> Dr. Whooves: The Redemption Of Equestria
>  by Lord_Ike
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Dr. Whooves: CH 1: Disharmony’s Beginnings
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Doctor shouldered his way into the Tardis as an energy bolt whizzed past his head, impacting with sparks on the center console. "Not a very friendly greeting!" he yelled out to the alien creature that continued to take shots even as the door was closed.  The Tardis sprang to life on its own, seemingly unhappy about being shot at.  A distinctive noise was heard as the blue police box pulsed, fading from sight.

The Doctor rushed to the center console flipping a switch and rotating a dial.

"And what do you think you're doing?" he queried towards the machine. To this the switch he had moved flipped back with a slam and the dial spun wildly. The Tardis became unsteady and the Doctor was pulled against the wall, like a spinning gravity ride.

He attempted to use his sonic screwdriver, its whir barely distinguishable through all the noise. The Tardis leveled out and his feet slid back to the floor. It was then that he felt a familiar sensation as the Tardis forced a strange transforming energy into him. "Why Equestria? I'm in the middle of saving a solar system here... I don't need a vacation!" The Tardis shook violently, tunneling its way through to another universe and dimension.  Equestria was a hard place to get to, apparently.

The Doctor folded over in moderate pain as he shifted. His form slowly changed into that of an earth pony with a chestnut brown mane and a light brown coat. As the transformation completed itself, he shook his head to forget the pain he had just felt. Apparently he had arrived, as the Tardis had ceased its motions. This pony transformation was only a temporary thing; it would last until the Tardis decided to change him back.

"Hooves...” He lifted his forelegs, “check, mane?” He looked to a semi reflective piece of metal. “Still not ginger, Oh well. Teeth. What about teeth?" He smiled to his reflection.
“Everything seems to be in order. Wait, clothing? Different story..."

He trailed off , looking upon his ruined clothing with a frown and shaking off his ill-fitting slacks. They weren't damaged as badly as the shirt, though. He put a hoof into a tear hole and finished the job, letting it fall to the floor. Luckily his suit had fallen off earlier and was not ruined. He left the bowtie for good measure, giving it a quick straightening. "Bowties are cool after all, even on a pony," he spoke to himself.

"Cutie mark? He finished his checklist and stared back at his flank, a sand filled hourglass upon it. "Still got it after all this time away."

The Doctor reminisced about his first time accidentally finding this world. The transformation process had been very startling his first time, but stranger things had happened before. Every visit after throughout the years was a little easier to cope with. Every time her regenerated, the Time Lord way of cheating death, his pony form would change as well.

The Doctor opened the door to the Tardis, peering out he saw he was in the bowels of some cave system. His hooves clacked against the ground sending echoes throughout the dank and stuffy cave. The Doctor, adventurous as always, headed off into the dark to find what new adventures awaited him. 
The tunnel eventually led to a large stone cavern. The cavern was dimly lit with torches along the wall, and as the Doctor advanced a gruff voice spoke out.

"Who would dare disturb Lord Discord?" A large bipedal dog with short legs and long muscled arms approached him.

"Ooh! And what might you be?" The Doctor queried. "I never have seen a creature quite like you." 

"Allow them forward!" a voice called out in the dark.

The Doctor moved through the dim haze peering at a shadowed figure on a twisted throne. A few torches flickered into existence as the Doctor approached.  The figure on the throne was a mixture of animals: he had the foot of a dragon and the other was of a goat, one clawed hand of a bird of prey and the other of a lion, his yellowed eyes with red irises peered at the Doctor.

"A chimera!" The Doctor exclaimed almost happily.  "I haven't seen one of your kind in quite a while, let alone a draconequus."

Discord's attention was awoken entirely at the Doctor's last word. "Who are you to know the name of my kind?"

"I'm The Doctor."

"Doctor Who?!" the Chimera responded sounding annoyed.

"Exactly! Doctor Whooves!" The Doctor joked, making a play on his name, chuckling to himself.

"And who is it you think you are that you do not bow to His Royal Highness, King Discord?" the Dog rebuked. 

"I've never been much for bowing," The Doctor replied. 

"Tell me Doctor, you are not from here. Am I correct?"

"Neither are you, from what I heard your kind was extinct."

"This world was... inviting. I have power here, unchecked, unfettered. I have more power here than anywhere else in the universe, enough for me to live for an eternity.  And a world such as this needs balance, all this harmony needs a little chaos and destruction."

"I am sorry, but I have already helped save this land once.  I cannot let it fall into the hands of a power hungry tyrant."

"And you think you can stop me?" replied Discord. "Kill him," Discord dismissively spoke to the dog.

The Doctor backed up while pulling out his sonic screwdriver from under his bowtie strap, holding it in his mouth. He activated it, the frequency reverberating through the room. The dog ceased its advance, covering its ears and pitifully whining at the sound.

The ceiling shook, and rock began to fall. The Doctor turned, galloping back to the tunnel to avoid being crushed. Just as he entered a tremendous rockslide tumbled over the entrance.

"I'm so old now. I used to have so much mercy." The Doctor sighed, tucking the sonic screwdriver back in his bowtie strap. It wasn't every day you were forced to finish the extinction of a race. He had hoped that this one could be saved, but Discord, as he had named himself, was just like all the others of his kind, tyrannical and now dead. 
The Doctor slipped his way back into the Tardis. "Come now, I'm finished here." He snapped to the living machine. It whirred to life and the Tardis vanished from view. The Doctor knew there must be something more to be done in Equestria, something important otherwise the Tardis would never have forced him to come. 
 
 

> Dr. Whooves: CH 2: Town of the Grey
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“ Equestria…” the Doctor spoke to himself, stepping out of the Tardis yet again. He scraped a hoof on the grass and eyed the dirt particles.  “About one year, five months, give or take three days after my last visit.” Yeah, he was good at the unordinary, unexplainably good. He looked up at the darkened sky. “And looks like good English weather too,” he joked. He stepped out from between two derelict buildings.

“Excuse me, ma’am,” he interrupted a passerby.  “Where exactly am I?”

“Leave me be!” she exclaimed, continuing on her way. Her tattered cloak showed her red coat; it looked greyed out as if she had been rolling in dust. Actually, all of the ponies had a similar look about them, all with frowns and grimaces upon their faces. They were going about their everyday business, but it looked like none of them had any amount of happiness.

A young filly that had not been watching where she was going suddenly bumped into the doctor. “S.. sorry.” She gave a startled jump , moving around him while keeping her head down under a cloak. 

There was something different about her, he could tell. He trailed her off the street and down an alleyway. A poster gained his attention. It looked old, but on it was scrawled in shaky letters, “Down with Discord.”  Could it be the same Discord?  He accidentally kicked a small stone, and the girl had noticed him following. As she looked back at him her eyes widened. 

“You aren’t grayed?” The young pony asked from behind her hood.

“If you are mentioning all the unhappy dusty looking ponies back on the street, no.”   

“But how? Have you hidden from Discord all this time?” 

“Tell me. This Discord. Tall fellow, walks on two legs, part dragon, part everything else?” She nodded “You can say I defeated him once… in a sense. Not well enough it seems. How is it that you haven’t been… greyed?” 

“I don’t know. Discord only comes to gray the older ponies. The kids are usually left alone.” She was hiding something, he could tell it, but what she said was most of the truth.

“ Yes… Yes of course, Children are resilient, amazing, and so full of dreams. He can’t possibly hope to take them all away. I would hazard a guess that Discord is in charge of the land now?” she nodded, “But how? It shouldn’t be possible for him to have that much power...” The Doctor mumbled to himself.

“We should g—” The young filly stopped, noticing something.

A growl resonated through the alleyway and made the Doctor scramble for his sonic screwdriver, knowing he could at least stun the dog long enough to get away. The device slipped from his teeth onto the dirty cobble street. “Curse these non-handed appendages,” he mumbled as a second dog joined, forcing him to back away.

“Someone hiding from Discord?” the first dog taunted. “He doesn’t like that, but he doesn’t have to know, does he, brother? We could kill the old one and take the girl.”


The Doctor backed away slowly with the girl saying, “You know when grown-ups tell you everything's going to be fine, but you really think they're lying to make you feel better?”

“Yeah...” She responded

“Everything's going to be fine.”

The dogs advanced upon them as they backed away.

The girl let out a short scream as one of the dogs caught the edge her cloak, ripping it away. She escaped the grasp and retreated further, pressing herself against the wall. 

“The Alicorn! Where is your older sister, girl?”

The Doctor’s retreat was stopped as his flank pressed against the wall. He felt a strange sensation wash over him as time seemed to slow. A dog lunging to grab the screaming Alicorn child stopped mid air. She looked up, noticing that the snarling beast hadn’t captured her. She then looked upon the Doctor with a wonder in her eyes.

The Doctor, too, was surprised. He looked back to his flank, where he had felt the strange sensation, and saw that his hourglass cutie mark was draining sand quite rapidly into its lower half.  “Well that’s certainly new... Let’s get out of here,” he said, watching the sand drain away.

“This way!” the girl called back to him,already out of the alleyway, quickly breaking him out of the almost hypnotic trance of watching his mark. He dashed out of the alleyway quickly catching the young pony. It seemed his ability lasted only in the short area around him as when he had cleared the alley by a good 30 feet the dogs started to make confused noises and began the hunt. For the next bit of time, as he ran by, people would slow to a halt as they entered the moving bubble of distorted time, yet somehow the young Alicorn was unaffected. After about a minute, he could feel the effects wear off as the world returned to full speed around him. 

He ducked into another alley with the girl and helped her pry off the drainage grate she was fumbling with. It looked like it had been removed a few times before. He swiftly followed her in pulling it shut behind them. They stayed there silently as one of the dogs ran by. In the distance a high-pitched whir was heard and the other dog howled out, seemingly in pain. 

“My sonic… how could I have forgotten it.” The Doctor mumbled, awarding himself a proper facehoof. He quieted as he heard footsteps, the dog with his sonic screwdriver walked into view holding it in his paw and the other one ran up on all fours tongue hanging from his mouth. 

“Discord told us to look for the doctor with the noisy metal stick, we will receive many gems for bringing this to him even though the Alicorn escaped us.” The first said showing the item.

The other dog spoke for the first time.“Yesp gembz.” 

“Brother, do not speak. You embarrass us.”

The two dogs lumbered off, the less articulate one looking downtrodden, having given up on the search. 


The Doctor was finally able to get a good look at the uncloaked filly. She had a light purple, almost indigo coat with a mane of a lighter shade. Yet the most distinguishing part of her was the fact that she had wings and a horn. Her flank was accented with a dark splash of blue with a white moon in the center. 

“Thank you for saving me” She gave a quick hug and then continued, “Can I tell you something?” she asked as the Doctor slid the grate away.

“Why not? I think I could use a bit of insight on the situation.” She led him down all back alleys, out of sight from prying eyes.

“Before Discord took over… My sister and I were discovered. The fact is we have no memory before that day. All the people of the land took this as as a sign to go along with an old prophecy. We were meant to be the princesses of a new era, and it was prophesied that we would have to face great challenges to unite the land. But before we could come of age, Discord arrived. This year alone he has conquered nearly all of Equestria, and at the same time King Sombra has seized control of the Crystal Empire. The forests are filled with rouge changelings, for their current queen has died, and they …provide for the few ponies that haven’t been changed by Discord.”

“Then why haven’t more ponies escaped to live in the forest? Why are you still here?”

“The changelings ask only one thing from you. It seems innocent at first, but soon it drains you of your very life. Going to the changelings may let you live in happiness for a time, it can even cure those affected by Discord, but it is a death sentence. They change form into someone you love or care about, and they feed off of you until there is nothing left.”

“A dark time indeed. No place for children. But you sound as if you have grown considerably wise for someone your age.”

“We were told by our tutors that we must remember the past, or we would be doomed to repeat it.”

The Doctor smirked, he had stolen that classic line from an old pal and given it to the ponies after helping them defeat the Windigoes so long ago. The smirk fell from his face quickly… If only that era of peace could have lasted… No matter, he would do what he could to right this.

The young Alicorn stopped at the side of an abandoned building and knocked her hoof against a wall in a quick, distinct pattern. Magic enveloped a wooden board near the floor as it pried itself away from the boarded up door frame. She slipped in and the Doctor squeezed in after her.

“Sister! I’m glad you are all right. I heard the dogs were around today, and when I returned from gathering supplies to find you gone…” The second Alicorn, a pure white with a pastel pink mane, stopped as she caught sight of the Doctor. 

The Doctor looked at the two young girls, saying, “It seems that a great deal of help is needed here.”

“Sister? Who is this?” The elder of the two asked.

“The pony that saved me today, though I do not know his name.”

“You can call me The Doctor,” he said, straightening his bowtie. 

“And… what’s with the bowtie?” The elder of the two continued her questioning.

“Because bowties are cool.”

“How did you even get that on?”

“Oh dear… that would be a problem won’t it,” the Doctor mumbled bringing a hoof into sight.  “No more fingers…” He continued audibly a few seconds latter with “Never mind that, I need facts, history, information. I don’t know enough about Equestria to go blindly rushing in. Wait... no, you can tell me on the way. To the Tardis!”

The two Alicorn sisters looked at him silently for a few seconds before the younger got another cloak, the older did so as well. The Doctor shimmied out of the dusty broken down house, this time leading the way.

> Dr. Whooves: CH 3: Unfeeling Stone
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two dogs approached an obsidian castle not far from the town they had just left, slowing their pace to a walk. As they approached, they could see the black spires in full detail as they jutted up into the clouds.

One of the dogs reached out to grab the large wrought iron knocker on the main doors. A large echoing pound could be heard as he stuck the door once... Twice…On the third strike the castle shook, its inhabitant taking heed.

The black spires crumbled instantly into sand and came crashing down in a heap, burying the two. As the whole castle changed they could see a form in the midst, lying there between two palm trees on a hammock.

A snap was heard and a small tornado arrived to clear the sand from the covered figures who gasped for air as they surfaced.

“And why disturb me? I have my near absolute victory to lavish in.” spoke the king of disharmony.

One of the dogs lifted the Doctor’s sonic screwdriver. “The one you are searching for has returned. He has been sighted with the Alicorn sisters.”

“Sighted? Then why do you have his weapon?” Discord reached out and a swirl of air brought the sonic screwdriver to him.

“We… came across them. He dropped it.”

“You had them in your sights and you lost them?!” Discord asked incredulously.

“ We get gembz yesp?” the second dog asked only to be kicked by his brother.

“Not the time,” he scolded.

“Oh yes, you want payment for your failures.” Discord waved a hand and the two were encased entirely in crystal, looks of shock plastered on their faces.  

Discord looked over the device in his hand. It was such a small thing, yet he could sense the immense number of memories it contained. It wasn’t a weapon, it was a simple tool the Doctor had gone on quite a few adventures with. Discord came upon a particular memory and grinned evilly.  

“Lets see what happens when I bring a creature from your nightmares into this world, Doctor.”

~~~

The town was derelict. From the boarded up windows to run down cobble streets, its neglect showed nobody cared enough anymore to even bother fixing the problems. Even a building he passed that looked to be some sort of large library looked run down, but the most notable were the statues. One stone statue of a Pegasus pony with large angelic wings was pitted and half crumbled. The one on the other side of the stairs had fallen to pieces entirely. 

He turned away, heading back through the town. “I never did get a name from either of you. If I am going to be galloping around saving this world in your names, shouldn’t I at least know them?”


“I am Luna, my older sister Celestia. We were named by our prophesied fate. I was to be the bringer of night, and my sister the one to bring forth the sun each day. I still don’t know how it could be possible, that is far too much magic to demand of even an Alicorn. Before Discord it took a legion of unicorn to do so.”

“Hmm… a planet that requires energy transfer to change from night to day… Strange indeed…” The Doctor mumbled. “ So this Discord? He now commands the sun and moon?” The Doctor was beginning to worry. If he had the power to do that, something that supposedly took a legion of magic users, he was a major threat to this world. He realized the girls had not answered him. 

He saw a note scrawled out in chalk on the pavement: Doctor, yes you, duck now!  

The Doctor did as commanded, and a piece of the cobble street flew past where his head had been. He wheeled around to find the earlier statue inches from his face. “No, no, no. This can’t be happening, not now. How could a weeping angel have gotten here?” He took a few steps back and could see past the angel where two ponies were running up to him.

They were older versions of Celestia and Luna. It seemed they had just become young adults. But if they were here… The Doctor made a quick glance to look for the younger versions. Gone. The two rounded the weeping angel pony and joined him. “Girls, I need you to listen very closely.  Don’t turn your back and don’t look away. And most importantly don’t blink. It’s fed off your energy once; if it catches you again, you die.” 

“We got your letter,” Luna retorted, sounding embittered. “Thanks for not coming to get us Mr. Space-and-Time.”

“It’s hardly my fault! Your coming here has fused the timeline.  Now I am forced to write said letter and forced to leave you in the past after delivering it. But if you hadn’t come, that thing would have gotten me, so thanks for the surprise rescue.”

“Oh…”

“Eyes on the current matter!” Celestia yelled at the two who had looked away in their argument.  

The weeping angel pony had moved forward slightly, its face fused in a stone sneer. Apparently Celestia had squeezed in a quick blink. The pitted form of the angel was now restored from feeding off the energy created by the paradox formed by sending the sisters back in time.

“How does it move?” Luna queried.

“It’s only stone when you look at it. It’s the angel’s defense and demise all in one. Back up slowly and turn your flanks to the left.” The group, under the Doctors orders, retreated towards the alley where the Tardis was stored. The Doctor bumped onto the Tardis. “Girls, I need you to be very brave and keep it from advancing without me for a moment.” The Doctor grabbed for the Key tucked inside his bowtie strap and inserted it into the lock. He gave it a quick turn and pushed the door open. “Thank you for not failing me now,” he mumbled to his hooves.

He turned back around to see the two girls staring down the statue. “Get in!” he yelled to them. They backed into the inviting light emanating from the opened door. The Doctor backed in after them, struggling to keep his eyes from the blink he felt coming. He got inside and began to close the door, but a stone hoof shot in. The weight of the statue was too much for him to push against alone, and the door was stuck open. Keeping an eye on the small portion of the angel he could see, he called, “A little help here?”

The two sisters joined him at the door. The statue was forced back slowly and its hoof caught between the two doors, keeping them from completely closing. “Keep your eye on that.” The Doctor mentioned at the stone hoof. The girls starred as the Doctor turned from the door. He squared off with the door and bucked it as hard as he could. The sound of crumbling stone could be heard and a few broken shards fell inside of the now closed door. The angel could be heard just outside as it clambered its way on to the Tardis, waiting for its victims to exit. But for the time being they were safe.

“Never had a chance to study this before!” The Doctor sounded amused as he scooped up the stone fragments and placed them in a pouch.

“We could be killed at any moment, and you are wondering over a few pieces of the monster that is waiting just outside?” Celestia asked, sounding annoyed at the Doctor.

“What’s the point of examining what’s already happened when it’s said and done. We should always be looking ahead. Never forget, but never dwell. So lighten up, princess.” The Doctor ruffled her mane.

The two Alicorn sisters looked around the Tardis in wonder. Luna was the first to question. “What magic is this? It’s bigger on the inside.”

“Not magic, Trans dimensional engineering. A key time lord development.”

“Without magic?” Celestia chimed in. “But, how?”

“To the rational mind nothing is inexplicable, just simply unexplained.”  The Doctor left them with that statement to think on as he went about stashing the small pouch. “Now that letter. How much did I tell you? And how many years were you sent back?”

“Nothing past basic instructions that we must not interact with you or ourselves before the event of our disappearance, and where exactly to leave the note on the pavement so you would see it at the proper time. And we were sent back exactly eight years.”

“Good, I was hoping for simple, nothing like a note full of events that haven’t happened yet to mess up your day… Anyways, we have a creature to dispose of.” The Doctor began to flip switches and dials on the center console. “Geronimo!”

The Tardis faded from sight, as did the angel clinging to the side. “Just a quick dip into the sun’s corona should dispose of this thing,” the Doctor mumbled to himself. The girls overheard.

“Are you mad?” Celestia cried out. “Flying into the sun?!”

“Yes to the first and no to the second. I’m not flying into the sun per say… just very close.” 

“Very reassuring…” Celestia said sarcastically.

“What’s wrong sister? You are supposed to be the embodiment of the sun. Just tell it not to kill us all,” Luna joked.  

“If only it were that easy, sister.”  Celestia let out a short laugh, remembering something. “Easy like that nobleman we robbed of his bits while he was in the back of his carriage stuffed to the hilt in some mare.” 

“You should have seen the look on his face.” Luna laughed. “It was priceless.”

“Took to thievery to live these past eight years?” the Doctor queried as the Tardis let loose a shower of sparks. The two looked at the Doctor and then back to each other, continuing to laugh. Apparently it was one of those you had to be there to understand sort of things.

The two reminisced the funnier moments of the past eight years to keep their minds occupied as the Tardis groaned out under the strain of being so close to a star. A flame licked up one of the inside walls as a panel shattered out. 

“That’s quite more than enough.” The Doctor mumbled to himself, certain that their unwanted passenger had been vaporized; he quickly adjusted the dials to take them away. The interior of the Tardis was quickly filling with smoke and the temperature rose.

The two sisters continued to laugh to dissolve their fears; even through the smoke that would soon begin to hinder breathing. But suddenly a bright spark formed above the two and began to grow. Light swept through the Tardis, clearing the smoke and snuffing the fire. The light took shape as a crystalline orb and floated down to the two girls who stopped to look at it in awe.

“Could it be? The prophesied elements are real?” Celestia asked.

“It seems our journey has just begun, sister. We have the element of laughter, now we must discover the others.”

> Dr. Whooves: CH 4: To Remember Old Wounds
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 “Wherever we’ve landed, it’s going to be a bit before we can leave. The Tardis has to undergo repairs.” The Doctor pulled open the Tardis door and looked out. “Ah. Camping, I do love camping. We can share stories, especially ones that start with what these ‘Elements’ are.” 

The Doctor started out, picking a random direction. The trees loomed above them and the moon shone brightly over the expansive Everfree forest. The two girls began to follow.

“Doctor? Are you sure we should be leaving the Tardis?”

“Yeah, its too noisy in there when repairs are going on. Who wants to sleep through that? Besides, the stars are out.” The Doctor stared up at the stars trying to identify where in the universe they could be. “No!? Is that the Valtherez Cascade? That was supposed to be a legend… A whole galaxy cut off from the rest of the universe.” 

“Valtherez?” Luna questioningly formed the new word.

“Never mind that, Luna, Astronomy won’t help our situation,” Celestia scolded. “We need to remove Discord from power!”

The Doctor stopped to respond, “Celestia, I know after watching your future kingdom fall not once but twice you want results, but if you forge ahead endlessly, you will lose yourself.”

“I… I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine, sister,” Luna consoled. “Take heart, we have discovered one of the elements of harmony. Take what joys you may and smile despite life’s hardships.” 

Celestia started into what she knew of the elements, “We thought the Elements of Harmony were a myth until now. They supposedly show themselves only in times of need, and only to bearers whom they find worthy. It is said that only when they are all brought together is their power revealed. Most of the legends were lost, but we know at least the first five elements represent some moral, ideal, or character quality of the bearer.  

“About that element… You left it in the Tardis correct?” the Doctor asked the two, a worried look on his face.

“Yes, we thought it safer to leave it there.” The two girls looked around them to see the situation.

“That was probably a good choice.” The Doctor looked out upon the sea of glowing eyes looking at them from the darkness.  “I vote hasty withdrawal. Run!”

They all bolted towards the direction they came from only to be blocked by dark creatures with insect like wings.

“Changelings!” Luna shouted, changing direction to a gap between their ranks.

“Changelings…” one of them repeated with her voice in a mocking tone. Another of the group shifted to an exact likeness of Celestia. All around him the Doctor saw the changelings shift forms. Some took his, others took the form of Luna or Celestia. 

“Enough!” the Doctor shouted, stopping, “I know how this ends. You seek to separate and confuse us for easy capture, which I doubt you would have trouble doing. From what I have heard you Changelings work as a hive; you may have no queen but you still have a leader. Take me,” he demanded. “And for everyone’s sake, stop trying to be me. You just can’t pull it off.”

The changelings shifted back to their regular forms, and four of them grabbed the Doctor, lifting him up and flying him off towards their supposed camp.

“Girls! Whatever happens stay strong and true to yourselves!” The Doctor shouted at them as they were taken as well.

~

“Oh? A gift? For me? You shouldn’t have,” a voice spoke as the Doctor was deposited in a large hollowed out tree. “Oh quite a specimen. Tell me sir, what brings you to my part of the forest?”

“A big blue box.”

“Lying to me will get you nowhere,” she scolded lightly in an almost singsong voice. 

“No, really, it’s a blue time and space traveling box. The Tardis,” the Doctor stated knowing she would not believe him.

“Enough with the games! I will have the answers I seek!”
A foreign consciousness pressed against his own as the speaker came into the moonlight. She didn’t look quite like the other changelings. She was taller, and her eyes glowed a viridian hue of green. 
“The future queen of all changelings will not be refused!”

The Doctor began throwing up mental barriers to prevent against the intrusion, but he could feel his alarm at the situation slowly drain away as her powers took effect. He hid away all he could, but she did get some information.

“You are good at protecting your mind…but not quite good enough… Doctor,” She said mentally her mouth unmoving. A wicked grin spread across her face. “I’m going to enjoy breaking you,” She spoke out loud. “Tell me Time Lord of Galopfrey…

The Doctor burst out laughing. “Apparently you aren’t as good at reading minds as you think. Failure number two.”  The Doctor laughed again. “Galopfrey?” 

“Silence! These ponies name everything after themselves, I merely assumed I misread the title in your mind!” The Changeling brood mother looked almost embarrassed.

“You’re assuming I’m from this world: failure number three.”

“What’s number one? You have skipped it!”

“I might tell you later.”

“One does not brush of the future queen of Equestria!” she shouted at the Doctor

“Again with the future queen…a bit overambitious are we? Doesn’t Discord own what you seek already?”

“Discord will be dealt with, Everyone has a weakness, Doctor, and it’s time to find yours,” the changeling continued her assault on the Doctors mental barriers.

“Please, for your own good. Stop this,” the Doctor pleaded with her.

She wormed her way gracefully into some memories; she had much practice invading minds. 

“No, not those.”

“Oh Doctor, such loss you have felt. If you simply gave in, I could allow you to be with them again.”

The Doctor gritted his teeth saying, “The universe has to move forward. Pain and loss, they define us as much as happiness or love. Whether it’s a world or a relationship, everything has its time. And everything ends.”

“But Doctor, I can feel your power. Why not join me? Together we would never end. What’s the point in sorrow when I can bring back for you the ones you have lost.”

The Doctor struggled against her mental onslaught, but she was gaining ground rapidly. 

“Rose Tyler...”

The Doctor remained silent.

She slowly and tauntingly continued, “Martha Jones, Donna Noble, River Song!” She pulled out his memories and played them in front of his eyes. Each and every departing moment, full of sorrow, repeated themselves in an instant.

“No more, please.” A tear streamed down the Doctor’s face as his mental barriers completely shattered. All that she had obtained from him so far, a few memories of past companions, was a mere pittance to what he had inside of him. He knew it would destroy her. “Please, my mind is more than you can handle. Stop this.”

“I will not be taken for a fool!” She delved into his mind and her eyes shot open. Words slipped out of her mouth. “He’s ancient and forever. He burns at the center of time and he can see the universe. Such power… I will have it!”

“You have gone down a path that will change history. Some points in time are fixed, others are in flux. If you continue, your fate will be altered forever.”

“How can you know this?” She reigned in her mental assault temporarily.

“Because that’s how I see the universe: what is, what was, what could be, and what must not be. That’s the burden of a Time Lord.” 

“And you would deny me the same?” She renewed her mental assault, siphoning all the memories she could. A pained expression fell upon her face. “So much knowledge, too much, I must share it with the hive.” 

“Even your whole collective can not hope to contain my mind. In your lust of power, would you doom them, too?”

“Silence!” 

The Doctor took a step towards her. “Mistake number one was harming the inhabitants of Equestria; this world is under my protection. And you also forget a door into the mind can be opened both ways!” The Doctor poured his raw emotion through the link and she shrunk back as if stung by a blow. “You wanted to see the universe as I do? Then take it!” He pushed his anguish on her through the mental connection, holding her mind in a vice as she tried to retreat. 

“I remember every single face I couldn’t save! I remember every mother’s tears, every child’s cry, and every lost soul!” He openly wept as he poured himself out. “I have heard the wails of dying stars, and the last gasps of entire solar systems! My power is no blessing, it’s a curse!”

“Please Doctor! It hurts! Take it away!” she cried, collapsing in a heap. The wails of changelings in agony could be heard through the forest, the mental link still open to all.

The Doctor ceased the flow, calming down to say, “But without compassion, the universe would be a much darker place. So instead of adding to its anguish, I try to make it a better place.” He removed his mind from hers and stood over her quivering form, reaching out a hoof. She flinched away at first, but allowed the Doctor to gently stroke her mane as if she was a child.

She wept at the realization of the things she had committed washed over her. She listened to the Doctors words and resolved to change her ways.

“Find a better way to coexist. Find true love instead of falsehoods.” 

“Our people have always lived this way, it will be a long and arduous task.”

“Then become their Queen and take them far away, into exile, where they cannot hurt anyone else. Teach them honesty, teach them love, and most importantly teach them compassion.” The Doctor offered a hoof and she grasped on pulling herself up.

“Come with us Doctor! You are wise and we need guidance.”

“I’m sorry, I have things that need to be done. And these ideals must come from you, a reformed, to have the proper impact.” The Doctor touched his forehead to hers gently.

“My brood understands your message, you will be safe here tonight. Please, find your friends and stay. From what I hear they have learned their own valuable lessons. Furthermore the changelings in the forest have heard my call and accepted me as queen and leader. I can only hope the others can see the same when we arrive at our ancestral homeland.”

The Doctor started to leave but before he could she continued. “There is darkness inside of me that I have to fight… But thank you for being the one to help me start the battle.”

“I never did get your name.”

“Twyll…It loosely translates to Deception in the Equestrian tongue. Though now, it no longer defines me. I have repented of my ways and must search for my new true name.” As she came to this conclusion two radiant lights sparked from nothingness blinding the two temporarily.

“I think you are closer than you know. These two elements, Elements of Harmony, are now yours. May your rule be one of Kindness and Honesty.”

“But I am unworthy of them…”

“From what I know of the Elements they ‘only’ grant themselves to the worthy. They can sense your heart; show your willingness to learn their truths. And always stay true to their morals. If you do these things they will remain with you.” The Doctor paused. “But you must also prepare yourself, for you will be needed when we face Discord.”

Twyll could no longer contain her gratitude and rushed over to embrace the Doctor. “I would fight Death himself in your name, for with you at my side we could not possibly fail.”

“When I see Death I prefer to run the other way.”

Twyll began to laugh, breaking the embrace, a true smile coming to her face for the first time. “It was a hypothetical situation.”

“Part of my job description is cheating him on a daily basis… Let’s just say he doesn’t like me very much.”

“Wait…” She paused.  “You’re actually serious?”

The Doctor gave her a quick smirk and descended the stairs carved into the hollowed tree.

> Dr. Whooves: CH 5: So This Is A Game?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The changelings looked upon the Doctor as he passed. There was a twinge of fear in the atmosphere, but it was a respectful fear. They all knew he had spared them when he could have just as easily made them die. Compassion: it was a very new concept to them.  

Suddenly a scream was heard in the distance; the Doctor took off at a full sprint towards the noise. He could hear the hive now, and the name they shared was a bad sign… Discord. Under the orders of Twyll, the changelings in the area joined the Doctor in his sprint. The angry buzz of insect wings resonated through the air. 

The Doctor was nearing the location, the increasing number of unconscious changelings told him enough. They were no match for Discord. A magical net of energy soared above the Doctor, bringing down half of the aerial changeling squadron following him, the magic itself zapping them into unconsciousness. In fact, Discord hadn’t done any permanent harm to the changelings thus far.   

Discord’s voice could be heard, “You're like gnats, so irksome.” The Doctor witnessed Discord clearing the area around him with a quick blast of wind. 

The Doctor addressed a changeling beside him, “Tell Twyll to call them off for a minute. I need to have a word with Discord.” The Doctor approached the fray as

“Ah… The Doctor, I was looking for you.” Discord snapped and reclined upon the throne he had just created for himself. “ I wanted to add a new challenge to the game we are playing.”

“So it’s a game now? What happened to you trying to kill me the first time we met?”

“I only gave the command to a simple pawn, Doctor, and if I truly wanted you dead, I would do so myself. No, I’m having so much fun watching you cavort around Equestria hunting legends. You know even if you had all the elements, you couldn’t win; I am still above their powers.”

The Doctor saw the collapsed form of Luna and Celestia on the ground. “ So, if you deem us of so little threat, why come? And if this is your game, what is the challenge?”

“Oh, I just planted a few seeds of darkness… Nothing much. Luna will begin feel their pull quite soon. Just because I don’t see you as a threat doesn’t mean I’m going to ignore you. Besides, everyone needs a little chaos, it’s fun.”

“You will undo what you have done to her!” the Doctor shouted at Discord.

“And you think you have the power to make me?”

The Doctor was done with mercy, this creature did not belong in this world, and it was causing too much harm. He knew it was madness to assault Discord, but he did anyways. The Doctor charged forward and leapt towards Discord and the throne. Before he could make contact the throne dissolved in a cloud of smoke and Discord slipped to the side.

“You’re going to have to be faster than that,” he taunted, his head inches from the Doctor.

A power flared within the Doctor and time momentarily froze. He wheeled, taking Discord’s head by its horns. Time resumed as he forced it downwards into the ground. 

Discord rebounded from the sudden impact and backed away, rubbing his jaw. “Time magic? That’s impossible! And cheating!”  

Before Discord could do anything to stop it, the power flared up again. The next blow Discord received was a powerful buck that bent him over the Doctor’s hooves; the wind knocked from him entirely. The changelings took this as their opportunity to swarm on the uncollected and unprepared Discord. The Doctor motioned to one and spoke, “Keep him busy; if he is continually staggered, he shouldn’t be able to use magic, and have Twyll keep me updated.” 

The Doctor ran as fast as possible; he had a certain pouch to collect from the Tardis.

~

Discord was bruised and beaten when the Doctor returned several minutes later. Celestia and Luna had been moved from the immediate area, and were being looked after by Twyll who had arrived at the scene. The changelings were clearing out, knowing Discord was too hurt to do anything. As the battered Discord saw the Doctor, he shakily pushed himself up.

“Come back for more, Doctor?” He stumbled a bit as he approached, choosing instead to take a seat to hide his weakness. “My death can’t undo what’s been done to Luna. I couldn’t undo it even if I wanted to. Besides…” Discord grabbed the sonic screwdriver from somewhere, seemingly unharmed, and tossed it at the Doctor’s hooves.  “ I know you… Doctor: a word for healer… you pervert the name. Armies flee upon hearing it, and you have caused more destruction and harm than I could ever hope to. But here, despite your accomplishments, I hold the power.”

“You must relinquish that power. You must relinquish your hold on the inhabitants of Equestria and leave this land.”

“Oh, Doctor… I could go with you, and I could relinquish my powers, but where is the fun in that? And also…” Discord gave a quick snap and a large sphere of energy came up around them forcing away any changelings nearby. “I came up with a solution to your time magic. If you are so intent to defy me, I will just have to remove you from the board!” Discord shakily began to stand up.

“Then so be it.” The Doctor lunged at Discord who, in his battered state, was unable to move away. A hoof connected with Discord’s jaw, and he fell back from his half stand. 

“Oh, what a polite opponent. Not even allowing me the chance to stand first,” he sarcastically taunted, spitting up a little blood.  “It seems at least you are set on not killing me. Why, Doctor? Can’t handle any more deaths weighing down your conscience?” 

“Shut up!” The Doctor pried open Discord’s mouth as he stood over him. The pouch he brought was opened, and a single sliver of the weeping angel stone fell down Discords open mouth and throat. A hoof was pressed down, forcing Discord’s maw closed as he coughed once before swallowing the stone. 

“Just as your seeds of darkness cannot be undone, neither can this. I will come for you in three day’s time, if you have not restored the kingdom to normal by then—”

“A pebble is supposed to scare me?” Discord interrupted 

“It’s much more than stone, and it’s already part of you,” the Doctor warned removing himself from Discord, allowing the battered Draconequus to stand.

“I will consider your offer and withdraw, Doctor.” Discord took flight. “But don’t make celebration plans just yet.”  The barrier of energy dissipated as Discord flew away.

Twyll took notice and yelled, “After him!”

The Doctor made eye contact shaking his head. He spoke with her mentally, “I have given him his options, let us find if he is willing to see reason.”

She ordered her changelings to stand down. 
“You are far too generous to that monster.” 
The Doctor stayed silent letting her see the error in her words.
“I… I see. Let us hope then, hope that he will change his ways.” 

~

The rest of the night went smoothly, and Twyll could not find any hint of the darkness that Discord had supposedly planted. Celestia and Luna had indeed learned a lesson before Discord struck because between the two rested a crystalline orb. Twyll told him a recount of what happened. 

While she was interrogating him, the changelings had tried to confuse and separate the sisters by turning them against each other. They had changed forms and even gone as far as planting false memories. Despite how hard her changelings had tried, they could not get either of the two to betray the other. They were Loyal to each other the whole time. And just as the Doctor had turned the tables on her, the sisters were receiving the element between the wails of changelings. 

The girls had run off while their captors were incapacitated. By the time the Doctor had finished his exchange with Twyll, Discord had already struck. The girls had been overwhelmed easily by his power, and Discord was just finishing with his task as the first changelings arrived to raise the alarm.

“One element closer, but what good will it do? It took nearly thirty changelings to keep him occupied while I was gone for three minutes…”

“If it is an advantage you seek, I have heard legends of great bands of power hidden within the Crystal Kingdom. Amongst them are the solar bracer and the greaves of night. It is said they can only be worn by those meant for a greater purpose. Perhaps they will lend you the aid you need.”

“Thank you Twyll. For now we should take what rest we can, you have a long journey ahead.”


 
> Dr. Whooves: CH 6: The Insignificance of Light
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Doctor awoke in the early afternoon, having finally gotten to sleep late at night. A temporary structure had been put up around them as they slept, it consisted of a few branches and cloth to form a sort of gazebo. It was gently raining just outside. He felt a form beside him and he looked over, surprised to find that it was Twyll. She had, while they slept, managed to wrap herself around him. The girls slept not far away, still not having awoken from whatever Discord had done.

The Doctor slowly tried to slide out of her grasp, but as he stirred Twyll’s eyes, slowly opened. When she realized her position she quickly stood, blushing and looking away. “I should go, plenty of preparations to make…Oh, and I took the liberty of having the TARDIS moved over.” She pushed at a flap of the enclosure and exited rapidly into the soft drizzle.

The Doctor sat in contemplation. The piece of the Weeping angel he had placed inside Discord was important. But to take full effect it would need greater power to activate. Even reaching Discord and standing against him would take more than they were currently capable of. Sombra had taken the Crystal Empire; he doubted treasures such as the bands of power would be easy to collect.

The trio faced quite challenging times ahead.

In the corner of the Doctor’s Vision he saw Luna spring upright. He looked over, seeing that her eyes had taken on a green glow with purple energy streaming off the sides. 

Celestia, having been awoken by the sudden movement, looked up at her sister in shock. “ Luna! What is wrong?” 

Luna’s horn took on the same purple glow, laced with green, as energy tore away the tent and pushed Celestia aside. The Doctor managed to keep his footing and step by step approached her. As he approached, he noticed she did not seem aware of him at all, or of her surroundings. “A child in a nightmare…” he mumbled to himself, finally reaching her side. He slowly wrapped a hoof around her whispering near her ear, “Hush now, all is fine.”

At his words the glow quickly faded away, leaving her standing there in the cool drizzle. She shook her head to clear it, and looked towards her sister who was brushing the dust from herself. “I’m sorry sister, I don’t know what happened. It was like a terrible dream. I wasn’t myself.”

A few changelings paused their work, stopping to watch the events. Celestia took notice, saying, “Doctor, Changelings!” and bolting over to her sister’s side near him.

The Doctor immediately had to launch into the explanation of everything that had happened, including how Twyll was now also a bearer. The girls looked surprised, but seemed to quickly accept it. 

“Twyll is taking her changelings back to their homeland. But when we need her she, will be ready.” The Doctor looked into Luna’s eyes, their shape having slightly changed. “Are you feeling alright, Luna?” he asked.

She nodded and asked him, “So what is our plan?”

“The Crystal Empire, Twyll has told me of certain artifacts that could be of use to you.”

Celestia looked startled. “But Sombra rules there! It is rumored he holds magic that is even stronger than Discord’s. It was he that ended the Great War between the Imperium and the Crystal Kingdom.”

“What else do you know about him?” the Doctor asked, urging her to continue.

“The stories say he was the greatest general of the Imperium, his massive armies destroying nearly all of the Crystal Kingdom settlements. When their King died he took the throne, but instead of ending the unjust war, he put the Crystal Kingdom to siege.

No matter what he tried the city held, despite his number of troops the crystal ponies would not fall. After a year long siege, it was evident that the Crystal Kingdom’s last stronghold was growing no weaker; his troops suffered attacks day and night through secret and concealed tunnels that they could not find entrance to.

Growing enraged Sombra struck a deal with a demon of darkness, banishing all of his armies to the void just for power. And with the powers he was granted, he singlehandedly tore down the great crystal walls protecting the city. He smote the Crystal King and Queen and took the prized crystal heart, a symbol of hope, and sealed it away. One hundred and thirty years later, he is still on that throne. And his magic keeps it that way.” 


Luna, with minimal enthusiasm, spoke up, “So our plan is to go and steal ancient artifacts from an extremely powerful 160 or so year old madpony? Let’s get going.”

“That’s the spirit!” the Doctor said, opening up the TARDIS Twyll had gotten moved over.  He looked back at the sisters who hadn’t moved. “Oh, sarcasm… I know you have both had your fill of danger, but we must continue on if you wish to redeem Equestria.”

They reluctantly joined him and Twyll paused in passing to see them off as the Tardis faded from view with its unique whir. “Oh Doctor, come back to me soon.”

~~

The three stumbled out of the Tardis, smoke dissipating quickly in the air.

The Doctor paused to let out a cough. “I don’t think I allowed the Tardis enough repair time.”

“You don’t say?!” Celestia looked at him, annoyed.

“Well a trip backwards in time eight years to deliver the vague letter to you as kids, and then another trip right after seemed to have done the poor girl in so soon after all the shock yesterday.” He rubbed the box with a hoof.  
The Tardis door slammed shut as it whirred to life. 

“No, no, no, no!” The Doctor whipped out his sonic screwdriver, attempting to get it to stop. Despite his efforts, the Tardis faded from sight. The Doctor looked around him, pointing the sonic in several directions before looking at the reading. “She’s nearby and cross with me.”

Celestia let out an exasperated sigh. “At least we got to the Crystal Kingdom,” she paused. “In the grand hall... in the middle of a group of guards.” 

The group of guards were all crystal ponies of varying hues and type, but they seemed off somehow, the looks on their faces showed no emotion whatsoever. “Run…” one of them managed to slip out as he closed in on the trio. There was nowhere to run as the mass of guards had completely surrounded them. The three were quickly jostled away. 

The one that had managed to say something stuttered out a few more words slowly and disjointedly. “Sombra. Spell. Not in control.” His eyes and face faded to the same as all the other guards. The three were escorted into the dungeons and thrown in separate cells. The guards did not bother to check them over for weapons or tools, Sombra’s magic only able to control them to a certain degree.

Most of the guards left, leaving two at the entrance of the room. After about a minute, a single large dark shadow danced on the wall before seeping through, becoming solid. 

The dark figure spoke, his voice dripping with venom. “I was expecting one of my slaves had slipped into the palace, but this is something new entirely. Did the two Alicorn whelps come to beg protection from Discord? You seem older than my informants have told… I will have to order them killed.” He walked over to Celestia’s cage, giving the Doctor a dismissing look as he passed.

“So, princess of the sun, will you swear your loyalty?” he asked.

“To the void with you!” she spat out. 

He moved over to Luna’s cell. “Surely you will see reason, there is no need to be kept as a slave when you can live in comfort beside me. Just throw your sister aside and swear allegiance to me.”

Luna dismissively turned away from him, refusing the courtesy of a rude answer.

Sombra looked surprisingly young, his dark magics preventing any ageing. The grey pony had scarlet red pupils with a sickly green surrounding them, a curved red horn, and wore armor along with a red cape. He bared his sharp fangs and let out a hiss of anger at Luna’s refusal to acknowledge him.

“Child of darkness, I sense the seeds of chaos within you! You will submit to me!” he shouted at Luna who continued to ignore him. A purple mist streamed from his eyes and the Doctor immediately recognized it; it was dark magic.  Sombra’s horn glowed with the same green and purple outline that Luna had in her waking nightmare. Luna’s cell door was ripped open, and she was grabbed by the magic.

“Put her down!” the Doctor yelled at Sombra who turned, eyes flashing. An invisible force threw the Doctor against the wall of his cell, and he found himself slipping into unconsciousness. Sombra left the dungeon on hoof, carrying the screaming Luna somewhere else in the crystalline castle. 


~
~Luna
~

As Sombra snatched Luna, she could feel the taint of his dark magic as it washed over her. A scream escaped her maw as she was torn from her cell. Everything was moving so quickly. The Doctor yelled something, but was silenced as his head struck the wall. She struggled against the Magic, trying to assert her own, but it snuffed out just like a candle.

“Your pathetic magic can do nothing here. If you really want to harm me, you must use the darkness inside of you.”

She could feel the darkness inside of her, just in reach, it scarred her. When had it come, and why did she have the urge to do just as he said? Luna forced it away and asked one thing of Sombra. “Why?”

“Because darkness is power child, you will learn to see that.”

She knew this darkness wasn’t hers, but then why did it draw her so? She called upon the elements of laughter and loyalty mentally, letting them strengthen her. “Your dependence on the darkness is misguided.” She let out a blast of light that broke Sombra’s power and allowed her to drop to the floor. 

She knew that facing him was her only option, so she turned towards him, firing a blast of pure energy. He had been staggered by the sudden light and took the blow directly to his neck. The plate armor took the blow, and a portion of it disintegrated. 

“So it’s a fight you want? I will show to you your weakness!” As he spoke, his form lost shape and disappeared, and the room filled with a cloying darkness. Luna lit her horn, forcing back the darkness in her immediate area, but was unable to see any further. A dark sphere of energy flew at her, and she barely had time to avoid it. Another struck her flank, leaving her numb. She fired a blast towards where it had come from, striking nothing but a wall as the darkness fled from the light. She shook out her leg, trying to get the numb sensation out. 

Sombra chuckled from the darkness; it seemed to come from every direction. Wait,  it was every direction, Sombra was the darkness. Luna charged up as powerful a blast as she could, this time aiming at nothing. She let out all of the energy, forcing it away from herself in a sphere. The thick darkness around her was enveloped in the light as it forced Sombra’s essence to the corners of the room.

Luna bolted away, taking Sombra’s dissipation as an advantage. Just as she was about to reach the staircase back to the dungeon, Sombra reformed directly in front of her.

“I admit, girl, you reading my strategy so quickly is quite a feat…but you still stand no chance.”

Luna fired off another energy bolt aiming for the hole she had created in Sombra’s armor. Sombra, with an even quicker bolt of dark magic, intercepted it. The hole in Sombra’s armor repaired itself with dark energy.  

“No more games! If you do not accept the darkness, I will have to force it upon you!”

Luna stumbled backwards as a foreign consciousness entered her own. She tried to distance herself while pushing back at his mind with the aid of the two elements. Sombra laughed over the link. “So this is where your meager power comes from,” he said while severing her connection to them.

Without the elements to aid her, Luna quickly lost ground as Sombra began to dominate her mind. Soon enough she even lost control of her body, collapsing. Sombra reached the darkness deep inside of her, her efforts to hide it away in vain. All it took was a simple coaxing and the dark flood rushed forth. Sombra receded from her mind, allowing the darkness to spread uninterrupted. 

“Sleep now. And when you awake be reborn not as Luna, but as Nightmare Moon!”

Luna’s eyes closed as the darkness washed over her. “Was it really all that bad?” she thought to herself as she drifted off to sleep.

> Dr. Whooves: CH 7: A Thrall to Darkness
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Luna’s eyes shot open. “No, not Luna. Nightmare Moon” a voice inside her corrected.  She moved herself from the comfortable bed and looked in the full-length mirror. Her appearance had changed and she was nearly a head taller than most ponies now, her pupils had even taken on a catlike slit. Instead of her normal purple color, her coat was now an abyssal black. Her cutie mark had remained the same shape, but now instead of black surrounding it there was a dark purple splotch. Her mane had become spectral, floating weightlessly. 

“A fitting form for my new Queen,” Sombra spoke, entering the room while admiring her new shape. “I trust Luna is gone?”

“Yes, Luna is no more.” Nightmare moon smirked to herself. “But your plan is unfitting. You would have me as your queen? A trophy?”

“Not a trophy, an equal,” Sombra quickly corrected her.

Nightmare moon’s eyes glowed out in anger. “And you think yourself my equal?”

Sombra’s expression changed to one of annoyance. “I created you! Allowed you to reach your full potential! You will give me the respect I deserve!” He used his magic to place a stinging blow across her face.

“You will regret that, fool!” Nightmare Moon charged towards Sombra, horn aimed at his heart. Sombra stood there, unmoving. Right before she hit her mark, he dissipated into shadow. 

“Calm yourself my Moon, there is no use for such fury.”

“You dare claim me?” She yelled back, eyes aglow with a dark energy. “I can sense my magic is more powerful than yours.”

“You are rash, and your senses are poor; there is no way you could face a master of darkness so soon after rebirth.”

“Are you so sure?” Nightmare moon released a blast that moved too quickly for even Sombra to dodge. His cape disintegrated from the purposefully aimed attack.

“I will destroy you if I must, but I would prefer compliance,” Sombra stated.

“I’d like to see you try,” she responded with a challenging glare.

Sombra released a huge sphere of energy, the same kind that had partially numbed her when she was Luna. One of this size would knock her flat. Knowing this she shot up a magical barrier, straining against the force briefly before it dissipated, the building giving a slight shudder as the powers in use rocked the very foundations. 

Her horn glowed translucent purple as she used dark magic even stronger than what Luna could have ever hoped to wield, for all good within her had been stripped away by the transformation. A force took direct hold of Sombra, pulling him off the ground. She smashed his form against the wall, treating him like nothing more than a rag doll. He fought against her control, eventually breaking it. He fell to the ground battered, but quickly recovered himself, using his stores of dark energy to heal his broken ribs. 

Nightmare Moon followed up with a destructive energy blast that he also deflected, blowing a hole in the floor. Nightmare Moon wasn’t going to back down and rushed him once again; he countered her charge, jumping over the hole in the ground. As she swiftly approached Sombra, she let out an energy blast at his feet, causing him to stumble. As he fell forward, she caught his circlet crown and tore it off with her horn, throwing it aside. She then grappled with him, forcing him into the hole in the floor. 

As she watched him plummet, she formed a light purple, almost blue helmet for herself. It was elegantly crafted and matched perfectly with the chest guard and hoof and shin guards she also made. Her spectral mane flowed uninterrupted through a slit in the helmet, and a white moon was emblazoned on her chest guard.

Sombra dissipated in a plume of darkness as he struck the floor, she gently glided down to the same grand hall that Luna had fought him in. Sombra reformed, wiping a small amount of blood from his lips. 

“I had hoped to not have to do this again.” Sombra began to force his consciousness on her.

She welcomed the intrusion, grabbing at his mind and stabbing mental daggers into it. Sombra writhed in pain, but was unable to retreat from her surprising power. As she continued her assault on his mind, she concentrated on moving towards him, slowly shuffling forward towards his unmoving body. 

She now controlled his limbs, as he could do nothing to move away. Her hoof tore away his chest armor and she started to prepare an attack. She became slightly too distracted, and he was able to pull his mind away from her grasp. Sombra stumbled back, shaking his head to clear it. 

Nightmare Moon augmented her physical strength with magic and advanced on Sombra, dealing a massive blow to his now unarmored chest area. He gasped out as he stumbled back a few feet, forced to use magic to heal his wounds yet again, this time only managing to heal some of his injuries. His powers were failing him.

He shouted up into the air, “We had a deal! Why have my powers faded?” He received no answer from the demon with whom he had made a deal with so many years before.

“Gah! I still have enough. I must,” he growled out in anger, throwing a powerful blast towards Nightmare Moon, striking her directly. She staggered under the force. He sent another, and another, and another. Relentlessly hammering at her with magic. She was forced to the floor as the building shook around them, a crater forming around her. After the merciless pounding, she lay inside a deep circular impression on the floor, Sombra panting from the exertion. He stood over her and smirked, surely he had won. 

Nightmare Moon’s eyes shot open and the invisible barrier she had formed to protect herself shattered away, flying at him and causing numerous lacerations. He squeezed an eye shut in pain after one of the shards slid across it. Nightmare collected the shards, sending them back his way again, forcing him to send a ball of energy towards them to remove them from use. 

Sombra turned into shadow, disappearing. Nightmare scanned the room, unable to locate him quickly enough. His dark shape reformed above her as he dropped his weight onto her spine. She gave a wince and blasted him away blindly. As he struck against the wall, she stretched her back out, smirking at how little his attack had done.

She turned around and smote him with her strongest attack so far. He was forced to dissipate as her power tore through him entirely. He formed a dark cloud nearby and she wheeled, preparing another attack.

“Stop! I submit!” he cried out. 

He attempted to retake physical form but was unable, having lost too much of his body to the last attack. “You have bested me, please allow me time to regain my energy and physical form.”  

“No, Sombra. Today your rule ends. I will not have you, even as a pet. I hereby banish you to the void just as you did to your entire people.”

“You don’t have the strength. You couldn’t possibly...”



Nightmare Moon held his essence in place as she began to focus all her energy into opening a rift to force him through. The building shuddered violently as it opened, pulling any loose items inside. “I believe you have some time to spend in hell!” she yelled out, throwing him in.

“If this is my end you’re coming with me!” Sombra cried out using the last of his magic in an attempt to drag Nightmare and his kingdom along with him into the darkness. 

Nightmare had used too much power tearing a hole into the void, and Sombra’s last-ditch effort now threatened her very existence. Nightmare moon now had to fight against both herself getting forced into the void and the whole Kingdom.

~~
The Doctor and Luna
~

Blast after blast shook the castle, bits of the ceiling crumbling downward in dusty motes. The Doctor’s eyes snapped open, searching the immediate room. There were no guards to be seen so he pulled out his Sonic Screwdriver and tried it out on the door. The hum of the Sonic woke Celestia from her sleep. She watched the Doctor as he found the right settings, the cell door springing open.

“That’s hardly fair!  These doors are magically protected so even I couldn’t open them. Is there anything your device doesn’t work on?”

“Wood, deadlock seals. Works on most everything else. Come on, let’s see what all the commotion is.” He sprung the latch on her cell with the Sonic Screwdriver and they both bolted up the staircase.

As they reached the top, they could feel the building violently shake, the air taking on an unusual chill. The sight they came on was surprising; Sombra was pulled into the rift that Luna summoned in the center of the chamber. 

The sight that granted an even greater pause than the rift was the appearance of Luna. Despite the changes, she appeared to be struggling against some invisible force. The area near the rift seemed stretched, like it was cloth being pulled on.

“Luna?” Celestia asked, receiving a dark glance from the figure.

“Luna is gone, child. Nightmare Moon, the all powerful night, is to whom you speak now.”

“What have you done to her?” The Doctor demanded.

“She has given in to the darkness, I am her true self.” She smirked at the two before giving a grimace, fighting back against the forces pulling at her.

“I know my sister! She is not evil! Luna, hear me! Fight this!”

~

A small light sparked into existence in the back of Nightmare Moon’s mind, pushing aside the thick cloying dark—a memory of what she once was. Laughter reached across the mental barriers, memories of her sister, of their life together. It may not have been the best life, but it was surely better than one of darkness. Luna slowly gained ground, Nightmare Moon was too distracted by her efforts to fight back. 

This wasn’t her. The moon was not darkness, it reflected a beauty and light all of its own. This Nightmare would end, and it was her time to return. 

Nightmare’s voice echoed in her head, “You don’t have the power to save the Crystal Kingdom without me.”

“At what cost?” Luna retorted, seizing the last control from Nightmare Moon, sealing her deep away. “I will end the cycle of oppression here and now.”

Nightmare Moon’s voice had one last comment as it was forced into the deepest recesses of her mind. “You may have won for now, but you are not free from me.”

Luna could feel herself changing back to her regular size, her dark armor vanishing. The magic trying to pull her into the void, meant specifically for Nightmare Moon, ceased as well, 

She collapsed in exhaustion as Celestia rushed to her side. The Tardis materialized over the sisters as the Doctor rushed over, entering to find them on its floor. He immediately began to activate the Tardis again, fleeing the area as it was pulled into the void.

~~

The whole Kingdom vanished in minutes, its populace watching in horror. The Doctor watched from a distance as the rift slammed shut. The whole crystal castle had been uprooted, leaving a crater in the ground. But the most perplexing part was the single monument that remained.

It never would have been noticed by normal means as it had been completely buried until recently. He moved them closer in the Tardis.

Luna shakily stood and walked the strange torn pathway to the stone dais along with Celestia, the Doctor trailing behind. Upon the pedestal lay four objects, each with inscriptions underneath. In order they read, 

The Solar Bracer: Heavenly Sentinel.
The Dusk Armlet: Guardian of Knowledge.
The Greave of Night: Keeper of Dreams.
The Shackle of Dawn: Vanquisher of Darkness.

Underneath there was one final warning engraved in the stone.

Only those destined by fate shall wear these bands lest the power destroy them. No simple Pegasus, Unicorn, or Pony will do, only those uniquely gifted shall endure.

Celestia nodded to Luna, stretching her limb out over the dais. Luna did the same, stationing herself above the Greave of Night, somehow knowing the right choice. Celestia chose the Solar Bracer, lowering her limb downwards. As they both came close enough, their selected bands of power sprung to life, wrapping around their limbs, glowing with a foreign energy. 

Luna was the first to collapse, her ordeal earlier making the burning pain nearly intolerable. She cried out as the raw energy seared through her form. Celestia kept her rigid stance, jaw clenched. It hurt dearly, yet it was part of something larger, she just knew. As wave after wave of stinging heat radiated from her, she could feel her form shifting. 

The Doctor could not approach the stone dais, the energy that bled off was tremendous, all he could do was watch as the sisters battled the pain. Celestia’s form started to shift. Her pink mane shifting to the pastel colors of the rainbow before billowing itself out into a spectral cloud. Her body elongated as well, leaving her a head taller than the Doctor. Her horn had lengthened just as her wings had grown to compliment her new elegant form. 

Luna transformed as well, her coat darkening, her mane turning a starry purple as it billowed out, seemingly weightless. She also took on a similar if not slightly smaller stature than her sister. Unlike her other transformation into Nightmare Moon, she did not gain the cat like appearance in her eyes, nor the completely black coat. 

As their transformations completed, their bands of power faded from view, the powers having been absorbed. The two sisters looked to each other, jaws agape as they quickly forgot the pain they had just felt. Their eyes locked and Luna gave a nod, both of them thinking the same thing.

Celestia spoke up with strong resolve. “Doctor, we are ready. No matter the darkness we face, our strength of spirit shall overcome it.”


`
Nightmare Moon, trapped away in a dark recess of Luna’s mind, smirked. It was only a matter of time before she would take back what was hers.

> Dr. Whooves: CH 8
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The newly transformed Alicorn sisters paused to look back at the crater of what used to be the Crystal Kingdom, the jagged earth hole slowly being covered in the forming blizzard. Dark, looming clouds had formed, and the weather was rapidly picking up. There was nothing left that they could do, even the Doctor would not risk crossing his own time line due to the fracture the rift had caused. What had happened was now locked; nothing could be done about it.

There was still the mission, and there was little time before the deadline the Doctor had given Discord.

They were still lacking the complete set of Elements, yet it was possible that there currently were no bearers worthy of them. The group would just have to use the tools at hand; it was time to find Twyll.
~~

Ardith sighed. Rounding up all the changelings in the Everfree and starting the journey across the great wastes had been exhausting, and the Doctor never had returned for her. Her journey had begun under the name Twyll, but just as she had turned from her old ways, she had discarded her old name. She was a new pony now. She was Ardith. 

A murmur ran through the hive, one that shocked her into full awareness. It was a faint noise, just a mechanical whir heard by a few of the hive, but she remembered it. The Doctor had returned!
~~  

The Doctor opened the door of the Tardis and stepped out into the arid and cracked dirt, squinting in the light of the nearly setting sun. Ardith approached at a galloping pace, taking the Doctor in a hug.

“I am glad you returned safely. What took so long?”

“I wouldn’t say all of us got out without some form of damage... And what do you mean ‘so long’?”

“You’ve been gone a whole week! I thought you gave Discord a deadline?”

“Oops… I showed up on the wrong day, didn't I,” the Doctor muttered to himself. “That’s the thing about time travel—tricky business. We must already have faced Discord in this timeline; we, personally, just haven’t done so yet.”

The Doctor opened his mind to Ardith, sharing the knowledge of what had occurred at the Crystal Kingdom. The silent communication going unnoticed by the sisters.

“I… I see. Let us take the rest of this day to relax before our final conflict. One more matter: when I changed my ways my, old name, meaning deceit, seemed unfitting, so I changed it to one of blessing, one of hope. Ardith.”

Celestia, now slightly taller than Ardith, approached. “Thank you for your hospitality, Ardith. The elements have chosen you, and I accept their judgment. Maybe our people can someday live in harmony.”

Ardith eyed Celestia and Luna’s new appearances. “I see you have taken your true forms children of the sun and moon, but have you had any luck finding the last of the elemental bearers?”

“Nothing new, but I have my suspicion is that one is close at hand.” Celestia replied, giving a quick glance over to the Doctor.

“Maybe they just need to realize it for themselves.” Ardith smiled as the Doctor stood there, unbeknownst that the conversation had become about him.

“Come then, let us eat and rest before our battle.”

~ 

The evening passed on slowly, and the girls seemed to lighten up considerably. Celestia and Luna even seemed to make friends with Ardith. The Doctor sat on a nearby rock, watching the horizon absentmindedly as the girls giggled away.

~

When Celestia and Luna had gone off, Ardith joined him sitting silently for a time. When she finally broke the silence it was reluctantly, but it was something she felt needed to happen.

“We face Discord tomorrow… The sisters have their rightful bands of power and seem ready, but I fear I will not have strength for the 
battle. As promised, we have all abstained from the cultivation of love by falsehood or from victims, but it has left us without the energy to shift or use magic. For us to survive, the few that do find truthful love and mates have been sharing their power. Leading the changelings on this trek has left me little time to search for love, and without any power, I fear I will be a burden. At this point if I leave the hive, I will have energy for only one day without the use of any magic.”

“I see… Can the power of the Elements sustain you?”

“Though they have chosen me, I seem to be incompatible… I can only think of one solution, a ritual.”

“What sort of ritual?” the Doctor asked skeptically.

“One that must be discussed in private, follow me.”

~

And so he did, finding himself in her private tent.

“Doctor, I must be honest with you, but I fear your scorn… I have been in your mind; I have felt your very being. I have heard your anguish and felt the loneliness. Doctor, I… I have,” she paused “I want so badly to help you. My emotions for you have grown daily, even in your absence I find myself longing for your presence. Dare I say that its love? If you would agree to share but a fraction of the love that beats in your twin hearts. If you would take me as your mate Doctor. I care not for the power, I just want you.”

“It has been a very, very long time since someone has professed their feelings towards me, and even longer since someone has tried to approach me in such a way.”

“One must find what joys they can, especially when they have seen so much sorrow. Let me help you to forget your woes, if only for a short while?  If you wish, I can even change my form.”

“No.”

“I... I am sorry Doctor. I didn’t mean to-”

He interrupted her, “If we are to do this, you will be yourself, no mask, no façade.” The Doctor paused. “I have held my feelings inside me for so many years to avoid the pain of loss… But what is this life without love?”

Her heart leapt for joy and she felt the subtle bond between them increase as their budding love finally came to fruition. She, in the Doctor's presence could live. Live without stealing false energy and love; live without harming any more ponies, for truthful love would 
now sustain her.
~~~







> Dr. Whooves: CH 9 : To Fool the Trickster
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ardith spoke with a newfound zeal, "Whatever may happen, we must stay strong. Nothing can be allowed to stop our mission of redeeming Equestria!" She paused. "Doctor, there is one thing that still needs to be addressed."

"The possibility of us causing a catastrophic space-time event? Nah, I have that covered."

"No, a simple thanks. You didn't have to spare me, you didn't have to... Well you know..." Ardith involuntarily blushed as she remembered last night

"Know what?" Celestia queried.

Luna continued where the thanks left off, "You could have ignored the young filly in need that bumped into you. You could have abandoned us to our plight."

Ardith took the lead again, "You have always shown one quality: generosity, through the willingness to help others. Doctor, you have our thanks."

A spark of light flared to life in the air above them, pulsing as it drifted towards the Doctor. 

"So this is what having an element of harmony feels like." He gazed at the light, touching it with a hoof. It crystallized into the shape of an orb and nestled into his grasp.  " I'm honored," he spoke to the orb. It thrummed happily in a surprisingly lifelike manner. 

"5 of 6, let us hope that is enough."

"If hope were an element, we would have it by now; lets go."

Little did they know, the last remaining element burned inside each of them with a fire that could never be extinguished: the element of magic, brought about by their camaraderie.




~~



The Tardis whirred into existence as Discord let out a yawn, sitting on his twisted throne where he had been waiting their arrival.

The four piled out to face him, determination in their eyes. 

"Three days isn't a lot of time. Doctor. Are you sure you’re ready to face me? I could always give you another week."

Ardith used her magic to send a bolt of energy at Discord. It phased through his false image entirely and splashed against the green grass of the hill behind him.

"Ah ah ah," he scolded.  “Challenge me and you play my game.

Discord simply snapped his fingers, and the scenery shifted. The greenery shrunk away, and the rolling hills became checkered patterns of multiple colors. Chunks of earth floated in the sky and rolling fog descended on them. Both the sun and moon flew into sight, dividing the landscape in two shades.

"I told you long ago, Doctor, this world grants me the possibility of near limitless power. Each and every pony I bring under my control only adds to my strength," his voice echoed through the fog.

"Being humble has never been one of your people's skills, Draconequus," the Doctor spoke. " Their pride and lust for power was their undoing."

Discord's voice came back through the fog, "Even if I am the last of my kind I will still have the final victory." 

A strange force pulled at each of them, tearing them away from each other. They were deposited in a new location within the cloying fog. Shouts of panic reached the Doctor's ears as each of his companions called out. The cloying moisture stuck to his coat as he wheeled around, trying to find the direction of the shouts.

Discord's voice spoke to the Doctor alone, "Today, you watch as I bring your companions to their knees." A laugh echoed menacingly through the fog to meet. 

The Doctor could only stumble forward and watch as an image of Discord's actions played out on the thousands of water droplets suspended before him.

-

Luna was somewhere in the darkest portion of the fog, the shadows uninviting and cold. Chills racked down her spine as Discord spoke to her. "Enjoying the seeds of darkness?" Discord shimmered and appeared, floating in front of her. 

He wasn't attacking and seemed to have no more substance than the fog itself, so she responded to his statement simply, “Go to hell." 

Luna picked a direction and began walking, lighting her path with a little magic.

"So scornful, would you have uttered that without the aid of Nightmare Moon's courage? She is a part of you, drawn from your darkest depths. You cannot deny that you have always secretly wished to be braver, to be stronger, to be respected by all."

"I... Yes, but she isn’t a power to be trifled with. In fact, she is the one that can give me the strength to destroy you!"

Luna's coat darkened, Nightmare Moon taking control. She lashed out wildly at Discord with a flare of dark magic, his shimmering image faded away. Nightmare Moon cried out angrily and released a giant wave of energy, aiming at and hitting nothing.

Discord appeared next to the Doctor placing a clawed paw upon his back.

"Round one is a success. And I'm just getting warmed up."

The Doctor's hourglass mark flared to life, beginning to turn itself to allow the distortion of time. Discord nonchalantly snapped his fingers in response, stopping the hourglass mid turn on its side.

"No time magic for you," Discord taunted, leaving the Doctor to vanish yet again into the fog.

~

Ardith skimmed the divide between the light and dark portions of the field, peering into the fog on both sides. 

The Doctor would come. Surely he would be here at any moment to come save her.

"Twyll, Twyll, Twyll," Discord scolded. “I can sense a great darkness in you as well, one you obtained in a most unsavory way."

Ardith searched the area around her for Discord, unable to find him or the origin of his voice. 

“Even before I knew the Doctor, I swore never to use that power. ”

“Hmm, that’s no fun…” Discord paused.   “About this Doctor... you are a  master of deceit and lies. Are you certain you aren't just fooling yourself? 

"What do you mean?"

"Do you really love him? Or is that just a fabrication you made up in your weakness as an excuse for power?"

"Love is not so fickle, I know what I feel."

"Fine then, but do you really know if he loves you? Perhaps you are just a tool to be used in my defeat, then discarded."

"I... He wouldn't."

"You haven't been his only love; he has had many in his years. He still remembers, still mourns, you will live for only a single fraction of a moment in his eyes. So what could you possibly mean to him?"

Ardith felt her power draining away as doubt began to wash over her. The voice of Discord departed, its task complete.

~

"Two points: team Discord.".

~


Celestia, in the lit portion of field, lashed out with fire, the heat evaporating some fog nearby. More rolled in seconds later. She had been wandering aimlessly for a time now and was getting frustrated. How were they supposed to fight Discord when they couldn't even find him, or each other for that matter?

"You will find the others soon enough, though you may not like what you see."

Celestia whirled, eyes aflame to where the voice came from. 
Discord stood there in the fog, looking back at her for a moment before turning and hovering away.

Celestia chased after him, but eventually lost track of his position. She ended up on the barrier between the light and dark, looking upon a curled up and sobbing form.

"Ardith?"

"What!?" she snarled angrily.

Before Celestia could say anything more, another form stepped out of the fog. Celestia gasped and took a step back, looking not upon her sister, but upon Nightmare Moon.

"Have you located Discord? I need to end him." Nightmare moon looked to Ardith with disdain." Get to your hooves, pawn, or are you too powerless to do so without your precious Doctor? Yes, I can sense your... connection."

Ardith wiped her eyes and stood. "My my, if it isn't the Bitch Queen," she said coldly.

"Silence underling! I will deal with your insubordination after you assist me in Discord's demise."

Seeing her sister like this, as this monster was a crushing blow. Celestia didn't know what to do, and even Ardith who had been so resolute earlier seemed defeated. Celestia’s hopes fell dead as she looked upon the dismal scene.

~

"That one is a bit on the line, but I would say thats 3-0, favoring me," Discord said as he appeared next to the Doctor, Nightmare and Ardith continuing to quarrel while Celestia sunk into hopelessness. 

"But what fun would this little game be if I didn't give you a chance? Lets see how you salvage this." Discord cleared a path in the fog with a snap, and sat on his conjured throne. "I'll be waiting."

The Doctor walked to the group in the tunnel of clear air Discord had graciously created.

Celestia looked up to see his approach, a scared look in her eyes. He went to stand next to her.

"What can we do?" Celestia asked with a defeated look.

"Hope... It’s the one force that has sustained us thus far.

The Doctor ignored the glare of Nightmare Moon who was indignant at being so blatantly ignored. Instead, he went over to Ardith. "Hearts are fragile things, I would know, I have two."

"And you would dare to tear out mine and cast it aside as if it means nothing?!"

"No Ardith, my feelings for you are real." The Doctor established a mental connection with her over the link he had been able to access since their very first encounter. At first she shied away, but eventually welcomed his contact.

"You know me better than you think, Ardith. After all, you’ve rummaged through my head. When this is over, I’ll be glad to share any memories you want."

Ardith nodded. The power she had been given by the Doctor came back instantly, never truly having gone anywhere.

The Doctor spoke exclusively through the mental link now. "Can you bring Celestia into this? We need to reach her without Nightmare Moon's knowledge."

"Are the lovebirds done?" Nightmare Moon asked. "I need you to sacrifice yourselves while fighting Discord, so I don't have to waste my time with it later."

Celestia was added to the mental link and looked at the Doctor as he quickly explained what they were going to try.

"From what we have seen, confronting Nightmare Moon would be a bad course of action. Last time Luna was able to come back with a little help. It's a long shot, but if we let her fight Discord, it should distract Nightmare enough to bring Luna back."

Celestia spoke aloud to Nightmare Moon. "As you are using my sister's body, I... I beg that you ally yourself with us, if only to see Discord removed."

"It's my body now, but your use of begging has swayed me. I will not enslave or kill you until after Discord is removed, and I have taken the throne." Nightmare Moon looked up to the sky and her horn glowed. "I do hope you like night, for under my rule there shall be no more day." A chilled and whipping wind blew away the fog; the sun descended past the horizon as the moon rested overhead, the light it gave seemed harsh and unnatural.

Discord gave a slow clap at Nightmare's show of power, but spoke to the Doctor. 
"This is really the best you can do? I knew keeping Ardith down was a long shot, but you couldn't even return Luna to her normal form? It seems I overestimated your ability as a leader."

Nightmare Moon, irate as usual, interrupted, "Discord, I give you one chance to die quickly, otherwise it will be slow and painful." She practically shouted before haphazardly charging Discord, intending to impale him.

Discord snapped and the Doctor's hourglass became unstuck from his earlier attempted use, freezing everything but the two of them.

"Does she really expect me to stand there and let this happen?"

"Pretty much."

"Pfff... Like that's going to happen. Anyways, nice chat. Feel free to use your time magic again so I can  manipulate it. Now for some theatrics."

Discord snapped and a life size replica of himself was created; he positioned it in his spot, inches away from Nightmare Moon's dangerously pointed horn. Discord stared at the model unhappily and snapped again. The replica jerkily repositioned its face into one of shock and pain.

Discord then moved out of sight right as time began to flow normally.

Nightmare Moon slammed against the Discord model, her horn spearing directly through it. Celestia and Ardith wore shocked expressions as Nightmare moon pulled back, rivulets of red running down her horn.

Nightmare Moon looked at the shocked expression on its face first with a happy grin. But as a few seconds passed, her look changed to one of confusion.

Suddenly she flinched back as the model caught flame, crumbling to a pile of ash.

"Tadaa!" Discord appeared in a flash behind Celestia and Ardith who both nearly jumped in terror, skittishly moving away. 

Discord's mismatched horns stuck through the top of a black top hat and he wore a red lined black cape. "An amazing death defying act!" Discord spoke in a stage voice. "Now for my next trick, I need a volunte-"

Discord was interrupted as Nightmare Moon flung a dark blast of energy his way, forcing Celestia and Ardith to throw themselves out of the way.

Discord flung the cape in front of himself, the blast dissipating. The remaining dark energy slowly ate at the cape; thin lines of smoke accented the acidic smell.

"I liked the new look." Discord disappointedly huffed. " Fine." He pulled the smoldering remains of the cape off as they crumbled to dust. “It seems everypony is a critic.” He pulled off his hat and punched the top, reversing it into a bouquet of ravenous red flowers. He took the time to shove the living and mouthed flowers into the ground where they angrily stretched their stems in an effort to bite at his legs.

"I am all things unnatural, the ultimate lord of chaos, do you think an abomination such as yourself can really defeat me? Sombra may have finished the job, but I am the one who first drew out the darkness in Luna to form you."

"And I despise you for not separating me entirely from this wretched creature. Lord of chaos or not, you are not above death."

"Such an obsession with death! None of the inhabitants of Equestria have died by my beautifully clawed hands, but if it must be this way, I guess the death of an abomination isn't too tarnishing."

Nightmare Moon had enough of Discord's talk; she would not tolerate being called an abomination.

"Discord! Meet your doom!" Nightmare went aloft on dark wings, lightning crackling in the sky. A giant spike of energy surged towards Discord.

Discord snapped and a lightning rod appeared in his clawed hand. As the bolt ran through his body, he let out a laugh. "Oooh, that tickles." Discord tossed the lightning rod behind him, and it burst into a swarm of thousands of metallic electrified beetles. The swarm hovered around, their continual motion generating energy. 

The swarm continually darted around, launching volleys of electric attacks towards Nightmare Moon as her attention was pulled from Discord.

"Powerful but stubborn, she won't realize for about one minute and forty three seconds that my swarm is a worthless diversion," Discord spoke to the others, "That should give me enough time to have my fun with you."

Ardith looked appalled. "You truly think this is all some show? Some game?"

Discord snapped and toy marionette of Ardith appeared. "When you have as much pull as I do," he emphasized by pulling on one of the strings causing both the model and the real Ardith to stumble awkwardly forward, a hypnotic glaze over her eyes, "playing the puppeteer can be quite fun." 

Discord continued to bring Ardith forward, closer and closer to his grasp.

"Stop!" Celestia commanded, angrily lashing out with fire at Discord.

Ardith shook off Discord's control at her shout, the puppet falling from his grasp a second later as the wave of fire connected.

Discord, having been knocked down by the blow stood back up and brushed off some soot. "Does part dragon mean anything to you?" Discord snapped and a signpost that read, "Impervious to Fire" appeared, the arrow pointing straight at him.

Discord paused for a moment and perked up an ear.
"Aaand 3...2...1," Discord counted down as Nightmare Moon swooped down in the air behind him. He took one step to the right just as she barreled past him, knocking through the sign and into Ardith.

Nightmare dispersed into a dark cloud of energy and reformed back on her hooves. "A little something I learned from Sombra. Let us finish this Discord.” 

"Surrendering already?" Discord joked, attempting to get a rise out of her.

Nightmare growled angrily and rushed Discord again, this time cloaking herself in vitriolic energy.

Discord snapped and a stone slab jutted from the ground, blocking her approach. He listened intently for her impact, but was surprised when he heard none. 

A dark shape formed itself behind Discord and discharged a powerful blast directly into his back. The force sent Discord crashing forwards into the stone, cracking it in several places. In his stunned state, Discord was unable to concentrate enough to use any sort of power to defend himself.	

"For the lord of disharmony, you certainly didn't plan for a simple trick," Nightmare taunted as Discord shakily pulled himself from the stone. As he turned to face her, another ball of dark energy blasted against him, knocking him through the crumbling stone.

"You die here!" Nightmare shouted as flashes of lightning came across her stormy skies. She used her magic to pull one of the floating chunks of earth from the sky, smashing it into Discord before he could even begin to get up. 

Discord looked dazed, the attacks having left him with no chance at recovery. Nightmare hit him again, clearing away the excess dirt with another magical blast.

Nightmare came forward and lifted Discord's head before cruelly slamming it back down. His eyes rolled back as he passed out. 

There was an eerie silence as Nightmare prepared for a killing blow, cold and detached from the decision she was about to make.

At that moment, Luna surged forth. "No!" she cried out, seizing temporary control of her body and turning her head.

Luna, driven by her conscience, fought Nightmare for control. Their shared body collapsed as the internal fight progressed.

"Fool! You would stop me from claiming my rightful place?" Nightmare yelled aloud, her body attempting to turn back to finish off Discord. 

"Ardith, get us in there," the Doctor called, receiving an angry glare from Nightmare, who looked to be slowly regaining control.

"Her mind is already too crowded. I can only send one of you in."

Celestia made eye contact with the Doctor. "Bring her back to me."

~~~

The Doctor closed his eyes for a second, Ardith helping him to make the connection. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in a small bubble of light and energy surrounded entirely by pressing darkness. 

Luna lay in the center, seemingly asleep. She shivered in fear as if in a terrible dream.

"Luna. Luna!" The Doctor prodded her awake where she lay. "Get up, Equestria doesn't need this nightmare, it needs you."

Her eyes opened to look up at him. "I let her take control. I was afraid, unsure, and thought her power could be the solution... Equestria doesn't need somepony like me."

"This isn't you: angry, spiteful, barbaric. If you let her win, you lose everything that you love."

“But she is a part of me, she always was.”

“Luna, I have done great evil in my life. I have damned entire races for all eternity, even my own people... I have so much to regret, and it is part of me. My sorrows, my regrets will not disappear so easily, but how am I supposed to make up for any of it if I just give in to despair? How are you supposed to make things right if you give in to the darkness? Fight this, Luna! Fight for every minute, every day! Make Equestria proud.”  



"I... Thank you." Luna stood and gave the Doctor a hug, a radiant light beginning to form. "This is my battle now, I think I have the strength to seal her away one last time."

In a blinding flash, the Doctor was ejected from her mind as Luna began to push back the darkness.

-

The Doctor opened his eyes to the real world, seeing Ardith and Celestia locked in battle with a recovered Discord.

At this moment, the fight was beyond him, his time magic would only be manipulated if used. The Doctor could only stand by Luna's side and hope.


"When will you give up? This is starting to get boring." Discord yawned as he took a lazy swipe at Celestia with a clawed hand.

Ardith, seeing the Doctor was awake, made eye contact, drawing upon the power that came from their bond. Celestia fortified herself with energy from her band of power. They both attacked simultaneously, driving back a surprised Discord.

"Now that's better, but still pathetic!" he exclaimed, beginning to put more of an effort in.

The clouds above parted as the storm died away, Nightmare Moon's power dwindling. The full moon rested calmly above, no longer seeming so harsh and menacing.

The dark armor fell away and the black coloration bled from Luna as Nightmare gave one final cry of frustration before being sealed away once more.

Luna stood on shaky hooves, nearly collapsing before the Doctor helped support her.

"Glad to have you back."

"Glad to be back." Luna shrugged off the Doctor. "I have to do something..." 

Luna squared herself up, standing proudly. "Discord!" she yelled in a resounding voice that caused everyone to stop in their tracks. "Nightmare started this fight, let me finish."

"Sister?" Celestia sounded surprised.

"It's fine, thank you for holding him off while I regained my body."

"One Alicorn against me?” Discord chuckled merrily.  “What are the terms?"

"When you submit to me, you must accept whatever fate is chosen for you."

"And if you lose?"

"Then you have my word that I will not attempt to hinder your rule, but you won’t get to see that outcome." Luna spoke bravely, unwavering as Discord glared back.

"Luna, wait!" Ardith tried to interrupt, but Discord snapped and a glass dome appeared over her. Ardith shot a bolt of energy at the encasement; it bounced off and flew haphazardly around before grounding itself out. Ardith’s insectile wings buzzed angrily as she looked for an escape.

"I accept." Discord grinned. "What can you truly hope to bring against me without Nightmare Moon?"

"I... realized something. Nightmare doesn't know the true meaning of night; she couldn't possibly grasp its power, my power,” Luna’s voice grew more confident with each passing second,  “So, Discord, can your disharmony stand against a soul separated entirely from its own darkness?"

Discord scoffed and snapped his fingers. He paused and snapped again.  Luna stood facing him with a knowing smile.

"You can't manipulate me any more, Discord, you lost that chance the moment Nightmare manifested. We are now two separate beings, where she is the darkness I am the calm and holt night, the goddess of tranquility."

Luna basked in the moonlit glow, standing assuredly before Discord.

“So much pride, it will be good to see you bow before me.”
Discord created a mirror and stepped into it. He took a hammer and shattered himself, dividing into three separate forms.

A calm wave of energy emitted from Luna, washing over the three separate Discords, causing two of them to disappear.

"Without your tricks, without your illusions, what are you? Anything you corrupt I can purify."

Discord gave his first fearful tremble, not knowing that Luna was nearly exhausted from her ordeal with Nightmare Moon. In fact, her calm demeanor was hanging by just a thread. It was true that Discord couldn't directly manipulate her, but what little energy she had used was draining her last reserves.

Luna drew upon power from the Lunar Bracer to fortify herself; Discord flinched back as he felt the surge of pure energy. Seeing his reaction, Luna began to form a dense ball of light. “It’s about time that your piece was removed from the board.” 

"Stop, stop, I give up!" Discord cried out as Luna took a step forward. Discord had never known a greater power than his, and the thought terrified him. "You win... Just let me go, please."

"A deal is a deal. If you try to flee, know the punishment will be far worse. Luna held her tired head high as the group assembled.”

"We have several options here, and we must decide quickly,” the Doctor whispered.  

“One: I could unleash him back into the universe, making sure he could never return. Leaving Equestria would remove most of his power. Two: We could use the elements to activate the shard from the Weeping Angel, imprisoning him in stone, ever hearing ever watching, but unable to do anything. Three: The completion of a genocide by eliminating him, the last known member of his species… Something I will not allow.”

"You said the rest of his kind was dead, what is there to prevent the same from happening to him if we unleash him in the universe?" Celestia asked.

"Nothing," the Doctor sorrowfully replied.

"Then keeping him here would be best. I do not want to exchange one death sentence for another. One day, maybe, he may even find his redemption."

Luna turned back to Discord. "It is settled. We will choose the path to allow your continued existence, but your transgressions still require punishment. Sister, Ardith, Doctor. The elements are needed." 

Five shining orbs appeared by their respective bearers, glinting in the moonlight.

As they all accessed their power, Luna slouched down in exhaustion, the orb of light fading away instantly. Discord took notice. 

"You tricked me!" He lunged forward with a growl as five beams of energy, flying from their individual sources struck him. He continued to press forward, one arm slowly becoming encased with stone.

Discord flexed his clawed hand and the stone shattered away; he continued his trek forward, bent on reaching Luna to gain vengeance.
Suddenly, from all four of them a sixth beam shot upward, combining in the air before arcing back downward to strike Discord. 

As the sixth and final beam hit him Discord was enveloped in a blinding ball of energy, his last cries of anger could be heard dying away. The flow of energy ceased and the quiet of night swept in, everyone holding their breath.

When the light faded, Discord was seen entirely encased, seemingly lifeless. His final moments captured in stone.

Luna sat down exhaustedly. "Thank goodness that worked. Even with all the powers we have acquired, I think we were still no match. All the people he has used to gain power should now be freed, and if he was ever to be released, he would have only a fraction of his previous strength."

"Who knows, sister. Let us hope we never have to find out."

"Thank you, Luna, you are far more brave than I could ever hope to be!" Ardith exclaimed as the four lined up side by side. 

"So what do you plan to do with him now?" The Doctor motioned to the statue.

"Well, he is a statue now. Luna and I will commission some other sculptures to keep him company."

"Maybe a few angels?" Ardith gave the Doctor a nudge.

"No, just... No."

A chorus of laughter could be heard in reply to the Doctor's answer.





Epilogue 
~~~


With Sombra gone, the changelings back in their homeland, and Discord encased in stone, it seemed Equestria was safe at last. Unfortunately, there would be even more added to the list of Celestia’s woes.

Within the year Luna succumbed to the influence of Nightmare Moon, changing back into a force of darkness and plunging the world into a seemingly endless night. With the help of Ardith and the Doctor, she was banished as the mare in the moon.

Celestia quickly uncovered an ancient spell that would weaken Nightmare Moon's power and grasp, but it would be a long time before the two entities could be separated permanently. And then only by the elements of harmony, which had become inactive waiting for new bearers.

Through these trying times, the Doctor frequented Celestia's second castle if only to give a her hoof to hold onto.

Ardith returned to her kingdom to try and teach all changelings the way to coexist, but she met great resistance from the elders and split off to form her own hive. She received regular visits from a mysterious blue box for the rest of her years.

Celestia, as the sole princess, ushered Equestria into a new age of light and prosperity, hoping for the day that the bearers of harmony would appear to return her sister.

Celestia's longevity made her appear to some as a god, but she would always laugh and brush it off, never letting it get to her head.

There is one pony to whom we can attribute most. One raggedy and mysterious pony in a blue box that helped bring about the Redemption of Equestria. 

~

Princess Celestia levitated a large box of tomes from a secret compartment under the throne and blew a coating of dust away. "This is the complete and secret history of Equestria, my faithful student, with many more stories than the one just told. I believe you are finally ready for the truth, Twilight, our newest princess."

~
~ Fin.