Once a Time Lord, Now a Pony

A mass funeral was quickly held for those guards who fell in the line of duty, and any unlucky ponies who got caught in the crossfire. Celestia gave a short eulogy as everypony listened.

"So, did you ever find the Master's remains?" Twilight asked the Doctor, who shook his head.

"No, I suspect we'll be seeing him again. He always comes back." The Doctor replied.

After the funeral was over, everypony gathered and talked about their memories of those who had been lost. However, not all of those who were there wanted to be there. Lightning Dust felt she should be anywhere but here, as she felt guilt for not being able to save Steel.

"So, uh I guess I'll be going then..." Lightning said awkwardly before unfurling her wings only to be met with two spears pointed at her by two guards.

"Hold up there. You did escape the psychiatric ward and helped a maniac you know. Two actually." Shining said and everypony gaped at him in shock. It was like he'd just forgotten that the pegasus had helped them. Lightning meanwhile hung her head, she knew Shining was right. However, she along with everypony else was in for a shock. A rather huge one.

"But..." Shining decided. "There is another option, after all you did help us fight off the Windegos. You could work off your misdeeds in community service and serve time with the Royal Guard under my command. You're pretty good, we need ponies like you. It's what Steel would want."

Lightning gave the first real smile she had ever given in a long time.

"I'd like that." She said before both she and Shining were swept up in a crushing hug by Pinkie.

"Aw, enough of this mopey sad stuff!" Pinkie exclaimed. "The day is saved, so now it's time for a PARTY!"

Canterlot Castle, later that night...

Pinkie didn't fail to hold up to her promise. It wasn't long before the Canterlot Castle's ballroom was filled with party decorations and ponies to enjoy them. But not everypony was interested in joining the festivities.

Outside on the Castle grounds, Celestia gazed up at the stars. She needed some time to be herself with her thoughts. Times had definitely changed. A little over a year ago, she wouldn't have even dreamed of what she'd seen and heard from the Doctor's tales. And now she knew the universe was so much bigger and more wonderful and dangerous then the Solar Princess could possibly have imagined.

Celestia's thoughts then turned back to the stars.  While she wasn't Luna, she could appreciate the beauty of the nighttime sky and all of it's many wonders. She could see the appeal of space and why the Doctor traveled up there. Suddenly Celestia blinked as she noticed something. She could have sworn several stars that were just there, had vanished as if something had removed them in one split-second motion.

"Maybe I'm just imagining things..." Celestia murmured as she turned to go back inside. But why did it still bother her so much? Celestia sighed to herself, Luna would probably tease her about being paranoid but then again the paranoid were always the ones who survived and Celestia hadn't lived this long by not being cautious.

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As Celestia walked back inside, she was greeted with a strange sight. The Doctor was dancing, rather horribly if she were to be honest. He had attracted quite a few stares as he wiggled around like some kind of drunk giraffe.

"Remember, do as I say not as I do!" The Doctor called. "Imitation is not cool, kids!"

Sadly, it seemed some ponies weren't listening. The most obvious was a blond maned Pegasus with oddly set eyes and she was doing the same dance as the Doctor, if not a bit more clumsily.

"Woo-hoo, isn't this fun?" The pegasus asked. "I can see why you like it, Doc!"

"Dance Doctor dance!" Luna called. "We say the fun has been doubled!"

Nearby, Shining and Twilight were watching with embarrassed looks until Shining was pulled away with a loud yelp by his marefriend into the crowd of dancing ponies. Twilight giggled at the sight of her brother's predicament and his call of "Save me!"

"Sorry BBBFF, I'm not going to get between you and Cadence!" Twilight laughed. The party continued long into the night, but eventually wound down like all parties do. At one point, the Doctor approached Celestia and Luna while shuffling his hooves nervously.

"Hey, uh... Listen, I have to get going. I'm not one for long goodbyes so I'll just say... Good-bye." The Doctor said, looking somewhat embarrassed. Luna came up to him and kissed his cheek making the Doctor flush red in surprise. Celestia gaped at her sister's rather forward action.

"If we ever see ye and your fantastic machine amongst the stars as we look up... We shall wave to thee." Luna said. The Doctor broke out in a huge grin.

"I'd like that." The Doctor replied.

Later, Twilight stood in front of the Tardis outside Canterlot Castle. It was just about to leave for another adventure and if all went well it would gain a new permanent passenger.

"So, you coming?" The Doctor asked as he and Shining stood in the doorway. Twilight smiled at them before she trotted forwards with a murmur of "Allons-y..."

The Doctor heard her as he chuckled and looked somewhat flattered at the young lavender unicorn's repeating his previous two regenerations' favorite French/Prench phrase.

"Well, I guess that's a good of a answer as any." The Doctor said before he reached for the door handles to pull them closed.

Then, just as the doors were about to be shut, there came a familiar female voice calling for them. Twilight looked at Shining as if to ask if he knew anything about it, but the unicorn could only shrug in response. So both sets of eyes turned to the Doctor, who shrugged as well. The shouts became louder still.

"Wait! Wait!" Rainbow called as she flew towards them and skidded to a halt in front of the Tardis doors creating a small dust cloud behind her.

"Rainbow?" Shining asked in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"What, you guys are going to go on a awesome adventure and see the sights and you expect to leave me out of it?" Rainbow asked in disbelief. "I don't think so!"

The Doctor seemed to consider Rainbow's statement for a few moments before he made up his mind at last.

"Well, there's always plenty of room in the Tardis for one more passenger..." He murmured. Rainbow looked absolutely elated and let out a loud cry of "YES! This is going to be so sweet!" before she joined the threesome inside the Tardis. Rainbow looked around in wonder at absolutely everything she could see.

"Yes yes, I know it's bigger on the inside. Get it out of your system." The Doctor said in mock-annoyance before he went over to the console and leaned up against it.

"Well then..." The Doctor began. "So, there's four of us and the whole of time and space lay at our hooves. Where does anypony want to go first?"

Rainbow thought about it for a moment, before she gave her answer.

"Eh... Surprise me." She said, and the Doctor seemed to take that as a challenge as he spun around and laughed to himself. Shining Armor and Twilight shared a smile even as the Doctor began the start up sequence. Knobs on the Tardis console were turned and buttons were pressed.

"Geronimo." The Doctor said, before the Time Lord threw the final switch...

THE END

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The Doctor and Twilight will return in *Frightmare Night*, coming this June...