Chapter One: Happier Days
The man awoke with a start. He was a young man in his early thirties and a little over six feet with dark hair that was a near jet-black. His body showed a long career in the army with a few scars on his arms, but also the well-toned muscles that gave proof of years of extreme training. Sitting up in the bed he was laying in he took a breath. Noticing he had been sweating, he took a moment and thought about what he had just woken from. That dream must have been the strangest one ever to be had among the Human race. Why of all things did he dream about ponies and talking ones to boot? He looked around the room he was in. It seemed unfamiliar yet he had an extreme recognition of it. It was as if the room was being altered, but in which way he could not think of. Then he remembered, of course, he was home from Anchorage just in time for Christmas. He could smell chocolate chip and nutmeg cookies. Looking out the window on his right, he could see it snowing in heavy flakes falling all over his lawn.
"Nice to have a normal winter for once", he said to himself thankfully. Suddenly he heard singing from downstairs. Christmas carols to be exact and being sung by two feminine voices. One that was slightly deeper, clearly coming from an older woman, the other was of a higher pitch obviously a younger woman. Instantly he recognized them both. How could he not know them? His wife and daughter. Thinking for a moment he began to smile mischievously. Maybe he could sneak around them and snag some uncooked dough before they caught him.
Slipping on a shirt and some dress pants he walked to the bedroom door. Slowly turning the doorknob and opening the door as quietly as possible. He slipped through and shut the door with the softest of clicks. Turning he saw the long hallway leading to the stairs. On his left was the laundry room, on the right, was his daughter's. Crouching he tipped toed through barely making a sound not even a creak from the floorboards, which was strange since this was his old family home given to him by his father. It was an old log cabin house but had been maintained well over the years. Still, he always remembered that the floors had always creaked. It was because of them that he had gotten caught by his parents coming home late on several occasions. So why didn't they do that now? Unfortunately, he didn't have the opportunity to dwell on that now, he was just thankful that they didn't make any noise because now he had come to the edge of the stairs and could hear the singing clearly.
"In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
Long ago..."
He moved quickly letting the sound of the two singing to the music dampen any sound he would make. Getting to the bottom he looked at the layout of the room. The singing was coming from the living room on the right side of the staircase, behind the wall that came up to the entrance of the bottom of the stairs. A doorway in the wall was a couple meters up in front of him. They must be decorating the tree while the cookies bake he thought to himself. He continued to look around just to be sure there were no surprises, such as a toy or box that might alert his presence, when he again notice something strange around the house. It was like in his room when he first woke, there was something off about it. It was like the rooms were smaller than they should be or something was missing. Shaking his head of that thought to himself probably just still groggy from waking up. Finding his goal was to the far left. The completely unguarded kitchen, ripe for the raiding. Lining up against the wall he took a quick look around the edge of the opening in the wall. Not seeing either of the two singing ladies he made a quick dash across the opening to the other side.
Pausing a moment on the other side of the doorway, he listened for any hint of a pause in the singing. Noticing nothing he slowly made his way to the prize. A clear glass bowl, there were actually a few bowls around, but he would get to them. No, the true prize was the one on the far right of the island counter. The one with the chocolate chip dough in it, his wife's recipe, his favorite. With a mischievous grin, he started tiptoeing over to to the counter making his steps slow and careful as possible. With just a few steps he was right on top of the bowl and about to reach in when he realized that the singing had stopped. This, of course, this was too little too late.
"Vincent James Valenwood!" shouted a stern feminine voice. Vincent, the man in question and with a hand halfway into the bowl, looked slowly up to face the woman standing in the doorway that he had just snuck by moments before. It was his wife, she was a young woman just barely thirty years old. Her hair was a dark shade of red almost an auburn. Standing at five feet seven inches she stood shorter than her six-foot husband. Of course, that still didn't keep her from being able to intimidate him.
"Now Amaryllis.” Vincent said, trying to break the tension slash awkwardness, “I know what this looks like, but I'm not trying to get the cookie dough. I'm trying to get the chips. Which just happen to be surrounded by the dough. So you can realize the time it would take to separate..."
"Vinny just stop right there," Amaryllis said with a touch of loving annoyance in her voice and using her nickname for him. Bringing her left hand to cheek she smiled playfully. "Besides, I'm not the one you need to explain yourself to." With that said she looked down to her left, there standing by her was a young girl of the age of fourteen. The teenager stood almost as high as her mother next to her and had the same colored hair although it had a lighter tone almost a ginger or strawberry-blond.
"Dad", the girl asked, while crossing her arms and with a noticeable growl in her voice, "What are you doing with your hand in the cookie dough bowl? That is for the cookies I'm making for the family Christmas party" Vincent slowly looked down from his accusing family, to the said hand that was inches away from his goal. Looking up again he saw the warning in both their eyes.
"You mean this hand?", he said while pointing with his left to the right one that was reaching into the bowl and giving what he hoped was an innocent look.
"Yes, dad that hand", his daughter responded with annoyance and a bit of disappointment. "You gave the promise, did the motions and everything! You said that you wouldn't take any dough and when you woke up today you would help with decorating."
"Now see I'm a bit vague on how that promise went", Vincent began to say but was swiftly interrupted by a counter by his daughter.
"YOU remember", she nearly shouted, clearly exasperated by the back and forth with her father. She knew he was going to be like this, just to mess with her. Her mother standing on the sideline did not help at all either. "Mom! Tell dad to knock it off and to get away from the bowls." Looking to her daughter Amaryllis could see the frustration in her daughter's eyes and with a small glance, she saw the mischief in her husbands. She thought to herself that she would give him his punishment later when their daughter was not there, but first, she would play his game.
"I would love to help Acacia but", she said as serious as she could, "It seems your father needs a reminder of what his promise was." While saying this she moved from the doorway to the edge of the kitchen to give her daughter the necessary room for the coming display, but also to show her husband that he would be caught on both sides when this was resolved. Vincent took the message but still figured he could get something out of this. He gave his attention to his daughter who was quite visibly frustrated with her parents at this point. I mean if the red cheeks and pouty face wasn't a give away I got no clue what would be.
Acacia was understandably upset when her mother agreed with her dad, but she also knew that in the end, her mom would side with her. So she decided that the only way to get through this was to remind her dad what the promise was. With a sigh that only a teenager could utter she dropped her pout and took a breath. "Ridiculous", Acacia mutter under her breath yet there was a shadow of a smile, "Ok fine, It started last night when mom and I were getting the cookie dough all mixed up. Then you father tried to sneak some away. When I stopped you I made you give the promise which went like this and I quote 'Cross my heart hope to fly stick a cupcake in my eye'. " While saying this Acacia made movements with her hands crossing over her chest and flapping her hands as if she were trying to attempt flight. Ending the motions with what can only be assumed a cupcake going into her eye. Vincent and Amaryllis were barely able to hold their chuckling as they watched their daughters antics.
After a few moments, they finally were able to contain themselves and Amaryllis looked to her husband. "Does that satisfy you, my dear?", she said looking at him almost daring him with her eagle eyes to keep going with his stunt.
Vincent knew now that he had no more tricks and him sure as hell wasn't proficient in magic so no Magician's exit for him. They certainly wouldn't let him stall at this point. At this point, he had two options, one-take his hand away from the bowl and help them with decorating the tree and house. Two... get as much dough as he could before they got to him. Now Vincent was a husband and father that would listen and honor the wishes of his daughter. This was not one of those times. Quickly he dove his hand into the bowl filled the dough treasure, much at his daughter's distraught, but when his hand came back up there was only dough on his finger. Smiling greedily he put it in his mouth and removed any evidence of his crime. Looking at his daughter he said, in the evilest manner I may say, "Since you haven't dashed on over to stop me perhaps I'll have some more."
He swore he never saw someone move so fast in such a small amount of time. Like seriously, she was instantly next to him on his right. While trying to figure how that was possible he noticed the bowls were already gone along with any other cooking materials and his wife was on his left. Things were certainly getting strange not quite as strange as a talking pony filled dream, but still odd.
"Dad I think you have had enough now," Acacia said disapprovingly, "Why don't we go to the living room? I want to see the parade in New York!" She then proceeded to pull him from the kitchen toward the living-room. Heading towards the arch in the wall leading there when suddenly he was sitting on the couch in front of the TV. Looking around in confusion Vincent saw the tree his wife and daughter had been decorating. Filled with the normal items one would expect, painted glass balls hanging from twine, small ceramic Santas hanging with them, the odd Angel and of course the Christmas lights wrapped all around the tree. Getting only a moment to glance at their work Vincent then suddenly found himself on the couch in front of the tree and television. He didn't remember even walking through the arch in the wall by the stairs. Looking around the room trying to figure out what in the world just happened when abruptly a mead filled wine glass came into his view.
"Here you go dear", Amaryllis said handing him the glass, "Are you ok? You seem a little distracted", she said as she sat down with him on the couch.
Shaking his head lightly "Fine, just a little lightheaded", he responded with reassurance. Maybe it was just the wine getting to him, but he hadn't had any yet, or at least as best as he could remember. Again being distracted, this time by his daughter giving a little squeal.
"Dad! Look! The parade is starting!", Acacia exclaimed while looking like she was nearly ready to start bouncing off walls. "See everyone there! They look so happy. I bet it's like a huge Christmas party." Seeing his daughter excited and happy always made Vincent smile. He treasured moments like this. Moments that gave him something happy to think about, not the dark, hard thoughts that came when with all the secret missions that the Enclave put him and his team on.
"I'm sure it is honey, but a bit crowded I think", Vincent chuckled at his daughter's antics, "Still, someday we should certainly go there for the parade." With that said he looked from his daughter and back to the tv just in time to see a very odd balloon. It appeared to be a baby but the head seemed to be extremely off and deformed.
"Now that's a strange balloon", Amaryllis said voicing her husband's thoughts. "I wonder what that's supposed to be."
"OH! That's Stewie from the cartoon show Family Guy", Acacia said matter-a-factly, while grabbing a fresh cookie off the small table sitting in front of the couch. Vincent and Amaryllis looked at her blankly and gesturing her to continue the explanation. Her response was not what Vincent would have expected. "Oh sorry, I forgot. That show is in a different universe. Or was it another reality? Or maybe that was just a reference for that readers that the author put in and I shouldn’t know about it" Acacia responded with an embarrassed smile.
All Vincent could do was stare at his daughter with the most dumbfounded look a human, or any being or creature could make. First, he has a dream about a pony universe. Now his own daughter was speaking about other realities? All he could think was 'What the HELL is going on?'. Which was what he was just about to ask his daughter but was interrupted when his wife spoke up.
"Oh darling don't be so ridiculous", Amaryllis chuckled, "You have been reading far too many comics lately."
"But I'm so good at it, plus it's true!"
"Yes dear you are quite good but for now let's just stay in this reality", Amaryllis said with a small amount of sternness. "Besides I think you may have broken your father," she said turning to Vincent on her right still looking as if his brain had a sudden cascade failure. Realizing he had to engage his speech drives again Vincent came back to the conversation.
"Wh-What?", he offered lamely, shaking his head vigorously, he tried again. "I-I mean that's alright. I'm alright just a small headache and it has just been a strange morning is all." That was an understatement of the century he thought to himself. Things were getting way too weird for him, as he set his wine glass down he looked to his daughter again. He was about to ask her about her conclusions of reality but she was occupied with the happenings on the television and his wife was becoming a bit distracting.
"Maybe I can help with making that headache go away", she said as she began to massage his neck and head. “ Then maybe later I’ll help make the afternoon a bit less strange," she said in a voice so sultry Vincent began to feel like a high-schooler again. One could say that Vincent did a fine job keeping his cool in the face of this new development, he would at least.
"Jeez mom can't you wait until I'm not in the room", Acacia chided her mother while still watching the parade. Vincent was almost glad she spoke up and distracted her mother. Almost.
"Well, maybe you should go out with your friends and make some snowlobsters" Amaryllis encouraged her daughter. Vincent had only two thoughts to that 'Snowlobsters' and what friends? They were out in the country and his daughter's friends lived in the city and certainly, none were here at the family home retreat. What was going on here? Was his grasp on reality failing or was he just being forgetful about events.
"Amaryllis what are you talking about? How could Acacia's friends be here at the cabin and what are Snowlobsters?", Vincent asked his wife. Amaryllis herself was confused by his inquiry.
"Honey you know we couldn't go to the cabin this year because of the storms up north. So we stayed here in the city for Christmas and let Acacia invite some friends for the night. Are you ok honey you seem to be a bit off this morning?", Amaryllis asked with concern.
"Honey I'm not sure I can exp..."
"Mom, Dad! Look the news is on about the War!", Acacia interrupted with a shout. Both parents looked to the television forgetting the previous conversation. Grabbing the remote Vincent turned up the volume just as the newscaster was speaking.
"The government has issued reports of possible nuclear launches from China. Denotations have already been reported on the west and east coasts, as well as military bases around the globe. U.S. retaliation is expected to be immediate. May God be with us all", the newscaster gave the full report shuddering and seemed to barely be able to hold her composure. Vincent's horror couldn't be understated, it had actually happened. It was happening. Standing quickly he turned to his wife to get her and their daughter someplace safe. A safe-house, a bunker maybe even one of those Vault-tec vaults, even if he didn't trust that company. But when he looked to where they were, there was no sign of them. Put into a panic he started calling for them but with no response from either of them.
Thinking quickly he headed outside to find not the woodlands of his childhood but skyscrapers and panicked people running everywhere. Turning around he saw his family's old cabin in the middle of all the madness, not in the Wisconsin woods that he remembered. But he had no time to figure out the misplacement of his surroundings he had to find his wife and child. Turning back to the running masses he saw two things, one-his wife and daughter running towards a group of soldiers guarding the entrance to a bunker with the Vault-tec logo on the front, two-a pony standing among the crowds of people. Pausing he looked carefully at it despite the obvious danger and shouts behind him from his family. What kept his attention on the creature in front of him was, that it was the same one from his dream! It had the horn of a unicorn and the wings of a pegasus.
What was it called? he thought to himself Epona and it was an Alicorn? Yes! That's what it was. Continuing his observation he saw that it was not wearing the golden armor. Its coat was white, white like the snow adolescence, with small blotches of black on all four hooves. The red flowing mane was the same from his dream but had white streaks in it now. Almost as if it had aged. The Alicorn seemed oblivious to the dangers and mass panic around it. All it did was continue to stare out in the hills outside the city.
Realizing the time he had been wasting he started to turn back to get to his family when suddenly the pony turned towards him and utter just one word.
"Prepare", she said to him with the most heartbroken face ever and a voice that was so ominous that he swore the world turn just a bit grayer. She then turned her head up to the sky appearing to see something no else could. Following her look, Vincent saw the smoke trail of what he knew to be a missile. A missile heading directly to the bunker his wife and daughter were now entering. He ran to them forgetting the strange and dread filled message of the alien creature. Not caring for the danger he was heading toward. Only caring for the lives of those he cared for the most. But they were too far from him and the faster he ran the further they and the bunker went. Finally, he started to make headway if he could just get to them before the missile hit, but then he tripped. If it was a loose stone or just his feet he didn't care he just had to get up and save them. Looking up from the ground he saw them standing there like they were waiting for a photo to be taken and missile detonating behind them in all it's hellish, fiery, horror. Vincent had only enough time to scream no before the fire consumed them and him.
The man woke up
Vincent awoke to a gray ceiling, to the smell of stale prison air and a hot Nevada summer and to the sound of the prison guards giving the morning roll call. This was not the familiar wood ceiling of his father's cabin, not the smells of baking and certainly no sounds of singing. Siting up slowly he looked around the room he had been accustomed to. These dreams are getting out of hand he thought to himself. Prison is not being kind to me in more and more ways.
Moving his legs to the side of his bunk bed he looked around the room. "Still the typical gray concrete in any prison construction", he said in less than mild observation. "But at least I know it and it's not warping around like a dreamscape", he muttered to himself.
Standing up from his bed he walked over to the sink and toilet of his cell. The cell in question was what was typical for a military prison, which was what most were at the time. Any criminal deemed to be an enemy of the United States or a sympathizer of the Chinese was put in these places. So...basically anyone who questioned the government or the Enclave. Especially the Enclave.
Washing his face of any sweat or fatigue from the dream Vincent thought about these things while looking at the mirror in front of him. The man staring back at him was not the same from the dream. What was in the mirror was a man who was tired, a man who had served his country and had then been thrown under the bus because he stood for what was right. The beginnings of a beard had started "I'll need to visit the barber again soon", he said to himself "Maybe see if he can trim this lion mane growing on my head." At the mentioning of a mane, he thought back to his dream or rather his dream within a dream. That's was new, never saw talking colorful magic ponies in the other nightmares, he mused to himself
"But the bombs dropping...that's always there", he said with no small amount of emotion. "Always there in my dreams and always mixing in with a happy memory" he continued thinking back to the dream and the mixed memory of his last Christmas before he went on that damn mission. The one that had brought him to this cell and his discovery of how far his government was willing to go just to win this war. Anchorage being mentioned was strange he had never been stationed there and didn't understand why he would be anyway. Maybe just the news that was allowed in the prison was getting to him and his brain was coming up with new and terrible scenarios.
Finishing with the sink he turned to the toilet to the left and remembered the other reason he had woken up from his nightmare trip. "Oh how I miss privacy", he bemoaned.
"Two years is a long time to still be bitching about privacy sir", a raucous yet voice responded from the cell on the right. This was Ivan Hendrickson one of Vincent’s sergeants and an old friend. One of many that he wished weren’t in here with him.
Smiling despite himself Vincent went about his task of answering nature’s call and responded in kind. "And what, pray tell, would you have me bitch about Ivan? The lack of real potatoes for their lunches, that pink food-paste that they keep trying to force on us, though half-heartedly, or that the basketball equipment is below sub-par." he joked with the man in the cell over. "Besides what else can I say to try and get on the higher-ups nerves. They threaten to get the hoses out if we started singing ninety-nine bottles of beer again so I can’t very well do that can I? Also, what did I say about calling me sir anymore? I'm not your commander anymore", he said with a twinge of sadness. Getting up and flushing the toilet he came back to wash his hands when the response he knew was coming came.
"Sub-par?! The equipment here would be a joke in a school that had budget cuts!", Ivan nearly roared but with an obvious bit of humor in it. "And with respect, sir, you will always be the commander of all the Red Slayers and me."
Vincent had to smile at that. His team was one of the few shining lights in their bleak situation, but it was unfortunate that their loyalty was the reason they were in here with him.
"I am also in agreement with my fellow inmate, in a slightly less brash demonstration", said another voice from the cell on the left. This one belonged to Vincent’s oldest friend Klade Stroud and second in command. He was a bit of an intellectual, having been to nearly all the military and civilian universities, making him possibly one of the smartest members of the team, not to say Ivan or any of their other teammates were fools. Everyone had their strengths. Of course, Klade saying that Ivan was brash did not help things.
"What exactly does that mean Klade?", Ivan said in his rough voice clearly insulted by the other prisoner.
"Now easy Ivan", Vincent said trying to smooth the former soldier's temperament. "You know Klade would never say anything that was insulting. Right Klade?"
"Of course not Lieutenant", Klade offered calmly clearly choosing his words carefully. "I simply meant that I agree with him even if sometimes he is a bit blunt on topics. Nothing entirely wrong with that but some tack may be useful every so often."
"Alright fine, you have a point, but don't expect that to change overnight", Ivan said given in slightly to the point of his teammate. "I will ask this though Vincent si-oh uh...I mean Vincent. If it's not too brash", Ivan said with the last part seeming to be directed at the one cell over.
"Go ahead, Ivan. Ask away", Vincent said already knowing what his fellow officer was going to say.
"Were you having another one of those nightmares just now sir?", Ivan said with a touch of concern and flipping right back to calling him, sir.
Well not calling me "sir" for him lasted about a sentence, if even that Vincent thought to himself. And judging by the lack of correction from his other neighbor and second-in-command for the said mix-up, of course, Klade had gone as far as calling him by his rank which Vincent was none too happy about which meant that Klade was curious as well.
Sighing in defeat and with a bit of remorse, he decided to tell them since it was either now or at some point during the day. "Just a dream about happier times mixed with the weirdness and terror that comes with dreams. Nothing that isn't manageable. By the way Klade I know we have known each other since high school but please try to lead by example and not call me by my former rank."
"Very well...Vincent if you wish I shall try to remember that", Klade said with what seemed to be a torn voice.
"Thank you and thank you both for your concern, but I'll get by", Vincent said trying to be encouraging. If he was honest though the dreams were getting to him and the fact that this last one had a dream within one was more than confusing. Not only did he dream about some other world, he remembered it vividly especially the parts with that Alicorn queen in it. His team didn't need to know that though, and it was probably just a passing thing brought on by a memory from one of his daughter's shows she watched as a kid. Although it didn't quite explain how one of the characters in the dream was someone he knew despite the change in face and clothing style. On top of that, there was the way that Alicorn looked at him and gave that warning. What was he supposed to prepare for?
"If you say so sir", Ivan said bringing Vincent out of his thoughts. "But you should probably talk to the Doc down in block A11 sometime during off time today. He helped me with the loss of my brothers maybe he can help you to with whatever brain shit you got going on."
Again he calls me sir I might just give up on this uphill battle Vincent mused to himself, but still gave Ivan his gratitude. "I'll think about Ivan, thanks. I would also appreciate if you both were not to mention this to anyone else alright. I don't need the team worrying about me, they and both of you have other concerns and families that need your attention. Ok?"
With their acknowledgment of his wishes and he gave a sort of promise to speak to the therapist Vincent and by this point, the whole prison finished getting ready for the day. As he prepared to get some exercising in before the cells opened he couldn't help but wonder if today was going to be different. As if the dream was a sign that something was about to happen that he couldn't possibly be prepared for.
He tried to dismiss the whole dream before but there was one thing that made it difficult, the one thing he couldn't simply ignore. The Doctor. The Doctor was mentioned and shown in that dream albeit a very different look for the Time Lord. But the fact that The Doctor or someone claiming to be him was there was something that couldn't be just brushed aside even if Vincent wished it was so. He was certain the man he saw with the scarf was the Doctor but it was such a different man than the one he knew.
Suddenly an alarm sounded and all the cell gates opened up." Would need to deal with this another time I guess", he said with a bit of wistfulness and contemplation. "But the day is starting and I'm sure it's going to be a full one." With that said, Vincent walked out of his cell into whatever the day had in store for him. It possibly being more than he ever thought.
Author's Note
So...been a while since I started this but I am unfortunately a extremely easy creature to distract and with the hype of Infinity War it doesn't help
Please
Plus Skyrim and Fallout 4 are way too fun
I am glad that I was able to make the goal I set for myself and get this chapter done by the time Avengers came out though and if there are any mistakes or suggestions that anyone has please let me know.
I hope this makes a fine addition to KKat's Fallout Equestria universe (even if it's not really canon) and I hope those that read it enjoy it too
Anyway here's some Valentine
Prologue: Darkness of Time
A woman looked out upon her world from the terrace of her palace. She looked to be a young woman barely in her thirties. Red hair came from her head flowing like a river moving with the wind, only there was no wind. The clothing she wore was not what you would think for a daily routine. It was armour, golden armour smooth like stones on a river bank or on the coast of the sea.
The world in question was Equestria, a magical world, one that was still young and oblivious to the danger rising. But the woman was not oblivious to the danger she knew it well for she was not just a woman she was Epona goddess and creator of this young world or at least portion of it. A storm was rising in the south; the pegasus were at their normal work unknowable to the turmoil of their goddess and the choices she would soon make.
A whimper came from behind her, realizing what it was she rushed back inside. Quickly making her way back inside she came to a bed on the far left of the room and found the source of the whimper. Two unicorns lay next to each other, one with a white coat and pink mane. The other had a darker coat of blue, almost purple, and a mane as dark and sparkling as the night sky on a cloudless night. The darker coated one was the source of the whimpers. She was the younger of the two and was more sensitive to the types of dreams that the young ones have. The goddess came to their side stroking the younger's mane, calming her.
"Oh my daughters," Epona sighed "How has it come to this?"
A knock came from her door accompanied by the sound of an immensely nervous voice that, despite her sadness, brought a smile to her face.
"May I enter your highness?" the voice asked.
"Come in Starswirl," Epona said gracefully, "You are always welcome old friend."
A male unicorn enters with a look on his face that spoke only of reluctance and dread. He was a young stallion with a white coat and mane to match. A stubble of a beard was beginning, but not yet fully grown out. He wore a plain grey cloak and a blue pointed hat. Although the point was bent, almost drooping, as if, the hat mirrored the young stallion's demeanor.
"I fear the time has come my Queen.", Starswirl quavered. There it was he has said it. The moment that he, his Queen, the Pillars, and even that strange alien had prepared for.
"Everypony and everything is ready then?" his Queen responded.
"Yes, even that Doctor fellow with his box", Starswirl said with a small amount of distrust.
"You are still suspicious of him?", Epona concernedly said.
"He said it himself! He's a madman or madpony or whatever he is. Even admitted being a liar as well"
"I've known him a long time Starswirl and I trust him completely. Do you not trust me?", she asked with unease.
Starswirl looked to her face, her beautiful, graceful, alien and ageless face. Even in her non-pony form he could still see that beauty through her eyes and would always trust them.
"Always and forever, my Queen", he responded reverently while bowing.
"Then please trust him", Epona nearly pleaded. "I know he's odd and quite eccentric, but he has saved many worlds before and we will need his help in stopping my husband."
"Very well my Queen I shall," Starswirl said with great conviction.
"Then we must prepare," Epona said determinedly. While saying this she brought her arms up above her head. They shimmered with a rainbow aura. The aura then began to cover her whole body and as it did her body and the armour on it began to change form. Wings grew from her back, her hair grew longer and arms and legs changed shape. Toes on her feet and fingers on her hands disappeared as they turned into hooves. A horn grew from her head in the midst of her mane and her face extended into a muzzle. Starswirl stood amazed seeing the results of the transformation. There she was, the goddess of his world, transformed into an alicorn! He had seen this before from his goddess and from her husband but it still amazed him.
"You're staring again Starswirl", Epona said cheekily
Blushing Starswirl quickly looked away saying "Apologies your highness it still amazes each time". The alicorn goddess smiled sweetly as a mother would to shy child. "Perhaps we should begin planning", Starswirl said hastily clearly wanting to change the situation he was in. He called to the door he had come out of earlier, "Stygian, you may come in my friend."
A stallion with a medium gray coat and a mane of moderate cerulean and strands of arctic blue walked in at Starswirl's bidding. He was a younger pony than Starswirl but had the same maturity as the older stallion in his eyes, as well as a shared anxiety between the two. Although Stygian noticed something about his friend.
"Are you ok Starswirl?", Stygian asked.
"Of course I am!", Starswirl replied slightly panicked, "Why wouldn't I be?"
"Well you seem to be sweating profusely and is your face is bright red like an apple."
"How ready are the Pillars?," Starswirl inquired hurriedly not wanting to go back to the situation he just escaped.
Taken aback by his friend's abruptness Stygian had to quickly compose himself before answering. "Quite ready," he responded with slight humor despite what was to come, "Rock Hoof has been sharpening his shovel for the last hour. If I didn't know any better I would say he and the others looked bored." he finished with a small chuckle.
He did know better however, he saw fear, the tension and the anxiousness of his friends. He couldn't blame them, they were going to go do battle with a god. Not just any god though, their god, the maker of their world and the god of time. Kronos. His betrayal hurt all of them, but perhaps not as abundantly or as deeply as it did to Starswirl and Epona, the wife and the student he left behind.
"Then perhaps we should alleviate their boredom", Starswirl jested, clearly trying to brighten her mood, "Time has come, we should get them ready." He looked to Epona for approval. She gave a nod; it was indeed time.
"Go to the temple of Ponhenge I shall meet you there", Epona instructed. "I must go retrieve The Doctor and tell him that we are prepared." Or as prepared as we can be, she thought worriedly.
The Doctor pranced around the Tardis nearly tripping on his multi-colored scarf in his haste. Sarah Jane had warned him to slow down. He couldn't though, not now, not when this fledgling world depended on him, not when the whole of the universe and multiverse depended on him. The titan had to be stopped, he regretted that it had come to this. He hated when he was pushed to a corner, just like on Skaro with Davros and the Daleks. Forced to choose between what was right for the universe and those he cared and was responsible for.
"Sarah, have you found the Dimensional Stabilizer?" he called out in a rather impatient tone. "It should be in the jelly baby closet."
"Yes Doctor I have it," Sarah responded with no small amount of exasperation, "Along with all the other strange sounding items you demanded. Although I don't understand why the stabilizer was with the jelly babies."
"What? Have you never put your sweets with a tool that seals dimensional rifts?" the Doctor responded as seriously as any being could.
Before Sarah could even counter that with a statement about how she didn't have anything like that or have access to one. There came four knocks at the Tardis door. For some strange reason, Sarah felt that was an omen to something, but she wasn't given time to dwell on it. For the Doctor sprinted for the door controls like the madman he was and flipped the switch and ran to the opening doors. When coming on the opening doors he was greeted by a pony, that pony being of course Epona. He expected nothing less, Sarah, on the other hand, was still getting used to the world of Equestria, especially the part where the moment she and the Doctor exit the Tardis that they themselves turn into ponies.
She didn't remember much after that, except for the sound of concerned voices surrounding her. She must have created quite the fuss because moments after she heard the voices she was then swept back to the Tardis facing a very stern Doctor. The Doctor proceeded to give her a lecture about not creating a scene, that they had to be inconspicuous. Sarah’s response to that, was say when have you ever been inconspicuous. That earned her a scolding, and a rant about how he was the sneakiest thing in the universe. How it was ridiculous that she would say something like that when moments before she flopped to the ground faster than a tripped cyberman just because of a little body reforming.
She just stopped listening after that, even though she really wanted to say that a “little body reforming” wasn’t the norm for non-Time Lords. Instead, she chose to stay quiet, let him have his rant and waited until he told her what they were doing in a different reality. Sarah was brought back from her reminiscing by the pony leader or goddess, as the Doctor had instructed her to say, speaking.
"Doctor are you ready?", the alicorn queen asked urgently "The others are waiting at Ponhenge."
"Yes I do believe I am ready", he replied confidently "Sarah is everything on list out and ready?"
"Yes doctor everything is here on the control console like you asked", Sarah exhaustingly replied, "Much more heavy than you let on."
"Then we should be off!", he exclaimed, "Your Highness, won't you join us? Much faster than flying." The Doctor finished while spread out his arm to welcome the alicorn inside his machine. Epona enter while reverting back to her humanoid form. She gave him a small smile, but still quite somber. Time Lords were always strange; many stayed out of the affairs of other races. The Doctor was not one of those, he was more like their creator, her husband, or at least when Kronos cared for other life, now she didn't know what he cared for.
"So Ponhenge, Milady?", the Doctor said while tapping the keys and turning the dials on the console.
"Yes Doctor", the goddess replied, "There we can follow Kronos to the alternate world with your help of course."
"On we go then!" he shouted, a mad glee was in his smile and he engaged the engines of his ship.
On we go then, the goddess thought to herself. Off we go to change the fate of all creation. Though, I fear this day may have larger repercussions then any of us can see. There is a shadow over time that I cannot pierce. A darkness. No doubt, put there by you, my husband. I can't help, but wonder, if even you can see past your own self made shadow.
Author's Note
Hello, I'm fairly new to this fandom (a few years new so not brand new). This is the second fanfic I am trying my hand at (the other on fanfic.net under the same name I have here). So I am sure that I'm going to start a bit rusty if anyone knows where a good group or possible individuals that could be proofreaders I would appreciate any recommendations that could be given.
Anyway, lets see how this goes!
Also, Fallout belongs to Bethesda. My Little Pony belongs to Hasbro.
And the amazing story, of which I'm spinning this from and is, of course, non-canon, that blended both universes together belongs to Kkat
