Once a Time Lord, Now a Pony

Steel blinked at the sight he was presented with. Surely he was seeing things. Derpy sending the packages? Nah, it couldn't be. That would require him suspending his disbelief so far it wasn't even funny. Derpy just didn't have in her, she was one of the nicest if not clumsiest mares he knew. He looked at Cadence, and by her expression she was in the same sort of shock he was. Her horn slowly began to power down the magic blast that had been sure to come.

"Okay, I suppose we'll all just calm down and figure out what's going on here." Steel said, regaining his authority and standing firm. He idly wondered in his mind if Shining ever had a day this bad. He sure as Tartarus didn't when he was Captain.

"Now, Miss Hooves may we come in?" Steel asked, his tone polite but with a underlying seriousness to it. This was a tone he'd mastered long ago and was one of his signature traits alongside his distinctive grey fur. Derpy nodded and gestured for them to come in, which they did.

"So, uh what's going on?" She asked. "Everyone's been running around in circles all day. Gossip flying right and left! I heard someone got poisoned at the barracks!" Derpy said nervously while glancing around to make sure nopony had overheard. Steel muttered "We've got keep a better handle on the loose mouths. Somepony's going to be washing the dishes tonight, or peeling potatoes in the Royal Kitchens."

"Wait, please don't tell me you're here about that... Uh, magazine I accidently sent Shining? Y-you know the one, right?" Derpy stammered nervously as Cadence glared at her harshly as Steel facehoofed in the background. So that's where that thing came from! But he also figured it was fairly safe to say Derpy didn't send the "Nightwitch Package" as it was being referred to in his mind.

Suddenly, Steel heard some ponies laughing and saw some of the Guards under his command snickering at his embarrassment. He gave them the dirtiest look he could muster. Let me put it this way. If looks could kill, Celestia herself might have been lying dead on the floor. But then he stopped the glare, as both he and Cadence noted one of the mailstallions looking awfully nervous. Steel walked over to him.

"Hey, may we talk to you sir?"

Then the stallion ran for it out a side door. Steel mentally groaned as he muttered "Why do they always run?" before chasing after him...

Unknown Location in Canterlot...

"So, where are we?" Lightning Dust asked as a blindfold covered her eyes. It had been there for the past half hour if she counted the time correctly.

"Somewhere else from where you were before." Boltstrike answered simply. He'd have to be on his guard for this. Not just from his boss, but from his new partner in crime as well. Crazy as she was, if Lightning learned everything that they had planned, he doubted she'd stay loyal to them for much longer. She was incredibly loyal to the Princesses like most ponies were, after all. If Lightning did learn what Boltstrike had done, he would be in serious trouble with a lightning bolt to the face being the most probable outcome.

He ripped the blindfold off of Lightning's face and she saw for the first time they were in a empty and probably long abandoned warehouse if the state of it was any indicator.

"Jeez, what a dump." Lightning snarked.

"That may be, but for the time being it's our hideout." Boltstrike replied.

"Our? Who's our?" Lightning questioned. She knew Boltstrike couldn't be working alone, as she heard he was in prison under the Royal Guard's personal care and therefore somepony had to break him out. She also knew from him being watched personally by the Guard he was not to be trusted under any circumstances.

"Let's just say, a... friend of mine and me. And now you."

Future Manehatten, Rich Enterprises...

Twilight and the Doctor watched as Filthy Rich stepped up to the podium before checking the mic and clearing his throat. He wore a nice grey suit, and black tie. His hair was combed nicely as well.

"Ladies and Gentleponies of the press, you may be wondering why I've called you here tonight. Now, as you know my beloved daughter Diamond Dazzle Tiara was stricken with cancer a few years back."

Twilight gasped even as it was drowned out by ponies talking all around her. She'd met Diamond once or twice. Sure, she was a brat and a bully but not even she deserved that. Celestia above, she didn't even want to think about what was going on in her family once they'd discovered it.

"Had we caught it in time, we might have been able to save her via normal means and special treatments. Sadly..." Filthy continued as he shook his head and tear rolled down his face as he remembered before he regained his composure. "We did not. For the past three years, she's just been sitting in a hospital bed wasting away waiting for the end."

Another tear fell and several ponies in the audience Twilight among them blew their noses. The Doctor meanwhile listened intently. He was very curious as to where Filthy was going with this. Above all else, the last of the Time Lords hated to see children in danger from anything sickness included. Filthy wiped away his tears and straightened up with resolve in his eyes.

Youtube Video

"But no more. A cure has been found, by yours truly!"

Sobs turned to excited whispers and cameras flashed. But that wasn't all, as a big screen came down from the ceiling with Filthy holding a remote in his mouth. Images came on, of a mechanical suit the Doctor was sure he'd never have to see again, and he'd always hoped would never be created in this world.

"I'd like to introduce the Cyberpony Unit, the newest level in medical care." Filthy stated proudly. In the audience the Doctor was whispering under his breath repeatedly.

"No no no... Not here. Not again. This is how it always starts." He said in fear and denial.

Twilight looked at him in confusion. She'd never seen the Doctor this scared, not even when they had faced off against Ironclaw's zombie hoard. The press began taking even more pictures and clammering in excitement. One held up a mic to Filthy.

"But this is just concept. How do you know it'll work?" The reporter asked, and Filthy smiled.

"Who said it was just concept, my boy?" He asked, and then there was the sound of mechanical hoofsteps as a slender figure, easily recognizable as female even in it's metal suit stepped out. The Doctor's eyes widened and he only began to grow ever more afraid by the passing moments. It was happening again, and he hadn't been there to stop it in time.

"Ladies and Gentleponies, I'd like to meet my first Cyberpony and my newly cured daughter Diamond Tiara!"

(To be continued...)