Doctor Who: Equestrian Chronicles Series 1

Whoooosh, whoooosh, whoooosh,

A blue box appeared in a corner of an alleyway. The door opened, revealing a very peeved pony with a spiky manecut.

“You. Have. Got. To. Be. Kidding me!” The Doctor shouted, “Of all… what’s the matter with you, aye?” he turned to the box.

“Oh my gosh!” Twilight gasped as she trotted out, “We’re in Canterlot!”

The Doctor grinned, “Canterlot? That sounds like an important place!”

Twilight nodded excitedly, “Yes, it is! It’s where I was born, and proud capital of Equestria!”

“Well, what are you waiting for?” he demanded, “Let’s go check it out!”

Soon, however, the curious look on his face was replaced with a more suspicious one. His eyes narrowed down as he surveyed the shops.

Twilight let out an exasperated sigh, “What is it this time, Doctor?”

“I don’t know, but I’m noticing something…” he scowled, “Something about those shops.”

Twilight rolled her eyes, “That’s the same thing you said about that fat stallion with the gas problem.”

“Hey!” he exclaimed, offended, “He could have been a Raxicoricofallipatorian!”

Twilight just shook her head, and moved on, while the Doctor stared into the store window.

“Why would this place need so many mannequins?” he asked himself.

Octavia walked out the conservatoire, winning the hearts of countless classical music fans. As she trotted along the path next to the street, she lugged a heavy double bass with here. Octavia affectionately called it Bessie Mark II. The first one hade been crushed in that disastrous Gala. The replacement was made out of cheap wood. Despite the cruder material, she still managed to play beautifully.

“Hey there, sexy,” a shady looking stallion grinned at her, “How about dropping that heavy wooden instrument, and have a look at my heavy, wooden instrument?”

Octavia lifted her muzzle in the air, “A rather crude and very uncouth innuendo,” she said, “And I insist that you let me go on my way.

“Oh, no you don’t,” he said, and grinned in a sadistic way, “You’re not getting away from me that easy.”

Octavia frowned angrily. She saw red, and punched him with the might of a minotaur, “I said, ‘LET ME BE!!!!”

This was another, rather unfortunate side effect from the Gala. Though Octavia believed she was passing with flying colors in her anger management, her physiatrist would beg to differ.

As she pummeled the poor soul, a brown stallion ran towards her. He was wearing a blue suit and a Stetson ran towards her, and grabbed her by the shoulders, “Where is the Conservatoire?”

“How dare you!” she slapped him away, angrily, “I am a lady, and I would like you to treat me-“

“Oh for the love of-“ he sighed, and then shouted, “WHERE IS THE CONSERVATOIRE!!”

Octavia gulped nervously, “It’s a block away…” she pointed towards the direction she came.

“Brilliant!” he patted her on the back in a friendly manner, “I’m the Doctor, by the way, what’s yours?”

“Octavia.”

“Nice to meet you!” the Doctor grinned, “Now, I wouldn’t be in anywhere near the building in the next two minutes,” and he pulled a strange ticking devise out of his pocket, and wagged it, as to wave goodbye.

As Octavia walked away, wondering what the hay just happened, a purple unicorn bumped against her.

“Have you seen a brown stallion in a Stetson near here?” she asked, breathlessly.

“Why, yes,” Octavia answered, “He just went to the Conservatoire. Rather rude if you ask me.”

“Thanks, DOCTOR! WAIT FOR ME!”

Octavia thought about she saw, and shook her head, “Probably just some nutters.”

Boom!

She turned away, and saw that the beautiful building that hade once stood before her was reduced to rubble. Flames danced across the debris, and bits rained to the ground.

Octavia became angry. No, she was furious! She ran into the demolished building in search of the two ponies. Clearly, those ruffians had something to do with it.

“Ow!” the Doctor grunted as he was roughly shoved into a column that once held up the conservatoire roof, “What was that for?”

“You’ve got some ‘splainin’ to do, mister!” Octavia growled, and whacked on the side of his head, “That conservatoire was the only place that could calm me down for a whole, freaking year! And I’ll bet my Double Bass that you did this!”

The Doctor nodded his head, “Alright, god, you’re strong!”

The purple one frowned at her actions, and said, “Isn’t that a little bit unorthodox?”

Octavia dropped the Doctor down, who brushed off his lapels.

“Okee-dokee!” he exclaimed cheerfully, “Ready for a story?

The Doctor stood outside the TARDIS door, and knocked on the side, “C’mon! I want to see everything! What’re you looking for, anyway?”

“Hold your humans, Doctor,” Twilight joked, “I’ve got what I needed.” She trotted out of the box, holding an old, dusty book.

“What’s that?”

“It’s the Journal of Creatures and Technology In The Universe!” she recited, as she flipped though the pages, “Its what lead me to the Everfree Forest, and then to the shadows.”

The Doctor smiled at the memory, “Ah, yes, the Vashta Nerada! Our first date!”

Twilight blushed a bit, “Yes… date, an appointed time or meeting… date…”

“You alright, Twilight?” the Doctor stared at her, “You seem kinda… distracted.”

“I’m fine, everything’s totally fine!” she assured nervously. Her crush on the Doctor was getting nowhere, and it seemed like the Doctor was completely oblivious, nor that he shared her feelings.

Twilight gave the Doctor a tour of Canterlot. She brought him the Pony Joe’s, the theatre, the coffee shops. All of the fascinating parts of the beautiful city. But he wasn’t interested in any of that stuff. His attention was always taken away by something else…

“Doctor, are you staring at the mannequins again?” Twilight asked, annoyed, “That’s the third time today.”

“Sorry,” he narrowed his eyes, “It’s just that… there’s something I’m forgetting.” He sighed, “I’m getting old.”

“Of course you’re not old,” Twilight reconciled, “How old are you, exactly?”

“1110”

“Oh,” she awkwardly replied, “Ummm, okay then,”

After this rather shocking revelation, the two brooded in silence.

“Back to the point at hand… Doctor, don’t you think you’re being a little bit… I don’t know, paranoid?”

“Yeah, I guess,” He agreed, “It seems like I can’t live a day without being shot at by a crazed gunman, or a gas mask wearing zombie.”

Twilight and the Doctor continued their conversation on his age. But as they walked towards the Wonderbolts Derby arena, a mannequin slowly turned its head to the duo.

Deep, deep underground, a vat of orange-red liquid bubbled, in what could be only interpreted as laughter. A signal was soon sent to Canterlot plaza. The place with the ponies that knew too much.

“Actually, I really don’t have a clue! That’s a problem with time travel. Very wibbly wobbly,” the Doctor looked over his shoulder, “I really think that we should kep an eye out for those mannequins…”

Twilight rolled her eyes and sighed, “Really, Doctor. It’s like you want bad things to happen.”

He shook his head, “Nah, its more like bad things like to follow me. Like right now…”

The shattering of glass was heard, followed by a startled scream. The store dummies started to move. The Doctor slammed his hoof on the table, “I knew it. Danger always follows me!”

Twilight flipped through the book, “Autons. Nestene projections. They appear as living plastic dummies. Do you think that’s what those things are?”

He nodded affirmitably, “That sounds about right.”

He pulled out the Super Torch from his coat pocket, “Here, set it on Radio, and aim for the head. That should disconnect the Autons from the source.”

A mannequin trotted towards a mare, and it reached out its hoof to her.

“Look everypony!” she cried, “I think their just trying to make friends!”

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” the Doctor warned.

“Oh, what do you know?” she snapped, and looked back at the Auton with a sweet smile, “There, there. I’ll be you’re friend.” She stuck out her hoof, expectantly. But she never got her hoofshake. The end of the hoof opened up, revealing a small gun.

Bang!

The mare collapsed. Panic spread throughout the crowd. Everypony blindly ran around, being taken down, one by one. Twilight tried to take down as much as she could via Super Torch, but to no avail. Autons were everywhere in sight, killing ponies.

“Run!” the Doctor commanded as he tugged off the head of an approaching Auton.

Bang!

More ponies fell to the ground.

Twilight obeyed, her legs galloping away, to the TARDIS.

“Alright, Twilight,” He lifted the dismembered head of an Auton and, “There’s a weak signal, can’t trance it though, the head’s been battered a bit too much.”

“What’re we gonna do, Doctor!” Twilight cried, “Can you stop them?”

“Course I can!” the Doctor cheerfully nodded, “I just need to triangulate the position of the transmitter that’s sending the signal. After we get there, it’s just a matter of getting there, and getting rid of it. I can’t find where that damn Nestene is lurking about, though.”

“That means we can’t stop it for good, doesn’t it?”

“Actually, we can,” he shook his head, “If we find an Auton, in better condition, I can track it down. The Nestene should be hiding someplace big, round, like a plate. Or a bowl.”

The TARDIS screen beeped. The Doctor pulled down the screen, and grinned.

“The coordinates are pointed towards that area. The transmitter is attached to the tippity top of the Canterlot Conservatoire!”

“And how are you gonna get rid of it, exactly?” Twilight asked skeptically.

“The only way you can get rid of one,” he pulled out a small device from a drawer in the TARDIS console, “Blow it up!”

“And that,” the Doctor concluded, “Is my tale.”

Octavia hit him again. Hard. “Do you really expect me to believe that crazy story about some living lumps of plastic, coming to life?”

“That statement was redundant,” the Doctor stated, before getting another whack on the head, “HEY!”

“I don’t care!” she shouted, “Fix this. NOW!”

“Fix an exploded building?” he demanded, “Are you crazy?”

“Oh, coming from the colt who thinks that mannequins can come to life?” Octavia retorted angrily.

“Mannequins. That’s interesting, I figured you’ve called them ponniquins, or something…”

“Shut up!” she facehoofed, “Stop getting off topic!”

“One more thing is,” he pointed out, “You have an English accent. That’s incredible! When I first heard of this place as a teenager, I was like, ‘Magical ponies? That sounds interesting! Now that I’m actually here, I thought you ponies had nothing else left to impress me with, but BAM! You came along!”

“WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?”

“Doctor?” Twilight said nervously, “Aren’t we a bit busy for this?”

The Doctor smacked his forehead multiple times. “Oh, stupid me! Stupid, stupid Doctor! Sorry, Octa, but I have to leave.”

Octavia stood, with her mouth open, and shut it closed.

“Oh, no. You are not getting away from me that easily!”

When Octavia finally reached the two loons, they were tugging the head off of a mannequin. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Hello, Octa!” he greeted cheerfully, “The Nestene sent out more scouts from outside Canterlot to stop me! Oh, but that won’t work!”

“You. Are. Bonkers!” Octavia poked him with each word.

He sighed. “I had friend who used to say that. Donna Noble, her name. Haven’t seen her in years.”

Octavia’s stern expression became soft. Clearly, there was some dark back-story, hidden away behind his cheerful mask. “Erm…sorry. Don’t really know what to say, though. Not the type for pep talks.”

“Doesn’t matter…” he chuckled, “She’s getting on with her life. And I’ve lost a lot of people. I’m used to it.”

“So!” he shouted and gestured to the head, “We’ve got a signal!”

“And now all we have to do is trace the origin point of the track down the Nestene?” Twilight asked. The Doctor nodded affirmitivly.

“Good, you’re learning.”

The Doctor felt a light tap on his shoulder, and turned to see Octavia.

“Look,” she said, “At first, I thought you were just crazy. But now. Now that I look into your eyes, I can see that you’re not. You’re just a bit eccentric. So, I kinda want to help you, with whatever you’re doing.”

The Doctor grinned, “Well, what are you waiting for? Time’s a-wastin’!”

“Oh, dear Celestia,”

The Doctor smiled, “I know, it’s-”

“Such an ugly color!”

“Bigger on the ins- wait what?”

Octavia clicked her tongue. The moss green color made her sick, “This looks like vomit! Vomit spewed all over the wall by a little foal.”

“Hey!” The Doctor hugged the TARDIS pillar defensively, “Don’t worry, dear, you’re wonderful!”

Octavia was rather disturbed by the thought. She looked over to Twilight. It looked like she was trying to look away. Was she… jealous?

“Great!” The Doctor hooked the head to the TARDIS console. Looking over to the screen, he eagerly rubbed his hands together in anticipation, “Let’s go!”

The Doctor activated the controls of seemingly random thingamabobs and doohickeys. Soon enough, a strange sound appeared. It sounded a bit like a key, scraping against a violin key.

Whoooosh Whooosh Whoooooosh, thunk

“We’re here!” the Doctor said in a singsong voice.

Octavia frowned, “What do you mean? It just went Vroom, Vroom, but it didn’t really move anywhere.”

The Doctor patted her on the head. “Oh, Octa, Octa, Octa.” He laughed, “So naïve, as most are when they first met me and the TARDIS. The ship is bigger on the inside, surely it would be able to teleport!”

He opened up the doors with a snap. Octavia’s eye gave a twitch.

“Wha-huh-cap-string-“

The Doctor watched her incomprehensible stammers and scratched the back of his head awkwardly, “Do you think it was too much for her?”

Twilight shrugged, “Better reaction than Braeburn, in my opinion.”

The Doctor looked around the landscape. It was underground, judging from the smell, and obviously a construction sight. He spied hammers, wrenches, saws, and toolkits. A building fanatic’s little slice of heaven. Unfortunately, this was neither the time, nor the place. “Twilight, do you know of a place called, ‘Celestia’s Sun?’”

Twilight’s jaw dropped, “We’re… oh my gosh! We’re in Celestia’s Sun!” She giggled and jumped up and down while the Doctor gave her a blank look, “Ahem, Celestia’s sun is very symbol of piece and unity between the Zebras and Ponies. The two species built together to make a humungous statue.”

“So it’s just like the Statue of Liberty.”

“Seriously, you don’t know what Celestia’s Sun is?” Octavia scoffed, “What, have you been living under a rock?”

“Oh,” the Doctor remembered something, “Guess now’s a good of a time as any to tell you; I’m an alien.”

If she had been drinking tea, Octavia would have spit it out, “Well, that… would explain the taste in colors, and the teleport function… I guess…”

The Doctor smiled, “Love the reaction. That’s always the best part.”

As they walked deeper into the dark, Octavia began to lose her confidence. Deeper they got, the more menacing the surroundings got. The tunnel got darker and darker, the main source of light being small bulbs, dangling from the ceiling. The constant dripping sounds, echoing through the passageway. It sent shivers down her spine.

Suddenly, something happened to the Doctor. Octavia watched in horror, as his image faltered, and he transformed into a horrifying beast. There really no way to describe it. He grew arms, like that of a dragons, and small extremities protruded from his hooves. Like a hairless monkey.

Coincidentally, he looked similar to a drawing of a species that her cousin insisted on saying that she discovered them. Lyra, her name was.

“Well would you look at that,” he examined his fingers, “Perception filter shorted out. Must be interference from telepathic signals. We’re be getting closer the Nestene Conscience.”

Octavia looked on in terror, “What, is that gonna happen to us? I don’t want to end up a stinkin’ hairless monkey!”

The Doctor gave an offended gasp, “This is my normal form! You all look weird to me. Like a five year old went crazy with a box of crayons, and can’t get his or her head out of a pony obsession!”

“Alright then, Monkey Man,” she said with an indignant sniff, “Lead the way.”

With a grunt, the Doctor pulled open great, big lead door. He wiped his hands on his pants and looked into the center of the chamber. There was a large vat, filled with a thick glowing liquid. The liquid radiated a red glow, that shone all over the room.

“Is that it?” Octavia asked, “Cuz it just looks like bucket of melted plastic.”

Fitting, isn’t it? Plastic leading plastic.

“Who said that?”

“Relax, Octa” the Doctor assured, “The Nestene has the ability of telepathy, which means it knows your every thought.”

“That’s not very pleasant,” Twilight cringed.
That’s right. For instance, I know things about your life, Twilight.

“Hey!” Twilight objected, “Lots of grown mares sleep with teddy bears!”

Not that. Don’t you find it suspicious how the first five mares you meet are suddenly your best friend? If I didn’t know better, I’d say that your Princess had something to do with it beforehand.

“Shut up!” Twilight fumed, “Princess Celestia is the best ruler Equestria could have!”

Riiiight, the voice said sarcastically, A ruler who invites six ponies to a formal gathering just to ruin it? She certainly has my vote.

“Shut…up,” Twilight pleaded. The Doctor gave a worried glace. “She’s a good princess…I know it…”

Just think about it, with the Nestene Conscience ruling, there will peace, fairness to all, and definitely no trickery nor deception to get our amusement.

“Hate to interrupt,” The Doctor butted in with a sly smile, “But I know what you’re doing. You’re just trying to trick Twi here to think that the princess is an unworthy ruler.”

Very good. And who might you be? You are certainly not a local.

“What, the humanoid form give it away,” he said with a snicker, “No matter, I am going to give you a chance to leave this place. I like you, very polite. So! If you don’t leave now… I’m going to have to stop you,” his voice became darker, “And believe me, it will not be pretty.”

It was now the Conscience turn to laugh. The vat trembled of the liquid inside it swayed back and forth in mirth.

You? And how? When I read you’re thoughts, it shows that you are not planning anything.

“Making it up as I go along,” The Doctor turned to Twilight, “And I’m sorry, I am very sorry.”

“For what?”

Instead of answering her question, the Doctor simply just grabbed Twilight’s mane and tugged it hard.

“OW!”

Then he grabbed the Super Torch and tied the pony hair around the button.

“Now, this is set on the Electroshock setting. And it will kill you,” The Doctor threatened, “Go now, and there won’t be any deaths today.”

So this is who you are, the Conscience broadcasted in understandment, the infamous Doctor. Always there to save everyone, no matter what.

“Not everyone,” the Doctor said grimly, “And besides, what do you need this planet for? No gas, no pollution, nadda. What did you want?”

There is a strange aura from this world. An aura that is exclusive to this planet. We don’t know what it is, but it feed our hunger, and quenches our thirst.

“Ah, yes, the magic,” the Doctor nodded, “Still, the fact remains that you’re invading. And that needs to stop.”

I understand. You’re going to throw the Electroshock devise at me, which will put an end to my life. So tell me Doctor, why are you doing this?

“Because I know what you want,” he said, “I have seen what you can do. Now, I don’t want to be racist, so I’m giving you a chance to leave this planet.”

Of course, Doctor. You don’t want anypony to die.

“Exactly.”

Well, consider this, my final victory. Killing ponies everywhere, and there’s not a thing you can do about it.

A zebra and a Pegasus walked to the infamous Celestia’s Sun and basked in its glory. The statue was a scale replica of the Princess herself with her fore hooves up, balancing a large golden disc to represent the sun. The statue was located in the center of a plaza, or rather a plaza surrounded the statue.

“Isn’t it wonderful, dear?” the Zebra sighed, resting her head on the Pegasus’s shoulder, “A symbol of peace and harmony, to be erect for years.”

“Yeah,” he nuzzled the Zebra fondly, “Incredible how-What just happened?“

His sentence was cut off when a beam of blue light blasted out of the center of the disc. Their eyes widened as the light shot out across the land, seemingly all throughout Equestria.

“What did you do?” the Doctor demanded.

I sent a signal. The Autons are awake, and killing all the ponies.

“You’re making me angry…” he warned.

Oh, how frightening. Go ahead. Kill me. But leave, knowing that you couldn’t save all those innocent lives, because you were too busy talking to me, and trying to get me to leave, instead of just killing me.

“Ha,” the Doctor chuckled darkly, “ Oh you’re going to wish you were dead by the time I done with you…”

What?

Octavia watched in horror as the Doctor twisted the end of the Super Torch and sent a volt of energy to the vat. The plastic mass inside writhed and bubbled. A blood curling scream was heard, echoing in her thoughts.

No…Please…

The Doctor’s face remained stoic as he shot the stream of light into the liquid. When the light finally passed, all that remained was a crust of black, corroded plastic. The Super Torch was now ruined, the bulb cracked, and smoke elevating from the circuitry.

“What… happened?” Twilight asked, “Where’s the Nestene?”

“Its here,” he gestured to the Super Torch, “The host plastic is ruined, and impossible to be piloted by the Conciseness. So it looked for another.” he sighed, “And then I killed it with an Electroshock blast before it got the chance to survive.”

Twilight patted him on the back sympathetically. It was one of the Doctor’s guilty moments. One day, she had to ask him what the matter was.

In Celestia’s Sun Plaza,

Ponies ran as mannequins marched about, shooting bullets from their hooves. Bodies piled on the streets and carriages drove blindly.

“Well, my dear,” the Zebra hugged her lover tightly, “It looks like the end is near,”

The Pegasus hugged her back, “I never thought my death would be caused by a mannequin.”

Carousel Boutique

“This new dress is simply marvelous!” Rarity beamed in success, “I can’t wait to display it on the…”

She paused. Surely she had placed a mannequin in her inspiration room? How in Equestria could she have misplaced it?

Click

A mannequin loomed over the couple, and pointed at them with its hoof. But, suddenly, it stopped and… danced? It moved its arms in a jerky manner and fell to the floor

Rarity watched in amazement as the mannequin in front of her fell to the ground and wagged its legs in the air. The head spun around, until its head popped off the socket.

She put her hoof on her forehead, “Oh, Sweetie Belle, when will I learn to not let you make lemonade.”

The TARDIS materialized into the streets of Canterlot. The Doctor stepped out, smiling.

“Well!” The Doctor grinned, “That’s a great feeling of achievement!”

He turned to Octavia, “And for you. You did good out there.”

“Yeah? And?” She asked, rather suspiciously.

“Would you like to travel with me?”

She sighed. She was worried he’d ask that, “Doctor, you are great. But you… you’re just frightening.

He frowned. “What do you mean?”

“The way you killed the Nestene. It was like you were the monster,” Octavia shuddered from the memory.

The Doctor nodded understandingly. “Alright then,” he sighed, and then remembered something, “And if you ever change your mind, have this.”

Octavia peered into his outstretched hoof (or was it a claw?) and saw a small golden key.

“If I’m ever near… you‘ll know,” he walked back to the TARDIS, albeit disheartened.

“Hello, Twilight,” the Doctor smiled as he set his hands on the console, “Ready to give it another go?”

“Ready, Doctor,” Twilight nodded, “Maybe we’ll finally get to Ponyville this time.”

“Time’s a wastin'.”

Whooooosh, whoooosh, whooooosh,

Whooosh, whoosh, whoooosh

Thunk

The TARDIS materialized into a grey, metallic warehouse. The walls were covered with guns and other strange weaponry. The windows were barred, and the doors seemed to be made of steel. It looked like a prison.

The Doctor looked out and frowned, “No! This isn’t Ponyville at all! Stupid, stupid, stupid…”

“Freeze!”

He turned around and saw a red pony pointing a large pipe, resembling a shotgun from Earth, right at his head. All in all, not the best time to forget to turn on the perception filter.

“Oh, hello!” the Doctor grinned, “Do you mind telling me where I am, exactly?”

The Earth Pony scowled, “This is DAEL headquarters. And you are breaking and entering.”