The Timepony’s Journal

by Penny_Shavins109

Chapter 7 - The Glimpse Back

It had been about two weeks since day one, or one week three days and six hours to be more precise. In that time Twilight faced off against Starlight Glimmer with help, had her castle redesigned by her friends, and yet still had only made it to page twenty-six of the diary with just about no clues to this puzzling mystery. Admittedly she wished that there was another way, but looking for the spell would take an unknown amount of time. She'd already tried just about every indexing spell she could remember the second she got the book to safety, but no dice. Twilight also researched different, older, and newer spells with varying difficulty with only a small chip in the two-ton block of thaumatical force. The entire book was surrounded by a millimeter thick barrier of dead magic around every corner and page. It was flexible as well, meaning that even if a page were worn or torn the spell’s barrier would match the new shape. No spells could get in and none of the magical data could get out. There seemed like little to do other than to keep moving forward. It was easier to calculate reading speed than searching endlessly for another solution.

Sighing, Twilight trotted up to the weathered and old blue box and placed a hoof on its dusty wooden surface. It was still warm despite the cold weather that came after the Running Of The Leaves, no doubt some kind of heating mechanism that worked as a barrier against much harsher temperatures. Or maybe it was just like touching skin bundled up in multiple layers of clothing, warming itself through small hot pads.

It still hummed with life and without a doubt was in sync with the tune of the stars themselves. The noise of its materialization was just as symbolic, trailing across the vortex of time while traveling and echoing throughout eternity. Everything that went inside the box or came out was changed forever. It was a silly theory, but was anything like that silly anymore?

"What stories can you tell, old friend? I know you can understand me, somehow. At the very least you can hear what I'm saying. I wish you could talk to me and just tell me what happened, tell me how to help."

And with a surprising click, the door unlocked and opened, allowing her inside despite already having a key. Nonetheless, it was an invitation to come in. It had been four years in her time since she had last truly explored the TARDIS and roamed through its long corridors. It must’ve been so much longer since the Doctor last saw her too. She didn’t think that he had a different face now than the last time she saw him, but she wasn’t sure of anything.

Stepping inside she had a small rush of nostalgia, finally getting to take in just how vast the room was.

Long gone were the gleaming white surfaces and bright flashing controls, in its place, were old and slightly rusty bits and bobs on top of the sea-green organic surface. It was like a large chunk of glass or even some kind of grand crystal that contained the heart of the TARDIS. For an advanced craft, it looked like half of the controls were held together by duct tape. Gone were the large white roundels; in their place were the orange and rusty metal walls with large pillars made of coral that looked like they could likely grow in the deepest depths of the Equestrian Sea.

A tall glass column, the time rotor, stretched to the ceiling and connected everything together with the glowing green crystal at its core. It was truly a wondrous sight to behold. A certain side door creaked open, drawing her curiosity. There was a possibility that something had tagged along on the journey with the pre-scheduled flight, but the chance was once again too tempting. Trotting forward she entered the dimly lit corridor, much newer and similar to the coral design of the console room.

The walls weren’t as rusted and crusty, almost brand new. But as she went deeper and deeper the architecture changed several times over, likely due to the several changes made over the centuries.

The corridors changed color and design the more she traveled. From redwood mahogany accented with steel to more familiar white walls with yellowed roundels. After a few minutes she came to the rooms she was familiar with. The swimming pool, an overgrown garden, and the old cloister room made of marble and oak.

Each room was barely tinged with age, with nothing more than layers of dust and cobwebs in the different crooks and crannies. The last door she opened, the memories of times gone by flooding back to her as she stared into the room's contents.

---

In her memory, a much younger pre-coronation Twilight Sparkle laid out on her bed while reading an original and signed the first edition of Weeping Willow’s Frankenstallion. She was still in the early days of being a normal librarian with her friends. No big Equestrian saving assignments had been given to her by Celestia yet. More obsessive and nervous over most trivial things unlike how calm she is now.

She knew that The Doctor had his own personal collection of books in the TARDIS’s massive library but the arrangement of them was incredible. Numerous scrolls and texts dating back to before the rule of the two sisters to some more modern works and others not yet written by her period in time. It was expected that a time traveler of any kind might collect a soon to be lost souvenir or knick-knack from time to time, but this was on an entirely new level.
`
The amount of clutter and chaos might make even Discord proud, though she didn't doubt he'd met him at least once or twice. One day maybe she'd organize it all despite his protests of a "system beyond her comprehension", which was of course just an excuse, but today was not that day. It was meant to be one of their “days off” if there ever was such a thing. Technically, every day was meant to be their vacation but it just kept being postponed by unfortunate circumstances.

No monsters, no running, and especially nopony was shooting at their heads while they nearly escaped in the nick of time. She was promised a small party off the edge of Galacton FIve, followed by a tour around the crystal falls of Midnight. Of course, there'd be a detour here or there but they'd make it in the end. Or at least she hoped that they would.

It was just typical that the trip was a bit rougher and longer than it typically was. A small portion of the TARDIS had tripped up and the Doctor was determined to find it and fix it. Whether it was essential to their travel or not she couldn’t tell. The time ship was constantly in a state of work in progress followed by quite a bit of TLC. Twilight could feel the TARDIS’s satisfaction through the wall’s light vibration.

It was often referred to as alive like an actual being. It did feel like she was being spoken to, but more in emotions than complex thought. Maybe that’s just what the TARDIS wanted, to be felt. It was just a thought that typically passed her by in the long white halls.

That was just the norm these days with that stallion in the scarf and with the big toothy grin dancing around the silver-lined console. One moment he was absolutely absurd, talking in incomplete riddles and rhymes, the next being absolutely dark and serious. He wasn't always like that though, he used to be more like a teacher or college professor. Strictly business when working as a scientific advisor for the military base a few months prior.

She was almost always scared in those days, hoping that he'd just show up and save the day once again. Everything was still just so fresh, so new, that she didn’t understand it. Not understanding worried her. A silver mane and fancy frills worth of Canterlot society composure was what he was. But it was better to live in the present than to doodle in the past. A light tapping sounded on her bedroom door.

"Come in, I'm just finishing the book I found," said Twilight

"Weeping Willow’s book or the poet Black Raven?" asked the Doctor.

"Weeping Willow’s. Not much of a fan of horror but I'm happy to return to an old classic."

"Ah, old Weepy eh? Maybe I'll pay her a visit soon. Maybe I already have. It's all based on perspective."

He normally talked in riddles like this now, either that or mysterious rhymes that made no sense whatsoever. All part of the fun with this Doctor. It was surprisingly more confusing than anything she'd ever seen on her travels. But the obvious questions were poking at her threads of thought.

"So, are we there yet? And did we actually make it to Galacton Five, on time, with no issues whatsoever?"

"Well yes, I was just about to tell you that. And as for the other questions... eh, close enough."

"Must be a blue moon out there. Though we better not end up in a rock quarry again. It’s a mystery why that happens so often.” Twilight chuckled.

"To my current knowledge, it’s just another mystery. Let’s just go outside and see now shall we?"

After flashing one of his famous grins he dashed off, a long scarf in tow. Levitating a bookmark she made sure to mark her place. It'd certainly be a while before she could pick it up again. Days, weeks, who knows after all she'd been through. Time seemed to be much more flexible when traveling in the TARDIS.

Finally placing it on her recently added bookshelf, she quickly followed behind him as the adventure awaited her.

---

Back in the present day, Twilight approached the bookshelf that was now strewn in the dust. It certainly had been a long time since she last read that book. With a deep breath, she blew it all away with an added cough, giving her a much better view of the titles on the binding.

It was still there after all those years, barely touched. It was the book she'd borrowed from the library. It was a miracle that the room was still here considering how often the layout was changed. But she couldn't wander in the past for much longer, there was work to be done. Thankfully the TARDIS Beginners' Manual was still there too amongst all the others. Though when she opened it she could understand it as much as the first time she'd read it.

This time though it was translated from the nonlinear Gallupfreyan into readable Ponish text. She'd need to rely on more than just blind luck to fly the ship herself. It required some kind of skill or finesse. Although with how the Doctor flew it maybe it was just blind luck.

If she read this it'd be likely that her knowledge on TARDIS flight would be greater than the Doctor's considering he had probably never read this cover to cover either. This edition was found propped up against the opening to an air vent and kept the cover to it closed rather than actual screws. When exiting the room she swore that something had just moved, just in the corner of her eye. It was better to worry about the problem at hoof than whatever that was.

The TARDIS was always broken down, just like the way he had found it. That likely suited him back in the old days. Now it looked more like the TARDIS couldn’t be repaired properly. Still, it was a starting point and something is much better than nothing.

She looked back at her old room, untouched since the day she'd left it. Four years ago she'd left in the wrong place but at the right time. So many memories just left behind. Looking back one final time she took what she wanted, both the manual and the copy of Frankenstallion as well.