Prologue - The Legend of Torchwood
Prologue
The Legend of Torchwood
Present Day Canterlot...
It was around mid-afternoon when the young, purple filly had finally completed her more practical magic studies for the day. That is, the actual practice of magic. She had decided to go for just the basics today: levitation, a simple stunning spell, that sort of thing, opting to save the whole of her brain power for her second favorite past-time, brain-cramming. This didn't just mean magic, but history, mathematics, theoretical sciences, you name it.
Bluntly speaking, she was a bit of a nerd. But hey, nerds make the world go round', don't they? Plus, she had a particular curiosity she needed quenching... one pertaining to her mentor, and there was only one place where she could do it.
"Twilight Sparkle," the solar guard, Day Tripper, beamed at her, currently standing guard outside of the semi-off-limits Star Swirl the Bearded Wing of the Canterlot Archives. "You're a little early for today. Got an exam or something tomorrow?"
"Naw, I just missed you, is all," Twilight said, teasing her as she normally did.
"Hehe, well glad you've been thinking about me," she grinned. "You're the only one who ever seems to visit this section. It can get pretty lonely, ya know? Well, anyway, nuff about me, knowing you you probably want to dive right in, right? Lemmie open the gates for ya."
"Thanks, Day Tripper!" Twilight smiled.
After a few more words, the two parted ways, and Twilight began her epic book binge of the day. Soon, the largest wooden table in the wing was covered in books of all sizes and topics, completely obscuring its once-polished figure. Twilight, however, payed the mess no mind as her eyes darted back in forth through the latest book on history she had procured.
"Hmmm," Twilight said, tapping her chin. "There really aren't that many records on the Pre-Solar Era. Why, though? There's plenty of them about anything before..."
"Twilight?" a voice called from outside the archives.
"Huh? Spike?" Twilight blinked, glancing over her shoulder towards the door.
"Looks like someone's ordered delivery," Day Tripper called. "Go right on in, my draconian friend."
"Thanks, Day Tripper," Spike beamed, before pitter-pattering over to Twilight, a plate holding a daisy sandwich in his claws. "Hey, Twilight! Thought you might be hungry."
"No time to eat, Spike," Twilight said dismissively, before turning back to her book. "My studies. They need me."
"Needs? You mean you need them, right?" Spike muttered.
"But they're the preccciouusssss," Twilight said, smirking down at him.
"Then we probably should do the same thing they did in The Lord of the Golden Horseshoe and chuck your 'precious' into an active volcano," Spike joked. "Seriously, don't you want to eat anything?"
Twilight sighed. "Fine, alright- I suppose a little break could do to refuel my brain."
Spike smiled proudly. "Great, I'm sure you're really going to-"
With that, she levitated the sandwich to her mouth and ate it in two chomps.
"-Like it?"
"Mmm, yummy!" Twilight giggled. "There, problem solved. Thanks, Spike!"
Spike face-clawed. "Ugh, I spent like ten minutes making that. I even got rare Eastern Sea Sea Salt for it! Yet you finish it in ten seconds."
"... The aftertaste is still there," Twilight noted, flipping a page in her book. "Sorry Spike, but I'm on a quest."
Spike gazed at her blankly. "A quest to throw away all things meaningful in life?"
"No," Twilight grunted. "A quest to figure out why Princess Celestia won't talk about anything from a thousand years ago!"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
Twilight took a deep breath. "I noticed a gap in the historical records a month or so ago when it came to what happened right before the Solar Era, when Princess Celestia started ruling alone."
"Wait? Started ruling alone," Spike said, looking at her oddly. "I thought she always ruled alone like... er... since... ever? My point is that she's old. Don't tell her I said that."
"No," Twilight said, flipping another page, before pointing at a picture on it, one that featured an archaic painting of not only Princess Celestia, but another alicorn besides her, one with a coat of blue who sat beneath a dazzling moon. "Look at this. There's another princess there, don't you see?"
"Well, yeah, but..."
Twilight cut him off. "And that isn't the first book I've seen this other princess in! Starswirl mentions her a lot in one of his journals. She was called 'Luna'. As in, 'moon.' Celestia hasn't always controlled the sun and the moon, she once only had to do half the work. Luna did the other half!"
"How come Celestia never mentions her, then?" Spike blinked. "And uh... what happened to her? Did she die or something? This sounds a little far-fetched..."
"I'm still looking into that," Twilight grumbled. "And you know what's weird? I asked Princess Celestia that same thing, just uh... a little less bluntly... and she dodged the topic! I asked her again and she said her memories were hazy of those days... I knew she was lying. She doesn't ever lie."
"Spooky," Spike nodded. "Ya know, for once, I think you might actually be onto something that's not completely boring!"
"Thanks," Twilight said, giving him a blank look of statue-like proportions.
"You're welcome," Spike smiled cheekily. "Seriously, this sounds like one of those old conspiracy novels, like the Pony Lisa Conspiracy book thing..."
"Yeah," Twilight said, suppressing a chuckle. "Still, I don't think she's trying to hide anything from me. I think it's simply a matter of her not wanting to talk about those days- maybe something really bad happened that still haunts her."
"I couldn't imagine anything haunting the princess," Spike said.
"And that's why it's so intriguing to me," Twilight nodded. "Besides, why risk making the princess sad when I can just look into it myself? There's something about this period of time that is just... fascinating. And the other princess is just the tip of the iceberg. Look!"
She flipped to another series of pages, apparently under the category of a figure named, 'The Captain.' The opening picture of the section featured another, archaic looking painting of a blueish Pegasus wearing an old-style military coat standing side by side with Princess Luna. They seemed to be locked in battle with some sharp-toothed... thing... in an ancient, stormy woodland.
"Who's that guy?" Spike asked, blinking slightly.
"I'm not sure," Twilight said, tapping her chin. "He's called 'The Captain', from what I understand. In any other circumstance, I'd just assume that he some sort of high ranking member of the military who helped Princess Luna, but reading on-"
"Hey, it's that guy!"
Twilight raised an eyebrow. "What guy?"
"That pony, right there!" Spike pointed to a picture of a peculiar looking pony with an hour-glass for a cutie mark standing with not only 'The Captain', but Princess Luna and Celestia. "It's the guy with the thing!"
"What thing?!"
"The hour-glass!" Spike said, smiling nostalgically. "Don't you remember the storybooks you used to read me when I was really little? He was called the Raggedy Pony, or Dr. Whoop or something, remember? He traveled in this crazy blue box and had all sorts adventures..." He paused, before bellowing dramatically: "IN TIME AND SPAAAAACE!"
"The Dr. Whooves Adventures?" Twilight blinked, before shaking her head rapidly. Suddenly, those eyes widened in realization. "Of course... of course! It makes sense! Dr. Whooves... and The Doctor..."
"Doctor who? Whooves?" Spike blinked.
"Exactly!"
"I'm confused..."
"The Doctor!" Twilight grinned. "Another mythical figure, one more obscure than even Princess Luna! He's just like the Captain, and has been associated with him, according to this book! And just like the Captain, he's appeared in different time periods, some thousands of years before Princess Luna disappeared from the records!"
Twilight suddenly grinned widely, a manic, light-bulb summoning look Spike had seen all too often. Suddenly, she began to dance about the room. "We could be dealing with two, previously undiscovered masters of time travel! Or even more intriguing, immortals!" She then paused, furrowing her brow. "But they seem to pop up a lot in the age before Luna disappeared, even though that period lacks much historical documentation... why?"
"Who knows?" Spike shrugged.
"I will!" Twilight proclaimed. "Soon... we just need to do more digging. We'll dig and we'll dig until we reach the absolute truth!"
"But... I wanted to take a nap," Spike frowned.
"Sleep is for the weak! Drink some coffee!"
"I'm only eight years old!"
"Decaf!"
"But that won't do anything!"
"Ugh! Fine, go get yourself a Pony Cola. My treat!"
"But..." Spike sighed, defeated. "Fine, alright... I'll help."
"Yeeeees!" Twilight grinned, before taking several deep breaths. "Right, right... we need to settle down and think."
Spike gave her an annoyed look. "We?"
"Us. Me. Whatever!" Twilight groaned. "Right... right- Okay, so what do we know?"
"That you're possibly insane?" Spike snarked.
"Spike!"
"In a good way!" he quickly added.
"Come on, help me think!"
"Right... Gotha," Spike said, tapping his forehead. "Alright, so we know... we know that Princess Celestia may or may not have had help ruling a long time ago."
"Right..."
"-And that that other ruler may have been associated with another legendary figure called 'The Captain'."
"Right."
"And The Captain may have been associated with Dr. Whooves, AKA, the Doctor, apparently... who stars in a children's novel series, apparently."
"Right!" Twilight beamed. "Good job, Spike!"
"Hehe, no problem," Spike winked. "Someone's got to keep your thoughts organized."
"Haw haw haw," Twilight said, rolling her eyes, before glancing down at the book. "Haw?"
"Huh?"
"Huh!"
"Eh?"
"Hmm..."
"... I'm breaking this," Spike grunted. "What's caught your eye?"
"This," Twilight said, gesturing towards another archaic looking painting.
"So? It's just the Captain and Princess Celestia..."
"Yeah, but look at her face," Twilight said, pointing at her. "Is it just me, or does she seem kind of... angry...?"
"More like constipated," Spike said, pointing at the painting claimed to have been made by someone called 'Pepperton'. "This art kind of sucks."
"Spike!" Twilight growled. "Don't respect my mentor like that! Even if it's kind of funny!"
"That's an excuse in and of itself," Spike said, sticking his tongue out. "Besides, I was only making fun of the artist. Some of the other artwork looks much better." He pointed at one that was said to be made by someone called 'Luswing'.
"Huh, that does look a lot better," Twilight blinked.
"But yeah, anyway... that's weird, too. Princess Celestia never gets angry- not even that time when I accidentally fire-portaled her phoenix to the Badlands. She just sort of frowned about it sternly."
"Yes, it was horrible."
"And funny," Spike grinned, before receiving a glare from Twilight. "But mostly horrible." He quickly coughed, changing the subject. "Anywho, so what do you think Princess Celestia was so angry about?"
"Mmm," Twilight said, still reading through the text. "Hang on... huh... curious..."
"Sharing is caring," Spike pleaded.
Twilight rolled her eyes. "Well, it just seems that this Captain had some sort of affiliation with what the book calls a 'rogue Equestrian order of guardians...'"
"Oooo, like some kind of order of knights?" Spike said, quickly scurrying next to Twilight and beginning to read along. "Huh..."
"What?"
"Just a word... I'm not sure how to pronounce it..."
"Where? Did you read ahead?" Twilight asked.
"Yeah, look over here," he said, pointing a claw at the particular spot. "Erm... Tor- Torch... Wood? Torchwood."
"Yup, you got it right," Twilight nodded.
"Any idea what it means?"
Twilight scratched her head, before reading through the particular section of the book. "Wood that's meant for igniting to illuminate darkened areas?"
"Very funny," Spike said, giving her a sarcastic look.
"Just taking a page out of your book," Twilight said, sticking her tongue out before focusing back on the book. "You know, I think... I think this was what that 'order of knights' was called. And..."
"What?"
Twilight squinted. "Huh, one of the names 'The Captain' had over the years... it's a bit... odd."
"Well, what is it? It can't be that weird," Spike shrugged. "Your name is Twilight Sparkle, after all."
She ignored him. "It says he was once called..." Twilight glanced directly at him. "Captain Jack Harkness."
"Jack Harkness?" Spike said, lifting an eyebrow. "What the heck kind of name is that?!"
Twilight merely shook her head, before, in a baffled tone, simply stated:
...
"I don't know."
Youtube Video
Chapter I - The Princess and the Captain
Chapter One
The Princess and the Captain
Over 1000 Years Ago...
With the fury of the night on her back, Princess Luna swooped down below billowing, roaring, thunderclouds towards a howling, gray, grinning creature of claws and teeth, its dog-like figure charging towards yet another figure who stood his ground, aiming a crossbow right at its ghost-like skull.
ZAAAAP! ZAP ZAP ZAAAP!.!.!
A torrent of lethal blue spells thundered down from the Princess' dive bombing form, kicking up rocks and plant matter and all manner of things from where their battle took place in, the Everfree Forest. The creature, however, payed them no mind, its thickened, Eldritch skin deflecting them off of him like the raindrops that fell from the rolling storm above.
"Looks like you won the bet, Princess!" the crossbow wielding figure called, a dark-blue pegasus wearing a long, military coat. "The Rake is getting stronger!"
"Which means it's him or us tonight, Captain Harkness!" Luna roared, thundering downward and landing by the Captain's side. "No other ponies shall die by its claws!"
"And teeth," the Captain said warily. "Don't forget teeth."
The creature growled, leaping into the air at an unnatural height, its sharpened plethora of dagger-like teeth glistening in the moon's light. It was heading right for the Princess.
"Now that's no way to score a date," Captain Harkness yawned, before casually firing a strange, glowing blue crossbow bolt at it. "Easy, tiger."
"You are correct! HAAAAH!"
FLING FLING FLING!.!.!
A barrage of tree-eating spells joined it.
"RAAAAAUUUGHHH!.!.!" An unearthly yelp echoed from its lips, and though the barrage of Luna's projectiles didn't seem to harm it, it did knock him out of his trajectory, only for...
SHLIICKK!.!.!
The Captain's arrow to skewer its arm. It plummeted to the ground, a few meters away from the duo. And for the first time in the hour-long fight, the creature began to bleed.
"Looks like my enchantment worked!" Luna said, fire burning in her eyes.
"Yuh huh," the Captain smirked. "Aren't you forgetting something? 'Nice job aiming, Jack. You really did swell!.'"
"Like you could possibly hold more ego," The Princess said, rolling her eyes. "I don't want your head getting too big."
"I could sooo make a joke you'd hate right now," He smirked. "Though I'd rather only have one thing trying to kill me at a time. Just keep that thing pinned for a few moments, 'kay?"
"With pleasure. HAAAH!"
Her eyes glowing like hot, white embers, Luna launched a beam attack at the creature, who was now beginning to circle the duo like a predator.
He hadn't yet realized he was the prey.
"SHREAAAAAAUGH!.!.!"
A beam of continuous arcane fury struck him dead-center. Though its skin deflected it, it still began to blister. However, the creature payed it little to no mind after a moment, charging into it as if it were just a water torrent... and towards its origin.
"Jack..." Luna said nervously, glancing to him as he frantically reloaded his crossbow.
"Hang on one second, dear," Jack grunted sarcastically.
"Jack!"
Ch-Chk!
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he locked the crossbow bolt into place, taking aim.
"Got it!"
"THEN SHOOT IT!"
"Hehe, that's what she said."
"I hate you," Luna sighed.
"Maybe, but you hate the Rake even more," he grinned.
Shling!
The crossbow flew from its origin, molding with the beam of light from Luna's horn. The creature's eyes widened like saucers right before it struck its chest. Then, the crossbow bolt, against all laws of nature, caught fire as the creature convulsed into a cross between a scream and a foam-from-the-mouth series of random, unnatural noises, its body parts rapidly cracking into unnatural directions.
"Happy Birthday," Jack grinned, panting slightly. "Does that make up for the bad joke?"
"Only if it dies," Luna said, actually panting as well.
After a moment more, their answer was given by the creature. It suddenly stopped, locking eyes on the two, before a bolt of lightning struck the ground nearby.
"Ack!" Luna cried, shielding her nocturnal eyes. "By the night, I hate lightning!"
Jack sighed heavily afterward, able to see the immediate after-effect of the bolt. "Yeah, well you're going to hate it even more now..."
"Huh?" Luna said. When her eyes began to adjust to the darkness again, the creature had all but vanished. "ACK! CURSES! HOW DID IT GET AWAY?!?!?!"
"Yeah, every friggin' time," Jack sighed, collapsing on his flank.
"At this rate, it's going to grow strong enough to resist anything we throw at it!" she hissed.
"We won't let it get that far. At least it's wounded," Jack noted, pausing a beat, before glancing at the night princess. "Hey, do you think you could-"
"Very well," she sighed, collapsing upon her own rear and summoning a blue shield spell to block the rain from above. "How does it keep teleporting like that? I can't sense that it has any magical abilities..."
"None that you know of," Jack shrugged. "Maybe it has a partner somewhere? I've seen weirder."
"As you keep reminding me," Luna chuckled. "Don't forget how old I am, Captain."
"Yet you don't look a day over 200," Jack winked.
"... Do you want me to ravage you?"
"If it's kinky enough," Jack grinned.
"By the night," Luna said, trying to hide her laughter with a forced sigh. "Why did the one warrior in Equestria capable of keeping up with me turn out to communicate primarily in sexual innuendo?"
Jack glanced away from her, looking sorrowfully at where the creature had just been. "I'm not that great of a warrior. If I were, that thing wouldn't be out there ready to kill again."
"Nonsense!" Luna quickly said. "You're on par with me, I swear it!"
"I don't think I'd even be close without your weapon enchantments," Jack grunted, motioning to his quiver packed tightly with glowing crossbow bolts. "And If I'm seriously the best warrior in Equestria next to you and-"
"Tia?!" Luna said, cackling madly. "The only conflict she ever has to deal with is whether or not she should have cake or crumpets for lunch!"
Jack couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Alright, if I'm the second greatest warrior in Equestria, then, Equestria really is up the deep end."
"You're just exhausted," Luna said, patting him on the shoulder. "As am I. With most of my guard defending Equestria's populace, it's basically us versus a thousand creatures of darkness as we patrol the countryside every eventide."
"Remind me why we volunteered to go on the offensive again?" Jack asked.
"It was your idea."
He blinked, before face-hoofing. "Oh right. I forgot I'm an idiot for a second, there."
"In some ways," Luna chided. "Buuut... if we had a few more idiots, maybe this task we have appointed ourselves wouldn't be as hard..."
"Yeah... maybe..." Jack raised an eyebrow. "But who would be crazy enough to want to go out romping with you? Well, other than somepony with my uh... 'special talent', that is."
"There are many others out there who give death the same dismal respect you do, Captain Harkness," Luna said, a flicker of an idea lighting up her eyes. "What of your adopted brother?"
"Gray?" Jack said, tapping his chin. "Huh... I dunno, maybe... he doesn't really like fighting if he doesn't have to. He's more of a strategy kind of wolf."
"Then you and him have something in common."
"True," Jack said, nodding slightly. "Though I'm not sure our 'team' could handle that much sexy in one setting. I'm just not sure what he's been up to the last few months or so... he could have his paws tied, already."
"As long as he doesn't have your sense of humor, I think we'll be alright," Luna grumbled, before glancing up at the clouds. "Why don't we get out of this storm and discuss things further? I don't believe I have introduced you to all of Canterlot's delicacies yet, have I?"
Jack lifted an eyebrow. "If they're anything like those uh... what did you call them, blueberries? The blueberry muffins. Yeah, if they're anything like them, I'd be good to go."
"Very well then," Luna grin. "TO THE ROYAL CANTERLOT BAKERY OF THE NIGHT!"
Jack winced, uncovering his ears soon after. "I'm glad I was expecting that."
"Hush," Luna smirked. "Stand close to me."
"Yuh huh?" Jack nodded, a dreamy look in his eyes.
"And stop looking at me like that, you pig!"
"Yuh huh."
She rolled her eyes. "Ugh... stallions."
With that, they became engulfed in a blind flash of light, teleporting away from the lonely, stormy woods.
"So, how did the coat fair for you, this evening?" Luna asked, looking over wool, buttoned heavy military coat on him. "Did it get in the way like you thought?"
"Er..."
Princess Luna deadpanned. "You don't like it, do you?"
Jack grimaced slightly. "Well, I'll have to wear it in a little... it's just- well, it's kind of heavy compared to what I usually wear. I need mobility, you know?"
The night princess narrowed her eyes. "You just don't like it because you think it's tacky. I swear, you are like a maiden sometimes, Captain..."
"What's wrong with being a maiden?" the Captain winked. "Some are pretty cute looking, you know-"
"Jack... stop it."
The Captain smirked. "Can you blame me, though? Years ago, everypony was like me!"
"Yes, they were called 'The Dark Ages' for a reason," Luna muttered. "I'm glad those are long in the past."
"Seems like we always have the tendency to throw out the good of an era out with the bad," Jack grumbled. "Another victim of association, I guess."
"I'm about to associate your face with my hoof," Luna said, grinning as she held up a mock-threatening hoof.
Jack put on a sarcastic smirk. "You're starting to turn into the Doctor. You know that, right? Well, minus the hoof threatening thing."
"I'll take that as a compliment," Luna said, a satisfied smile on her lips.. "Where is he, anyway? He would be a great asset to this team we wish to assemble!"
"Uh uh," Jack said, shaking his head rapidly. "Trust me, the Doc isn't want to go for anything like this. You like killing things too much."
"Only bad things," Luna said in a honey sweet, innocent voice. "And the occasional neutral thing were it to so threaten me."
"Well, he doesn't like killing anything if he doesn't have to," the Captain said. "Plus, I don't think he'd be okay with spending too much time in one location."
"Yes... yes I know. I guess I just thought I'd put it out there." Luna said, taking a deep breath.
Jack suddenly glanced at her. "Hey... why are you talking so... casually lately?"
"Hm?" Luna blinked. "What do ya' mean?"
"You just said 'ya', for instance," Jack chuckled.
"Huh, I did not notice," Luna shrugged. "I guess I've been hanging around you too long-"
"And 'hanging!'"
"Yes," she grunted. "It doesn't matter. It's only tradition to use the 'Royal We' when speaking with the peasantry."
"We've still gotta work on what you call civilians," Jack chuckled.
Luna tossed a dismissive hoof. "Yes, yes... so... back to the coat?"
Jack glanced away from her. "Well... it's nice and all, but I don't understand why I can't just go bare."
"Because it's a symbol of authority," Luna explained. "You'll look more professional, and dare I say, stylish with it on."
"Well..."
"Captain Harkness," Luna continued. "Long since has this type of uniform been worn by our military elite... this one was even worn by General Warfield himself."
"General Warfield, huh?" Jack said, lifting an eyebrow. "You can't be talking about the one who took down a hydra by bucking it in the jaw, could you?"
"He was actually very kind and soft in person," Luna smiled. "Now, do I really have to start begging? It would look good on you!"
Jack glared at her. "Hold on, you're using the puppy-dog eyes."
"Am not!"
"I thought we'd agree you weren't allowed to do that to me! I can't resist puppy-dog eyes from a pretty mare..."
"Huh? What ever could you mean?" Luna said, batting those eyes innocently. "These are simply my 'requesting a humble favor' eyes."
Finally, Jack face-hoofed. "Fine, alright... I just hope your ideas for our team are going to like it. Got any? Cus I'm drawing blanks."
"I have a few, " Luna said. "And I know each one personally, after all! I trust each completely!"
"Hopefully they'll have your... uh... unconventional sense of fashion, then..." Jack muttered, glancing down at his coat. Suddenly, he winced, before scratching himself at the collar fiercely. "Nor your itchy sense of fashion."
"Hm?"
"Nothing," Jack smiled. "Anyway, so who comes to mind first?"
"Oh, I've had this one in mind before we even left the forest," Luna grinned.
"Think he could work as our heavy metal?" Jack asked. "We've got two tacticians, though I guess I'm kind of a hybrid fighter slash tactician, but still, we need more heavy hitters."
"Oh, very much so, yet he is as smart as he is capable of ready to 'bring down the thunder', as you say."
"... And reap the whirl wind?" Jack said, looking hopefully.
"Especially reap the whirl wind."
"... I'm interested."
Princess Luna continued. "It's required in his role, after all."
"Great! What's the pony's name?"
"Oh, you've probably heard of him," Princess Luna smiled, a twinkle in her eyes. "Does Prince Sombra ring any bells?"
And with that, Jack nearly spit out the muffin he was eating. "Wah?!"
