Dr. Whooves- Parallel Complications

Canterlot Castle
5 days after the Doctor left

"But you've got to let me try, princess Celestia!"

Twilight had been begging to help in the fight against Chaos for half an hour, having taken a train to Canterlot and demanded to see Celestia right away. Celestia accepted the visit, but was refusing her help.

"The elements of harmony are strong, but not strong enough for this creature," Celestia said again. "You or your friends getting involved would mean certain doom for all of you. We must rely on the help we have."

Twilight finally saw that there was no convincing Celestia, and she bowed her head, a light frown on her face. "I'll trust you, princess, but if the elements of harmony can't protect us, are we sure that this other pony can?"

Celestia stood from her throne, walking down next to Twilight. "Come, I will walk with you outside," she said.

The two traveled through the long, wide halls of the castle, their strides slow. Guards paid no mind, and for a while, the teacher and the student shared a silence.

"This pony that I spoke to you of, he's from a faraway place. He's not quite as old as me, but has still lived for over a thousand years, and has grown wise from his travels. He is quick, cunning, and always there to help when help is needed. Although I'm older as I said, he has seen things I couldn't even begin to imagine, done things that I'd never be able to do. His coming was foretold, before we even began recording our history, and he is the only one wise enough and brave enough to save us. I wish you could have met him while he was here, but I am certain he will be here again. Go home Twilight, and keep Ponyville safe. Chaos is already beyond our reach, out amongst the stars where we cannot chase him. Put your faith in the Doctor. He will need it."

Twilight looked up at Celestia one last time as they reached the main gate. "I trust you, princess. I will protect Ponyville, and if this Doctor can impress you that much, then he must be really great."

"He is. Just remember though, you impress me equally as much. Take care, my faithful student."

Twilight smiled, and turned away, heading to catch a train ride home.

Celestia returned inside the castle, her head heavy with the burden of all that was happening around her. Defending her own world was difficult enough in the past centuries, but she couldn't even begin to comprehend the scale of damage Chaos would cause if he was successful. Not only the infinity that was her universe, but the infinity that was every universe. Chaos was out there, somewhere, shifting through time and space and dimensions of reality, and she felt helpless.

When Celestia reached the throne room, princess Luna was awake, routinely out of bed several hours before nightfall. "Twilight truly wants to help," she said.

"I wish she could, sister. I too, wish I could help more," Celestia replied.

"I agree that she is not powerful enough in her current state, despite her magical talent that is beyond extraordinary," Luna said. "However, do you still plan on making her an alicorn?"

"Yes, but not yet." Celestia sat back down in her throne, her sister in the throne next to her. "She is talented, but still not ready. I'm afraid there's nothing she can do in this battle, and very little we can do. We must simply put our faith in the Doctor."

"As we were told to do."

"Yes, as we were told to do."

***

Several thousand years earlier

"So did you look like you again when you went back to earth?" Jack asked as the TARDIS flew through the time vortex.

"No, actually, so now I have no idea how the transformation works," the Doctor replied.

"So I might be stuck as a pony? Not too bad I guess, I'm still handsome," Jack smirked.

"Um... anyways, where are we going again?" Paige chimed in, wanting to lead the conversation elsewhere.

"I'm taking us back in time. Far back, apparently beyond your recorded history. I'm not sure where to stop, but we shouldn't be too far- what?"

The Doctor froze as the motion of the TARDIS slowly came to a stop, the screeching noise of the engine quieting down until the three travelers were surrounded by silence. "I didn't do that," the Doctor said, running over to the monitor. "The TARDIS didn't do that," he continued. "We've been stopped."

"We've what? While we were in the time vortex?" Jack said, moving next to the Doctor. "How is that possible?"

"Something just stopped us. Or someone..."

"Doctor! I think my bag just moved," Paige pointed over to her bag, having seen it rustle.

The Doctor looked up, his mind racing to a conclusion. "Psychic paper, get it out of there, quickly!"

Paige remembered which item was the psychic paper, pulling out a thin, black object. She tossed it to the Doctor, who quickly set it on the consol and flipped it open with a hoof. "You're at where you wanted to go, come on outside..." the Doctor read.

"Could this be Chaos?" Jack asked.

"I really hope not, but it's time to find out."

The Doctor put the psychic paper away, and looked towards the door. A faint sound of wind could be heard from the other side, and he approached the TARDIS exit quietly.

"Where are we?" Paige asked.

"Should still be on Earth, that's where I wanted to go. However I couldn't tell you what's out there."

The wind increased in volume as the Doctor slowly opened the TARDIS door. There was no light to welcome them, or plants, or seemingly any life at all. The three travelers stepped onto black rock, surrounded by darkness.

The Doctor held a hoof above his eyes to keep his mane from blocking his vision, and caught sight of a faint light, directly in front of them. "I guess that light is our only sense of direction," the Doctor said, beginning to walk forward.

Jack and Paige followed, trying to see anything different from what they were standing on. "I can see why your recorded history doesn't go very far back," Jack said.

"Doctor, look up. Why are there so few stars?" Paige asked.

The Doctor looked up, seeing merely several dozen stars up in the sky. "I'm not sure," he replied. "I came looking for answers, and I'm just getting more questions."

As the three continued to approach the mysterious light, they could make out the shape of a large pony, similar in size to Celestia. They pressed on through the wind, more confident now that they saw the creature wasn't Chaos, and the colors of the pony began to form in their eyes. Her body was white, like that of Celestia's, but her mane and tail were a rich red, resting normally without the magical flow that Celestia and Luna had. She had both wings and a horn, marking herself as an alicorn.

"Hello, Doctor," the pony said, her voice calm and gentle. "I have been expecting you." She didn't look towards the three travelers, she simply kept her gaze out into the black distance, her horn lighting a short radius around them.

"You know, that's the second time I've been expected by a pony, I'd still like to know how," the Doctor replied.

"Oh, you're known very well. A protector of life all over your universe, and sometimes, even in other universes." The alicorn looked towards the three travelers now, smiling at Paige. She stood up, approaching her. “Hello, and you must be Paige." Paige smiled weakly in reply, nervous.

"Who are you?" the Doctor asked.

"Oh, my name is not important, same as you, Doctor," the alicorn said, turning away again. "But you came here to find answers, and while I have only few, I believe they can help."

"Alright then, I'll try and get started," the Doctor said, taking a breath. "Firstly, this is only several thousand years before I was last on this planet, but there's nothing. This planet couldn't have evolved that fast, and there's also very few stars in the sky."

"Well the answer to that is obvious. This universe is still being created," the alicorn replied. "I am a creator."

The Doctor stared, not understanding any of what she had said. "A what?"

"Unfortunately Doctor, this is where there will always be some confusion," the alicorn explained, looking at the Doctor again. "There are times where you don't bother explaining physics of reality that are too complicated for most of your companions to comprehend. You are my companion in this sense, if I tried to explain reality to you I'd break every rule you know, and your rules are good enough."

The Doctor paused. "Then please, tell me more about what a creator is. You mean to say that you're actually creating this universe as we speak?"

"Helping create it, yes," the alicorn replied. "The energy field of a universe. Every single one is different. Your universe had the big bang, you didn't need a creator to help with that energy release, and evolution took care of the rest. This universe is using my energy to create itself."

"I've never heard of anything like that..." Jack said, astounded.

"Alright then," the Doctor said, needing to stay on the point despite how fascinated he was. "What about Chaos?"

"There are two things beyond the rules you have for the universe, Doctor. Creators and destroyers," the alicorn said. "Creators are beings such as myself, and destroyers come from the void, such as Chaos. You have actually met a destroyer before, in your own universe."

"When?"

"The impossible planet, orbiting a black hole," the alicorn said. "A prison for a destroyer from the void. He told you he came from before time, and that's where things go beyond your comprehension."

The Doctor remembered back, long, long ago, before Rose was lost to the parallel universe. A planet that couldn't exist, a language the TARDIS couldn't translate, and a creature the Doctor could not explain.

"So you know what they are then, and you’re one yourself," the Doctor contined. "The creators and the destroyers. Are they at war?"

"War? No, we merely exist, through all of space and time, Doctor," the alicorn replied. "The destroyers come from the void, we come from... well, that's a place I can't even describe. All you need to know is, both creators and destroyers have always been here."

"So if you know who and what Chaos is, can you stop him?" Jack asked.

The alicorn chuckled. "No, unfortunately. I'm much too powerful for that."

Paige was the one most confused by that statement. "Too powerful?"

"Discord was thought to be young, but truthfully Chaos is still young as well; he's only existed for a few million of your years. He would stand no chance against me, and if I were to stop him, there would be massive collateral damage. I've existed for far too long and have far too much power, I must stay neutral."

The Doctor moved a bit closer to the alicorn. "Then can you tell us how to defeat him? If we don't stop Chaos, then we will lose all of reality."

"The winds of fate are blowing, Doctor. My interference in which direction they go could have massive consequences. However, I've put a lot of work into creating this universe, and you've put a lot of work into protecting yours. I'd rather not see this universe fall, so I will help you in the small way I can. I must speak with each of you individually. Paige, I would like to speak with you first."

Paige was surprised, but the Doctor turned and put a reassuring hoof on her shoulder. "We need whatever she can give us," he whispered.

Jack and the Doctor walked a small distance away, keeping themselves out of earshot.

"Should we trust this alicorn?" Jack asked.

"The things she knows, the way she speaks, I feel she's being honest," the Doctor replied. "She's diving into a part of my past that I could never explain, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to. This whole universe feels impossible now, but we need to stop Chaos."

"I agree, and I haven't met a pony yet that seems to be on the side of the bad guys," Jack replied.

"It's hard enough for most people to comprehend the infinite size of the universe, even for me sometimes. Then you talk about alternate universes, and that infinity gets bigger. Now I'm here, in a universe I didn't even know could exist, and a number we couldn't describe to begin with is suddenly so much larger than we thought. Chaos plans to destroy all that, bring infinity down to zero, and if this alicorn has the power to stop the TARDIS in her tracks, then doesn't proceed to kill us, I'm trusting her with all my hearts."

***

"How are you, Paige?" the alicorn asked, now alone with the Doctor's companion.

"I'm fine... I feel like I should say princess, but I'm not sure who you are," Paige replied.

"Don't worry about calling me anything, I'm certainly not a princess," the alicorn said. "Now, tell me about the Doctor. Have you enjoyed your time with him?"

"Yes, yes I have," Paige replied. "It's scary, but... I trust him with my life. He's shown me so much I didn't know, and I feel more complete with my knowledge of the universe, knowing there's more out there then just our tiny planet."

"For you Paige, I have only one question," the alicorn said. "I know much about the Doctor, and a lot converges around him. Even my small amount of help could change the winds of fate drastically. Dangerous things could happen. All I have to ask you, is the Doctor worth it?"

Paige thought for a while before responding, taking the question seriously. "Sometimes, not everyone is saved," Paige began. "But it's not the Doctor's fault, and there would be many more dead if the Doctor weren't here. He's worth the risk."

The alicorn smiled. "Thank you Paige, that is all I need to hear from you. Please send Jack over."

Paige nodded, and turned away from the mysterious alicorn. Jack walked up to her a few moments later, giving her a polite nod. "Hello there," Jack said.

"Hello Jack," the alicorn replied. "You're quite an impossible being, you know that?"

"Yes ma'am, I certainly do," Jack said. "What can I do for you?"

"You're actually going to live longer than me," the alicorn told Jack. "I'm quite old, and will only live under your definition of life for about another thousand years. You have been given a task to complete, Jack, and you must be here until it is done."

"A task? What sort of task?"

"You will understand, later on," the alicorn said. "It is good that you're here. The Doctor will need your help. I will speak to the Doctor now."

Jack had more questions, but obeyed, and trotted off.

Lastly, the Doctor approached the alicorn again, his eyes filled with wonder, his mind incapable of understanding the creature before him.

"Doctor, I have several answers for you, and then the journey is yours to make. I cannot interfere with what is going to happen any more than I am about to."

"I understand," the Doctor replied. "What can you tell me?"

"Chaos, the creature of the void you have met, is extremely powerful, but not unbeatable. You can save what has taken so long to create if you do things right. The one advantage is how you are right now. Chaos can rarely just kill something; his abilities must be used to cause death in indirect ways. As powerful of a being as he is, destroying universe energy in its purest form is impossible for him. You're an even harder case, because you are from another universe, yet universe energy from here is converging to you, changing what form you take. If you were to amplify the universe energy coursing through you, you could use it to defeat him."

"How would I do so?"

"That, I cannot tell you," the alicorn continued. "Now, many universes have similar enough energies that pervade them, so it would take much longer than any being's lifetime to cause any damage, which is why it is safe for Rose to be where she is. This universe, however, is too far from yours. When all is done, all will be back in the form they truly are, and all must return to the universe they belong in to prevent the cracks between universes from staying open."

The Doctor frowned, bowing his head. "So... I'll have to leave Paige behind..."

"I wish I could help more, but at the moment I do not have a solution," the alicorn said. "If I do come up with one, I won't be able to tell you how directly. You will only be given a hint, and you must be the one to interpret the meaning."

The Doctor looked up again, his mind turning past events over. He was now worried, realizing that the hint may well have already come across his ears.

"Lastly, to defeat Chaos, you must use the key," the alicorn said.

"The key?"

"Entering a universe from the void is done through doors, so to speak. You must use a key to lock those doors once more."

While not understanding yet, the Doctor nodded. His TARDIS had traveled through the void before but only for brief moments to get from universe to universe, and even then he had only done it a couple times. He needed a way to stay in the void, and this key would likely be the answer. "I appreciate the help."

"I wish I could explain more, or at least explain the laws of the universe that are dictating my ability to help, but as time travel is complicated to your companions, the rules I follow are complicated as well. There are times when creators and destroyers have fought, yes, but this situation is different in many ways. Good luck to you, Doctor, I am proud of the universe I am creating, and I hope it continues to exist through all of time."

"Thank you for the help you've been able to give," the Doctor said. "Just one last question. How do you know so much about me?"

"When I felt your ship heading into the beginning of this universe, I went to your universe and observed for a few centuries," the alicorn explained. "You are quite remarkable, Doctor, and if anyone can save reality, you can. Now, you are about to be very happy and later very sad, but even so, you must find her now."

The Doctor was going to ask who the alicorn meant, but found himself back on the TARDIS, staring at the doors.

"What? We were just outside, waiting for you Doctor. How did we end up in here again?" Paige asked.

The Doctor stared at the doors, unsure of what to do next. "I don't know," the Doctor said. "But she helped us quite a lot."

"I personally think she could have helped more, but I won't argue," Jack said.

"Jack, perfectly capable of helping but if help is given the collateral damage could be massive. Sound like anyone you know?"

Jack froze, realizing the words that had escaped him. "Doctor, I'm sorry..."

"Nah, don't be, we've got universes to save," the Doctor said, putting his emotions away and turning around. "What was interesting was the last thing she said to me. 'Find her'..."

"Well Doctor, we got a bit side tracked when we found Jack, but didn't the TARDIS find two events where something crossed to this universe from yours?" Paige said.

"Right you are, Paige! We've got someone else to find!" the Doctor said, perking up again and heading for the controls. Could Samantha have found her way here? he thought to himself, knowing that he was searching for a female.

"So where to, Doctor?" Jack asked.

"Looks like we're headed for a town called Ponyville."

***

800 years later

The new universe was still very young, and the mysterious alicorn smiled, standing upon a world with water, a stable atmosphere, and the beginnings of life and civilization. A brand new star was in the sky, only 50 years old, and shone brightly. She had also added a moon, having liked the look of the planet Earth that the Doctor visited so much during her observation of him.

"Alright, I have found another way I can help the Doctor, and more solutions are clear," she said aloud. "I am really testing the winds of fate with this, but you need not worry, the damage will be solely to myself, and it will be worth it," she continued.

"There is a being, who will come from a distant world. He looks like us, but is not one of us, at least not all the time. A brilliant creature who just might be able to save creation."

The alicorn looked out into the sunlight as she spoke, smiling widely. "I will tell you of this prophecy, of the time in your future when you will meet this magnificent being, and I will prepare you. As I told him, only through hints can I give him answers, and only if he understands those hints can you then help him with my solutions. Either way, this being is, has, and will be fighting to be the savior of all things, and when these points become fixed in time, you will be able to personally experience the outcome. My time here is not much longer, if I interfere beyond the creation of this universe anymore, more creatures than myself will take damage. But I have just enough time to tell you of him, to speak of his future coming, and leave the legend alive in your hearts.

She snuggled her head against the two newborn, sleeping fillies. "I will tell you of the legend of the Doctor, my dear Celestia and Luna."