like one heck of a fight happened in that room".

"Oh you shoulda seen it! That boy was hoppin around like some sort a jack rabbit! I couldn't even hit him once! Then, he bucks me through the door and tied my legs up to that other door!"

'Well, nice to know the colts able to handle himself in dangerous situations' thought the Doctor. "So Dean fought back, won, then ran out of the shop leaving behind his bag behind".

"Well he did take yer hat with him".

The Doctor's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh? Did he?"

The Mare nodded.

On the outside, the Doctor said, "huh, the colt must have wanted to give me my hat back when he found me". On the inside, the Doctor was cheering with joy as he knew his fedora was in the safe hooves of its savior, Dean.

"Sadly, Dean didn't know that you had been in the room the whole time. In ma secret box" said Mrs. Sugar.

The Doctor realized something. "Question, you mentioned that if somepony were to enter your room, they would think that your "secret box" was just an ordinary dresser full of clothes. However, why do you even have a secret box? What "big, secret" thing would you even need to hide?"

The mare suddenly looked afraid. "I-I . . . well-"

"Or, a better question is, who exactly are "they".

The mare hesitated to answer. Genuinely terrified, she looked around her. Paranoid that anypony could be listening to them as they speak.

The Doctor seeing this said, "no pony is here Mrs. Sugar. You can say whatever's on your mind and no pony but I will hear".

Mrs. Sugar looked uncertain for a moment, then slowly took a deep breath. "Like ah said, ah think I know where Dean went. But yer not going to like it".

"And why is that Mrs. Sugar?" the Doctor asked, slowly losing patience.

"Because . . . you see . . . that secret box is fer me" Mrs. Sugar confessed.

"You?"

She nodded. "In case "they" came to get me, ah would have a place to hide. They already have ma husband, I'm afraid they'll come after me next! And after that fight Dean and ah had, I think he mighta gone to them, thinking they would help the poor colt find you-".

Cutting her off, the Doctor said sternly, "Mrs. Sugar, who did Dean go to?"

Mrs. Sugar gulped, "ah think Dean went to the sheriff!"

"The sheriff? wouldn't that be a good thing?"

The mare shook her head, "you don't understand! The law in this town is corrupt! Things got real bad after that new stallion took the old sheriff's job!"

"New sheriff? Dean never mentioned any new sheriff".

"This all happened while he was gone! He wasn't supposed to come back! He really shouldn't have come back!"

"Why shouldn't he have returned? He lives here-".

"Oh you don't understand Doctor! Neither you er Dean knows about the trouble the sheriff and his deputies have cause this town!"

"If he couldn't return because it's that dangerous, then how come his parents never informed him?"

"Because they have them!"

The Doctor's eyes widened, "the sheriff has Dean's parents?"

She nodded quickly. "No one's seen them fer a long time, but that's not the worst part!"

"They take over a town and foulnap Dean's parents to god knows where and you mean to tell me it gets worse?"

"It does get worse! Cause a few weeks after they took his parents, they told the town to keep a lookout fer him. That if anypony sees him, they have to report to the sheriff and tell him Dean's in town".

"Sounds to me like they're looking for Dean".

"Doctor, they are looking fer Dean! And the worst part is, ah think the sheriff's found him!

MEANWHILE

"Dean . . . Dean . . . are you waking up?" said a kind, soothing voice.

"Doc . . . Doc . . . tor . . . izat you?" Dean said groggily, barely half conscious.

"Dean, wake up sweetie. You need to wake up now".

"Doctor? W-Why do you sound like that. And, did you just call me sweetie?".

The voice chuckled. "Ahm no doctor, but that won't stop me from calling you sweetie. No matter how old you get".

Dean processed this for a moment before snapping his eyes open. He looked up and saw a light gray mare with a long, messy, silver mane, smiling down upon him. She had violet eyes, just like Dean. However, one eye had swollen nearly shut, and she had bruises and cuts all over her face.

"M-Mom!?"

Smiling wider, Mrs. Do wrapped her forelegs around her son, embracing him in a hug. "Hello sugar cube".

Dean accepted the hug, looking to the mare's body as he did so.

Her entire body was covered in scratches, bruises, cuts, and scars. She looked skinnier then Dean had remembered. Her ribs were showing and her belly and cheeks had shrunken. She appeared to have not eaten in days.

Dean felt tears form as he asked, "mom . . . w-what happened to you".

"Oh, I've just been . . . in a bit of a rough patch while you were gone sweetie. But don't you fret over me! I can handle anything these no good criminals do to me!" said Mrs. Do.

Dean could tell by his mother's tone that she was trying to be brave for him. But Dean knew she was weak. Dean felt afraid to ask how long his mother had been treated this way.

Dean looked to his surroundings. He was in a dark, gray, windowless, brick jail cell. It was empty except for a toilet, a sink, and a single small blanket lying crumpled in a ball in the corner.

He looked to the cell across from his. There was a pony sleeping under his or her small blanket. The darkness prevented Dean from getting a clear description on the imprisoned pony.

As Dean looked around, he realized something. "Mom, wheres Dad?"

Mrs. Do's false smile fell into a genuine frown. "Yer Dad, he, um . . . he's not here sweetie".

His worry rising, Dean asked, "not here? Where is he?"

Mrs. Do released Dean from the hug and stepped back. She turned away. Looking to the empty wall as she said, "yer father . . . didn't make it sweetie".

Dean froze. Dean felt as if time had just stopped. That the world itself had just stopped turning. That everything was frozen.

Everything except for the impossible words escaping from his mother's mouth. Words that shouldn't have even been used to make such a sentence let alone be spoken aloud.

It wasn't true, Dean determined this a lie. Or better yet, she was phrasing this differently, just like Oswald when he used "dismissal" to describe death.

That's what this is, she's phrasing it differently. Dean's mind locked onto this decision, forcing no other alternative conclusion to dare enter his thoughts.

"Didn't make it? What do you mean? Did he escape? Is he in town?" Dean asked rapidly.

His mother continued staring at the wall for several moments before slowly turning back to Dean.

Dean's eyes widened as he saw tears flowing rapidly down his mother's cheeks.

"I'm sorry Dean, I'm so, so, sorry!"

Dean knew why his mother was crying. Yet despite the obvious, he continued to cling on to his false belief. Desperately keeping his thoughts set that his father was alive. That he did in fact escape.

This belief slowly began to falter as he watched his mother fall to her knees and cry into her fore hooves.

His mother, the toughest mare he had ever known, breaking down in front of him.

He remembered, his family were fighters. And it slowly dawned that the Do family had lost this battle.

And as the family lost, so did a member.

Slowly, Dean approached his mother and draped his fore legs over her shoulders. He rested his head upon hers as he lost his belief. Slowly replaced with a new one. The true one.

Dean and his mother wept the night away within the dark cell.

MEANWHILE

The Doctor took a sip of tea, then gently placed the cup down upon the table. "Mrs. Sugar, I want you to start from the beginning of when all of this occurred. You so far have merely given me the sum of the events that transpired in this town. I want the full details. Would you please?"

Mrs. Sugar, finishing her cup of tea and having the Doctor refill her cup said, "sure, I'll tell you. But it's not a good tale I can tell you that".

"I've heard of many bad tales. One's so dark you wouldn't even want to beleive! Like this one story about a yellow pegasus and her shed. You wouldn't want to know what she keeps in her shed, quite disturbing, you'd have nightmares. Anywho, I think I can handle what you have to say. So please begin".

"Oh well, it all started about a month ago. Everypony received word to meet in front of the town hall for a public meeting. Once everypony gathered there, the mayor announced that the current town sheriff, Sheriff Cletus, would be retiring. He was a sweet stallion. He had been a law enforcer for over fifty years. It made sense for him to retire, seeing he was eighty four years old. And everypony thought the same-".

'Retiring at eighty four? Blimey, I'm ninety four and I still travel the world. Almost makes me think to consider retirement . . . almost' the Doctor thought.

"So, the mayor introduced a new sheriff. Some stallion named Max tumbleweed. Which struck everypony odd, because no one had ever heard of this fellow. We all thought he would have chosen one of the well experienced deputies. Or at least a pony who knew the town and the citizens well. Instead the mayor brings in some stranger no one's ever heard of. But everypony, me included, didn't think much of it. We trust, or at least, we trusted the mayor on his decision and didn't question him. And that was that, Max Tumbleweed was elected new sheriff and everyone went back to their business-".

"Hold on, was Cletus there when this town meeting took place?"

Mrs. Sugar shook her head. "No he wasn't. Which ah thought was weird. Cause ah thought that there was supposed to be some sort a celebration when a law enforcer retires".

"There is. A veteran of any faction, whether it be law enforcer or soldier, should received some sort of congrats for serving their time to protecting our country. You're right, it is weird that Cletus had never shown. By any chance, do you happen to know where Cletus may have been during the town meeting?"

"Sorry Doctor, ah haven't a clue. Last ah saw him was about a week before the town meeting. Ah saw him in the market buy'in apples".

"Right, I see".

'So that begs the question, where exactly was Cletus during the town meeting?' the Doctor thought.

"Anyway, please continue".

"Right, so as ah was sayin. Everything seemed normal enough the next few days after that. However, it wasn't until about a week er so later ah noticed that more an more a the town residence been disappearing. And every time I asked where they were, ah got the same answer every time. "Oh they just left town for a bit, they'll be back soon". Ah thought they were telling the truth at first. But as more an more ponies disappeared, and each time I asked I receive the same answer. I knew it was more than just coincidence".

"Ma husband thought the same thing too. He felt mighty suspicious about the new sheriff. Thought he was the reason fer all them ponies disappearing. So he went up to the town hall one day to ask the mayor what was goin on. But, you wanna know what ma husband told me when he came back?"

Finishing his sip, Doctor placed his cup on the table and asked, "what did he tell you?"

"He told me he asked one a the secretaries that works at the town hall and asked her if he could talk to the mayor. And she said that the mayor won't be available for a while. When ma husband asked why, she said it's because "the mayor left town for a few days. He'll be back soon".

"Really? Just like when you asked about the others?"

"Exactly like that! At that point ah knew it weren't no coincidence. Something was up, and as confused as ah was, ma husband was determined to find out the truth. So after that he started investigating. Spying around town at night, hiding in alleys to try and catch anyone suspicious. And he even broke into the sheriff's office and town hall a few times. Lucky he didn't get caught".

"It got to the point where ah got scared somethin was gonna happen to him. Ah tried to tell him he should stop snoopin, that he might get himself in trouble. But he wouldn't listen. Said he'd been in this town fer too long to let any no good fellas come in and make the place rotten. So he continued with his snoopin".

"If ah had known what woulda happen that day ah would have stopped him. Ah really would! Ah . . . Ah didn't think things would ever get this bad".

"What happened?" the Doctor asked.

Mrs. Sugar gulped. "About three days ago is when things took a turn for the worst. The day started off normal enough. Ah was gett'in the shop ready fer customers when ah suddenly heard shoutin outside. Ah was about to check before ma husband came burst'in through the door like the devil was after him. I asked what's wrong and he said he needed a place to hide. Said there's no time to explain and ah should act natural and deny anything ah know. Before ah had the chance to ask what the buck he was talkin about, the sheriff came in with two a his deputies. Told them to arrest ma husband. Ah tried askin what was goin on but before ah could he sent his deputies on me! They had the both a us in shingles and brought us to the middle a the street. An we weren't the only one's either. They took Mr. and Mrs. Do to the middle a the street too!-"

"Mr. and Mrs, hold on, Dean's parents?"

Mrs. Sugar nodded.

"What were they dragged out for?"

"I don't know. But if ah had to guess, I-It . . . it might have been ma husband's fault".

"How?"

"Like ah said, if ah had known this woulda happen ah would have stopped him snoopin-", said Mrs. Sugar, eyes watering.

"What did your husband do to involve Dean's parents, Mrs. Sugar!?" said the Doctor, frustrated and impatient.

Taking notice of the Doctors slight change of tone, she went silent. Hesitantly, after a few moments, she continued. "They took us there an had everyone gather around. He told them that the four a us were under arrest for breaking and entering, and thievery. Said that we been stealin from the town hall and from the citizens. Ma husband got mad and shouted that he was lyin. Said that the only criminal in this town was the sheriff and that he had proof. They didn't put muzzles on us so he grabbed a paper in his pocket with his teeth and threw it into the crowd. The sheriff tried to get it back but was too late. The ponies who were closest to ma husband snatched the paper and started readin it. Ah don't know what was on the paper but it made the crowd mad. They were shoutin things like "thief", "criminal", and "murderer. It actually looked like the crowd was gonna start a riot before the sheriff blew on some whistle".

"After that, a whole bunch a ponies just came outta nowhere! They started hittin an pepper powder'in all them! Once the chaos had stopped, the sheriff said that there was no point in keeping secrets anymore since everypony knew. He said that he was officially in charge of our town an that these new ponies were the towns new deputies. That all the others had officially been relieved of their duties-"

"Has anypony seen the deputies prior to that day or during?"

"No, I never saw any a them".

'The original town sheriff and all of his deputies suddenly missing. It doesn't take a genius to think who caused this" the Doctor thought.

Mrs. Sugar continued. "Of course when the sheriff said this everyone was enraged. So to set his authority in the town and make sure no pony dared to try and get in his way. The sheriff . . . the . . . the sheriff".

"Mrs. Sugar?"

Mrs. Sugar stopped talking. She seemed unable to. Her lip quivered as tears formed. Appearing in complete distressed as she recalled the events that occurred next in her memory.

The Doctor taking notice of this stood from his seat and walked to Mrs. Sugar's side. He placed her in a hug and said soothingly, "does it hurt?"

"W-what?"

"The memory. Does it hurt to remember?"

Slowly, the mare placed her head against the Doctor's torso, allowing her tears to flow from her cheek and fall onto the Doctor. "Its all ma fault . . . ah shoulda stopped him from snoopin . . . ah shoulda done somethin . . . ah just . . . ah . . . ah-".

The Doctor hushed her gently. "I know your pain Mrs. Sugar. I know the feeling of having to remember a terrible memory. The one's you just want to throw in a safe and keep locked away in the deepest parts of your mind. So you never have to remember this memory ever again. But, the thing about memories is that they are like ink. Once the image is drawn, you can't ever erase it once it's there. But . . . what you can do is accept it".

"A-Accept it?"

"Accept your memory. Accept the picture drawn in ink. No matter how bad it may be. You were there, what happened happened. You can run for as long and as far as you can. But you can't run forever. Someday, whether it be for a day or a century, you'll have to stop running. Your path will run out, or your breath will diminish. You'll have to stop and accept. That these memories are true, these memories actually happened. That these memories are mine".

Tears fell faster as Mrs. Sugar said with a whimper, "h-have you ever . . . had one of these memories?"

"I wouldn't know so much if I didn't".

" . . . . Have you ever . . . . seen another pony die? Someone you were friends with?"

The Doctor was silent for a moment. His expression fell to a sad one as he said slowly, "yes".

" . . . How old are you Doctor?"

"Ninety four".

Mrs. Sugar seemed unfazed, hiding her astonishment over a mask of sorrow. "Ah guess a stallion your age would know what it's like to lose someone".

There was a brief moment of silence before the Doctor said. "I know it hurts. But you need to accept your memory and tell me what happened so that I can help".

The Doctor heard a small, surprised gasp as Mrs. Sugar looked to the Doctor's face. "Help us? What do you mean?"

"I mean exactly that. First you're going to finish telling me what happened in this town. Then I'm going to find Dean and everypony else who have disappeared. Finally, I'm going to stop Tumbleweed and all of his deputies. I'll kick them all out of town if I have to".

Mrs. Sugar mouthed silently for a second before saying, "you can't. You can't do that. You'll die! You're just one pony, your old-".

"Hey! I'm still well into my prime!"

"Your ninety four".

"That's not going to stop me from helping this town-".

"But there's too many of them!? Why don't you just go to a guard station and bring back help?"

"If it was that easy then how come no pony else has done that?"

"That's different! After what happened that day the sheriff had us all on a strict curfew! We were only allowed to leave our houses during certain times a the day and we weren't allowed to leave the town! They constantly check up on our houses just to make sure we haven't left! But they don't know about you, you can leave and get help and none of them deputies will ever know who done it!" said Mrs. Sugar, releasing the hug and taking a step back.

"I'm sorry to tell you this but I'm afraid it's not that simple. The nearest guard station is about two miles from here".

"Ah don't see how that's a prob-".

"And its empty".

"What?"

"All of the guards have left that station. So there's no one there to help us. I could just go and find another guard station, one that's farther away. But chance are that one will be empty too. Most guards all over the country have been moved to Mane City, abandoning their stations".

"But why would they do that?"

"Don't you know what's happening in Mane City?"

"We haven't gotten any news in the past week. The sheriff doesn't allow any delivery or news ponies to pass through our town anymore".

"I see. So he's kept this city in the dark as well. If Discord's magic spreads to Dodge Junction, no one would stand a chance. They'd be unprepared, they wouldn't even see him coming".

"Discord? Who's that?" asked Mrs. Sugar.

"Long story short. A chaos spirit took over Mane City, is using it as his new capital, and is spreading chaos magic all over Equestria".

Mrs. Sugars eyes widened. "What!? Why haven't the princesses done anything to stop him?"

"They tried".

"And?"

"They lost".

She couldn't beleive what she was hearing. "That's not true! I know our princesses would never lose! They're too strong to be defeated by anypony".

"Mrs. Sugar! We can debate about who lost and who won later. But the fact is, whether you like it or not, chaos magic is spreading throughout Equestria as we speak! However, that problem is just as much ours as it is everyone elses through this country! So instead of worrying about the country's problems, why don't we get back to the situation at hoof in this town! Because even if guards were available, who's to say I could even get back to the town in time with them? What if something else happens while I'm away? And what about Dean? Do you expect me to leave town while he's here? Probably being held captive".

"Well ah . . . ah don't know! Ah just don't want to see another pony die!" Mrs. Sugar shouted.

There was a brief silence before the Doctor said, "Tell me who died that day Mrs. Sugar. Who did the sheriff kill?"

Mrs. Sugar looked to the Doctor with eyes of sadness as she said slowly, "he killed Dean's father".

MEAN WHILE

A single pony walked along the dark city streets.

He held a lantern in his left hoof, shining light into alleyways and to building corners. Appearing to be searching for something.

Or for someone.

He turned as a sudden shout caught his attention.

"Ah just don't want to see another pony die!"

It was muffled, but he recognized that voice. She wasn't talking to her husband, he was locked in the sheriff's secret prison.

And she shouldn't have company, its past curfew.

So, who's Mrs. sugar talking to?

The stallion chuckled with a yellow tooth grin as he walked to Dodge Desserts.

BACK INSIDE

"The sheriff's office, where is it?" the Doctor asked.

"The other side a town. Just walk down to the end a this street, make a left, then walk straight. Its at the end". said Mrs. Sugar.

"Alright then, I beleive I've heard enough. Thank you for the tea Mrs. Sugar and for your, er, hospitality. But I best be off", said the Doctor, adjusting the collar to his undershirt.

"What! Where are you going!?"

The Doctor checked his silver pocket watch, seeing it was ten before midnight. Slipping the watch back into his pocket and letting the chain hang out, the Doctor said, "Where do you think?"

"You can't just go bursting into the sheriff's office!"

"Yes I can".

"Why?"

"Because I said so".

The mare groaned, "Doctor this is serious! The sheriff murdered Mr. Do in the middle a the street in front a everyone! He won't hesitate fer a second to do the same to you if you go in there!"

"Well if he tries to kill me, he tries to kill me. Its his funeral", the Doctor muttered the last part.

"What?"

"Listen!" said the Doctor, stepping close to Mrs. Sugar. "I have to go in there! I have to save Dean! And nothing you say is going to stop me! So just stay here and keep silent! If anypony tries to come in just go upstairs and hide in your- oh wait I broke that. Just tell them to go away or something-".

"But why are you so determined to help us!? Why are you willing to risk yer life to save a bunch a ponies you don't even know!? We haven't done anything fer you!".

" . . . Does a pony really need a reason to express friendship?"

Mrs. Sugar went silent at this. She wasn't expecting, out of anything the Doctor could have said, for him to say this.

"You're afraid they're going to kill your husband, aren't you?" The Doctor said suddenly.

Mrs. Sugar didn't answer, so the Doctor continued. "You tried to subdue Dean with that bat and take him to the sheriff's office. Hopping they would free your husband if you did".

The Doctor thought to what Mrs. Sugar said earlier, "I'M SORRY! I did it because they're going to kill him!" He compared that to what she said about the sheriff, "they told the town to keep a lookout fer him. That if anypony sees him, they have to report to the sheriff and tell him Dean's in town". Putting two and two together, it only made sense.

Mrs. Sugar's silence confirmed Doctor's theory.

" . . . I'm-".

"I've already forgiven you, there's no need to apologize" said the Doctor.

She looked to the Doctor, mixed with an expression of sadness and confusion.

Her silence continued once more, so the Doctor said, "I understand what you did. It was wrong, yet, the right thing to do. Don't beat yourself up over wanting to see your husband again".

Turning to the door, he had taken five steps before Mrs. Sugar said, "friendship? Yer going to save a town from a pack a murderers because a friendship?"

A brief moment of silence, before the Doctor said, "if only the world had more friendship. Then maybe we wouldn't be in this situation".

"You could get so much more. If you save the town. Fame, money, power. Heck, I'd reckon the town folk would want you to be their new mayor. Wouldn't you want that instead of something as silly as friendship?"

" . . . . Kindness, honesty, loyalty, generosity, laughter, magic . . . the best kind of magic" the Doctor whispered.

Mrs. Sugar raised a brow, confused. Having not heard what the Doctor said.

He turned to Mrs. sugar, smiling. "I wouldn't ask for anything else!"

The mare's confused expression deepened.

The Doctor chuckled, thinking, 'if only they knew'.

He turned back to the door, saying, "By tomorrow this town will be free from Tumbleweed, so clear your schedule. I've got the feeling a lot of customers are going to want your desserts while they celebrate".

Mrs. Sugar was about to persist on with her argument, but gave up. Realizing that the Doctor had his mind set, and nothing was going to change that. She smiled to the Doctor and said, "don't worry, it'll be clear. Just stay safe, please?"

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. See you tomorrow", said the Doctor, giving a wave.

"Goodbye", said Mrs. Sugar, returning the wave.

Doctor went to the door and placed a hoof to the handle. Just as he did, he froze.

His eyes widened, as he slowed his breathing to inaudible volume. Slowly and carefully, he placed his left ear to the door and listened.

Mrs. Sugar looked in confusion for a moment before asking, "Doctor, wha-".

The Doctor snapped his head into her direction, placing a hoof to his mouth to silently shoosh her while giving her a very stern expression.

He listened for a few more seconds before walking backwards towards Mrs. Sugar. "You know what, maybe I won't be saving the town".

"What!?!" Mrs. Sugar said, completely baffled.

"As a matter of fact, I'm actually rather tired. An old stallion of ninety four does need his rest" said the Doctor in an oddly loud tone.

The Doctor came close to Mrs. Sugar as she asked, "what in tarnations are you on about!?! You go through all that sayin yer gonna go and stop Tumbl-".

Doctor clamped a hoof to her mouth, silencing her. He brought his lips close to her ear and whispered, "someone is listening to us".

Mrs. Sugar's eyes widen in fear. "You sure?" she asked, muffled by the Doctor's hoof.

He nodded and released his hoof. "He or she is listening through the door".

She looked to her store's front entrance with an expression of complete fear. "F-Fer how long?" she whispered.

"The entire time, most likely. Best not take any chances. Follow me".

"What!?" Where am I going?"

"You're no longer safe here. Follow my lead and you'll be safe". The Doctor turned and started walking towards the kitchen, Mrs. Sugar following nervously behind.

"So Mrs. Sugar, you have a guest room I assume?" the Doctor said loudly, attempting to trick the eavesdropper.

Mrs. Sugar taking notice said, "y-yes of course! I-Its right up stairs, first door to the right!".

"Thank you kindly Mrs. Sugar" said the Doctor, as he and Mrs. Sugar entered the kitchen.

The very back of the small kitchen was the back entrance, leading to an alleyway.

The Doctor pointed to the door and said silently, "we leave, then we run".

She nodded and followed.

The kitchen was filled with the usual culinary tools and supplies one would see in a kitchen. Only, this kitchen had it in pairs. A pair of stoves, pair of ovens, pair of counters (one on either side). Leaving the center of the kitchen a single straight away towards their escape. The floor and counters were littered with trash and had pots and pans every here and there.

On the left side was a painting of a painting, of a painting, of a painting . . . of a painting.

As the two walked through, the Doctor looked to the painting with a look of confusion. He pointed to it, silently asking her, "the heck is that?"

She sighed, "ma husband bought that".

He nodded and continued on.

At that moment, the two heard the front entrance shake, indicating a pony trying to enter.

"I-Its locked, so he can't get in".

She froze as she heard the door swing open with a slam.

"Not locked anymore, come on, hurry!" the Doctor shout whispered.

The two made their way to the door and the Doctor gently opened it.

Just as he did, a couple of mice passed through the doorway, under their legs, and into the kitchen.

"Dagnabit! That happens sometimes".

"Well no time to deal with them now, let's get going before he finds us".

"Are the mice going to be a problem?"

"Mrs. Sugar, they're mice! I'm sure you can leave your shop to rodents for the time being!"

"That's not what I meant! What if the pony who broke in hears them?"

"They're mice, how loud could they be-"

SLAM!!! SMASH!!! CRASH!!!

The Doctor and Mrs. Sugar turned to find a row of pots and pans, all having previously been on the counters, now on the floor.

Mrs. Sugar gasped, "I forgot! The mice sometimes knock over things on the counter!"

CRASH!!!

The Doctor looked to Mrs. Sugar with a frustrated expression. "And you didn't bother warning me!"

"I'm scared! I forgot!"

SMASH!!!

The Doctor groaned and face hooved. "God I love it when this happens", he said sarcastically.

"Who's in there!?!" a stallion shouted from outside the kitchen.

"Run!!!" The Doctor shouted, grabbing Mrs. Sugar by her hoof and pulling her outside.

The two galloped down the dark alleyway. Knocking over trash cans along the way to block their pursuers path.

Once exiting the alley and stepping into the open street, the Doctor turned to the alley and saw the silhouette of their pursuer hopping over the trash cans. The dim moonlit night hiding his features.

"Come on!" said the Doctor, running down the street.

Mrs. Sugar gasped fearfully as she saw how close their pursuer was. She ran, lingering a few feet behind the Doctor.

"Get back here!" the pursuer shouted.

After several feet of running, the Doctor looked over his shoulder to see that he and Mrs. Sugar were losing their distance between them and the pursuer. He was gaining on them fast.

The Doctor's hearts beat painfully with each step he took. Clenching his teeth and blinking sweat out of his eyes, the Doctor looked for a possible plan of action around him.

'Gotta think of something, I can't outrun him. I hate to admit it, but this body's not as strong as it used to be. I'm going to collapse from exhaustion if I keep running!' thought the Doctor.

"Doctor!" Mrs. Sugar suddenly shouted.

Doctor looked over his shoulders and gasped.

The pursuer had caught up, his features now distinguishable.

He was a brownish green earth pony with a dark brown dirty mane. He had green eyes and a long dark brown curly mustache. He wore a large light brown stetson and a brown vest.

The Doctor could barely distinguish his "Deputy" badge pinned upon his vest.

The deputy, once close enough, had stopped running and had a long bow armed and ready to fire. With one eye closed, he pulled the string and carefully took his aim.

The Doctor's keen perception identified who he was aiming for.

"Look out!" he shouted. The Doctor stopped, turned, grabbed Mrs. Sugar by the torso, and pulled her and himself out of harm's way.

The deputy took his shot.

It was close, the Doctor felt a force of air streak against the side of his head as the arrow soared pass. Missing him by inches.

The two landed with a thud.

Mrs. Sugar rose to her hooves first, looking to the Doctor. "Are you alright?"

"I should be the one asking that!"

"I'm fine! You?"

"Of course!" said the Doctor, as he tried to stand. As he did, a sudden loud crack could be heard. The Doctor groaned and fell to the ground. "Nope, not alright!"

Mrs. Sugar rushed to his side and tried to help him to his hooves. To no prevail, the Doctor couldn't move.

"Doctor what's wrong!"

"I think that may have been my hip, quite possibly my back too". The Doctor tried to stand, only for another crack to break loose. Gasping in pain, the Doctor said, "nope, that was definantly my back!"

"Too old to be runn'in, are you partner?" said a stallion's voice behind the two.

Mrs. Sugar turned around, looking in fear to the deputie standing tall above her. Grinning a yellow tooth smile as he wielded his bag of pepper powder.

"Can't run anymore? Can you?" he said, reaching into the bag.

Taking notice, the Doctor forced his body to stand. Ignoring the pain his old bones gave as he stood in front of Mrs. Sugar. Using himself as her shield. "Don't you dare try anything!"

"Or what? You gonna fight back old stallion?" the deputy said with a chuckle.

"I'm warning you. You can harm me but dare to touch Mrs. Sugar and I'll make you regret your actions!" said the Doctor, fiercely.

The deputy gave a hearty laugh. "Ah can see why the colt is friends with you. Both a y'alls barks are bigger then yer bites!"

"Dean? You have him? Takes me to him!-"

"Yer not the one giving the orders "Doctor"!"

"You know me?"

"The colt mentioned you, told us yer name. Said how you were gonna come and save him and all that". He laughed, "wait till ah bring you to the prison, yer friend won't be thinkin the same way about you anymore!".

Grabbing a hoof ful of pepper powder. He reached his foreleg into the air, preparing to throw the powder down hard against the Doctor's face.

"Doctor!" Mrs. Sugar shouted.

There was a loud clang, and the deputy froze. His expression remained locked, stuck in a large maniatic smile. His body didn't move. For a moment, just like his face, it too was locked. Stuck in its position. One hoof ful of powder in the air, the other holding on to the contents bag.

Both the Doctor and Mrs. Sugar looked in confusion at their attackers sudden stop.

Then, slowly, the attacker fell forward. Face first into the dirt road.

Behind the attacker stood a masked stranger, wielding an iron skillet with the back of the deputy's head dented into it.

Mrs. Sugar relaxed, realizing what had happened. "We're saved!"

Suddenly, the masked stranger reached to his back, extracting a large dagger from a hidden scabbard. He pointed to the two, showing his hostility.

"No we're not" the Doctor said bluntly.

"You two, with me, now". the stranger said sternly. His voice deeper than the deputy's, yet still maintaining the western accent that most ponies in this town seemed to have.

The Doctor and Mrs. Sugar nodded in compliance.

With one hoof, the stranger lifted the deputy onto his back. The other held the dagger strictly towards the two. He gave a nod to the right, motioning to the two to walk in front of him.

The two complied and walked on. Being escorted by the stranger to walk side by side into another alley.

The stranger watched them closely, walking a few feet behind as he carried the deputy.

"What are we going to do?" Mrs. Sugar whispered, stepping over a molded sandwich in disgust.

"We're going to see where this stallions taking us" the Doctor whispered back.

"Are you serious?"

"If he wanted to harm us he would have done so back in the street".

"He's probably taking us to the sheriff's office-".

"We're walking in an alley, clearly he's not. Besides, even if he was then how come he subdued that deputy? If we wanted credit for our capture he wouldn't have hit a deputy with a skillet".

"Then where are we going?"

"You two, stop talking!" the stranger said sternly.

"Patience will tell us" the Doctor whispered quickly.

The two obeyed and went silent for the rest of their walk.

The four ponies walked through the alley for several minutes. Taking turns and stepping over trash along the way.

Eventually, the stranger told them to stop.

Mrs. Sugar, looking to the end of the alley said, "this is on the other side a town. What are we doing here?"

The stranger didn't answer. Throwing the deputy off his back and into the wall, the stranger walked to a pile of trash bags. He bucked the trash bags away, revealing a large, flat, wooden board. He took one end of the board and slid it away, revealing a large hole.

"Inside" he commanded.

"You can't be serious" said Mrs. Sugar.

"He has a weapon, I assure you he is not joking" said the Doctor, hopping down the hole.

"Doctor! What are you doing!"

"Just do what the dagger wielding stallion says already!" the Doctor shouted from the bottom of the hole.

Mrs. Sugar groaned and complied. Hopping into the hole and stumbling forward, not expecting the hole to be this deep.

It was a five foot drop, at the bottom was a tunnel. Neither of the two knowing where it leads.

"How long has this been here?" the Doctor asked.

"Ah didn't even know this was here!" Mrs. Sugar exclaimed. She gasped in startlement as the deputy's body suddenly came crashing besides them.

A moment later, the stranger followed. He looked to the two and said, "enter".

"Alright" said the Doctor, turning to the tunnel.

"Doctor we can't go in there!"

"Of course we can".

"Why!?!"

"Because the nice stallion asked us to" he said sarcastically.

"How can you be acting like this in this kind of situation!?!"

"Because I feel like it! Is that a good enough answer for you?"

"No!"

"Well that's too bad" said the Doctor, entering the tunnel.

"Doctor!" Mrs. Sugar said angrily. She looked to the stranger for a moment before looking fearfully to the tunnel. Shuddering as she entered.

The stranger dragged the deputy's body behind him, as the tunnels top side was too low for him to be carried on the stranger's back.

Mrs. Sugar walked in anxiety for a minute before coming to an opening. Upon entering, she saw the Doctor. Standing in the middle of what appeared to be a small, hollowed out cave.

There was a lit lantern in the center, giving the cave light. A sleeping bag against the wall and a bag of food and trash on the opposite end.

The stranger dragged the deputy inside and threw him to the trash. He walked over, disconnected the deputy's shingles from his belt and shingled the deputy to a hook posted in the wall above the trash.

The Doctor saw the stranger's features clearly now. He was a large stallion, wearing brown pants and jacket. He had a simple black mask covering his whole head.

He then turned to the others, pointing his dagger towards them. "You will answer anything ah ask, got that?"

The Doctor sighed, "you know, you could have been more gentle with that deputy. He's going to be sore once he wakes, with you throwing him all over the place-".

The stranger took a step forward, "I said you got that!"

The Doctor took a step towards the stranger, showing his anger for the first time. "I heard you loud and clear the FIRST TIME!!!"

The stranger held his dagger to the Doctor's throat, "you wanna shout at me again?"

The Doctor growled, "with pleasure, just drop your toy and I'll shout the bloody NIGHT AWAY!!!"

"Doctor stop!" Mrs. Sugar shouted, catching the Doctor's attention.

The Doctor, realizing his temper, took a deep breath. He forced a grin and said, "my apologies". He took a step back and adjusted his collar. "Forgive me on my temper. One does lose their patience with age".

Maintaining his caution, the stranger said, "well try to keep your temper in check. Or I might have to use this-".

"Oh would you stop trying to be threatening! It isn't working, well for the mare perhaps, but not for me" the Doctor blurted.

"Excuse me?" the stranger said angrily.

"Doctor, shut up!" said Mrs. Sugar.

"Its just an itty bitty knife Mrs. Sugar, are you honestly afraid? I've faced much worse to be honest-".

"I just saved you from that deputy!-"

"No! No you didn't!" said the Doctor, cutting the stranger off. "You were merely a coincidence. You just happened to come across ponies who looked like they were in trouble but in actuality they were just fine! I had everything under control until you popped up!"

"Didn't look like it while you were lying on your back! Old stallion!"

"A minor set back! That's all that was! I had a plan! Or at least was thinking one, but nonetheless! I would have been just fine!"

"You're lying! You're just a scared old stallion blabbering his mouth to waste time!"

"Perhaps at first, but not anymore".

"If your not scared of me, then why didn't you fight back?"

"Oh there are much better, more strategic ways to fighting then an up close brawl. If I was going to fight you I certainly wouldn't have done it right then and there. That is, if I had even planned to".

"Your not scared, and you're not going to fight back. Why did you let me take you here then?"

"Finally! He asks! Its quite simple really. A masked stranger comes along, takes down a deputy and saves our behinds. But! He then takes us to this secret location to which I assume no pony but you knows about! Now the obvious question is why would he do that, but the obvious questions don't always lead us the right direction. The un-obvious question, the one I think is much better to ask is, whats with the mask?"

"Why would you need to hide yourself? Bad guys only wear masks when the good guys are stronger. Where keeping their identities a secret is crucial to the good guys not finding them and bringing them to justice. However, in a town that has been taken over by criminals, thus making the bad guys stronger! The need for a secret identity is no longer need. But, do you know who needs the secret identities now? The good guys".

"Because the good guys are the ones in danger now. The roles have been reversed! In a town where villains are the rulers and heroes are the ones to fight back. The villains are the ones to find the heroes and bring them to "they're" justice. Which isn't actually justice I'm just trying to make a point. Point being, with the roles reversed, heroes need their identities protected, to keep themselves safe".

The Doctor took a step forward, grinning. "You're not with the sheriff, you're against him! And you've brought us here because you need us to help you fight him! Because nopony else in this town will bother helping you, will they? They're all too scared".

The stranger was silent for a moment, before laughing. His volume increasing slowly until he was practically bellowing in laughter.

Suddenly, he stopped and sighed. "Great deduction old timer, and you were so close too. Yer right, ah need yer help. And like it or not you're going to assist me-".

"No argument there" said the Doctor, smiling.

"However, there's one more reason ah brought you here. Which is also the reason why ah where this mask".

"Oh? And what would that be?"

He didn't answer.

Slowly, he dropped his dagger and reached behind his head with both hooves. The other two heard a zipper as the stranger unattached his mask. He removed his mask and let it fall to the ground.

He was a gray stallion with fading black hair and orange eyes. He had stubble growing and a scar on his left cheek.

The Doctor heard a gasp and turned to Mrs. Sugar.

Her eyes were wide as could be. Her pupils had shrunk to the size of a pinhead. She stood frozen, gaping to the stallion who had just revealed himself.

"Sugar?" Doctor asked.

Words seemed to fail her as she continued to stare at the stallion.

No one was speaking, so the stranger decided to be the first to do so. "Hello Mary, surprised to see me?"

She gaped for a moment, then said, "impossible . . . that's impossible . . . I saw you . . . I saw you die!"

The stallion chuckled, "everypony saw what they thought they saw. And they were wrong".

Mrs. Sugar took a step forward. " . . . Dean . . . you're alive?"

"Dean?" Confused, the Doctor looked to the stranger, then to Mrs. Sugar.

Thinking about everything that was happening, the Doctor slowly put the pieces together.

He looked in astonishment to the stranger, "Dean, the Dean I know, he's the second? As in, he's Dean Do jr.?"

The stranger nodded.

The Doctor pointed to the stranger, "so that makes you-". He didn't finish.

The stranger grinned. "I am Dean Do the first. And my son, the one who walked into town with you, is Dean Do jr.".

Silence ensued for several moments before the Doctor asked a question. One simple question that both he and Mrs. Sugar wanted to ask.

" . . . What!?!"