Derpy's Daughters

“Dad…” Amethyst interrupted.

“The regeneration energy is bound…” The Doctor continued to try to explain.

“Dad...” she interrupted again.

“What is it?” He seemed a bit confused and a little irritated.

“If this is the same talk that you tried to give me, it’ll just confuse her.” She put her hoof on his shoulder.

“But…”

“Please Dad.”

Dinky looked side to side.

“Sure,” he patted her on the back with a subtle smile.

“You know those arcade games where if you character dies you get another chance?” She sat down with Dinky.

“Yeah, sometimes when we go to the market I watch Button play.” Dinky scratched her head.

“Well, it’s almost the same with us. If we aren’t hurt too badly or grow very old... Time Ladies have very long lives by the way... We can use up one of our lives and we’ll be restored to a healthy younger version of ourselves.”

“How young?” she looked down at her hoof.

“That’s the thing, it’s kinda random. You don’t know quite what you’re going to get. You’ll still be the same pony at your core, but almost anything else can change. Your personality can shift a little and you’ll probably look different too. It’s quite a big deal so you don’t want to waste them. You only get twelve.”

“Wow,” Dinky looked down at her chest.

“It’s a lot to take in, I know.” She hugged her.

“Well, that’s enough talk of that. You said you knew of a place around here?” I clapped my hooves, trying to rescue the sullen mood.

“Oh, yes” the Doctor waved us to follow. We stopped by the dispensary and picked up Amy’s medicine and were on our way.

We wandered through the streets of the medical quarter for a bit. Most of the ponies seemed more interested in their own conditions to notice us. The air was much sweeter smelling than I expected for such a large city. That sky was still all too alien to me with that burnt orange hue.

“There it is!” he yelled and we all dashed after him.

“Equestrian Food,” we all gazed up in wonder at the little open air shop.

“Yeah, I’m not the only Time Lord who has visited Earth over time.” He pulled up a stool and we all followed suit. I gave Dinky a hoof up.

“How can I help… you… Doctor,” a portly gray stallion started, but his tongue was snared by what he beheld before him.

“I think I’ll have the special.” He said in reply. I looked over at it and the special was a synthetic hayburger that had been enriched with additional nutrients and some fried vegetable I couldn’t pronounce. Amy and I puzzled over the menu.

“Have the special. Trust me. They won’t come out for a couple centuries, but ponies will go absolutely mad for them.” He gave us that reassuring smile and snagged Dinky’s stool who had up to this point been spinning on it while she stared up at the sky and the towering buildings.

“Four specials I guess.” I told the stallion.

“C..c.coming right up.” The stallion whipped around and proceeded to throw together our meals.

“So how do you like it so far?” He asked all of us, but seemed most interested in Amy’s answer.

“I like it! I’m gonna miss my friends if we move here, but this place is soooo cool even if it is a little scary learning all this new stuff.” Dinky wiggled on her chair as she answered.

“Home is where the heart is. I’ll be happy wherever you are. It’s a lot to leave behind, but what is life without adventure? Besides, we can always go back if we really want to visit.” I answered to give Amy a little time to think as she was obviously deeply steeped in thought.

“Amy…” he uttered after a pause as he lost a little luster in his voice. The cook gingerly slid our food before us. Dinky began eating wholeheartedly.

“I don’t want to leave Altair.” She pawed at what looked like fries on her plate as she stared down.

“I understand.” He took a bite.

“Dinky definitely needs you, so wherever you guys go she has to go too, but I’m out on my own. We live a long time. I could come back after well… you know… and I’d still be really young by Time Lord standards.” She nibbled on one of the fries. I handed Dinky a napkin for her very messy face.

“Well, we’ll miss you, but your happiness is what’s important. If that’s what you want to do, I’m sure we can work around it. Just promise me one thing…” I nibbled a bite of burger.

“What’s that?” She looked up from her plate.

“Take good care of yourself and if we can manage it, please write your dear old mother.” I feigned an elderly voice that drew a stifled snicker from my eldest.

“I think we can manage it.” My husband finished a bite.

“Wait! Amy is staying back in Ponyville?” Dinky looked over at us with a bit of shock.

“Yeah squirt, but I’ll write and you guys can come visit when you can.” She laughed.

“I’m going to miss you sis.”

“I’ll miss you too,” she answered with a half smile.

“We’ll need to find someone to look after the house.” The Doctor said with a smirk, tossing a fry up and catching it.

“That’s, well… That’s very generous of you.”

“Why? We can’t use it.” He shrugged his shoulders.

“What if you decide to return to Ponyville?”

“We’ll figure it out when we get there. Besides, wouldn’t be the first time I started clean slate.” He sipped a bit of his water and we shared a loving glance.

The little open air eatery became quiet. All but the sounds of distant hoofbeats and the occasional smacking of Dinky’s less than refined eating habits had evaporated with an awkward, but content silence. A reminder now and then with a nudge got Dinky back on track.

“I’m going to miss Miss Cheerilee too. She’s a nice teacher. Are the teachers nice here too?” Dinky asked as she twirled the last of her fries between her hoof and plate.

“Well, you’ll be studying a lot more than your friends in Ponyville, but nothing you can’t handle... Then again, you’ll still have a year or so until you start going.”

“What?!” Dinky’s eyes went wide.

“Yes, ponies here don’t start school until they’re eight, so you’ll have plenty of time to get used to things before you have to go. I have a lot to teach you before you get there though.”

“Like what?”

“Like how to read and write my language. Just a whole lot of fun stuff.” He seemed almost giddy about it.

“Now Dad, don’t go throwing too much at her.” Amethyst started.

“I wouldn’t! I’m an excellent teacher.” He dusted his chest professorially.

“Who was it that tried to teach me quantum mechanics when I was three?” She raised an eyebrow.

“Okay, to be fair I thought you could handle it. You were very bright.” He ran a hoof against his mane.

“I’ll keep both eyes on them.” I patted Amy on the back.

“Thanks Mom.” she laughed.

We finished our meals and got up from the stools.

“How much do I owe you?”

“For you, no charge. It’s not everyday you get a legend at your counter.” The stallion wiped down the counter as a couple of customers walked up.

“Let’s get going…” The Doctor whispered as the two mares started to look our way.

“Was that…?” The taller one asked as she fluffed her mane.

“Eeyup”

“Wow,” the two looked at each other with a bit of surprise.

We decided to take a walk along the buildings of the city. The season here was fall, so a slight nip was present in the air, even in the bubble. We strolled around to what looked like that big square in Manehatten. There were big screens rolling advertisements for this and that. As we marvelled again at a new foreign experience, a few familiar faces popped up. We looked around and realized that the news had caught up to us.

A flotilla of those little glass bubbles started appearing and ponies flooded the street, choking pretty much any ground based traffic to a stop. We turned left and right and realized that there was no where to run. A mob of young mares and stallions were piling out and around us. I could fly Dinky out, but I wouldn’t be able to bring anyone else out without leaving Dinky alone.

Just when we were looking pretty nervous a retinue of rather stern and muscular guard ponies jumped out and a white hoof waved us in to a glass covered building. Without options, we rushed inside.

Breathing heavily, we emerged from the storm into a stark white lobby with circular designs pressed into the walls. The furniture was of simple primary colors and coarse cloth. Vases, figurines and other various little adornments of similar colors stood on thick glass shelves propped up in the circles.

The mare who waved us in stood before us with the look of a cat who had just eaten the canary. The look scared Dinky a little and she tucked in close to my side. I extended my wing to comfort her. Her hair was a brilliant red color that matched the rims of her short glasses that dangled a chain behind them around her neck. Her left cheek had a mole and her lips were painted a brilliant green to match her eyes. It was quite the look.

“So nice of you to join us, Doctor.” Her voice carried a high formality and restrained excitement I had only heard from nobility in Canterlot.

The Doctor’s face contorted for a second as he thought of the best way to deal with the situation.

“Five minute interview. My family stays out of shot and there will be transport available on the roof at our disposal at the end of it.” He tapped his hoof on the tile.

“Done.” She tapped the floor in response.

The Doctor seemed relieved that she had accepted the terms so easily.

“Make up!” She called and a half dozen ponies descended on my poor husband and set to prepping him. One of them tried to slick his mane down, but found his mane a bit too resilient for him and ended up just straightening the straight up look. Dinky giggled a bit becoming a little less afraid.

As quickly as they had come, they dispersed and we followed the journalist to her studio.

Dozens of ponies flew around the studio, operating cameras and adjusting lights. It looked like they had assembled a whole new furniture set for the interview. The room was surrounded with a dark black background and equipped with blue plush fabric chairs and a glass topped metal coffee table.

We were settled into a set of director’s chairs behind the cameras.

“Anything I can get you?” A young pimply looking assistant approached us.

“No thank you, we just ate.” I smiled.

“Yes, ma’am” He scuttled off to do some other task on his clipboard.

Dinky was mesmerized by all the whirring of equipment.

The lights dimmed and a few new ones lit up the interview area. That same stallion pushed a button and started a countdown timer.

“Good afternoon Doctor,” that plastic smile was sickening.

“Good afternoon,” he said as he crossed his hooves.

“How has your visit been so far?” She shifted a few papers on the coffee table and looked up at him.

“A bit more publicity than I’d like, but otherwise it has been very nice. I didn’t expect such a response to my moving around. I suppose I’ll have to be more discreet about my movements in the future.” He tried to remain cheerful, but it was clear to anyone who knew him that this wasn’t his idea of a good time.

“Has your family enjoyed the stay?”

“It seems so.” He feigned drinking from an empty mug.

“I’m sure everyone is curious. What made you disappear from us like that and hide on that forsaken rock?” She spoke as if our home was some hovel in a barren volcanic husk of a world.

“First, I’ll thank you not to disparage my wife’s home. We have a lot of friends back there. They may not be as technologically advanced as Gallifrey, but they are good ponies. That said, partly out of privacy, but mostly out of love for my wife and our wonderful foals. I guess my name hasn’t cooled in the ears of this world yet.” He finished with a small laugh.

“I apologize.“ She strained out her apology through her teeth.

“All is forgiven.” His smirk returned.

“Moving on… Do you approve of the way the Council has been ruling? Do you have ambitions for a Council position of your own, Doctor?” She tipped her glasses up.

“Well, to be fair I haven’t been here nearly long enough to make those sorts of judgements and besides I really have no political aspirations.” He crossed his hooves again.

“Mommy?” Dinky tugged at my wing.

“What is it?’ I asked in a whisper.

“Why does everyone keep calling Daddy a Doctor?” She asked.

“Well, it’s sort of like his superhero name.”

“Ohhh… And his real name is Time Turner?” She looked up at me with an air of curiosity.

“Not exactly. That was his name while he was in Equestria.”

“What’s his real name?”

“I don’t know. He said it was very dangerous to know his name, and I trust he keeps it from us to protect us.” I smiled and gave her a little hug.

During our little conversation, the interview continued. The interviewer had become quite irritated, though she tried to hide it. It seems The Doctor had dodged the traps that had been set and done it with his usual civility.

“It has been lovely speaking with you Doctor.” The mare said with almost gritted teeth.

“My pleasure.” He made a face so smug I would have given him an earful if he had ever used it with me, but to be honest it did make my heart thump just a little bit harder. It reminded me of our early days zooming around in that blue box.

“Mom?” Amy had noticed my distraction with her father.

“Hm..Wh...What?” I came back to my senses.

“I think we’re done” She laughed and Dinky followed suit.

“Well…. yes, of course. They did agree for five minutes.” I straightened myself up.

We rejoined The Doctor off stage.

“Save those eyes for me tonight, my love.” he whispered in my ear to which I couldn’t help but blush and ruffle my feathers a bit.

“You love me and you can’t help it…” he sang teasingly, but quietly to embarrass Amy and make Dinky roll with laughter.

“Oh yeah?” An equally mischievous grin crossed my lips as I leaned in and gave him a passionate kiss.

Coming up for air, It would be fair to say that he was speechless at least for once in his long life.

“Mom, not you too?” Amy covered her face with her hoof.

“Yep, you’re going to just have to deal with the fact that your father and I are deeply, madly in love with one another.” I stuck my tongue out at her and motioned The Doctor that we should stop playing around and make our way out to the transport.

Begrudgingly, we were escorted to the roof and hopped in another crystal transport.

“Time capsule repair please.” He uttered into the microphone.

“What’s that?” Dinky pointed out a particularly ornate skyscraper.

“That’s the finest hotel in the citadel, but we have an even better place to stay.” He pointed at the building in question.

“Really?” She turned towards him.

“Yep,” he grinned.

“Where?”

“It’s a surprise.” he laughed and winked at me.

We arrived at the mechanic’s and let the transport return to its duty.

“How is she?” The Doctor asked.

“Tip top shape for such an old model. We couldn’t get the chameleon circuit working though.” He scratched his head with a wrench.

“That’s because there’s nothing wrong with it. I fixed it years ago, but by then she was so used to it that she wouldn’t take on any other form. Besides, I’ve grown to like this form too.” He rubbed the side of the TARDIS lovingly.

“I suppose they do have a mind of their own.” the mechanic wiped his brow.

“Thank you for all your work, sir” He shook hooves with the mechanic.

“It was my pleasure. I’ll send the bill to expensing.”

“Alright, well we’ll be on our way. Everyone in.” He waved us inside and we all piled into the TARDIS.

Upon closing the door, The Doctor turned around and scanned the ship intensely, wandering from side to side until it seems he found what he was looking for.

“Ah ha! Sneaky little fellows.” He pulled off a panel and disabled a small piece of equipment attached to a couple cables.

“What was that?” I asked.

“Tracking device, I don’t really blame them. I’ve just disabled it for the moment.” He replaced the panel and turned back to us with a big grin on his face.

“First, things first. Let’s get out of these gentlemen’s way.” He flipped a couple switches and the TARDIS leapt with a smoothness I hadn’t felt before. We alighted on the roof of a nearby tall building.

“And now, your rooms.” We followed him as he raced out of the control room. We passed the pool, the library, the kitchen and a croquet court before we reached a hallway with several rooms.

“Dad sure has a lot of stuff in here.” Dinky looked up at her sister.

“You haven’t seen the half of it.” she smirked.

“I set up these rooms in case we ever had to move in a hurry we’d have somewhere to stay.” He pushed open the first door.

“Wow,” Dinky looked around inside.

“It’s just like your room at home. I tried to keep them fairly similar.” He smiled.

“Everything seems... bigger,” she puzzled.

“Yeah, I gave you a little more space than you had at home.”

“Thanks Dad!” She flopped and rolled on the bed.

“I know where mine is.” Amy waved and slipped into her own room.

“And now, our room.” He nuzzled my muzzle lovingly.

We made our way to the end of the little hallway. Well, little by comparison. We were greeted by a large oak door. with brass accessories.

Pushing it open he revealed the new room.

“You painted.” I noticed the walls were now a lovely muted shade of red.

“Yes, and I fixed up the old bed that we used when we were first starting out.”

“Oh, those were fun times.” I ran my hoof along the smooth wood surface.

“Yes, they were,” we had a happy little moment remembering all our adventures when we first met. It was a magic moment. This big little box had seen us through a lot and until we’d found a place to live it was our home.

“Just between you and me, what do you really think? Are you really okay with all this?” He turned away from me and ran and tapped his hoof on the opposing corner of the bed post.

“I mean every word I said. Is something the matter?” I sidled up to him.

“That tracking device worries me. It could be harmless enough, but I don’t know them well enough to make that presumption.” He stared off into the distance.

“Well, if you think it’s more innocent than insidious then we’ll stay. If you think it’s the other way around we’ll leave. It’s simple as that.” I tried to comfort him.

“If only I knew that.” He seemed a bit frustrated and slightly distant.

“Why don’t we stay until you can figure it out? We haven’t had any major problems so far.” I rubbed his shoulder.

“What if I get it wrong?” He looked down at his hoof.

“You won’t. There’s nopony I know as clever as you.” I nudged him with my elbow.

“Are you really okay with that much risk?” He looked me in the eyes.

“These ponies love you very much. I doubt they’d let anything come to harm our hero.” I hugged his neck.

“True enough,” he replied with a smirk.

“I’m sorry, the door was open.” Amy caught us hugging and was about to cover her eyes and dart out of the room.

“It’s not what you think.” I called to her.

“There’s someone at the door. Says he’s an old friend of yours.” She refused to lower her hoof.

“I’ll be there in a moment.” The Doctor replied.

“Who would that be?” I asked him.

“I don’t know.” The Doctor replied with a look of concern and curiosity...