Another explosion rocked the room. Outside the sealed door came the screaming battle cries of an army of Daleks. The Doctor’s body was splayed on the ground, as he struggled to finish the last of his last-minute invention. His short mane fluttered on top of his light coppery blue head, which was aching with stress. And fear.
He knew this invention, this weapon, was the last hope for the ponies onboard this space station, as well as his last chance to survive without regeneration. His hopeful gray eyes looked up when the Daleks advanced on the doors. They banged at the metal hinges, screaming, “EXTERIMINATE! EXTERMINATE!” but the doors were blocked by broken computers, chairs, and desks.
His beloved companion, Roseluck, was back on her homeworld of Gaia, in Ponyville, Equestria. He could not bear to see her die by the Daleks. Or anyone, for that matter. He was thinking of her the entire time he was working: her raspberry mane, her cream-gold coat, and her lustrous green eyes, that shimmered like emeralds of the late Crystal Empire. He was in love with his own companion!
He could not bear to tell her, or admit it to himself. So, he did his best to keep her out of danger, but since she had been traveling with him for years, she was used to danger. She hated being called weak and helpless, because she wasn’t. She had become stronger, braver, and a real badass. But her sisters didn’t like her attitude change one bit. Lily and Daisy were appalled when Roseluck returned to Equestria a year ago, and Roseluck was not interested in spending time with them; all because of a Cyber-pony invasion. Most of her time now, was invested with the Doctor.
The Doctor knew she couldn’t live forever, which is why he had to keep her safe so at least she could grow old with him, if she chose to. ‘Oh Rose,’ he thought sadly. ‘Even If I do change, I will always love you. I wish we could be together, forever, if only you loved me back.’ His solemn and hopeful thoughts were interrupted by a huge crash. The Daleks had broken in!
Roseluck struggled to control the TARDIS. She had ignored the Doctor’s plea to stay in Ponyville until he came back, somehow. She knew she wouldn’t be okay or safe until he was there. He meant everything to her now. She had dumped her coltfriend to travel with the Doctor. She had abandoned her sisters to explore whole new worlds and times. She was ready for one last adventure. Even if it meant her death, to at least she would die in the Doctor’s arms. But the trauma…if she died…she wasn’t sure how much it would hurt him if she died. She didn’t want to hurt him. She wanted to love him!
She gave it great thought in her plan. Her plan was to use the inside of the TARDIS for help. What she didn’t know though, was the extent of its power. She opened the compartment door, the heart of the TARDIS. A blinding light emerged and struck her face and engulfed her. She screamed.
The Doctor winced as the Daleks’ screams intensified, more so to shouts of victory rather than battle cries. He smiled faintly to the tin cans he had fought against so long. “You got me. You got me! Congratulations!” He applauded them with his front hooves. “Now what? A spot of tea to celebrate?''
“THE DOCTOR WILL BE EXTERMINATED!”
He closed his eyes and prepared for the death blow.
But before the Daleks could utter even a charging sound from their lasers, the TARDIS materialized. The evil machines stopped, and began to cry out, “EXPLAIN! EXPLAIN!” The doctor looked up to his machine in shock. “NO! Rose! I told you NO!” He ran for the doors, but they opened by a glowing Roseluck. Her eyes and body were filled with endless time energy. She was screaming at the top of her precious lungs, and used the energy and began to vaporize the evil Daleks. Some of the Daleks screamed in terror and began to try to flee, only to get destroyed to ashes. The energy Roseluck released went as far as to destroy the Dalek fleet outside as well.
The Doctor screamed above Rose’s screams, “NO! YOU’LL DIE! I WON’TLET YOU DIE!” He flung himself at her. She responded, “THIS IS DESTINY, DOCTOR. I AM THE BAD WOLF. I WILL FIX TIME AND SPACE.” She paused. "I CAN SEE EVERYTHING...EVERYTHING!" "Exactly!" the Doctor cried. "That's me all the time! Please, Roseluck, STOP!" She began to scream some more, in agony. The Doctor tensed. “I think…you need a doctor.” He threw his front legs around her and kissed her lips, releasing a fiery time disturbance, transferring all the energy into him. Rose collapsed, but the Doctor caught her, and pulled her into the TARDIS; leaving the damaged, but safe, space station with few survivors, but with no more Daleks.
Roseluck looked up at her Doctor. He looked weary and exhausted. His signature smile came to life when he saw she was awake. “Hey, you okay?” Rose sighed. “Tired, with muscle cramps, but I’ll be fine…those Daleks never stood a chance.” The Doctor looked at one of his front hooves, which began to glow. “Rose…” he spoke gravely.
“Yes, Doctor?”
“I’m sorry. I have to go.”
Roseluck looked confused. “Doctor? What are you talking about?” The Time Colt looked at his companion with great sadness. “I absorbed that time energy. It’s drained away my life. I’m about to regenerate. I’m going to die.” Rose faltered, tears pouring down her face. “Don’t die! Please!” “Rose. I’m going to change, that’s all. I’ll look different. I won’t be gone, well, this face will be, but it will still be me. And before I go…” “NO!” she screamed. “Don’t say that!”
“Rose,” the Time Colt said gently. “You were bloody fantastic. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. You WERE fantastic! And guess what?”
She stared at him, waiting for an answer. “So was I!” He finished with his signature witty smile. Rose smiled at him, at that smile. He let out a small grin and he exploded. Regeneration energy blew out of his head and face, his four hooves, and his tail. His copper blue skin burned into a lighter tan. His gray eyes turned a merry blue. His short mane grew longer into a dark brown. His cutie mark and black leather jacket remained the same.
The energy faded, revealing the Tenth Doctor. He smiled at her. “Hello.” Then he frowned. “How do I look?” Rose just stared at him blankly.
The Doctor searched for a mirror, rummaging through all his junk in the corner of the control room. He looked up. “Happen to have a mirror?” he asked. Rose threw him her makeup mirror, still stunned by what just happened. The new Doctor studied himself in the little mirror. “Oh, yes. I love this. The mane is an improvement. The coat is…NOT GINGER! Blast! I was hoping to be ginger this time! Hmm…ears are floppier, fancy that! New teeth, brighter eyes, and…ugh! This leather jacket is SO yesterday!” He immediately threw off the leather jacket Rose saw him wear so often. “OH! I’m naked! Well, ponies ARE naked aren’t they? Most are, at least. Oh, I sound so fluty! Ha, ha! I love it!” The new Doctor began to prance around the TARDIS gleefully with his companion staring in awe at him.
Rose did not know he could change his appearance. He had just died, yet he became a new colt. What did he just call it, “regeneration?” It sounded so absurd and alien, but that pretty much described the Doctor in a nutshell. She couldn’t believe it was the same colt. The young companion walked up to him, as he continued to hop around like a filly on sugar high. Rose tried to gaze at his face, for traces of the old Doctor. He stopped when he noticed her staring. “Rose? Something wrong?” He even remembered her name! The new Time Colt even looked concerned. “Rose, it’s me. The Doctor.” She still gaped at him in disbelief. The mare reached out and touched his face, and staring into his sparkling sapphire eyes. They were as ageless and timeless as she remembered. They were blank yet brought her into a state of joy. He was still the Doctor. Her Doctor. “You…remember me? It’s…really you?”
The Doctor smiled. “For better or for worse, dear Rose. What do you think?” She continued to study him. “It looks…different…you look so much younger. So…” She wanted to say, “handsome,” but that was going to spill her secret. So instead she said, “Time Colt.” The Tenth Doctor Whooves smiled. “I am a Time Colt. Do I look younger? I feel younger! So, where to? I feel like something NEW! To celebrate my new face! How about it, Roseluck?”
Rose tensed. She was about to decline, but realized deep down inside, he was the same pony. Or Time Colt. Even if he looked and acted completely different. She finally smiled. “Let’s go.”
