You Shall Go To The Gala

by Purple Patch

Chapter 2

Derpy had rarely got to see Princess Celestia in person. Only at the Summer Sun Celebration did she appear before Ponyville and even then, she looked distant. Yet here, at the Gala, the ruler of Equestria and guardian of the sun entered from the stairs regally, accompanied by an orange unicorn with a red and yellow mane wearing a black dress embroidered with a very real-looking flame motif and a set of lace phoenix wings. Celestia herself wore her pink and purple gown with the sun motif and her famous crown.

She spoke, her voice bringing a soothing sensation to those present.

"Welcome, everypony, and thank you all for coming to this very special night. It heartens me to see you all here tonight at the Grand Galloping Gala, where we celebrate the Founding of Equestria and the Birth of Harmony among ponies"

There was a modest round of applause.

"Now please, make yourselves welcome among the festivities. On behalf of all of Canterlot, I hope you enjoy the Gala and may the blessings of the founders be showered upon you all"

Derpy was quite shocked at how quickly the majority of the guests seemed content to move on from their own Princess's royal greeting. In Ponyville, such a speech would likely be treated to maybe six or seven rounds of applause and ponies of all ages and professions shoving for the privilege of speaking to her.

She supposed things were different in Canterlot.

The Princess waved for two schoolmates, Colgate and Lyra, who stepped up in their dresses and greeted Princess Celestia as the rest of the guests conversed among each other.

“Minuette Colgate and Lyra Heartstrings, my dear students” Derpy was just able to hear them “I understand you wish to speak to me personally”

“Yes, Princess Celestia” they answered “We do”

A pretty, sophisticated dark-grey pony stepped up on stage and began leading the orchestra with a round of cello pieces that nopony seemed to pay too close attention too.

Feeling the pangs of hunger after so much time spent getting ready and poorly fed by her aunt, Derpy headed first to the hors d'oeuvres. It was an extensive but pretentious ensemble of foodstuffs, tiny samples of dishes laid out like they were precious antiques. Eating them felt like she was ruining somepony's art exhibition but she did so anyway, positively shovelling them into her mouth.

Beside her, a gaudy middle-aged couple turned their noses up at her disdainfully.

"Good grief. Just look at that simpleton's utter lack of conduct! Simply frightful!" the mare sneered "Don't say the Princess has dragged another Ponyville ragamuffin to a place of nobility!"

"Honestly, last time it was that doddery old mayor, the time before that it was those bumpkin apple-farmers" the stallion scoffed "Is nothing safe from the grubby hooves of the commoners anymore?"

Derpy felt the need to edge away from the couple's disdainful gaze. She stopped beside a solitary white stallion with a blonde mane and a rose in his jacket. She smiled at him.

"Hi"

The stallion turned half his gaze to her and tilted his head as if he were looking at something dragged out of the trash.

"Good evening" he said mirthlessly.

"Nice gala, huh? I'm Derpy"

"I'll bet you are" The look he was giving her was making her feel less and less confident.

"Uh...um...I like your suit...I've never seen anything quite like it...it's my first time at the Grand Galloping Gala"

"That doesn't surprise me"

"Um...this dress I'm wearing, my friend, well...a friend of my friend...made it specially...I'm sure she could..."

The stallion held up a hoof dismissively.

"Yes, yes, I don't mean to cut you off but you're boring me to death" he snapped "If you really want to make yourself useful, trot over there and bring me a glass of claret"

"Er...I'm sorry..." Derpy looked around, downcast "Wh...where do I find the claret? I don't..."

"Never mind, even relaying you instructions is giving me a headache" And he walked off before whispering into the ear of the rich couple from earlier.

"Somepony get her a join-the-dots book. That'll keep her quiet" That made them all snigger sardonically.

Suddenly Derpy didn't feel all that different from how she felt at Invitro Hall.

"You alright, love?" The Doctor appeared at her side, holding out a hoof "Like to dance?"

Derpy pondered the thought, shrugged and placed Dinky upon a chair overlooking the dance floor.

"I won't be long, Dinky. Be good for momma, okay?"

"Mah!" Dinky nodded with a smile.

"So this is your first Grand Galloping Gala then?" the Doctor asked her casually as they carefully ambled their way around the dance floor in a way that they were trying to make look like dancing.

"Yeah...It's kinda' scary" Derpy mumbled "I don't know anypony here"

"Well I've kept an eye out. That yellow pegasus by the punch bowl is Captain Spitfire, she recently became head of the Wonderbolts"

Derpy noticed Spitfire, her coat and mane blazing glorious fiery tones, as she hovered in mid-air, regaling guests with tales of her exploits, complete with gestures, most of whom eyed her with expressions that asked each other 'Is She Ever Going To Shut Up?!'.

"And the stallion right there with the perm is Hoity Toity, the fashion critic...and that looks like the photographer, Photo Finish next to him" On a luxurious settee, a flamboyant stallion and a scary-looking mare, both of them possessed of glasses that hid their discerning eyes, surveyed the scene, throwing glances of approval or disapproval at the guests and their apparel. The two saw Derpy and the dress she wore, tilted their heads, looked to each other and shrugged.

"Adequate" she heard the mare say “Not true excellence but very adequate nonezeless. Very impulsive. Quite impressive for rush vork"

"The work itself is quite passionate" the stallion replied "Lack of time and resources might have led to it being so scarce in allure"

Derpy turned away from their patronising gaze as the Doctor continued identifying the crowd.

"Oh and look, that wrinkly stallion over there in the military uniform is Rear-Admiral Gaylord-Codpiece Von Tinkeltrauser"

"Why does he look angry all the time?"

"Well you'd look angry all the time if you were called Rear-Admiral Gaylord-Codpiece Von Tinkeltrauser, wouldn't you?"

"Heehee...yeah, I guess so" Derpy giggled "Are there any...nice ponies around here?"

"Meh...there's a few. In fact if we're lucky-"

"Ah, there you are, Doctor, old chap! We've been looking all over for you!"

The Doctor and Derpy spun round to be hailed by a dapper white stallion with a blue moustache and a monocle. A beautiful alabaster unicorn mare, dressed in a stunning trailing pink-and-yellow dress with her primrose mane adorned with silk roses and lilies, was draping herself over his shoulder in an alluring pose. Three lavishly-dressed nobleponies trotting up behind both of them.

"Speak his name and he shalt appear..." the Doctor chuckled before greeting the stallion warmly "Fancy, you fantastic old dude! Lovin' the bowtie, as usual! I was hoping you'd come this year!"

"Oh indeed, Doctor, once I heard you were coming I knew I simply must catch up with you. And beside you is Derpy Doo, the diligent mailmare and actress. Why, this is a delightful surprise"

"Um..." Derpy made a startlingly convincing impression of Rainbow Dash’s famously timid pegasus friend, Fluttershy "Thank you, sir...I’m glad to see you again"

"The pleasure is all mine, dear girl. Your friend the Doctor is a jolly decent chum of mine. This mare beside me, you remember, is Fleur de Lis, a budding supermodel, and this is Swan Song, Golden Gavel and Silver Frames, good friends and benefactors all. This, ladies and gentlecolts, is Derpy Doo, one of the most diligent, hardworking and altogether friendly fillies I have ever had the esteemed pleasure to know"

The three gaudy ponies each clasped Derpy's hoof and shook with vigour.

"Truly delighted to meet you, Miss Doo" Swan Song preened.

"Simply ecstatic to see you, Miss Doo" Golden Gavel simpered.

"Positively thrilled to know you, Miss Doo" Silver Frames fawned.

They were a little too enthusiastic for her liking.

"It's very nice to meet you all, everypony”

“Likewise, dear filly. Forgive my prying but I thought you were living in Ponyville”

“Uh...yeah...I’m here with the Doctor” She leaned closer to him, feeling protected in his presence “He’s a real good friend”

Fancy Pants nodded.

"I do not doubt it. I'm afraid I don't get to visit Ponyville too often, much as I'd like to. Pressing duties in Canterlot most of the time"

"Mister Fancy Pants is Chairstallion of the Royal Council, you see" Swan Song pointed out.

"And the most important pony in the Capital, don't you know" Golden Gavel added.

"Very little happens in Canterlot without his approval, truly" Silver Frames concurred.

"Now, now, I wouldn't go that far" the blue-maned gentlecolt interjected "Regardless, I do my part for society, just as you do, young Derpy. Though I would enjoy a visit to jolly old Ponyville one of these days. I remember visiting Sweet Apple Acres once with my dear parents, best apple pies I've ever tasted and I dare anypony to prove otherwise. And..." His face fell to a serious expression and his eyes darted left and right “How is your aunt?”

“My aunt?” Derpy’s mind wandered.

“Countess Magnifying, I mean”

“Oh...” She had hoped to avoid talking about her and was grateful she hadn’t seen her “She’s...fine”

His entourage huddled and began whispering among each other.

"Magnifying Glass of the line of Wyndergarde? The Lords and Ladies of Invitro Manor? What's her niece doing in Ponyville?"

"She's too pale to be General Shot's kin and too thin to be Princess Hour's. Perhaps she comes from Sir Fiber's lot"

"And her name, surely it wouldn't come from any of the main branch, you know what they're all like, too pretentious by half"

Fancy Pants meaningfully cleared his throat and the three snapped to attention.

"I...I just stay with her when I'm in Canterlot" Derpy mumbled "We...we're not that close"

Fancy Pants nodded with a look that seemed relieved.

Fleur de Lis meanwhile gazed intently at Derpy's dress.

"Darling, I'm interested to know where you got that dress?" she asked keenly.

"Uh...yeah" Derpy blushed "My friend made it specially for me...she's a seamstress in Ponyville...I think it looks pretty good"

"Pretty good?" she exclaimed, a lilting laughter escaping from her lips "Oh my treasure, it looks simply gorgeous on you! Something about it just looks so natural and well-fitting. Take good care of it, dear, it suits you wonderfully”

The notion of this supermodel gushing over her was too much for Derpy and she broke into a bout of nervous giggles, ended by a hiccup.

She glanced around, certain she'd committed a social faux-pas in front of the Doctor's friends.

Instead, the alabaster mare emitted a light 'squee' of joy and hopped about on her stunning long legs.

"She's so adorable!" she squeaked "It's just like that fluffy thing that played with my mane last month! I would love to get to know you better, dear. But please don't play with my mane, it takes hours to get it ready in the mornings"

"Steady the buffs there, Fleur darling" Fancy Pants chuckled "Though I must agree. Your seamstress has outdone herself. I must visit Ponyville more often. It makes such a nice change of atmosphere"

"Don't I know it" the Doctor shrugged.

Derpy wiped her eyes and turned to the slim unicorn.

“Thank you...yours is nice too”

“Oh, this one I'm wearing here?” Fleur asked, as if only just noticing it “Glad you like it. Apparently it’s a two-thousand bit designer’s item from a private Manehattan collection, won at auction and kept behind a crystal cabinet when not in use. Fancy got it for me when he asked me to accompany him to the gala this evening" She blushed prominently.

The two stallions smiled at their female companions before conversing among each other.

"So, my dear chap, what, if I may be so bold as to ask, is your relationship with Ponyville's postal pioneer? Are you two, as it were, plus-ones?"

"Ah...you could say that, Fancy mate"

"Mah, ma-mah..." Dinky's call threatened to drown out the music as she shuffled over to her mother who scooped her up and checked her over.

"Oh my Muffin, are you okay? It's alright, little one, I'm right here"

Fleur's squeal of delight nearly matched Dinky's plaintive cry before.

"Celestia be praised, there's a mini-version!"

"Oh yeah" the Doctor gave Dinky a friendly poke on the tummy "Everyone, this is Dinky...Derpy's daughter"

The three members of Fancy Pant's entourage began to whisper among themselves.

"A daughter...at her age?"

"Most peculiar...does one suspect..."

"Well, one can't be certain..."

"Why hello there, young unicorn. Aren't you a charming little thing" Fancy Pants began to coo over the foal, talking over his entourage's gossiping "She is absolutely beautiful, young Derpy, you should be very proud"

"Th-thanks Mister...Pants..."

Dinky began to giggle.

"Yes, that's his name, Dinky" Derpy told her "This is Mister Fancy Pants"

Dinky giggled again. The Doctor looked a little awkward.

“She says that’s a silly name”

The entourage all gave a long, overdrawn gasp and stood silent, hooves over their mouths. Derpy stared, biting her lip in worry. Then she closed her eyes tight.

Then it dawned on her that Fancy Pants was laughing.

"Yes..." he chortled in good humour "Yes, I suppose it is a bit of silly name. Still, it's my silly name and I'm very proud of it. After all, there's not much wrong with being a little silly from time to time"

"Is everything here currently alright?" Two very strange looking mares appeared, holding hooves “The little one seemed to lose you in the crowd and we thought we might bring her to her mother before she grew distressed”

The first mare was a pinto, her coat a patchwork of white and chestnut, her chocolate-brown mane tied up in a small bun, not quite the same way as Magnifying Glass’s was. She was wearing a very traditional-looking cream-coloured dress with a blue-grey waistcoat decorated with a white rose.

The second had to be a foreign pony, despite her almost flawless Equestrian accent. Most of her body was hidden behind a dark purple dress and veil. She was even wearing gloves and shoes. A black felt boa wrapped round her shoulders and held her veil in place. Her eyes were the most defining feature, bright yellow with a vertical, oval-shaped iris, staring at her from the shadows of the veil.

Even so, she seemed very friendly and Derpy, of all ponies, knew that one’s appearance meant little if they’re friendly.

"Oh, it's no trouble" Derpy said, smiling "I think little Dinky's found a friend"

"I am honoured" The veiled female stepped forward and extended a gloved hoof. He spoke without emphasis in a low, tranquil tone "I am Madam Coldblood, Equestrian Secret Service. Don’t go telling everypony"

"Oh wow" Derpy was taken aback. "That must have been exciting. And you?" she turned to the pinto mare, who smiled brightly.

"Spinning Jenny if you please" she answered.

Whoever they where and wherever they were from, they seemed extremely genial.

"You have a beautiful foal, Miss..." Spinning Jenny said, gesturing one hoof to ask for her name.

"Derpy Doo" she checked over her shoulder and brought over her friend "And this is my friend, the Doctor"

The Doctor and the two mares reacted to each other with surprise and some amount of concern.

"Hello ladies" the Doctor said nervously "Shall we talk a moment?"

"Yes please" Madam Coldblood said, somewhat serious.

"Great. Sorry, Derpy, gimme' a minute. Time and space business" he gave her a wink and a friendly peck on the cheek then took his two acquaintances down a quiet corridor.

"I should've expected to see you two here" the Doctor said out of sight to all but his addressees "I gotta' say, I've missed you"

Spinning Jenny checked to her sides and then nodded as Madam Coldblood removed her veil.

A head and neck lined with shimmering scales greeted the Doctor. Removing her gloves, Coldblood also revealed a set of claws upon where her hooves should have been. What passed for ears under the veil was actually a horn-like crest and her snout was flat, her mouth lined with rows of razor-sharp teeth.

Despite appearances, she wasn’t a draconequus or even a dracony.

Many years into the past, and even more years into the future, the race of ponies called her kind ‘Hipposaurs’. Her own kind knew themselves as Varans. Reptilian, subterranean cousins of the equine thought to have dominated Equestria long before the pegasus, unicorn or even the earth pony, the Doctor had prevented a war between the Varans and the Equestrians three times and stopped the genocide of their race. Coldblood had been one of the many he had saved and owed him a life-dept.

Spinning Jenny was the daughter of the Founder of Trottingham. She’d originally been forced to take part in the genocide at the whim of the crazed Archduke Natrix. Coldblood and Jenny had fought each other to a standstill, elected to help each other, escaped with the Doctor and fell in love.

They’d fought beside the Doctor on more than several occasions, though he hadn’t expected them to find him here. Usually it was he who found them, often to call in a favour.

“Blunderbuss isn’t here, is he?” The Doctor asked.

“Did the buffet table explode owing to the ice sculpture acting suspiciously?” Coldblood asked in turn.

The scruffy brown stallion glanced round.

“Nope”

“Then Blunderbuss is not here”

“Oh well, great to see you anyway” The Doctor held out his hooves. The two females were not smiling.

“Who is she, Doctor?” Jenny asked without a shred of mirth.

The time-traveller rolled his eyes, took a deep breath and confessed.

“She’s my assistant...and the mother of my foal”

The ladies pinned him to the wall, exasperated beyond limit.

"What are you thinking?!" Coldblood hissed "Your presence here already puts all of Equestria in danger! And now you have a hatchling?!"

"I'm sorry, Coldblood" he sighed "It was a mistake, I know, but I've made up my mind. I can't leave Derpy, not again. It would break her heart"

They loosened their grip but remained frustrated.

"Doctor, I’m sorry to say this an’ all, but nice as she is, your old bird don’t take priority over Equestria and everything in it" Jenny said, her face grim "He's after you, Doctor, and he doesn't care who he has to go through to get to you"

"The Second Great Betrayal is almost upon us, Doctor. This we know" Coldblood declared "Celestia will hide herself once again, to dwell on her mistakes and bring another to her side. In her grief, the son of the Deceiver will reveal himself and march his armies all across Equestria"

"Look, I'm still working when I can"

"That ain’t the problem, sunshine" Jenny snapped "He’s gonna’ use you as a vessel if he finds you. Power over time and space, over reality itself, the entire bleedin’ history of Equestria to bend to his whim, is that a world you want to bring your foal up in? And that’s if it’s you he finds first. What he’ll do if he finds your foal don’t bear thinkin’ about!”

“The blood of a Time Turner would make the perfect ingredient in his little recipe for disaster, Doctor. You’ve just given him another way to take control"

"I won’t give him that chance" the Doctor assured his old allies "If he comes here with his legions and his plans, I promise you, he’ll go the same way as his father did” He held up his hooves “One way or another, I am not making Derpy give up our foal. Now you might think I’m just being stupid and maybe I am but when have I ever let you down?"

They paused. It had been many years since the last Invisible War in Equestria. The Doctor had fought in each one. And he was always among the few survivors. On a normal day, the Doctor could be counted on, but if he was choosing to stay in Equestria, in this time period, things were much less certain.

"You were there, Doctor" Coldblood said "You were there when Laurelore the Firsticorn slew Marephistallion at the Battle of Faceless Rock. And you were there when she gave up her powers to Star-Swirl and Scorpan in order to banish the Deceiver for good. The son was there too. There is nothing he will not do to destroy you, even if it means starting his invasion early. If that happens, we will not be ready. If the son inherits the powers of the father, Celestia will not be able to face him"

"Then we keep her out of this. Bring down his armies before they have a chance to march"

"That won't be easy. Their agents are already hidden among the cities strewn in the Vale of Doubt. We've encountered several already"

Jenny handed him a glowing tablet. On it were the names and profiles of the known enemy.

"Sounds like we've got our work cut out for us" The Doctor groaned.

He hated to do this to Derpy but he would need to take some time away from home.

But later.

He still had a foal to care for.

“Doctor” Coldblood placed her claws on her shoulder. Both of them knew she understood. She and Jenny weren’t strangers to the concepts of love and family, else they never would have married. But they made it their duty to watch the Doctor across his travels and take care of him. Very few were privileged to that position.

She spoke earnestly, almost as if she were begging him.

“You cannot let her know”

Derpy was short on ponies to talk to. The Doctor was still talking with his friends, what about she had no clue. Fancy Pants and Fleur were speaking with the secretary, Miss Inkwell, from the garden party. Colgate and Pepperdance had disappeared earlier with Lyra but were now gossiping with two young unicorn mares called Twinkleshine and Lemon Hearts. And with Dinky dozing off in her sling, Derpy was standing at the edge of the party, looking for conversation.

She'd enjoyed the dance. It had been slow and simple, not like the jig at the Sweet Apple Acres that left her tripping over her own hooves. She edged over to the elegant long-maned grey pony who was beginning another piece upon her cello.

"Hi"

The cellist didn't turn away from the sheet-music but she glanced at Derpy out the corner of her violet eyes.

"Hello madam" her voice was quiet and possessed a similar accent to Fancy Pants.

"That was really nice music"

"Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it" She was blunt but, unlike the blonde stallion from before, very polite.

"Do you often play at the Gala? I wouldn't know...this is my first time"

"I often do. Listen..." she prevented Derpy from continuing "You're very kind but I rather need to focus right now. If you like, I could talk to you after this next piece"

Nodding apologetically, Derpy looked elsewhere for company.

At the buffet table, a magenta filly in a silver tiara was yelling at one of the catering staff.

"Ugh! Aperitif, you idiot! I didn't order Honeycomb Muffin! I ordered Honeycomb Tiffin! Our Randolph would never get that wrong!"

Derpy was stunned. The filly couldn’t have been more than seven but she seemed like such a spoilt and ungrateful foal.

She swore she'd never let Dinky turn out like that.

Repulsed, she turned away and found two bizarre ponies who she knew to be Screwloose and Screwball. Whenever she would have one of her 'episodes' a few years ago, she shivered at the memory, she would find those two at the Ponyville Infirmary though she still had no idea whether they worked there or were treated there. Perhaps both.

They were sitting facing each other, calmly sipping tea, and contemplating pony thought, paying no mind to the world around them.

"Well, what I try to do..." Screwball began "...is actually think outside the box"

"Ha! You would..." Screwloose scoffed "What I like to do is to turn the box inside out, re-enter the box and begin thinking again"

"...Right" Screwball said after a pause "Yes...well...actually I, erm...I tend to deconstruct the box, break down its boundaries and then rebuild it as a ball! And then use this ball to bounce off other boxes and other ideas, yes!"

"How...obvious!" Screwloose snapped "What I like to do is to open my mind to the box, let the box fill with my dreams and then sit inside it and let them flow around me!"

"No, no, no" Screwball declared "Become the box!"

"No!" Screwloose proclaimed "Destroy the box!"

"Oh you fool" Screwball sighed "There is no box! There is only...a boat, with me as the captain, floating on a sea of ideas!"

"There is not a boat, there is a rocket, with me as the captain!" Screwloose's eyes began to widen as both mares began to blather frantically and hop around in revelation.

"Yes, yes, a rocket!"

"A rocket, flying through the outer reaches of the solar system!"

"Powered by ideas!"

"With...with huge wings!"

"And-and-and laser guns!"

"And...and COMFORTABLE CHAIRS! YES!"

The two jumped high in the air, grinning wildly, and yelled feverishly at the top of their lungs.

"A ROCKET! A ROCKET! A ROCKET!"

And, after a brief pause, they sat back in their chairs and sipped calmly from their teacups.

The grey pegasus slowly edged away from the manic duo.

It was ponies like those two that made Derpy feel relatively normal.

A few steps back and Derpy found herself bumping into another.

"Ooh sorry" she quickly spun round to apologise "Nice to meet you. I'm Derpy Doo. Are you enjoying the-"

"IRREGULAR!"

The young grey pegasus suddenly found herself frozen to the spot in fear as the terrifying figure of her aunt, Countess Magnifying Glass, bore down on her, crop shaking in her hoof, her eyes blazing with rage. Her daughters surrounded their cousin, blocking any escape.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!"

Everything went silent as everypony watched stock-still, transfixed by the spectacle taking place.

"She snuck into the gala, I knew she would!" Monocular shrieked.

"And look! She stole one of our dresses!" Binocular cried.

"No...nononono!" Derpy babbled, her voice growing quieter and quieter under her aunt's terrifying glare "It wasn't like that, I...I only-"

Crack!

In an instant, Derpy found herself sprawled out on the floor, cradling her cheek that had bore the brunt of the crop's ferocious lash. She saw tears pool on the floor beneath her and the pearls from her headband bounce and roll away.

There was something else.

Drops of something red.

"Mah!"

The wailing unicorn foal was the only pony daring to move, rushing over to her mother and trying desperately to nurse her injured face.

The Countess's eye twitched and the crop rose again.

"No!"

This time the crop cracked upon Derpy's outstretched wing. The Countess had always hated her wings and she hated them even more now. A couple of feathers flew through the air and it hurt to move the wing at all. Still she shielded her filly, the one thing in the world that always seemed to be there for her.

"You!" Magnifying Glass seized her niece by the mane with her magic and dragged her forcibly to the doors "Outside! Now! And leave that THING here!"

All eyes watched the sobbing pegasus struggle to get to her hooves as she was hauled out the doors, her lovely dress tearing as she flailed feebly and tiny drops of blood from her cheek speckling the floor.

The doors slammed shut and there was silence.

Then Dinky gave a drawn-out squeak that slowly began a wail of grief and fear as she curled up into a ball on the ground and desperately tried to hide herself in the torn fragments of her mother's dress.

"Oh Dinky!" Lyra instinctively picked the two foals up off the floor, set them down safely on the table and began to nuzzle the crying filly.

On the other side of the table, Prince Blueblood, Jet Set, Upper Crust and the Rich family conversed amongst themselves

"Well..." Blueblood said, rather flustered "That was one way to solve the problem, I suppose"

"Is that Ponyville pegasus actually related to Countess Magnifying Glass herself?" Jet Set asked incredulously.

"It's unbelievable" Upper Crust exclaimed "What could the Countess be thinking, associating her family with such an odd mare?"

"Well, good riddance!" Spoilt Rich sneered "I sincerely hope that dolt is taught a good lesson in knowing her place and how to keep it, stealing dresses and turning up where she isn't wanted!"

"She didn't have to...hit her..." the tiara-wearing filly looked the most concerned, struggling to comprehend what had happened.

"What was that, Diamond Tiara?" Spoilt Rich snapped.

"Nothing, mommy" The filly yelped.

"That poor filly" Filthy Rich sucked his teeth "She's in for a rough night if the Countess gets her way. She sure won't stop at beating her, that's a dead certain"

Lyra tried hard to blot the insults and rumours from her mind and that of Dinky's as she tried to sooth the sobbing little unicorn.

"Don't worry, Dinky" she cooed desperately "Momma's gonna' be fine"

"No, she won't!" Colgate stamped her hoof on the ground angrily and stormed towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Lemon Hearts asked.

"Where do you think?!" the blue unicorn screamed "Those stuck-up, curd-faced old nags hit Derpy! I'm gonna' ring their bucking necks!" Some of the crowd gasped at her language.

"Oh shut up" she sighed, irritated, before turning to the door.

"Colgate, no!" It took Sugarcoat, Twinkleshine, Lemon Hearts, Pepperdance and Fleur grabbing her by the shoulders to prevent Colgate getting her hooves on the Glasses "If you touch her, she's going to make life Tartarus for you and Derpy!"

"I've gotta' do something!" Colgate felt the urge to weep "She hit her with a crop! She hit our Derpy!"

"Where's the Doctor?" Pepperdance looked around feverishly "Someone find a brown stallion with a hat and bowtie!"

"We can't call out the Countess, it's only going to make things worse!" Twinkleshine insisted.

"But she's going to take everything from her!" Lyra wailed "She already tried before. Derpy's gonna' lose her job, her home, her foal..."

"Excuse me" The chaotic yelling-from-all-sides was cut off by a stallion stepping forward.

"If you would allow me..." Fancy Pants straightened his bowtie, a look of steely displeasure grafted to his face, and breathed deeply as if about to enter battle.

"I'd like a little talk with Countess Magnifying Glass"

Author's Note:

Speak his name and he shalt appear.
Wish him to do good and he shall.
He is Fancy Pants.
In case you're wondering, the Doctor and Celestia were talking in private in the last scene.
They will find out what happened and they will not be happy.
Spinning Jenny and Coldblood are essentially ponified versions of Jenny and Vastra, two of my favourite Doctor Who characters.
Interspecies LGBT Romance, you can't beat it!
Blunderbuss is ponified Strax the Sontaran and don't worry, I am intending to fit him in somewhere.
The Fluffle Puff is not an anachronism.
The laws of time and space do not apply to the Fluffle Puff!
Fancy Pant's casual nature in admitting the oddness of his name is inspired by I'm Fancy Too by The OwlGoesMoo, brilliant 3D MLP art that always gets 'muh feelz' any day.
If you do not find any part of his work funny or heartwarming, consult a priest because you appear to be lacking a soul!
The Screw Sisters Scene is based on this animation by Joseph Pelling.
This pretty much made me enrol in illustration and animation.
You've all been very patient and I appreciate it tremendously.
This isn't quite the end of the story but things are escalating.
Hope you like it. Please comment at your leisure. Constructive criticism is appreciated.