Chapter 1 - Hooves and a Long Face
Author's Note
This was an idea I've had for a while now. I wanted to make something that could fit into the canon of the FiM series, and not be far too conflicting. This takes place during the Season 2 episodes "A Canterlot Wedding" and will not involve Mane Six characters because they are off in their own situation.
This is my first fic, and frankly, I'm not great with words. Expect a few kinks in my writing ^,^;
I am open to constructive criticism.
Chapter 1 - Hooves and a Long Face
Aside from the low humming of the vessel, everything was silent; Silent and dim. The Time Lord opened his eyes to the familiar brass-like interior of his TARDIS, emanating with the slight green glow of all the various lights and screens.
“What's this?” he blinked as he looked at his arm... Only it wasn't quite an arm. This appendage lacked fingers. With concern, he attempted to bring himself to his feet, but he could only stumble and fall clumsily to the floor. Unsure what was wrong with him, The Doctor dragged himself slowly, though steadily to a small number of stairs which he would have to regrettably let himself drop down. A short thud later, he found himself able to look into a mirror.
He paused and nodded his head in disbelief and confusion. “What?”, he blinked and looked at his mane. “What?” he stared at his ears,”... Whot.” It would be the longest thirty seconds he felt in a while. “I have HOOVES and a LONG FACE!”
How and why eluded The Doctor. He browsed the many monitors of his vessel, though they revealed nothing of his situation. The outdoor camera screen read “OFFLINE” showing nothing about where the TARDIS brought its victim, though the radiation level dial reported that outside was relatively alright. The time traveler stared at the various levers and knobs of his machine and pondered leaving, though curiosity had him better. What was outside and where did he end up? What happened to his body and more importantly, could he get back into his humanoid form? But first, adventure.
Quite slowly, The Doctor trotted to the doors of his ship while taking a moment to get used to his strange new walking pattern. He reached for the door, then, “oh.”. His near flat hooves offered him no obvious way to turn the little knob of the door. He tried turning the small thing with one hoof to each side of the knob, but his grip was too poor. Finally, he resorted to using his teeth.
Staring down an alley way, a nearby colt stood still only observing a mysterious blue box that looked nothing like anything he'd seen before. Perhaps it was an outhouse, but an outhouse that simply fades into existence? The door rattled and bumped back and forth in it's frame. Finally, the colt saw a brown stallion open the door and bring his head up. The stranger stared at the time traveler with still, but somewhat shocked eyes.
The Doctor smiled, “Hello!”. In response, the colt blinked with his mouth very slightly gaped before looking off to the side and walking elsewhere. “Alright.” The timelord said to himself as he closed his door partway, and went to retrieve his sonic screwdriver. He picked it up sideways in his mouth before putting it in a small bag he secured to his side. Finally, he stepped outside into the strange new land of Canterlot, Equestria.
Chapter 3 - Eve of the Invasion
The mare was an interesting sight to say the least. She wore a blonde mane on her gray body and her eyes... her eyes weren't quite... normal. The mare's left eye was looking up, but her right eye looked down. With her wide smile, she looked rather goofy, but endearing.
“Ah, pardon me for getting in the way. You were first.” The Doctor said. He didn't feel he should blame her for anything.
“I don't think I've seen you before.” The gray one stated. Does she really know everypony to the extent that she can call out someone new? Her memory must be impeccable!
“I see you've noticed. I'm a... traveler of sorts.” He reopened the doors for both the mare and himself.
“Oh, well it's nice to meet you... mister...” she looked at the traveler and started to step inside the building.
“I'm The Doctor.” the Time Lord filled the blank.
“ooo, Doctor of what?” The gray pony raised the question everyone seems to ask.
“Just the Doctor.”
After getting the formalities out of the way, the stallion tried to figure out what he'd eat. Derpy ultimately suggested The Doctor at least go with the basic hay sandwich, though he really wasn't inclined to eat hay and flowers. Browsing further into his options, he figured that he could substitute the hay for carrots in his meal.
Except for the sounds of dining and small talk between other families and groups, everything was silent. He browsed around himself, noting how there was not a single chair in the room. instead, diners sat comfortably on soft, salmon colored pillows outlined with fine ropes of gold threads, and often had their hooves on the lime green table tops. The walls featured violet and deep purple argyles with a emerald bump guard along the lowermost quarter.
“Are you ready to order?” a teal waitress pony asked the couple as she turned towards Derpy.
“Yes, I'll take the Sweet Sunrise Soup and a Apple Cider.” Derpy decided and looked at her acquaintance.
The unicorn waitress brought her pen out and jotted down the first part of the order, “Alright. How about you?” she kept her pen at the ready.
Having second thoughts, the Time Lord ordered what the Derpy was getting, in place of the carrot sandwich,”I'll have that as well.”
“It should be ready in about 15 minutes. Anything else for ya?” the waitress asked, keeping her visit short.
Derpy and the Doctor looked at each other before turning their attentions back to the waitress, “That's everything, thank you!” Derpy said.
After the waitress left to forward the order, The Doctor began to ask, “That pony had a image on her rump, though now that I come to think of it, everypony I've seen as of late has had one. Why is this, do equines here like tattoos?”
“That's a Cutie Mark silly!” Derpy accompanied with a chuckle, “You have one as well!”
The Doctor observed his own flank to see that he had a hourglass as his so-called 'Cutie Mark', “Hmm... It seems I do, though I'm not sure when I got this.”
The mare wasn't sure what to make of this pony she sat across from. She already knew he wasn't from around these parts, but if he didn't know what a cutie mark was, she could almost wager that he wasn't from Equestria. To further interest her mind, was it possible that ponies outside Equestria didn't have a unique mark? But then, how did this stallion have one, let alone be unaware that he did? “But, you're fully grown. You don't know what Cutie Marks are?”
“I'm a Time Traveler, not a horse!”
Derpy gave The Doctor a quizzical look, “...I believe you.” she said in a unreadable tone. Derpy spoke, but in her mind, she didn't know if she meant it. If he was a time traveler as he claimed, it certainly would explain why he didn't have even basic knowledge of pony-kind.
The Doctor was doing some pondering of his own. He was used to the TARDIS taking him to eventful points in time. Perhaps this journey from out of the left field was no different, in which case, something was bound to happen if it hadn't already.
It wouldn't be much longer until two soups and glass cups filled with a moderate brown liquid floated down in front of the two. “Thank you for your patience, enjoy.” the waitress said with a smile and trotted off into the back. The bowls were white with a blue outline along the rim, bearing soup that had a cinnamon-like aroma, only with a hint of mint to it.
Derpy sniffed her soup almost playfully and double-tapped her hooves on the bottom of the table, before lowering her muzzle down to the liquid to silently slurp it. “No spoons?” The Doctor looked at her and all the other tables.
“Spoons are just a formality! Get fun coltie!” she said with a grin before dunking back into her bowl.
The Doctor found himself enticed with the notion. Usually, he was the one doing something that had everyone looking at him funny, but this time, it was Derpy having him do so. Joining the herd, he dipped the tip of his own muzzle to find that the water was very warm, but not scolding hot. The liquid was mildly thick with small chunks of vegetables in it, adding more substance to an otherwise, very sweet drink.
Small sips turned into medium gulps as his throat and fore body began to feel a welcomed warmth inside. “Hmm, I think I could get used to this...” the Time Lord was beginning to think as his mind raised a red flag.
*gghhhhhhh* The Doctor thought he felt something underneath his hind-leg's hooves. He took one more sip of his meal. Short moments later, he felt it again, again, and again. The cider in the mug next to his bowl began to ripple, earth trembling below made visually evident.
