Hearth's Warming had only been a few months ago, and it was no surprise that Derpy and the Doctor had spent most of that time together.
It had been a few months since Derpy spent Hearth's Warming with the Doctor, and ever since they have been spending more and more time together. Their love felt like it would last forever.
But does forever account for everything?
I had been throwing this idea around in my head for sometime. It was about time I finally put it into words.
The rain fell hard, silencing everything in the area. Hooves raced through the woods, rushing frantically towards bright lights. A young pegasus mare broke through the treeline, coming to a halt in an open area. The ground, background, and even the sky seemed to blur together within the light that illuminated the field. The mare continued towards the light, tears forming in her eyes only to be washed away by the rain. A single silhouette stood at the edge of the light.
“Please don't go.”
“I don't belong here. I never did. This is how it should be.” The figure turned, fading into the light. The light grew brighter, vanishing abruptly and leaving the young mare alone, sitting in the pouring rain. She sniffled, crying her eyes out.
“Don't leave me. Please.”
A Few Months Earlier
Do you believe dreams can come true? That to be able to wake up every day just to stare wonderfully at the stallion you love most, all you needed to do was confront him? To Derpy Hooves, that dream had become her reality. Even she wasn't used to waking up every morning to see the one and only Doctor slumbering next to her. It still left her to helplessly gaze at him before finally coming to her senses and getting out of bed. As mesmerizing as the Doctor looked as she slept, this pale gray pegasus would not be apart from her muffins any longer. They were the singular thing that dared to come between Derpy and her love for the Doctor, though neither side seemed to mind.
The sun had just broken over the treetops as the Doctor rose from his slumber. He stretched out his hooves, letting out a long yawn. His eyes looked around, taking in the bright sunlight. “Bollocks! Did I sleep in again? Well, guess this is what I get for coming home late from work.” It took the Doctor a moment to register the fact that one; this was Derpy’s house, and that he was in Derpy’s bed. And two, there was a small plate of buttered English muffins resting on the nightstand next to him with a note. He read the letter as he took a few bites of an English muffin, a little cold from sitting there since this morning.
I'm off to work. I’ll be home to cook dinner, so you don't need to worry about cooking tonight. I didn't know when you were going to wake up, and I didn't want to wake you since you came in so late last night. So I just left a plate of English muffins for you. Still don't understand why you like them so much. They aren't even real muffins. And there I go rambling. Anyway, I dropped Dinky off at school. I'm going to need you to pick her up around three o'clock. Please don't forget. Again.
Sincerely,
Derpy
The Doctor stared at Derpy’s note, finishing off one of the muffins. “That mare can be quite weird. I know she wakes up a few hours before she has to leave for work so she can get breakfast cooked, Dinky up and fed, and leave me my breakfast and these notes. That is a lot of time to do so little. Yet, she still can't help but make a rushed note, even going as far as to leave undeniable traces of blueberries from her muffins randomly smeared on the note. I guess that is one mystery of the universe I might not ever figure out. Though I think it's that part of her that I find so, entrancing. Anywho, let's get up." The Doctor turned himself, resting his back hooves on the floor before pulling himself forward. After the regular occurrence of losing his balance and landing on his back, gaze stuck to the ceiling, he trotted down the stairs and into the kitchen.
It wasn't much to see, at least compared to other kitchens found in Ponyville houses. Off to the left side was a row of counters and the sink, as well as other daily machinery; the toaster, coffee maker, toaster oven, and small fruit and vegetable juicer; complemented by a small window granting a view to a small portion of Ponyville. The left side counters continued and met with the backside, where a stovetop and double-decked oven rested. Why in Celestia’s name did this house have a double-decked oven? Allow her to point you back to the pale gray pegasus and her strange worship of muffins. Resting in the middle of the kitchen was an island with an overhang, with a few seats arranged around it. The refrigerator sat at the end of the counters. Before the Doctor came around, it looked and acted much like any other fridge in Ponyville. However, the excellent Doctor saw fit to have some fun with it. The poor fridge no longer needed to be plugged in, saving Derpy money on electric. It even kept detailed monitoring of all food inside, going as far as to rid itself of any bad food. And to add more humor to it, the fridge doors were even remodeled to look like the TARDIS door.
The Doctor made his way over to the coffee maker, fixing himself something dark and tasteless, at least that’s what Derpy said. Hard to think that just a few months ago, they had spent Hearth’s Warming Eve together. It was going on May now, and even the Doctor wasn't entirely used to living with Derpy. There was nothing wrong with Derpy, or even Dinky. It was just that he was used to living alone and sleeping alone. Now having to deal with anypony but himself, and the occasional multiversal individuals who came out of bloody nowhere. If anything, living with Derpy has at least kept them away. At least ever since the Doctor learned just how deadly a muffin can be in Derpy’s hooves when something tries to mess with either him or Dinky.
With a cup of coffee in his hoof, the Doctor sat down at the island. He took a few sips, looking up at the clock. “It's a little past nine now. Should be able to finish those tests before I have to pick up Dinky. Getting close to finally cracking the spatial anomaly that seems to be keeping me either leaving this universe, or any universe connected to this one or returning to my original form.” The Doctor, unbeknownst to Derpy, had been working tirelessly to figure out just why he was stuck here, and in the body of a stallion. He didn't exactly want to leave this place, but that question had been bugging him ever since he found himself here. His thoughts of returning home and stretching out his old legs brought up a particular idea. “I wonder if Derpy would come along with me. And if so, what would happen to her body? Would she take on similar human biology as me, since that's what happened to me when I got here, or would she still be a pegasus? Then again, I really couldn't ask her to leave her home just to be with me. Besides, she already has her place here.” Shaking the thoughts from his mind, the Doctor finished his cup of coffee and dropped from his seat. “Anyway. Time to get to work. The secrets of the universe won't solve themselves.”
Midday was always a time of day for Derpy. With the sun beating down on top of her. Mix that with the fact that midday tended to be the point of time where she needed to rush about to deliver mail. It was a wonder how she could keep flying around as she did. “Okay. Where to next?” Derpy landed in the shade of a tree, checking her carrier bag. Her eyes fell on a small package addressed to one Twilight Sparkle, and judging from its size, it had to be a book. No shock there. That mare was always getting more books. It wasn't like she didn't live in a castle with an extensive library in it. Well anyway, the package needed to be delivered and by Celestia, Derpy was going to do it. Even if her wings felt like lead drenched in so much sweat.
It was a little after four by the time Derpy finally finished her runs for Ponyville, and her wings were feeling it. And when it came to aching wings, hooves, or just about anything else a pony might have overworked, there was only one place to relax; Ponyville Day Spa. During the hotter times of the year, Derpy would stop in after her deliveries to help ease her pains.
After a few minutes of getting situated, Derpy found her body softening as her aches and pains were melted away by professional hooves. This relaxation, however, helped her mind towards specific thoughts. Thoughts about the Doctor, and the work he's been doing. She knew he was always getting home late and knew why. She wasn't an idiot, against popular belief. She knew he was still determined to find out why he was stuck here. And as much as she wanted to, Derpy knew she wouldn't be able to stop him once he found a way back home. To his world. She only hoped that either he wouldn't find a way, or that he'd just stay with her and Dinky. However, neither would be right to wish for.
“Would I really be okay if he left?”
“Would it really be such a bad thing for him to go back to his world?”
He was an essential being from another universe. What if him being here is stopping him from doing his job?”
“Could I really justify keeping him here?”
All those thoughts swirled around in Derpy’s head, to the point she didn't realize the pony behind her speak up. “Derpy? Hey, is that you, Derpy?” She glanced around her, tilting her head back to see the purple pony speaking to her from the opposite chair.
“Princess Twilight? I didn't know you came here.” If Derpy didn't already have her hind hooves in a relaxing bath, her tone of voice would have been accompanied by various ecstatic movement. It wasn't uncommon to find Twilight outside her castle. Still, most of the time, she was with her friends, either saving Equestria, again, or was already being swarmed by other ponies. She never expected to find her not only alone but relaxing at the spa in broad daylight.
“Well yeah. I don't really get much time to relax being a princess and all, and the Ponyville Day Spa works wonders on my body. But enough about me, what’s going on with you? Is the mail delivery job treating you good?”
“Yes, Princess.” Just calling her Princess made Derpy feel giddy.
“Just call me Twilight. Being called Princess all day gets annoying. And please, you can relax when talking to me.”
“I'm sorry. Delivering mail has been fulfilling, Twilight. It would help if the temperature went down. Flying around with the sun constantly beating down on your wings really puts a pegsasus' body to work.”
Twilight nodded, even though Derpy couldn't see her do it. “But it is such a great feeling to fly. Am I right? I've walked around on my hooves my entire life. And I only recently learned how to fly, and even now, it feels great.” There was a long stretch of silence between them, the only noise heard were the clops of the spa ponies. “Oh yeah. I almost forgot. How’s the Doctor been? Has he gotten the hang of our biology yet?”
“He. He’s been good. Don't get to see him very much during the day, working deliveries and all, and most nights he doesn't get to bed until early the next morning. With the constant work he keeps putting into his research, I hardly get to see him.” Twilight could hear the subtle sadness in Derpy’s voice.
“He's still trying to find a way home. Isn't he?” Twilight’s words cracked the emotional shell Derpy had built around her to try and keep her feeling from affecting her.
“Yes… He doesn't know that I know. And it really bothers me. I don't know if I can just simply let him go. But I also don't think I can just keep him from leaving either. I just… I don't know what to do.”
“I'm not exactly the one to be giving advice on what and what not to do in that kind of situation. But if you ask me, you should do what you think will make him happy. Let the Doctor decide what he wants to do. Just be certain that you don't sacrifice your happiness in return. Alright?” One of the spa ponies threw a towel over their shoulder, giving Twilight a nod before trotting off. “Looks like I'm all finished up.” She dropped from her chair, giving her wings and hooves a stretch. “Do take care Derpy. Try to figure out what's best for the two of you.” With those words, Twilight pulled her wings back in and trotted off.
Do what you think will make him happy, but don't sacrifice your happiness in return.
“Yeah. Easier said than done.” The moon would be breaching over the trees by the time Derpy got out of the spa. With a few stretches of her wings, she was flying through the night sky. The calmness of the flight didn't help to keep Derpy’s thoughts on track. Her worries just kept bouncing around in her head. Would it really be such a bad idea to just let him go? Who am I to try and keep him here? What even am I to him? Her thoughts increased the sadness she was feeling. “No! Stop this now, Derpy! You of all ponies know that the Doctor has feelings for you. And you love him. Whether or not you can keep him here, that fact will not change.” Her words perked herself up, just in time for her to begin her descent down to her house. She stepped down on the ground only to find the Doctor waiting for her outside the door.
“Welcome home, Derpy. Hope the heat didn't get to you too much.” Derpy stared at him, wondering why he would be waiting for her. The faint scent of charred hair and machine oil seemed to waft off of him, a visible sign he had been working on his tests to get home.
“Yeah. Today was unbearable.” Deciding not to dwell on her thoughts, she went over and took a seat next to him. “You’d think the weather pegasi would give us some cloud cover, Or at least some rain. I think I felt some of my feathers singe.” That got a laugh out of the good Doctor, which helped ease her pain. “So, I hope you remembered to pick up Dinky today, mister.” She shot him a teasing glance, trying to catch him off guard.
“She's up in her room playing. Asked her to come down and wait for you with me, but she told me she wanted some time to herself.”
“Oh. I think she was just tired from the heat like I am. No need to be worried. Anyway, I should get dinner started. Bet the two of you are hungry.” Derpy stood and made her way towards the door.
“Derpy?” The Doctor stood, a faint look of worry and concern wore on her face.
“She stopped in the doorway, turning her head to glance back at him. “Hmm? Something the matter.”
He seemed like he wanted to say something, but the words just couldn't come out. “N-nothing. It's nothing. Cook up something delicious tonight. Okay?”
Derpy chuckled. “I’ll try. I'm only one pegasus. You are, however, welcome to give me a hoof.” She walked into the house, leaving the Doctor alone at the front door.
“Why can't I ask you?” He whispered to himself. “Why can't I just tell you?”
“Oh god no. Please. Stay with me.” Deep tears fell from the stallion, his eyes fixated on the mare in front of him. He lifted her up, holding her close to his body. “I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry.” The stallion kept apologizing, his tears soaking into the mare's coat. Her body was mangled as if she had been thrown under several bustling buses. Most of her blood had already caked onto her coat, hiding the wonderful gray hair beneath it.
His eyes shot up as a faint moan escaped the mare's muzzle. “Where. Am I? What happened?” The mare was unable to take in her surroundings as she was still being held tight by the stallion. She tried to move, only for the pain to set in. Wincing in pain, she simply laid there.
The stallion was dumbfounded, seeing the mare in his hooves alive. After everything that had happened, how was she alive? However, like life’s sick joke, the mare’s consciousness swayed. Her color drained from her as her eyes grew too heavy for her to keep up. The mare he had tried so hard to save, died in his hooves. Cries of agony echoed for miles. The stallion’s cries would not stop, even after his voice was all but gone. The world around him went dark. For what felt like years, he drifted in solitude until a blinding light consumed his vision.
╪══════════════════════════════╪
The night air chilled the Doctor as he sat on the bedroom balcony, staring at the vast stars above. Thoughts danced in his head. Thoughts of his world and the life he had before he was the Time Lord. Before all the crazy adventures. Before realizing the world he knew was just one of countless multiple. And most prominent, thoughts of Derpy crept around in his mind. She had been the kindest pony he's met while in Equestria, and it pained him to think of leaving her for his old life. After everything they had done thus far. After all the places they've seen together across the parallel Equestrian multiverse. Even after she went out of her way to help him adjust to being a pony and living in her world. Why couldn't he even find it in him to tell her that he ‘was’ considering the idea of going home, even if it wasn't going to be permanent? Once he figured out how to travel back, the Doctor planned on making scheduled visits back to Ponyville just to see Derpy and Dinky. So why couldn't he find it in himself to tell her? He didn't know how she would take it. Derpy and Dinky already lost their parents when they left both of them for adoption. What would she think of him if he left? Would she even want to see him again?
The Doctor’s gaze slowly moved over his shoulder and glanced at the curled bump under the blanket that was Derpy. Watching her sleeping comfortably and innocently brought a lump into his throat. He cared about her much, and he had to tell her his plan. “Perhaps I’ll tell her after I know with certainty that I can get back and forth with the TARDIS. NO. That won't work out. What if I get back home and find out I can't get back? What then?” The question lingered in thoughts for some time before the Doctor found his eyes losing to sleep. Deciding he would make up his mind when he wasn't fighting sleep, he got up and went off to bed, feeling Derpy shift in her sleep. She scooted closer to him, as he could feel her hoof caress his side, reaching out and wrapping around him. There was something about Derpy that still confused the Doctor. Even when she was sleeping, she could always tell when he was close to her.
Sleep didn't come easy for him. His mind refused to relax. He kept trying to play out every scenario, every reaction, and every outcome to each of his plans. It seemed like a ‘practical’ thing to do, but it only made his mind wander onto more and more different ideas. What was he supposed to do? Was there even a simple solution to this?
The Doctor’s not so pleasant sleep was abruptly interrupted by the constant jumping of a small filly. “Wake. Up. Doc. Tor. It. Is. Getting. Very late.” Dinky said in between each jump. The Doctor sat up, rubbing his eyes, and bringing Dinky’s next jump off-center and crashing to the floor. The sleep was ripped from his mind when Dinky hit the floor, knocking the bedroom trash over. Both of them stared at each other. Dinky upside down on the floor, glancing at the Doctor through the bits of debris on her head. And the Doctor from on top of the bed, wondering how he caused this by just sitting up.
“Umm. Dinky. Are you okay? Are you hurt?” He trotted over to her, trying to seem sincere about all of this. Emotions were not his thing and were hard for him to convey. The Doctor was a more rational idea kind of stallion, not the emotional kind. Just so long as Derpy was not part of the equation.
“Yeah. I’ll be okay.” Dinky got to her hooves, quickly shaking the wobbly feeling, and trash, from her head. “Next time, give a filly a warning before you launch her across the room. Unless you want to be the pony who has to explain to Derpy that they sent her beloved sister to the hospital.” Dinky words were like needles to the Doctor’s skin. The spitfire in her voice always interested him and scared him. It seemed that all the family-friendly, fun-loving, and free-spirited personality all went to Derpy, not to say Dinky wasn't anything like that. And the strong-hearted, ‘don't mess with me’ personality went to Dinky, so long as no pony messed with what Derpy cared about.
“Of course. Sorry Dinky. Next time I’ll sit up slowly.” The Doctor said, rubbing his front hoof behind his head. There was a stretch of awkward silence between the two of them before Dinky finally broke it and spoke.
“So… What's for breakfast? And please don't say English muffins. That stuff is god awful. Can hardly call it a muffin.” An opinion she most definitely picked up from her sister.
The Doctor chuckled. “You know I ‘can’ cook more than English muffins.”
“You can cook?” Dinky cut in, destroying his attempt at appearing like a useful man-of-the-house. His chuckle fell, leaving him standing there in shock, which brought Dinky to laughter. “Geez. For somepony who claims to be the universes’ savior, you sure breakfast.” She made her way to the doorway, looking back at him. “Well, come on. Show me this ‘cooking skill’ of yours.”
After a few hours, and several eggshells on the kitchen floor, two plates of scrambled eggs rested on the table. Thankfully Derpy of ponies was smart enough to leave a small basket of muffins on the counter to help complete the meal. The Doctor had fought countless creatures and evil machines in his time, but when it came to cooking or even baking, he was clueless. His last attempt at baking almost burnt down the kitchen, and nearly brought down the Muffin Goddess’ wrath. “See… I can cook.” He said, surprised the mess was as small as it was.
Dinky just rolled her eyes and sat down at the table. “Yeah. The floor must have been starving. It got most of the eggs.” She stared down at the plate of eggs. “It must be hard. Being a pony and all. I know I'm still young to fully understand what all is going on between you and my sis, but I know the two of you haven't been talking as much as you used to.” The Doctor stopped cleaning up his mess and glanced at Dinky. “I'm not an idiot. And neither is my sister. We know what you’ve been working on in your workshop. We know you've been working out a way to get back to your world, and that you don't know how to tell us. Derpy has known for a while. She just doesn't know what to do.” Her words fell silent as she hesitantly grabbed her glass of orange juice. Dinky sighed before picking up her words. “I don't entirely care or understand your purpose in trying to go home. If it were up to me, and I had the chance to help, I'd be right beside you helping. But it won't be me your absence would affect.” There was another pause in Dinky’s words, leaving the Doctor wondering if he should interject. “What I'm trying to say is… Ever since Derpy and I were abandoned by our parents, my sister has had a hard time opening up to other ponies. With her awkward, bubbly personality and ditsy nature, most ponies either ignored her or straight up made fun of her. Which caused me to have to step in and defend her, or just be her shoulder to cry on. I, the younger sister, had to grow up fast to be able to handle Derpy’s pain. For the longest time, I was afraid somepony would break her, or take advantage of her. That she’d end up believing she didn't belong here. I no longer have that fear. You want to know why?” Dinky snapped back before the Doctor could respond. “Ever since you came into Derpy’s life, she’s been different. I have never seen her as lively as she has been during the last few months. I could not imagine what she would be like if she never met you.” She looked up, meeting eyes with the Doctor. “I don't know what you plan on doing if you find a way back home, but just know that you do have a place here in Ponyville. A place with Derpy and me. A place that, frankly, would be dull without you in it. Don't forget that.”
The Doctor had no idea how to respond to all of that. For a juvenile filly, Dinky sure knew her way with words and knew just what to say to destroy any form of counter-argument a pony had. It took him a moment to gather his words. “I won't forget that, Dinky. You have my word, I won't forget that. Now hurry up and eat your breakfast before it gets cold.” The Doctor planned on keeping his word. Dinky’s speech helped stir up an excellent idea for when he finally breached the gap. An idea that would make the three of them happy. If, and only if, life was on the same page.
Shortly after lunch, Dinky went off to play with a few friends, giving the Doctor ample time to continue with work. He left a note on the kitchen counter saying that he'd be in his workshop, in case either Derpy or Dinky got home before he did. With newfound determination and a fresh pep talk from a teenager, the Doctor trotted off to his workshop.
The sun was creeping under the roofs as Derpy supported herself against a tree. Her daily quote met and past. Her day had been relatively light, only taking a few hours to complete. She finished her run quick enough that she went as far as to help the other mail ponies with their deliveries. With her workload finished, Derpy simply relaxed under the tree, staring up at the sky through the rustling branches. With a sigh, she closed her eyes and let her mind be carried off with the wind as she listened contently to the bustle of other ponies as they performed their daily routines. The faint exchanges between two ponies, be it between two friends or a pony and merchant. And the unmistakable scent of fresh pastries emanating from Sugar Cube Corner. All of this brought ease to Derpy.
The thought of everything in Ponyville running the same as it always does was a good thing. With Equestria facing problems ranging from changeling invasions to some random unicorn getting their hooves on some super powerful amulet that lets her use alicorn magic. Not to mention the issues that go unnoticed. Cyberponies, Daleks, world-conquering transdimensional entities, you name it. The kind of stuff that she was all too familiar with, having accompanied the Doctor throughout the Equestrian multiverse for so long. Even if she typically ended up messing something up or almost being killing, converted, ‘deleted,’ or having some other weird and rather freaky stuff happen to her, those times with the Doctor were, in a bizarre way, exciting. The dangers of the multiverse didn't matter to Derpy, so long as she was beside the Doctor.
Derpy’s relaxing thoughts were interrupted as Dinky trotted over. “Her sis. You chilling under a tree, or did you fall out of it?” Her comment brought about a one-eyed glare of annoyance, and a subsequent laugh out of the two of them.
“Don't worry, Dinky. Your big sis has not fallen out of a tree. At least not this one.” Another laugh escaped their lips as Derpy laid down on her stomach and welcoming Dinky over to lay next to her.
“It's been a while since we just laid down under a tree together. It's actually been a while since we've done anything together. Just the two of us.” That thought quickly hammered itself into Derpy’s head. “Oh, dear. I am so sorry.”
“Don't worry about it, sis. You've had... Other things to tend to.” Dinky looked up at her sister with a coy smirk.
“Other things? Like what? Derpy said, glancing down at Dinky and trying to understand where she was getting at. Besides her daily mail runs and keeping up with a lot of the housework, there wasn't much else that took up her time. Unless she was referring to the time she spent with the Doctor and judging from the particular look she was getting from her sister, she was on the right track.
“Ever since you met the Doctor, you've been a whole lot happier. You're not as afraid to be yourself in public as you used to be.”
“Yeah. So what? I've just grown more confident. That's all.” Derpy did not like where Dinky was taking the conversation. She didn't need to think about the Doctor. Thinking about him would only make her think about what he was planning, and Dinky knew that fact.
“You have grown more confident, but you didn't do it on your own. Face it, Derpy. Your confidence grew the more time you spent with him, the Doctor. And the more your confidence grew, the more comfortable he got with this world, and to being a pony. I can't believe how the two of you could go on thinking you've grown on your own. Or the fact that none of you can find the courage to talk to each other about what's on your minds.” Those words brought a shocked expression onto Derpy’s face. “I am seriously not as dumb as both of you think. Especially when both of you make it obvious that you're concerned about each other. You know I'm right, Derpy.”
Derpy’s eyes broke from Dinky’s, lowering towards the ground. “I-i.... I.” She wanted to fight the truth. Deny everything her sister was saying. “I'm afraid he might be making a mistake. What if it works and he goes home and doesn't come back, or doesn't want to come back? Or worse. What if he finds out he can't go home? What would happen to him?” Without realizing it, tears were dripping from her eyes. Dinky raised her sister’s head with her hoof until they met her eyes again.
“That’s the point where he’ll need ‘you’ the most sis.” She removed her hoof and wiped the tear from Derpy’s face. “You know you are a whole lot more emotional now. There is no need to overthink everything. Doing that will only gray that mane of yours.” A small smile couldn't help but form on Derpy’s face.
“I'm not that emotional. I just worry about him. That's all.”
“Then worry about him. But there's no need to hide the fact you worry.” Derpy’s gaze turned towards the horizon.
“I guess… No. You're right, Dinky.” She chuckled. “Feels strange being given a pep talk by my younger sister. Aren't I the one supposed to be doing the pepping?”
“Just because you're older doesn't mean you don't need a good kick in the flank. And what pony better than your younger sister? And besides. Just gave a severe pep talk to the other half. What's one more?” Dinky slowly got to her hooves. “Come along, sis. It's getting late, and you still need to cook dinner.”
Taking one last glance at the horizon, Derpy rose to her hooves. Dinky had already started making her way towards the house. “Thanks, Dinky. I… Really needed that.” She stopped merely for a moment.
“Anytime. Big sis. Let's hurry. Something tells me our loveable fool has skipped lunch and is regretting it right about now. And we both know he's a wiz in the workshop, but he'd sooner burn down the whole house before he cooks anything serious.” That got Derpy moving. The Doctor did have a tendency to work so hard he forgets to eat, let alone knew better than to cook anything in her kitchen.
Dinky’s pep talk had really done a great thing for the Doctor’s head. If he knew all it took to clear his head was a teenage yelling at him, he would have asked sooner. The cloudiness of his thoughts had been scattered, helping put his head back towards the project at hoof.
It was going on three in the afternoon before the Doctor had finished the designs for his new idea. It was meant to be a gateway, in theory at least, linking this place to the inside of the TARDIS, wherever it may end up. He planned on putting another one in the TARDIS itself so he could jump in between, or have Derpy and Dinky visit. It was going to be a risking task, even for him. For the gateway to work correctly, he'd have to use similar spatial properties to that of the TARDIS. One miscalculation, or even disruption, could have very dire consequences. Not only for himself but for Ponyville. And that was only if the meltdown was small. The thought of fatal error didn't bother the Doctor. Yes, what he was doing had the chance of causing several spatial, temporal, and even chronological events. Still, he had done far more complicated tasks. This was just going to be near the top of the list when all was said and done.
“This is going to work. This will work. After this, I can find my way home. To my world. Without any regrets…”
The two mares returned home, Dinky quickly snatching a sweet spot on the couch as Derpy trotted into the kitchen. Her eyes immediately fell to the Doctor’s note. “Guess I’ll be delivering his dinner to him tonight. Again.” The words slipped from her mouth as quickly as any other. It had become a daily thing for her at this point to bring him dinner.
After a few minutes in the kitchen, Derpy set out two plates of hay burgers for her and Dinky and a small salad for the Doctor. Even after being in Equestria as a pony for so long, he still didn't quite find the taste for the usual Equestrian food, so a salad was the best he was getting. And Derpy did not care what the Doctor said. English muffins were not all-day food. “Dinky. Dinner time. Come and eat your food while I go drop off the Doctor’s salad.” She heard an audible response followed by the pitter-patter of hooves. With the plate in one hoof, Derpy trotted outside before taking off.
The cold air of the night blew through her feathers, sending the occasional shiver through Derpy’s body. It wasn't long before she was descending towards the small shed-like building that had become the Doctor’s workshop. The windows and cracks flashed with lights. Whatever he was working on, it was using a lot of power, and she wondered just where the power was being taken from, and if it might cause a blackout across Ponyville. Derpy approached the door, knocking loudly so she could be heard. “Doctor. It's Derpy. I've got your dinner. Do you want me to come in, or…”
“No. No. I’ll come to pick it up. Be there in a jiffy.” The Doctor sounded, almost shouting, cutting Derpy off. She could hear the clops of his hooves underneath the roaring of machinery as he approached the door. That nagging feeling came up again. A sense of loneliness spanned out around her, clearing up as the door to the workshop opened.
The Doctor popped his head out of the door. His face and right hoof were covered in oil, dust, and other substances. He glanced up from the ground as if he had been staring down, ensuring he didn't fall over, meeting Derpy’s eyes. “Evening Derpy. Sorry to still be working at this time. Really think I am onto something. Anywho. Things are, rather cluttered in here. That's why I couldn't have you come in here.” During his rambling, his eyes fell to the plated salad, still resting in Derpy’s hoof. “Oh, yes. Salad. Dinner. Thank you so much for bringing it, Derpy.” The Doctor stepped out just far enough to grab the plate from her and slipped back into the doorway. “Might be late getting home. Don't wait up for me. Okay?” Derpy made an inaudible acknowledgment as she watched the Doctor slink back into his workshop.
“He’s absorbed in his work again.” Derpy turned on her hoof, taking into the air.
“He really is dedicated to finding a way home.” A layer of sadness built up overtop her shoulders.
She shook her head, letting a faint smile form on her face. “But even still… Even if he leaves… Even if I never get to see him again… My feelings for him will endure.”
Dinky was lying across the living room couch, her half-eaten hay burger resting on the side table behind her head. “Dinky… I’m back.”
“In the living room, sis.” She responded, not taking her eyes off the TV. Faint hoofsteps drew into the living room as Derpy stepped in. She trotted over, flinging her hooves over the back of the couch.
“Anything good on tonight?” Her tone held a great deal of happiness in it. Dinky glanced up at her big sis, chuckling at her.
“Somepony seems overly happy tonight. Did the Doctor give you a kiss before you left?”
“No… I'm just… Happy tonight.” Derpy knew her sister was trying to tease at her expression but really couldn't find it in herself to care right now.
“Whatever you say, big sis.” Dinky’s attention fell back to the TV. “And not really. There are a few Late Night Talk Shows, all of which discussing problems that aren't even relevant. Other than that, there’s nothing good to really watch. I got tired of changing the channel and ended up watching some lame comedy. You’re welcome to sit down and watch it with me. I think it's almost over, though.” Dinky sat up on the couch, making room so her sister could join her.
“I'm good, Dinky. I think I’ll just head off to bed. Try not to stay up all night, sis.” Hearing her sister’s comment, Dinky gave a sarcastic, yet rebellious, sigh, laying herself back across the couch. Kissing her little sis of the cheek, Derpy ascended the stairs with her wings, falling flat on her bed.
The early morning light of the sun illuminated Equestria as the Doctor weakly trotted into the house. The TV was still on, a sleeping Dinky sprawled out on the couch. He smiled kindly at her, pulling the couch blanket over her. After shutting the television off, he climbed the stairs, partly hoping Derpy was fast asleep like Dinky, slightly wishing she was waiting for him. He needed to talk to her. Explain to her precisely what he has planned. But nowhere in the vast Equestrian multiverse could he find the right words.
The Doctor entered the bedroom, finding his ditsy pegasus lying on her bed with her blanket only partly covering her. He chuckled faintly to himself and quietly trotted over to the bedside. “Did she really just lay down on her bed and pass out then and there?” He climbed up onto the bed, nestling close to Derpy, who, in turn, wrapped her hooves around him. The Doctor kissed her hoof, closing his eyes to sleep.
The following several weeks had become routine to that night. The Doctor would leave for his workshop shortly after lunch, not returning to the house until the following dawn. And Derpy coming home from mail delivery and bringing the Doctor his dinner. He did end up finding a little time to explain his work to Derpy, trying to keep it as simple as he could. And though Derpy smiled and nodded at his plan, it was apparent on her face that she bore the same worry that he did. What if it doesn't work? And it wouldn't be another two months before that question would have an answer.
The Doctor had made splendid work building the gateway. With a few final adjustments, it would be ready for it's first, and very hopefully not last, startup. He trotted over to the switch, flipping it with much enthusiasm, jumping back as his creation stirred awake. Glancing at the monitor, the Doctor analyzed the current startup. “Power capacity holding. Internal temperatures stable. Spatial link initiating in T minus twenty seconds.” The Doctor’s enthusiasm increasingly grew as the countdown lessened. He bit his lip as the last five seconds went by, staring intently at the gateway. The empty space of the portal sparked, much to the Doctor’s concern. Before he knew it, it lit up as the path between his workshop and the inside of the TARDIS formed. The gateway was working, or at least started up. Now came the dangerous part. The Doctor approached the gate, an understandable sense of nervousness washing over him. He gulped, closed his eyes tightly, and stepped a hoof through. Various alerts on the monitor brought his advance to a halt as his head snapped toward the screen.
The Doctor pulled his hoof out of the portal, galloping towards the exit. He took two steps before it was too late.
As per usual, Derpy flew from her house to the Doctor’s workshop to drop off his dinner. The power at home had already begun fluctuating, telling her that he had begun testing his project. He had thankfully informed Mayor Mare of the potential power issues to come, both during the tests, and if the tests went south.
The flight over to the Doctor’s workshop wasn't usually long, but tonight the trip stretched. A feeling nagged at the back of her head. It was the same feeling she got when she was traveling with the Doctor, shortly before something jumped out at them or went wrong. The air that night felt calm, and she didn't hear anypony screaming or running about, so she simply pushed the feeling to the side, chalking it up to her worried nerves. She landed in front of the workshop. She was on the verge of knocking on the door when she heard the alerts and alarms inside. Her hoof hit once, and the world around her came crashing down. The front side of the workshop exploded, sending Derpy barreling into the air. Her body slammed into the bottom of a tree, and she was left lying there. Her last few moments of consciousness were spent glancing back at the workshop, thankfully seeing the Doctor’s body a few feet away, twitching slightly. The rest was consumed by darkness.
Consciousness came and went for Derpy, bringing images of rapid moving lights and other ponies talking. She couldn't make out much of it but did pick up on details concerning the prior events. Some sort of explosion. That thankfully, there were only two ponies injured, her being the ‘luckier one.’ And that there were still several parts of Ponyville without power. Her mind didn't have much time to comprehend everything she was hearing as darkness once again consumed her thoughts.
Derpy fully regained consciousness several hours later. She was lying in a hospital body, covering in a gown. Her wings ached in pain, much like the rest of her body. Derpy could feel her wings were bandaged as well as her forehooves and stomach. The lights in the room had been dimmed so as not to bother her. Her eyes fell to the end of the bed to find Dinky resting her head by Derpy’s rear hooves. She raised her head and stared at her sister with concern in her eyes. “Oh. You're awake. Thank Celestia, you're awake.” In one quick motion, DInky was hugging her sister, tears now soaking the gown. “The doctors said you'd be okay, but I was still so worried.” Derpy was still trying to regain the rest of herself and simply patted Dinky on the head, trying to comfort her.
“There. There. Dink. I'm okay. I'm alright.” She just kept repeating those words, more to convince herself than her sister. Her head was still a bit fuzzy as she tried to remember what all happened. The last thing she remembered was heading to the Doctor’s workshop to drop off his dinner. Then there was an explosion. An explosion. Derpy’s eyes widened. She held Dinky out in front of her. “The Doctor! Dinky! Where’s the Doctor? Is he okay? Please tell me he's okay, Dinky.”
“I… I don't know. I heard from the doctors that he got hit worse than you did. I think he got sent to the Emergency Room.” The news did not help calm Derpy. Hre forehoof reached for the Call Doctor button and was soon mashing it. Frantic hooves raced down the hallway towards the room as a mare in a white nurse’s outfit rushed into the room.
“What's the problem? How can I help?” The two of them met eyes, and questions just flew out from Derpy.
“The Doctor…? Earth pony… Tan coat… Brown mane. How is he?! He would have come in at the same time I did.” Derpy’s expression was riddled with concern and frantic to get answers.
“Let me go check. Just lay back and relax, dear. And please stop pressing the Call button.” The nurse walked away as Dinky slid her sister’s hoof off the button.
“Relax sis. Just have faith that he's okay.” Derpy simply nodded, taking long breaths.
A few minutes past before the nurse returned to the room. “It appears the doctors are still working on him. He seems to have sustained massive bruising and most of his left side is badly burnt from the explosion. He received a few cracked ribs, as well. The good news is, his injuries aren't too severe. He will be okay in a few weeks. There's no need to worry, Miss Doo. He's in good hooves.” Her words relieved Derpy. He was going to be okay. They were both going to be okay.
“Thank you, nurse. If it's not too much hassle. Could… Could you tell me when he's conscious..?”
“Will do, Miss Doo. Rest up for now.” Derpy nodded and leaned back in her bed as the nurse closed the door. He was okay. The Doctor was okay. That was all she could think about as the days went by.
It would be another three days before Derpy got the news that the Doctor was awake and that she ‘should’ go see him immediately. With Dinky’s help, she was got wheeled over to his room. The doctor in charge of his care had just left the room as they arrived. He reopened the door and leaned his head back into the room. “You have some visitors, sir.” His doctor pulled his head out and stared at Derpy and Dinky. “He's still a bit shell-shocked from the accident, so go easy on him. His body is still in a lot of pain, even with all of the medication he's on. And another thing… His mental state might be a bit… Different.” With that said, he left the door partially open for them and walked away. The two of them glanced up at each other confused. Dinky pushed into the room slowly, leaving the door open slightly. The Doctor seriously looked worse for wear. Bandages extended up all of his hooves as well as the left side of his face. Even the entirety of his stomach and chest was bandaged. An IV stand rested next to the bed, supplying the Doctor with what pain relief the hospital could give him, even though not much was helping.
“Well, if I knew I was going to have guests, I would have tried to present myself better.” The Doctor pulled off a small chuckle before wincing in pain. Dinky left Derpy next to the Doctor’s bed, fetching herself a chair to join them.
“Well, at least you're okay. That's all that matters.” Derpy leaned in to touch his hoof, wincing in pain herself.
"Yeah. At least I'm okay. But I do have to ask… Who are you two..?" The puzzled look of the Doctor was only beaten by the look of realization on both Derpy and Dinky. “And on top of that, where am I? And why can't I feel my… fingers..?” He looked down at his rear hooves and just stared. “This… This isn't my body. This is not the body I remember having.” It was at that point that his one seeing eye comprehended what it was seeing. There was a somewhat injured, grayish-blue pony sitting in a wheelchair next to him, while a grayish violet one stood next to her. “First off, again, who are you? And secondly, did you just talk?!” The two mares exchanged worried looks. He not only lost his memory of them but of all the time he spent in Ponyville. He was acting just like he did when he first got here.
It was Derpy who spoke next, to the surprise of Dinky. The pain she was feeling was overwhelming. “I'm… I'm Derpy… Derpy Doo… I'm a pegasus. Your TARDIS brought you to a world called Equestria, a world where the general populace is intelligent equine. That's why you look the way you do.” The Doctor was shocked that some other ‘creature’ knew about the TARDIS and that he used it to travel to various universes. “You were in an accident… That's why you are in the hospital.” She motioned her head towards Dinky. “That's my younger sister, Dinky Doo. She's a unicorn.” Derpy fell quiet, hold back the stream of tears. “You might not remember this, but you've been spending time with both of us for a while now. In fact, you've been living with us. I don't know know if you still care, but we are, and will always be... there for you. Now. If you'd excuse us. We’ll let you rest up.” Her sister almost argued against her but could see the tears welling up inside. She helped Derpy out the door, closing it with her magic.
The tears broke through the moment they were out of earshot of the Doctor. The doctor in charge of him approached. “Is everything okay, miss? Was he able to remember anything?” Derpy sniffled, unable to bring her eyes off the floor. “I see. I cannot imagine how you're feeling right now. To have somepony close to you completely forget all about you.”
It was now Dinky’s turn to step up and speak. “Doc? Tell me. Just how bad is his amnesia? Is there any chance that he’ll remember anything?”
“It's hard to say. The accident shook up his brain. Though no permanent damage has been done, it's difficult to say if his old memories will return. All I can suggest is that the two of you stay close to him. With any luck, your presence will help pull the memories to the surface.” He knew it wasn't exactly the news either of them wanted to hear, but his word softened Derpy’s sobbing at the very least.
Dinky got Derpy back to her room and into her bed again, standing next to her. So what now? What do we do now, sis?” Derpy turned her head towards her younger sister.
“Nothing has changed. He is still the stallion I love, and I'd rather give up muffins than leave him as he is. I am going to help him. Again. Just like old times.”
Derpy trotted into the bedroom. “What is it, Doctor? Is there something I can get you?”
The Doctor nodded, pushing his body upright, but to no avail. “First off, could you help me up. I'd like to sit up in this bed, but these… hooves are difficult.” Derpy just sighed, going over to help him to sit up. “Thanks, Ditzy. Do… Do you think I could get something to eat? I'd go get it myself, but…” She put up her hoof, silencing him.
“It's alright. You still haven't learned to adjust to your pony body. I understand. Just give me a moment.” Derpy gave the Doctor a weak smile, receding out of the room.
It had only been a week since the hospital let the Doctor out, and he was brought to Derpy’s house. Wanting to give him space to adjust himself, she put him in ‘their’ room, opting to just sleep out on the couch. It wasn't easy for Derpy to treat the stallion she loved as a stranger, let alone be treated like one herself. On multiple occasions, he's called for her using her name. The name she once tried to get him to call her. Now she’d give anything to hear him call her Derpy. She knew all of this wasn't going to be easy, but nothing could have prepared her this. Crying herself to sleep every night, hoping that she’ll wake up from this nightmare. Or even to find the Doctor back to his old self. Even if it meant he’d go back to find a way to his world.
A gentle breeze swept in through the open window. The Doctor laid in bed, letting Derpy help feed him. “So remind me. There was an explosion at the workshop I was using at the time?” The question had been brought up a few times since he first woke up. Some parts of the Doctor couldn't grasp the prior events fully.
Derpy nodded, putting a half-eaten English muffin down on the plate. “One of your experiments went critical, and you were too close to get out of the blast. I had just dropped off your dinner when everything went down. That’s why I was caught in it… And didn't sustain much injury.” She sat back, watching the news sink in again. She knew what the next question was going to be.
“The experiment… I was working on something. Something…” The Doctor tried to wrap his mind on what he was trying to accomplish before. “What was I working on again, Ditzy?”
She didn't want to tell him the truth. That he might have been close to finding a way home. She was afraid of what he'd do if he found out in his current state. With no connection linking the Doctor to her, he was likely to just up and leave. And to make matters worse, Derpy felt cruel lying to him. “I… I don't quite recall what you were working on… I think you kept it a secret. All I know is that it was supposed to be something grand… Or at least that's what you told me.” Her words, though partly lies, eased the Doctor’s expression.
“That does sound like me. Keeping my work fairly secret. I doubt any ponies here would believe that I'm actually some time traveling entity whose sole job is to protect the various multiverse from creatures and things bent on destruction, domination, deletion…” He caught himself trailing off and chuckled. “Sorry… But anyway. I do need to find a way to get back to my universe. The longer I remain here, the longer my old enemies have to cause problems.”
"Yeah... I bet there's a lot of people that miss you..." Derpy's sudden shift in tone caught the Doctor's attention. Before he could question her on it, she slid off the bed. “If you need anything else, just… Give me a holler.” Before he could stop her, she left the room, trotting quickly downstairs. In her rush to get away from the Doctor, Derpy stopped halfway down the stairs, seeing Dinky standing at the bottom step. She looked up at her older sister and beckoned her into the dining room.
Dinky helped Derpy into a chair, shouldering her head. “How’s he been doing? Has he remembered anything yet?” The heavy sobbing from her sister answered that question. “It's alright, sis. I'm sure he’ll remember us again soon. You just need to keep at it.”
“Why does this have to be so hard? It feels like my heart is being ripped out every time he looks at me now. Every time, I hope he'd finally remember us...” Derpy’s sobbing consumed her words. Dinky brought her sister’s head closer, brushing her mane gently.
“You need to stop beating yourself up over this. None of this is your fault, sis. None of this is the Doctor’s fault. You are doing everything you can to help him. It isn't easy. The doctor told us that the day the hospital let him go home. You’ve got to stay strong, Derpy. If not for yourself, then for the Doctor.” Derpy pulled her head away, wiping the tears from her eyes. She had been told how difficult it was going to be trying to help the Doctor remember everything. She knew it wasn't going to be easy. But even still. “Maybe you should take him on a tour of Ponyville. It gives you some time to spend with the Doctor. And it’ll give you an opportunity to teach him more about pony culture.” It did sound like a good idea. The two of them had been cooped up into the house since the Doctor got home, and it was about time they got out for a bit.
“... And over there is Sugar Cube Corner. It's one of the best places to get something sweet in Ponyville. Cakes, muffins, pies, you name it. You can also host parties there. Thanks to a certain pink mare that works there, there's practically a party going on there every day.” Derpy glanced over at the Doctor, seeming a little more relaxed than she was earlier.
“I see. I am highly curious about how you ponies can consume such sugary foods. Then again, ponies can eat sugar cubes and most crisp fruits and grain, so an apple pie isn't too out of the question, I guess. Still, don't know about muffins.” The Doctor, to the best of his ability, was taking notes, sloppy as it looked, having to use his mouth to hold the pen. A small hint of frustration wore on his face.
“Doctor, relax. It's alright. No need to rush yourself. Understanding our bodies takes time… Took time… Even when you first did it…” She stepped over to his side, taking the pen from his mouth. “You don't have to be afraid to ask for help. That's the best part about Ponyville. Everypony here are willing to help you. They don't care how out of place you seem. Hell, they accepted me of all ponies. What I'm trying to say is, so long as you're here, let Ponyville feel like home to you.” Derpy looked over his notes, trying her best to translate his chicken scratch. Even if he hadn't yet picked up on how to use his pony body well, he at least was able to pick up on Equestrian's written language, not that Derpy was too surprised by that.
A pair of mares trotted on by, catching a glimpse of the Doctor. Their eyes fell off of him sharply as they hurried along, their actions going noticed by the Doctor. He waited until they were out of earshot before turning to Derpy. “Do you know what's going on with some of the ponies here? They seem to be, avoiding me.” Avoiding was an understatement. During the entirety of the tour of Ponyville so far, Derpy was literally the only pony who came within ten feet of him. And even then, most of them broke eye contact the moment they saw him. “Does this have anything to do with my failed experiment?” Derpy sighed, answering the question with just that.
“Your experiment itself took a lot of power from Ponyville. When it went critical and exploded, all of Ponyville was left without proper power. Even a small portion of Canterlot was drained of power. Something like that doesn't exactly happen unless some sort of evil king, queen, or whatnot was trying to take over Equestria for the umpteen time. Don't worry too much about it. It's only a matter of time before ponies leave it in the past.” Derpy sounded sure of herself when she spoke, even if beneath that, she knew it might not be the case. She had been confronted at the Canterlot Hospital during the time they were keeping the Doctor there. She heard all of their complaints about him. That his experiments have brought nothing but harm to ponies.
Derpy would have explained to them the importance of his experiments. Still, telling them he was trying to get back to his own world would have painted one hell of a mad pony on the Doctor. That and it was best not to give the angry ponies a way to get rid of him. “So come on, there's still much Ponyville we still have to see.” Derpy turned to make sure the Doctor was still in one piece, only to find him staring off into the distance. She followed his gaze as a knot tied in her gut. The direction in which he was looking lead straight towards his old, and now destroyed, workshop. There was still evidence of an explosion painted across the area.
“That was my workshop… Wasn't it Derpy..?”
“Yeah… It was all destroyed in the explosion. It's going to take some time before the scorch marks fade. Come now, I still have a few things to show you.” It took a bit to break his focus on his old workshop, but eventually, he started following Derpy again.
The rest of the afternoon was spent with Derpy covering every part of Ponyville’s somewhat random history of events. Though the Doctor didn't quite understand much of why certain circumstances lead to particular outcomes, it at least kept his attention off of the ponies staring wearily at him. That wasn’t, however, the only thing that was eyeing at the Doctor. Something had been watching him ever since he came into town today. It kept close to the shadows, succeeding in maintaining its hidden presence. It was growing dark by the time Derpy lead the Doctor back to the house. “We’re home, Doc. I hope you enjoyed the tour of Ponyville, or at least the chance to get some fresh air.”
“Yeah. Even if I still can't perform properly in this body, it does help to stretch a bit. You ponies are still fascinating creatures. Even without any proper appendages, you all have made such an extravagant culture. And even with the vast differences between your three races, you ponies still live in harmony. It's remarkable.” The usual ramblings of the Doctor were abruptly interrupted by a healthy growl of his stomach. “And it seems I am hungry.” He smiled rather childishly, still being in his overly fascinated mindset. “I’ll go take a seat in the living room and wait for dinner to be made.” Derpy nodded at him, letting him into the house.
The night sky blanketed over Equestria, giving view to the vast stars above. The Doctor got help into his bed from Derpy, who gave him a simple kiss on the forehead. “Sleep, tight Doctor. If you need anything…”
“Dinky is in the room over. And you’ll be downstairs on the couch. I know.” The Doctor cut her off, smiling at her as he recited what she told him every night. “I’ll be okay. It doesn't take too much effort to get to sleep most nights. Thanks… Ditz… I mean, Derpy…” She couldn't help but tear up slightly at his words. Even if it didn't mean anything for his condition, he at least called her by her name.
“You're welcome, Doctor.” Derpy kissed his forehead again, trotting off downstairs. A few hours passed, the night air drifting in through the open balcony door. The Doctor laid in his bed, just staring up at the ceiling. His eyes darted over to the spacious balcony.
“You planning on watching me all night?” He slowly sat up in his bed as his stalker came into view on the balcony. Its body seemed to insert itself at the edge of the railing. What sat there, staring back at the Doctor, was nothing that should exist in Equestria. The rough grey shape hunched towards the open door had to be no larger than a human toddler. Two eyes fixated on the Doctor. Their color seemed to change each time he met them. To add to the weirdness of this creature, a small bowler hat rested on the side of its little head. It chuckled at him, showing a set of short but sharp teeth. It spoke, its voice being screechy, yet somehow maintaining a rather posh tone of voice.
“Can't pull the wool over your eyes, can I, Doctor. It's a pleasure to meet you.” The creature tipped its hat towards him in greeting. “Mind if I come in?” The Doctor, not knowing what this thing was, was not willing to take any unnecessary risks.
“You are permitted to come no closer than the door frame. No closer than that. I wish to get a good look at you.” The creature shrugged, hopping down from the balcony railing and coming closer. The rough grey color that the Doctor thought was its skin was actually a grey suit. Well-tailored, too, to the Doctor’s surprise. Now his curiosity was getting the better of him. “What are you? You're obviously not from this world, let alone from this stretch of the multiverse from the looks of you. And you also seem to know who I am, not that that is too surprising.”
“What am I? Now that is a question I have not heard in some time. And not an easy one to answer either. I’m what I guess you'd classify as a multiverse traveler, much like yourself. Only that I don't need some blue box to travel.” It held out a small hand towards the doorway. “The name’s Zukbe. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, dear doctor.” Zukbe snapped his arm back to his side.
“Well, Zukbe… Forgive my rudeness, but why are you here? Most multiversal beings tend to not have good intentions when popping up out of nowhere.” What purpose would he have to be here of all places?
“I am here because I simply am.” Zukbe raised his hand sharply and hushed the Doctor’s immediate comment. “I did not plan on coming here. But as fate would have it, I have you to blame for me being here.” Zukbe smirked, seeing the blank stare of confusion on the Doctor’s face.
“Wait. What? When did I bring you here? And why? I think I would remember doing something like…” It was at that point, the thought came to him. Zukbe chuckled again.
“Coming back to you now, is it? That ‘experiment’ you were working on that, went critical, was something to try and get you home. And, if things hadn't gone south, you would have succeeded. A two-way gateway back to your world. The gate you built at least managed on the one hand, or hoof in your case. It caused me to get lost in travels and get dropped off here.”
That news perked the Doctor up.
“You're telling me I almost found my way home?! That… That’s brilliant! I might actually be able to go home! This is wonderful news, Zukbe!” Zukbe's grin slowly faded, bringing with it the mood in the air.
“Sadly, that wonderful news comes with some not so wonderful news. You see. That mare friend who’s been taking care of you. She knew what you were working on. She knew how much you wanted to go home. So, that begs the question. Why hasn't she told you the truth?” He took a step back, letting his words seep into the Doctor’s head. Why didn't Derpy tell him? What could she gain from lying to him? “I don't know what she means to you, but if you think about it, she can't be any good if she's willing to lie to you like this.”
“I'm sure she has a reason... For this. I'm sure of it.” For some reason, he wanted to believe what he was told was a lie. That Derpy of all mares wouldn't be lying to him for her own gain.
“Believe what you want, Doctor, but I'm not lying to ya. You'll see for yourself soon enough.” Zukbe pulled his bowler hat off, pulling out a small info card. “If you need me, give me a call.” He flicked the card over to the Doctor, landing in perfectly on his nightstand. By the time the card found its way onto the nightstand, Zukbe was gone, vanishing as suddenly as he appeared.
“Weird chap. Got to say, I liked his hat.” He laid himself in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. What Zukbe said still bothered him. “Was I really that close to getting home? And if so, why would Miss Doo lie to me about it if she knew? What would she have to gain from this? If anything, it feels like my being here is causing her pain. Wouldn’t it be more beneficial to let me leave?” Those thoughts were all the Doctor could think about into morning, getting very little sleep in the process.
“Doctor…? Doctor, wake up…” The underslept stallion wearily woke up, seeing Derpy next to the bed. “Good morning, sleepyhead. Breakfast is on the table when you feel up to getting up. Or, if you want, I can just bring it up to you. So you don’t have to get up.” He stared blankly at her, the weight of sleep still hanging from his eyes.
“No, no… I’ll get up… Just give me… A bit…” The Doctor yawned, trying in vain to force the desire for sleep from him.
“You sure? You don’t really look like you got much sleep last night.” Usually, that statement would make sense, with him coming in late from his workshop every night, but his workshop had been blown up, so what reason would he have to not get sleep? “You really should get some more sleep. You look like you could pass out in an instant.” She went over to tuck him in again, only for the Doctor to push himself up.
“I said I would get up. I’ll be okay.” For once, his tone held hostility. And the weird thing was, he didn’t know where it came from. His anger just spiraled up and came out.
“Oh… Okay, then…” Derpy removed her hooves from the covers. With only a slight issue, the Doctor slipped out of bed and slowly made his way downstairs. Much of his exhaustion had been suppressed by the random outburst of anger. He pulled himself up onto the chair, quickly getting to work on eating his breakfast. To much of Derpy and Dinky’s surprise, the Doctor had grown used to his pony body suddenly. He had made his way downstairs by himself and was eating his breakfast with his hooves. And he didn’t even notice he was doing it.
The two mares just stared at each other. Their amazement towards the current events was matched by their excitement for the Doctor’s sudden advancement. Derpy quietly took a seat next to him, getting started with her own breakfast. “Hey, Doctor...” He glanced up from his food to look at her. “How’s your breakfast?”
“Breakfast is good, Miss Ditz… I mean, Derpy… Sorry.” The Doctor facehooved himself, angry that he kept calling her Ditzy.
“So. How’s your hoof doing? It seems to be working better than normal.” He stared at her for a while before his eyes slowly traced back to his food. How did he not see what he was doing? Without him even realizing it, the Doctor had gone through more than half a bowl of oats with a spoon held in his hoof.
“I'm doing it! I'm holding something in my hoof!”
And just like that, things were starting to look up. At least from where it was before. Nothing else had changed. Most of the Doctor's memories were still fuzzy at best. And worse yet, there were still a few unwanted surprises to come.
The days that followed revolved around Derpy taking the Doctor around Ponyville in hopes of getting him ever more comfortable with his equine body. It felt good to see the Doctor out and about, being social with ponies, or at least the ones who didn't still look at him with distaste and fear. As much of a cheerful face the Doctor wore, their looks were digging into the back of his mind. That, and what Zukbe told him. Could Ditzy really be trying to keep him for herself?
A day or two went by, leaving the Doctor to dwell on those thoughts. And that night, the familiar bowl hat and suit welcomed him on his porch. "May I come in, Doctor?" Even with his thoughts being barraged by worry, his defenses were still up.
"You know what I said. No closer than the door frame." Zukbe nodded, hopping off the railing and coming over to the sliding door.
"Did you enjoy the little gift I gave ya?" The puzzled expression of the Doctor's shifted to Zukbe. What gift did he mean? Was it his doing that gave him control of his equine body? Zukbe sighed, seeing his pony friend confused with what he said. "I altered your mind a little bit, letting it adjust and cope with the weight and hidden qualities of an earth pony. Which, as you found out, helped you to use those hooves to hold things. I could have done more, but I'd need your permission, as well as access into your room." His tone was still prim and professional, despite the slightly sinister expression of his.
"What do you mean more?" Ignoring the fact that this creature somehow altered his mind at a distance. "What else could you do?" Zukbe's smile widened into a smirk.
"I could if again allowed, potentially return what memories you lost in the accident." That was all he needed to say to get the Doctor to come closer. "That's right. I could return your lost memories to you. You could figure out why it was your experiment blew up. And I could even tell you why your dear friend doesn't want you to leave. All I would need is to be allowed to enter past the doorway. After that, everything I promised will be yours. What do you say?" Zukbe held out his clawed hand, keeping it from crossing the threshold between him and the inside of the house. The offer was tempting. To know the truth of that night. The Doctor wanted to shake Zubke's hand. However, a small part of him told him to reconsider. When were things ever this simple?
"Your offer is tempting Zukbe. However, I would need a bit of time to consider everything. You understand, right?"
"Completely. Take your time. If at any time you need me, you have my card." He took a step back, giving the Doctor a bow, vanishing suddenly into smoke.
Zukbe popped into his little crevice of reality, making his way over to a wall decorated with various photos and plans. "The Doctor's going to be a difficult nut to crack. Despite all I have done to make his time in that world miserable, making ponies afraid of him, he still holds true to his ideals and refuses to accept help." He pondered his next course of action for a moment. "There is always that mare who's looking after him. Hmmm... I could always try and strike a deal with her. She definitely seems like she would be easy to convince. And, as soon as everything starts rolling into place, I'll finally get what I want. The end of the Doctor and his eternal lineage."
During the following weeks, Derpy and the Doctor spent their time together, making use of his newfound equine capabilities. Both of them seemed to be enjoying themselves, despite the doubts lingering in the back of their minds.
Why would she lie to me? What could she gain from lying to me?
Is lying to him really the best thing I could do? Could telling him the truth really cause him more problems? And is that really all it would take for him to be happy?
The two of them took a break under the shade of a tree. The Doctor smiled over at Derpy, not even the slightest bit tired. "This town of yours really has a lot to see, despite its size. Where should we go see next? Or should we go up to... Oh, what did you say it was called again? Oh yes. Canterlot. You said that your equine leaders live there right." Derpy glanced over at him, a hint of her rampant thoughts coming out. "Everything okay, Derpy? You seem less bubbly than you normally do. And you never look less bubbly."
Derpy's thoughts were sent away, bringing her back to her usual self. "Yeah. I'm good, Doc. Yes. The two princesses live in the castle in Canterlot. There's a lot to see there. Between the boutique and the fancy food, Canterlot really shows its rich and cultured side. We go up and look around sometime soon." She chuckles. "Heck. You might actually get along with some of the ponies there. With how properly you carry yourself sometimes."
"Well, of course, I carry myself properly. I'm the Doctor."
"Yeah..." Derpy's expression faltered once more, not going unnoticed by the Doctor.
"Okay. Seriously. You have looked troubled since we left today. What's going on?" She bit her lip, not wanting to tell him. She was afraid what she was told might be right. But even still, it was hurting her inside to keep this going.
She took a deep breath. "I need to be honest with you..." Their words came crawling back into her head. "The truth is, Doctor..."
If he found out the truth, he'll find out what happened.
"...The truth is..."
Do you really want him to find out the reason he can't go home?
Derpy sighed. "The truth is, I've just been feeling a little under the weather. Nothing you need to worry about. Nothing that a good muffin can't fix, right?" She smiled at him like she always did, bringing the Doctor's worry to a halt.
"Well, if you're sick, you should go rest. And eat a muffin, I suppose. Somehow I doubt it'd help, but it is you we are talking 'bout here. I could not imagine what those muffins would be capable of." He got to his hooves and stepped away. "Come along now. The Doctor will look after you until you are feeling better, miss." Just the way he worded that made Derpy giggle. Even without his full memories, he was still the same charming, caring Doctor.
"Fine. I'll go rest." Derpy got up and followed after him. As soon as they got home, she rolled herself up in her blanket and sprawled out across the couch.
Later that night, after the Doctor had passed out on the lounge chair in the living room and Dinky had gone off to bed, a particular bowler-hatted figure tapped on the living room window. Derpy crawled off the couch and over to the window, cracking it open slightly. "Good evening, young miss. Just checking in on you. I take you haven't told him the truth yet? She shook her head. "I know it's hard, but remember. It's better for him not to know what happened. Imagine how he'd feel knowing can't go back to a home that doesn't exist anymore. Let alone what would happen if he went back there. In that empty, vast space, he wouldn't last long, even with his blue box."
"I know. But I feel like I'm still going to lose him. All of Ponyville still hates him because of the damage his experiment caused. The very same experiment I can't even tell him the truth about. It's frustrating." Zukbe put his claw on Derpy's shoulder.
"I know. Just remember. If things ever get too stressful, you can always call on me to fix things up. Though my powers are limited here, the least I can do is ease your mind of your problems. All you got to do is say the word, miss."
"I'm good... Thanks though. You really are quite the gentlecolt, despite not being a pony and all."
Zukbe blushed at her compliment. "That means a lot coming from such a mare as yourself miss. Get some rest. I'll be in touch again soon." With that, he hopped off the window frame and poofed. With one last look at the sleeping Doctor, Derpy got back onto the couch and fell asleep. Perhaps tomorrow will yield something better.
Over the next few days, the two of them spent time together but seemed to drift apart little by little. Each smiled shared between both of them only helped to hide the look of concern that swelled inside them. Zukbe's plans were starting to fall into place. Now it was only a matter of laying the final bits of scheming.
A fresh new morning sprung up, taking Derpy into her mail work, and Dinky had gone out to enjoy the day with her friends, leaving the Doctor home alone. The front door opened late that afternoon. "Who's home?" The Doctor turned around on the couch to see Derpy putting her mailbag down and walking over.
"It's just me, Doc. Got a little time to talk before my break is over?" Her tone of voice was immediately alarming.
"Sure. Take a seat, Derpy." She flew over, settling herself onto the couch and placing her forehooves atop of knees. "What's on your mind?"
Derpy took a breath. "It's about the accident..." At that, the Doctor's attention was set. "I haven't been honest with you about everything that happened that night." This was what he had been waiting for. Though he already was told more or less what happened, he was going to feel at ease knowing Derpy finally came out and told him the truth. "The truth is, the accident wasn't an accident..."
"What? What do you mean?"
"I knew you were trying to get home. In fact, all of Ponyville knew that. Being honest, they all wanted you to just go home. They want that more now than ever. The thing is Doctor..." Derpy looked up at him, tears starting to wash down her face. "I didn't mean for all of this. I didn't mean for it to blow up in your face. Or for you to lose your memories." Her words struck him hard.
Derpy was the one responsible for his memory loss? She was the one who caused his experiment to fail? But why?
"Why? What reason did you have to do this, Derpy?" She broke eye contact with him, her tears still falling.
"Because I didn't want you to go. I did all of that just to make sure you'd stay here... With me. Because I love you, Doctor. And I'd sooner let the universe fall than let you out of my life."
Anger and pain welled up inside the Doctor. "But do you have any idea just what could be happening right now? How many lives could be in danger? Lives I could be saving. All because of your selfish desire to keep me here. You never wanted me to remember, did you? You knew that if I regained my memory, I'd go back to finding a way home. All this time, you were pretending to help. And what, I guess it hurt you a lot to see every pony here stare at me like I was a freak?! Every pony insulting the 'stallion you love' behind his back! But you know what? That's perfectly okay. This just proved something I used to think so long ago. I don't belong here! And I never will." The Doctor trotted out of the house, not giving Derpy a chance to put in another word.
She just stared at the open door, chuckling. "Well, that was easier than I expected." Derpy's form shrunk and distorted until Zukbe sat on the back of the couch. "One down. One to go."
The sun was setting by the time Derpy finished her mail runs. Suspecting the Doctor would be hungry by now, being alone at the house all day, she rushed home to rescue him. To her surprise, he wasn't out front waiting for her. Entering her house, she found Dinky slung out on the couch watching television. "Hey, Dink. You see the Doctor anywhere?" Her sister tilted her head back to look at Derpy.
"Nope. Haven't seen him all day. Granted, I was out with my friends until just a few minutes ago. Got back and sat down just before you did sis." There was a hard push on the front door as the Doctor walked in. "Right on time." Derpy stepped towards him, but the general glare he was giving her pushed her away. He made his way upstairs and closed the bedroom door behind him. "Umm. Derpy... Is it just me, or did he seem furious about something?" All she could do was stare at the stairs in confusion. Just what happened today to cause the Doctor to be in such a bad mood? She wanted to know, but judging from the way he looked at her, now was not the time.
Derpy sat on the couch in complete darkness. She tried to talk to the Doctor earlier, only to get utter silence from him. Whatever had happened today was still irritating him. Before her thoughts could delve deeper, there was a knock at the nearby window. Switching her gaze towards the noise, she saw Zukbe waving from the other side. Derpy flapped over to the window, propping it open for her little 'friend.' "Salutations. I do hope this isn't a bad time to stop by." She shook her head.
"No. It's a good time. Only..." Zukbe tilted his head in confusion.
"Only?"
"I don't know what happened, but the Doctor seemed extremely angry when he got home. I tried talking to him, but got nothing out of him." The worried look on Zukbe's face showed he knew what happened.
"The Doctor had a rough day, to say the least." He took off his bowler hat, holding it at his waist. "He went for a walk around town. Tried to get some fresh air and all. It was during the time you were doing your deliveries to Cloudsdale. Several ponies here started ganging up on him. Every pony was really rilled up and was treating him like crap. Telling him how much they wanted him to go back to his own home. That he doesn't belong here. Among the rest of the ponies in Equestria. It was horrible. Looks like he took it all to heart." The news sank Derpy into the side of the couch.
"I can't believe it. I knew ponies here didn't exactly like him, but I didn't think they'd be like this." She fell silent for a bit, before perking up. "But none of that matters. If nopony here wants to see how great the Doctor is, I'll have to show them." Derpy's look of confidence brought a chuckle out of Zukbe. "What's so funny?"
"Oh, nothing. It's just you look so serious about showing the world it's wrong. There's nothing wrong about it. A bit charming, if anything. Not something I see very often." He pulled a small pocket watch out of his bowler hat. "Oh, dear. I should be going now. And you should get some sleep. You're going to need to be wide awake if you want to change the point of view of a whole town." With a bow, he returned his hat to his head and hopped off the window, poofing as usual.
The following day was spent with Derpy performing her usual mailpony duties. According to the weatherponies, there were calls for rain before this evening. And not wanting to get caught up in it, she raced around trying to finish as much as she could before the rain started coming down.
She was on her way to drop off her last few packages before the storm came in when she saw Dinky staring up at her. She was panting heavily and looked like she had been running around all of Ponyville to find her. "Derpy..! It's the Doctor..! He's gone!" Hearing that, Derpy dropped out of the air, landing on her hooves.
"Gone? What do you mean, gone? Do you know where he went?"
"He's going to the lake. To his blue box." All of the color just drained out of Derpy. If he was heading for the TARDIS, that meant he was planning on leaving. Planning on going back to a world he doesn't know is gone. She threw her mailbag off her back and galloped towards the forest.
The rain fell hard, silencing everything in the area. Derpy's hooves raced frantically towards the bright light of the TARDIS. She broke through the treeline, coming to a halt. The ground, background, and even the sky seemed to blur together within the light that illuminated the field. She stepped forward, tears already streaming down her face, only to be washed away by the rain. The silhouette of the Doctor stood at the threshold of the TARDIS. "Doctor. Please don't go."
"I don't belong here. I never did. This is how it should be." He turned away from Derpy, fading into the light. In a matter of moments, the light grew brighter, only to vanish abruptly, leaving her alone in the pouring rain. She sniffled, crying her eyes out.
