The Whooves Collection Episode One: In the Other's Place

by Perceptive Key

Under the Cover (of Night)

Chapter 3
Under the Cover (of Night)

Gaia; Equestria; Canterlot; Canterlot Castle; 297 C.E.

Twilight and the Doctor waited until late in the night before they began their investigation. Twilight led the Doctor through the twisting layout of the castle while he, in turn, opened the locked doors with his Screwdriver. There were times when they had to hide behind columns and around corners because of the guards patrolling the castle interior.

"You never told me what it does, you know," Twilight whispered, pointing at the sonic screwdriver.

"It opens things, among other stuff," the Doctor whispered back.

"But is it magic?"

"No, it's technology."

The rest of the journey to Celestia's room was spent in silence, with the occasional, whispered, "Hide!" They reached the doors and they were unsurprisingly locked. The Doctor pointed the screwdriver at them, activated it, and, with a click, they swung open noiselessly. Twilight and the Doctor entered and began searching the room. They opened drawers, checked jewelry boxes, and even looked under the large bed.

Twilight looked around the room silently before she felt something drawing her to a covered object in the far corner of the room. The Doctor, who had been scanning the room as well, watched her approach the sheet.

"Find something interesting?" he asked.

Twilight turned around, "Oh, well. When we were with Celestia, I heard something coming from over in the corner." Twilight then noticed a faint noise coming from beneath the sheet, and she grabbed the cover and pulled it off. Twilight had to bite her own leg to prevent herself from screaming.

Celestia was sitting within a separate room, identical to the one they were in, within the mirror. She had several minor cuts and bruises along her body, her multicolored mane was a mess, and she had fresh tears streaming down her face. Then she noticed Twilight standing in front of the mirror. "Please help me!" she pleaded, her voice was hoarse.

Twilight called, "Doctor! Come quick!"

"What?" he trotted over to the mirror. "Oh... my. This could be a problem."

Gaia; Equestria; Canterlot; Canterlot Castle, Main Courtyard; 297 C.E.

The false Celestia stood on the landing overlooking the castle courtyard, feeling proud. She had single handedly taken down the most influential mare on the entire planet, she lured the mythical Doctor and his troublesome accomplice to her, they would be disposed of later, and she now had the power to destroy this pitiful land and everypony on it. "The task shall be completed soon, my Master."

A voice within her mind answered her, "You must not get too sure of yourself. Now that the Doctor's here, you must be wary. Do the same with his assistant. You nearly gave yourself away before."

She laughed aloud, "They never suspected me."

"How do you know, the mare is wise. Wiser than I."

"I don't count her as a threat. You saw how clueless she was."

"Perhaps. I could sense her uncertainty, which answers one of my thoughts. But, you forget," said the voice, "that I still see more than you. I see moments, glances, possibilities, even thoughts. You are still very unaware of my powers."

"Then I shall stay that way. My knowledge will aid me in the final stage, but it is you who will be victorious. I will be carrying on with the plan." The voice didn't say anything back, so she continued to watch the horizon. "Soon. Very soon."

Gaia; Equestria; Canterlot; Canterlot Castle, Celestia's Chambers; 297 C.E.

"Celestia?!" Twilight shouted.

Celestia lifted her head, "Yes?"

"Hang on." Twilight turned to the Doctor, "Can you get her out of there?"

He pulled out his Screwdriver with his mouth, "Leth me shee wath I can do." The Doctor scanned around the mirror and went cross eyed trying to examine the Screwdriver.

"I can't get her out..." he said.

"What?!" Twilight screamed.

"... unless, we break the glass."

"Why didn't you say that first?"

"I felt like increasing the tension."

Twilight groaned, "Then let's get her out!"

"Alright, alright!" The Doctor addressed Celestia, "Madam, could you please step in front of the mirror, or window thing."

Celestia struggled to her hooves, but she was able to limp over to the frame.

"What must I do?" she asked.

"One moment." The Doctor turned to Twilight, "Now, you have to listen to me very carefully. I need you to fire an explosive blast at the mirror from about ten meters away when I tell you." The Doctor turned back to Celestia, "Can you run at all?"

"I- I think so," she responded shakily.

"Great! Now, I'll need you to stand ten feet away, and run towards the frame when I give the word. Then, you'll be out. Hopefully."

Twilight glared at him, "What do you mean by 'hopefully?'"

"Well, we either break the glass, freeing this Celestia, or we break the glass and she's trapped in an identical room in a nether-space for the rest of her life. I haven't thought out all of the outcomes yet."

"Wait, you mean that this might not work?!"

"Don't worry Ms. Sparkle. It'll be fine. Trust me, I'm the Doctor."

Twilight responded by looking worried while walking ten feet away, as did Celestia.

The Doctor checked their positions and proceeded to count down, "Three... two... one... NOW!"

Celestia ran towards the frame and Twilight shot a red beam at the glass. There was a large explosion, the sound of glass, shattering, and a cloud of thick, black smoke. Twilight coughed a little and fanned the air.

"Doctor? Celestia?"

There was some coughing from the side with the mirror, and the Doctor's voice answered, "I'm fine."

The smoke still obscuring her vision, Twilight stumbled around until she stepped on something sharp. She looked down and saw a sliver of the mirror had poked her left foreleg. The smoke began to clear, and Twilight saw the Doctor standing over Celestia's body. "Celestia!" Twilight cried upon seeing her. She faced the Doctor, "Is she alive?"

"She's fine, but she'll be getting a headache when she wakes up. That, and she won't remember what has transpired over the past two days since I've already wiped this from her memory."

"You what?"

"It's a little trick we Time Lords can do. Quite handy when you need someone to forget your face. Which, in my opinion, was important because you two probably haven't even met each other at this point in time," The Doctor deduced.

"No," Twilight said, "not for another seven centuries."

"Alright! Now, before she lost consciousness, the real Princess Celestia, here, told me what the Impostor wanted."

"'Imposter?'"

"It's what I've decided to name our new enemy. Not knowing her species and all. Plus, it's fitting."

Twilight sighed, "Fine."

"Good, but back to business. Celestia said that the Impostor wanted to know how to 'use the sun.' Does that make any sense to you?"

Twilight bolted upright and faced the Doctor, "What day is it?"

"The... 21st of June if I'm not mistaken," the Doctor replied, "Just a guess, though."

"Oh, my Celestia," she said quietly, "she's going to use the sun."

"I heard the 'use the sun' part, but what does that mean?"

Twilight's expression grew solemn when she faced the Doctor, "She's literally going to use the sun."

Gaia; Equestria; Canterlot; Canterlot Castle, Courtyard; 297 C.E.

The crowds of excited ponies were chattering excitedly, waiting for Princess Celestia to make the sun rise for the 297th Summer Sun Celebration. The trumpets then sounded loudly and the discussions ceased, signaling the start of the event.

"Announcing her royal highness, Princess Celestia!" a herald addressed the crowd/

The applause and cheering that she heard when she came out gave the false Celestia renewed purpose. She would destroy this pitiful country with the white-hot heat of the sun's relentless flames. That would be enough. They deserved their fate.

"My subjects," she addressed the crowds, "today will be the dawn of a new era! And in its wake the creation of a new empire."

Some of the assembled ponyfolk began to talk amongst them selves, wondering what she had meant.

The horn on the Princess's head began to glow, and the sun rose slowly above the hilltops.

Author's Note:

'Dawn.' Ha ha.
Those of you who dislike this, you don't have to keep reading!

Comments

[Hekate Sketch]

hehehe, dawn, that was very punny.