Ch. 1: Unscheduled Departure
Chapter One: Unscheduled Departure
Town-Square Cafe
Ponyville, Everfree Province of Equestria
59th of Summer 1002 C.R. , 9:10 am
“Sea-ponies?” Twilight Sparkle, her horn aglow and a quill held in her magical grip, looked half astonished, half skeptical as she gave the mare sitting across from her at the mushroom colored table an appraising look. Meanwhile, her bowl of creamy peach oatmeal lay untouched in front of her and was growing cold. “Okay, you have GOT to be pulling my leg. We’ve seen some really weird stuff lately, but sea-ponies… do not exist.”
If it were anypony else telling her this, Twilight would have likely placed a polite call for the nice ponies in the clean white coats. But this particular mare was somewhat beyond reproach.
Leaning forward, a bemused smile on her lips as she pushed the stetson back on her head.
“Ah’ll be sure ta tell Marina ya said so next time Ah see ‘er.” Applejack grinned, crossing her forelegs in mock indignation. “She and all a’ her friends in Aquarius’ll sure get a kick out of it.”
Twilight sighed in resignation as her quill scribbled down this new information.
Sea-ponies.
Sure, why not? Since they had started traveling with the Doctor, she and her friends had seen stranger things. What the hay, she was living with a trans-dimensional, twin-hearted Time Pony alien in her basement. So why not ponies with gills and fins?
“Okay, so--”
“Ya’ll shoulda seen it, Twi. It was downright amazin’.” Applejack nodded, a smirk on her face as she chewed on a bite from the flapjacks smothered in apple-syrup that were laid out in front of her, taking her friend’s moment of stunned silence as an invitation to stop talking and actually eat at their impromptu breakfast. “The three of us had these bubble thingies on our heads so we could breath as Marina led us swimmin’ down. They got a city down at the bottom a’ the Boundless Sea that makes Manehatten look like a rusty pitstop. All that ‘coor-al’ stuff and these big ol’ reef beds turned upright inta buildin’s. We got the whole tour, too. And all them fish, boy howdy! Fluttershy couldn’t stop makin’ that squeakin’ sound she makes when she she’s all happy. Couple a’ times, Ah thought her bubble mighta sprung a leak the way she was makin’ noise.”
Applejack paused, her smile fading as she took stock of her friend.
She wasn’t sure why Twilight had tracked her down this morning like she had, inviting the farm pony to go over (in great detail) the events of the trip she and Fluttershy had taken with the Doctor the day before. But she had been quite insistent, and given that it was past time for AJ to get herself an actual breakfast, she agreed. Now that they were running into the latter half of summer, the first baby ripes were starting to bud at the orchard, which meant that soon it would be Applebuck Season again and her free time was going to dwindle down to almost nothing for about a month and a half. She had been eager to spend what time she could with her friends until she needed to stay at the farm, but somehow, this didn’t feel like a casual breakfast get-together.
“And then what happened?” Twilight asked, her voice a neutral, professional tone as she neglected to even look up.
The farm pony took note of how her unicorn friend seemed to be paying her almost no mind at all, most of her attention focused on the quill, which was scratching away busily in the book she had laid open as soon as they arrived. She couldn’t help but detect that there was a degree of forced detachment in the way Twilight was responding.
It was almost like she was trying to keep herself from getting excited over what had been a jaw-dropping, absolutely amazing experience.
“And then Ah stopped talkin’ till mah friend came clean as ta why she’s really askin’.” Applejack stated clearly, narrowing her gaze on her friend.
“Which one? Fluttershy? Or this sea-pony… That was ‘Marina’ right? She’s the only sea-pony you’ve mentioned by name so far.” Twilight asked absently, her quill coming to a halt as she apparently came to the end of what she was able to transcribe, unsure where AJ’s story was going from here.
“The purple one.”
“Wait, I thought you said Marina was a mint-green and…” Twilight looked up, taking note of Applejack’s tone and expression. “Oh… OOOOOH.”
She gave a sheepish smile as the quill turned on its side and lay down next to the small inkwell that Twilight had brought along with her, her horn’s glow fading as she set it down.
“Sorry, I guess I was just, you know, wanting to get things down while they were fresh... So I can do some research to… ummm, you know… track things down in the history books.”
Applejack’s narrowed gaze turned to one of suspicion.
“Come on, Sugarcube. What’s wrong?” AJ asked, clearly concerned. “Ya’ll are actin’ like a police stallion tryin’ ta get the details of a crime and Ah’m the witness. An’ what’s up with that book anyhows?”
“Oh, this? It’s just a little journal I’ve been keeping. You know, since we met… him…”
Twilight winced slightly.
She had hesitated, and she was sure that Applejack had caught it. That twinge of apprehension that had been slowly simmering for weeks.
And while she may have been more tactful than SOME of their mutual friends, Applejack wasn’t exactly one to just let things go either.
“Ya’ll coulda jus’ come with us.” Applejack pointed out, remembering quite clearly how the brown stallion had waited with herself and Fluttershy until Twilight had returned to the library and extended an invitation to her, which the unicorn had politely declined, stating that she had to ‘study’.
“Well, you know, I had… studying to do.” Twilight tried to explain away with a shake of her hoof.
“What were ya’ll ‘studyin’’ then?”
“Uhhh… Well…” Twilight looked down and away, unable to stop herself as natural movements in her body language took hold.
’GAH! Now I’m looking guilty! Come on, Twilight. Keep it together.’ She thought to herself, but there was no recovering as she saw Applejack’s expression harden further.
There were many unshakable facts of life in Equestria, one of which Twilight was being reminded of right here and now.
One does not simply lie to the Element of Honesty.
“Spill.” The Earth pony demanded simply. “If ya’ll wanted ta know what we was doin’ ya coulda jus’ come with.”
“I just…” Twilight started, then felt herself deflate. “...needed a break, is all.”
“Doc said ya’ll ain’t gone out with ‘em since that whole business wit’ Zecora.” AJ pointed out. “Ah mean, didn’t he an’ Spike go off somewheres last week? And then me an’ Fluttershy yesterday.”
“Well, you know, if he wants to go running off, that’s fine. As long as somepony goes with him.” Twilight shook her head, setting one hoof up against her horn as she gave a tired smile. “Besides, he… doesn’t need me tagging along with him and talking his ear off every time he has the urge to go jumping around Equestria.”
“Nah, ‘course not. But Ah can tell he wants ya to.” Applejack gave her friend a sly smile.
Now Twilight’s concern turned to a full-faced blush as she recoiled.
“Wait, you think he… And that I am… Oh, Nonono NO…” Twilight shook her head vigorously, quick to correct the orange mare’s mistaken insight. “No, the Doctor and I are merely... That is to say, our relationship is strictly platonic. He’s as much my friend as any of you girls... but that’s it.”
“Yeah, but none a’ us are livin’ wit’ ya at the library.” AJ’s sly smile broke into a grin as she trolled her friend playfully.
“He’s STAYING at the library. We are not--”
“And yer payin’ all his bills an’ supportin’ ‘em.”
“The Princess sends me a stipend to live on. And she did increase it to take his needs in Ponyville into account, but that doesn’t mean--”
“He’s really smart… an’ not too hard on the eyes neither. Ah figured ya’ll might be gettin’ some ideas. Fer a special somepony, ya’ll could do worse--”
“He’s keeping secrets!” Twilight blurted out suddenly, stopping the conversation from taking a very AWKWARD turn and letting out a sharp breath before leaning back in her hay-pile seat.
Applejack’s good-natured teasing ceased immediately, as did the smile she wore. Nudging her plate and half-finished plate of flapjacks out of the way, the mare seemed to change her disposition from playful verbal sparring to trusted confidant in an instant as she leaned over the table, her hooves folded in front of her.
“‘Bout what, Twi?”
“I’m… not sure. It’s just…” Twilight took a deep breath, using one hoof to close the book. “Some of the things that I’ve seen when we’re out with him. Some of the things he’s done… That I’ve… done…”
Applejack said nothing as Twilight paused, her mind milling about as she tried to put the feeling that had been growing at the back of her mind over the past few weeks to words.
“Something’s just not right, AJ. Ever since Roan, it’s like… there’s something I should be getting. Clues that I should be seeing, pointing to something. Something big. It’s… like this feeling that I’m just missing something important. It’s like… “
Twilight tried to put the unease she had been feeling grow over the past weeks to words, finally settling on an analogy any mare could understand.
“It’s like… being a little filly, and knowing something’s wrong even if you don’t understand what it is. But the grown-ups are telling you that everything is going to be fine. You know, to make you feel better.”
“Ya know, most grown-ups have a reason fer doin’ that.” Applejack nodded, knowing from experience that some foals had a tendency to get into things that were way over their heads. “Have ya talked ta him about it?”
“No.” Twilight looked down and away as she answered in a low, almost embarrassed tone.
“Shouldn’t ya?”
Twilight didn’t answer, her horn alight as her magic pulled the blue journal, inkwell, and quill up and into her saddlebag, her breakfast untouched.
“Ya’ll know ya ain’t gonna get answers askin’ me and Fluttershy ‘bout sea-ponies, Twi.” Applejack offered. “As Ah recall, ya’ll told me ya absolutely trusted ‘im… so don’t go makin’ a liar outta yerself.”
Twilight took in a breath as she considered.
“You’re right… I just need to think about how to approach him about it.”
“Well, no time like the present. Where’s he now, anyways?”
Twilight smirked slightly.
“Spike took him to see Cobbler.”
Applejack didn’t quite understand her reaction at first until she considered that the Doctor, while a stallion himself, hadn’t been raised as a pony.
“First time?” AJ asked tentatively.
“First time.” Twilight confirmed, causing Applejack to wince.
“...Yeah, maybe the present ain’t the right time after all.”
————————
Hoof & Nail Ferrier
9:35am
*tap-tap-tap*
“Paaaaaaiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnn… Aaaaaagonyyyyy…” The Doctor tried to shift, but found that he couldn’t as his tormentor had locked up his backside in some sort of sadistic harness that kept his hindlegs immobile.
“Oh, for the LOVE of…” Spike the dragon took one of the pillows that were usually used as seats by ponies that frequented the establishment and wrapped it around the back of his head, trying to muffle the whining moan coming from his equine compatriot. It clearly didn’t do the job as Spike slumped, dropping the pillow back where he got it after just a few moments. “Do you get this a lot?”
“Yes… but usually from little fillies. Been awhile since I had to break out the big harness.” Cobbler, an older grey unicorn stallion answered, his expression surprisingly patient as the object of his attention gave another pitiful moan. “And the last time was for that Pegasus mare with the hoof-touching issues so she wouldn’t fly off.”
“Who? Fluttershy?” Spike asked as the stallion strapped up next to him made a few unintelligible noises as he came to terms with the sensations.
“No, that blue one. You know, the weathermare.” Cobbler cleared up, focusing as his grey aura wrapped around a nail and positioned it while he brought a small hammer up to drive it into place with a practiced ease.
*tap-tap-tap*
“YEEEOOOWWWhyyyyy did I agree to thi-hi-hissss?” The Hourglass Stallion grimaced as he felt a sharp pain shooting up his leg, causing him to instinctively want to buck back violently into Cobbler’s head… again.
“You were the one complaining about your back and legs hurting. This’ll fix that problem.” Spike reminded the colt, patting his flank reassuringly. “Most ponies get their shoes changed two or three times a year from the time they’re foals. You need them on your hind hooves or they chip and split, which leads to problems that are a lot worse if I understand it.”
The Doctor stomped a forehoof as he bit his lip, feeling quite vulnerable as his right hindleg was bent upward, allowing the aptly-named Cobbler to look over the bottom of his hoof.
“Were you carried around your whole life?” Cobbler asked. “These have got to be the softest hooves I’ve ever seen on an adult stallion. And I apprenticed in a shop in Canterlot.”
“I happen to do an extraordinary amount of running, I’ll have you know.” The Doctor defended, taking the cobbler’s tone to indicate the remark was an insult.
Cobbler huffed slightly, rolling his eyes as he levitated another nail up and into place.
He drove this one into place a bit more firmly than the first two.
*tap-tap-TAP*
“OW OW OOOWWWW! AGH! PLEASE tell me I don’t need these on all four hooves.” The Doctor asked to Spike, who shook his head, somewhere between amused and concerned by the Doctor’s reaction.
“Who wears shoes on their front hooves?” Cobbler asked, still wondering just how this stallion could have gone through his whole life ignorant of this inherent requirement of civilized pony life.
“Uhhh, yeah, sorry. Excuse my friend... he’s… not from around here.” Spike commented casually before moving up towards the Doctor’s head, tugging on his mane to have the stallion lean down so they could converse more quietly.
“Don’t worry, Doc. Way I understand it, it only hurts the first time, after that the underside of your hooves harden and you can’t feel it whenever the shoes are changed out. Besides, once the soreness wears off, you’ll feel so much better walking around.”
“And here I thought dentists were the gleeful torturers of the professional world.” The Doctor rolled his eyes.
“That reminds me, Twilight set up an appointment with Colgate for tomorrow. I hear she got a brand new drill just for the occasion.” Spike smiled, clearly enjoying the sudden look of apprehension as the stallion tried to picture a pony practicing dentistry.
“I detest you so very much right now…” The Stallion drolled, his tone flat as he took note of the dragon’s delight in his misery.
“Last one.” Cobbler announced a split second before the distracted Time Pony felt a new jabbing pain as the last inch-long nail was carefully driven into his back hoof, causing him to jerk against the restraint again.
*tap-tap-tap*
“And you’re done.” Cobbler nodded, setting the hammer down before he moved to undo the harness, clearly as eager to be finished with this customer as the Doctor was to leave. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”
“Not... bad... Traumatizing...” The Doctor managed, shivering as his hoof was released and a mild soreness ran up his back legs as his weight was put back on the newly metal-reinforced hooves.
After a moment of shifting his weight, the Doctor did have to admit that, tingling afterpain notwithstanding, he did feel more stable in his four-legged stance.
“I don’t have to worry about rust or anything, do I?” The Time Pony asked as he lifted up his hindlegs, trying to look over his back to see where the shining new metal shoes had been expertly set. They appeared practically invisible unless somepony was looking directly at the bottom of his hooves.
“Not with that set. Your scaly friend here has some sense at least.” Cobbler nodded to Spike, who nodded back. “Picked out the high-grade stainless steel set; a bit more expensive, but more durable than your standard iron shoes. Usually get these out for athletes and runners.”
The Doctor snickered.
“Crosstrainers… The equine version of crosstrainers. Well, that's rather brilliant.”
The stallion’s amusement was clearly lost on both dragon and pony as the two stared at him for a moment before Spike shook his head, getting down to business.
“So what do we owe you?”
“Let’s see... That’s twelve bits for the pair, five bits for the shoeing.”
“Yeah, I can cover that.” Spike pulled out a small pouch which the Doctor now knew contained the local currency known as ‘bits’. He was still vague on their value given that it was a gold standard, but since it was the only denomination of currency he had come across so far in Ponyville, he supposed that its value wasn’t set in stone.
“And five bits for the harness fee.”
Spike balked, a worried look coming over his face.
“Uhhh…” Spike looked at the small pouch.
“If I’m going to go through the trouble of breaking out the heavy harness and risk getting kicked in the head by my customer, there’s going to be an extra charge.”
“Yeah, I get that, but… I mean, I’ve only got twenty.”
Cobbler leaned down, glaring at the small dragon.
“That’s two bits short.” The unicorn seemed agitated, although if that was just his patience worn thin after working on the stallion or if he had a history with customers not paying their tabs, the Hourglass Stallion wasn’t sure.
Thankfully, before anything else could be said, there was a soft clearing of the throat, drawing three sets of eyes towards the shop’s door.
And the Doctor could almost see the hearts form in the eyes of the dragon and the cobbler as they took note of the mare standing in the doorway.
“Good morning, Cobbler.” Rarity smiled sweetly, her prim and elegant demeanor proudly on display as she strode into the shop, which seemed to suddenly be unworthy of its newest occupant. “I see my friends found their way to your shop. That’s no surprise, you being the finest farrier in Ponyville, after all.”
The Doctor took a step back, unable to hide a smirk. According to Spike, this was the only pony-shoe shop in Ponyville, which did have the benefit of making Rarity’s remark completely accurate.
He had known enough women in his time to recognize a blatant manipulation of the opposite sex when he saw one.
“G…g…good morning… Miss Rarity.”
“Oh, no need to be so formal, Cobbler. Just Rarity is fine.” The mare nodded. “So, Clockwork. New shoes?”
“First set.” The Time Lord nodded, although the way he was shifting denoted his still sore legs.
“Oh… ouch. Yes, first time is always unpleasant.” The fashionista nodded. “I do apologize, but I believe I accidentally overheard your little predicament with my little Spikey-wikey.”
“Oh, it’s… well it’s just that…” Now it was Cobbler’s turn to shift uneasily. “You know, I only see most ponies a couple of times a year… and Ponyville is such a small town. So when I’m shorted, it really hurts me from a financial standpoint.”
“But two bits? Really, Cobbler, that’s a pittance. Pocket change. I’m sure that Spike will be able to cover it, but that extra fee just put him a teeny bit over-budget. Tell you what, just put that two bits on my tab for my monthly visit next week and we’ll call it even. How does that sound?” She followed up her request with a slight turn of her head, and a very alluring bat of her eyelashes.
“Uh-huh…” Cobbler nodded, the Doctor having to blink as he could have sworn he saw several bright red hearts bubbling up through the air from the grey stallion.
“Oh, you’re such a dear, Cobbler. Thank you. Oh, Spike, Clockwork: Might I have a word with you now that your business here is concluded?” Rarity flashed a lovely smile before turning to leave while Spike managed to leave the pouch of bits on the shoemaker’s side table.
The Doctor remained silent, but as he followed the young dragon out the door, he couldn’t help but notice the way his little purple and green scaled friend was bouncing as he followed the white mare, again making the Time Lord certain he was seeing small hearts bubbling in the air over his head.
———————————
“Thank you, Rarity.” The Doctor expressed himself as they walked down the street away from the shop, Spike moving up to his back as he started to work out the soreness and break in the horseshoes, which did give him a firmer grip of the dirt road of Stirrup Street as he walked.
“My pleasure, Doctor. As a business owner myself, I can see where Cobbler’s coming from, but there’s no reason to get into an altercation over the cost of a mug of cider.” Rarity nodded, her earlier elegance still there, but more subdued. “I doubt he’ll think too much of my helping you out of that minor jam. After all, I happen to be known for my... generosity.”
The Doctor nodded, oblivious to the implication of her last word as he looked back to the little dragon, who was apparently recovering from his lovestruck state.
“I was a little worried. Merchants like to call the Town Guard when somepony doesn’t pay for services rendered.” Spike admitted.
“Is crime really a problem here?” The Doctor asked, amazed to learn that the town had a police force of any kind. He had not really noticed any ponies in uniforms or special hats that served as symbols of authority, with the exception of the Royal Guards he had seen on occasion from Canterlot.
“It’s rare in a town like Ponyville, but when it does happen, everypony tends to... overreact a bit.” Rarity clarified. “It’s less a criminal charge than the idea of a scandal that causes the trouble though. To a lot of ponies, reputation is everything. If you get a reputation as somepony that doesn’t pay your bills, you can have trouble with merchants or service providers simply denying you out of hoof. Of course, it works against the merchants as well…”
Rarity’s eyes and tone became slightly more downcast for a moment before she cleared her throat again.
“...In any case, I actually was looking for you, Doctor. I just happened to arrive at a convenient moment.”
“Oh?” The Time Lord smiled for a moment, but it soured slightly when he remembered he was currently furclad, even his trusty sonic screwdriver left behind in favor of trying to ‘blend in’ with the other inhabitants of Ponyville. “You didn’t come up with more outfits did you? Because really, the latest one is quite enough. I’m just letting it dry out after that business in Aquarius.”
“Oh, no, nothing like that. I…” Rarity paused, confused. “Aquarius?”
“Saltwater… Sea-ponies… A fairly irate leviathan… Long story for another time I think.” The Doctor shook his head.
“I see…” Rarity clearly didn’t know what he was talking about, but decided it best to move on. “In any case, I was hoping you might be available for one of our little ‘excursions’ today.”
The Doctor sighed slightly, remembering all too well the last trip he had taken the socialite pony on.
“Another fashion show, Rarity?” He asked in a flat tone, clearly demonstrating the anticipated boredom. “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself, but the ‘Canterlot Sweet and Elite Exposition’ is hardly what I would call a--”
“It’s nothing like that.” Rarity waved him off with a hoof before giving him her best ‘adventurous’ smile. “I want to go somewhere that nopony has ever gone before. Somewhere… brand new. Someplace… as far away from Equestria as ponily possible.”
The Doctor stopped suddenly in his tracks. Both he and Spike, who had been holding his silence, looking with some surprise to the white mare.
“...What is it?”
“Are you getting married in the morning perchance?” The Doctor asked bluntly.
“Eh-what? Of course not! Whyever would you ask that?” Rarity seemed thrown off, even her shock having an air of elegance.
“Because you’re clearly trying to run away from something.” The Time Lord observed astutely, a comment that immediately made the mare draw back.
“Doc… that was uncalled for.” Spike chastised the stallion, tapping the back of the stallion’s neck with his claws in a clearly agitated manner.
The Doctor shrugged.
“Well, I suppose it’s not any of my business. And besides, who am I to judge? I’ve been running my whole life.” The Time Pony nodded before he gave a sincere, enthusiastic smile. “Alright. Sure, I think I’ve got myself adjusted enough to the way of the pony to try my hoof at some extraterrestrial exploration.”
“Uhhh… Can I come too? I wanna see some aliens.” Spike leaned forward on the stallion’s back, causing him to have to shift his shoulders and reminding him about the still tingling pain in his back legs, which had now radiated up to his hips.
Somehow, the Doctor doubted that Spike’s real interest in tagging along was more than five feet away from where he was standing right now, but then again… it wasn’t his business.
“I don’t see why not. We can pop back over to the library for the TARDIS and then be on our way.”
“I’ll meet you there, Doctor.” Rarity nodded, an unusual eagerness making itself apparent in her motions as she did so. “I just need to pick up a few... necessities.”
————————————
The TARDIS
Basement of the Books and Branches Library
11:03 am
*FLUMPH-CRASH-THUD*
“Just a few necessities…” Rarity smiled sweetly as she stood in the doorway of the TARDIS.
‘Necessities for what? Does she plan on starting a colony?’ The Doctor wondered, pulling up his goggles as he gave the mare a bemused smile, a small mountain of luggage and trunks unceremoniously dropped on either side of the threshold that led into the TARDIS’ control room.
There was a time when he would have questioned the physics of how the dainty mare could possibly lug all of that into the library, down the stairway to the basement, and into the TARDIS, all by herself. And also somehow not alert him to the fact she was doing so until the moment she dropped it all in right there inside his front doors.
But the fact that he managed to accept this without thinking on it too long was proof positive that he was slowly and surely growing more accustomed to the ersatz workings of Equestria.
Of course, the fact that she was so completely packed and ready to leave also confirmed his earlier suspicions. He had barely had enough time to put on his vest, goggles, and hoofband before she had arrived, but he quickly decided that now was not the time to confront her about it.
“Sure you’ve got everything?” The Doctor mused sarcastically.
“Well, I didn’t think I would need to bring my sewing machine or my workstation.” Rarity looked left and right at the luggage, as if the Doctor’s words had made her suddenly concerned that she had indeed forgotten something. “And left Opalescence in the care of Fluttershy, so everything should be in order.”
“And where’s Spike? I thought he was going to help you carry your things down.”
“Oh, I’m sure he’s here somewhere…” Rarity stated, turning about to browse through several of the larger pieces of baggage, maneuvering them up and out of the way with a glow and flick of her horn.
“Ah, here he is.” The unicorn smiled before straining a moment, pulling a very exhausted-looking dragon from what appeared to be the bottom of one pile. His body appeared to take on the consistency of rubber for a few seconds as his tail was clearly caught under one of the larger trunks before being pulled free, causing his elongated body to snap back to form.
“H...happy to... be of... service...” The purple and green reptile panted breathlessly.
The Time Lord considered for a moment...
Yep, still within norms for Equestrian universal physics.
Looking up at the console, the Doctor continued to move with the controls that surrounded the time rotor while Rarity set Spike down, moving to the Hourglass Stallion’s side.
“Is he going to be alright?”
“Oh, he’s fine. Dragons can be quite resilient, especially at his age. Considering some of the things I’ve seen him shrug off, a few suitcases full of clothes are not going to be an issue.” Rarity assured him before looking up to the central fixture of the TARDIS and the glowing glass bulbs inside.
“Now then, what kind of trip did you have in mind?” The Doctor asked suddenly, looking up to the central console and taking note of two colored lights gently glowing in their horse shoe mounts.
“Well, as I said before, I think it would be wonderful if we went someplace nopony has ever gone before.” The theatrical mare stated with a sweep of her forelegs. “Somewhere... elegant... Regal... Exotic.”
“And as far away from Equestria as ponily possible?” The Doctor smirked, repeating her earlier request and getting a mute nod in return. Turning back to the console, the Time Pony pressed several seemingly random buttons before turning back to Rarity.
“Easy enough. Just giving the randomizer a set of loose parameters: Non-pony... advanced society... preferably peaceful. Simple as that. I’m sure the old girl can find something that will suit you; she’s been getting more accurate every time she goes out.” The Doctor explained excitedly as a couple more buttons were pressed and a heavy crank was turned, letting off a short hiss of steam.
“And with the flick of a switch, here... we...” He reached over, putting a hoof around the large ‘parking brake’ along one side of the console, and prepared to throw it with a flick of his leg as Rarity braced herself for the shaking.
“...GO!”
*CLICK*
…
*CLICK*
Rarity watched as the lever the Time Pony had thrown cranked back of its own accord to its original position, causing the stallion to draw back in a moment of confusion.
“What the...?”
*CLICK*
…
*CLICK*
“Oh come on, don’t do this to me now... You’re embarrassing me.” The Doctor muttered a short plea to his TARDIS for a moment, taking both hooves and setting them on the lever before pulling it back towards himself.
*CLICK*
…
*CLUNK!*
Only to be flung almost off his hind hooves and onto the console as the lever forcefully pushed itself back into resting position and even now refused to budge as the stallion pulled against it with all his weight.
“Is... something wrong?” Rarity asked after watching the colt struggle against the machine for a moment.
“She... doesn’t want to go, apparently.” The Doctor panted as he let go of the brake and looked over his console, trying to find any reason why his TARDIS would hold back like it was. “Or, perhaps it’s an issue with the dematerialization circuit... In any case, we aren’t leaving right away.”
“Okay. Well, if it’s gonna be a few minutes, I’m gonna go grab something to eat.” Spike drew attention to himself, having clearly recovered from what should have been a near death by luggage. “You guys want anything?”
“No, thank you.” The Doctor waved the young dragon off as he opened the doors of the TARDIS and started out, leaving them open by a crack.
After a moment of awkward silence broken only by the Doctor mumbling incoherently to himself as he inspected his console, looking it up and down from the base to the controls to the glowing white and pink lights, Rarity finally decided to open up with some small talk.
“So, does Spike often travel with you?” She asked, only drawing a fraction of his attention away.
“Hmmm? Oh, no. Not usually. Although, last week I tried to take him out somewhere and, due to a nasty spot of turbulence in the time vortex, we somehow ended up shunted onto an alternate time track and landed in an altogether different universe running closely parallel to this one.”
The Doctor trailed off in his recounting for a brief moment of reflection. “It was a... rather interesting experience. I eventually managed to bring us back here, but it was still quite disorienting. Not something I’d want to repeat, surely, but after all that trouble I’m surprised Spike’s so willing to jump back in with me again so soon.”
Having finished his explanation to the unicorn mare, he once again devoted his full concentration to the blinking assembly of gadgets and circuitry in front of him.
Something was... off. He had a feeling that there was some detail he had overlooked. But he just couldn’t for the life of him...
“Oh, it’s probably because of me.” Rarity shook her head.
Wait... Two colored lights?
“I know he thinks he’s been calm, secretive, and collected about it, but Spike has always--”
“FOREVEEERRRR!!!”
“AAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!”
*CRASH*
Rarity shrieked at the top of her lungs, jumping into the Doctor, who promptly collapsed under the sudden weight as the hyperactive mass of pink known as Pinkamina Diane Pie exploded from a hatbox that was laying in the jumbled pile of mixed luggage.
--------------------------------
Spike was sorting through the small box of gems that he kept in a box in the loft that overlooked the library near his bed when he heard the door to the Books and Branches swing open. Setting down a sapphire that was still a little too flat for his taste, the dragon pulled himself up to take a look out over the library to see who had come in when they were supposed to be closed for the day.
“Spike? Are you in?” Came the familiar voice of his oldest friend and surrogate sister.
“Oh. Hey, Twilight. Up here.” He called her attention casually.
“Oh good, you’re home. Is the Doctor here?” The lavender unicorn asked quickly, looking about.
If her own memories of her first shoeing were anything to go by, he would probably want to spend the the day off his hooves as much as possible.
“Oh, he’s down in the box.” Spike told her quickly. “We bumped into Rarity on the way home and we were about to head out somewhere. He’s just getting things set up and I was grabbing a snack before we go.”
“What? But... where?”
“Beats me, I’m just going to make sure Rarity is okay.” Spike admitted openly before returning to the small box, his eye on a baby ruby he had been saving.
Twilight seemed aghast for a moment before letting out a frustrated groan. “Can that pony go one day without running off somewhere?”
“Well, even though we’ve known him for just over two months, I would have to say... no. No he can’t.” Spike stated clearly, smirking at his good friend’s agitation, even if he didn’t fully understand the reason for it.
“UGH! Fine, I just need to talk to him before he rushes off again. I’ll be right back.” Twilight rolled her eyes, moving to the basement door.
-------------------------
“...is the fastest way to lose a friend... Foreeeveeerrr...” Pinkie Pie finished her explanation as she shook the hatbox off her hoof, having climbed out of it in spite of the fact that she couldn’t POSSIBLY have been able to fit inside of it in the first place.
Of course, as the Doctor had WATCHED her climb out of it, he couldn’t say that it was impossible now.
“Yes, I know I Pinkie Promised, but that doesn’t mean that you can just pop out and scare the living daylights out a pony when…” Rarity paused, her eyes flickering to the now discarded hatbox before her expression hardened. “Wait, if you were in the box, then... where is my chapeau!?”
“Oh, hold on.” Pinkie seemed to lose all of her indignation as she moved to the box and reached inside, stuffing her entire body up the shoulders into the relatively shallow container. “AHA! There it is!”
The pink pony withdrew, a flawless sunbonnet with a large yellow lily set into its hem in her teeth. She tossed it to Rarity, who immediately rushed forward to catch and make sure the headpiece was intact.
The Doctor took the opportunity to move over to the box now on the floor next to Pinkie Pie, setting a forehoof inside and barely fitting his fetlock in while he tried to understand what should have been impossible.
“Sooooo… where’re we going?” Pinkie asked, a giddy expression on her face as she moved up to the Time Pony, nudging his shoulder with her own.
“How did you know we were going anywhere?” Rarity asked indignantly, clearly not having anticipated the sudden appearance of the manic mare.
“Wouldn’t you know it? I figured out a new Pinkie Sense!” Pinkie explained with exuberance, moving to demonstrate.
“Itchy hoof, chattery teeth, twitchy eye.” She explained quickly as she, in order, clicked her back hooves, had her teeth chatter in her mouth as if she were cold, and then had one eye twitch a few times before she brought up a hoof to rub it. “That means the Doctor’s up to shenanigans in the TARDIS. And I have the day off from Sugarcube Corner today, so I want in!”
“In less than two months you developed a whole new series of body spasms just for me?” The Doctor sounded both amused and flattered.
“Well, I’ve been getting this one a lot ever since you first showed up. It just took me awhile to piece it together.”
“Pinkie, darling.” Rarity smiled, although it was a bit forced. “I know that you want to come along, but I was just thinking it would be… you know… just the Doctor and myself this time.”
“What about Spike?” The Doctor pulled himself back, giving Rarity a somewhat accusatory look.
“Well, yes, and Spike too, I suppose. But I just mean that I wasn’t—”
“There you are.”
The new, familiar voice that graced them was one that the Doctor was actually surprised to hear as the purple unicorn mare, the very first being in this universe he had met, came marching into the TARDIS with a definite purpose.
“Hi, Twilight!” Pinkie waved, clearly oblivious to the unicorn’s determined expression, something that Rarity however didn’t have a problem noting.
“Oh dear, Twilight, is something the matter?” The seamstress pony asked before Twilight squared off with the Hourglass Stallion, who looked quite confused as to her intent.
“Doctor, we need to talk before you go anywhere. In private!”
“A-alright. Alright.” The colt nodded, turning to the the console in order to reset the controls. “I don’t see a problem with that. In fact, you and the TARDIS seem to have the same idea. It’s obvious she won’t be leaving anytime soon.”
Distracted by the task at hoof, nopony was paying any particular attention... when the glowing ivory and fuchsia gems inlaid in the central column were joined by their lavender counterpart as it suddenly flared to life.
*SLAM*
All eyes turned as the TARDIS doors suddenly flew shut.
*CLICK*
And then twisted back as the parking brake disengaged on its own.
The TARDIS shuddered as a familiar sound filled the air around them.
“DOCTOR!” Twilight scolded as she slipped, trying to move over to the railing as the time machine began to rock more violently, causing her to tumble and her saddlebag to fall open, its contents spilling out.
“WHEEEE!” Pinkie fell back with delight as Rarity put her hooves up to the console, attempting to steady herself without touching any of the buttons. (The Doctor had been very clear about not doing so, lest they run the risk of endangering the space-time continuum.) Meanwhile, Rarity’s luggage also skittered and tumbled all over as the machine rocked.
“IT’S NOT ME THIS TIME!” The stallion tried to defend himself, pulling himself up towards the console as it hummed.
“What do you MEAN it’s not you!?” Twilight demanded as she reached and grasped the railing, her horn aglow as she deftly lifted what looked like a book out of the path of spilled ink from a broken inkwell.
“She took off on her own!” He tried to explain, but was cut off before he could elaborate as their entire world shuddered and ceased shaking as quickly as it had started. A deep thumping bass sound reverberated through the floor panels, indicating that they had landed and allowing all four ponies to relax as they caught their breath.
“It... she... can do that?” Rarity asked, amazed to learn that their transportation was capable of that kind of initiative.
“Yep!” Pinkie chimed in, bouncing excitedly over to the console. “The Doc told me about it when I got the tour; she’s alive. She eats universe juice and stuff and has a heart and everything.”
“It’s not quite as simple as that... but, yes. The TARDIS is as alive as you or I.” The Doctor moved to pull the scanner display around to his side, looking it over. “Hmm... that’s definitely odd. I’m not sure what she’s up to here but--”
The stallion broke off as he looked over to Twilight, who was bringing her saddlebag back up in a glow of purple magic.
His eyes widened by degrees as they happened to fall on something he never thought he would see again.
“Twilight...” The Doctor’s voice was low and concerned as his expression hardened. “Where did you get that book?”
There was a moment of complete silence in the TARDIS as the unicorn and Time Pony met one another’s eyes, the aura of magic holding the item in question steady a moment before it was slipped back into the saddlebag.
This was not good.
Twilight didn’t know why... but the Princess had specifically told her to not let the Doctor see it. And judging by his reaction, there was good reason.
“It’s not a book, it’s a journal.” She quickly stated, although she regretted it a moment later.
“Yes, I know it’s a journal. Where did you find it?” He asked again, moving around the console.
“It happens to belong to me.” Twilight stated, holding her own ground while avoiding specifics. “It was given to me a while ago.”
“By who? And what are you putting into it?”
“It’s a private journal. Telling anypony what’s inside of it kind of defeats the purpose, Doctor.”
“Twilight, this may be important.”
“I fail to see how...” Twilight snapped back. “And you know what? It doesn’t seem at all fair that you’re so worried about my personal business when you yourself are keeping things from us.”
Rarity and Pinkie Pie watched from the sidelines as the two went back and forth for a moment, neither wanting to interfere as their voices started to rise.
"Who says that I am keeping anything from you?"
"I do! I mean, it's obvious that you are. For instance, neglecting to tell me about this little trip, then dragging me along anyway the second I step on board!”
"As I already tried explaining, the TARDIS took off by herself. I had no part in it. And besides, if there was anything I wasn't telling you, it would only be for a very good reason.”
"Aha! So you ARE keeping secrets!”
"I didn't say that. Twilight, I just...”
The Time Pony paused, his expression growing suspicious as he took a step forward, watching her carefully as he tried to measure her tone and clearly detecting a hint of something hidden under her indignation.
“Twilight, what exactly is it you wanted to talk to me about?”
Mare and stallion watched one another for a moment, the air between them tense enough to cut with a knife as they maintained an uneasy silence, each clearly waiting for the other to begin.
“Uh-oooooh!”
The silence was broken by an upbeat voice coming from the TARDIS entryway, causing the two embattled equines to break eye-contact and turn in unison to see the doors had been opened and Pinkie Pie was now standing just outside of them.
“Somepony forgot to wrap up winter!” The Party pony grinned as she put a hoof to her mouth, her tone reminiscent of a foal pointing out an adult’s mistake.
“Pinkie! What are you doing!?” Rarity made her presence known again, having been too enraptured by the unfolding drama between her two friends to notice that the party pony had gotten bored and decided to investigate where the TARDIS had brought them. “We don’t know what’s out there!”
“Well, duuuh!” Pinkie rolled her eyes, an amused smirk on her face at what she saw as a rather silly remark. “Isn’t that kinda the point?”
Without waiting for any response, the pink equine bounced into the air, the distinct poinging sound punctuated by the crisp crunching of snow.
Twilight and the Doctor turned to face one another again, the tension between them eased, but not broken by their mutual friend’s antics.
“We are NOT done talking about this.” Both of them said to each other in unison.
Mare and stallion drew back half a step, each feeling a sudden surge of awkwardness from the simultaneous statement. A feeling that grew as they both swallowed reflexively, mirroring one another’s movements.
For a fraction of a moment, concern showed on the Time Pony’s face, who quickly averted his eyes, causing Twilight to shudder lightly and breaking whatever spell had fallen over them as he forced a haggard smile.
“Well, Hi-Ho Ponies…” The Doctor’s attitude shifted in an instant, an air of excitability permeating his every movement as he trotted with a purpose towards the door. “Whole new world to see, after all. Let’s find out what my the old girl’s picked out for us this time.”
“What was that about?” Rarity asked as the Doctor rushed out the doors of the police box without looking back.
Twilight blinked as she tried to understand… to rationalize what had just happened, then shook her head when no answers came to her.
“I’m not sure.” Twilight admitted, letting out an equine snort before she too started forward. “But I intend to find out.”
——————————————
Location: Unknown
Time: Unknown
One step outside of the TARDIS brought Rarity and Twilight to a halt as the two mares were struck by two very resounding revelations.
Firstly, their surroundings were beyond beautiful.
Glistening hills and pointed spires of ice rose all about as snow drifted lazily through the air, an unbroken landscape of freshly fallen snow covering the ground as far as the eye could see. In the clear, pale purple sky hung a wan azure sun that shimmered entrancingly, the blue light it cast off reflected and magnified by the bleached white ground and only added to the enchantment of what they saw.
Secondly… and perhaps unsurprising given the first revelation...
IT WAS ABSOLUTELY FREEZING!
The first thought that came to Twilight of course was the last time she felt this cold, when she had woken up in the glacial caverns under Zebrica, suspended on a constant jet of an icy cold pressure wave. The second thought fell on the legend of the Windigos, malevolent equine spirits that fed on dissonance and anger, but that also didn’t seem right, as she quickly concluded that this was an altogether different sort of cold.
This cold felt natural and all-encompassing. More like the deep winter of Northern Equestria than the forced frost of spiteful spirits. And judging by the blue sun, Twilight could safely assume that they were most certainly not on Equis anymore.
At her side, Rarity was shivering in seconds, her teeth chattering uncontrollably as she shifted her forehooves on the crunching snow.
“It’s... s-so c-c-cold. So very, v-very c-cold...Bbbbbbbrrrrrrrrrrr” The fashionista managed through trembling lips as her entire body shivered, her thin fur coat doing little to combat the sub-arctic conditions.
“Hold on, Rarity.” Twilight managed, wondering if perhaps her experience in Zebrica had endured her to the sudden shock of cold as her mind scrambled for a solution and quickly settled on one that she had wished she was able to use back in those caverns.
Turning her head, her horn aglow, Twilight focused her magic into a self-insulation spell she had learned as a filly in order to win a bet with her brother about who could last longest playing in the snow one winter.
Cheating? Perhaps. But it had been worth it to get him to surrender his share of marshmallows during their post playtime cocoa.
Rarity visibly relaxed as she felt a flowing layer of magic run over her, the bite of the wintry chill reduced as her own body heat was trapped and held back against her coat. The glowing purple bubble around her remained visible for only a few seconds before the magic became transparent.
“Ahhh...” Rarity smiled in relief as she opened her eyes. “It may not have been planned, but I am so very glad you came along, Twilight.”
“I didn’t ‘come along’, I was shanghaied by the TARDIS, remember?” Twilight said with an irked expression while casting the spell on herself, covering her body in a layer of purple magic for a moment before it too faded to be transparent. Pausing a moment, Twilight turning her head to determine where their other two friends had gone.
“Well, while this does certainly help, if you’ll excuse me, I need to slip into something more appropriate for this setting.” the white unicorn excused herself, backing into the still open TARDIS doors.
About two dozen feet to the side, Twilight caught sight of Pinkie Pie romping about in her usual carefree manner, her hooves making a mess of the until then undisturbed snow as she fell on her back and waved her legs about wildly making snow-pegasi.
Watching her with amusement, the Doctor seemed likewise unperturbed by the cold, which wasn’t surprising.
As hardy, stubborn-natured Earth ponies, Twilight knew that Pinkie and the Doctor wouldn’t feel the effects of the cold as acutely as she and Rarity had, but in spite of the stereotype that they could easily thrive in any imaginable environment, nopony could last indefinitely in these conditions.
“Hey, TWILIGHT! Look! SNOW-PONY!” Pinkie announced, bouncing up from the flat of her back like an acrobat and landing on all four hooves. Clumps of wet snow were clinging to her mane and coat, already starting to melt and seep into the fur.
“Yes, I see it… now hold still for a moment, unless you want to become a Pinkie-cicle.” Twilight chided lightly, leaning her head forward, horn aglow as she repeated the spell, wrapping Pinkie in the warming aura of her magic.
“Mmmm, toaaastyyy…” Pinkie grinned. “Thanks, Twilight. OH! You know what time it is? BELLY-SLEDDING TIME!”
With a sudden squeal of delight, the pink pony then immediately went back to indulging her inner filly, bouncing off and throwing herself onto her front to slide down a soft hill on the snow.
Twilight simply shook her head in amusement.
Only Pinkie Pie.
Her amusement faded as she moved to the Doctor’s side, his attention having clearly turned elsewhere as he took in his surroundings. He said nothing as she brought her horn up to him, covering his body in the thin layer of insulating magic that faded from sight after a moment.
For tense few seconds, Twilight thought perhaps he had resorted to giving her the silent treatment, as if the tense moment they had shared in the TARDIS had been some sort of deep affront to him that she had not realized.
But as he broke the silence, she realized that wasn’t at all what was bothering him.
“Something’s... not quite right here.” The Doctor mentioned thoughtfully, scanning the landscape with a wary eye.
“What do you mean?” Twilight inquired, trying to follow his gaze and only seeing the gleaming snow and ice that stretched into the horizon.
Was there something she was missing?
“Judging by the angle of the sun, we’re in this planet’s equatorial zone, or close to it.” He took a deep breath, his exhale sending a cloud streaming from his nostrils. “Air is crisp and clean. No sign of any form of pollution or industrialization, or society in general... Even in Ponyville you would have the smell of wood chimneys and baked goods.”
He dug a hoof into the snow, digging for a few minutes until he had a fairly-sized hole that exposed a patch of dull ground.
“The landscape is completely undisturbed... and probably has been for centuries or longer. And under the snow? Nothing: No trees, no shrubbery, not even tundra grass... Not a single sign of life.”
“Considering the conditions here, maybe life never developed.” Twilight shrugged. “I mean, maybe it’s just too cold.”
“In the life-bearing zone around the star, perfectly suitable oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere and an obvious abundance of liquid water? I suppose it’s possible, but not very likely.” The Doctor nodded. “If there is one thing I’ve learned in my travels, it’s that life finds a way. If I were to hazard a guess, we’ve landed in the middle of an Ice Age. And having set hoof on a good deal of ice planets in my day, I can safely say that this one is pretty bad. If it’s like this near the equator, the rest of the planet is probably even more desolate.”
Twilight considered his words for a moment, but she certainly deferred to his expertise in matters such as this. From a logical and academic standpoint it made sense, especially given his assertions that not only were ponies and the thinking creatures of Equis not alone in the universe, but that the stars she so often looked up to in the night sky were absolutely teeming with life.
“Which is something she should have realized.” The Doctor’s eyes narrowed before he turned suddenly, adopting a half-leaping step rather than shuffling through the snow. “Why would she bring us here?”
“She?” Twilight turned curiously before moving to match him, their rainchecked discussion fading from her mind as she picked up on the gravity in his concerned tone. “You mean the TARDIS?”
“I set her to a pick out a random time and place, yes; but with a few specific parameters. She got peaceful down... but we’re a little lacking on the advanced society we asked for. It could just be that the randomizer’s due for a bit of a tune-up... Or...” he trailed off as he turned his hoof up to look at his watch.
“Or what, Doctor?”
“Pinkie! Back to the TARDIS! Quickly now!” The stallion called out, eliciting a child-like “Awwwww...” from the pink mare who was still happily frolicking in the snow before turning back to Twilight.
“Or something really really bad is happening here.” The Time Pony stated cryptically, moving towards the blue box as its doors opened yet again, revealing Rarity in a thick black sweater with red highlights and a matching set of elegant knee-high boots, earmuffs, and a long scarf.
“Now this is how a lady enjoys her winter retreat.” She stated with debonair.
“We are leaving. Now.” The brown stallion stated as he moved past Rarity and back into the police box, leaving a stunned white mare in his wake. Pinkie and Twilight managed to reach the threshold at the same time, shrugging in a sign of their own puzzlement as the colt moved to the center console.
“But I just got...” Rarity managed before the situation elicited a agitated huff that she immediately tried to cover up. “Well, alright then. I guess there will be another time to bring this ensemble out.”
“Uhhh, Doc?” Pinkie asked, her tone uncharacteristically worried. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m moving us into orbit to get a better look at this planet.” He explained quickly, excitement turned to caution. “Something’s not adding up here, and I would feel more comfortable if we had some more information. So we’ll just pop out for a bit, run a planetwide diagnostic sweep and try to get an idea of just what’s going on.”
Twilight said nothing, but her mind raced.
Too dangerous?
He was being careful?
Cautious?
Protective, even?
She didn’t know why but this struck her as strange. The stallion who had spent centuries running headlong into danger... playing it safe.
“Dangerous? Awww, come on, Doc! We laugh in the face of Danger! HA-HA-HA!” Pinkie beamed as she let out an overly dramatic and cheesy theatrical laugh.
“Yes you do, Pinkie.” Rarity confirmed, her voice deadpanned. “And that was very rude you know. Mr. Zone didn’t care for that prank at all.”
Meanwhile, the Doctor, ignoring their continued conversation for the moment, finished programming in the short jump in space moved and moved to flip the required switch. The heavy sound that preceded the TARDIS taking off then echoed through the control room.
“He needed to loosen up.” The party pony waved off Rarity’s disapproval with a smile. “I mean, how could a pony named Danger be such a...”
Pinkie stopped in mid-sentence, wincing a bit as she suddenly pulled herself back into a sitting position on her rump, reaching out with her forehooves to rub on her back legs.
“Pinchy knees? Uh oh!”
Twilight gasped loudly, drawing the Doctor’s attention as the lyrical sound of the time machine started to fill the air, the time rotor having begun its oscillations in earnest.
“Wait, doesn’t pinchy knees mean--”
*PTTZZT-CRACKLE*
*THOOMB*
Twilight never had a chance to finish as the entire TARDIS rocked violently, eliciting cries from of shock from all four of its occupants as the vine-like trail of wires under the glass floor burst in a cascade of rainbow sparks. The natural ambient light emanating from the walls dimmed suddenly as the roundels set in the ceiling flickered in and out, which combined with the torrent of sparks to add a terrifying strobing effect to the already terrifying scene.
*CRRISSHHHHHH*
*BOOM*
The world around them went vertical as three mare’s voices screamed out in horror and a stallion grunted as he lost his hoofing, gravity thrown completely wild as they started to fall off the floor and into the wall. The baggage brought aboard by the white unicorn befell a similar fate, flinging open as all manner of clothes and fabrics were tossed about the room, adding to the frantic chaos and causing Rarity’s shrieking to rise an additional few decibels.
And as quickly as it had begun... the nightmarish ride ended.
*GONG*
*GONG*
*GONG*
A deep maroon light started to glow from the walls, fading in and out in time with the tolling sound of a bell that resounded through the air. The four ponies found themselves in a pile along the back wall of the TARDIS, covered in a mountain of open suitcases and mounds of fabric. The doors were now on the ceiling and the central glass column hung like a horizontal beam over their heads. All the while there was a sharp hissing noise as a stream of light green vapor escaped from the edges of the console.
“Unnnggghhhh.”
The Doctor roused first, pushing himself up with a pained grunt as he arched his shoulders, hoping that the sudden fall hadn’t seriously injured anypony.
As he heard the tolling sound of a bell ring again however, he immediately pulled himself to his hooves in spite of his own soreness.
“Cloister bell... Blast.” He shook his head, looking up at the vapors escaping from the center console. With a flick of his hoof, he extended his sonic screwdriver from its clutch and pointed into the air towards it.
*click*
*whiirrrrr*
And then brought the device down in front of his snout, where he squinted at the crystal with a concerned expression.
“Ohhh, that’s bad... Well, that’s not so bad... And that’s a lot worse...” He monologued as he took in the data he could get about what had occurred and triaged his situation in less than a second.
“Extractor fans on!” He shouted as the three mares around him started to regain their senses, each verbalizing their soreness in grunts while Pinkie let out a childish “Owieeee...”
The Hourglass Stallion breathed a sigh of relief when the sound of heavy fans filled the air.
“Good, at least those are still working. Hate to have to try and learn how to breathe that stuff.” He nodded, satisfied that the immediate danger had passed and moving to help his three friends up. “You girls alright? Anything broken?”
“...No. Ouch... Definitely going to be feeling that in the morning, though.” Twilight grunted as she got up on all fours.
“I’m feeling it right now.” Rarity complained lightly, rolling on her side and letting out a rather pathetic sounding moan.
“Unggghhh... Doctor, that wasn’t fun at all. Can we not do that again, please?” Pinkie asked, pulling herself up on top of a trunk as she stretched out her back legs.
“What in the world happened?” Twilight asked quickly, taking stock of the situation.
“I’m not sure.” The brown colt shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck with one hoof as he tried to simplify an explanation as quickly as he could. “The TARDIS is damaged, that much is certain... When we tried to take off, something rather violently yanked her off course. The strain of whatever pulled on us damaged several of the more delicate systems. The orientational stabilizers are offline, which means we’ve landed sideways, and the time rotor cracked leading to a chronoton vapor leak.”
“Sooooo, we crashed?” Pinkie asked blankly.
“Weeeell... to put it in such simple terms... yes, we’ve crashed.”
“Oh, well.” Pinkie shrugged, suddenly opening the trunk she had been resting her forehooves on and pulling out what looked like an announcement board. Its surface was a dark green, and in crisp white letters it read:
Remember, Safety First!
We have gone [59] days without a workplace incident!
With a somewhat disappointed expression, Pinkie pulled the numbered card off a small set of hooks in the board, replacing it with another one she drew from out of the trunk that had a zero on it.
“I don’t remember packing that.” Rarity offered as she watched Pinkie, although the Doctor’s jaw had all but dropped.
“Wha...? But... But...” The Time Lord was stunned by the absolute absurdity of the action, and the impossibly coincidental circumstances it entailed.
“What could do something like that?” Twilight asked, now sounding very worried and ignoring Pinkie Pie’s moment without questioning it.
The Doctor often talked about how the TARDIS was the most advanced piece of technology in his universe, and she tended to believe him.
The Time Pony, still reeling from what he had seen, shook his head with a huff as he took a moment to try and answer the question.
“Well, there are few natural phenomena capable of such a drastic alteration to the TARDIS’ course, though these things have been known to occur... Then again, whole new universe and all, perhaps its just something I’ve never seen before.” The Doctor explained wistfully, though his eyes betrayed the fact that he was fraught with worry.
Twilight’s eyes narrowed slightly as a sense of unease filled her chest.
There it was again; that feeling that she knew... without any evidence or understanding why... but she just knew he was holding something back.
“So, now what?” Rarity asked, rolling to her hooves at last while she blinked, her violet mane now a disheveled mockery of its normally pristine form as she pulled off her earmuffs and boots. “We’re not stranded here, I hope.”
“No. I’ve already kicked off the emergency protocols. She’ll repair herself mostly, although I might have to give her a more thorough checkup as soon as we get back to Ponyville.” He explained quickly, not wanting any of his compatriots to panic. “At least the damage is not too extensive. The only reason there was such a dramatic effect is because I didn’t bother raising the shields for a relatively simple jump in distance. Anyways, just give her a few hours and she’ll be upright and in working order again.” The Time Lord reassured her as he looked up.
“Now, we need to just get up to the doors.” The Doctor sighed. “Rather wish that Rainbow or Fluttershy were here now. What we could really use is a grappling hook and some rope, but getting to the storage room right now would not be easy.” The Doctor turned towards the corridor that led deeper into the TARDIS, which was now several feet away from their hooves and which now dropped straight down for an uncomfortable amount of length. “Maybe I should consider putting together an emergency utility kit for these situations. Although...” He brought up a hoof, looking it over. “Right, maybe the grappling hook wouldn’t work so well... Twilight, do you think you could teleport us up there?”
“Only if you want to fall down here again.” Twilight shook her head. “I usually have to see where I’m going or know the area well, and I don’t want to even try teleporting out of here.”
*boing*
“Hey Doctor...”
*boing*
“How about...”
*boing*
“...this?”
Pinkie drew everypony’s attention back to her, their eyes now having to bob up and down to follow her movements.
Now the Doctor was seriously confused, as was Twilight.
“Pinkie... where did you get a trampoline!?” The lavender unicorn mare asked.
“I certainly don’t remember packing that.” Rarity stated as the pink pony flew higher with every bounce, her hooves scrambling as she shot up past the console and towards the doors overhead.
“I’m not even going to bother with this one...” The Doctor shook his head, clearly stunned as he watched the party pony bounce on the fully assembled and highly springy black trampoline.
“Almost...”
*boing*
“...got it...”
*boing*
“Little more...”
*boing-CLUNK*
“Ow...! Hey, Twilight?”
*boing-THUMPH*
“Little help?”
Twilight winced as Pinkie’s head hit the doors, her hooves unable to catch the handles and open it before she started to fall again. So with a glow of her horn, while Pinkie was on a drop, the purple unicorn turned the handle to make the doors swing inwards with a creak.
“Thanks!”
*boing*
The three ponies standing on the back wall watched as Pinkie reached up at the apex of her bounce. Her forelegs flailed for a moment as she reached out to catch hold of the threshold but succeeded in grasping it with her hooves.
With a grunt, the party pony managed to pull herself upward, her hindlegs flailing as her lower body dangled over the lip of the door.
Then suddenly, her whole body ceased wiggling for a good few seconds.
“HEY GUYS! I FOUND ALIENS!!!”
The Doctor set his hoof against his face.
“And here we go...”
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Pinkie's line of finding aliens should definitely be what the first human to find alien life should say
Pinkie Pie is in charge of first contact? We're bucked.
Can't wait for more!
Seriously. Post again, NOW.
First
Crap not first
the way Pinkie entered the TARDIS: so her. i laughed hard. and it looks like the TARDIS wants Twilight with her and the Doctor.
Doctor: Twilight, that book belongs to my wife.
Twilight: But... Princess Celestia gave it to me...
Doctor: Oh... oh my...
Twilight:
HEY GUYS! I FOUND ALIENS!
Alright! I was just wondering if you would be posting this and then suddenly it was there in my unread updates!
Love how you portray Pinkie's complete disregard for Reality coupled with the Cartoon Physics.
Can't wait to read your characterization of Rarity. I always love reading a good Rarity.
And last but not least is the growing tension between Twilight and the Doctor. Nothing so effortlessly strains a relationship like secrets.
You have inspired me to not only continue watching the New Who Series but to also check out the Classic Who Series. May your muse never cease to inspire!
Laughed out loud at pinkie's last line.
Nice chapter, can't wait for the next one! Keep it up. 
Wow, the TARDIS was really sassy this chapter
And here I thought I was going to get to bed at a reasonable hour tonight. Oh well.
Epic story, as always. [/genericcomment]
There's just one thing that doesn't sit right with me: “I didn’t ‘come along’, I was shanghaied by the TARDIS, remember?” I'm surprised "shanghaied" is in Twilight's vocabulary, considering the word's origins lie from the real city Shanghai. Wouldn't the term in Equestria be some sort of pony equivalent? I know it's a really nitpicky thing, but I noticed it instantly.
This series needs to be a real thing. SOMEBODY GET SOME ANIMATORS ON THIS SHIT!
1321978 oh don't I wish. I would just die if somepony like Ask-TheCrusaders were to animate even a few random scenes.
I love that Applejack is the one telling about the seaponies. Nice ref to the original MLP series. XD
And I wonder what's gonna happen with Twilight and the Doctor, esppecially with not knowing the story behind the TARDIS-colored journal.
Also: gotta love Pinkie.
Epic! Truly! Can't wait to see what happpens next!
Oh my...XD
Awesome!!!!!!!!
“Dangerous? Awww, come on, Doc! We laugh in the face of Danger! HA-HA-HA!” Pinkie beamed as she let out an overly dramatic and cheesy theatrical laugh.
“Yes you do, Pinkie.” Rarity confirmed, her voice deadpanned. “And that was very rude you know. Mr. Zone didn’t care for that prank at all.”
...
i37.photobucket.com/albums/e67/thelaserman/Reaction%20Face/Kenan.png
You glorious bastard.
Also, loving your Pinkie shenanigans as always. She really knows how to liven up a trip with the Doctor.
But I was hoping for Spike to come along, especially since his crush is apparently in great danger this time.
I know this is about the Mane 6, but Spike is as much a part of their group as the others, so I hope you make it up to him somewhere down the line.
applejack is a silly pony because a blue box that travels through time and space is alive
you gonna update within the next year, CUZ I NeED MOAR
Found Something!
...Let’s find out what my the old girl’s picked out for us this time.”
Choose one or the other
1321999
Yeah that would be cool. Maybe you could commission them once the VDC Contest (I swear it was supposed to end before Summer) is finally over. Assuming that the price isn't too exorbitant.
Woooohooooo, amazing as always !! :)
Pinkie and Doctor is best combo.
Twilight is going to feel betrayed that the Doctor told Pinkie about himself, and has kept it a secret from her.
The Cloister Bell, whoever these aliens are they have serious pull. The number of species that can influence the TARDIS are very few, the Daleks being the most notable.
Pinkie gives me a headache
Best line ever by pinkie
Awesome chapter once more. Poor Spike, to be left behind like that... I can't wait to see what will happen next to the four ponies, and to see more Rarity and Pinkie funny moments, and to see how it will go between the Doctor and Twilight... and to see what the mysterious puppetmaster has prepared for them this time... I'm also wondering, could the said puppetmaster be secretly messing with the Tardis? like, programming it behind everyone's back to send the ponies where and when he/she'd want?
Twilight twilight twilight, don't you know the first rule of the doctor:
Rule number 1- the doctor always lies
And you appear to have forgotten Rule number 3- trust me I'm the doctor
Bit of redundancy there?
Anyways, can't wait for more. Keep it up.
That is all.
Great chapter cant wait for the next one.
1325503 Cadderly is best cleric.
Hey L2L, just wondering, what's your stance on Spike/Rarity?
1327889 I don't know why anypony would be so horrible as to spike Rarity, I mean, the mare is NOT a hoofball... Oh... Oh you mean shipping. Well.
Personally, I am not a fan of Rarispike for 2 reasons. The first being the obvious age difference (in my head at least, Rarity is around 20 (21 my stories) and Spike is 10 or 11. Obviously, this is an issue. Secondly: It's too obvious a ship. While Rarity might find his affections sweet, I just find it hard to swallow that such a relationship could be taken seriously.
Now me personally, I like Spikebloom. Aside from being more compatible in terms of age, I just think that Applebloom and Spike look cute together. Some might state Sweetie/Spike... but I can't accept that because all I can think of is...
images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120423060151/mlp/images/thumb/f/f4/Sweetie_Belle_and_Spike_dancing_S02E26.png/640px-Sweetie_Belle_and_Spike_dancing_S02E26.png
"Girl you want rejects you? Marry her sister."
Sweet Celestia, Pinkie.
Awaiting further releases.
AWESOMENESS!!!!!!
i cant STAND cliffhangers especially in something i love, AUTO fave and watch, but im gona hold off on reading until its complete just like i did along came a spider. THEN BINGE IT IN ONE SITTING!!!!
my record is 250K words in a day.
so this will be easy peasy lemon squeazy once its all up (assuming you dont make it abnormally long!)
I want you to know that you are one of the reasons that i made an account. your stories are amazing. never stop
The best Doctor Whooves fanfiction is the stuff by intelligent writers who are die-hard fans of both shows. Pinkie's antics in this one kept me laughing. I'm curious as to how her "aliens" are gonna factor into the story, as well as what the TARDIS's mysterious motives are regarding Twilight.
Wait, didn't they leave someone behind? Eh, whoever it was must not've been very important.
1334880 It was probably Rory.
Or Jack. 
1311235 Yeah! More reading!
1334914 Or Amy!
The most amusing things for me in this chapter:
* Realizing that Cobbler is a literal name.
* Pinkie Pie pops up to tell you when you are in danger of losing a friend's trust. In this case, this isn't even explicitly stated, which makes it funnier when you figure it out.
* The Doctor turns the key in the TARDIS's ignition, turns the steering wheel, takes off the parking brake, and presses the gas pedal... and is utterly shocked when the thing moves, despite having watched the tank fill up (the TARDIS has been reformatted to run on Harmony, remember?). Assign the TARDIS as much or as little agency as you like- he should have been expecting that!
Yet again, L2L proves to be amongst the greatest authors on this site. Contain yourself, please, lest your readers become completely overwhelmed by literary greatness!
1340175 it's okay, my ego is kept in constant check by real life and the fact that I cannot post nearly as often as I want to. Believe me, if I had my way, I would do this full time. *loves the comments and interaction with readers*
Thank you for your readership.
1340186 no, thank YOU for being awesome
1321295 It is what the first aliens should say. Step off the ship look at all the soldiers and reporters and run back onto there ship "Dudes you gotta come see these things I totally just made first contact with aliens!"
I absolutely love this series, but in the future are you going to do a regeneration story?
1376160 A regeneration story? You mean will the Doctor move into Number 13?
1376782 Not exactly, I thought that since we still have to go by the tv series I thought he would have all new lives as a pony. Also so far in MLP we have seen the pony version of 3,5,10(the one we're seeing now), and 11 so I would like to see him regenerate into one of those.Not only that but your series constantly talks about how much has changed in the Doctor's life so who knows, he could have all lives back.