DOCTOR WHOOVES: SEASON 1

ONE

  “Hurry up Spike, or we’ll miss the train to Canterlot!” Twilight called out, “do you want to have to walk all the way there?” The impatient tap of the young librarian’s hoof echoed in the dusty silence of Golden Oaks Library. She glanced at the watch strapped to her right forehoof, then back up the stairs to the loft. She was a true blue pedantic, a stickler for rules and punctuality, and only made exceptions when circumstances were beyond her control.

  Silence filled the library for a moment, then the upstairs bathroom door creaked open. There came the sound of scampering feet, and the young dragon known as Spike ran down the stairs as fast as his short legs allowed. Twilight’s faithful assistant wore a small black tuxedo jacket made especially for him by Rarity.

  “Couldn’t get this stupid thing right!” he explained, pointing a claw to the Gordian Knot of a bowtie around his neck, “bowties are not cool!” He looked to his adoptive sister for help in fixing the cursed formalwear. Smiling, Twilight carefully used her magic to undo and redo the bowtie properly. After a few moments work she was done.

  “There. Now let’s go Spike. Vámonos!” Grabbing her saddlebags, she levitated Spike onto her back and hurried out the door, locking it behind her as she made a beeline to the train station. Warm sunlight bathed the peaceful town of Ponyville, though she did not stop to admire the scenery as she galloped through the streets. Numerous residents trotted about here and there, some busy while others simply wanted to enjoy the beautiful summer day.

  As Twilight rounded the corner of Clover and Starswirl Street, she heard raised voices up ahead. Voices that she knew well. Her friends appeared to be having quite the argument. As a good friend, she had to intervene and settle the problem once and for all, whatever it might be.

  Charging up her horn, Twilight vanished in a flash of violet light,  rematerializing a few feet away from three of her friends, namely Rarity Carousel, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy Posey.

  Rarity and Rainbow seemed to be locked in a heated argument over the huge pile of suitcases stacked in a cart, with Rainbow refusing to wear herself ragged trying to haul the fashionista’s buckton of luggage onto the Friendship Express. Fluttershy seemed content to hide behind her long pink mane rather than get involved.

  “Girls we really need to get to the train station!” Twilight called out. Her friends clearly did not hear her, so focused were they on trading barbs. Losing patience, she teleported in between and used her magic to hold their mouths shut.

  “The train is leaving in five minutes girls!” she told them, “unless you want to walk or pay for an airship ride, I suggest taking just a couple of these suitcases. Rarity, you are going to a wedding, not moving to Canterlot!”

  Rainbow nodded in agreement, crossing her forelegs over her chest. As her lips were zipped, she was unable to say anything. She settled for glaring at Rarity.

  Once her muzzle was released from the magic field, Rarity gasped in lungfuls of air before breathlessly replying, “quite right darling. I apologize. Let us make haste!” She levitated a pair of suitcases and trotted onward to Ponyville Station, friends following along behind.

  The station platform was crowded with local ponies bound for Canterlot, most to attend the wedding of Captain Shining Armor and Princess Cadence. Twilight, Rainbow, Spike and Fluttershy met up with the rest of their friends, hoofing over their tickets to the conductor before boarding the train.

  The refurbished interior of the Friendship Express was stylish without being gaudy. Redwood panelling lined the walls, while the floor was covered in soft carpeting proudly emblazoned with Equestria’s flag. Warm sunlight streamed in through the tall windows, adding a sense of peace and comfort for the passengers. Twilight pulled her friends away from admiring the decor.

  “Let’s find a compartment before they are all taken” Twilight suggested, leading the way down the train car. A brief search yielded an empty compartment halfway down the corridor.

  “Dibs on the window seat!” Rainbow said quickly, zipping into the compartment first and sliding across the smooth faux-leather, forelegs already folded behind her head, smug grin plastered on her muzzle.

  “Really Rainbow! Must you be so childish?” Rarity shook her head and stored her suitcases and saddlebags in the overhead compartment with the rest. She took a seat next to Fluttershy and Spike, while Twilight sat down between Applejack and Rainbow.  Only then did anypony notice that one among their number was not present.

  “Say, where did Pinkie mosey on off too?” Applejack asked, hoping the hyperactive mare didn’t cause trouble, “she was right behind us when we got onboard. I swear that girl is one ‘o them fancy ninjas from Applebloom's comic books.”

  Pinkie Pie was a wonderful pony, of that there was no doubt, but she often stuck her nose in where it wasn’t wanted, forgetting about personal space. AJ distinctly recalled the band at the Grand Galloping Gala looking quite annoyed at being interrupted. Despite that, Pinkie meant well and was simply being her usual friendly self.

  Rainbow shrugged, casually waving a hoof. “She’s probably raiding the dining car or looking for somepony to befriend that isn’t from Ponyville. I don’t think we need to worry about her. Pinks is crazy, but she’s also smart enough not to get us punted off the train.”

  “Well I certainly hope you are correct, darling” Rarity replied, waving a custom-made abaniko in front of her face, “do you mind cracking the window open a tad? Its rather warm in here, and I do not wish to perspire too much.”

  “Sure, no prob Rares. I could use a little breeze myself.” Rainbow sat up and pulled her baseball cap off her face, which she had used to cover her face for a nap. She unlocked the window and immediately leaped back in shock when a familiar pink face popped up from below, clad in a pair of silver-rimmed goggles.

  “Hi-ho, Pinkie the Pie here!” the ever-cheerful mare greeted. She squeezed in through the window, landing with barely a thump. She pushed her goggles up onto her forehead and fluffed her wind-swept mane back up, then took a seat across from Rainbow.

  “What the hay were you doing out there, Pinkie Pie?” Twilight demanded, trying very hard not to picture her friend as roadkill, “what if you had fallen off the train?”

  “Don’t worry Twi. I had my suction cups to keep me from falling” Pinkie replied, “I keep two pairs on me just incase I ever need to wall-crawl.” Her friends just stared in disbelief as their parkour-loving friend started humming the tune to Spider-Mare. Pinkie arched a questioning brow at her befuddled friends.

  “Do I still got bugs in my teeth or something?” she questioned innocently, “oh by the way, I met these two really cool ponies in the dining car. Seems that they ran away from someplace called Gallopfrey, ‘cause of some crazy stuff happening there. I wonder if the princess will send us over there to settle things?”

  Everypony was immediately suspicious. Twilight racked her brain, trying to recall every map of Equus she had ever read. She drew a blank on any location called Gallopfrey.

  “Pinkie, there is no place called Gallopfrey anywhere in the world” she explained, “those ponies lied to you. Come on girls, let’s go and investigate. If somepony is a danger to the passengers, or snuck aboard without tickets, we have to confront them. As agents of Celestia, it's our duty to uphold the law and protect ponies.”

  “Quite right darling” Rarity said, rising to her hooves, “let us save the day once more, hopefully before lunchtime. Vanquishing evil will certainly help work up an appetite, non?”

  Pinkie trailed behind her friends, mane deflating a bit as her heart stung from the realization that she had been betrayed and lied to. Those mean ponies had bamboozled her! How...how dare they!

  “They were about to have lunch a few minutes ago” Pinkie explained, “I bet they are still there. If we hurry, we can still catch them.” She punched one hoof into the other, somehow finding a way to crack them as though she had knuckles.

  Twilight took point and quickly led her friends to the dining car, unaware that all were being watched from the shadows of an unused compartment. The observer narrowed his eyes and ducked back inside, giving a kick to silence his captive.

  Sydney pushed the dematerialization lever down, bringing the TARDIS out of the time vortex and into reality with a dull thunk. He switched on the viewscreen to see what was outside.

  During he and Derpy’s first adventure, he had foolishly walked straight outside, eager to see a new world. If Derpy had not quickly pulled him back into the console room, he would have been killed by the gang of thugs having a shootout in the middle of an alley. After that he always checked the viewscreen.

  He could just barely make out what appeared to be cargo crates and luggage. The external sound systems were still not working, so he could not hear anything but faint static. From the way the cargo shifted slightly, he assumed that the TARDIS had landed in the cargo hold of either a ship or a train.

  “So are we on Earth?” Derpy asked, making her way down the stairs from the upper level. She held a towel up with her wing-fingers, drying off her damp mane. She draped the towel over the railing and walked over to her special somepony, giving him an affectionate nuzzle.

  “The readout screen seems to be on the fritz again, so I can’t tell you if we’re on Earth” Sydney replied, “the external viewer tells me we’re likely on a train. If it had been a ship I would be rather worried. You know how easily I get seasick.”

  Derpy nodded, remembering their date on a cruise ship not too long ago. Poor Sydney had spent most of it in the cabin bathroom or bent over a railing, hurling his guts up. The two had settled for a picnic in the Candle Meadows of Karass Don Slava. That had been a very romantic evening.

  “Let’s go check things out then, shall we?” Derpy said, unlocking the TARDIS doors. Cautiously poking her head out, she looked around. The rumble and clatter of wheels on tracks could be heard all around. “This is a train alright: the old non-hovering choo-choo kind.”

  She stepped out into the cargo hold, moving aside for Sydney. He offered a foreleg, which she looped her own through. Smiling, the two headed towards the door, assuming that it lead to the forward cars.

  Unlocking the door with his sonic screwdriver, Sydney held it open for Derpy, being the gentlecolt that he was. “Ladies first.”

  “Why thank you good sir” Derpy replied, affecting an upper-class accent, “most kind of you.” She stepped through, looking around in admiration of the tasteful decor. Quaint, but the color scheme was nice. A plaque on the wall proudly stated that the train was called Friendship Express.

  Sydney followed his fiancé into the corridor, equally impressed by his surroundings. He looked out the window, seeing trees whizzing by as the train sped through Canterbury Forest. Nothing like the trees back on Gallopfrey, whose leaves were mostly silver. Still, the view was breathtaking.

  “What do you say to trying out the local cuisine?” Derpy asked, feeling quite hungry after all the running earlier, “I hope they have fish, ‘cause I am really craving seafood right now.”

  “I could go for a nosh” Sydney replied, listening to his stomach snarl, “the dining car should be somewhere up ahead.” He paused mid step and facehoofed. Derpy’s expression changed from cheerful and upbeat to concerned.

  “What’s wrong?” Derpy asked, hoping it was nothing dire. Sydney’s forgetfulness had resulted in a few near catastrophes in their journeys together.

  “We don’t know the local currency” Sydney explained, “All we’ve got is mazumas and a few other types of galactic cash. I bet hay to horseshoes that this planet uses something else that we haven’t got stashed, and the locals won’t appreciate a couple of freeloaders.”

  Sitting down to think for a moment, Derpy’s eyes suddenly snapped open. “Don’t you worry Syd...I got an idea.”