The Doctor and company land in the Nation of the Minotaur, Minos. And then it all begins again.
Part Two of the Lynchpin Quintet.
The Doctor, Applejack, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders land in Minos, the Nation of the Minotaur, three thousand years in Equestria's future. They find the country embroiled in a war that could threaten to destroy both factions.
One Minotaur has an idea. An idea all to familiar to the Doctor.
Does he have a right to interfere? Does he have the right to stop them if they go to their fate willingly?
And what does this mean that it happened almost the same way in three different Universes.
Five that are constant. The only five that are constant. Whatever the scenario, in whatever universe, these five will appear.
The Doctor had encountered two since he became the Doctor. He didn't know it but he had already seen two.
And by the time he came home from Minos, he would see one more.
"There we are then!" The Doctor said brightly. "We've materialized! And thank Celestia, it was a bit choppy there for a moment..."
'A bit choppy' was an understatement. Scootaloo was gripping onto the console for dear life, Sweetie Belle had been thrown to the ground from the shaking, and the two Apple sisters were holding each other as tightly as they could.
"Oh there's no need to make a fuss," the Doctor said dismissively. "We're here now, aren't we?"
"Where exactly is 'here', anyway?" Scootaloo asked, composing herself.
"Minos!" the Doctor said excitedly. "Year... Oh, we've jumped ahead four thousand years! Not bad for the old girl is it?"
"We're four thousand years in the future?!" Sweetie Belle squeaked happily.
"Oh, that's nothing," the Doctor smiled. "I told you before the TARDIS can go anywhere at anytime!"
"Yeah, hopefully you don't lose your lunch along the way," Applejack grumbled.
"Let's go again! Let's go again!" Apple Bloom chanted deliriously.
"Not yet! We've landed! There's lots to do!" The Doctor marched to the TARDIS door.
"What, exactly?" Applejack asked.
"What, 'what'? What are you whating about now?" the Doctor asked slightly irritated.
"What is there to do?" Applejack asked.
"Well..." the Doctor thought for a moment. "Stuff.... I don't know! We'll find out when we get out of the TARDIS wont we? We'll never have anything to do with you standing about asking questions will we? Now, come on."
The Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS and the Cutie Mark Crusaders followed shortly behind him. Applejack rolled her eyes and followed them out.
"Welcome to Labyrinth! Capital city of Minos, home of the Minotaur!" The Doctor said grandly. Then he looked at his surroundings and blinked several times. "Though... I suppose you don't need me to tell you that do you?"
Flags. Flags everywhere. In windows, off buildings, on the street. Posters. Posters that said things like 'Onward to victory!', 'Help our boys!', 'Sign up to fight!', 'Daedalus fights for Minos, so can you!', and 'We'll finish what they began!'. There was a general commotion in the street. Minotaur were flocking to one end of town.
"This..." the Doctor took a look around him and blinked some more. "This is a bit much isn't it? I'm all for patriotism, fine, but this is taking it a bit far..."
"Maybe it's some kind of holiday?" Sweetie Belle guessed. "Some kind of Minotaur Independence Day?"
"No..." the Doctor squinted. "Look at the flags. Some of them have been up there for at lest a year. Maybe more? No, if I had to take a guess, I'd say..."
"It's wartime," Applejack finished for him. "This is wartime. Look at the posters. These are recruitment ads."
"That's right," the Doctor said in singsong voice.
"We're in the middle of a war?!" Sweetie Belle frantically searched for something to hide under.
"No," the Doctor said dismissively. "This is the good part! The home front! All civic duty and support our troops and for princess and country all that good stuff. It's spirit! That's one of the very few good things about war. It brings out the worst in some people but for some it brings out the best."
"The Doctor's right," Applejack leaned in close to Sweetie Belle and snuggled her cheek. "We're perfectly safe here, Sugarcube."
"Oh, I didn't say that..." the Doctor pondered.
"What?" Applejack said, suddenly concerned. "But you said..."
"I said that this is the home front in a war," the Doctor said cautiously. "The question is, who are the Minotaur at war with? Ponies may not be a welcome sight in the middle of a Minotaur city right now..."
"The Minotaur have always been friends with Ponies though," Apple Bloom said nervously.
"Well, you have to remember that was four thousand years ago," the Doctor said. "A lot can change in that amount of time."
"Great," Scootaloo muttered. "So at any minute we could be arrested for spying. How do we find out if we're safe?"
"The way we find out anything else!" the Doctor said cheerfully. "We ask!"
The Doctor approached two older Minotaur women walking with the rest of the crowd to the center of town. "Excuse me, Ladies?" The two Minotaur turned to him. "I'm sorry, I've only just arrived. What's all the commotion? Where's everyone going?"
"Oh we're heading to the expo!" the first Minotaur smiled. "Mister Daedalus says he has a new weapon. It's going to win us the war!"
"Yeah, about the war..." the Doctor started. "Who's it with, then?"
The two women seemed surprised by the question. "Honey," said the second, "no offense, but are you stupid or something?"
The Doctor clicked his tongue and winked. "Thick as a plank, that's me!"
"Well," the first Minotaur stuck her nose up a little higher. "I just hope that the rest of our allies aren't as ill informed."
"Oh, we're allies are we?" the Doctor asked cheerfully. "That's good!"
"Our fight's with those awful Changelings," the first Minotaur went on. "You just come to the expo, dearie. You'll get yourself a good education."
"You've got it." the Doctor smiled and walked back to his companions. "Alright, you four. Come with me."
"I'm guessin' we ain't under arrest?" Applejack asked.
"No," the Doctor said. "It appears that Minos is at war with Hive..."
"The Changelin's?" Apple Bloom said. "Aw, they're always startin' trouble."
"Don't jump to conclusions!" the Doctor scolded. "We don't know if they started the war, do we? For all we know the king of Minos could've gone completely barmy and started a mass bloody campaign of conquest. That's why we're going to the expo, to get the full story."
"Expo?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"I'm not sure," the Doctor said cheerfully. "Let's find out!"
The technology on display in the city square was impressive to say the very least.
Even for the time they were in, the Doctor recognized it as highly advanced. Medical nanobots. Food synthesizers. Holographic entertainment. All of these things bore the same brand as was being projected on the screen in the middle of the crowd.
DAEDALUS TECHNOLOGIES
Horns pointed toward tomorrow.
The Doctor, Applejack, and the Crusaders took their place in the crowd. After a while we got the projected image of a Minotaur. He wore a white suit over his black fur, which was in stark contrast to his grey horns. He had a face that looked like it had seen hardship.
"Hello," the Minotaur started. "I'm Obsidian Daedalus, and I have a question for you. Do you remember what happened that cold winter night?"
The footage on the screen switched to that of a military base wreathed in flame. "A few visitors from Hive, and we lost hundreds of our innocent fighting men, and their families that lived on base. That day I, along with you, watched the sky burn. And I, too, vowed to fight."
It cut back to Daedalus. "I am too old to enlist now, but I want to help in any way I can. Which is why I have provided Minos's military with the most efficient weapons I could make. But I haven't done enough. The war has been hard, and victory is far from a certainty. Until today..."
Then the footage shifted.
It cut to three figures in silhouette. Each a uniform height. Each a uniform build. Each a uniform shape.
A shape the Doctor recognized.
"No..." the Doctor was stunned. "No, it can't be... Not here... How? How could this have happened in three separate universes, and I'm involved in all three? The odds are astronomical!"
"What're you talkin' about?" Applejack asked.
"I've seen them before," the Doctor's eyes were contracted in panic. "I know what these are!"
"How could you?" Sweetie Belle was confused. "We just got here!"
"We're in trouble," the Doctor was speaking very sharply now. "Everyone in this city is in danger..."
"What?" Apple Bloom was starting to get scared too. "Doctor, what are they?"
The lights came on, revealing the Doctor's worst fears.
"Behold the Cybermen," Daedalus narrated. "Behold our victory!"
The Doctor, Applejack and the Crusaders burst into the TARDIS. The Doctor had said he needed something.
"Where is it?!" The Doctor searched around frantically.
"Doctor," Applejack scolded. "Would you hold your horses and tell us what exactly is going on?"
"Yeah!" Apple Bloom added. "How can you know who those Cyber-guys are when we just got here?"
"Time Travel, remember?" Scootaloo guessed. "He probably met them after they were crated here."
"Good guess!" The Doctor said. "But I'm afraid that can't be it. I'm a new Doctor for this universe. I-he- the other Doctor has met them for the first time twice now. In two separate universes. I guess I can bump that up to three now that I've seen them here."
"That's a weird coincidence..." Sweetie Belle mused.
"Weird coincidence?" The Doctor laughed. "It's bloody impossible is what it is. In a Multiverse of infinite possibilities, infinite roads that it can travel down, I happen to pick the three that have Cybermen. This is insanity. There's no theory I've ever come across that could explain this. Unless you count-" The Doctor stopped and shook his head.
"Unless you count what?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Lynchpin theory," The Doctor added sourly.
"What's that?" Scootaloo inquired.
"Tosh," The Doctor continued to dig around under the TARDIS console. "Let's just leave it at that shall we?"
"Back to the Cybermen," Applejack cut in. "What's so scary about'em? What are they?"
"Efficient," the Doctor said frankly. "They were once ordinary organic life-forms like you or me, then they had their brains forced from their bodies and welded into a robotic shell. They keep enough organic materiel to keep the brain alive and in the drivers seat but everything is trimmed down to be more efficient"
"That don't sound too bad..." Applejack thought aloud. "A little extreme sure. But I can understand the impulse to want to be able to get more done..."
"Can you?" the Doctor walked over to meet Applejack's eyes, staring directly into her soul. "You're harvesting. Keeping your mind on your work. All of a sudden you hear Apple Bloom screaming bloody murder across the farm yard. She might be in serious danger. Life threatening peril. What do you do?"
Applejack was a little intimidated by the Doctor's intense stare. "I-" she stammered. "I go help her out..."
"Inefficient!" the Doctor snapped. "You become a Cyberman, that instinct is gone. That wonderful motherly instinct to protect your little sister is considered a distraction. You have to finish your work, so her cries go unaided. Celestia knows what could be happening to her but you don't even remember her name." The Doctor thought for a moment. "No... It's worse than that. You remember her name. You remember everything about her. You simply don't care."
The Crusaders were on the verge of tears. Applejack wasn't far behind them. "Wh-" there was a catch in her throat. "What do we do? Are we leavin'?"
"No," the Doctor said softly. "Celestia knows what happens to this place if we leave now. I can't let the future of this wonderful world be to fall victim to the Cybermen. I have to find out more about what's going on and then, if necessary, put a stop to it."
"It sounds pretty necessary..." Apple Bloom said quietly.
"Well," the Doctor said quickly. "It's a whole new universe, isn't it? New rules, new people, new physics, and perhaps new Cybermen. I've got to find out, that's why I brought-" the Doctor stuck his hoof into the pocket of his waistcoat and pulled out a small leather wallet. "This!"
"What's that?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"The three of you," the Doctor flipped the wallet open in front of them. "Tell me what you see on the paper."
The three fillies looked at the small card inside the wallet.
"A ringing bell," Sweetie Belle said.
"A white flower," said Apple Bloom.
"My scooter!" Scootaloo smiled.
"I don't get it though," Apple Bloom asked. "How does this..."
"Applejack," he turned the card over to her. "What do you read?"
"'Here Doctor, you can wear my stetson again,'" Applejack read off the card.
"Thank you very much!" The Doctor smiled as he whisked away the hat from Applejack's head and placed it on his own. "This paper is slightly psychic. You see whatever I want you to see on it. That's how we get in to get more information. As of right now, we are liaisons for the Equestrian government! Isn't that nice?"
"That's dandy and all," Applejack took her hat back from the Doctor. "But what if you're right and it's the same ol' Cybermen. How do we deal with-"
"Oh!" the Doctor dived back under the console. "Right! What I was looking for! Where is it? Aha!" The Doctor came out with a reddish brown silk bag in his mouth. "Here it is!"
"What's-" Applejack started.
"Explain later!" The Doctor slung the bag over his back. "Right now come with me! We're going to the recruitment office!"
The Minotaur at the recruitment desk was reluctant to let the Doctor see a contract for Minos's Cyber Corps. At least until he saw the Doctor's "identification."
The Doctor took the contract and sat down with it. Reading it very carefully. Studying it as if it was some sort of precious gem. He re-read it several times before finally lowering it and taking a deep sad sigh. "I can't believe this," he said finally. "I can't believe this is happening right now..."
"This contract," the Doctor held up the page. "Is comprehensive. It says everything. Tells you exactly what being a Cyberman really means. Telling you everything that's going to happen to you if you do this, and at the end asking if you agree to or not. It's not even in small print. It's right there in great big enormous letters. No hiding it. Even a little hint of regret in the wording. and then there's a little line right there for your signature."
"What does that mean?" Sweetie Belle asked. "What does that mean for us?"
"It means we head to Daedalus Technologies," the Doctor decided. "I have to meet the man who finally gave the Cybermen what they've wanted all this time."
The Daedalus Technologies building was a sight to behold.
A sixty story black obelisk stretching toward Minos's skyline. Applejack had never seen anything like it, even in Manehattan. The building was topped with two things. One was the horns of a Minotaur. The other was a large screen that played a running montage of advertisements for the company. Including ones for Minos's new Cybermen.
"That's a bit unsubtle isn't it?" The Doctor mused. "May as well have labeled the place 'Doom Fortress'. I mean, look at it! A gigantic pitch black horned tower? It's the sort of thing you see in fantasy novels!" The Doctor took a deep breath. "Alright Doctor, you're just fishing now. Go into this with an open mind..."
"What're you talkin' about?" Applejack asked.
"I'm hoping that there's little I have to do here. I hope we simply get in, get the information, then get out," the Doctor sighed.
"I thought you said that Cybermen were bad news..." Scootaloo said.
"They are," the Doctor answered. "Or at least they were when I met them before. But with that contract, everything's different. There are people volunteering to be upgraded. The Cybermen aren't forcing people to do it this time. Out of patriotic duty, they've done it themselves. And if that's all there is to it, I'm not going to stop them. If I try to decide this for them, I'm taking away their free will. Then I'm no better then the Cybermen I've met before."
Apple Bloom scratched her head. "So... Everypony has a right to choose... whether or not they keep the right to choose?"
"Exactly," said the Doctor. "Though I think if you do it you're barking..."
"Philosophical!" squeaked Sweetie Belle.
"We're waistin' time," Applejack said harshly. "Let's get in there and figure out what's goin' on,"
The five ponies walked into the building.
The walked through the large white lobby up to a reception desk. Applejack hated this place on sight. It was too...sterile. Everything was at perfect right angles with everything else. It was creepy.
The Doctor walked up and showed his 'identification' to the receptionist.
The female Minotaur's reaction was... surprising.
"Oh! You're the Doctor!" she said brightly. "Mister Daedalus has been expecting you!"
The Doctor was stunned... "He has?"
"Yes! Everything's in order," the receptionist said reassuringly. "Just head to the executive lift and pick the sixtieth floor. Mister Daedalus is waiting for you there. Here's the key! Have a lovely time!"
The Doctor walked over to the elevator in a daze. "What... who... where... how?"
"I thought you said that card would only work as fake ID!" Applejack scorned. "I don't want it rewritin' somepony's mind!"
"It doesn't, I swear!" the Doctor said desperately. "I don't know what happened back there, but I was not the cause!"
The rest of the elevator ride was uncomfortably silent.
The elevator came to a halt on the top floor.
The Doctor and his companions walked toward the desk of what Applejack guessed had to be Obsidian Daedalus's secretary.
"Hello," the Minotaur woman had a very shrill voice. "My name is Gem, I'm Mister Daedalus's personal assistant? How can I help you?"
"Hello! I'm the Doctor and-"
"Oh yes!" Gem smiled. "The mysterious scientist from Equestria. Princess Twilight said you'd becoming. But... who are you're..."
"Ah! Yes... This is my secretary Applejack... and..." he looked at the three fillies. "I'm afraid she couldn't find a sitter. And we couldn't just leave them at the hotel..."
"I understand completely," Gem waved her hand in assurance, then bent her knees down to meet the Crusaders at eye level. "Luckily we have the best day-care in Labarynthian. So we can keep these three sweeties out of trouble."
"That sounds great, thank you!!" Applejack turned to the Crusaders. "Apple Bloom? You and your friends go with the nice lady now. Don't give her no trouble, you hear?"
"But sis!" Apple Bloom whined.
"No arguin'!" Applejack scolded.
Apple Bloom frowned. "All right..."
The Crusader's walked over to Gem.
"Mister Daedalus is waiting for you inside," Gem said as she left.
Obsidian Daedalus was an imposing figure. Much taller then he looked on the screen in the city square. But he wasn't who caught The Doctor's eye.
That honor belonged to a young mare sitting on his desk. She was quite a looker. Yellow coat. Caramel brown mane. Wearing a very expensive suit.
That wasn't what caught the Doctor's eye however...
"Flash your legs all you want, Ms. Marks," Daedalus said. "I will not release the schematics of the Cybermen to your company until we have enough."
"Oh come now, Obsidian," the mare said sweetly. "You really mustn't-"
"Excuse me?" the Doctor called from the doorway. "Your receptionist told me you were expecting the Doctor?"
"Ah yes!" Daedalus got up and went to shake the Doctor's hoof. "I'm Obsidian Daedalus. It's good to meet you Doctor. You're the princess's 'Stallion of Science', eh?"
The mare got off of Daedalus's desk and brushed herself off. Blushing, but still looking the consummate professional.
"Of course! How rude of me," the Minotaur pointed at the mare. "This is High Marks. Ms. Marks, meet the Doctor!"
"Doctor?" High Marks went to greet the Doctor. "Doctor who?"
"Oh just leave it at the Doctor," the Doctor smiled. "It's good to meet you Ms. Marks. What are you doing here?"
"I represent a Tech manufacturer in Canterlot. We're interested in making parts these new 'Cybermen' for Mister Daedalus," she smiled back.
The Doctor smiled and nodded. He had the uncanny ability to do that when somepony lied straight to his face.
He turned to Daedalus. "Mister Daedalus, I have to ask," he asked. "When did you first go in to weapons tech?"
"To be honest?" the Minotaur smiled. "Since the war began a year ago. Before then this company made household electronics. Home computers and the like."
"Then why shift to makin' weapons?" Applejack asked. As soon as she said it, Daedalus looked pained. "I-I'm sorry... I didn't mean-"
Daedalus raised a hand. "It's alright. It's a perfectly valid question. Look over there." He pointed to a screen on the wall of his huge office.
The screen flipped on and began to play footage of an explosion. The same explosion they saw on the screen in the city square.
"Black Horn Bay," Daedalus explained. "One of our most important ports, turned into a military base. We had been at odds with the Changelings for quite some time. War was inevitable. But we never expected them to start it like this. It was then I knew I had to fight. Do what I could to help my country. I'm to old to enlist now. So I'll do what I can from behind the lines."
The Doctor noticed everypony else's very strong reaction to the harrowing footage. Applejack was close to tears. Obsidian was grinding his teeth.
Ms. Marks was glaring in anger at Daedalus however.
The Doctor shook his head. "What are you doing here?" he mumbled.
"I'm sorry Doctor?" Daedalus asked.
"I said I hope that the lads who've signed up for this understand what they're losing," the Doctor easily ad-libbed. "I read that contract. You essentially remove any compassion they ever had..."
Daedalus nodded solemnly. "It's a sacrifice. War always is. But I can prove to you that they knew what they were getting in to when they signed the contract."
"How's that?" the Doctor asked.
"We should have a little chat with Cyberform Zero." Daedalus smiled.
The Cutie Mark crusaders were led into the Daedalus Technologies Daycare Center.
It looked nice enough. Plenty of toys and games. There was a nice Minotaur woman who acted as matron. Plenty of Minotaur children to play with... And then something caught Apple Bloom's eye.
There was a framed black and white picture of a young Minotaur child holding a Soccer ball. It was carefully preserved, but had obviously been there for quite a while. The adults were going out of their way not to look at it, while some of the children were staring at it intensely, taking the time to whisper at each other every so often.
Under the picture was a golden plate that read: IN LOVING MEMORY. Under the words were two years. Some basic arithmetic told Apple Bloom that he couldn't have been nine years old when he died.
Not one to wait for information, Apple Bloom walked right past her friends and straight to the Matron. "Miss?" Apple Bloom asked sweetly.
"Yes dear?" the Matron asked kindly. "Is there something I can do for you?"
"Who's the little boy in the picture?" Apple Bloom asked bluntly. "And... how did he die?"
The Matron stopped for a moment, obviously saddened by the question. "Oh," she stalled. "O-oh, I see..."
"I'm sorry...," Apple Bloom was regretting her decision to ask. "I just saw the photo and-"
"No," the Matron brushed a tear from her eyes. "No. You weren't wrong to ask. We put that up there for people to remember him. It's only right that I tell you..."
The Matron knelt to speak to Apple Bloom at eye level. "First of all, his name was Granite," she started. "He was a very nice boy, even if he was a bit spoiled. He had come to this center for years. He was a lot of fun to have around..." She trailed off.
"Ma'am?" Apple Bloom asked after a moment.
"Yes, of course," she went on reluctantly. "One day, a little over a year ago, his mother came to pick him up... But she wasn't alone. She had brought a friend with her. That "friend" turned out to be a Changeling and.... They didn't make it out. Him or his mother. To top it of, exactly thirty days later, Black Horn Bay...." The Matron brushed more tears from her eyes. "I'm distracting you though! Plenty of new friends for you to meet here!"
It was all too familiar.
Six feet tall. Pure silver. And, the one piece of good news, a vent on it's chest.
"This," Obsidian Daedalus said proudly. "Is the prototype. Cyberform Zero! Good morning."
"Good morning, Mister Daedalus." the Cyberman said in a cold monotone voice.
"Now, this is a direct order from your commander," Daedalus said to the metal man. "The Doctor and Ms. Marks are going to aak you a few questions. You're going to answer them truthfully. Do you understand?"
"Affirmative" Cyberform zero responded.
"I'll start," High Marks chimed in.
The next half an hour was spent with High Marks asking every question that she could think of. Technical information. Weapons capabilities. Programming info. What the hardware was made out of. With each answer Ms. Marks jotted down a note. Intensely eying the Cyberman as it was talking.
That settled it. The Doctor was right. But he would have to deal with that later.
The Doctor stepped up. "Alright, my turn," he smiled. "I've only got three questions. We'll go from least important to most important. Starting with: Why the head handles? I never got those..."
"Cybermen are made in the image of the Minotaur." the Cyberman explained. "For a Minotaur to lose his horns, even in death is a great dishonor"
"Cyberman with a concept of dishonor...," the Doctor muttered. "That's new. Alright! Question two. That vent on your chest. It's to let your organic components breathe, yeah?"
"Correct," the Cyberman responded. "Inside it is a filter that removes all pollutants from the air. Only one element can block this filter."
"A minor design flaw," Daedalus interrupted. "We're working on it."
"Last question," the Doctor said. "To be fair, it's more like two. What was you're name, and why did you choose to do this to yourself."
The question left the other three in stunned silence. Even the Cyberman seemed to hesitate.
"Flint" he responded finally. "My designation was Flint. I chose to be upgraded because I was dying. My only regret was not being able to serve my country. When I was approached about the Cyberman project I knew it was the only way I would ever fight for Minos."
The Doctor listened. Then nodded sadly in respect for the memories and bravery of the now deceased Flint.
"I got a question," Applejack said from the back. "How come you gotta use organic stuff at all? Why not just make'em robots?"
"I'll take this one Cyberform," Daedalus stepped up. "The brain, Miss Applejack. You can build a computer the size of this tower and it wouldn't have half the processing power the Minotaur mind does. The Cybermen have machine efficiency, with a soldiers instincts. This is the tool I, and my country, will use to crush the Hive."
The Doctor almost had it all figured out with those last few words. He just had one more question. "How many Cybermen are up and running?"
Daedalus gave a sickening grin. "Over ten thousand. Right here in the basement of this tower."
The Doctor, Applejack, and High Marks were led into a refreshment room. Daedalus had a meeting to get to. As soon as they were alone, the Doctor began pacing rapidly back and forth across the room.
"Uh, Doctor?" Applejack asked. "Maybe we should be headin' home, I mean everything seems to be alright..."
"Really?" the Doctor asked. "Because I counted three things that were very very wrong."
"What were they, exactly?" High Marks asked.
"Starting from most important, going to least," said the Doctor. "First and foremost, that footage of the attack was wrong."
"Somepony messed with the footage?" Applejack asked.
"No," the Doctor said. "The attack was wrong. A race of shapeshifters don't resort to open warfare unless absolutely necessary. If they were going to attack a military base they would blow it up, they'd try to take it over from within. Just like the Zygons."
"What're Zygons?" Applejack asked.
"Hopefully you never find out," the Doctor continued pacing. "Number two. The words 'to crush the hive.' Those aren't the words of someone who wants to serve his country, that's a man with a personal vendetta."
"And the third?" High Marks asked.
"Yes the third," the Doctor turned on the mare. "You would be the one to ask about the third wouldn't you. You ask so many questions, you get so specific. You pay such close attention. For quite a while I've been noticing things. When I was sure that this 'war' was started the way I was first told, I thought of exposing you right away. But then Wrong Things one and two crept along and all of a sudden, that changed. Under the circumstances-"
The Doctor raised the screwdriver to High Marks's head. The Mare was enveloped in green magic flame. When the flame died down, her disguise was gone. She could be seen for what she was.
"I'm tempted to hear your side of the story. Remember that you've gone from spy to ambassador. So be careful what you say," the Doctor said firmly.
High Marks looked around her. Applejack could barely keep from screaming.
"I guess I have no choice. I'll have to try to tell you the truth, not that you'll listen...
"First off, we never attacked Black Horn Bay," hissed the Changeling.
"Start with your real name," the Doctor said sternly.
"N'Zeera," the Changeling said.
"Why're you here?" Applejack snapped.
"We got wind that Obsidian Daedalus was going to make a new weapon to wipe us out with," N'Zeera said dryly. "What do you think?"
"You said you didn't attack Black Horn Bay," the Doctor went on. "If you didn't, who did?"
"Daedalus," N'Zeera said frankly. "We thought it may have been a government operation, at first. Hive and Minos had been in a cold war for years. Each one of us wanting to fire the first shot. We all expected it to turn hot at any moment. And then..."
"Why would Mister Daedalus kill his own people to start a war nopony wanted?" Applejack asked sternly. "That don't make a lick of sense!"
"She raises a good point," the Doctor agreed. "Why would he do this? For the money?"
Then N'Zeera looked down as if ashamed of what she was about to tell the Doctor. "You know? I really wish it was that cut-and-dry. I really wish he was just the kind of money-grubbing waste of space willing to kill just to add another swimming pool to their golden money palace. It would make all of this so much easier. I might be able to walk through a foreign country undisguised."
The Doctor lowered the Sonic Screwdriver. "Who did he lose?"
"His wife and son," N'Zeera sighed. "Some damn fool claiming he was leading Hive back to the 'Golden Age'. Or as the rest of us call them, 'The Dark Ages'. The time of Chrysalis and R'Stame. When we were villains, and why everyone treats us like villains."
N'Zeera spat at the ground. "I hate him!!" she screamed. "I hate that murderer! For what he did to an innocent child, and what he did to my country! I can't blame Daedalus for losing his sense, after losing his family! This war is his fault! And I've never been happier than when I learned that he didn't make it out of this buil-"
The Doctor slapped N'Zeera across the face.
There was a silence. The only one who wasn't close to tears was the Doctor.
"Never," the Doctor started slowly. "Never say that to me again. Try not to think it. I don't care what happened. I don't care if this man is the worthless pathetic psychopath he seems to be. No one, no one deserves to die. Not him. Not Daedalus's son. Not Flint. Not any of the poor ten thousand souls who gave their lives to fight for the wrong purpose. So never say you're happy to see someone dead in front of me. Do you understand?"
Applejack was silent. Unsure if she respected or feared this side of the Doctor.
N'Zeera was tearing up. "My people are dying Doctor," she said weakly. "We had gotten so close..."
"Close to what?" Applejack asked.
"Close to remaking the Changeling's image," the Doctor reasoned. "That was the end goal, wasn't it?"
N'Zeera slowly nodded.
"I-I don't..." Applejack was still confused.
"They're a parasitic race, AJ," the Doctor explained. "They feed on love. They can't help it, it's just how they evolved. Every species has a right to survive. They decided, somewhere down the road, to feed in the nicest way possible. By earning the love to feed off of. That's it, isn't it? You became one of the most helpful countries on this world. Aiding with monsters, helping struggling economies, all so you could come by the affection your race needed honestly. Good on you! I'll bet it worked for a while too..."
"And now," N'Zeera finished. "After the attack on Black Horn Bay it's all dried up. It's gone. We give what we have to our children but it means losing our own. At this rate we'll have to become parasites again. I won't let that happen. My people are starving Doctor..."
The Changeling looked at the Doctor with a truly helpless face. "Please... Help us."
The Doctor burst into a very wide grin. "Oh N'Zeera..." the Doctor said happily. "You just said the magic words!!"
The Doctor immediately leaped into action, using his Sonic on the door.
"What're you doin'?" Applejack asked frantically.
"Something to the door!" the Doctor said gleefully. "I'm not entirely sure what. Listen, we have three very important very difficult things to do. One, get out of this room. Two, get into Daedalus's office and find something in it that will expose him. Three, deal with the ten thousand Cybermen in the basement of this building."
"Easier said than done," N'Zeera said.
"Yes!" the Doctor smiled. "Isn't everything? But we have several advantages! First off is this!" He pulled the red satin bag out of his waistcoat pocket and threw it to N'Zeera, who promptly caught it and opened it.
"Gold dust?" she asked.
"The vents on their chests," the Doctor explained. "The only element that can clog that filter is gold. Throw that into the vent if we get entangled with them. At least that's how it worked with the Cybermen I met before."
"He met Cybermen before? How?" N'Zeera asked Applejack.
"Wibbly-Wobbly...Timey-Wimey...," Applejack said weakly.
"You know what else we've got?" the Doctor said gleefully. "We've got three brilliant minds in one room. I'm assuming you're brilliant, N'Zeera don't disappoint. We've got the truth. We've got my Screwdriver. Best of all we have right on our side! What has Daedalus got, eh?"
"Ten thousand Cybermen in the basement," Applejack said dryly.
"Yes that," the Doctor all of a sudden looked very, very worried. "And he's got one more much worse thing that I didn't take the time to consider until now. I really should have before we had that whole conversation. Two seconds of thought would have done it, but no I have to be so bloody thick."
"What?" N'Zeera asked firmly. "What has Daedalus got?"
"Security cameras in every room in this building."
"Very good, Doctor," came Daedalus's voice over the PA. "I was wondering when you'd come to that conclusion."
The three fillies were cowered in a corner with the Minotaur children and the matron. They didn't understand what was going on. They heard the metal men clank up the halls. They were everywhere now. Two of them were standing outside the door.
They only said one thing to them. One thing to explain what was going on.
"Security protocol Ag47 is in effect. Disobey and you shall be deleted."
The three fillies cowered in the corner with the other children.
"What're they doin'?" Apple Bloom asked. "Why are they here?"
"I don't know," Scootaloo whispered. "What I do know is that we have to get to the Doctor and Applejack as quickly as possible. Whatever this is, it can't be good news."
"You're right," Sweetie Belle whispered back. "But how? Every single hallway is packed with Cybermen. Also I don't think that the Matron would like us going out on our own."
"Well we can't stay here!" Apple Bloom whispered harshly. "My sister could be hurt!"
"You're right," Sweetie Belle said. She looked at the large window leading to a thirty story drop. "How high do you think we are right now?"
"To high to try jumpin'!" Apple Bloom insisted.
"No, that's not what I meant," Sweetie Belle said. "Listen, you figure out a way to get those two Cybermen over here. When the time is right-"
"Excuse me!" the Matron walked over to the Cybermen at the door. "Excuse me! I would like to know just what in Tartarus is going on here! I have put in three years of service into this firm, and I demand to speak to my boss!"
"You will wait," the Cyberman insisted.
"I will not," the Matron said firmly. "I'm sure you have a job to do, but you're scaring these children. So please vacate the Daycare or I shall be forced to speak to Mister Daedalus about your conduct!"
"Stand back," the Cyberman instisted. "Or you will be deleted."
"And what exactly-"
She was cut off when the Cyberman put a hand to her shoulder. She seemed to be surrounded in blue lightning before collapsing to the ground.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders looked on in horror. The Matron wouldn't be rising again.
"Protocol Ag47," the Doctor mused. "That's clever that. The atomic number and symbol for-"
"Silver," Daedalus's voice came from the PA. "I am not born without a sense of humor, Doctor."
"Oh I agree," the Doctor said coldly. "The one I like best is the prank you're playing on an entire country. Making them think they were attacked... It's not all that funny mind you, but you have to be impressed by the scale."
"Never," Daedalus said through gritted teeth. "Never tell me that Black Horn Bay was a joke. I haven't slept at night Doctor. It was a hard decision, and I had to make it. My conscience is far from clean Doctor, but I did what I had to..."
"For your son?" the Doctor asked. "How would your boy feel about you if he figured out what you did?"
"He would be ashamed," Daedalus said almost immediately. This took the Doctor off guard. "Yes, Doctor. I am fully aware that what I did was reprehensible. When the war is over I shall turn myself in. That will far from make up for it, but I will face the consequences for my actions. First, however, I must finish what I started. I didn't do this for my son. I did this for my country."
The Doctor thought for a moment. "Oh dear," he said quietly. "Oh my word... I have encountered a lot of madness in my time. I thought I'd seen it all.... I should always let the universe surprise me. It's so good at it."
"My country had been in a cold war with the Hive for years," Daedalus spat. "Each one of us just waiting to fire the first shot. I wasn't going to let them hit us first. War was inevitable Doctor. It took me the death of my family to finally see that. I grew tired of waiting."
"You truly have lost your mind," the Doctor said quietly. "You've deluded yourself into thinking this was all for the good of the country. You really believe that. It wasn't Daedalus. You've caused the deaths of thousands, and you won't be happy until you spilled more blood. An entire race is going to be wiped out because of what you've done. Stop, Daedalus. Oh, I don't mean stop doing what you're doing. You won't. You've can't from where your mind's at now. I'm asking you to stop telling me, and yourself that you did this for any other reason than your revenge."
There was silence for almost a full minute.
"It doesn't matter why I did this," Daedalus said slowly. "It will all be over soon. The Hive will be gone. Minos will be safe. And that parasite with you will be dead. Maybe worse. Maybe I'll upgrade her. It makes me happy to think that deep down she knows she's killing her own race. Maybe then somewhere deep in her black little heart she will hate what she is."
The Doctor looked over at N'Zeera. She was obviously terrified at the idea.
"Informed consent..." the Doctor thought aloud. "That didn't last long. Though I suppose disinformation is just another way of forcing upgrades. Just a bit more subtle I suppose."
"Hand her over Doctor," Daedalus insisted. "Give her to the Cybermen and leave. I have no wish to harm anyone more than I have to."
"Not gonna happen," the Doctor smiled.
"Then I'll burst in there and take her," Daedalus said frankly. "I'm standing in front of five thousand of my Cybermen. What chance do you think you have?"
"Well," the Doctor said brightly. "A better chance now than I had a moment ago. You see, you just gave me a very vital piece of information. With it I'll have a much better chance of putting an end to this."
"And what was that?" Daedalus spat.
The Doctor burst into a wide grin. "You're not in your office." He raised the Screwdriver up to the speakerphone and cut off Daedalus contact with him.
"Right!" the Doctor said quickly. "We need to get to that office as soon as possible. There may be the evidence we need to expose him. It also wouldn't surprise me if there was a kill switch for the Cybermen.... Alright, maybe that's just wishful thinking."
"Why would he keep the evidence?" N'Zeera asked.
"He said he was going to turn himself in," the Doctor answered. "I doubt they'd take him at his word, would they?"
"And how exactly are we gettin' outta this here room?" Applejack asked.
"Remember a while ago when I did something to the door?" the Doctor asked.
"Yeah?" Applejack said.
There was a clanking noise as Cybermen came up the hallway.
"Duck," the Doctor said.
The Cybermen attempted to punch down the door. The door immediately exploded, taking the Cybermen with it.
The Doctor got up and brushed himself off. "Automated metal door," he smiled. "The more electronics you put in something, the easier it is to blow up."
"There's a Changeling out there!" Apple Bloom called from the window. "That's who's attacking us! They're right out there!"
The two Cybermen walked toward the filly standing just in front of the plate glass window. "What is the cause of this?"
"NOW!" Apple Bloom called.
Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle bucked the two Cybermen from behind. This pushed them forward enough to crash and fall through the window to the concrete below.
"Owww..." Sweetie Belle said, nursing her hooves. "Those guys are really hard..."
"Never mind that!" Apple Bloom said firmly. "We gotta get to the Doctor and AJ! Come on!!"
Scootaloo turned to the Minotaur children. "You guys stay here," she said. "And stay out of trouble."
The three fillies made their way through the corridors. Taking care to avoid the Cybermen in the hallways. They finally made their stop at an elevator.
"What're you gals, stupid?" Apple Bloom complained. "There's no way that the elevator's workin' when the building's in lockdown! We gotta take the stairs!"
"We can't take the stairs, they'll be crawling with Cyber-freaks! If we're gonna get anywhere we have to try the elevator!" Scootaloo protested. "Come on!"
"Scoot's right," Sweetie Belle added. "There are also thirty more floors between us and the Doctor. It would take us too long to get there, and we'd be useless when we did." Sweetie Belle pressed the call button.
"Alright," said Apple Bloom, shaking her head. "But there ain't no way that-"
The elevator dinged as it arrived at their floor.
Apple Bloom's jaw dropped.
"C'mon," Scootaloo said. "We better get to the Doctor and AJ."
Apple Bloom refused to move. "Wait!" Apple Bloom said firmly. "Wait! Just one applebuckin' minute! There is no way that elevator could be workin' right now. It's not possible."
"Lucky us?" Sweetie Belle said.
"This has all been way too convenient," Apple Bloom said. "First the Doctor and that Dalek land in Time Turner's shop at the same time. Then the TARDIS takes off on its own, could've sent us anywhere in time and space but it sends us right to where we wanna end up. We find that watch to cause Turner to regenerate. Now this elevator. What's goin' on?"
The other two stared blankly at her. "Great," Scootaloo said. "Now I'm creeped out."
"This is happenin' way too often to just be coincidence," Apple Bloom thought aloud. "Somethin's gotta be at work here."
She heard a series of thuds behind her. "You are in violation of protocol," a Cyberman said. "You will be deleted."
"No time to think about it now!" Sweetie Belle said frantically. "Get in!"
The three fillies piled into the elevator, Scootaloo pushed the button for the top floor. The doors closed just as the Cybermen fired at them.
As they were going up Apple Bloom mumbled. "It still don't make sense..."
"Who knows, Bloom," Sweetie Belle said. "Maybe we just have a Guardian Angel..."
"Well that was inconspicuous!" Applejack protested. "I'm bettin' only every Cyberman on the next three floors are comin' right for us!"
"Oh, don't be discouraged, AJ," the Doctor said cheerfully. "They were all coming right or us regardless!"
"Swell," Applejack said dryly.
"Right! N'Zeera, hand me the bag. I'm going to need it," the Doctor said.
N'Zeera handed the bag over. "Are you sure there's enough gold dust in there? It doesn't look like a very big bag..."
"My dear lady," the Doctor smiled. "This bag was sewn with Time Lord science in mind. There is enough gold dust in this bag to fill up Canterlot Palace to the roof."
"Time Lord?" N'Zeera asked.
"He's an alien," Applejack said frankly. "It's a long story."
"To Daedalus's office!" the Doctor beamed. The three walked out into the hallway. "Now, I have a plan to solve one of our problems, I.E. exposing Daedalus, if we don't find any conclusive evidence in the office. However I have no plan to stop the Cybermen, as of yet, I'm still working on it. As a matter of fact..." The Doctor felt the gentle breeze on his neck. "Yes, right there. I've got something, but we have to make sure that we get to the office before we meet any-" The Doctor turned a corner to meet with two towering silver figures. "Cybermen! Hello chaps!"
"You are a traitor to Minos," one Cyberman said. "You will be deleted."
"The Changeling will be upgraded," the other added.
"Right," the Doctor said. "Yes. But before that happens I'd like to show you both something very interesting and it's in this bag." The Doctor whipped the silk bag at them, throwing gold dust directly into the Cybermen's chests. "Run!"
The Cybermen doubled over in pain as the three ran down the hallway.
They finally stopped to catch their breath next to an elevator door outside of Daedalus's office. Then Applejack came to a realization.
"Apple Bloom!" Applejack shouted. "Doctor, my baby sister and her friends still stuck at the Daycare! Who knows what could be happenin' to her! I gotta get down there!" She frantically pressed the elevator's call button.
"Applejack, stop," The Doctor said firmly. "We can't go back for the girls now, and there's no way that elevators working anyway. I promise you that I will personally go down there and get them out myself when we're done. I promise. But for right now we need to focus. I need you with me."
"No can do, Doctor," Applejack said, still tapping the call button. "Family comes first, always."
"I can go," said N'Zeera.
"What?" Applejack said.
"I can fly," N'Zeera answered. "I can climb out the window and get down to the nursery. I don't want anyone else getting hurt because of this, especially kids. Let's face it, I'm pretty useless here."
"You'd..." Applejack said quietly. "You'd do that?"
"Of course," N'Zeera smiled. "Now, what does your sister look like?"
"Well-" Applejack was interrupted by a loud dig that came from right next to her.
When the door opened, with a collective "Whoa!", three fillies came toppling out.
"Heh heh," Apple Bloom looked up cautiously at her sister. "Hey sis..."
"Apple Bloom!" AJ hugged her sister. "I was so worried about you girls!"
"What?!" the Doctor was taken aback. "How in Equestria is that elevator working?"
"I know, right?" Apple Bloom said.
"DOCTOR!!" N'Zeera shouted.
A Cyberman had come up the hallway and was aiming his wrist mounted weapon right at the Cutie Mark Crusaders. "Delete."
It fired.
N'Zeera leaped in the way of the shot, taking it squarely in the chest. She toppled to the ground.
"No!" The Doctor whipped some gold dust into the Cyberman's chest and it fell over.
He turned around to see Applejack cradling N'Zeera's head in her hooves. "She's still alive."
The Doctor rushed over. "N'Zeera?"he said desperately. "N'Zeera stay with me. Don't you dare give up, you're going to be fine, just hang on."
"Who said this was giving up?" N'Zeera said weakly. "I died saving some kids and serving my country. There isn't much more I can ask for..."
"You. Are. Not. Going. To. Die," the Doctor said firmly.
"You know it's funny..." N'Zeera said quietly. "This isn't what's making me sad. Dying itself I'm fine with but I know..." She started to tear up. "I know that everyone in this country is going to think I'm a monster. That's really not fair. If they met me they'd see I was a generally nice girl..."
"Then give them that chance," the Doctor said. "Just stay with me, and don't talk, alright?"
"Doctor?" N'Zeera pleaded.
"Yeah?" the Doctor said quietly.
"Please..." A tear rolled down her face. "Please don't think I'm a monster..."
With one final gasp it was over.
The Doctor closed his eyes, and then closed hers. "I won't," he said calmly. "And I promise you they won't either."
Applejack had taken her hat off. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were bawling.
The Doctor whipped around and headed to Daedalus's office. "Come on. I have some things to discuss with the boss."
The Doctor marched into the office and made straight for the desk. Straight for Obsidian Daedalus's computer.
"Alright Doctor," Applejack asked, as she and the Crusaders follow him in. "Where do we start looking for evidence?"
"We don't," the Doctor said firmly. "We won't need to. We're past that now. In the meantime, you need to take them and head to..." the Doctor stared at the computer screen. "The roof! That's nice, the only place here that isn't crawling with Cybermen!"
"Why're we headin' to the roof exactly?" Applejack asked.
"Take this." The Doctor tossed the bag of gold dust to Applejack, and began using his screwdriver on strategic points on the office ceiling. "On the roof you'll find something that's constantly sucking in air from the top. Should be a great big metal box with a fan on top. When you find it, upturn that bag into it and don't stop until you run out. That should take you a few minutes. Do not come down until me and Daedalus are finished here."
"How will we know?" Scootaloo asked, eyes still red from crying.
"You'll know," the Doctor said slyly.
"Alright Mister Brainiac," Applejack said skeptically. "How do you reckon we get to the roof? It took all of our energy to get to this office, and the stairs are at the other end of the hall!"
The Doctor stood still for a moment. "Well," he said finally. "I haven't quite got that part figured out yet..."
Apple Bloom thought for a moment. "Girls, help me open the blinds."
The Cutie Mark Crusaders opened the blinds to discover a window washing apparatus parked right outside.
"Why am I not surprised?" Apple Bloom said smugly.
"Okay," Sweetie Belle's eyes were wide. "This is getting spooky."
"You were right, Bloom," Scootaloo chimed in. "Something's up."
"What?" the Doctor asked. "What's been happening?" The Doctor broke the window with the Sonic Screwdriver and the three fillies hopped on the platform.
"Nothin' Doctor," said Apple Bloom as she climbed on. "AJ, get on. You take care of what you need to Doctor. We'll be waitin'."
"Good luck, Doctor," Applejack said as she climbed onto the platform and allowed it to rise to the roof.
The Doctor sat behind the desk and waited. The sonic in his hoof. It wouldn't be long now. He was coming. He'd want to try to 'reason' with the Doctor before killing him. Part of him was still convinced that he was a good man. He was wrong. The Doctor knew he was wrong. When N'Zeera died... That's when he lost the chance to redeem himself.
Going live in five... four... three... two...
One.
The Doctor put away the sonic as Daedalus walked through the door, flanked by two Cybermen.
"You know," the Doctor pondered aloud. "It really amazes me what some people will do for the greater good." The Doctor rose and began to pace around the room. "All three times I first met the creatures next to you, it was for 'the greater good'. First time it was to save a whole race that would've died out when their planet did. Second time was a man who wanted to eliminate disease. And then there's you... starting a war that needed to start."
"That would've started with or without me," Daedalus protested. "I grew tired of the waiting."
"You can't know that, Obsidian!" the Doctor shouted. "Nopony can! Sweet Celestia, do you listen to yourself? All of this 'the war was inevitable' and 'I only was serving my country'. How delusional can you possibly be? For the love of Equestria, I'm questioning my moral standing right now by wondering if I'm just giving you what you deserve, or if I'm doing it because you killed someone I happened to like."
Daedalus seemed confused or a moment. "Oh," he said laughing and shaking his head. "You mean the changeling. Forgive me, but you can hardly classify her as 'someone', can you?"
"Her name was N'Zeera," the Doctor said fiercely. "She was an amazing mare. She saw you for what you were. Not as a monster, that would be worthy of some respect, but as a conniving horrendous little worm who doesn't know how to cope with loss."
"What would you know about loss, Doctor?!" Daedalus screamed.
"Much more than you ever could, Daedalus!" the Doctor screamed back. "I watched my sky burn! You just lit yours on fire..."
"Yes!" Daedalus was booming now. Screaming at the top of his voice. "Yes! I did! I lit my sky ablaze and I'd do it again a thousand times over! My son was the first casualty of a war that took too long to begin! So I started it! I ended the wait! And I will end the Hive with it! I destroyed Black Horn Bay, and I did it for my country!!
"Now!" He turned to his Cybermen. "Delete!"
The two Cybermen raised their arms...
And promptly fell to their knees, and then to the ground.
"You know," the Doctor smiled. "How could you have become a billionaire when you're this amazingly thick?"
"What's going on?" Daedalus's eyes were bulging in confusion.
"Walking into a room in this state," the Doctor said. "I'd have a few questions. Like, I dunno... Why is that window broken? Why's the air conditioning making funny noises? Why does the air taste like metal? And finally..." he pulled out the sonic. "Where's that echo coming from?"
A press of the sonic screwdriver's button, and the words boomed through the room and the city once again: "I destroyed Black Horn Bay, and I did it for my country."
And then it repeated again.
And again.
The Doctor wasn't going to stop it anytime soon.
Applejack and the Crusaders sat flabbergasted at what they heard coming from the screen in the front of the building.
"Did what I think just happened just happen?" asked Scootaloo asked with a million-mile grin on her face.
"Eeyup" said Apple Bloom channeling her brother. "The Doctor just got him to say what he did..."
"Into an open mic!" Sweetie Belle squeaked.
"Oh, Brainiac," Applejack said quietly. "You miracle..."
"Your own security cameras," the Doctor explained. "And gold dust implanted into the central air in case you're wondering. None of your Cybermen will be able to function now...
"It's over, Daedalus."
Obsidian dropped to his knees in despair...
and a Cyberman slowly rose.
"You," the Cyberman said. "You lied to us... Made us... exist... like this!"
"Oh no," the Doctor said. "That's anger... The malfunction must have shut down the emotional inhibitor. I'm so sorry..."
"Daedalus..." the Cyberman staggered to his creator. "You will... pay for this..."
"Don't!" the Doctor stepped toward the Cyberman cautiously. "You've only got a few minutes before you shut down, spend those minutes as the man you once were before this. Please, don't die as a monster."
"He...made me...monster," the Cyberman coughed. "Took away my...face..."
"Cyberform Zero?" Daedalus asked darkly."
"Flint!" the Cyberman shrieked. "My name... is...."
"Flint," Daedalus corrected. "You had family at Black Horn? I think I remember that from your file..."
"Two brothers..." Flint's voice was close to dying. "Dead now... because of you...."
"That's right," Daedalus admitted. "I killed your brothers and hundreds of others and there is no excuse for it. I started a war to soothe my grief and I have assured that I will never see my wife's smile, or hear my son's laugh in this life or the next.
"Son, do what you have to do..."
Flint raised his weapon.
"NO!" the Doctor screamed.
Too late.
Flint fired, and he and Daedalus fell to the ground.
The Doctor rushed over to Flint.
"Why?!" the Doctor screamed. "Why did you let yourself drop to his level?!"
"You've dealt with two now...," Flint said. "They are out of his reach... There are still three more..."
"What are you talking about?" the Doctor asked. "Matter of fact... how can you be talking? Your brain's shut down..."
"Don't think you're out of reach, Time Lord..." Flint said.
The Doctor paused. "Who are you? Why do this? Why not contact me directly?"
"Two Lynchpins out of his reach..." the entity possessing Flint said. "Now...
"You're running out of time, Time Lord. Find the other three..."
With that Flint shut off.
This left the Doctor wholly unsure he was alone in the room.
Why did the Doctor feel this uneasy? Everything had turned out fine. He had cleared the Changelings of the attack. He stopped the war. The Cybermen where nonfunctional. N'Zeera was being regarded as a national hero to both sides. Not bad for a days work.
But still... Something was wrong.
Maybe it was that conversation with Flint. He mentioned "lynchpins," talking about them being out of "his" reach. He couldn't accept the first part. He had heard Lynchpin theory on the Academy at Gallifrey and dismissed it as bunk. It couldn't be true. The Multiverse simply doesn't work that way.
The Doctor realized that he had said that over a thousand times. He had always been proven wrong.
And then there was what Apple Bloom brought up to him. All of those little things falling perfectly into place. That couldn't be coincidence. The Doctor was never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, but someone was manipulating him here. And he didn't like it.
"No," the Doctor said to himself. "I'm just being paranoid. I've been traveling too long. I have to get myself together. So far there is absolutely no proof of anyone controlling my life. Who would be powerful enough to arrange all of that anyway? I'm... I'm just getting a bit lucky. After all there's a first time for everything..."
The Doctor had managed to put the uneasy feelings out of his mind.
And then something happened to make them come rushing back.
A Minotaur official handed the Doctor an electronic tablet. "Message for the Doctor," he said. "From Princess Twilight Sparkle of Equestria."
"Oh," the Doctor was a bit surprised by this. "Thank you."
The Doctor tapped the tablet and Twilight appeared on screen. She didn't look much older, but she did look wiser, and a bit sadder. She hid it with a smile, but there was something gnawing away at her.
"Hello Doctor," the pre-recorded message began. "It's been a long time. At least it has for me. I hope that my greasing the wheels at Daedalus helped with your little problem. When you told me you came here, I made a note to mae sure I could help in any way I can."
"Oh, Twi," the Doctor smiled. "Oh you beauty..."
"You're traveling with Applejack now right?" Twilight asked. "I hope she's alright. At least she will be when I see her again. The farm is still doing well! Over the years the Apple Family business has only grown. She'd be proud of where it is now! I still miss her... But her family still keeps me company. All of their families do."
The Doctor gave the tablet a sad smile. He knew better than anyone that a long life came with a price.
Twilight moved from wistful to very serious. "Doctor," she said sternly. "While I'd love to keep reminiscing, an old friend of yours said you needed this information. Otherwise we can't get any future. You'll need to know this in order to see your way through to the end."
"See what through?" the Doctor asked. "And who's he?"
A few numbers flashed on the screen. "These are the time/space coordinates for your next destination. When you get there you are going to want to send Applejack and the Crusaders home. You can't. They have to be with you. He may have kept things vague, but he made that crystal clear."
The Doctor stared at the screen for a moment, unsure of what he was hearing.
"He told me that you'd be hesitant," Twilight continued. "He gave me six words to get you moving..."
"Time Lord, you are not alone."
Applejack and the Crusaders were waiting outside the TARDIS. The fillies were getting restless.
"How long is he gonna be?" Sweetie Belle whined.
"We've been waiting forever!" Scootaloo added.
"And I wanna get the heck outta here!" Apple Bloom pouted.
"No hold up there, girls," said Applejack. "The Doctor needs to make sure everything's okay here. You don't want him takin' off and having the Cybermen come back, do you?"
"No," the Crusaders admitted.
"Right," Applejack smiled. "Besides, after the day we had, I appreciate the time to relax-"
"Alright!" the Doctor was galloping down the street. "Everypony back in the TARDIS, now!"
"That lasted," Applejack said dryly.
They all entered the TARDIS and the Doctor started it up. All the while chanting, "Please let me be wrong. Please let me be wrong."
"Wrong about what?" Scootaloo asked.
"It would take far too long to explain," the Doctor responded.
"What happens if you're wrong?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"If I'm wrong it's quite likely that the whole of reality is going to come crashing down around us," the Doctor answered.
"Uh..." Apple Bloom was afraid to ask. "What happens if you're right?"
"It's almost a certainty," the Doctor answered.
Over four thousand years in the past, a false bride was preparing for her wedding day as an adviser watched.
"How do I look R'Stame?" the false bride asked.
R'Stame wasn't his name. Not anymore. She'd never call him by his real name. Her ego wouldn't allow.
Soon she would. Soon everyone would. But for now he had to play along.
"You look resplendent," he said. "As always, Majesty. Princess Cadence's shape looks much better on you than it does on her."
"You do good for my ego, R'Stame," the false bride smiled. "Is everything prepared."
He nodded. "I followed you're instructions to the letter. Princess Mi Amore Cadenza will not be appearing at your wedding," he grinned. "I hope that your majesty would fulfill my request, since I have performed most admirably."
"You have my word," the false bride said. "When she's said our vows, Princess Celestia will leave her sun unguarded."
"Your majesty does me a great kindness," he bowed.
"Leave me," the false bride examined herself. "I have to prepare."
"Yes, Queen Chrysalis," he backed out of the room.
He got to a place where he could be alone, and looked up at the sky.
"Oh, Doctor," he smiled. "How I wish you could be here to see this. I've never had an easier time at manipulation then I've had here. Even if I must take this form, it's worth it. A whole new universe. A whole new timeline. A whole new start. And I still want you to see me Doctor. Perhaps you will... No. No, I know you will! I know you'll be here to visit. I know that soon we'll be matching wits again. Oh, how I have missed it Doctor! I can feel you coming. So come...
