For Want of a Horseshoe Nail

by Sixes_And_Sevens

Prelude

“The universe hangs by such a delicate thread of coincidences…”

-Paul McGann, the Eighth Doctor

A train whistled once, steam pouring from its funnel as it chugged gently into the station. Several ponies bustled forth, carrying luggage and postcards and sundry souvenirs of their time spent in Vanhoover. One lone maroon stallion, however, sat apart from the madding crowd, apparently electing instead to read the daily news with an idle eye. In reality, his eye was anything but, flicking frequently between one pair of ponies and another, and then to a spot on the floor where a hole had developed.

The pair of earth ponies that he had been observing stood up a little straighter as the train pulled in, hauling up their bags and trunks. Bright Macintosh and Pear “Buttercup” Butter. They were about to be saved from their certain death.

This would, admittedly, come at some cost. Always, there was a cost, the maroon stallion mused idly.

The other couple, a pegasus husband and wife, were arguing with the ticket-seller. Well, technically, they were pleading. “We can squeeze in,” the mare said, her voice tinged with desperation. “We can ride on the roof!”

“Or a boxcar,” the stallion added. “I can probably put all our luggage into a bindle!”

He looked at the two large, stuffed suitcases behind him. “I’ll need a tablecloth and a broom handle. Actually, can you make that two of each?”

“I’m sorry!” the stallion at the counter said, sounding almost as though he was referring to the situation, rather than the fact that he was involved in it. “But the train is full. There aren’t any seats left! You can catch the next one, though, it’s leaving in--”

“We know!” the stallion interrupted. “We checked all the schedules. The 4:37, the 5:58, the 7:13, and then there aren’t any more until tomorrow. But all of those are too late!”

“Well, where are you folks going--”

“Our daughter is having a race tomorrow,” the mare explained. “At flight camp! We only just got the letter.”

“So we cut our vacation short,” the stallion continued. “We wouldn’t want to miss our daughter’s first official flying race, would we?” Something seemed to strike him. “Say. Say! Could we exchange the tickets we planned on using for tickets on this train?”

“Sir, I’m really very sorry,” the ticket-seller said. “I’m afraid there are simply no tickets left to sell. You’d have better luck asking around, seeing if anyone would trade you their tickets.” His voice was flat and a little sarcastic, but neither pegasus noticed.

“I’ll go this way, you go that way,” the mare said.

The stallion snapped a mock salute. “Dear, yes, dear!”

She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and ran off, while he scanned the station for anyone who looked like they were about to give up their tickets.
At that moment, Pear Butter wrong-hoofed herself on the hole in the floor and pushed down hard through the planks. “YOWP!” she yelped, wincing. The maroon stallion rose to draw closer, carefully making sure to hide the smile on his face.

“I say, are you alright?” he asked, his voice plummy. “Terrible accident, terrible. Shame the way they keep these stations, what?”

Buttercup wheezed. “I think,” she muttered. “I’ve stepped on a nail.”

Bright Mac’s eyes went wide. With a gentleness that belied his size, he lifted his wife’s hoof out of the hole. Sure enough, there was a sharp iron nail at least three inches long sticking into the frog of the mare’s hoof. “Oh, Celestia,” he muttered. “Oh, dear sweet Celestia. Buttercup, don’t panic. Yer gonna be okay, Ah promise. Don’t panic. Don’t panic.”

The frizzy-maned mare stared at her husband. “How about I don’t if you don’t, Brightie?”

The maroon stallion winced at the wound in the mare’s leg. “Best get that to a hospital, as soon as possible,” he said seriously. “Might get infected, you know.”

Bright coughed. “Well, uh, we have got a train to catch…”

Over in line, a pair of ears pricked up. A dusky blue stallion with a rainbow mane turned around. “For this train?” he asked loudly.

The yellow stallion glanced up. “Um, yessir.”

He held up his own tickets. “These are for three days from now. Swapsies?” He grinned, wide and desperate.

The apple farmer’s face lit up. “Well! Isn’t that swell? Sure thing, pardner.”

***

Quickly, tickets exchanged hooves. Then, one couple was on their way to the train, and the other one to the hospital, Bright Mac and Pear Butter bidding a hasty goodbye to their new friends, Windy Whistles and Bow Hothoof. The maroon stallion smiled as he watched the last few stragglers board the great engine on what was destined to be its last voyage. Now all he had to do was settle back and watch the show. It was bound to be a good one, the Monk thought to himself.

Comments

[Awesometacular]

So, Rainbowdash’s parents are gonna die in place of Applejack’s, at least that’s where I think it’s gonna go.

[Shilic]

Ah, the Monk. If you were anyone else I'd make a note of the choice of a more obscure Renegade, but all things considered I guess the Monk is fairly middle of the road, at least I recognise him without having to Wiki-dive.

[Haradion]

I actually gasped with that final line. I love that you are embracing so many facets of Who in this version of Whoovies. Lots of these fanworks focus primarily on Tennants version of 10, a very narrow slice of Russel T Davies Era.

I wonder what the Monks motive here is? He is rarely evil, though he is vain, selfish and cowardly. He's not above random acts of compassion or mercy either. Albeit as a flight of fancy or whimsy. He's no Dark Lord but a class A Arsehole. There is a recent Big Finish Story of him hiding out in Tudor England... Then Missy turns up. He spends most of the story terrified out of his wits and colossaly out of his depth.

The Master is Chaotic Evil/Neutral Evil depending on regeneration. The Rani Lawful Evil. The Doctor Chaotic Good and Romana Neutral Good. Drax is True Neutral.
I view the Monk as Chaotic Neutral.

Yes not evil. But you'd be a fool to think he wasn't dangerous.

[Prince Leviathan]

Ah.

Unfortunate price for two lives to be saved.