A lost universe, a lost child

“Colgate, I now have at least five reasons I have to stay on this planet to settle down awhile.” The doctor shouted so he could be heard from the other room. The brown time stallion had just walked in the TARDIS doors holding a star covered blanket and a paper on his back.

“The lady you told me about, your mother, has left a note to ask me to take care of you.” He walked up and wrapped the filly in her blanket. For the first time he took a good look at her. She was about a foot long with a little bump on her head (the doctor had no idea why). Her coat was light blue and her mane looked like toothpaste freshly squeezed out of a bottle. Her eyes where closed at the moment but the doctor new that they where a beautiful color of TARDIS blue. Just like his own.

“Now that’s just the first reason I must stay.” Continued the doctor. “The TARDIS needs a quick rest after the whole black hole incident. Needs time to gain power. Also I would like to explore this world first. Hopefully we’ll find your mother Trixie in the process.” The doctor trotted around the room grabbing bits and pieces and throwing them together. In a first look it appeared to be some sort of chair. But when the doctor was finished he set a baby holder/saddle on his back.

“Hop on Colgate. First stop the library!”

Twilight Sparkle was at it again, books flying everywhere.

“SPIKE! Where did you put that book on quantum physics!.... Oh. Sorry.” Twilight turned around to see a short baby dragon coming down the stairs.

“Come on Twilight. Even baby dragons need their beauty rest. “Spike muttered groggily.

“Sorry spike. You know how I am in the mornings.” Twilight sighed.

“Yes. Too bad you can’t be like that in the afternoon’s instead.” The baby dragon pouted.

A loud chime alerted Twilight that a customer had come in.

“I’ll be with you in just a moment!” Twilight shouted. She hurried to put the books she had jumbled on the floor away.

“That’s okay. Take your time. I should be able to find my way around.” An unknown voice said. It was a voice twilight had never heard and that was rare. She new everyone in ponyville and almost half of canterlot. He sure is in for a big surprise when he meets pinkie pie. Twilight chuckled to herself as she thought of the party the pink pony would throw. She asked Spike to put up the rest of the books so that she could meet the new guest. This earned a grumble as she trotted towards the front of the library. She trotted up to the brown earth stallion that had come into the library. He was faced towards the shelf in the parenting isle. He had an odd looking basket on his back with a blue, newborn filly in it. The little bump on its head showing its unicorn DNA. For some reason it seemed Twilight had seen this filly before. She shook the feeling off. She couldn’t have ever seen this filly. Twilight looked back at the stallion, noticing he had a hourglass cutie mark on his flank. She had never seen a cutie mark like that before either. What could his special talent be?

“Hello. My na…”

“SHHHHH!” Twilight was cut off from her greeting by a loud shushing noise. The stallion whipped around, a very worried look on his face.

“Please don’t talk so loud.” He begged her, “I would have to regenerate if I had to listen to this constant whine anymore!” his eyes grew at least two sizes larger. She didn’t understand the regeneration part, but the baby part was all too clear. Spike had been just the same.

The doctor had walked into the library ready to read. He planned on going through some parenting books first (which he hadn’t had to do in a LONG time) and then he would read up on history. He also needed to look up possible reasons for the bump on Colgate head. Luckily he hadn’t encountered any pony in the street. He still needed a presentable name and background if he were to settle down. He trotted over to the parenting books and looked around. He was about to try and pick one up with a hoof when a loud “hello” came from behind. He spun around and shushed the pony, worried Colgate would wake up. He now regretted being able to speak baby because Colgate wouldn’t stop whining on their way to the library. He only had just gotten her to sleep. He told this to the librarian (he assumed that’s who he was speaking to) and looked at her. She was a purple pony mare with a tattoo of one big star and five small ones around it on her flank. Her mane and tail where purple with streaks through it. The doctor looked at her face into big purple eyes. Just above them was a horn.

“Y….you’re a…. a…a unicorn…” the stunned pony muttered. The pony in question gave him a strange look.

“Yes…and you’re an earth pony. Are you okay?”

“Yes. I think so. New places have strange affect on me…” the doctor wondered in aww at how he could have missed it. The unicorn part now explaining the bump on Colgate's head.

“I thought you where new here.” The unicorn whispered, careful not to wake Colgate.” I know everyone in ponyville and I’ve never met anyone with a cutie mark like that. Well anyways, I’m Twilight Sparkle. Pleased to meet you.”

Now the doctor was truly confused but also exited. He needed to make a new name! John smith wouldn’t work if all pony names were like twilight sparkle. But what the hay was a cutie mark?

“A cutie what?” the doctors question earned him another strange look.

“The picture on your flank. It shows your special talent?” she sighed obviously annoyed.

“Oh yes. Of course. I thought you said um…logy bark. Yes. Yes. Well anyways, what’s yours mean?”The doctor asked to avoid an awkward silence. It was apparent that the unicorn, miss Twilight Sparkle, was overjoyed to share her tale.

“My cutie mark shows the element of magic. I am the most advanced unicorn in ponyville.” She started. The doctor could only assume that ponyville was the town he was in.

“And out of the elements there are five others than me. Those are the smaller stars. Loyalty, honesty, laughter, kindness, and generosity. This middle star is magic. Me.” A grin spread across her face, her eyes filled with curiosity.

“So sir, what does yours mean? And what’s your name?” she asked.

The doctor rushed through his mind thinking of possible names. It would have to be related to his timer cutie mark. Let’s see… umm….I can fix things. This hourglass is somewhat a time device like a clock….

“My name is clock works. Nice to meet you miss twilight. And of course the cutie mark meaning is all in the name. I fix clocks..” and once the doctor got started he couldn’t stop. A whole idea for his life story sprang up.

“I came here for better business. Back home there are too many clock shops, so I supposed a small town like this could use one.” as he finished he looked up to find that twilight had bought the story.

“So what about the little filly on your back. Is it yours?” she asked. A quick reply rocketed out of the doctor’s mouth.

“No. No. No. This here is my niece. Her parents are…gone…and asked me to care for her. It’s complicated.” He looked down in a sad frown, trying to make it seem realistic.

“That’s why I need to borrow some parenting books if you don’t mind. And I also need any type of history or astronomy books you might have. You see, my usual source of this information is down, so books are my answer.” The doctor continued to blabber. He looked up, noticing the confusion in the mare’s face of the sudden mood swing. Together they walked around the library gathering books onto a table for the doctor to read. All the while Colgate slept in her basket.

Finally twilight left as the doctor sat at the table. He watched her out of the corner of his eyes as she went up the stairs, all the while going through book after book in seconds. These books where rubbish. He would have to bring Colgate up the old fashioned way, because he had no help from these. He would bring her up as a time lord (time pony). This would be a blast.

Twilight collapsed on her bed feeling so frustrated. That stallion, Clockworks, was so confusing. The way he just flipped through the books literally in seconds and calls it rubbish. Those where top quality books! And now he was in there talking to his niece Colgate like they were actually having a conversation! Not to mention he was like a newborn colt. How could some pony not know what a cutie mark is? And he was so clumsy. She had handed him a book and not only did he drop it but he couldn’t pick it up! But at the same time she felt sorry for him. He had a little filly to look after on his own and he didn’t know any pony here. Just give him time twilight. She thought. He may be strange but that’s because he’s from somewhere else. Probably Baltimare or Las Pegasus.

“TWILIGHT!!!!” a pink pony flew through the window, scaring twilight half to death.

“Pinkie Pie! How the hay did you get up here?! Its two stories high!” exclaimed Twilight, more surprised than curious. Pinkie pie just ignored the question and hoped to the door to the library.

“Iheardyouhaveanewvisitorthatdidntliveinponyvillecomehereandiwaslikenowaybutijusthadtocomeseesohereiam! Icantwaittothrowhimaparty! Doeshelikecakeorpiebetter...”pinky pie rambled on all the way down the stairs until Twilight couldn’t hear her any more. She slapped a hoof  to her face. Clockworks would probably be scared off by pinkie pie before he even set up his clock shop. Suddenly a loud gasp hit her ears.

“Huuuuuuuu!!!!Doctor!!!!!” it was pinkie pies voice of course. Twilight walked to the door, determined to find out if the pink pony had caused Clockworks any trouble.