A strange pony leaves a present for Discord, then begins an ancient holiday tradition.
As winter arrives in Equestria an ancient story is posed to continue. What do Discord, an eccentric magician, the Doctor, and bells have to do with it all?
In the crisp winter air, the only sound that could be heard was the soft step of hoof on freshly fallen snow.
“Nothing quite like the first snow of winter.”
The pony grinned, his head tilted towards the sky to enjoy the flurries dance to the ground.
“Winter really is the best season! Except for spring, and summer, and autumn… they’re really all quite splendid really.”
Turning a corner, the earth pony found himself face to face with a rather impressive hedge maze, a fine frosting of crystal had settled in during the night. But he wasn’t there for sightseeing; he had business to attend to. Trotting in and out between the various stone statutes of the garden, the sound of hoofsteps abruptly stopped.
“Hello there, old friend.”
Despite his warm greeting, the statue remained silent.
Before the colt was a rather odd figure. To begin with, it bore the head of a horse, antlers of a deer, and horn of a goat. One arm looked to be that of a lion, while the other resembled the talon of a bird of prey. One of the legs looked to be reptilian, the other a goat’s. The figure also had the tail of a dragon, and a pair of mismatched wings, one birdlike, and the other mammalian. The face was contorted as if frozen in eternal shock and horror.
“They really got you, didn’t they? Not that you didn’t deserve it, you always did take things just a bit too far.”
Standing on his hind legs, the pony placed his front hooves on the statue.
“…Oh, it’s you.” The disembodied voice of Discord echoed inside the colt’s head. “I honestly didn’t think I’d see you again,” the voice chided.
“What? I’m not allowed to check in on my fellow spirit?”
“That’s not what I meant. After you didn’t come back, it was assumed you had, ‘kicked the bucket,’ so to speak.”
The earth pony turned to look skyward as the moon peaked out from behind the clouds, basking the garden in a ghostly light.
“A lot happened…”
“Yet here you are. Though I admit, you look a bit different.”
The voice of Discord held an obvious trait of a smirk in its tone. “You make a rather boring looking pony if you ask me. Tan coat and short brown mane and tail. Hmm, green eyes, and… what’s that on your rear?”
The pony glanced behind himself.
“Oh, that? Sort of looks like a green flame, pretty neat, eh?”
“…Tempest, why are you here. I know you’re not here to free me, as much as that would be… appreciated.”
The pony chortled.
“Is that a hint of hope I hear in your voice? No, I’m not here to free you, not this time anyhow. I was just passing through and thought I’d say hello. It’s that time of the year after all.”
Keeping one hoof on the figure, the colt turned his head, and placed the other into the satchel hanging over the blue scarf hugging his neck. Levitating no more than an inch away from his hoof was a small, round, silver bell, no larger than a walnut, suspended by a string.
“Interesting, you can manage magic without a ho… wait, where are you planning on putting that vile thing, Tempest?”
His undeterred smile grew larger as he hoisted himself into the imprisoned spirit and carefully hung the bell from Discord’s antler.
“Don’t worry, these are a bit different than the ones we used to make. In fact, when it’s time, I believe you’ll be quite pleased with the result. Consider it my gift to you.”
“Wait, wait, Tempest, get this thing off of me! Is this one of your tricks? A gift? Please… I know what these bells are, they purify. Purify, things like me.”
The colt shook his head, still perched on Discord’s arm.
“I already told you, these are different. You’ll see in a couple days, once I’ve finished in Ponyville. Oh, and one more thing before I go.”
“I..bu…what?”
“I go by Ember now.”
With that, Ember leapt from the statue, leaving it once again in silence.
Twilight Sparkle found herself staring at a knot in the ceiling of the library she called home, eyes still blurry from a full night’s rest. However, instead of her nice, warm bed, she was laying upon frighteningly chilled wood. Somehow she had managed to roll onto the unforgiving floor. A tumble of blue, star and moon laden blankets proved little comfort given the temperature.
Beside her bed, curled in his own blanket, lay Spike. He evidently had not yet awakened.
“As cold as it is, I’d be surprised if you woke up at all today,” she whispered.
Stretching briefly, she made her way to the frosted window. All across Ponyville the sound of laughter filled the air. Ponies of all ages came out to play in the freshly fallen snow. A snowball here, a snowpony being built there, the first snowfall of the season, however light, still completely changed the familiar scenery.
After a quick brushing, the young Ponyville librarian got to work. Today, among other tasks, she needed to sort through newly delivered books, generously donated by a library in Trottingham. The first delivery had come the day before, but a few tomes had been shipped separately, due to their fragility, and were expected to arrive that morning. It wasn’t long before there was a knock at the library door.
“Did you hear? Did you hear!? There’s a new baker in town!”
The pink frenzy bounded about the library, her usual delight firm in place.
“Good morning to you too Pinkie” laughed Twilight.
“W-we’re not intruding, are we?” Fluttershy’s whisper of a voice called in from beyond the door.
“Not at all, I was just waiting for the rest of the books to arrive.”
“Books?! What kind of book?” questioned Pinkie Pie. “Are they about parties? Monsters? Ghosts? Atlases? Weasels? Geology? Aerostatics? Algology?
“Algology?” Fluttershy cocked her to the side.
“The study of algae, silly,” Pinkie replied with a grin.
Twilight levitated a crisp white paper from a nearby oak table.
“According to the checklist, all we have left are books on history and folktales.”
“Oooh, I LOVE folktales.” Pinkie continued bounding about the library for a few seconds, listing off the various reasons why she loved folktales. Of those reasons, the ones that elicited questionable glances from her friends were “they go great with cinnamon rolls,” and “you could use them to buy a watermelon.”
“Oh, yes, we came here to ask if you wanted to see the new bakery with us. Pinkie said something about ‘investigating the competition,’” Fluttershy murmured.
“That’s RIGHT!” Pinky popped up from behind Twilight. “There’s a new baker! Just opened next to that clockmaker’s shop, the one with the blue door!
“I wish I could, but I really need to be here when the books are delivered,” Twilight apologized. “These ones are quite rare, and I’ll need to sign for them.”
“Hi!”
The three ponies jumped back in shock. Evidently, while they had been talking about the books arriving, the books had arrived.
“Good morning Ditzy” smiled Twilight. Are those the books from Trottingham?
“Yep! If you could just sign here they’re all yours,” said the gray pegasus.
“Ditzy! Have you been to the new bakery?” Pinkie inquired.
“You mean the one by the Doctor’s shop? I stopped by earlier, but it wasn’t open yet. But it smelled soooooo good inside!”
“You should come with us then! Right, Twilight?”
“I really should get these books put away first…”
“But if you don’t hurry all the bread might be gone! No rolls, or scones, or croissants, or muffins--”
“No muffins?!”
The look of horror and despair on Ditzy’s face forced Twilight’s hoof.
“Fine, fine. Just let me leave a note for Spike.”
----------------
As the four ponies trotted down the street towards the bakery, it was evident that the fresh snow had inspired some ponies to start decorating for the upcoming Hearth Warming Eve. A few traces of evergreen wreaths, bright red bows, and the occasional golden star graced the buildings. Lampposts made particularly good targets for extra holiday cheer.
They soon found the air filled with delicious scents. Shortly after, the familiar blue door of the local clockmaker could be seen, and sure enough, next-door was a newly renovated building. The sign, made of golden oak, was fairly ordinary, with “Bakery” carved into it. What drew much more attention was a small sign posted at the front door, swung open wide. “Snow special, free muffins and warm beverages.”
“Well that’s nice, must be to help advertise,” mused Fluttershy.
Pinkie and Ditzy had already pushed their way through the small crowd that had gathered to take advantage of the new shop’s deal.
Smaller than Sugar Cube Corner, shelves full of rolls, breads, and the occasional sugary treat were lined against the walls. To the right of the doorway stood a counter adorned with a cash register of wood and bronze, beyond which laid a door to what was likely the kitchen or storeroom. In the center of the rectangular room were two long tables, each covered in solid forest-green tablecloth, and host to the promised confections and refreshments.
“Why not try one of each?” came an amused voice from behind the counter.
“Can I?” asked Pinkie, eyes glistening.
“Go ahead,” laughed the colt.
Twilight caught sight of Pinkie and Ditzy gorging on muffins, with the occasional sip of what appeared to be hot chocolate.
“Oh, how lovely.” Twilight turned to see Fluttershy admiring a small bell hanging from the doorway.
"Find something interesting?" the colt asked as he came out from behind the counter.
“This bell, it has the most lovely tone. Where did you get it?”
Twilight hadn’t heard the bell, and in her curiosity moved next to Fluttershy to hear about it.
“Ah, the bell! I had them custom made back in Trottingham. You know, there’s an old tradition where I come from. They say hanging a silver bell in your doorway keeps out misfortune.”
“Really? I’ve never heard that one before,” responded Twilight.
The colt laughed.
“Well, it is very old, and I doubt most ponies remember it, let alone practice it. Just like how no one makes Jack-o-lanterns on Nightmare Night anymore. A shame really…”
“Oh! I’ve read about that!” Twilight was suddenly excited. “They used to hollow out turnips and light them to protect against ‘evil spirits.’ Then after Nightmare Moon was banished to the moon, they used pumpkins, due to their larger size, to carve frightening faces into them in hopes of driving her away every Nightmare Night.”
“Indeed! Sadly, it’s fallen out of practice. Though some dedicated ponies still do it in Trottingham. I just moved from there actually.”
“Excuse me, Ember, but I think the next batch is almost ready.”
The tan pony turned his head. “Thanks Colgate, I’ll be right there. Sorry ladies, duty calls.” With a bow he trotted passed the counter, into the back.
“He certainly seems nice,” offered Fluttershy.
However, Twilight’s focus was back on the bell. It really was beautiful, for something that looked so simple. But there was something else about it. Closing her eyes, Twilight’s horn glowed ever so slightly. Searching, feeling, what was it about that bell? There it was, ever so faintly, wrapped carefully into the bell, a thin layer of magic. Only then did she finally here the bell's cry.
------------
Twilight had just finished shelving the last of the previous day’s book delivery when she noticed how dark it had gotten.
“There, now I just need to find places for the books delivered today and I’ll be right on schedule.” The purple unicorn smiled. As she levitated the books in the air feeling out the perfect spot for them, something caught her attention outside the window. Moving closer, she heard it again. The clear "ting" of a silver bell.
“A bell?” Twilight looked back at the still freshly opened package, then at the window. Package, window, package, window. She levitated her scarf around her and dashed out the front door.
Twilight searched to her left, then her right. No sign of anypony on the street. Considering how cold it was, this was no surprise. Yet where had that sound come from? Circling around the library proved unfruitful.
“Gah, why am I even out here…”
It was only when she looked skyward out of exasperation that she found the source of the sound. Up on the observation platform of the library was a pony, reaching up into the branches above.
“What the hay…” Sprinting back inside, Twilight made straight for the observation platform. “What do you think you’re doing on… you?”
Letting the bell hang with a light jingle, the form dropped down onto all four legs. Before Twilight stood a colt, tan coat, brown hair, and green eyes. Around his neck hung a blue scarf. The baker she had conversed with that morning.
“Ember… was it?”
The colt smiled a sheepish smile, with the look of a child having been caught with their hoof in the cookie jar.
“Ah, yes, we met this morning. Miss….”
“Why are you on my house…” Twilight’s tone was flat.
“Well…” Ember’s eyes shifted nervously, “I mentioned about the bells before, right?”
“Yes, you did.”
“It’s been a long, long time since I’ve seen anypony actually do it. So I figured, hey, why don’t I do it? And really, the higher the better. Better reception and all.”
“Okay, okay, I get it… but how did you get up here? I didn’t hear Spike let you in.”
Ember’s grin from the morning returned. “Oh, that was easy!”
A soft green glow surrounded Ember’s body for a moment. After a few awkward attempts, Twilight was staring at the baker, clinging at an impossible angle on one of the branches of the tree.
“Yo…you can use magic? But how?”
“Never seen a hornless unicorn before? Not surprising I suppose, there aren’t many of us around.”
“I’ve read about unicorns who’ve lost their horns, they usually have a limited range, if they can manage magic at all. I would imagine it would be difficult without a horn as a focusing appendage.”
“Well, usually a hoof suffices when needed.” Ember waved a hoof in the air, leaving a small blue-green flame in its wake.
“Anyway, I’m sorry for disturbing you. And I’m a bit short on time, lots more bells to hang, so I’ll let you go.”
“You’re going to hang more?”
“Of course! The more the better. I was hoping to be done by now, but I got distracted by a very strange rock on my way back from picking up some eggs. It looked to be metamorphic, likely gneiss, but there were no other traces of it anywhere. The nearby mountains are supposed to be granitic primarily, but I couldn’t trace it to a source. It was quite the exciting discovery."
Ember suddenly looked toward town hall, as if something important had just occurred to him.
"I'm afraid I really must be going."
With a bow the colt wished her a pleasant night of vivid hallucinations, before leaping from the platform, landing softly bellow.
What a strange pony.
------------------------------
VWORP-VWORP
The blue unicorn lifted her head at the familiar sound. Before her lay an opened up a tarnished bronze pocket watch. To her left, various slender tools and screws had been lined up in meticulous order. But her project would have to wait, as her employer had finally come home.
From the back room strode a brown earth bony, sporting an hourglass on his rump and a complicated expression on his face. Something between delight and sorrow mused the unicorn, who happened to have the same cutie mark.
“Welcome back Doctor,” she spoke, before returning to her work. She used to ask the Doctor about his times away, but they often just degenerated in complex babble of “Timey-Wimey” things, all of which just gave her a headache. Colgate figured she’s stick to listening when the Doctor talked clocks. Those she understood.
“Colgate?”
“Yes Doctor?”
“…Where did this bell come from?”
Colgate lifted her head a second time. The Doctor stood in the doorway of his modest clock shop, inspecting the new decoration suspended above his head. He had been away for several days, leaving her in charge in his place. This was not a strange occurrence, as the Doctor often went on mysterious errands, often with Ditzy Doo in tow.
“Oh that, isn’t it nice? Our new neighbor next door brought it over, said it was an old custom.”
“I see…”
“Something wrong?” inquired the blue pony.
“Oh, I’m sure it’s nothing, just my imagination. But, there is one more thing.”
Colgate sighed. “Yes?”
“Have you heard the phrase ‘Bad Fox’ before?”
“I can’t say I have. Why do you ask?”
It’s somehow found its way onto the TARDIS.
Lifting an eyebrow, Colgate stopped her work and peered into the back room. There in the corner, parked as it often was, was the Doctor’s blue box. Two ponies high at least, a sign across the top read “POLICE PUBLIC CALL BOX.” And there, across the doors in what appeared to white chalk was clearly written…
“BAD FOX”
Both Colgate and the Doctor peered at the words for a short time before a voice came from behind.
“It’s been a while, Doctor. Well, at least for me.”
--------------
“Just one more book.”
Twilight smiled, having finally gotten the package of books opened and sorted. This last book had a particularly ancient feel to it, easily over a hundred years old. It’s cover was worn, the words “Forces of the Ancient World” barely visible in faded blue ink.
Carefully examining the contents, the book seemed to be a sort of guide to a vast array of spirits and creatures who had once dominated the world. Each entry included a picture, history, description of their abilities and personalities, and how best to survive or otherwise benefit an encounter with each one.
Organized by region, Twilight flipped to the section of what would now be Equestria. Sure enough, there were entries on Ursa Majors, Hydra, Cockatrice, various dragons who once lived in the area, and even Discord himself. Turning over the pages, an entry caught her eyes as a bookmark slipped out onto the floor.
“Tempest,” Twilight read. “This ancient fox spirit is known for its guidance and protection of all creatures. It is thought that some of the earliest known spells came from his guidance. During winter, he would participate with the other spirits in casting purifying spells across the lands. It is customary to leave out oranges if you live in Tempest’s domain, as it is believed to be his favorite food. Hanging silver bells during this night will increase the range and longevity of the purification spells, keeping malevolent and trickster spirits (see Discord, pg. 143, Windigoes pg. 157) at bay for their duration.
A master of magical arts, Tempest, as him name would suggest, is often documented as controlling weather related magic, calling forth winds and lightning. As with other fox spirits listed, the blue-green “will-o-wisps” or “fox fires” may be a hint of his presence. These magical flames can be placed in vessels and given as gifts to those he finds deserving.
Not seen since The Darknening.”
Next to the text was a beautifully drawn image of the spirit. A tall, gray fox sitting under a tree, a pair of flames floating around him.
“What is ‘The Darkening?’” the purple unicorn pondered out loud. One thing was caught her attention though; this bell custom Ember had spoken about could very well be a reference to these spirits. However, it seems that hasn’t taken place since Equestria was founded! He had mentioned he had lived in Trottingham, so it was possible he had read this same book. Still, she made a mental note to ask him about it. Perhaps in the morning.
Ember strode through the abandoned streets of Ponyville, making his way back to his bakery. He tried to look up at the moon, which still hung high in the night sky. However, a warm, salty sensation in his eyes was beginning to make it difficult.
“Ah, the bells. Even now they’re having an effect. It’s strange, feeling someone else’s feelings.”
The warm glow of the homes lining the streets seemed so lovely, it seemed difficult to think someone within the gentle town of Ponyville would be feeling like this while snug and warm with their friends and family.
"Somewhere you belong," whispered the green eyed pony. "I wonder, is this someplace I could belong?"
He lifted his hoof to the nearest window, though there curtains were pulled. Still, the dull glow through the cloth seemed all too welcoming. A bitter laugh escaped this throat.
"Of course not, of course not."
Continuing towards the bakery, a familiar sound caught the colt’s attention.
“Him. I guess that means it’s finally time.”
Chapter 2:
“Sorry for being rude but… have we met? I don’t always meet ponies in the right order you know.”
The Doctor eyed the tan pony, looking for any traces of hostility. Staring back at him with a smile was Ember. However, those eyes were not ones of cheer, nor sadness, but of a cold rage.
Silence.
The choking stiffness in the room made Colgate fidget.
“D-Doctor, this is Ember, he’s the new baker who just moved in next door and gave us the bell.”
Ember blinked as if coming out of a trance, turning his gaze to Colgate. “Oh yes, yes! Thank you for your help this morning, I wasn’t expecting quite so many customers given the weather, you were a real lifesaver.”
That’s better, Colgate thought to herself. “So, how do you know the Doctor?” she inquired of the baker.
The green-eyed colt laughed. I’m not surprised he doesn’t remember me, I look quite a bit different.”
“I know the feeling,” grinned the Doctor. “It is a bit of a pain having to introduce yourself over and over again. Still, you’ll have to help me out a bit.”
“I’ll give you a hint, dear Doctor. I’m related to someone you left behind.”
The Doctor’s smile disappeared.
“I’m afraid you’ll have to be bit more precise,” he muttered.
“Very well. Doctor, what do you remember about The Darkening?"
The color drained from the Doctor’s face, giving the baker second appraising look. It seemed to Colgate that he wished to ask their question of his own, but instead replied to the posed to him.
“The lights of the stars in the northern sky were disappearing. When I went to investigate, I found something, a creature, a monstrous dragon possessed by a terrible avarice. It consumed all it could in its wake, traveling between stars, devouring all it could, even light, then moving on.”
Ember took a step towards the the Doctor.
“Yes, that dragon. Blacker than anything this planet could muster,” whispered Ember. “You remember asking the spirits of this world to help you stop it. Told them that it was only a matter of time before that behemoth found its way here. So you carried them there in your TARDIS. What happened to them Doctor?”
“They fought, they bled, and many of them fell.”
“Until," Ember interrupted, "with nothing capable of harming the thing, one of the spirits allowed itself to be devoured, trying to get at it from the inside.”
“And he succeeded,” the Doctor spoke. “He saved everything. He was able to survive long enough to turn that thing’s power on itself. Created a couple new stars in the process. Red dwarfs, but suns none the less.”
“And what do you suppose happened to that spirit, what happened to Tempest?”
The Doctor twitched at the name "Tempest."
“…He died. Even if he had survived the venom of that beast, there was no way he could have survived that blast.”
“Oh, but Doctor, I’m afraid he did.” The grin on Ember’s face had ceased to be friendly, and instead have fallen into a malicious smirk.
“What?”
“The way I hear it, he used the energy he diverted to protect himself, at least mostly. But by the time he had awakened, adrift in the void, he found himself abandoned. No friends, no allies, no Doctor. Just endless void and icy stars far beyond his reach.”
“You…you couldn’t be.” The Doctor took a step towards Ember, then another, his eyes searching him with cautious skepticism.
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…”
The tension that had built up in Ember seemed to release somewhat, the look in his eyes just a little bit gentler.
“You need not apologize to me, Doctor.”
Ember pushed towards the TARDIS, placing a hoof upon the white lettering. “It seems, Doctor, that the one who deserves an apology has just now finally returned home. ‘Bad Fox.’”
The TARDIS’ alarms could be heard from within. Ember stepped aside as the Doctor rushed inside.
Colgate peered inside. It was as disorienting as ever, seeing such a large space inside such a small box. In the middle of the room was a large glass cylinder, inside of which was an eerie pale green light. A control panel of various buttons, levers, and cranks surrounded it. Stairs wound their way around the outside to a lower level she never got a clear view of. On one of the monitors of the control station she saw the image of a saucer like vessel.
“No no no no no no no no.” The Doctor pulled levers, flipped switches, and twisted knobs.
“What is that?” Colgate asked the Doctor from the doorway of the TARDIS.
“That,” Ember answered, “is a Dalek ship.”
---------------------
"Bored."
With the moon safely in the sky, Princess Luna had little else on her agenda. Most ponies were already tucked inside, and there was no royal business to attend to. This left her, well, just a bit bored.
Feeling restless, she decided to take a moonlit stroll through the palace gardens. These gardens had been part of her therapy since being released from her imprisonment. Lingering familiar decorations could be found here, but all in a new palace, new garden, surrounded by fresh, new ornaments. It seemed very much like the world around her as a whole. A few remaining familiar traces amongst a world which has shifted and evolved without her for a thousand years.
As much as she hated to admit it, one of the things in the garden she liked most was that old statue of Discord. It, like nothing else, reminded her of the time before her sentence, the time when she was still in step with the world. And there he stood.
Granted, his position had changed a bit. She laughed to herself at the irony of it. One of the few things that had not changed in a thousand years had suddenly changed. Though, in her opinion, it was for the better. This pose was much more, humorous, after all.
“What the hay?”
Something caught her eye. Something round, something shiny, something that she had not seen in a very long time indeed. A silver bell. How long had it been? Not since before Discord had taken advantage of the other spirits’ weakened state had she seen one of these bells. Oh what grand memories! Putting out an orange, waiting up all night to catch a glimpse of that fox. Oh, and that hat, that silly red hat he wore!
“But wait, where did this bell come from? Did Tia put you up there?” she asked the bell. “Hnnn, well that’s an interesting little spell you have there. Empathy charm is it?
Luna levitated just enough to place her hoof to the side of the bell, eyeing it with a precision only a master craftsman could. “But there’s something underneath that charm, how curious you are…”
Luna turned her head in the direction of Ponyville.
“You’re connected to a whole lot more out there it seems. Very well!”
With a flap of her wings, the princess launched herself towards the scattering of bells, intent on discovering who had placed them.
“I’m sure we’ll have a grand discourse,” she beamed.
---------------------
"Tiiing."
“That better not be who I think it is…” Twilight groaned.
Rolling over in her covers, she glanced at the clock. 4:27 am. Who in the world would be messing with that bell at 4:27 in the morning? Only one pony came to mind.
“Ember…”
Another surpsing piecring rings called from beyond the door to the observatory platform.
“Just ignore it Twilight, it’s probably just the wind or--”
"Tiiing."
Stomping towards the observation platform, Twilight threw open the hatch.
“Would you mind keeping it dow… Princess Luna?”
There on the observation platform sat Princess Luna, prodding at the bell with a hoof.
“Excellent! Twilight Sparkle, you are awake. Pray tell, did you hang these bells?”
After convincing the princess to come inside out of the cold, Twilight informed her about the new baker of Ponyville, and of the bell hanging antics that had distracted her earlier that evening, as well as the book she had seen.
“Ah yes,” Luna spoke, her tone carrying a hint of melancholy. “I was still in my youth when that happened. It seems a creature with a rather devastating ability to absorb matter and energy was making its way here, evident as a lack of starlight to the north. Many of the old spirits of the land went off to do battle with it. They were victorious, but at a cost. Several did not return, and those who did were left weak, broken. Something about that creature had eaten away at them."
“That’s horrible,” Twilight whispered.
“Indeed. They were a rather pleasant lot, kept the natural order of things flowing smoothly. But after The Darkening, they just seemed to slip away into the shadows of the land. It was this that let Discord come to power in Equestria.
Without the other spirits to mend things and put Discord in his place, he could simply go on bending the world to his fancy till the springs snapped. Now only a few places remain as they were. Places where the spirits gathered in hiding.
Something dawned on Twilight.
“Like the Everfree Forest?”
“Ah yes, the forest there was refuge for some spirits if I recall. Discord made sure not to touch the forest, lest he rouse any ire. Even he knew not to prod a wounded animal.”
“So… maybe Ember has met one of the spirits! That would explain it.”
“It would,” agreed Luna, “I would very much like to speak with one of the spirits of old. Would it be possible to contact this Ember?”
Twilight placed her hoof upon her chin. “I suppose, as a baker he’s probably already up and baking.”
Turning her head towards the clock, it read 5:07.
“Then let us make haste!” Princess Luna had already leapt up and posed herself at the door.
“…Just let me get my scarf.” --------------------
Trying to keep up with Princess Luna proved quite the task. Not only did her long legs give her an advantage in stride, but she also seemed unhindered by the low temperature.
“Here we are Princess,” beamed Twilight, despite the bags under her eyes. She knocked on the door. Hoofsteps could be heard on the other side of the door, then the unlatching of a lock.
“Ah, Miss Sparkle, how may I help you?” Ember stood before the pair, apparently having received even less sleep than Twilight. His mane was quite unkempt, bags hung under his eyes, and for some reason, a pair of goggles hung around his neck.
“I'm sorry for bothering you so early, but I was talking to Princess Luna,” Twilight nodded towards the Princess beside her, “and we were wondering if you could tell us more about this bell custom.”
Ember eyed the princess, and then bowed slowly. “It is my pleasure your highness.”
“That won’t be necessary, we… I would prefer you address me as Luna. I have said the same to Twilight Sparkle, but she is… resistant.”
“I don’t mean to be,” Twilight apologized.
A tired smile spread across Ember’s face. “Very well, Luna, Twilight, please come in, you’re just in time to see the spell.”
The tables in the center of the bakery had been pushed to one side. Upon the floor of the bakery, amidst the smell of baking breads, were several circles laid upon the floor in what appeared to be wheat. At various points of the figure holly leaves had been laid out in symbols Twilight recalled seeing in books about archaic runes. Finally, at the circle’s center, and at several points on the outside of the largest circle were what appeared to be quartz crystals.
“This reminds me of Hearth Warming Eve,” mused Twilight.
“So,” Ember began, pulling the goggles up over his eyes and stepping into the circle, placing his hooves on the central crystal. “What I have here is an activation spell, meant to power the spell structure already inside the bells. Using the leyline that runs by here, I can saturate the area with magic, essentially a form of free energy for the bells to work off of. This way they can stay active for a longer period of time, and should increase their range.”
The magic circle sprang to life in a burst of light, a fierce wind blowing throughout the building, yet somehow not moving the circle’s components from their spots on the floor. With a final howl, the circle vanished.
TIIIIING
TIIIING
TIIIIIING
The sound of bells rang through the air. I warm, delightful sound.
Yet, Twilight thought something seemed off. Amongst the beautiful rings, came a long, incessant whine. It grew louder, and louder, and louder-
WHAM
“WHAT DID YOU DO?!”
The Doctor stood in the bakery’s doorway, lungs heaving.
“I’ve been trying to monitor the blasted Daleks, who for some reason don’t seem to be doing anything, and then you go and blanket the area is some signal? What are you trying to do, tell them exactly where we are, make it easier for them to kill us?!”
“I told you last night, the Daleks won’t be a problem.”
“Signal, what signal?” questioned Twilight.
“Yes! That was what was under that empathy spell,” spoke Luna, “it felt like a signal of some sort, but it seemed to behave in odd ways.”
“What’s everypony doing in here?”
In the open doorway was a pink pony, a basket balanced upon her head.
“Oh, Miss Pie, you brought the muffins.”
Ember did his best to look pleased, but the long night had clearly caught up with him. This seemed lost on Pinkie.
“Of course! I couldn’t let you show up Sugarcube Corner after all.”
“Did you say muffins? I actually haven’t eaten anything since… what’s today?” inquired the Doctor.
“Friday,” mumbled Ember, a muffin already stuffed in his mouth, eyes closed.
“Then, yes, I’d best eat. Can’t save the world on an empty stomach.”
For several minutes, the hastily assembled equines enjoyed their breakfast. Considering the circumstances, Twilight found this a profound waste of time. However, perhaps due to the empathy charm, she was overcome with a sense of ease. Not to mention hunger. However, stomach now filled, she finally spoke up.
“So these bells, you placed an empathy charm in them? I thought they were supposed to enhance a purifying charm?”
“They still do that too. The bells themselves simply are a tool for retaining and amplifying spells, any spell a caster puts into them. However, without spirits to keep at bay, a more productive spell seemed to be one that helps connect people and let them understand each other, don’t you think?”
“Perhaps,” replied Luna. “Yet I am still curious about that signal you sent out, that second spell inlaid in the bells.”
There was a glint in Ember’s eyes as he looked to the princess. It took him a moment to speak.
“To be honest, I’m not too sure of the specifics myself, it’s something I remember from a long time ago, the feel of it. I just knew it had to be there. There was someone that needed to hear it.”
Ember pointed a hoof upwards.
“Ooooh, is it in the attic? I find lots of neat things in the attic,” chimed in Pinkie.
“Not the attic,” corrected the Doctor, “the Dalek ship.”
“A ship full of Garlic?”
“…No. But why tell the Daleks to come here?”
Ember had gotten up to remove a pan of bread from the oven in the back room, but turned to answer the Doctor.
“It’s not for the Daleks, it’s for their hitchhiker.”
“You can’t mean, Tempest is on that ship?”
Twilight and Luna glanced at each other as Ember and the Doctor conversed. If they had wanted to meet a spirit of old, it seemed they were about to get their chance.
Discord twisted and turned, stretched and spun through the streets of Ponyville. All around him ponies were hanging wreaths and decorating trees with an assortment of ornaments and garlands. However, all of this was lost on the spirit of chaos; he was free, free to move. He wasn’t sure how, but he was free.
“All the chaos I can finally catch up on! I was barely able to get started before those ponies encased me in stone. But, where to start, where to start?”
Up ahead, just past a pair of ponies dragging a tree into their shop, was a yellow and pink pegasus. A light blue scarf wrapped about her. Resting upon her tail, a snow-white rabbit bobbed up and down with the sway of her tail with each step.
“Hmm, perhaps a bit too easy, but a bit of practice never hurt. Maybe turn the rabbit into a bear? No, far too mundane. I know, turn her scarf into a snake… no, too predictable.”
Discord cupped his chin with a talloned hand, stroking it as he thought.
“There must be something… aha! That would be perfect, oh so perfect! That would be completely original and unexpected. Truly, I am the personification of chaos itself.”
With a look of self-satisfaction Discord snapped his fingers.
And snapped his fingers.
And snapped his fingers...
“What the blazes is wrong…” Discord questioned, examining his digits.
It was only then that he noticed. He couldn’t feel his fingers. He couldn’t feel the cold, or the sun, or the wind. He lowered himself to street level and peered into a shop window. Amongst the display of clocks and wind up toys, Discord confirmed his fear. His reflection did not shine back at him. He had been freed, but in mind only. His powers, his physical body, were still quite trapped in stone back in Canterlot.
“TEMPEST!!!”
Silver Bells
Chapter 3
Fluttershy paused, looking up and down the frosted street.
“Did you hear something, Angel?”
The little white rabbit upon her tail shrugged his shoulders.
“Oh, okay then.”
She continued down the road, passed the blue door of the clockmaker’s shop, and turned into the shop with the wooden “bakery” sign out front.
“Mister Ember, Angel just loved that carrot muffin you ga… oh, I’m sorry, did you have something planned?”
“We’re going to go fight alien pepper shakers!” squealed Pinkie.”
“No no no, Miss Doo and I will handle this, it’s too dangerous for all of you to come along, I just need some information from the baker here first.”
Head on the table, the owner of the shop was giggling, though his eyes were closed.
“He must be so angry,” Ember mumbled with a smirk on his face.
At one of the long tables of the bakery, Twilight and Princess Luna were whispering to each other, Pinkie was filling a bag with muffins for Ditzy, and the Clockmaker, Doctor Whooves, was trying to shake a rather ragged Ember from his semi-consciousness.
“Umm, if his is a bad time…”
“Doctor, If my citizens are in danger, it is my duty as a princess of Equestria to see that they are safe,” proclaimed Luna. “If these ‘Daleks’ are as dangerous as you claim, then it is clear I should go with you to investigate.”
The Doctor sighed, and then placed his hooves back on the floor of the bakery.
“With what little information I have, I can’t guarantee the safety of anyone. That’s exactly why I need you to stay behind, in case I need to call for back up. Princess, you’re the only person who could feasibly make it to the ship and rescue us should something go wrong.”
“I see.”
Luna stared long and hard at the Doctor.
“I know you have done a great many services for Equestria in the past Doctor, and I have never known you to be wrong. I suppose I will have to trust you this time as well.”
“Right, then it’s settled. Miss Doo and I will board the Dalek ship and see what they’re up to. Meanwhile, the Princess will wait here in case we need her to rescue us. Any questions?”
“Ooh ooh!” Pinkie waved a hoof in the air.
“Yes, pink pony,” said the Doctor.
“I want to come too!”
“Like I’ve said, I can’t gaur...”
“Actually,” Ditzy interrupted, “I think it would be a good idea! Pinkie has a way of sensing things that others can’t.”
“… And this has nothing to do with muffins?”
“Only a little bit,” Ditzy replied with a smile.
“Well… I have heard of that “Pinkie Sense” before, I guess I might as well make use of it. All right then, Miss Doo, pink pony, into the TARDIS. We have a world to save.”
In a flurry of hooves and a stray muffin, the trio dashed out of the bakery, right past Fluttershy.
“W-what exactly is going on, if I might ask…” inquired the yellow pegasus.
“Apparently the good baker here,” Twilight motioned to the unconscious colt, “has sent out a signal which may or may not have alerted a murderous alien race to our location.”
“The Doctor is going to head up to their ship with Pinkie Pie and Ditzy Doo to investigate their intentions,” continued Luna.
“Oh…oh my.”
Fluttershy’s felt a sudden coldness rush over her. The world, once stable and even, began to feel loose under her hooves.
“A-are you alright?” asked Twilight, “you look a little… pale.”
“I’ll, be alright, I just need to… has anyone seen Angel?”
Fluttershy looked behind her, beneath her, above her. There was no sign of her little companion.
“Do you refer to the rabbit?” asked the princess.
“Yes, he was with me when I came in, he wanted to thank Ember for the carrot muffin he gave me yesterday for him.”
“I see, I noticed him next to the baker after the Doctor had ceased trying to revive him. He ran out the door shortly after.”
“Oh dear, I better find him.”
Fluttershy hovered out the door, peering all around for any sign of Angel. Unfortunately, he was nowhere to be seen. What she did find, were a tiny set of tracks.
“Rabbit tracks, these must be Angel’s.”
“Thank goodness, I just need to follow these, then when can both go home where it’s safe and…”
The prints abruptly ended at the open doorway of the clockmaker’s shop. Fluttershy peered inside, eyeing the Doctor’s jagged metal wares.
“H-h-hello?” she whispered. Only the rhythmic ticking of a hundred clocks answered back to her.
“W-well, he must be in here somewhere…”
Fluttershy took one shaky step after another into the shop. The ticking of clocks was beginning to seem louder and louder. Tick tick tick.
BONG!
Roughly a dozen grandfather clocks all announced the top of the hour eight times in perfect unison.
It was several seconds before the yellow, twitching ball of a pony noticed a faint green light coming from the back room of the shop. Her pink mane shifted as she glanced back at the door, a pinpoint of light miles away from her now.
“N-no Fluttershy, you have to be brave, for Angel.”
Finding her footing, she slowly moved towards the back room of the shop, towards that strange light.
Standing before a large blue box was Angel. The light, as it turned out, was emanating from this box. However, before she could call out to her dear pet, the little white rabbit had dashed into the strange crate.
“Angel! Where are you going?”
Lunging forward into the box, Fluttershy made the inevitable discovery.
“Wha-wha-what?”
Circling outside the box, then poking her head back in reached the same result.
“It’s bigger on the inside… and Angel is somewhere in there.”
-----------------
“Really Ditzy, how many times have I told you not to take my sonic screwdriver?”
“Sorry Doctor,” apologized the Pegasus, head drooped.
“What does that thing do anyway?” asked Pinkie Pie, referring to the metal rod held tightly in Ditzy’s hooves as she flew.
“It drives screws, with sound, among other things. Now, like I was saying before our detour, welcome to the TARDIS.” The Doctor lead the way in, followed by his two companions. Walking around the control panel and it’s central column, the Doctor let his newest companion take in what was obviously going to be a shock for her.
“Well, anything you want to say?”
“It’s…”
“Yes?”
“The inside is…”
“Yes, go on.” The Doctor smirked.
“It’s… smaller than I thought it’d be.”
“…”
----------
VWORP-VWORP
“This place is worse than the shop,” whimpered Fluttershy. Following the sound of hopping, she had first made her way through several bizarre rooms. A wardrobe fit for the Canterlot Theater, with costumes from the stylish to the outlandish, surrounded one room. Another room held various paintings and sculptures, most depicting ponies, but a few depicting some strange ape like creatures. The room she now found herself in housed a pool, the decor of which reminded her of her trips with Rarity to the spa. Oh, how she wished this were all a dream, that she had just fallen asleep at the spa.
VWORP-VWORP
Now there was that odd noise echoing through the entire… whatever this place was. Lowering her face to the water’s surface, Fluttershy tapped the water with her hoof, causing ripples to distort her reflection.
“What am I even doing in here, all I am is pathetic and weak, and here I am trying to find Angel in this strange place. All I end up doing is making my friends come save me instead.”
As the ripples began to settle, a second face could be seen in the water.
“Angel?”
She grabbed the little white rodent up into her arms, squeezing him tightly as he flailed in vain.
“Oh Angel! I was so worried! You mustn’t run into strange places like this, who knows what could be in here?”
---------------
“Now that’s odd…”
“What is it Doctor? What do you see?”
Ditzy Doo peered over the shoulder of the brown colt as he observed a monitor around the control panel of the TARDIS.
“Well, nothing, absolutely nothing. I mean, this is certainly a Dalek ship, but as far as I can tell, there’s no one home.”
“Where did they all go then?” asked the pink pony, briefly distracted from the light emanating from the glass tube.
“That is exactly what we are going to find out, by going right into the heart of things.”
With a few twisted knobs and levers, the sound of the TARDIS’s unique sound briefly filled the room.
“Right. I’ll take a quick look around, you two stay in the TARDIS until I come back.”
“Okie Dokey Lokie!” replied Pinkie Pie with a salute. “But, what do you want Fluttershy to do?
Just coming from the lower levels of the alien vessel was Fluttershy, Angel sitting atop her head.
“Now how the blazes did you get in here?”
“I’m sorry, Angel came in for some reason. Don’t worry though! We’re on our way out right now.”
The Doctor stared at Fluttershy as she stepped onto the floor of the control room, and quickly made her way to the doors.
“Hold on there, yellow pony.”
Fluttershy froze in place.
“Y-yes?”
“You said your rabbit got inside the TARDIS? All by himself?”
Fluttershy nodded, head almost knocking against the ground.
“I need to have a brief word with your pet. Don’t worry, won’t take a minute.”
--------------
“Well, what shall we do?” Twilight asked Princess Luna.
“For now all we can do is wait for a signal from the Doctor. If he needs us, he’ll contact us on that contraption he left.”
The contraption, as Luna put it, looked to be little more than a wooden box with a few loose wires, a few vertical slits cut into it’s top, along with a flashing blue light in one of the top corners. It currently rested on the table they had until a few minutes ago been enjoying their breakfast.
“I suppose we could get him to bed at least, it looks like he hasn’t slept in days.” Twilight nudged the sleeping colt, whose ear twitched briefly.
“I suppose, the sooner he wakes up the sooner we can get some answers from him.”
A dark blue aura surrounded Ember, lifting him from his wooden pillow and slowly carrying him to the back. Walking along with the unconscious pony, Luna surveyed the room. It was easily as large as the front of the store, and as she had expected, in addition to the usual devices one would expect to find in a kitchen; oven, refrigerator, sink, counter, there was also stairs to the living quarters.
The room was full of boxes and a bed with sheets and blankets haphazardly thrown onto it. As Luna lowered Ember onto the pile of cloth, Twilight inspected a desk beneath one of the room’s windows. The desk, like much of the store, was made of a golden oak. It was bare save for two framed photographs.
“Princess Luna, take a look at these.”
The larger of the two photos depicted four ponies, very likely a family. The smallest of them bore a striking resemblance to a young Ember, climbing atop the head of a gray stallion, perhaps his father. Next to them was a tan mare, and a gray colt, perhaps his mother and brother. The four of them had the signature horns of unicorns, even Ember.
The smaller of the photos depicted an older, hornless Ember. As far as Twilight could tell, he was not much younger than the Ember who was now asleep. The photo, taken underneath an oak tree, depicted the him next to a filly. She had a cream coat, a dark brown mane, blue eyes, and a pair of wings.
“I guess this is his family,” Twilight pointed a hoof towards the larger photo. “But I wonder who this filly is?”
“Her name,” an annoyed voice came from behind, “is Dew Drop.”
-----------------
“I see, and he didn’t say why? No, just promised you another muffin.”
The Doctor eyed Fluttershy again.
"It seems Miss Shy, that you are required here for some reason. I don’t know what yet, but I suspect we’ll soon find out.”
“Doctor, there is something on the monitor.”
Ditzy eyed the screen that had been scanning various areas of the ship.
The doctor returned to the control panel. On the screen was what appeared to be a rather large creature. Large bat like wings and a hooked tail were the only distinctive features he could make out.
“No, you couldn’t be, but that’s impossible.”
“What is it Doctor?” asked a concerned Ditzy.
“I won’t know for sure until I can get up close, but if it is what I think it is, then we are in far more danger than I thought.”
“Ember, how are you feeling?” inquired the dark blue mare.
“Wonderful, absolutely wonderful,” was the retort, though he could only manage a weak smile.
“Good, then you can explain to us what is happening. Why exactly have you used those bells to cast an empathy spell over Ponyville, and why is it still draining so much energy from you?”
Ember flopped himself over on his bed, managing to get a blue blanket wrapped around himself. It had seemed to him that the princess seemed much more interested in the former question. The way she said the word 'bells' seemed tinged with nostalgia. It wouldn't be too surprising that someone of her age would have fond memories of those bells, and seeing them used in a improper way may be somewhat distressing. Turning his tired eyes towards a plain wall, Ember explained.
“As I’ve mentioned before there was an old custom a friend told me about. In the days before Equestria, when the clouds still flowed and the plants grew of their own accord, the spirits of old watched over this land. These spirits decided, so my friend tells me, to cast a spell during the winter to help protect against those who would seek to drag things into unnatural conflict. A spell was developed which reinforced the natural order, keeping those unnatural elements at bay.”
“And you know how to perform this spell?”
Ember's ear twitched at the alicorn's question.
“… I do, but with Discord already imprisoned and other spirits that would cause strife not showing themselves, it seemed like a bit of a waste. So, why not cast something else that would promote peace? Why not a spell to help everyone feel each other’s feelings?”
“I See.” Luna took a step towards Ember’s bed. The tan colt turned over in his bed to face the alicorn.
“As for why it’s still draining me, you see, as I cast the empathy spell, I’m used as a hub of sorts. I need to keep feeding it for the spell to stay active. I really need to jot that down later, wasn’t expecting this much of a drain.”
“Try again,” stated the princess, giving the colt a cold look.
Ember paused, his eyes drifted to an empty corner of the room.
“You see, in order for the spell to trans…”
“I don’t need clarification of how the spell works, I need you to stop lying. You’re not very good at it, and it only insults me as a user of magic.”
Twilight placed herself between Ember and Luna. “What do you mean? What has he lied about?”
There was a silence.
“Fine, I’ll tell her then,” began Princess Luna. “I’m familiar with the spell he is using, and it would not continue to drain the caster after its activation. That’s the point of activating the leyline. No, there’s something else you’re powering, something you couldn’t quite anchor into the bells.”
“The signal, the second spell in the bells,” commented Twilight. “The empathy spell isn’t what you wanted, you just needed its field to amplify the signal!”
Ember turned his head toward the pair, revealing smile on his face. Not a forced or calculated smile, but a true, honest smile. Ember was beginning to forget what those felt like.
“Yes, you’re right. I had to get that signal out, no matter what.”
Luna placed a hoof on Ember’s bed, looking him straight in the eye.
“Who exactly is this ‘friend’ of yours who has told you how to do these things?”
“The same one you left oranges for when you were a filly.”
Luna stepped back, bumping into the desk.
“Then it really is… but how could you know him? You’re but a mere colt! No one’s spoken to him since the Darkening, not even the Doctor. So how?”
“He was lost. Even when he found a way to travel, he needed a light in the dark to guide him. That’s why I’m here, to light the way home.”
“And these ‘Daleks,’” interjected Twilight, why are they here?”
“I suspect they’ve been here a while, it was only my signal bouncing around in it’s early stages that let the Doctor finally detect them.”
“You didn’t answer my question. How have you come in contact with Tempest?”
There was a pause. “How much do you know about the Doctor?”
The two mares were taken aback.
“He’s… a clock maker,” Twilight stated, not sure what else to say.
“And?”
“He was chased, or so my sister says,” offered Luna. “He arrived several years ago hiding from some creatures who disguised themselves as ponies, calling themselves the ‘Family of Blood.’ Shortly after he arrived in Ponyville as Mister Whooves, clockmaker.” I don’t know all the details, but I’ve heard from my sister he has aided our country many times in the past, him and his blue box that can vanish and appear wherever he wills it.”
“Yes, that TARDIS of his, the blue box, can travel in space. But what he has likely neglected to mention, is that it can travel through time as well.”
----------
Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Ditzy sat around the control panel of the TARDIS, watching as the Doctor made his way towards the creature. On the screen they would occasional catch glimpses of the strange pony, now wearing a long brown coat, his sonic screwdriver readily retrievable in a front pocket.
“So, how did you meet Doctor Whooves?” Pinkie looked at the gray pegasus.
“Oh, I ran into him a bit before the Summer Sun celebration. He seemed a bit out of place, so I figured I’d see if he needed help. I’ve been his companion ever since.”
“Companion?” Pinkie considered the word for a moment. “Does that mean he’s your coltfriend?”
It was a toss-up between who had turned redder, Ditzy or Fluttershy.
“I wouldn’t say that. Not that I wouldn’t… but, you see the Doctor is, and I’m, you know… I’m more like an assistant.”
“Ooooh. But, you’d like him to be your coltfriend. I get it.
“I can’t say it hasn’t crossed my mind, but there’s no way he could look at me like that. I’m just his silly assistant.”
“I don’t know about that,” Fluttershy began. “He certainly seems to trust you.”
“Trust and love are a bit different I’m afraid,” Ditzy said with a sad smile, “but thank you.”
-----
There was no mistaking it; no Daleks had left this ship alive.
The Doctor skimmed through the reading of an access panel, trying to discover what had happened prior to their arrival, and what Tempest might have to do with it. As far as he could tell, that signal was designed to not only broadcast to the furthest parts of space, but time was well. That being the case, it wouldn’t be unthinkable that something like those creatures would take notice of it.
“Ah, he’s what I was looking for.”
The Doctor had found what he needed, video of where the Daleks had gone, as well as a better image of that creature in action.
“Hold on a tick… there’s more than one.”
---------
A loud "THUMP," echoed from the far side of the room. The three ponies turned towards the TARDIS’ doors.
“Who could that be?” the pink pony questioned.
“Hold on, I’ll see.” Ditzy moved to the control panel. “Now if I remember correctly… there!”
The monitor’s image changed to show the outside of the TARDIS. There, circling the police-box was a large, bat like creature.
----------
What can I do, what can I do?
The Doctor raced down the corridors back to the TARDIS. Right now, that creature is going to go to the oldest thing on the ship. He could only hope that he could escape before... too late.
There it was, already circling the TARDIS. Dark brown, scaly skin, large bat-like wings, and a scythe-like tale attached. The head looked almost bird-like, and a bizarre mouth-like orifice was located in the middle of its chest, around which were four hooked arms. A reaper.
Okay, okay, don’t panic. You’ve been in worse than this. I’m not sure when exactly…
The reaper turned, setting its eyes on the Doctor.
Running, I’m good at running.
-----------
“That… thing is after the Doctor! We have to do something!” cried a panicked Ditzy Doo.
“Fluttershy is good with animals, maybe she can do something.” Pinkie looked expectantly at the horrified yellow pegasus.
-------------
“So what you’re telling us, just to be clear, is that you’re a time traveler, like the Doctor. That you’ve seen what’s about to happen and need to make sure it happens just as you’ve seen it happen,” summarized Twilight.
“That’s pretty much the gist of it, though even my knowledge of what happened is limited only to what I saw my first time around,” explained Ember. As much as Ember would have liked that to be the end of it, the look of skepticism on Twilight’s face suggested otherwise. However, before Twilight could open her mouth to criticize his explanation, Luna spoke.
“That would certainly explain your need to boost the signal, and why you couldn’t power it solely through the leylines and bells. You didn’t intend to signal Tempest now, but in the past. A spell that complicated and powerful would need the caster to continue being an anchor.”
“But you said that Tempest was already here, so why are you still broadcasting the signal?”
“Excellent question Miss Twilight! You see, I don’t know exactly how long it took for Tempest to detect the broadcast, given the nature of how the signal travels. I also can’t risk ending it too soon, not allowing him enough time to track it. Therefore, I have to go off how long I felt it being broadcast during my first visit.”
“How long will that be?”
Ember strode over to box and lifted out a small clock, all while still wrapped in his blue blanket. “Just another thirty minutes should do it. Then the real fun begins. In the meantime,” Ember let the blanket fall to the floor and strode towards the door, “I have bread to make.”
-------------
“SCREEEEEE.”
The reaper chased after the Doctor, corridor after corridor. Fortunately it’s large size seemed ill fitted for the spacecraft. Not far behind a trio of mares followed.
If I can just get to the engine room, I could at least buy myself enough time to get back to the TARDIS and figure out whatever paradox caused these to show up.
Dead end.
“Well, that’s just rubbish.”
The “mouth” of the creature began to glow as it hovered slowly towards the Doctor.
“Doctor!”
The reaper halted, turning its attention to the new arrivals.
“Ditzy?”
“Okay Fluttershy, do your thing.” Pinkie pushed the pegasus towards the creature. “Hey, it’s ignoring us.”
“Of course it’s ignoring you,” the Doctor yelled from his corner, “these creatures come from the time vortex itself, the older something is the better, and right now I’m the oldest thing in here.”
With a final flap, the reaper was upon the Doctor. The three ponies shut their eyes the sound of a sickening "CRUNCH."
-----------------
“I really like making sourdough bread,” Ember said as he wobbled from a drawer filled with bowls to a drawer filled with utensils, a glass bowl balanced on his back. “It’s always a bit different depending on where you make it.”
From a cupboard the hornless unicorn removed some flour and sugar. “You see, when one makes sourdough from scratch, we don’t bother adding any yeast to the mix. Just flour… salt… and water,” Ember measured out each ingredient and let it fall into the bowl after naming each one. “Now this is the important part, we need to pour our mix into a jar… grab the jar for me, thank you, and then we just place a cloth over it, yes that one over there, tie that on for me, and voilà!”
“I’m not sure I understand,” began Twilight, “are you going to bake the dough in that jar?”
Ember chortled. “No, well, I guess I could, but that’s not my plan. You see, with sourdough bread, you let the starter, that ‘s what I have here, gather its own yeast. Yeast is everywhere, just floating about in the air. All you need to do is give it some delicious wheat to munch on, and it will make the bread nice and puffy for you.”
Ember placed the jar onto the counter and motioned for his two students to come closer. “This cloth that Miss Luna secured onto the top keeps out unwanted particles that would spoil the mix, while still allowing yeast to get it. Even more important is that this is Ponyville yeast. It will have a different taste and smell than any other sourdough in Equestria, nay, the world! Isn’t that just fascinating? With just a little time, this jar will be filled with gases from happy little fungi.”
The colt placed the jar in the corner of the bakery, out of the reach of the sun. “Now in a few days I’ll be able to make some tasty Ponyville style bread. I can’t wait.”
Twilight couldn’t help but smile at the cheesy grin on the young stallion’s face.
---------------
The Doctor cringed in the corner of the room, waiting for his death, or rather, eraser from time and space.
And waited.
And waited.
“Oh come now, if you’re going to eat me then get it…” The brown colt looked about the room. All across the room, the text on access panels, and even drawn on with familiar white chalk read “BAD FOX.”
At the other end of the corridor the three mares looked on in horror. But what were they looking at? Following their gazes he saw them, all of five feet away in the opposite corner. A large, gray fox, easily the size of Princess Celestia, if not larger, was holding the creature up against the wall. As the fox put a mysterious pressure against the reaper, it let out another sickening “CRUNCH,” before going limp.
“Hello Doctor,” a voice came from the fox, “how I’ve wanted to see you.”
The Doctor stared at his rescuer, not sure whether he was more shocked at their sudden meeting, or the fact that he was able to subdue the reaper so easily.
“How are you doing that? Nothing in this universe can hurt those creatures, so how did you manage that?”
The limp form of the strange entity slumped to the floor with unsettling "flump." Tempest continued to gaze at his victim as he spoke.
“These things, reapers some call them, they come from outside our universe, living within the flow of the time vortex. Damaging them would require something capable of damaging time itself.”
“Damage time?” questioned Pinkie, “how does that work?”
Tempest turned his head slightly to the left, just enough to catch a glimpse of the three ponies behind him. He considered them for a moment before answering.
“The details are quite complicated, but the important aspect is that these creatures are naturally capable of doing it. They use this ability to mend paradoxes, but I’ve seen it have other uses.”
The Doctor took a step towards the fox spirit.
“That’s fantastic! You mean you’ve actually managed to mimic their abilities? I knew you were a crafty fox, but this is beyond belief.”
“It was dumb luck really,” began Tempest. “After I found myself abandoned, I eventually noticed one of these poor things wounded in the aftermath. Must have been attracted to that dragon. I tried to help it, but to no avail.”
Tempest lowered his head, face to face with the reaper.
“So I figured, ‘why let this chance go to waste?’ So I studied it, observed as it tried to return to the vortex, tried to consume me, as it cried. It was all rather depressing, really. But you know what? I was happy it was there, if only to not be alone.”
The Doctor knew how it felt to feel alone in the universe. As much as one tried to make up for it with other distractions, there was always that nagging void in one’s heart, constantly reminding you, “You are alone.”
“However,” Tempest continued, “it soon stopped chasing me. It went silent. That was when I had an Idea. If I could take its remaining temporal energy into myself, I could manipulate time-space. I could travel through the vortex. But most importantly, I could get home!”
“Take its energy? You don’t mean…” a paling Fluttershy’s voice gave out, not willing to finish her sentence.
“I’m afraid so little one, I had to consume it.”
For the first time, the ancient spirit turned to face the ponies. Like a vine gripping the bark of a tree, long strands of brown-green scales wound their way around his body, and covering much of the right side of his long, vulpine face.
“I see,” muttered the Doctor, “in order to navigate the vortex, you had to assimilate some of their flesh.”
“Indeed, this was the third gift I received from my ordeal,” Tempest explained. “The first two were given to me from the dragon. The first was its hunger. The second was the means to satiate that hunger… if only momentarily.”
As Tempest spoke a stream of glowing golden orbs made their way from the reaper to his spine. The scaly skin matched the colors and intensity of the orbs until the last of them had passed into his body.
“There, much better.”
The time pony looked on in horror at the realization of what stood before him.
-----------
According to the clock on the wall, it was a few minutes passed eleven o’clock. Ember had finally stopped sending out the signal, and had tried to return to baking. This left Twilight and Luna to wait by the wooden box the Doctor had left, and attend to the occasional customer. The princess had taken a particular interest in the how the box worked. However, it had been a few minutes since Twilight had seen him since he had gone to the kitchen.
“I suppose I should check on him,” the purple mare commented to the princess.”
Luna nodded, not bothering to look up at Twilight as she continued to prod at the box with a hoof. Peering into the kitchen, Twilight could see a couple of trays of what she assumed were to be rolls had been left on the counter, bowls coated in dough remnants filled the sink, but no sign of the colt. It was only when she peered into an alcove that held much of the bakery’s ingredients that she found him.
Ember had once again fallen asleep, this time leaning against the shelves to the pantry, a large bag of flour proving too powerful a temptation to rest his head upon.
Ember twitched an ear at the soft "ding" of the timer. The colt lifted his head slowly from the sack, and not even bothering to turn around, instead backed out of the panty, towards the oven.
“Need any help?”
A mumble that sounded something like “I’ll be fine” was the reply to the purple mare's inquiry.
“Well, the princess and I will be just in the next room waiting to hear from the Doctor if you do need anything.”
Seeming to be drifting back to sleep with every passing second, Ember placed the next batch of rolls into the oven before re-setting the timer and returning to the alcove.
“Luna? Twilight? Are you there?”
It was the Doctor’s voice crackling from the wooden box.
“Yes Doctor, we are here,” replied Luna, “do you need me to retrieve you?”
“No, but when we come back I need you both to keep your distance from Tempest.”
“What? Why?”
“He’s… changed a bit. Are you familiar with The Darkening?”
“Yes, Twilight Sparkle and I have discussed it.”
“Good, that makes this easier. It seems when Tempest went into the dragon to stop it, he absorbed a bit of the magic that allowed it to break down and absorb matter and energy. Over time, that magic has spread throughout his body, becoming a part of whom he is. That’s how he was able to follow that signal here, he absorbed entities capable of manipulating time and space, and used their abilities to travel.”
After a short pause and some clattering in the background, the Doctor continued.
“Anyway, as it stands, entities with strong magical abilities would make a powerful temptation for him. And as much as I’d like to think otherwise, I’m not sure enough of the Tempest I knew remains to keep that hunger in check.”
Luna and Twilight exchanged glances.
“Doctor,” Twilight began, “if he’s become so dangerous, why let him come here at all?”
“He’s been trying to get home for hundreds of years. Now that he’s within view of it there’s nothing that would convince him to simply stay away. There’s no way for us to stop him from coming, so better he be with us where we can keep an eye on him.”
“I understand Doctor,” Luna replied.
“Good, we’ll meet you by Fluttershy’s home by the Everfree Forest.”
With that the box went silent.
“We probably should have told him what we learned from Ember.”
“It wouldn’t have changed anything.” Ember’s voice carried from the kitchen. “My role has finished, the rest is up to you.”
---------------------
Having left the baker to his work, the pair made their way to the outskirts of Ponyville. The sun was still hidden from sight by the cloudy skies, and the closer they got to the Fluttershy’s house the darker and angrier the clouds seemed to become. Coming over the top of a hill, they saw a blue box. Outside Twilight could see four forms. The Doctor, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Ditzy Doo.
“Where’s Tempest?”
“The Doctor said it might be problematic if he entered the TARDIS, so Tempest said he’d meet us here,” answered Ditzy.
Almost as if stepping out of a shadow, the tall vulpine form appeared. Twilight thought he certainly looked like the illustration, though what the Doctor meant by his change was quite evident as well.
“Would you smell that air! And look, flowers!”
The spirit flopped down upon the frosted earth and stared lovingly at a pair of flowers that had managed to poke through the thin blanket of snow, his tail swinging back and forth in an almost hypnotic manner.
“I never thought I’d be so happy to see flowers.”
Twilight stepped lightly towards the Doctor, not wanting to catch the attention of their guest.
“Oh! Look at this rock! Where did you come from?”
“He seems… interesting,” Twilight commented.
This wasn’t exactly how she envisioned an ancient guardian spirit, that could keep Discord at bay, would behave. In her mind, she imagined something that felt more regal and wise. This creature seemed… easily amused at any rate.
“He’s been away for a long time Miss Sparkle. I can’t even begin to imagine what he’s endured. Not just being alone, but also the effects of the poison of that dragon. The other spirits who felt it were weakened to the point that they needed to hide themselves away. Tempest made up for that by taking in the essence of time creatures, but he’s still not whole. If anything he’s all the more wounded for it.”
“What is he looking at?”
Tempest had ceased rolling the rock over with his nose, and instead sat rigidly, his head turned towards the forest.
Twilight glanced at the Doctor, who seemed as confused as her.
“I’m not sure. It couldn’t be… no.”
The Doctor’s eyes went wide with panic.
“I’ve made a huge error, we need to distract him, NOW.”
Tempest finally began to move, crouching low to the ground. He silently started to move towards the forest. Twilight thought it looked almost as if he were... hunting.
“Hey! I just thought of something!” declared an excited pink pony. “This is your first time to Ponyville! And you know what that calls for.”
Pinkie had sprung up to block the path of the great fox. He regarded her with interest, though still glanced occasionally at the forest.
“A map? I suppose a map would be useful,” he suggested.
Pinkie Pie giggled. “No silly, a party!”
----------------
“Hello?”
A blue unicorn strode into the bakery, peering around the front counter.
“Ember? Are you here?”
Colgate had not seen the baker since he had left clock shop the night before. He seemed to be in a strange mood at the time. Well, people who knew the Doctor were always strange, but they don’t normally live next to where you work. With no customers of her own to tend to, and the Doctor once again vanished, she decided to take a break and check in on her neighbor.
For some reason, Colgate couldn’t shake the gloomy feeling that seemed to fill the room. She couldn’t put her hoof on it, but it just seemed so lonely in there. The light jingle of the bell hung from the door didn’t seem to help. If anything, the solitary ring seemed to make it feel all the lonelier.
“Hellooooo.”
The welcome came from kitchen in the back. There Ember sat, staring into the warm glow of the oven. The mare peeked into the oven. Nothing was inside.”
“H-hey there Ember, what-cha baking?”
“Nothing, I’ve finished baking for today.”
“I see.”
As much as she felt inclined to help, the longer she stayed in the bakery the more depressed she felt. Besides, Colgate was sure things would be fine without her getting involved.
“I just don’t know what to do,” Ember said, still peering into the oven. “My whole life I’ve known more or less where my life was going. But now… I just don’t know.”
Unsure of what to say, Colgate opted to remain quite. What was one suppose to say to someone in this case?
“It’s just… a little scary I guess,” he explained. “To have everything written out for you in advance, it’s comforting. You know what the expectations are, you know how to get there. Easy. But now, I’m not sure where my place is. If I even have a place.”
“Well,” Colgate replied, “you seem to be doing pretty well here. I don’t see how this couldn’t be your place. I admit, it’s been nice coming to work with the smell of baking floating around.”
The two ponies shared a quite smile.
SLAM
The sound of the shop’s door being thrust open startled the two.
“Baker,” Princess Luna announced, “we need your assistance.”
