On the eve of her 800 year reign without her sister, Celestia gets a visit for the Doctor along with his companion, her sister.
On the day before her 800th year of her lonely reign without her younger sister, Celestia takes the day before to mourn over her sister ever since she was banished to the moon. But on this particular day of grief, she gets a visit from the Doctor, along with somepony whom she hasn't seen in a very, very long time, her sister Luna.
Any kind of constructive criticism is welcomed. (The key word here is "constructive".)
A special thank you to SecretBrony01 for proofreading this story.
Year of Celestia’s reign: 799 ABNM. (After Banishing Nightmare Moon.)
Canterlot, along with the whole nation was getting ready for the upcoming Summer Sun Celebration. Where the whole country will party all night to pass the time until the dawn of a new year of Celestia’s reign. A day that marks the defeat of Nightmare Moon by the courage and sacrifice of the Sun monarch.
Each year, upon royal request, Celestia would spend twenty-four hours alone before the event. Every year alone in her room, no doubt to mourn over her sister. Those who worked in Canterlot’s castle would say that each year, they would hear something rare; Celestia’s cries that hauntingly echo throughout the halls.
It was on that day on the eve of her 800th reign alone that Celestia received a very unusual visit. While grieving in her large room, Celestia heard a sound. In her lifetime, she heard it a few times, but the sound of a mechanical weaseling and groaning was something she recognized immediately.
As the sound grew louder, she looked up to the source of the sound, and sure enough, it was coming right in front of her. The darkened room was lighting up with the materializing of that blue box that says “Police Public Call Box.”
Once the box was made real, the sound ceased. Moments later, there was a sound of doors opening from the other side. Then she heard a voice that said: “Are you certain this is Equestria and not on some other planet?”
At first, she couldn’t recognize the voice right away; it was female and sounded full grown. But why did she sound so, familiar?
“I’m absolutely certain.” The replay, Celestia noted, came from a stallion’s voice. But unlike the other, she realized whose voice it belonged to.
“So if this is Equestria, where exactly are we?”
“Let me check… Canterlot. The TARDIS says we’re in Canterlot.”
“Canter- where?”
“Oh! We are in Equestria’s capital.”
“So did they rename the capital in the future?”
“Uh, no, this is in a different part of Equestria. And, why is it dark? It’s supposed to be two o’clock in the afternoon.”
“Maybe Celie has forgotten to raise the sun again.” With that joke, Celestia rose up, that voice, now she knows why it sounded familiar. If her long memory serves her right, that voice could only belong to one pony, somepony whom she hasn’t seen in centuries.
“Luna?” Celestia called out.
She heard hoofsteps that came from inside the blue box, and then she heard them on the marble floor. “Celie? Where are you?” Then the mare peaked to the left side of the box. At first, Celestia froze with wide eyes, as if a phantom had appeared right before her. But she saw her. The blue alicorn with a dark crown and chest piece with silver shoes. It was the one who she was crying over the past several centuries.
“Celestia, what’s wrong?” Her sister asked, “And why are you crying?”
“LUNA!!!” Celestia pounced on her little sister, hugging her tightly. “Oh Luna! I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”
“Cel, let go of me!” Luna struggled for air in her sister’s death grip of a hug. Celestia did loosen her grip but still embraced her and kept on crying. “What happened?” Luna asked her sister and looked around the room. “Has something tragic happen? Celie, please tell me, why are you crying?”
“I missed you,” Celestia said through her sobs. “I missed you so much.”
“Was I away for too long? I’ve only been gone for only a few days. And, have you been growing lately?”
“It’s been too long.”
“Really?”
“Uh, Luna.” Celestia looked up to the voice of the Doctor. She was just like the last time she saw him. Dark brown mane with a tan coat and an hourglass as his cutie mark. Once Celestia saw him, the Doctor seemed to get very uncomfortable: “Well… This is certainly awkward.”
Celestia let go of Luna and sat upright, “Luna, when was the last time you saw me?”
“Last time? I asked you if I could go with the Doctor and you said yes, why?”
Celestia stared at her younger sister, taking it all in. Upon closer examination, her sister seemed a good deal younger before “it” happened. She was shorter and her mane hadn’t gotten to that flowing starry night stage yet.
“It’s just...” -Celestia trailed off, trying to think carefully what to say next- “It’s just that it has been a while since the last time I saw you.”
“Have I been traveling with the Doctor for too long?”
“Well… Not exactly, it’s just you’ve been away, but for a different reason.”
“Hmm… I should probably come back a whole lot sooner, Doctor, maybe you could-”
“Wait!” Celestia reached a hoof to her sister. “Please stay, at least, with me here for today.”
Luna gave her older sister a puzzling look. “Sister, are you alright? Is there something you’re not telling me?”
Celestia looked over to the Doctor, in his eyes, she saw him pleading not to tell her.
“It’s complicated.” She said at last. “Extremely complicated.”
Luna raised an eyebrow. “Sister, you’ve been crying in here in your room (or at least, I think it’s your room) in some new capital city with a different name with the curtains drawn. And not only that, you’re the one who’s asking for my forgiveness? For what? Did you make me run away or something? In fact, how long have I been gone?”
Celestia shook her head. “Luna, I can’t tell you-”
“Why not!” Luna interjected. Suddenly, they heard a knock.
“Princess Celestia? Is everything alright in there?” a voice asked.
Luna was about to answer, but she found that she couldn’t open her own muzzle, she found it was closed shut by Celestia’s aura.
“Everything is fine!” Celestia replied.
“Are you sure? Is somepony in there with you?”
“No. In fact, I don’t want anypony in the hallway, not even a single guard.”
“But princess-”
“That’s an order!” Celestia snapped.
“….Yes, your majesty.” And with that, they heard fainting hoofsteps. In fact, Celestia didn’t let go of her magic until they couldn’t hear them.
“Celestia, I must protest.” Luna said, looking at her sister annoyed, “What is going on? Are you trying to hide me for some reason?”
“I have to,” Celestia said. “Nopony must ever know that you’ve returned.”
“Returned? Celie, tell me, what are you even talking about? How long have I been away?”
Celestia closed her eyes for a moment before responding. “Luna, the last time I’ve ever seen you, was about eight hundred years ago.”
Luna sat there, registering what she just heard: “What?” was all Luna was capable of asking.
“But it still doesn’t make any sense,” –Luna said- “for what reason would I be away for this long?”
Celestia shook her head. “I’m sorry Luna, I’m truly am, but as I said, I can’t tell you.”
“Why not?”
“…. Spoilers.”
Luna tilted her head. “Spoilers? Celie, eight hundred years away from being with our own subjects is downright ludicrous!”
“Luna.” She turned to the Doctor who called her name. “You really ought to calm down.”
“Calm down?! I’ve just learned that I have been away for almost a thousand years (for mother knows why to that!), my sister is in tears and you’re asking me to calm down?!”
“Luna.” Celestia put a wing around the younger alicorn. “What’s important right now is that you’re here with me again. And as long as you’re here by my side once again, I’m intending to spend each and every moment I have with you.”
Luna looked up at her in confusion. “Since when have you ever had the time for me?”
“When a time machine had appeared in my room with you in it. Doctor, you and Luna haven’t had anything to eat have you?”
They both shook their heads. Celestia’s horn glowed, candles in the room were lit that rid of the gloomy feel of the room. Next, she pulled on one of the five silk ropes in one corner of the room and tugged at it a few times.
“What are those for?” Luna asked.
“It’s a system that was put into place about two hundred years ago. It’s quite effective. All they are is a rope that’s linked to a bell in a particular room in the palace.”
“And they are?” the Doctor asked.
“One is to the barracks of the royal guards, in case of emergencies of course. One is for my most trusted advisor. Another for my student-”
“Student? Celie, I didn’t know you teach.” Luna said.
“I’ve just taken up the new profession just recently. Anyway, as for the other two, one is for the kitchen, and the one I just rang for was for tea.”
Luna rolled her eyes. “Always you and tea, isn’t it?”
“What? I like tea.”
Luna shook her head and turned her attention to the curtains. “If it’s around two, shouldn’t you open the windows to let in some light?” Her horn glowed, but before she could even focus on pulling the curtains away, she found all of them were blocked by a golden aura.
“Lu, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“And why not?”
“What if one of our subjects sees you?”
“I still don’t see why that’s a problem if I had been away for so long, wouldn’t they rejoice at my return? ….Celestia?”
Her older sister didn’t respond at first. She glanced over to the Doctor. They both can list all the reasons and whys, but telling her at this particular stage in life they feared it might bring forth disastrous consequences. Sure, Luna turning into Nightmare Moon is one of Equestria’s fixed points in time; but then again, what would happen if she knew what was to happen in her future?
Their thoughts were interrupted at a few knocks at the door. “Your majesty, I’ve brought you your tea.”
“Mrs. Saucer, is there anypony in the hallway?”
“Uh, no. I don’t see any guards around.”
Celestia unlocked the doors and told her to come in. The door opened up to an earth pony pushing a cart in. It was a maid with a black and white uniform. “We just had Jasmin on hoof,” -she said- “so hopefully there won’t…” Mrs. Saucer trailed off from her train of thought when she looked up to who else was in the room. She was staring at Luna in fear.
“Now Mrs. Saucer-” Celestia started to say, but she was quickly interrupted by her maid.
“PRINCESS!!! GET OUT OF HERE NOW!!! SHE’S BEHIND YOU!!!” This caught Luna completely off guard, except, that is, for Celestia and the Doctor. The maid rushes over to Celestia and tries pushing her out.
“Mrs. Saucer!” Celestia snapped, getting the maid’s attention. “Listen to me. You have absolutely nothing to be afraid of.”
“B-But your highness! I-It’s her! It’s Nightm-”
“No, it’s not.” Celestia interrupted, “I’m telling you it’s not who you think she is. Please trust me on this. She’s not going to hurt you.”
“But-”
“No buts. I know who she is and I know what I’m doing. In the meantime, would you please serve us some tea?” Reluctantly, she nodded. After cups were spread among the three of them, Mrs. Saucer picked up the teapot by her teeth and poured it to them. When she got around to Luna, however, she was shaking so much that some of the tea was spilled on the floor.
“Eeak! Scorury! Su scorury!” Mrs. Saucer said with the teapot still in her mouth, which she immediately put it down on the floor and used her uniform to clean up the spilled tea. “It won’t happen again, I swear! Please don’t-”
“Mrs. Saucer!” The maid turned to Celestia. “I told you, she won’t hurt you. Now, would you please go to the kitchen and fetch us something to eat.” The maid nodded quickly, taking the cart with her. “Oh, and Mrs. Saucer,” -she stopped in the doorway and looked back at Celestia- “what you’ve had seen and heard in this room, will not, I repeat, will certainly not leave this room. Understood?”
The maid nodded and Celestia let her go. Luna couldn’t help but wondered what just happened. It was clear that the maid was not just afraid, but was completely terrified of her. But something still didn’t add up. Her being gone for eight hundred years explains why Celestia was crying not too long ago. But to her, being gone for that long still doesn’t explain Celestia’s actions to keep her a living secret from outside of this room. Nor does it explain why the maid would be afraid of her. It was very clear that both her sister and the Doctor were hiding something back from her. Something awful no doubt. Yet what could be so awful that it would make her leave Equestria for so long?
“Sister, did we have a fight that made me leave?” Luna asked.
Luna tried to keep pressing the question, but Celestia or the Doctor didn’t answer. Her sister tried to change the subject. On topics like: “So what have you two been up to lately?”
“Well,” -the Doctor answered, now was able to smile for the first time since they got there- “we just got back from the grand festival of lights on Tureame-37.”
“How was it?”
“Well, Luna certainly stole the show with those mini stars she contributed. Your sister’s quite the artist if I do say so myself.”
“Well, yes,” -said Luna, blushing a little at the compliment- “it was all well until somepony tried to make a fuel source out of me.”
“What was that?”
They were another knock on the door, after confirming who it is, Celestia opened the door to Mrs. Saucer with a cart with silver domes. As Luna noticed, many times over, the maid nervously looked between the cart and the princess of the night.
The maid lifted the first dome.
“What are those?” Luna asked.
“It’s a Prench recipe.” -Celestia said as the food was put down on the low table- “They’re just potatoes that had been chopped thinly long-ways, fried in oil and seasoned with salt. Some ponies here call them Prench fries, but personally, I think they should come up with a better name. And the rest seemed to be a salad, candied carrots and a slice of cake.”
“What’s cake?”
Celestia stared at her sister while the maid uncovered another dome for the Doctor. But a moment later, she realized, “Oh! That’s right, cake wasn’t made back then. It’s a sort of desert. It’s something like bread but a whole lot sweeter.”
“A-And, uh, here’s yours.” Mrs. Saucer said as she lifted the last dome, then suddenly, something small leaped out and onto Luna.
“GHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!! GET IT OFFGETITOFFGETITOFFGETITOFF…” Luna loudly chanted as she ran all over the room. She shook her whole head violently to get whatever it was off her. “OWE!!! IT BIT ME!!! GET IT OFF OF ME!!!”
The Doctor drew out his sonic screwdriver, “Celestia, I need you to make her hold her still.”
She nodded, and with a flick of her horn, Celestia lifted Luna off the ground, of course, Luna’s wings were waving about and her legs moved frantically.
“GHAH!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!” Luna shrieked.
“Luna, hold still, I’ll get it off.” The Doctor pointed his screwdriver at Luna. A moment later, Luna felt the slimy thing popping off of her and it landed on the floor. The thing wiggled this way and that when the Doctor trapped it with a glass.
Celestia lowered her back on the marble floor, now all of them got a good look at what was now trapped inside the glass. It looked like a leach only that it wasn’t black, it was a pinkish red and it had several layers of teeth.
The maid spoke what was on everypony’s mind: “What is that thing!?” The Doctor took a closer look at the thing. After studying it for a moment, his eyes went wide open. “I’ve seen this before. Not just seen it, but I know what it’s used for.”
“But what is it?” Celestia asked. The Doctor turned to the sun monarch and said, “Your Majesties, you two just survived an assassination attempt.”
“What!?!” All three mares in the room replied.
“This thing is a leach, well, in a way. Well, this thing is really the most dangerous kind of leach in the entire universe. But this isn’t supposed to be on this planet at all.”
“Wait a moment.” Luna piped up, now regaining her composer, “What do you mean by “assassination attempt?””
“Back in the old Sechin Empire, the emperors were usually assassinated, traditionally by this. Once it latches onto its host, first it drains their emotions, then their memories, and finally, their lives. We’re really lucky to get it off of you Luna before it burrowed itself under your skin. The only real problem is that the Shadow Proclamation made these so illegal, that even as much as touching these things can get one a whole life sentence. Making even transportation for these completely impossible. ‘Course, the only way to get these is if you had a…” The Doctor’s eyes widen. “Oh no. He’s here too.”
“Who’s here?” Luna asked.
The Doctor went over to the maid, “Along the way here, did you run into anyone?”
“What do you mean?”
“Did anybod- sorry, anypony stop to talk to you when you were getting these?”
“Well… Now that you’ve mentioned it, I did run into that general fellow. General Cunning, I think.”
“And what did you talk about?”
“We talked about… about… Oh. What was it?... It sounded so good…. What did he say?” As Mrs. Saucer tried to figure out, the Doctor noticed something very disturbing. The maid was tapping with one of her hooves in a rhythm of tap tap tap tap, over and over. Like a drumbeat.
“Mrs. Saucer, I think that’ll be all.” The Doctor said. Confused, the maid excused herself and exited the room.
“Your Majesties, you two are in immediate danger. We need to leave, now.”
“And go where?” they both asked.
“Anywhere. As long as it isn’t Canterlot. Into the TARDIS quickly!”
The two sisters and the time traveler galloped inside the blue box. After the doors were slammed shut, the machine sprang into life and disappeared.
A minute later, a pony looked through the doorway. “Your Highness? Hello?... Hmm. Funny, usually there’s suppose be a body left behind.”
_*_
“It’s not going to work!”
“Of course it’ll work!”
“For crying out loud, you’ve got the idea from a teapot! And putting it on wheels is going to make it even more dangerous!”
“But I’m certain that it’ll work this time!”
The brother and sister had been arguing like this for over an hour over the brother’s prototype of a new invention of the steam engine on wheels.
“Oh please.” The sister rolled her eyes. “And besides, who are you going to get on that thing anyway? You’re not getting anypony on that thing, even if you somehow got Princess Celestia to get on it.”
“Well, I can always get... What’s that?”
There was a sound of a mechanical groaning and wheezing that was coming from the new invention. And then they saw a blue box appears on top of it, as soon as the box became solid, the door opened with Celestia’s head sticking out.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” said Celestia. “Were we interrupting something?”
“Your Highness,” the brother said, with him and his sister gawking at what they were seeing. “What are you doing here?”
“There was a bit of an emergency where I had to leave,” -Celestia stepped out of the TARDIS and onto the contraption- “but nothing to worry about I assure you. Though I must ask where exactly we are.”
“We’re in Manehattan.” The sister said.
“On the west side to be exact.” The Doctor chimed in as he got out. “Oh, and what do have we here?” The Doctor looked at the machine that they landed on. “You know, if I didn’t know any better, we’re on top of an ancestor of the steam locomotive. Only it’s not on any tracks, only wheels. Oh! And there’s a stick thingy that drives it. Is this a kind of steam carriage?”
“Uh, sure?” The brother said.
“Oh, sorry, what are your names my little ponies?” Celestia asked.
“I’m Sharp Quill, your majesty.” The mare said bowing, “I’m the first mare critic for the Manehattan Times.”
“And you?”
“Gear Shift your grace.” The Stallion bowed as well. “Normally I repair watches, but I’m also responsible for what you’re standing on.”
“And what are we standing on?” To Celestia’s horror, the voice came from Luna who stepped out of the TARDIS. When Sharp and Gear saw her, their faces were stricken with absolute terror as they quickly backed away.
“Wait! I can explain-” Celestia said, but it was already too late. They ran out of the warehouse screaming.
“SHE’S BACK!! GET THE GUARD!! NIGHTMARE MOON IS BACK!!”
“Okay, new plan.” The Doctor said, “We really need to get out of here.”
“What about the TARDIS?” Luna asked.
“It needs to rest at the moment. But as of now, we really-” The Doctor got an idea. “So there is water in here. We need heat.” The Doctor turned to the rear of the machine where a black boiler with a pipe sticking out was. “We need to start a fire in there and quickly.”
“Fire you say?” Celestia said, “I’ll provide the fire.” Her horn glowed, and a moment later, the boiler was glowing from the inside.
“What did you put in there?” the Doctor asked.
“You could say that I put in a very small scale version of the sun in it.”
The Doctor’s eyes widen: “Remind me to ask you about that later, but for now, we really need-”
One of the doors slammed open to a few guards, “There she is!” one of them cried out.
The Doctor grabbed hold of the stick and drew it back which set the steam car in motion. The guards shouted to stop but the machine went faster. It broke through the wooden doors and into the streets of Manehattan.
Luna was using her magic to make sure that the TARDIS didn’t fall off. The Doctor steered the car, yelling at the ponies to get out of the way. And Celestia was using her magic to try to slow down the increasing number of guards that were now coming after them. She took whatever random objects she could find and either tipped them over or threw at them.
As they speed past countless ponies, they could pick up things like: “Hey! Watch where you’re going!” or “Was that Princess Celestia?” or “Is she being foalnapped?” or “Is that Nightmare Moon?” or “What’s that thing?” and so on and so forth.
During the case, a pegasus guard came flew up to them, “Princess Luna!” he cried out, quickly adding: “You’re under arrest for treason against the crown!” That was as far as that guard got until he got hit by a sign.
They speed over the newly built Brookmane bridge and into the countryside; the guards were still intent catching up to them.
“Doctor, can’t you do something?” Luna asked.
He then got an idea. “Actually yes, Luna, take the stick.”
“What?!”
“Just do it. And everyone stay quiet.” She took hold of the steering stick with her magic as the Doctor took out his screwdriver. After adjusting a little bit, he pointed at the TARDIS and to the guards’ astonishment, the princesses, the machine, the stallion, and the blue box slowly disappeared.
“Where did they go?” One of them asked as they all stopped.
_*_
About half an hour later and several miles away, the steam car, along with its occupants appeared on the dirt road.
“What happened? Why did they stop back there?” Celestia asked.
“I turned on the perception field that to them, we seemed to be invisible. Big enough to fit all of us and the trail of steam to fit in.”
“Why didn’t you do that before?” Luna asked.
“It’s rather difficult to come up with an idea like that when you’re trying not to run anypony over.”
“Alright. Point taken. But as of now, I want answers.”
“Luna-”
“No! I demand to know of those guards who were trying to arrest me. What was that about treason? What did I do?”
The Doctor slowed the steam car when Luna asked this.
“Luna, just let it go,” Celestia said.
“How can I when a whole legion came after us to arrest me?! Now tell me, Celie, what is going on?!”
“You don’t need to know-”
“Don’t need to know about what? Ever since we got here, you two have been dancing around the question. You know something, and I want to know NOW!!”
“Luna, you don’t understand.”
“STOP TREATING ME LIKE A CHILD CELESTIA!!! WHY DO YOU HAVE TO DO THIS TO ME!?!”
Other than the still running car, everything went silent. Luna saw something in her older sister that she hadn’t seen before. She was speechless. Not only that, but she stared at her as if she saw a ghost. Then she saw tears forming in her eyes.
“Excuse me,” Celestia said as she entered the TARDIS and closed its doors.
“Luna,” -the Doctor said solemnly- “we need to have a talk.”
Luna sat right next to the Doctor; he still had his eyes on the road before him and the steering stick in his hooves. For a moment, neither said anything until the Doctor spoke: “Answer me this, if you had the chance to see what your future is going to be and what will happen to you, would you want to know?”
Luna raised an eyebrow, “What kind of a question is that?”
“It’s a question over a fixed point in time, to be more specific, yours.”
“A fixed point?”
“Luna, in all my years of time travel, I find that there those that you can indeed change with little to no consequence whatsoever. For example, would it have made any difference if your sister threw a streetlamp instead of a sign at the guard who said that you’re under arrest? Of course, it wouldn’t. But then there are times I’ve come across where no matter what is happening or who does what, it has to happen. For if it happened in any other way, there’s no telling what may happen. Luna, listen to me, you’re right, we do know something you don’t know and you shouldn’t know yet. But you knowing exactly what happens may bring about total chaos, the likes of which not even the one you called Discord could ever dream of.”
He sighed and then added: “Try to imagine what it is like, not only for me but for your sister as well. She does want to tell you. But at the same time, she knows that she can’t, nor can I tell you what is in your future. And trust me, it’s hard. It’s very hard not telling you. But what needs to happen must happen.”
“But Doctor, can’t you give me a hint as to what happens to me? Can you not tell me if I would be alright in the end?”
“That I can tell you. Yes Luna, in the end, you will be alright. One day, ponies will no longer see you as a kind of criminal.”
“Then what will they see me as then?”
The Doctor looked at Luna in the eye with a half-smile on his face, “Spoilers.” He said.
_*_
By the time Celestia came out of the TARDIS, the sun was on the horizon. The Doctor pulled over the steam care a while ago from running out of steam. Luna was watching the sunset and turned towards Celestia when the doors opened. But the younger sister turned back to the sun as Celestia went up and sat next to her.
“I’m sorry that I yelled,” Luna said softly.
Celestia put a wing over and nuzzled her. “You’re forgiven. It’s just that what you said brought some… bitter memories for me.”
Luna still looked at the horizon. “Don’t you think it’s time you lower the sun Cel?”
After giving a nod, Celestia focused on the sun. Having her wings stretched out and her front hooves in the air, her horn glowed brightly and she gently lowered the sun.
When the sun was out of sight, she turned to Luna asking, “Would you please raise the moon? It’s been a while since I last saw you do it.”
Luna nodded, having her forelegs ready to rise; she opened her wings, closed her eyes, and focused on her magic on the moon. As soon as her horn glowed, her eyes shot wide open and jumped back in fright. As if something unpleasant unexpectedly appeared right in front of her.
“Luna?” Celestia asked in concern.
Her sister’s breathing became uneasy as she looked at her older sister. “Uh, you know what? How about you raise the moon this time.” Before Celestia could ask her what was wrong, Luna quickly entered the TARDIS.
Both the Doctor and Celestia went inside to find under the console, sitting on her haunches with both of her front hooves to her head rocking back and forth. Trying to slow down her breathing.
“Luna? Are you alright?” The Doctor asked.
“Give me a moment.” She said, a while later, she responded. “Celestia, it’s the moon. I don’t know how to explain this, but there’s something… wrong. Something unsettling it.”
Both the Doctor and Celestia looked to each other before turning back to Luna.
“Did it feel familiar, by chance?” Celestia asked.
She shook her head. “I don’t even know. It’s like… It’s like there’s something on the moon and I can feel its cold rage just by trying to take hold of it. There’s nothing familiar about it. Whatever it is, I hope we don’t encounter it.”
The ship was silent for a moment; Celestia excused herself to raise the moon. Luna grabbed hold of the Doctor and said: “I saw something.”
“What?”
“I don’t want to scare Cel but, when I try to lift the moon, for a second… I saw a face. It was black with jagged teeth and eyes of a serpent. Doctor, I think there’s something on the moon. And you know what, whatever you do, don’t land on the moon. I don’t even want to know what’s on it.”
Celestia came back into the ship.
“So Doctor, what do we do now?”
“”First tell me everything you know about this General Cunning.”
Celestia told him that she came across him out in a moment of desperation. After Neighpoleon was crowned emperor of Prance, he led his armies to conquer the world, and Equestria was one of his targets. She sent general after general to fight off Neighpoleon, but each time they failed to his genius. One day, a pony came to Canterlot claiming that if she made him general, he can outfox the power-hungry emperor and keep her kingdom safe. She agreed.
And the general delivered what he promised at a place called Waterhoof. Where he outsmarted and captured the emperor, leading towards Neighpoleon’s banishment and the end of the Neighpoleon wars. Ever since then, Celestia gave the general great honor and trust over the years.
When the Doctor asked what he said to convince her to be general, Celestia’s mind went blank. She tried to think back what exactly he said, but as she did, unknowingly to her, one of her hooves started tapping four times over and over.
“I know exactly who it is.” The Doctor said.
Celestia stopped tapping. “You do?”
“Oh, I know him alright. Celestia, we’re dealing with one of the most dangerous beings in existence, one who is so clever, so mad, that not even the Daleks dare go near him.”
“But who is he?” Luna asked.
“He calls himself the Master. And Celestia, it looks like you just gave him an army.”
“Getting us captured; are you mad?!” Celestia protested.
“The very first step to overthrow an enemy is to know what they’re up to.” The Doctor replied, “Besides, we have an advantage. The Master most likely doesn’t know that Luna is even here at all. If all else fails, Luna would have to step in.”
“Fear not, sister of mine,” -Luna reinsured- “if Discord and Sombra can be overthrown, what chance does this so-called “Master” have with the three of us?”
Celestia nodded. “Alright Doctor, whatever it takes to save my- no, our kingdom.”
With that, the Doctor set the machine into motion.
_*_
An hour before sunrise in the throne room the TARDIS appeared with a room full of guards plus a general was waiting. As soon as they caught sight of the box, the guards lifted their weapons towards the box.
The general made his way towards the doors of the ship, which a moment later opened up to the Doctor. “Hello again, Herr Doctor.” Some nearby guard immediately grabbed the Doctor.
“Go fetch her highness.” The Master told the other guards. Six of them rushed into the TARDIS, a moment later, Celestia can be heard, demanding her guards to let go of her.
There was some commotion coming inside of the ship, “Stop! What are you doing? Let go of my horn! My magic! What have you done with my magic?!” Celestia demanded. About a minute later, the guards lead out the Sun Princess, now having a stone ring on her horn and her wings tied to her sides.
“Doctor my old dear less sane friend; I’m quite disappointed in you.” The master said. “Here I thought that you of all Time Lords would have a plan. Try to sneak up on me or something, but instead, you park your TARDIS right where we’d expected.”
“But how?” The Doctor asked.
“Her Majesty wrote a book.” The Master grinned, pulling out a book that defiantly didn’t come this time period. “A Thousand Years Alone: The Reign without Luna by Princess Celestia. I got this from the year 1,020. You ought to pick it up sometime, it’s the quite the read.” He opened up the book to a marked page. ““On the morning of my eight hundredth, just before sunrise, I went down into the throne room to find a curious object. A blue box with the words “Police Public Call Box” on it. And out of the box, a stallion came, when I asked who he was; he said that he calls himself The Doctor.” And what do you know? Here you are! Oh, and before I forget, Princess Celestia, you’re a few hours late to your assassination.”
“Wait a moment!” Celestia interjected. “If you do kill me, what will happen to that book? Wouldn’t it create a paradox?”
The Master rolled his eyes. “Why should that bother me? I’m trying to create a brand new future here. And you just so happen to be in the way. Now guards, go get the leach.”
“What are you doing here anyway?” The Doctor asked.
“Isn’t it obvious? Do you even know what year it even is? Yep! Eight hundred. This is the very year that Equestria really kick starts itself into its industrial revolution. I mean, come on, we both have the same level of intelligence here; what do you think would happen if, say, we give them the knowledge to build rockets into space at this time period, hum?”
The Doctor’s eyes widen in realization.
“Which means, things are about to get much more fun!” The Master said, ending it with a smile.
“Sir. The leach.” A guard said with a glass jar in his hoof with the red leach inside.
“And one more thing Celestia, you were a good boss and all, but I’m afraid we have to go our separate ways. Oh! And by-the-way, this will hurt, allot. Have fun dying!”
Then everything went still at the sound of the TARDIS doors opening. To the guards' shock, there in the doorway was the Princess of the Night.
“Well, don’t just stand there, seize her!” The Master ordered. But none of the guards step forward, if anything, they were stepping back away from her. “Guess I have to do something myself then.” He muttered under his breath. He drew near the blue alicorn with a scowl on her face.
“Princess Luna, I don’t believe we’ve met. My name is-”
“How dare you,” Luna said. “I overheard everything.”
“Oh?”
“You sir, are trying to harm my sister.”
The Master laughed. “That’s what you’re mad at? Ha-ha-ha-ha! Oh, this is too funny!”
“What is?”
“A mad princess that was so jealous of her sister that she tried to kill her is mad at me for doing the very thing she wanted!”
“Tis a lie!! I am neither mad nor jealous! How dare you insult me?!”
“Insulting? I’m just merely complimenting you. And you know what? Out of all the strange and dangerous things I’ve found out on this planet, I personally found you the most relatable. You see,” -at this point, he started to type that four-beat rhythm- “you heard it too. The drums of war. The music that made you rise to claim what was yours, for you saw your sister took what was rightfully yours. Do you hear the drums? It’s a call that I’ve heard every single waking and sleeping moment. A call to rise and destroy anything that’s in your path, even if that means your sister.”
“Shut up.”
“So you’ve had!”
“Luna! Don’t list-” The Doctor was gagged before he could finish.
“You’re just trying to trick me!”
“Am I? Or am I just telling you the truth?”
“Luna-” Celestia was gagged too.
“Tell me, did they really tell you why your older sister locks you away on the moon alone?”
“What!? Celestia would never do that!”
“Would she? After all, it was you who tried to kill her in the first place.”
“No! You’re lying! I would never do such a thing!”
The Master smiled: “Oh? You wouldn’t? Tell me this then? Other than your sister or from the Doctor, when was the last time any of your subjects had so much as complimented about your night?”
Luna fell silent, shaking her head.
“Do you want to know why you tried to kill Celestia? It’s was all because of her sun.”
“No.”
“Those ponies saw that your sister’s sun was and still is the most useful light between the two.”
“Stop it.”
“And because of that, they see your stars and moon to be useless.”
“I don’t believe you!” Luna said, getting angrier as he spoke.
“But it’s true, isn’t it? Oh! I see now, you’re still in that stage of denying what’s really in front of you. Trust me, your highness, I’ve been there. You don’t want to admit to yourself that no one on this stinking planet really cares for your art.”
“Enough!!”
“Let’s face it; the only way you’d get others to notice that you still exist is to do something drastic, which was why you turned into a monster. Luna dear, not everyone is born as an insane beasty for no apparent reason, just like me.”
“BEGONE!!!” Luna yelled at the top of her voice, her horn glowed brightly when it died down, the Master was nowhere to be seen. All was silent in the room except for the loud huffing of a very crossed Luna.
“WELL?!?!” Luna asked, “ART THOU GOING TO UNTIE MY SISTER OR WHAT?!?!”
Every single guard in the room quickly nodded their heads. They untied Celestia as well as the Doctor. While Celestia went over to Luna, the Doctor picked up the book the Master had dropped.
“Luna, are you alright?”
Luna nodded. “He’s lying. Me trying to kill you, what kind of a twisted, sadistic mind would come up with something like that?”
Celestia nodded, giving a very uneasy smile. “So… What happened to him?”
Luna took a few more breaths to calm down, “I sent him away.”
“Where?”
“I put him somewhere that he would never harm you or Equestria ever again.”
“Where?”
“Pluto.”
The room fell silent for a moment before Celestia turned towards the guards in the room. She told them that each and every single one of them will court-martialed for what just happened. She also instructed that what they just saw will remain in the castle only until further notice. And then she ordered them to get out of the room.
After every last guard had left the room, the two princesses and a Doctor stood alone.
“Wait a moment, what time is it?” Celestia asked.
“It’s almost 6:30 in the morning,” Luna said when she located a clock on the wall.
Celestia nodded, with her eyes closed and wings opened. She sat on her haunches and with her forelegs; she slowly lowered the moon and raised the sun. “Happy New Year everypony.” The elder sister said to herself.
“Wait a moment.” Luna interjected, “Today is the New Year?”
Her older sister nodded, “Yes. Today is officially my eighth hundred reign alone.”
“Well, not really, I’m here am I?”
Celestia gave a sad smile, “I suppose so.” And then she hugged her sister once more.
“Besides,” -Luna said with a confident smile- “I knew he was lying. I’m not really on the moon.”
Celestia fell silent. But after a while, she said: “You’re sure about that?”
“Of course I am. I did feel something on the moon you know, but I can tell you that whatever it was, it’s certainly wasn’t me.”
Celestia only nodded.
“Not a bad book.” The Doctor got the two sisters attention. “And I can see how the Master’s plan had failed.” The Doctor smiled, “I guess it’s amazing what a little editing can do.”
“You mean-” Luna asked but was quickly interrupted.
“Yep! Your sister had left out the part about you coming back at this time. I guess it left him quite unrepaired.”
“Oh, that’s clever,” Celestia said.
“Well then, Princess Celestia, this has been a fun day, but I think that we should probably get going.”
“Of course Doctor. But before you two go, can I say something to Luna?”
The Doctor thought about it for a moment. “Within reason.” He said.
“Of course.” Celestia placed a wing over her younger sister. “Luna, this may be the last time I’ll ever see you in, well, a very long time. Before you go, I want to thank you for visiting me when I needed it the most. Also, thank you for giving me a… unique break from all the mindless paperwork and given me this little adventure. And Luna,” -at this point, Celestia looked right into Luna’s eyes- “please don’t forget that I do in fact love you. That no matter where you are or what you may be doing, there’s nothing you’ll ever do to make me stop loving you. Please promise me that you’ll remember this.”
“Um, sure?”
Celestia reached down and to give her a nuzzle for the last time. “Goodbye Luna, wherever you go, be safe.”
Luna giggled, “Celie, I’m with the Doctor, of course, I’ll be safe. And when I get back, try to remind you to have me come back from… wherever sooner. Alright?”
“Well… yes, you try doing that.”
“I’ll see you later.” Luna reached up to nuzzle her sister before breaking from her.
“So Doctor, where and when do you have in mind?”
“Oh! Let’s see… How about we stop by the Secmailing Revolution, that one was a ton of fun!”
The good Doctor and Luna climbed aboard the TARDIS and closed the doors behind them. A moment later, Celestia watched once again that blue box vanishing from existence.
“Take good care of her Doctor, one day she’ll need it.”
