Chapters Doctor Whooves: Adventures in Time and Space (and Equestria)
The Doctor is In - Part 2
"Alright, you've got me here, what do you want from me?" Book Binder asked the metal pony. They had entered a room, completely empty save a large disk on the floor and a control panel of sorts, adjacent the disk.
"You are required." It stated flatly.
"Yeah, you said." He muttered. "Why am I required?" He asked, mimicking the metal pony's voice.
"You are required to obtain the Cyber-race's only hope of continued existence."
"I don't think I understand..." Book Binder frowned. "What do you mean your only hope of continued existence?"
"Silence. Information will now be uploaded." The metal pony held up a small cylindrical object, and pressed it against the side of Book Binder's head. Images started flashing in front of his eyes, images of a being unlike he had ever seen. A fearsome creature capable of death and destruction.
"Ow..." he pressed his front hooves against his temples. "Ya' know, you could try a less painful method."
"We will eliminate all pain."
"Yeah right..." he muttered. "So, if I find this..." he paused as the information ran through his head again. "This Doctor, what do I get in return."
"You will be rewarded."
"Care to elaborate?" Book Binder smirked.
The metal pony didn't respond.
"No? Fine, I'll go." Book Binder resigned.
"Step on the transmat and prepare for departure." The metal pony stepped up the the console. Book Binder taking careful steps onto the disk.
"So what-" he was interrupted by a flash of light and the area around him changed. He was no longer in an almost empty room with a metal pony, he was outside, in a field. He looked around, he recognized where he was. He could see the Everfree Forest in the distance to his right, he was about a half a mile out of Ponyville. "Now..." he finished, awestruck.
~o~
Ditzy had no idea how she'd gotten roped into the strange Doctor's plans. Frankly, she never knows how she gets into these situations. They stood outside a home of a pony Ditzy thought to be missing, a young stallion whom kept to himself. Ditzy never really talked to him, just a friendly smile whenever their paths crossed.
"And you're sure this is the first pony to go missing?" The Doctor asked.
"He still has mail that's more than a week old sitting in his mail box, I didn't really think much of it the first few days, though." The Doctor approached the door. "How are you gonna get in?"
He smirked at her. "With this." He reached into the his coat pocket and pulled out a small pen like object with a big blue tip, clenching it firmly in his teeth.
"What's that?"
"Shonic Shcrewdriver." He mumbled around it. He turned towards the door, the device lighting up at the end and emitting a buzzing sound. The lock clicked and the door opened slightly. The Doctor turned back to Ditzy. "Besht tool in the univershe." He flicked his head back and let the screwdriver flip in the air before landing in his pocket. Ditzy tried not to laugh at his smug expression the crossed his face. He pushed the door open and trotted in. "Now there must be a clue or something, how long did you say he's been gone?"
"Maybe two weeks?" Ditzy replied. "Why?"
"Just curious." He muttered. "Are you just going to stand there?" He asked.
Ditzy thought for a moment, then stepped across the threshold, entering the house.
~o~
Book Binder stood over the river, staring at his reflection in silence. He now realized why he had lost feeling in half his body. That cyber-thing, whatever it was, had replaced parts of him with metal. Half his face gone, replaced with a copy of the metal pony's face, a cold and unforgiving visage of a real pony. He looked down at his front left leg, completely replaced by a false one, hydraulics hissing softly with every move he made. He felt rage building in the pit of his stomach. He would find the creature he was sent after and hope it can mend him. Why couldn't he help after all? The records seared into Book Binder's head referred to him as a doctor. He pulled the hood of his cloak over his head, hiding his deformities, and started making his way to town.
~o~
"This is bad. This is very...very not good." The Doctor muttered.
"How is nothing a bad thing?" Ditzy wondered.
"Nothing means that he wasn't home. We are now looking for a needle in a small-town sized haystack." He sighed.
"I'm sure somepony saw something."
"It's going to take a while." He offered.
"Well, no time like the present to start a pony-hunt." Ditzy grinned.
"Oh, I like you." The Doctor grinned back. "Allons-y, Miss Doo!"
~o~
"Well, thank you for your time." The Doctor walked over to Ditzy sitting outside the café. "No one has seen anything. How, in a town this small, has no one noticed an entire pony going missing?!"
"Well, he usually kept to himself." Ditzy explained. "Nopony really knew much about him."
"Why is it never the social butterflies..." he dropped his head on the table.
Ditzy giggled a bit. "That would be too easy."
"Yeah, 'spose so." He smirked. "Who is that?"
Ditzy cocked her head "Who?"
"That mare staring at us?"
Ditzy followed his eyes to find, in fact, somepony was watching them.
"Ditzy Doo?! I didn't know you had a coltfriend!" Carrot Top rushed across the street to join them.
"I-I'm not...this isn't...we aren't..." Ditzy and the Doctor stammered simultaneously, rapidly waving their fore-hooves around.
"Ditzy, I can't believe you didn't tell me! As your best friend and roommate, I should be the first pony to learn of any news, especially relationships! So, Mr... oh, where are my manners? I'm Carrot Top, Ditzy's roommate, and you are?"
The Doctor glanced at Ditzy in a silent cry for help. She shrugged, shaking her head. "I'm the Doctor." the Doctor sighed.
"A doctor? Ditzy, you're dating a doctor?!" Carrot Top squealed.
"Carrot Top, we're not-"
"I just can't believe it, you're gone half a day and you manage to bag a doctor as your special somepony!"
"Carrot Top, we aren't da-"
"I mean, no offense, but I didn't think you were EVER going to find somepony, I honestly didn't think you were trying to, but here you are, dating a doctor!"
"Carrot Top! We are not dating!" Ditzy interrupted her friend's rant. "The Doctor is just a friend." She calmed down.
"Wow..." the Doctor mouthed. "What, I think Ditzy means, is we are...work acquaintances."
"Work acquaintances? She's a mail carrier." Carrot Top replied flatly.
"Well..." the Doctor started glancing at Ditzy, once again begging for help.
"He's from the...Trottingham Hospital and Post Office." She smiled.
"The Trottingham Hospital and Post Office?" Carrot Top asked suspiciously.
"Yep!" The Doctor replied. "It's next to the Library and...Pet Hospital."
"I see..." Carrot Top stood up. "I can take a hint. I'll leave you two love birds alone." She cantered off, a huge grin plastered on her face.
They both sighed with relief. "She seems nice." The Doctor chuckled.
"She's just a bit overprotective of me." Ditzy smiled. She then frowned, her eyes narrowed, focusing on something behind the Doctor. "Umm, I think we're being watched." She muttered, a twinge of fear in her voice.
The Doctor turned to see. A hooded figure stood in the entrance of an alleyway down the road. The Doctor stood up slowly, the figure remained. "Ditzy, I have a sneaking suspicion we've found our missing pony." He said in a hushed tone. The figure looked up, eyeing the Doctor from the recesses of his hood, then promptly ran into the alleyway beside him. "Wait!" The Doctor called, going full gallop toward the figure's previous location.
Ditzy followed suit
~o~
"You've nowhere left to run!" The Doctor ordered the figure.
The figure stood in the dead end. The Doctor standing a few feet behind him, Ditzy flying above him. He, then, turned to face them. "Who said I was running?" He asked.
"Well, you did kind of sprint away when the Doctor noticed you." Ditzy offered.
"I needed to get away from the crowds so we could talk."
"Talk? What about?" The Doctor asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, for starters..." he paused removing his hood, revealing his face, at least what was left of it. Half of his face had been replaced by a metal mask. "The thing that did this to me."
Ditzy let out a small yelp, dropping to the ground.
The Doctor's expression hardened. "Book Binder, I presume?"
"Yeah, well what's left of me." He smirked.
"Doctor?" Ditzy asked in a small voice. "What happened to him?"
"It appears he's faced a cyber conversion. Well, a partial one."
"Yeah, according to the data they've filled my head with, they're called the Cybermen. And apparently they know you." He pointed at the Doctor. "Well a strange bipedal version of you from another universe. They seem to think they've left their own dimension and entered an alternate one."
"Doctor, what does that mean?"
"It means, quite possibly, Equestria is doomed."
Author's Note
Alright chapter two and part two of the three part intro is through, I managed to scrounge up enough time this time, so I hope I can find more. Anyways I hope you enjoyed this (I took a lot of writing and rewriting and braining of words) and I'll see you next time.
Doctor Whooves: Adventures in Time and Space (and Equestria)
The Doctor is In - part 3
"Doomed?" Ditzy was past concerned, "Why would Equestria be doomed?"
"The Cybermen are a race of machines controlled by living brains with all emotion and feeling removed. They have to take the brains from living organisms to create more. As you can see, they started on Book Binder." The Doctor explained. "There is one thing I don't understand, though."
"What is that?" Book Binder asked.
"Why didn't they finish your conversion? The Cybermen have never stopped in the middle of a conversion without a cause. So why?"
"I dunno." Book Binder shrugged.
"Did the Cybermen say anything to you? I assume they sent you here, but why? It must have something to do with me, so why did they send you after me? To delete me?"
"No, they say you are their only hope for survival." Book Binder replied.
"Their only hope for survival, eh? Then let them rust." The Doctor threatened.
"You don't understand, Doctor. They'll make you."
"How?"
"By taking your associate." A flat monotonous voice answered. The Doctor turned to fave the voice. There stood a Cyberman, except it wasn't a Cyberman .Instead it was in the shape of a pony, a Cyberpony. And the Cyberpony had Ditzy.
"Let her go!" He ordered, but it was to late, the Cyberpony and Ditzy were gone in a literal flash. He turned back to Book Binder. "Take me to them! Take me aboard their ship! Now!"
"I-I can't." He replied. "I don't know how to use their transmat."
"They are monitoring you, so I demand, whatever Cyber is watching this, bring me up!" His expression filled with rage. "I can help you, but I demand for her to be returned!"
There was a long silence, and then a bright flash. The alley was empty.
~o~
"You will remain here as leverage against the Time Lord." The metal pony told Ditzy. She had been tossed in an empty room. She stood up wincing at the pain from landing on the hard metal floor.
"You won't get away with this." She said sternly. "The Doctor will stop you, I know he will."
"He will further the cyberrace. You will be held as leverage to cause this."
Ditzy said nothing. The Cyberpony stepped back and the door slid close with a hiss. Ditzy's expression shifted from stern to scared. She curled up on the floor, silently sobbing. "Help me, Doctor. Please." She whispered.
~o~
The Doctor staggered of the transmat disk, disoriented for a moment. He shook his head. He noticed the Cyberpony operating the transmat. "Alright, you've got me, now let her go!"
"The female equine will be released once you have assisted the cyberrace."
"I won't assist the Cyberrace' until Ditzy and Book Binder are safely on earth." He growled.
"Then we have reached a stalemate, Doctor." A different voice said, it wasn't like the other Cyberponies' voices, it was much deeper, and had a twinge of pride to it. Another Cyberpony had entered the room, but this one looked different, his face plate was painted black, and there was a glass covering display the brain beneath.
"Ah, the Cybercontroller, to what do I owe the pleasure." He muttered grimly.
"You have been relinquished to advance the Cyberrace."
"Yes you've mentioned that, but what does that mean? Why would the Cybermen, well I guess I should call you the Cyberponies, so why would the Cyberponies stoop so low as to have one of their greatest enemies help them? And why send some half converted pony to fetch me, why not send one of your other converts?" His eyes widened with realization, "Unless, you don't have any more, there are only what? Three? Four of you? Definitely not enough to conquer. But there are plenty of ponies have gone missing, so where are the converts? Where are the ponies you've upgraded?" He smiled.
There was no reply.
"Exactly! There are none, because you don't know how to convert them, they are of an entirely different biology, so in an attempt to upgrade your own conversions, you studied one of the locals but struggled to upgrade with what you have, in fact you sacrificed one of your own to try and keep him alive long enough to study, turning him into that." He gestured toward Book Binder. "And, here's the part that sickens me, you actually think you can blackmail me to get me to assist you in upgrading your conversion machines for a ponies biology. But I won't, in fact I can't, you see we have the same problem, I've only been like this..." He gestured to himself now. "for about half a day. I know about as much as you do. So let them go, and leave this planet forever."
The Cybercontroller stood silently. "We have not abducted any equine life forms excepting the equine designated Book Binder." He stated.
"What?" The Doctor knitted his eyebrows.
"We have not abducted any equine life forms excepting-"
"Yes I heard that part, but then what happened to the missing ponies?"
"We do not have such information."
"Okay, that's embarrassing, everyone just pretend that didn't happen."
"It was a bit impressive though." Book Binder chimed in. "Like Shetlock Holmes."
"Okay, why did you need me? Eh?"
"You are required to return home." The Cybercontroller answered.
"Home? You mean our universe? I can't!"
"Incorrect, Time Lords are known to be able to travel between universes."
"They used to, before they were destroyed..." the Doctor trailed off. "You're here the same reason I am! We fell out of our universe and ended up here, and there's no way back, not without the Time Lords."
"If you are of no use, then you will be deleted." He lifted up his front right leg and started to approach.
"Wait! You don't need to do this, you can be better."
"Irrelevant."
"Got a plan Doctor?" Book Binder asked.
"Well...ah...run!" He darted past the Cybercontroller, barely avoiding deletion, Book Binder in tow. The Cyberponies marched after them.
~o~
The Doctor pulled Book Binder around a corner. "We need to find her."
"You don't say..." he replied, catching his breath.
"You don't understand." He pulled out a black passport case. "I want to know is how she's doing this." flicking it open to show a hoof scrawled message saying "Help me Doctor, please."
"How do you know it's her?"
"I just do. If only we could get a message to her, whatever she's doing to my psychic paper, she could tell us where she is."
Book Binder cocked his head, wondering. Then realization crossed his face. "Or I could access the Cybercontroller's mind."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I may be a partially upgraded, but I'm still in their system, I can hear them, faintly but I can hear all of them." He gestured to his cyber-ear. "Their thoughts, their memories, all of it."
"That's risky, opening your mind to their hive mind, you could lose your free will."
"It's a risk I'm willing to take, I can't let anypony get hurt."
The Doctor started to argue. Instead he clenched his jaw. "Alright, good luck." He resigned.
Book Binder closed his eye, the sound in his head growing louder. He was no longer alone in his mind, he could feel the other few Cybermen, the stimuli almost overwhelming. He forced himself to focus on the Cybercontroller. The brain filled with information upon information, it's memories scattered in between. Some recent and some of a time before metal, Book Binder got curious. He focused on the memories before Cyber conversion, though they seemed hazy and distant. Another one of those strange bipedal creatures resided there, it...had a family, they were a lovely family, a beautiful wife, two brilliant children, and a dog. They were happy, then the Cybermen came and-
"Book Binder can you hear me!" The Doctor's voice cut through snapping Book Binder to attention.
"Yeah, I-I'm fine. I'm in, I can almost hear it." He murmured.
"Careful, you have opened your mind to the hive mind, they could easily find you and extract our location. Do not attract attention." He whispered.
"I'm almost there, I can hear it. She's..." He saw her being led down a corridor from the transmat room, lead through the labyrinth of hallways and then tossed into a room. A sign on the wall labeled this as the conversion bay, and the door room Ditzy was in was emblazoned with the number 10. "She's in the conversion bay, specifically containment unit 10."
"Great, now close your mind. Shut them out." the Doctor sounded anxious.
"I don't think I can." Book Binder's head started to pound. "The sound is overwhelming now, its...comforting?" A wave of bliss flowed through him. "Yeah, comforting, like I can't ever be lonely again. Never feel pain again." Book Binder sighed dreamily.
"No!" The Doctor cried out. Then there was a buzzing noise, the voices in Book Binder's head went silent immediately. His eye shot open. He saw the Doctor holding a small pen-like object in his mouth. "There, that should be better." He mumbled around the pen thing. He dropped it in his coat pocket and peered around the corner. "Now, we just need to avoid the Cybermen, get Ditzy, and get off this ship."
"Is that all?" Book Binder rubbed his temples.
"Are you okay for another go?"
"Oh yeah, love the running." He labored. "Lets go."
~o~
Ditzy had no idea how long she had been stuck in the cell. It seemed to have been an eternity. It also seemed like no time at all. Or maybe it was like ten minutes, thought to herself. He smiled at this. "Yeah, that's right Ditzy, keep positive. You aren't getting anything done crying on the floor." She told herself. "Figure out the door, and get out." She walked over to the panel that was the door. It had no handle. "Well, that's no good, what am I supposed to do? Say open sesame?" The door slid open with a hiss. "I can't believe that worked." she laughed to herself.
"Ditzy?" The Doctor's voice called through the door, leaning to see through. Ditzy didn't even touch the ground when jumped through the door to hug him. She was latched on to him before he knew what was happening.
"Oh, Celestia, I thought they'd gotten to you." She squeezed him tighter.
"They'd...never...Ditzy. Now...please...let me go. I can't...breath." He struggled to say.
Ditzy hopped back sheepishly. "Sorry." She smiled.
"It's alright. Now to find a way off this ship." The Doctor announced.
"We could use the transmat." Ditzy offered.
"No, somepony would have to stay behind to control it." The Doctor explained. "Does this ship have escape pods?"
"I think so. The only problem is they're off the control room."
"Well it's the only plan we've got. Are there any objections?" The Doctor asked.
No one said anything.
"Right, Allons-y."
~o~
They entered the control room. The large room devoid of Cyberponies. Consoles sitting in intervals in the middle, a large viewport at the head of the room, through it, the expanse of space could be seen, only broken by the planet around which they were orbiting. Ditzy slowly approached the veiwport, jaw agape with awe. She stared at the planet on which she was born, the planet where she grew up, just spinning slowly, lazily below her.
"It's a bit overwhelming at first, isn't it?" The Doctor asked.
"It's...beautiful." She replied. "It's unlike anything I've ever seen."
"And this doesn't even compare to what I have seen." He muttered. "Now! Where are those escape pods?!" He turned to Book Binder.
"They should be through there." He pointed at a door opposite the one they came through.
"Brilliant! Let's get out of here." The Doctor trotted over. Before the Doctor could get close, the door slid open to reveal the Cybercontroller. The Doctor jumped back, surprised.
"You are trapped, Doctor, assist us or be deleted." It stated, stepping a few steps out into the room.
"I've already told you I can't! There is no way back without help from the Time Lords."
"Negative, sensors indicate you were brought here."
"What?!"
"Sensors indicate-"
"Yes I heard that!" He yelled. "What do you mean?"
"Data collected from the projected time of your arrival, as well as scans of your ship," The door behind the Cybercontroller slid open further to reveal the TARDIS. "indicate you were pulled through to this universe."
"Well, go talk to them!" The Doctor exclaimed, stomping his front hooves, fuming at the thought of the Cyberponies messing with his TARDIS.
"If you will not help, you will be deleted."
"You lot, you're like a broken record. Can't you tell me anything useful?"
"Delete." The Cyberponies droned.
"Alright, new plan!" the Doctor turned to Ditzy and Book Binder. "We'll need to get to my ship."
"How?!" Ditzy and Book Binder asked simultaneously.
"Well," the Doctor tilted his head. "You know how sometimes people come up with great ideas? This isn't one of them." He turned to the Cybers. "You lot want me! Come and get me!" and he ran toward the TARDIS.
"He's insane!" Book BInder cried to Ditzy, but she was gone, running in the same direction as the Doctor. "I'm insane!" He took off, full gallop.
All three weaved between the lumbering forms, narrowly avoiding their sparking hooves. First, the Doctor slid under the Cybercontroller into the room behind, followed by Ditzy leaping over him, gliding with her wings. Finally Book Binder came to the door, the Cybercontroller a hulking obstacle inbetween him and safety. He faltered, slowing for a moment, but it was enough for the Cybercontroller. His hoof caught Book Binder's, his momentum throwing him in an arc over the head of the Cybercontroller and slamming to the ground, his rear right hoof held firmly in the magnetic grip of the Cybercontroller. He could hear the thoughts clearly now, the Cybercontroller was preparing to delete him. He knew this would be the end. "At least I help somepony." He muttered to himself, bracing himself for his death. It didn't come. instead there was a loud bang. He looked up to see the Doctor mid buck, he had bucked the Cybercontroller, throwing him off balance. This distraction caused him to lose his magnetic grip long enough for Ditzy to pull him away. He struggled to his hooves, they both stood in front of the blue box the Doctor called his ship.
"Get in!" the Doctor rushed past them, both doors bursting open as he barreled through. Book Binder and Ditzy followed, expecting to be crammed into a small wooden box. They took a few steps in, the Doctor slammed the doors shut behind them. They stood there, mouths agape, staring at the huge room, it's coral pillars, it's doors with hallways branching out, it's strange metal table-like thing with a large tube reaching the domed ceiling high above them, and the many buttons and levers and lights, both paralyzed with sheer awe. The Doctor rushed to the strange table-like thing in the middle of the room. "Now they'll probably follow me, got to lead them s far away from all civilized life as I can." He threw a lever and the tubes within the large tube started to move up and down, the two opposing sets interlocking and retreating. A loud bang followed by whooshing was heard. The entire room heaved to the side and started shaking horribly. The Doctor seemed unmoved by this, as if it was to be expected. "A few million years into the future should be just enough, to keep them busy." He grinned. "especially in this remote section of space, not another planet for lightyears!" He pulled back on the lever he threw originally, the shaking subsided. "We've a few minutes before they catch up." He trotted over to Ditzy and Book Binder. "Why do you two have those looks on your face?"
"It's-It's bigger..." Book Binder stuttered.
"It's bigger on the inside!" Ditzy finished.
The Doctor grinned brightly. "I love it when they say that! Welcome aboard the TARDIS!" He reared back. Ditzy giggled at this.
"TARDIS?" Book Binder asked.
"TARDIS. T-A-R-D-I-S. That's Time and Relative Dimensions in Space. It's a space ship and it travels in time." He explained proudly.
"Time Machine?" Book Binder asked.
"Yep." He smirked.
"So when you said 'a couple million years' you mean we traveled a couple million years into the future?!" Ditzy asked.
"Yep." His smirk grew larger.
"And the Cyberponies can do that too?!" Book Binder asked frantically.
"Nah, they're taking the long way 'round. They've probably shut down and drifted for the past two million odd years." the controls started to beep. "And there they are. We stuck around long enough, time to go back." He ran back to the controls and started fiddling with buttons and knobs, ending with the same lever that appeared to make the ship go. The ship started shaking and heaving, and the tubes started wheezing and moving.
The Cybercontroller had been awake for a few minutes, just enough to see it's only hope of returning home disappear into the past, where the Cybers couldn't go.
~o~
"End of the line!" the Doctor called as the time rotor slowed to a halt. He smiled at his ship. He trotted to the doors and pulled them open, they were in the alleyway where they had been almost an hour ago. He stepped out, Ditzy and Book Binder close behind.
"So they're gone?" Book Binder asked.
"Yes, well..." He tilted his head, emphasizing the word 'well' "I say gone, they're still in up there, but completely shut down to preserve power for the next millennia, until we surface."
"So that's it?" Ditzy asked.
"Yes, you're all safe now."
"But what about me, how could I possibly remain here looking like this?" Book Binder asked, referring to his half upgraded body.
"You're clever, you'll figure something out."
"You could maybe find a unicorn with powerful enough magic to create a glamour." Ditzy offered.
"Yeah, I guess, 'til then I'll just have to shut myself away. Actually that's a good thing." He stated.
"How so?" the Doctor asked.
"Well, I've found some inspiration for my book. My editor's been on my flank for weeks, waiting for a good story. In fact, I should go work on it now. Thank you for everything Doctor." He then pulled his hood up and trotted off.
"Not the reaction I expected." The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "Probably shouldn't let him write that book."
"You do kind of owe him for not being able to fix him."
"'Spose so." He sighed. "Anyways, I'd better be off. Got to find a way home."
"I thought you said it was impossible?"
"It should be, but if I fell through to here, I should be able to fall back." He started to walk back into the TARDIS.
"Doctor, wait!" Ditzy called out. "So you're just going to travel alone?"
"Yeah, I seem to do less harm that way."
"Maybe you do less harm to others, but what does it do to you?"
The Doctor didn't reply.
"Nopony should ever be alone."
"Ditzy I don't-"
"Doctor, please." She pleaded. "Don't go off alone."
The Doctor sighed. "I need a tailor." He said.
"What?" Ditzy smiled a bit as she asked.
"I need someone to mend my suit, and maybe modify my coat." He looked down at the torn suit he wore. "You know any one?" He smirked.
Ditzy smiled broadly. "There's Carousel Boutique. Rarity is pretty good with that kind of thing."
"Right then Allons-y Miss Doo."
Author's Note
Yay, part three of the opening story is done. Man this is going to take a while to write the other twelve stories and make them fit in an overarching story arc. a few notes:
thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it.
Doctor Whooves: Adventures in Time and Space (and Equestria)
Zap Apple Season - part 1
"Really, Miss Rarity, It's fine, You needn't to do anything else!" The Doctor burst out of Carousel Boutique, the purple maned seamstress in tow, many sketches of modifications to his suit floating around her.
"Wait, darling! Are you sure you don't want to look at these designs!? They're quite lovely!" she called after him.
"No thank you!" The Doctor struggled to get the persistent designer off his tail. He turned a corner, she followed. He crossed bridge, she followed. Finally he ducked into a shop, dived behind a quill display case, and slid to a stop behind a sofa. He heard the approaching and receding of hoof beats as Rarity passed by. Relieved, he sighed, climbing over the sofa and walking out of the store. He looked around trying to get his bearings. He didn't recognize any of the buildings, he had gotten lost. "Brilliant Doctor, you've saved multiple species, pushed crates at the Boston Harbor, ended entire wars, and now you've got lost in a small town of talking horses after being chased by a persistent dress maker." He berated himself. He looked up, scanning the sparse skyline. He spotted the tall spire of city hall towering over the two story huts and colorful tents, remembering the building was near where he had parked the TARDIS. He trotted toward it, the road twisting, lined by storefronts, leading to a bridge crossing a small river snaking it's way through town, and then to the circle that was town center. He then turned with the road, trotting toward a near by alley way. The TARDIS stood around a corner at the end, the Doctor smiled as he approached his ship. He pushed open the doors and trotted in.
~o~
Ditzy wandered through the labyrinthine network of hallways. She had noted there was a kitchen, a pool, and multiple squash courts, but it was the large library that caught her eye. She pushed the door open, the large room filled with ceiling high bookshelves overflowing with books and papers. Many tables scattered throughout the room, also covered with books. Even the floor had a few books scattered about. She stepped carefully over a few, making her way to the nearest bookshelf. She scanned the titles, they were all cookbooks that looked unused, she laughed at the thought of the Doctor using a cookbook. She turned to the bookshelf opposite. She wandered between the shelves, scanning the books. Then something caught her eye, she noticed one bookshelf tucked away in a dark corner. This one different from the others, it was neatly kept, slightly dusty, as if it was carefully arranged and then never touched, even the floor had no evidence of anypony going near it. On it's lower shelves sat many jars, labelled 'Encyclopedia Gallifreya' containing purple liquid, on it's top shelf sat a single book, propped as if to be displayed to who ever approached. She could just barely make out the text on it's cover, 'The History of the Time War' emblazoned on it's ornamental cover. Ditzy flapped her wings, flying up to take a better look at the book.
"Ditzy!" A voice called, it was the Doctor. "Ditzy, where are you?!"
Ditzy rushed back to the door, stumbling over a few books. "In the library!" She grabbed a book off a near by table. The cover read 'Love's Labour Lost by William Shakespeare.' The Doctor trotted in. "Just reading." She smiled sheepishly.
"Ah, Shakespeare, love Shakespeare, bit of a flirt mind you, but brilliant." The Doctor ranted. "Anyways, what do you think?" He reared back, showing off his modified suit. All tears had been mended, and the suit had been pressed, his coat no longer dragging on the ground, but instead flowed, similar to that of a dress. "Though I'm not sure why she removed the shirt entirely," he gestured to the collar wrapped around his neck, held by a necktie. "Who ever thought that was a good idea?"
Ditzy giggled. "You look like a million bits."
"Thank you. Now! Where to?"
"What do you mean?"
"The TARDIS is spaceship/time machine. All of time and space, a new universe to explore, new history to be discovered, where to?" He smirked.
"I dunno, where do you wanna go?" Ditzy questioned.
The Doctor furrowed his eyebrows. "What?!"
Ditzy shrugged.
"I've offered to take you anywhere that ever existed or will exist, and you don't know where you want to go? No events in the past you want to witness?"
"Nope."
"Alright..." the Doctor looked unsure of what to do. "Well...Time to get resourceful." He dashed to the console, and went to work, pulling levers, pressing buttons, flipping switches, almost expertly with his hooves. "I've set her to gravitate toward a major event, ANY major event between the beginning of time and now." He turned to Ditzy. "We could end up anywhere."
"Am I supposed to say something?" Ditzy asked.
"Only how impressive I am, maybe throw in a comment on how handsome I am as well." he smirked, then in one smooth motion, he threw the throttle and the TARDIS took off.
~o~
The TARDIS landed with a thud. The doors opened and the two occupants stepped out, they were in a forest, close to the edge where the trees became farther apart. The Doctor took one long sniff of the air. "Ah! Smell that, Ditzy? Fresh air, well... fresher than the air then."
"It smells just like it does then."
"Nah, there's a subtle difference, less smokey and crowded more..." he took another sniff. "...oakey with a hint of..." He took a deep whiff "mint, maybe?"
"I don't smell it." Ditzy shrugged.
"Ah..." the Doctor rubbed his neck. "Anyways!" He turned to face nothing in particular. "Here we are." He started toward the edge of the forest.
"Where is here?" Ditzy followed.
"See for your self." The Doctor pushed a branch aside. Ditzy gazed into the valley below, a small town comprised mainly of small shops, some were hoof built shacks, others tens pitched over tables displaying the owner's wares, and a train station lay in the middle. A small crowd of ponies in period attire milled about, approaching the shops, examining items.
"Sweet Celestia..." Ditzy muttered. "It's Ponyville!"
"Yep! Old Ponyville Town, not but a few years old, decades before you were born." The Doctor smirked.
"I can't believe it, I'm in the past. I'm standing here years before I'm born. Wait, was born? Will be born?"
The Doctor's smirk grew bigger.
"Can we go down there? I mean, isn't that dangerous?"
"Nah! Just follow my lead." He started trotting down toward the village.
~o~
The sight of the shop gave Ditzy a great idea.
"Ditzy? Where are you going?" The Doctor asked.
"Just looking." she trotted up to a shop separate from the rest. A large sign, posted over the wooden awning, portrayed a brown-maned earth pony stallion wearing a worn straw hat, on either side of him a jar filled with a rainbow colored substance. "Barnyard Bargains, at least, it will be. I wonder what it's called now?" Ditzy explained. They walked up on the wooden porch and pushed the door open, a bell hanging from the frame announcing their arrival. She turned to the Doctor, "Would you please wait here?" she asked.
The Doctor cocked his head. "Why?"
"It's a surprise."
The Doctor raised an eyebrow, then resigned with a small smirk. "All right, I'll wait."
"Thanks!" she smiled sweetly before ducking into the door. She stuck her head back out "Don't wander off." She added. Then the Doctor was alone.
The Doctor couldn't help himself but smile.
~o~
"Ah! Welcome ta Stinkin' Rich's Gen'ral Store." A voice called from somewhere in the back of the room. The stallion, recognizable from the sign on the storefront and apparently named Stinking Rich, trotted from a back room carrying two buckets of paint in his mouth. "How c'n I help y'all?" He asked, adding a charismatic smile.
Ditzy stepped up to the counter. "Yes, I'd like a couple of jars of zap apple jam, please." She smiled.
"Ah..." Stinking Rich sighed. "Sorry ma'am, I'm 'fraid I ran out 'bout a week ago."
"Oh..." Ditzy's head dropped slightly.
"Now, don't fret darlin'. To my understandin' I'll be restockin' real soon." He added, noticing her disappointment. "Word from the Acres that Zap Apple Season is well under way."
"Excuse me." a voice came from behind them, accompanied by a ringing bell. Both turned to the door, there stood a young earth pony mare in a red bonnet, she was carrying a few bags around her neck as well as full saddle bags, glass clinking could be heard within. She had a brilliant green coat, bright amber eyes, a blonde mane split into two braids tied with red ribbons, her tail braided as well. Her cutie mark was of an apple pie. Ditzy eyed the mare, why did she look so familiar? "Sorry, hope I'm not interrupting." She added.
"Well," Filthy Rich's charismatic smile returned. "If it ain't Granny Smith, I s'ppose you're here for your..." he eyed Ditzy and the Doctor. "special order? " he whispered.
Ditzy's eyes widened when she heard the name. She took a long look at the young mare, it was indeed Ponyville's oldest resident
"Mr. Rich! You ain't gotta pretend it's some secret, they're just a few buckets a paint." She smiled sweetly.
"Just didn't wanna outright say it fronta this outta-towner." He gestured to Ditzy. A realization crossed his face. "Uh, no offence, ma'am." He added quickly, waving his hooves in dismissal, his smile nervous.
"Oh, it's all right." the Ditzy responded.
"It's just that I don't normally do order like this, only for my best suppliers." Once again, his charismatic smile was plastered on his face. Granny smiled, slightly embarrassed by the praise.
"Now, Mr. Rich, we both know y'all just tryin' ta butter me up, maybe get a jar or two extra this round." Granny retorted.
"Is it that obvious?" he chuckled. "Well, here's your order, any how." He pushed the cans toward her. Granny went to pick them up in her mouth.
"Oh! Let me help you there." Ditzy stepped up and grabbed the paint cans herself.
"Thank ya' kindly." She replied. "It's a bit hectic, what with all the preparations fer Zap Apple season." She added.
"Sounds like you could use a couple of farm hooves." Ditzy offered.
"Actually, I just met that nice stallion outside. He said he was travelin' with somepony, and they both 're lookin' fer jobs."
Ditzy glanced at the Doctor. "Granny." He stepped in, "I'd like you to meet Ditzy, we're your new farmhooves."
Author's Note
Sorry for the wait guys, I just got a bit busy for the last few months and frankly I couldn't get this chapter just right, I'm still a bit unsure but I can't think of anything better. Anyways, Here you go enjoy, It will get better, I promise, and I will try to get the next chap up soon. Thanks for reading.
Doctor Whooves: Adventures in Time and Space (and Equestria)
The Doctor is In - part 1
"No!" The Doctor said to himself. He flipped the throttle on the console and the time rotor came to life with a wheeze. He stepped back from the console reflecting on the events that had just transpired. The destruction of Bowie Base One, the story of Captain Adalaide Brooke, the Water of Mars.
"The Time Lord Victorious is WRONG!"
Her words echoed in his head. He moved over to the keyboard and started absentmindedly typing in coordinates.
"I just need to get away for bit." He muttered to the empty console room. "Yeah, I'll find some remote corner of the universe and stay put, no more interference. No more..." he trailed off. The time rotor's wheezing became labored.
"What's wrong with you?" He leaned closer to the center shaft of the console. "Eh?"
Suddenly he was thrown back into the chair mounted to the grating floor. The TARDIS began to fly erratically, more so than usual. The room heaved to the left and he was thrown to the floor. He scrambled to get up. However, a searing pain started shooting from ever part of his body. He cried out in pain, squeezing his eyes closed and pressing his clenched hands against his head. He felt the bones in his feet shift and fuse together, the bones in his legs followed suit. He looked at his hands, they to were changing. The bones within morphing into odd shapes, taking the form of what appeared to be...hooves. Then the pain shifted focus to his torso as his spine twisted into a new shape and his rib cage lengthened. Finally, it, whatever it was, reached his head. His skull changed its shape, growing larger, the eyes tripling in size and his nose growing into a muzzle, and ear moving up, becoming triangular. A coat of light brown fur cropped up and a dark brown tail sprouted behind him. The pain finally started to subside, except for a burning feeling in what appeared to be his flank, he glanced awkwardly and saw the image of an hourglass poking out from under his now tattered suit. He sat still breathing heavily, trying to comprehend this metamorphosis. His vision started to go dark. He stood shakily on four legs, and awkwardly limped to the console. "Must... land..." he croaked as he placed his front left hoof on the console and pulled himself up. Barely able to reach, he wrapped his hoof around the lever and pulled it back. The shaking subsided and the time rotor slowed to a stop.
"There we go, in orbit around...some planet." he chuckled weakly. The console started beeping, "Oh, what now?" He looked to the monitor, the Gallifreyan writing swirling on the monitor. "Orbit decaying?!" He read, panic in his voice.
He fumbled around the console trying to stop or slow his rapid descent to the planet below, unable to do anything effective with his new found lack of hands. There was a loud thud followed by the entire room heaving. Then silence, absolute silence. The Doctor, having fallen over in the crash, lay at the base of the console breathing shakily, his vision grew darker and darker. He lost consciousness.
~o~
A lone figure walked down the road that night. His hood pulled over his head to shield him from the storm.
"Why didn't I check the weather schedule?" He asked himself. "Way to go, Book Binder, you idiot."
Book Binder was an Earth Pony, with a silver coat, and dirty-blonde mane that always seemed unbrushed. He wore small rectangular glasses, and a soaked cloak. He looked up at the stormclouds and then around the immediate area.
"This totally doesn't feel like the opening of a scary story." He muttered sarcastically. Then he noticed something, a dark shape in the distance. He squinted in an attempt to make out a discernible shape. A bolt of lightning flashed, illuminating everything. He caught a brief glimpse of the shape in the light, it was a pony, rather large. He sighed with relief, and started walking toward the pony.
No reply.
"You got me! You don't have to keep up the act! Who are you?!" His smile started to falter.
Still no reply.
"Alright fine! You win! I'll be on my way!" He added nervously. He moved to the other side of the road. He looked down to avoid eye contact. There was a flash of lightning and a loud clap of thunder. Then Book Binder collided with something solid. He jumped back. The figure had moved in front of him. Book Binder stood paralyzed with fear, breathing shakily.
"You are compatible." The figure droned, his voice was flat and mechanical, more machine than pony.
"W-what?" He chuckled fearfully. "Look, this is getting out of hoof, I think you should stop now..."
The figure did not reply. There was another flash of lightning, Book Binder could see the figure clearly. It was not a pony, but rather a metal effigy of one, it's eyes, black and hollow. "Prepare transmat." It spoke.
Book Binder's scream was drowned out by the thunder.
~o~
Ditzy woke up, her alarm clock ringing loudly. She groggily placed her hoof on the clapper, stopping the harsh noise. She rolled off the edge of the bed and stood up, arching her back and stretching her wings out above her. She walked over to the door adjacent to her bed and down the hall to the bathroom, emerging a few minutes later with a towel wrapped around her mane, and so her morning routine began.
~o~
She sat in the kitchen, eating a muffin, and listening to her roommate talk about something, Ditzy wasn't paying much attention. She stared into space.
"Ditzy!" Carrot Top snapped.
"Hmm... Oh, sorry. I'm not awake yet." Ditzy apologized.
"Of course you weren't. Anyways, there I was..." she restarted her story. Ditzy trying to pay attention. It was just the beginning of just another normal day.
~o~
Ditzy trotted into the post office with a smile on her face. "Mornin' Parcels! Ditzy Doo reporting for duty!" She saluted to the unicorn stallion leaning on the counter.
"Here's the mail for today." He replied in a flat tone, pushing a mail sack over to her. "And try not to screw the addresses up, Derpy." He levitated the morning paper in front of him and started reading. Ditzy took the sack and trotted out, her smile never faltering. She stopped outside the post office, secured the bag and took off into the air.
~o~
She was half way through her rounds when she saw the smoking crater.
"Don't go exploring Ditzy, do your job without a screw up. Show them you aren't a useless klutz." She muttered to herself.
She flew by, trying not to look, then she noticed the blue box sitting in the crater.
"Ok maybe just a few minutes, then back to your route. Nopony has to know."
She landed at the crater's edge, the ground smoldering below her, she started to carefully make her way down. She was about halfway down when she stepped on a loose rock and started to tumble. She slammed into the front of the box. She fell on her back, the box looming above her. She could now see it had signs posted on it, a black plate across the top saying "Police Public Call Box" and a sign on what appeared to be a door read "Police Telephone. Free for use of Public. Advice & assistance obtainable immediately. Officers and cars respond to all calls. Pull to Open." Unfortunately, some of those words had no meaning to Ditzy. She then noticed the strangest thing. The box was wooden, but there wasn't a single scorch mark. Not even a scratch on its blue surface.
"Now would be a great for you to leave, Ditzy." She told herself.
She leaned forward and knocked on the door. Nothing happened.
"Leave now, Ditzy, just leave." She repeated to herself. She started to climb back out of the crater. A loud creaking sound emanated from behind her. She looked back, the box had opened, and an Earth Pony Stallion was standing in the door.
"Oh, hello!" He grinned like a madpony. He trotted out of the box, though his gait seemed awkward as if he had just learned how to walk. He took one long look at her and his expression grew even wilder "A Pegasus, an actual pegasus. Ah, the universe never ceases to amaze!" He beamed.
"A-are you alright?" Ditzy asked.
"And you talk?!" He grinned. "Oh, that is...that's brilliant!"
Ditzy stepped back, a bit flustered.
"I'm the Doctor, by the way." He stuck out his hoof. "And you are?
"D-ditzy. Ditzy Doo."
"Ah, lovely. Nice to meet you miss Doo, now maybe you could help me. I seem to be lost and I think I might've regenerated, no, that wasn't regeneration. That was a metamorphosis. Anyways, could you be so kind as to tell me where I am?" He rambled.
Ditzy tilted her head. "Ponyville." She answered, her voice full of concern.
"And, uh just 'cause I'm a bit shaken up, where would that be, country-wise, Miss Doo?"
"Equestria."
"And, planet-wise?"
"I think you need help."
"Yeah, but, humor me?" He smiled.
"Earth."
"Earth?! What year?" His eyes growing wild with disbelief.
"1005."
He turned away, "No... that can't be."
"What?" Ditzy asked.
"I've been all over 11th century Earth. I've never heard of any Equestria or even Pegasi. Another Earth? No... it can't be... could it?"
"Mister, please, we need to get you to the hospital." Ditzy stepped forward, gingerly placing a hoof on his shoulder.
"Right! Hospital! Where there's a hospital, there's civilization! A civilization full of Pegasi, even better! Allons-y, Miss Doo!"
~o~
Trying to get him to the hospital proved to be difficult. He kept stopping every five seconds to point out something mundane. "There's unicorns too? And talking horses? I'm beginning to like it here." He beamed as they entered Ponyville.
"Mister, how hard did you hit your head?"
"What is that?" He stopped in his tracks, staring at the sky.
"What?" Ditzy followed his line of sight. All that was there was a cloud.
"That, the thing that looks like a cloud. You can see it, can't you Miss Doo?"
"It's a cloud?"
"No... It can't be, hasn't moved an inch."
"Yeah, the weather schedule chalked for partly cloudy skies today."
"Scheduled weather? This place gets better and better." His smile widened.
Ditzy shot him a worried glance. He clearly need help. "Can we please go to the hospital now?"
"And who is that?" He was looking at town hall. An old looking mare was pacing inside the open doors.
"That's Mayor Mare. I wonder what has her in such a state?"
"Well...she is mayor, a lot of responsibility in that profession. But that face, that, Miss Doo, is the face of somebody on the verge of crisis."
"Well with all the ponies going missing, she should be concerned."
"Missing ponies, you say?" He tried not to grin.
"Yeah, ponies have been disappearing for the past few weeks. Nopony has seen anything suspicious. But that's not important right now, we need to get you to the..."Ditzy looked to where he had been standing, but he wasn't there any more. She looked back at the town hall, he stood in the door. Ditzy sighed and ran to join him.
As she approached she could hear the two of them talking. "So Mayor Mare, tell me about these missing ponies."
~o~
Book Binder woke with a start. The room was dark, only the soft hum of machinery could be heard. He felt cold and numb. He tried to stand, pain shot through his body. He fell down. He lay there, his breathing shaky. He attempted to stand up again, powering through the pain. He realized it wasn't pain but the lack-there-of. He was totally numb in his front left leg, his back right hoof and flank, and the entire left side of his head. "Alright, remain calm." He told himself. "Everything is going to be alright." He didn't believe it.
The door slid open, thudding dully at the end of its track. Bright blinding light poured in. "You are required." A monotonous voice stated.
"That is a first." Book Binder smirked.
"You will follow."
"And, if I don't?"
"You will follow." The figure repeated. Book Binder took a few cautious steps, getting used to the lack of feeling. The figure turned and started marching down the corridor. Book Binder, left with no other option, limped along quickly.
~o~
"Excuse me?" The Mayor asked. " I have no idea what you are talking about!"
"Right, it's just the stress of the job getting to you that's all." The Doctor replied. "Madam Mayor, I've noticed the empty homes, the unread mail, ponies are going missing."
"Drat! I knew it would surface sooner or later. It's a catastrophe, ponies just disappearing without a trace. If the town finds out, there'll be mass hysteria."
"Well Madam Mayor, today might just be your lucky day. I need everything you know about those missing."
"Of course...?" The Mayor seemed confused. "Wait, why am I doing this? I have a town to run, I don't have time for the affairs of a madpony who thinks he can help. Leave immediately, and tell nopony about this discussion." The Mayor stormed off, frustrated at her moment of weakness.
"Worth a shot." He shrugged. "Come on, Miss Doo, we've work to do."
Author's Note
Okay so here it is, chapter 1. I've been writing this for a month now, so I hope you enjoyed it. Obviously this takes place after the Water of Mars in the Doctor's Timeline, and it's about five years after the first episode of MLP. If you found any of this awkward let me know so I can improve my writing, thanks for reading.
