Doctor Whooves: Adventures in Time and Space (and Equestria)

by Marshall Lee TVK

Zap Apple Season - part 1

"Really, Miss Rarity, It's fine, You needn't to do anything else!" The Doctor burst out of Carousel Boutique, the purple maned seamstress in tow, many sketches of modifications to his suit floating around her.

"Wait, darling! Are you sure you don't want to look at these designs!? They're quite lovely!" she called after him.

"No thank you!" The Doctor struggled to get the persistent designer off his tail. He turned a corner, she followed. He crossed bridge, she followed. Finally he ducked into a shop, dived behind a quill display case, and slid to a stop behind a sofa. He heard the approaching and receding of hoof beats as Rarity passed by. Relieved, he sighed, climbing over the sofa and walking out of the store. He looked around trying to get his bearings. He didn't recognize any of the buildings, he had gotten lost. "Brilliant Doctor, you've saved multiple species, pushed crates at the Boston Harbor, ended entire wars, and now you've got lost in a small town of talking horses after being chased by a persistent dress maker." He berated himself. He looked up, scanning the sparse skyline. He spotted the tall spire of city hall towering over the two story huts and colorful tents, remembering the building was near where he had parked the TARDIS. He trotted toward it, the road twisting, lined by storefronts, leading to a bridge crossing a small river snaking it's way through town, and then to the circle that was town center. He then turned with the road, trotting toward a near by alley way. The TARDIS stood around a corner at the end, the Doctor smiled as he approached his ship. He pushed open the doors and trotted in.

~o~

Ditzy wandered through the labyrinthine network of hallways. She had noted there was a kitchen, a pool, and multiple squash courts, but it was the large library that caught her eye. She pushed the door open, the large room filled with ceiling high bookshelves overflowing with books and papers. Many tables scattered throughout the room, also covered with books. Even the floor had a few books scattered about. She stepped carefully over a few, making her way to the nearest bookshelf. She scanned the titles, they were all cookbooks that looked unused, she laughed at the thought of the Doctor using a cookbook. She turned to the bookshelf opposite. She wandered between the shelves, scanning the books. Then something caught her eye, she noticed one bookshelf tucked away in a dark corner. This one different from the others, it was neatly kept, slightly dusty, as if it was carefully arranged and then never touched, even the floor had no evidence of anypony going near it. On it's lower shelves sat many jars, labelled 'Encyclopedia Gallifreya' containing purple liquid, on it's top shelf sat a single book, propped as if to be displayed to who ever approached. She could just barely make out the text on it's cover, 'The History of the Time War' emblazoned on it's ornamental cover. Ditzy flapped her wings, flying up to take a better look at the book.

"Ditzy!" A voice called, it was the Doctor. "Ditzy, where are you?!"

Ditzy rushed back to the door, stumbling over a few books. "In the library!" She grabbed a book off a near by table. The cover read 'Love's Labour Lost by William Shakespeare.' The Doctor trotted in. "Just reading." She smiled sheepishly.

"Ah, Shakespeare, love Shakespeare, bit of a flirt mind you, but brilliant." The Doctor ranted. "Anyways, what do you think?" He reared back, showing off his modified suit. All tears had been mended, and the suit had been pressed, his coat no longer dragging on the ground, but instead flowed, similar to that of a dress. "Though I'm not sure why she removed the shirt entirely," he gestured to the collar wrapped around his neck, held by a necktie. "Who ever thought that was a good idea?"

Ditzy giggled. "You look like a million bits."

"Thank you. Now! Where to?"

"What do you mean?"

"The TARDIS is spaceship/time machine. All of time and space, a new universe to explore, new history to be discovered, where to?" He smirked.

"I dunno, where do you wanna go?" Ditzy questioned.

The Doctor furrowed his eyebrows. "What?!"

Ditzy shrugged.

"I've offered to take you anywhere that ever existed or will exist, and you don't know where you want to go? No events in the past you want to witness?"

"Nope."

"Alright..." the Doctor looked unsure of what to do. "Well...Time to get resourceful." He dashed to the console, and went to work, pulling levers, pressing buttons, flipping switches, almost expertly with his hooves. "I've set her to gravitate toward a major event, ANY major event between the beginning of time and now." He turned to Ditzy. "We could end up anywhere."

"Am I supposed to say something?" Ditzy asked.

"Only how impressive I am, maybe throw in a comment on how handsome I am as well." he smirked, then in one smooth motion, he threw the throttle and the TARDIS took off.

~o~

The TARDIS landed with a thud. The doors opened and the two occupants stepped out, they were in a forest, close to the edge where the trees became farther apart. The Doctor took one long sniff of the air. "Ah! Smell that, Ditzy? Fresh air, well... fresher than the air then."

"It smells just like it does then."

"Nah, there's a subtle difference, less smokey and crowded more..." he took another sniff. "...oakey with a hint of..." He took a deep whiff "mint, maybe?"

"I don't smell it." Ditzy shrugged.

"Ah..." the Doctor rubbed his neck. "Anyways!" He turned to face nothing in particular. "Here we are." He started toward the edge of the forest.

"Where is here?" Ditzy followed.

"See for your self." The Doctor pushed a branch aside. Ditzy gazed into the valley below, a small town comprised mainly of small shops, some were hoof built shacks, others tens pitched over tables displaying the owner's wares, and a train station lay in the middle. A small crowd of ponies in period attire milled about, approaching the shops, examining items.

"Sweet Celestia..." Ditzy muttered. "It's Ponyville!"

"Yep! Old Ponyville Town, not but a few years old, decades before you were born." The Doctor smirked.

"I can't believe it, I'm in the past. I'm standing here years before I'm born. Wait, was born? Will be born?"

The Doctor's smirk grew bigger.

"Can we go down there? I mean, isn't that dangerous?"

"Nah! Just follow my lead." He started trotting down toward the village.

~o~

The sight of the shop gave Ditzy a great idea.

"Ditzy? Where are you going?" The Doctor asked.

"Just looking." she trotted up to a shop separate from the rest. A large sign, posted over the wooden awning, portrayed a brown-maned earth pony stallion wearing a worn straw hat, on either side of him a jar filled with a rainbow colored substance. "Barnyard Bargains, at least, it will be. I wonder what it's called now?" Ditzy explained. They walked up on the wooden porch and pushed the door open, a bell hanging from the frame announcing their arrival. She turned to the Doctor, "Would you please wait here?" she asked.

The Doctor cocked his head. "Why?"

"It's a surprise."

The Doctor raised an eyebrow, then resigned with a small smirk. "All right, I'll wait."

"Thanks!" she smiled sweetly before ducking into the door. She stuck her head back out "Don't wander off." She added. Then the Doctor was alone.

The Doctor couldn't help himself but smile.

~o~

"Ah! Welcome ta Stinkin' Rich's Gen'ral Store." A voice called from somewhere in the back of the room. The stallion, recognizable from the sign on the storefront and apparently named Stinking Rich, trotted from a back room carrying two buckets of paint in his mouth. "How c'n I help y'all?" He asked, adding a charismatic smile.

Ditzy stepped up to the counter. "Yes, I'd like a couple of jars of zap apple jam, please." She smiled.

"Ah..." Stinking Rich sighed. "Sorry ma'am, I'm 'fraid I ran out 'bout a week ago."

"Oh..." Ditzy's head dropped slightly.

"Now, don't fret darlin'. To my understandin' I'll be restockin' real soon." He added, noticing her disappointment. "Word from the Acres that Zap Apple Season is well under way."

"Excuse me." a voice came from behind them, accompanied by a ringing bell. Both turned to the door, there stood a young earth pony mare in a red bonnet, she was carrying a few bags around her neck as well as full saddle bags, glass clinking could be heard within. She had a brilliant green coat, bright amber eyes, a blonde mane split into two braids tied with red ribbons, her tail braided as well. Her cutie mark was of an apple pie. Ditzy eyed the mare, why did she look so familiar? "Sorry, hope I'm not interrupting." She added.

"Well," Filthy Rich's charismatic smile returned. "If it ain't Granny Smith, I s'ppose you're here for your..." he eyed Ditzy and the Doctor. "special order?" he whispered.

Ditzy's eyes widened when she heard the name. She took a long look at the young mare, it was indeed Ponyville's oldest resident

"Mr. Rich! You ain't gotta pretend it's some secret, they're just a few buckets a paint." She smiled sweetly.

"Just didn't wanna outright say it fronta this outta-towner." He gestured to Ditzy. A realization crossed his face. "Uh, no offence, ma'am." He added quickly, waving his hooves in dismissal, his smile nervous.

"Oh, it's all right." the Ditzy responded.

"It's just that I don't normally do order like this, only for my best suppliers." Once again, his charismatic smile was plastered on his face. Granny smiled, slightly embarrassed by the praise.

"Now, Mr. Rich, we both know y'all just tryin' ta butter me up, maybe get a jar or two extra this round." Granny retorted.

"Is it that obvious?" he chuckled. "Well, here's your order, any how." He pushed the cans toward her. Granny went to pick them up in her mouth.

"Oh! Let me help you there." Ditzy stepped up and grabbed the paint cans herself.

"Thank ya' kindly." She replied. "It's a bit hectic, what with all the preparations fer Zap Apple season." She added.

"Sounds like you could use a couple of farm hooves." Ditzy offered.

"Actually, I just met that nice stallion outside. He said he was travelin' with somepony, and they both 're lookin' fer jobs."

Ditzy glanced at the Doctor. "Granny." He stepped in, "I'd like you to meet Ditzy, we're your new farmhooves."

Author's Note:

Sorry for the wait guys, I just got a bit busy for the last few months and frankly I couldn't get this chapter just right, I'm still a bit unsure but I can't think of anything better. Anyways, Here you go enjoy, It will get better, I promise, and I will try to get the next chap up soon. Thanks for reading.