The Timepony’s Journal

by Penny_Shavins109

Chapter 32 - Written in Stone

Sat at the foot of a dormant volcano was an old village. The year was 11 years Before Celestia, the age of the Equestrian Pillar’s rise to power. The village was protected by an elite group of guardsponies known as the Mighty Helm. Rockhoof wanted nothing more than to be a part of the Mighty Helm, but he was often dismissed as being too weak to protect his home. Nonetheless that never deterred him, day in and day out he dug the foundations of new homes, farms and roads. Then one fateful day the volcano finally erupted, the flow of lava heading directly towards the village.

Try as they might, the Mighty Helm couldn’t find a way they could save their village. So they attempted to evacuate, but nopony wanted to leave. It was all they had ever known and they had nowhere else to go. The wild and open sea was just as dangerous as if they were to stay. With the Mighty Helm beaten, Rockhoof did the only thing he knew how to do best. He thought that he could divert the flow of the lava by digging a long trench around the village. It’d be impossible for one pony to do it alone, but Rockhoof didn’t believe in the impossible.

He continued to work, determined to push through. With every shift of the earth beneath him he could feel a new sense of strength surging through his hooves. He began to dig faster, becoming stronger than ever before. Through sheer determination and power of will, Rockhoof saved the village and more than earned his place in the Mighty Helm. It was a momentous feat that established him in the Pillars of Equestria and the pages of the history books. However, what if all of that changed? What if the lines of history could be rewritten?

---

The TARDIS rematerialized on the side of a cliff. Thankfully there was more than enough stable ground, but it did obstruct the path for anyone wanting to go down to the beach below. The waves crashed and rolled against the cold rocks, the air filled with the salty scent of the sea. Inside the TARDIS the Doctor moved around the console, observing the external instruments.

“I’ll miss them, you know,” said Free.

The Doctor paused, looking up from the console. He still hadn’t fully processed Berry and Spark’s departure. He felt more at peace with it than when Susan left, though he wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was the certainty that they were safe, maybe it was the knowledge that they were happy. He smiled, approaching Free.

“Yes, yes, as will I. I knew they’d take the chance the first moment it presented itself. I know for certain that they’re safe and well. Now… you’re sure that you’re willing to continue travelling with me? I’d hate for you to simply stick around for a silly old buffle like me.”

Free smiled warmly in return.

“Of course, Doctor. I don’t have anything to go back to anyway. I enjoy travelling in the Tardis, as strange and unreliable as it may be.”

The Doctor’s expression faltered slightly. He’d not yet told her about what he’d discovered about her father that day, nor had he asked her opinion on travelling before. He wanted to tell her how selfish her father had been and the terrible things he’d done, but he couldn’t. He himself, who had viewed Equestrian ponies so highly, still had doubts about how a pony could be so selfish and vile. What would that do to Free? He opened his mouth to speak, but Cosmic cut him off when clearing his throat.

“So…interesting ship you’ve got here, Doc. Might be a bit unconventional, but whatever works works.”

The Doctor held back the urge to roll his eyes and scoff. Free was actually surprised that the Doctor hadn’t made some snide remark at him yet.

“Unconventional, you say?”

“Well Doc, the front doors being a blue box for a start.”

“Now young stallion, you just sit down in that chair and catch your breath. Firstly, this is my ship. The blue box you speak of was my ship. Secondly, don’t call me Doc, do I make myself clear?”

Cosmic sat down in a wicker chair, nervously fidgeting as he contemplated whether to complain or comply.

“Whatever you say Doc..tor!”

The Doctor lost his battle of wills, rolling his eyes before returning to the console. The air was breathable, the ground was solid and the weather was lovely. The yearometer indicated it was some time close to the start of Celestia and Luna’s first diarchy, though it was often on the blink these days. Berry would’ve loved to be here, a period rich with history. Turning his head he saw Cosmic staring over his shoulder. He huffed, Cosmic was certainly more irritating than Berry and Spark.

“So, which of these do what?” Cosmic asked curiously.

“Well Cosmic, this is the Helmic Regulator and that’s the Horizontal Hold. Up there’s the scanner, those are the doors, and over there’s a chair with your stuffed panda. Sheer poetry, now please stop bothering me. We’ve landed on Equus, so go freshen yourself up a bit. I’m sure Free can show you the way.”

The Doctor opened the doors, Free holding back laughter as she looked at Cosmic’s awestruck face. He took in the fresh air, picking up a rock and dropping it into the water below. The waves were rough so no ships were coming in tonight. On the ground was a rusty old helmet, worn from years of battle. Picking it up the Doctor brushed the dirt off of it, observing that it wasn’t quite as ancient as it seemed. Observing the markings he determined it was forged for the Mighty Helm’s guard. The air smelled earthy, a faint smell of sulfur lingering. Volcanic activity, though it wasn’t strong enough for it to be volcano day yet. That left one conclusion, that it was the year 11 Before Celestia, no doubt close to Rockhoof’s mighty feat. If they were lucky they could view the event from a distance safely for once.

“Come look at this, it’s a genuine artefact of the Mighty Helm.”

Cosmic stepped out of the TARDIS with Free, freshly showered, shaven and wearing a new shirt rather than his dirty Equestrian Space Program overalls. He still had a look of doubt, subtly sneaking glances behind the TARDIS. He hardly believed the ship was transdimensional, let alone a time machine.

“Well I suppose so.” he shrugged off.

“You suppose so? What do you think this is, a space helmet for a cow? No, no.”

“Ugh, smell that air though. It smells like rotten eggs and dead fish. I thought the sea was supposed to smell lovely!” said Free, closing the door behind her.

“We can’t really get to the beach though. Which way should we go, climb down the rocks or walk up the path?” Cosmic asked, peering down the rocks.

“Certainly not. I’m not a mountain goat, and I prefer walking to anyday. And I hate climbing.”

The Doctor continued onwards up the bath, looking behind him when he realised that his travelling companions hadn’t followed.

“We’re going to try climbing down, I want to walk along the beach.” Free called to the Doctor, already starting the climb down the rocks.

“Very well, very well. I’ll meet with you further up the path.”

He continued forwards into the village, taking in all the sights and scenery. It was calm and rustic, a traditional town for this time and place. The town square was bustling with activity, merchants selling bread and fruit while blacksmiths toiled away at their iron. The whole village was filled with the hymns of the monastery up on the hill, completing the perfect picture. If anything it was ordinary. It was the perfect change of pace to his previous journeys, though he was still disappointed that Berry and Spark never got to witness such serenity. Everything was as it should be, until the hymn slowed down unnaturally. It repeated the same line twice before returning to normal.

The village paid it no mind, they couldn’t comprehend what they were hearing. The Doctor approached a mare at one of the fruit stands.

“Excuse me. Forgive an old stallion, but could you tell me about the monastery?”

“Oh, another monk, yeh? We’ve been gettin a lot of 'em in the past few months. Just go up the path and past the grand oak tree, can’t miss it.”

“Yes, yes, has the monastery been occupied for long?”

“Oh no, the monastery’s been abandoned for ages. We just assumed a couple monks moved in and they started a new congregation or somethin.”

“Thank you, you’ve been most helpful.”

The Doctor left, contemplating what this meant. The worship of Galaxia, the mother of the two sisters, hadn’t been carried out for nearly a century. He’d assumed that this was merely a splinter group, but the hymns. They slowed, skipped and stopped like a broken record. Approaching the front door, he gripped the iron handle and knocked it on the door. No answer. The door wasn’t locked, the hymns weren’t even disturbed by his loud presence. He entered the candlelit hall of the grand monastery.

The hall was warm, unusual for the autumn air. In fact it was too warm for a brick and mortar building of this day and age. He could smell butter and eggs, following the smell he found buttered toast and scrambled eggs on a very ornate platter. Even stranger was the mockup kitchen complete with toaster, minifridge and portable stove top. Pulling back the curtain to the room across the hall was even more anachronistic. The source of the heat was a portable space heater.

He was certain that the TARDIS had landed in 11 BC. This wasn’t the only anachronism. There was a solar generator, a new 970s floral recliner, a flatscreen TV and several books ranging from the 880s to the 22nd century. It was all wrong, so many items mismatched in time that it couldn’t be a coincidence. Feeling a slight shiver he realised that he wasn’t alone here, he wasn’t the only time traveller. The hymns were the loudest in the back of the hall, behind the last curtain was a gramophone playing a record of old Equestrian hymns. The record was stuck on a scratch, looping to varying degrees of success.

He picked up the needle and took it off the record. The monastery was consumed in an eerie silence, the hum of the heater being the only sound in the hall. Suddenly the Doctor felt a sword at his throat, leading him away from the gramophone. It was a middle aged stallion with a short black mane and deep grey coat. He was dressed as a monk, no doubt a disguise to fool the locals. He questioned if the Timeponies had finally caught up with them, but they’d never be so reckless. This was a blatant disregard for the laws of time, a rogue.

“Hello again, Doctor.”

He recognized the voice from his days in the academy. He knew he was pompous and arrogant, but never stupid. The sword moved to his chest as the Doctor slowly turned to face him.

“Ah, so you’re a monk now, hmm?”

“Oh yes, simply another ruse. You of all ponies should know that.”

“Disobeying the laws of time so blatantly, eh? What are you planning this time? Go on, get it over with, get it over with.”

“Oh I’ve simply been enacting my grand design. I thought you of all ponies would approve, doing something for the better of the universe and all that.”

“To help, yes, but to alter the entire course of history on such a catastrophic scale? Never!”

The Monk shoved the Doctor into a storage cupboard, one of the few rooms with an actual door. Suitably it was the only one that he could be locked in. The Doctor got back onto his hooves and pounded on the door, demanding to be let out. The Monk simply laughed as he walked away.

“Sorry, Doctor, I can’t have you interfering with my work as you always do. Tah-tah!”

The Doctor gave the door one last kick before giving it a rest. He sat down on the dirt and hay, not given much of a choice in seating. Free and Cosmic were likely still out there waiting for him. They were smart, diligent and resourceful, at least Free was. Though it’d take time for him to be rescued while the Monk carried out his plans. He was stuck, contemplating what that plan could possibly be. Reaching deep into his memory to his days in the academy the Monk had almost been a friendly rival.

They’d lost touch after about 50 years, the Monk’s zealous ideals becoming too much for him. He’d started preaching some grand plan to help the universe beyond Gallophrey. Eternal peace and prosperity across every known galaxy, he’d rant about. The Monk wanted to take the reins of time and guide it towards the greatest possibility. The Doctor thought he’d gone mad in the last days they knew one another. It turns out that nothing had changed after all.

To steal a TARDIS and interfere in the fates of countless civilizations so recklessly, this didn’t feel like his style. Closing his eyes, the Doctor began to drift between sleep and deep thought. Was what the Monk was doing any different than what he was doing? He wasn’t as extreme as the Monk in the primitive ages of Equestria, but his actions did have more consequences than he likely imagined. Back to the task at hoof, the Monk likely had some form of good intentions, as deranged they may be. Without a doubt he was here for Rockhoof, one of the most influential figures in Equestrian history, but why?

For now that had to wait, he couldn’t sit idly in hopes that Free and Cosmic would find him. Time was of the absolute essence. Thinking back this reminded him of Commander Hurricane’s castle, what was it that Berry said? There’s always an emergency exit, an escape tunnel in case of a cave or accident during construction. Combing the walls he found a loose brick against part of the wall’s wooden framing. Wedging in his hooves he pried the panel away from the wall, the bricks just part of a false backing.

Behind the wall was a much smaller tunnel, barely enough room for one pony. He sighed and began to crawl, the tunnel at least being short. An escape route was an escape route after all. Brushing off his coat, the Doctor made his way back to the village down below. He couldn’t directly approach Rockhoof in fear of altering the timeline more, but he could observe and prevent it from a distance. Walking down the street he saw the same mare packing up her fruit stand for the day. He approached her, picking up an apple that she dropped.

“Oh, thank you. You’re back from the monastery then, did ya find what you’re looking for?”

“Eh, in a way, yes. Could you perhaps direct me towards some excavators? I plan to settle down and need a strong foundation for my abode.”

“I think I can help you, sir.”

Turning around the Doctor nearly jumped in fright, the young Rockhoof right behind him. He stuttered for a moment before regaining his composure. So much for observing from a distance.

“Eh, yes. A pleasure to meet you, eh…”

“Rockhoof, sir. Do you need any help there, mum?”

Of course out of all the fruit stands in the market, he just had to choose the only fruit stand that just so happened to have Rockhoof’s mother running it.

“Oh don’t worry, dear. I’ve got it handled.”

As Rockhoof’s mother carried several baskets of fruit on her back he noticed something strange around Rockhoof’s neck. It was some kind of alicorn amulet, though it wasn’t enchanted just for unicorns. Even the original alicorn amulet wouldn’t be forged for at least another century.

“If you don’t mind me asking, where’d you acquire such an unusual amulet?”

“Oh, the father of the monastery gave it to me. He said that it was a blessing of the goddess herself, something to bring strength and good fortune. I didn’t believe him though I didn’t want to be rude, sir.”

“I see. Do you mind if I see it?”

“You can have it if you want. I don’t have any need for jewellery such as that. Gives me an uneasy feeling, anyway.”

Rockhoof tossed him the amulet off of his neck. The Doctor just stared at it in his hoof, surprised that it was so easy. It was a powerful fire amulet, allowing the wearer to control any form of heat and molten material at will. With it Rockhoof likely could’ve moved the inflow of magma without even needing to dig a trench.

“Thank you, you’re most kind.”

“Just doing my best for the village, sir. Have a nice night.”

Just like that, Rockhoof was off, back on the natural course of history. Though that still left the meddling Monk, no doubt having at least one or more backup plans up his sleeve. The sun was setting as he looked back up at the monastery, the volcano mere hours away from erupting. He walked up the path once again, likely straight into a trap. He picked up a large stick along the way, normally against any form of violence but he needed some upper hand in the situation. Approaching the door he used the knocker again, quickly ducking behind some brush as it opened. He didn’t expect the Monk to actually answer the door. He looked around, perplexed that nopony was there. The Monk stayed too close to the door for him to sneak in, remaining cautious as he went back inside. The Doctor used the knocker again, banging louder and faster before returning to the brush.

This time the Monk came far enough outside, allowing him to sneak inside without being noticed. When the Monk went back inside he was facing away from him, allowing him to hold the stick directly against the center of the back of the Monk’s neck.

“Stand very still, I have this pressed directly against your spinal cord so no sudden movements.”

The Monk complied, though he still verbally protested. The Doctor quickly shut him up with a light poke before he could call his bluff.

“Now, take me directly to your Tardis. Your meddling ends here and now.”

The Monk tried to protest again but the Doctor jabbed him lightly again. The two of them walked to the back of the church, approaching the altar. The Monk slowly croached to open a door in the side, the Doctor observing carefully to make sure he didn’t pull any tricks. His Tardis was almost the same as his, a similar model of course. There were various historical artefacts littered everywhere from numerous different time periods. Both Cosmic and Free were standing in the middle of the room, looking at a small book and some scrolls. They both jumped in surprise until they saw their friend again.

“Doctor!” Free exclaimed as she gave him a hug.

The Doctor dropped the stick, the Monk slightly wandering off. He knew that the Monk had more power here, he probably even wanted them in here. That was precisely what the Doctor wanted, just a long enough moment within the Monk’s ship to do what must be done. To stop his meddling once and for all.

“Couldn’t wait for me in the city, hmm? I’m not surprised you didn’t head back to the Tardis.”

“We tried, but the tide came in. Doctor…the Tardis is gone.”

“Oh, not to worry my foal, a mere tidal current is hardly enough to move the ship. Back to the matter at hoof, this’s a mark four range time capsule, isn’t it?”

The Doctor was playing for time, hoping to get him talking long enough to gain the upper hand. He needed to get him away from the console, this had to be the Monk’s last chance to meddle in history.

“Yes, and it even has automatic spatial drift drives.”

“Oh, really? So you can perfectly suspend yourself in space then. However it’s useless without the fibrotic actualizer.”

The Doctor moved around the console, however the Monk still kept getting closer and closer.

“What make and type is your Tardis then? Can’t be that serviceable if the Chameleon Circuit is on the blink.”

“Well, well, I'll make do. It brought us here, now didn’t it, eh?”

The Monk stared at the Doctor, both standing next to each other face to face. It was just like the olden days, the two of them facing off in their typical rivalry. They stood silently, Cosmic and Free not sure what to do. They were in the Monk’s TARDIS, his playing field.

“You know that this is for the best. Increasing the strength and magical ability of Rockhoof, one of Equestria’s Pillars, would create an invaluable asset for their forces. Imagine if the Pillars never needed to vanish for 1,000 years. Magic could be free and accessible to all from Rockhoof’s power. No need for the Elements of Harmony, Luna might never become Nightmare Moon.”

“And in doing this they’ll create bigger weapons before they’re mature enough to use them. Unlock magics that should never be tampered with, hundreds upon millions of lives ceasing to exist! Is that what you want?”

“No…Equestria will find its peace. Eventually beyond, this is merely another stepping stone for a greater future.”

“So I see…you really haven’t changed.”

The Monk leaned against the console, the Doctor starting to feel dizzy seemingly out of nowhere. The Monk put on a gas mask, triggering something underneath the console. When they awoke they were tied up in the hall of the monastery. The smell of sulphur was stronger than it’d been before, the air was warmer and the ground faintly trembled. They had anywhere from hours to minutes, but so did the Monk.

“I think…we’re actually in 11 BC.” said Cosmic.

If she weren’t currently tied up at the moment, Free would’ve face hoofed as hard as she could.

“Seriously…you’re just realising that now?”

‘Well, give me a break. If you’d told me a week ago that I’d be off-world, let alone Equus of all places, I’d still think you were around the bend. I’m taking this all in my own strides.”

“Go on then.”

“Well…since we’re in the past, then there’s nothing we should worry about, right? The past is the past. We know that Rockhoof had no help, no powers other than super strength and that’s that. The history books said so.”

“Well, from where we are now, the history books haven’t been written yet. Who’s to say that the Monk didn’t help Rockhoof? You read his notes in his Tardis, this isn’t his first time doing whatever he wants to history. He can do whatever he wants and the new books will be written in place of the old.”

“Aptly put, my foal. Now, have you freed yourself from your restraints yet?”

Free held up both hooves, a pocket knife in one of them. The Doctor smiled, proud of her. She was already working on cutting Cosmic’s restraints.

“I’m surprised the Monk didn’t check for anything while we were out.”

“We’re too close to the final hour. He hasn’t the time for us, just as we have none for him. He’s deduced that I’ve foiled his initial plans and now he’s onto the next one. Have you discovered something in my absence?”

“Quite a lot actually, the Monk had some notes in his Tardis. We already found the rocket launcher by the rocks, he planned to prevent the ships from leaving the harbour. It was supposed to be a long con, but we pushed it into the ocean. Figured it was something nasty either way.”

“Very good, very good. Now, come along Cosmic, there’s something I need in the Monk’s ship.”

The Doctor dusted off his waistcoat before motioning to follow him. He ducked through the altar’s door before crouching beneath the console. Cosmic joined him, helping him pry off a panel that exposed the components beneath. He began to loosen one of them,being very careful as to not sever the connection to the main drive. It was a clear box containing three silver tubes, all attached to a sparkling circuit board made of some advanced alloy. At his request, Cosmic handed the Doctor a long cable, which he tied to the box’s outgoing connection.

Pulling a small notepad out of his pocket, he scribbled a quick note for the Monk. Once everypony was outside of the altar he yanked on the cable, pulling the component free. He picked the box up, carrying it underneath his shoulder. He placed the several small pages of paper on top of the altar for the Monk, satisfied with his work.

“What was all that for?” Cosmic asked with his typical puzzled look.

“All in due time, all in due time. Now quickly, back to the ship.”

The three of them made their way back to the cliffside, watching the lava flow down the side of the mountain. Thankfully the tide had gone back out and the TARDIS was accessible. They hardly had the time to evade the lava, even with Rockhoof’s help. They all watched happily from a distance, the flowing magma oddly beautiful.

“So that’s the end of the Monk’s plans?” asked Cosmic.

“I assume so, now history is allowed to continue its rightful course.” Free said, smiling along with the Doctor.

“You know, I think I’m taking a liking to being a crewmember on your space and time machine.”

“Crew member? You’d be lucky. He’s the crew, we’re just the passengers.” Free chuckled, pointing at the Doctor.

“Yes, and both very welcome ones. Off we go then, before we’re bothered with the cleanup. Come along, come on.”

The old Police Telephone Barn dematerialized away from the cliff face, the waves crashing against the newly formed rocks as they cooled. The Monk, however, could not do so himself. It would be a long while before the Monk had a chance to do any more of his futile time meddling.

---

My dear fellow,

I’m sure you will excuse me, but I didn’t want to say goodbye as you are obviously going to be very busy for some time. Just in case you still have ideas about your master plan, I’ve taken precautions to stop your time meddling. Possibly one day in the future, when you’ve learned your lesson, I shall return to release you.

Signed, The Doctor

Looking into the altar the Monk would find his TARDIS, the exact same size inside as it was outside. The Doctor had taken his dimensional control, leaving his ship inoperable unless the exterior dimensions were the same as the interior. For now he was marooned, and there was nothing he could do about it.