Doctor Whooves - The Series: Episode Four - Only Skin Deep

Chapters

Ch. 1: Unscheduled Departure
Ch. 3: The Last City of Qing
Ch. 4: The Opening Act
Ch. 5: Food, Fun, and Games of Intrigue
Prologue: Art of Distress
Ch. 2: First Impressions

Ch. 1: Unscheduled Departure

Chapter One: Unscheduled Departure

Town-Square Cafe
Ponyville, Everfree Province of Equestria
59th of Summer 1002 C.R. , 9:10 am

“Sea-ponies?” Twilight Sparkle, her horn aglow and a quill held in her magical grip, looked half astonished, half skeptical as she gave the mare sitting across from her at the mushroom colored table an appraising look. Meanwhile, her bowl of creamy peach oatmeal lay untouched in front of her and was growing cold. “Okay, you have GOT to be pulling my leg. We’ve seen some really weird stuff lately, but sea-ponies… do not exist.”

If it were anypony else telling her this, Twilight would have likely placed a polite call for the nice ponies in the clean white coats. But this particular mare was somewhat beyond reproach.

Leaning forward, a bemused smile on her lips as she pushed the stetson back on her head.

“Ah’ll be sure ta tell Marina ya said so next time Ah see ‘er.” Applejack grinned, crossing her forelegs in mock indignation. “She and all a’ her friends in Aquarius’ll sure get a kick out of it.”

Twilight sighed in resignation as her quill scribbled down this new information.

Sea-ponies.

Sure, why not? Since they had started traveling with the Doctor, she and her friends had seen stranger things. What the hay, she was living with a trans-dimensional, twin-hearted Time Pony alien in her basement. So why not ponies with gills and fins?

“Okay, so--”

“Ya’ll shoulda seen it, Twi. It was downright amazin’.” Applejack nodded, a smirk on her face as she chewed on a bite from the flapjacks smothered in apple-syrup that were laid out in front of her, taking her friend’s moment of stunned silence as an invitation to stop talking and actually eat at their impromptu breakfast. “The three of us had these bubble thingies on our heads so we could breath as Marina led us swimmin’ down. They got a city down at the bottom a’ the Boundless Sea that makes Manehatten look like a rusty pitstop. All that ‘coor-al’ stuff and these big ol’ reef beds turned upright inta buildin’s. We got the whole tour, too. And all them fish, boy howdy! Fluttershy couldn’t stop makin’ that squeakin’ sound she makes when she she’s all happy. Couple a’ times, Ah thought her bubble mighta sprung a leak the way she was makin’ noise.”

Applejack paused, her smile fading as she took stock of her friend.

She wasn’t sure why Twilight had tracked her down this morning like she had, inviting the farm pony to go over (in great detail) the events of the trip she and Fluttershy had taken with the Doctor the day before. But she had been quite insistent, and given that it was past time for AJ to get herself an actual breakfast, she agreed. Now that they were running into the latter half of summer, the first baby ripes were starting to bud at the orchard, which meant that soon it would be Applebuck Season again and her free time was going to dwindle down to almost nothing for about a month and a half. She had been eager to spend what time she could with her friends until she needed to stay at the farm, but somehow, this didn’t feel like a casual breakfast get-together.

“And then what happened?” Twilight asked, her voice a neutral, professional tone as she neglected to even look up.

The farm pony took note of how her unicorn friend seemed to be paying her almost no mind at all, most of her attention focused on the quill, which was scratching away busily in the book she had laid open as soon as they arrived. She couldn’t help but detect that there was a degree of forced detachment in the way Twilight was responding.

It was almost like she was trying to keep herself from getting excited over what had been a jaw-dropping, absolutely amazing experience.

“And then Ah stopped talkin’ till mah friend came clean as ta why she’s really askin’.” Applejack stated clearly, narrowing her gaze on her friend.

“Which one? Fluttershy? Or this sea-pony… That was ‘Marina’ right? She’s the only sea-pony you’ve mentioned by name so far.” Twilight asked absently, her quill coming to a halt as she apparently came to the end of what she was able to transcribe, unsure where AJ’s story was going from here.

“The purple one.”

“Wait, I thought you said Marina was a mint-green and…” Twilight looked up, taking note of Applejack’s tone and expression. “Oh… OOOOOH.”

She gave a sheepish smile as the quill turned on its side and lay down next to the small inkwell that Twilight had brought along with her, her horn’s glow fading as she set it down.

“Sorry, I guess I was just, you know, wanting to get things down while they were fresh... So I can do some research to… ummm, you know… track things down in the history books.”

Applejack’s narrowed gaze turned to one of suspicion.

“Come on, Sugarcube. What’s wrong?” AJ asked, clearly concerned. “Ya’ll are actin’ like a police stallion tryin’ ta get the details of a crime and Ah’m the witness. An’ what’s up with that book anyhows?”

“Oh, this? It’s just a little journal I’ve been keeping. You know, since we met… him…”

Twilight winced slightly.

She had hesitated, and she was sure that Applejack had caught it. That twinge of apprehension that had been slowly simmering for weeks.

And while she may have been more tactful than SOME of their mutual friends, Applejack wasn’t exactly one to just let things go either.

“Ya’ll coulda jus’ come with us.” Applejack pointed out, remembering quite clearly how the brown stallion had waited with herself and Fluttershy until Twilight had returned to the library and extended an invitation to her, which the unicorn had politely declined, stating that she had to ‘study’.

“Well, you know, I had… studying to do.” Twilight tried to explain away with a shake of her hoof.

“What were ya’ll ‘studyin’’ then?”

“Uhhh… Well…” Twilight looked down and away, unable to stop herself as natural movements in her body language took hold.

’GAH! Now I’m looking guilty! Come on, Twilight. Keep it together.’ She thought to herself, but there was no recovering as she saw Applejack’s expression harden further.

There were many unshakable facts of life in Equestria, one of which Twilight was being reminded of right here and now.

One does not simply lie to the Element of Honesty.

“Spill.” The Earth pony demanded simply. “If ya’ll wanted ta know what we was doin’ ya coulda jus’ come with.”

“I just…” Twilight started, then felt herself deflate. “...needed a break, is all.”

“Doc said ya’ll ain’t gone out with ‘em since that whole business wit’ Zecora.” AJ pointed out. “Ah mean, didn’t he an’ Spike go off somewheres last week? And then me an’ Fluttershy yesterday.”

“Well, you know, if he wants to go running off, that’s fine. As long as somepony goes with him.” Twilight shook her head, setting one hoof up against her horn as she gave a tired smile. “Besides, he… doesn’t need me tagging along with him and talking his ear off every time he has the urge to go jumping around Equestria.”

“Nah, ‘course not. But Ah can tell he wants ya to.” Applejack gave her friend a sly smile.

Now Twilight’s concern turned to a full-faced blush as she recoiled.

“Wait, you think he… And that I am… Oh, Nonono NO…” Twilight shook her head vigorously, quick to correct the orange mare’s mistaken insight. “No, the Doctor and I are merely... That is to say, our relationship is strictly platonic. He’s as much my friend as any of you girls... but that’s it.”

“Yeah, but none a’ us are livin’ wit’ ya at the library.” AJ’s sly smile broke into a grin as she trolled her friend playfully.

“He’s STAYING at the library. We are not--”

“And yer payin’ all his bills an’ supportin’ ‘em.”

“The Princess sends me a stipend to live on. And she did increase it to take his needs in Ponyville into account, but that doesn’t mean--”

“He’s really smart… an’ not too hard on the eyes neither. Ah figured ya’ll might be gettin’ some ideas. Fer a special somepony, ya’ll could do worse--”

“He’s keeping secrets!” Twilight blurted out suddenly, stopping the conversation from taking a very AWKWARD turn and letting out a sharp breath before leaning back in her hay-pile seat.

Applejack’s good-natured teasing ceased immediately, as did the smile she wore. Nudging her plate and half-finished plate of flapjacks out of the way, the mare seemed to change her disposition from playful verbal sparring to trusted confidant in an instant as she leaned over the table, her hooves folded in front of her.

“‘Bout what, Twi?”

“I’m… not sure. It’s just…” Twilight took a deep breath, using one hoof to close the book. “Some of the things that I’ve seen when we’re out with him. Some of the things he’s done… That I’ve… done…”

Applejack said nothing as Twilight paused, her mind milling about as she tried to put the feeling that had been growing at the back of her mind over the past few weeks to words.

“Something’s just not right, AJ. Ever since Roan, it’s like… there’s something I should be getting. Clues that I should be seeing, pointing to something. Something big. It’s… like this feeling that I’m just missing something important. It’s like… “

Twilight tried to put the unease she had been feeling grow over the past weeks to words, finally settling on an analogy any mare could understand.

“It’s like… being a little filly, and knowing something’s wrong even if you don’t understand what it is. But the grown-ups are telling you that everything is going to be fine. You know, to make you feel better.”

“Ya know, most grown-ups have a reason fer doin’ that.” Applejack nodded, knowing from experience that some foals had a tendency to get into things that were way over their heads. “Have ya talked ta him about it?”

“No.” Twilight looked down and away as she answered in a low, almost embarrassed tone.

“Shouldn’t ya?”

Twilight didn’t answer, her horn alight as her magic pulled the blue journal, inkwell, and quill up and into her saddlebag, her breakfast untouched.

“Ya’ll know ya ain’t gonna get answers askin’ me and Fluttershy ‘bout sea-ponies, Twi.” Applejack offered. “As Ah recall, ya’ll told me ya absolutely trusted ‘im… so don’t go makin’ a liar outta yerself.”

Twilight took in a breath as she considered.

“You’re right… I just need to think about how to approach him about it.”

“Well, no time like the present. Where’s he now, anyways?”

Twilight smirked slightly.

“Spike took him to see Cobbler.”

Applejack didn’t quite understand her reaction at first until she considered that the Doctor, while a stallion himself, hadn’t been raised as a pony.

“First time?” AJ asked tentatively.

“First time.” Twilight confirmed, causing Applejack to wince.

“...Yeah, maybe the present ain’t the right time after all.”

————————

Hoof & Nail Ferrier
9:35am

*tap-tap-tap*

“Paaaaaaiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnn… Aaaaaagonyyyyy…” The Doctor tried to shift, but found that he couldn’t as his tormentor had locked up his backside in some sort of sadistic harness that kept his hindlegs immobile.

“Oh, for the LOVE of…” Spike the dragon took one of the pillows that were usually used as seats by ponies that frequented the establishment and wrapped it around the back of his head, trying to muffle the whining moan coming from his equine compatriot. It clearly didn’t do the job as Spike slumped, dropping the pillow back where he got it after just a few moments. “Do you get this a lot?”

“Yes… but usually from little fillies. Been awhile since I had to break out the big harness.” Cobbler, an older grey unicorn stallion answered, his expression surprisingly patient as the object of his attention gave another pitiful moan. “And the last time was for that Pegasus mare with the hoof-touching issues so she wouldn’t fly off.”

“Who? Fluttershy?” Spike asked as the stallion strapped up next to him made a few unintelligible noises as he came to terms with the sensations.

“No, that blue one. You know, the weathermare.” Cobbler cleared up, focusing as his grey aura wrapped around a nail and positioned it while he brought a small hammer up to drive it into place with a practiced ease.

*tap-tap-tap*

“YEEEOOOWWWhyyyyy did I agree to thi-hi-hissss?” The Hourglass Stallion grimaced as he felt a sharp pain shooting up his leg, causing him to instinctively want to buck back violently into Cobbler’s head… again.

“You were the one complaining about your back and legs hurting. This’ll fix that problem.” Spike reminded the colt, patting his flank reassuringly. “Most ponies get their shoes changed two or three times a year from the time they’re foals. You need them on your hind hooves or they chip and split, which leads to problems that are a lot worse if I understand it.”

The Doctor stomped a forehoof as he bit his lip, feeling quite vulnerable as his right hindleg was bent upward, allowing the aptly-named Cobbler to look over the bottom of his hoof.

“Were you carried around your whole life?” Cobbler asked. “These have got to be the softest hooves I’ve ever seen on an adult stallion. And I apprenticed in a shop in Canterlot.”

“I happen to do an extraordinary amount of running, I’ll have you know.” The Doctor defended, taking the cobbler’s tone to indicate the remark was an insult.

Cobbler huffed slightly, rolling his eyes as he levitated another nail up and into place.

He drove this one into place a bit more firmly than the first two.

*tap-tap-TAP*

“OW OW OOOWWWW! AGH! PLEASE tell me I don’t need these on all four hooves.” The Doctor asked to Spike, who shook his head, somewhere between amused and concerned by the Doctor’s reaction.

“Who wears shoes on their front hooves?” Cobbler asked, still wondering just how this stallion could have gone through his whole life ignorant of this inherent requirement of civilized pony life.

“Uhhh, yeah, sorry. Excuse my friend... he’s… not from around here.” Spike commented casually before moving up towards the Doctor’s head, tugging on his mane to have the stallion lean down so they could converse more quietly.

“Don’t worry, Doc. Way I understand it, it only hurts the first time, after that the underside of your hooves harden and you can’t feel it whenever the shoes are changed out. Besides, once the soreness wears off, you’ll feel so much better walking around.”

“And here I thought dentists were the gleeful torturers of the professional world.” The Doctor rolled his eyes.

“That reminds me, Twilight set up an appointment with Colgate for tomorrow. I hear she got a brand new drill just for the occasion.” Spike smiled, clearly enjoying the sudden look of apprehension as the stallion tried to picture a pony practicing dentistry.

“I detest you so very much right now…” The Stallion drolled, his tone flat as he took note of the dragon’s delight in his misery.

“Last one.” Cobbler announced a split second before the distracted Time Pony felt a new jabbing pain as the last inch-long nail was carefully driven into his back hoof, causing him to jerk against the restraint again.

*tap-tap-tap*

“And you’re done.” Cobbler nodded, setting the hammer down before he moved to undo the harness, clearly as eager to be finished with this customer as the Doctor was to leave. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

“Not... bad... Traumatizing...” The Doctor managed, shivering as his hoof was released and a mild soreness ran up his back legs as his weight was put back on the newly metal-reinforced hooves.

After a moment of shifting his weight, the Doctor did have to admit that, tingling afterpain notwithstanding, he did feel more stable in his four-legged stance.

“I don’t have to worry about rust or anything, do I?” The Time Pony asked as he lifted up his hindlegs, trying to look over his back to see where the shining new metal shoes had been expertly set. They appeared practically invisible unless somepony was looking directly at the bottom of his hooves.

“Not with that set. Your scaly friend here has some sense at least.” Cobbler nodded to Spike, who nodded back. “Picked out the high-grade stainless steel set; a bit more expensive, but more durable than your standard iron shoes. Usually get these out for athletes and runners.”

The Doctor snickered.

“Crosstrainers… The equine version of crosstrainers. Well, that's rather brilliant.”

The stallion’s amusement was clearly lost on both dragon and pony as the two stared at him for a moment before Spike shook his head, getting down to business.

“So what do we owe you?”

“Let’s see... That’s twelve bits for the pair, five bits for the shoeing.”

“Yeah, I can cover that.” Spike pulled out a small pouch which the Doctor now knew contained the local currency known as ‘bits’. He was still vague on their value given that it was a gold standard, but since it was the only denomination of currency he had come across so far in Ponyville, he supposed that its value wasn’t set in stone.

“And five bits for the harness fee.”

Spike balked, a worried look coming over his face.

“Uhhh…” Spike looked at the small pouch.

“If I’m going to go through the trouble of breaking out the heavy harness and risk getting kicked in the head by my customer, there’s going to be an extra charge.”

“Yeah, I get that, but… I mean, I’ve only got twenty.”

Cobbler leaned down, glaring at the small dragon.

“That’s two bits short.” The unicorn seemed agitated, although if that was just his patience worn thin after working on the stallion or if he had a history with customers not paying their tabs, the Hourglass Stallion wasn’t sure.

Thankfully, before anything else could be said, there was a soft clearing of the throat, drawing three sets of eyes towards the shop’s door.

And the Doctor could almost see the hearts form in the eyes of the dragon and the cobbler as they took note of the mare standing in the doorway.

“Good morning, Cobbler.” Rarity smiled sweetly, her prim and elegant demeanor proudly on display as she strode into the shop, which seemed to suddenly be unworthy of its newest occupant. “I see my friends found their way to your shop. That’s no surprise, you being the finest farrier in Ponyville, after all.”

The Doctor took a step back, unable to hide a smirk. According to Spike, this was the only pony-shoe shop in Ponyville, which did have the benefit of making Rarity’s remark completely accurate.

He had known enough women in his time to recognize a blatant manipulation of the opposite sex when he saw one.

“G…g…good morning… Miss Rarity.”

“Oh, no need to be so formal, Cobbler. Just Rarity is fine.” The mare nodded. “So, Clockwork. New shoes?”

“First set.” The Time Lord nodded, although the way he was shifting denoted his still sore legs.

“Oh… ouch. Yes, first time is always unpleasant.” The fashionista nodded. “I do apologize, but I believe I accidentally overheard your little predicament with my little Spikey-wikey.”

“Oh, it’s… well it’s just that…” Now it was Cobbler’s turn to shift uneasily. “You know, I only see most ponies a couple of times a year… and Ponyville is such a small town. So when I’m shorted, it really hurts me from a financial standpoint.”

“But two bits? Really, Cobbler, that’s a pittance. Pocket change. I’m sure that Spike will be able to cover it, but that extra fee just put him a teeny bit over-budget. Tell you what, just put that two bits on my tab for my monthly visit next week and we’ll call it even. How does that sound?” She followed up her request with a slight turn of her head, and a very alluring bat of her eyelashes.

“Uh-huh…” Cobbler nodded, the Doctor having to blink as he could have sworn he saw several bright red hearts bubbling up through the air from the grey stallion.

“Oh, you’re such a dear, Cobbler. Thank you. Oh, Spike, Clockwork: Might I have a word with you now that your business here is concluded?” Rarity flashed a lovely smile before turning to leave while Spike managed to leave the pouch of bits on the shoemaker’s side table.

The Doctor remained silent, but as he followed the young dragon out the door, he couldn’t help but notice the way his little purple and green scaled friend was bouncing as he followed the white mare, again making the Time Lord certain he was seeing small hearts bubbling in the air over his head.

———————————

“Thank you, Rarity.” The Doctor expressed himself as they walked down the street away from the shop, Spike moving up to his back as he started to work out the soreness and break in the horseshoes, which did give him a firmer grip of the dirt road of Stirrup Street as he walked.

“My pleasure, Doctor. As a business owner myself, I can see where Cobbler’s coming from, but there’s no reason to get into an altercation over the cost of a mug of cider.” Rarity nodded, her earlier elegance still there, but more subdued. “I doubt he’ll think too much of my helping you out of that minor jam. After all, I happen to be known for my... generosity.”

The Doctor nodded, oblivious to the implication of her last word as he looked back to the little dragon, who was apparently recovering from his lovestruck state.

“I was a little worried. Merchants like to call the Town Guard when somepony doesn’t pay for services rendered.” Spike admitted.

“Is crime really a problem here?” The Doctor asked, amazed to learn that the town had a police force of any kind. He had not really noticed any ponies in uniforms or special hats that served as symbols of authority, with the exception of the Royal Guards he had seen on occasion from Canterlot.

“It’s rare in a town like Ponyville, but when it does happen, everypony tends to... overreact a bit.” Rarity clarified. “It’s less a criminal charge than the idea of a scandal that causes the trouble though. To a lot of ponies, reputation is everything. If you get a reputation as somepony that doesn’t pay your bills, you can have trouble with merchants or service providers simply denying you out of hoof. Of course, it works against the merchants as well…”

Rarity’s eyes and tone became slightly more downcast for a moment before she cleared her throat again.

“...In any case, I actually was looking for you, Doctor. I just happened to arrive at a convenient moment.”

“Oh?” The Time Lord smiled for a moment, but it soured slightly when he remembered he was currently furclad, even his trusty sonic screwdriver left behind in favor of trying to ‘blend in’ with the other inhabitants of Ponyville. “You didn’t come up with more outfits did you? Because really, the latest one is quite enough. I’m just letting it dry out after that business in Aquarius.”

“Oh, no, nothing like that. I…” Rarity paused, confused. “Aquarius?”

“Saltwater… Sea-ponies… A fairly irate leviathan… Long story for another time I think.” The Doctor shook his head.

“I see…” Rarity clearly didn’t know what he was talking about, but decided it best to move on. “In any case, I was hoping you might be available for one of our little ‘excursions’ today.”

The Doctor sighed slightly, remembering all too well the last trip he had taken the socialite pony on.

“Another fashion show, Rarity?” He asked in a flat tone, clearly demonstrating the anticipated boredom. “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself, but the ‘Canterlot Sweet and Elite Exposition’ is hardly what I would call a--”

“It’s nothing like that.” Rarity waved him off with a hoof before giving him her best ‘adventurous’ smile. “I want to go somewhere that nopony has ever gone before. Somewhere… brand new. Someplace… as far away from Equestria as ponily possible.”

The Doctor stopped suddenly in his tracks. Both he and Spike, who had been holding his silence, looking with some surprise to the white mare.

“...What is it?”

“Are you getting married in the morning perchance?” The Doctor asked bluntly.

“Eh-what? Of course not! Whyever would you ask that?” Rarity seemed thrown off, even her shock having an air of elegance.

“Because you’re clearly trying to run away from something.” The Time Lord observed astutely, a comment that immediately made the mare draw back.

“Doc… that was uncalled for.” Spike chastised the stallion, tapping the back of the stallion’s neck with his claws in a clearly agitated manner.

The Doctor shrugged.

“Well, I suppose it’s not any of my business. And besides, who am I to judge? I’ve been running my whole life.” The Time Pony nodded before he gave a sincere, enthusiastic smile. “Alright. Sure, I think I’ve got myself adjusted enough to the way of the pony to try my hoof at some extraterrestrial exploration.”

“Uhhh… Can I come too? I wanna see some aliens.” Spike leaned forward on the stallion’s back, causing him to have to shift his shoulders and reminding him about the still tingling pain in his back legs, which had now radiated up to his hips.

Somehow, the Doctor doubted that Spike’s real interest in tagging along was more than five feet away from where he was standing right now, but then again… it wasn’t his business.

“I don’t see why not. We can pop back over to the library for the TARDIS and then be on our way.”

“I’ll meet you there, Doctor.” Rarity nodded, an unusual eagerness making itself apparent in her motions as she did so. “I just need to pick up a few... necessities.”

————————————

The TARDIS
Basement of the Books and Branches Library
11:03 am

*FLUMPH-CRASH-THUD*

“Just a few necessities…” Rarity smiled sweetly as she stood in the doorway of the TARDIS.

‘Necessities for what? Does she plan on starting a colony?’ The Doctor wondered, pulling up his goggles as he gave the mare a bemused smile, a small mountain of luggage and trunks unceremoniously dropped on either side of the threshold that led into the TARDIS’ control room.

There was a time when he would have questioned the physics of how the dainty mare could possibly lug all of that into the library, down the stairway to the basement, and into the TARDIS, all by herself. And also somehow not alert him to the fact she was doing so until the moment she dropped it all in right there inside his front doors.

But the fact that he managed to accept this without thinking on it too long was proof positive that he was slowly and surely growing more accustomed to the ersatz workings of Equestria.

Of course, the fact that she was so completely packed and ready to leave also confirmed his earlier suspicions. He had barely had enough time to put on his vest, goggles, and hoofband before she had arrived, but he quickly decided that now was not the time to confront her about it.

“Sure you’ve got everything?” The Doctor mused sarcastically.

“Well, I didn’t think I would need to bring my sewing machine or my workstation.” Rarity looked left and right at the luggage, as if the Doctor’s words had made her suddenly concerned that she had indeed forgotten something. “And left Opalescence in the care of Fluttershy, so everything should be in order.”

“And where’s Spike? I thought he was going to help you carry your things down.”

“Oh, I’m sure he’s here somewhere…” Rarity stated, turning about to browse through several of the larger pieces of baggage, maneuvering them up and out of the way with a glow and flick of her horn.

“Ah, here he is.” The unicorn smiled before straining a moment, pulling a very exhausted-looking dragon from what appeared to be the bottom of one pile. His body appeared to take on the consistency of rubber for a few seconds as his tail was clearly caught under one of the larger trunks before being pulled free, causing his elongated body to snap back to form.

“H...happy to... be of... service...” The purple and green reptile panted breathlessly.

The Time Lord considered for a moment...

Yep, still within norms for Equestrian universal physics.

Looking up at the console, the Doctor continued to move with the controls that surrounded the time rotor while Rarity set Spike down, moving to the Hourglass Stallion’s side.

“Is he going to be alright?”

“Oh, he’s fine. Dragons can be quite resilient, especially at his age. Considering some of the things I’ve seen him shrug off, a few suitcases full of clothes are not going to be an issue.” Rarity assured him before looking up to the central fixture of the TARDIS and the glowing glass bulbs inside.

“Now then, what kind of trip did you have in mind?” The Doctor asked suddenly, looking up to the central console and taking note of two colored lights gently glowing in their horse shoe mounts.

“Well, as I said before, I think it would be wonderful if we went someplace nopony has ever gone before.” The theatrical mare stated with a sweep of her forelegs. “Somewhere... elegant... Regal... Exotic.”

“And as far away from Equestria as ponily possible?” The Doctor smirked, repeating her earlier request and getting a mute nod in return. Turning back to the console, the Time Pony pressed several seemingly random buttons before turning back to Rarity.

“Easy enough. Just giving the randomizer a set of loose parameters: Non-pony... advanced society... preferably peaceful. Simple as that. I’m sure the old girl can find something that will suit you; she’s been getting more accurate every time she goes out.” The Doctor explained excitedly as a couple more buttons were pressed and a heavy crank was turned, letting off a short hiss of steam.

“And with the flick of a switch, here... we...” He reached over, putting a hoof around the large ‘parking brake’ along one side of the console, and prepared to throw it with a flick of his leg as Rarity braced herself for the shaking.

“...GO!”

*CLICK*

…

*CLICK*

Rarity watched as the lever the Time Pony had thrown cranked back of its own accord to its original position, causing the stallion to draw back in a moment of confusion.

“What the...?”

*CLICK*

…

*CLICK*

“Oh come on, don’t do this to me now... You’re embarrassing me.” The Doctor muttered a short plea to his TARDIS for a moment, taking both hooves and setting them on the lever before pulling it back towards himself.

*CLICK*

…

*CLUNK!*

Only to be flung almost off his hind hooves and onto the console as the lever forcefully pushed itself back into resting position and even now refused to budge as the stallion pulled against it with all his weight.

“Is... something wrong?” Rarity asked after watching the colt struggle against the machine for a moment.

“She... doesn’t want to go, apparently.” The Doctor panted as he let go of the brake and looked over his console, trying to find any reason why his TARDIS would hold back like it was. “Or, perhaps it’s an issue with the dematerialization circuit... In any case, we aren’t leaving right away.”

“Okay. Well, if it’s gonna be a few minutes, I’m gonna go grab something to eat.” Spike drew attention to himself, having clearly recovered from what should have been a near death by luggage. “You guys want anything?”

“No, thank you.” The Doctor waved the young dragon off as he opened the doors of the TARDIS and started out, leaving them open by a crack.

After a moment of awkward silence broken only by the Doctor mumbling incoherently to himself as he inspected his console, looking it up and down from the base to the controls to the glowing white and pink lights, Rarity finally decided to open up with some small talk.

“So, does Spike often travel with you?” She asked, only drawing a fraction of his attention away.

“Hmmm? Oh, no. Not usually. Although, last week I tried to take him out somewhere and, due to a nasty spot of turbulence in the time vortex, we somehow ended up shunted onto an alternate time track and landed in an altogether different universe running closely parallel to this one.”

The Doctor trailed off in his recounting for a brief moment of reflection. “It was a... rather interesting experience. I eventually managed to bring us back here, but it was still quite disorienting. Not something I’d want to repeat, surely, but after all that trouble I’m surprised Spike’s so willing to jump back in with me again so soon.”

Having finished his explanation to the unicorn mare, he once again devoted his full concentration to the blinking assembly of gadgets and circuitry in front of him.

Something was... off. He had a feeling that there was some detail he had overlooked. But he just couldn’t for the life of him...

“Oh, it’s probably because of me.” Rarity shook her head.

Wait... Two colored lights?

“I know he thinks he’s been calm, secretive, and collected about it, but Spike has always--”

“FOREVEEERRRR!!!”

“AAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!”

*CRASH*

Rarity shrieked at the top of her lungs, jumping into the Doctor, who promptly collapsed under the sudden weight as the hyperactive mass of pink known as Pinkamina Diane Pie exploded from a hatbox that was laying in the jumbled pile of mixed luggage.

Spike was sorting through the small box of gems that he kept in a box in the loft that overlooked the library near his bed when he heard the door to the Books and Branches swing open. Setting down a sapphire that was still a little too flat for his taste, the dragon pulled himself up to take a look out over the library to see who had come in when they were supposed to be closed for the day.

“Spike? Are you in?” Came the familiar voice of his oldest friend and surrogate sister.

“Oh. Hey, Twilight. Up here.” He called her attention casually.

“Oh good, you’re home. Is the Doctor here?” The lavender unicorn asked quickly, looking about.

If her own memories of her first shoeing were anything to go by, he would probably want to spend the the day off his hooves as much as possible.

“Oh, he’s down in the box.” Spike told her quickly. “We bumped into Rarity on the way home and we were about to head out somewhere. He’s just getting things set up and I was grabbing a snack before we go.”

“What? But... where?”

“Beats me, I’m just going to make sure Rarity is okay.” Spike admitted openly before returning to the small box, his eye on a baby ruby he had been saving.

Twilight seemed aghast for a moment before letting out a frustrated groan. “Can that pony go one day without running off somewhere?”

“Well, even though we’ve known him for just over two months, I would have to say... no. No he can’t.” Spike stated clearly, smirking at his good friend’s agitation, even if he didn’t fully understand the reason for it.

“UGH! Fine, I just need to talk to him before he rushes off again. I’ll be right back.” Twilight rolled her eyes, moving to the basement door.

“...is the fastest way to lose a friend... Foreeeveeerrr...” Pinkie Pie finished her explanation as she shook the hatbox off her hoof, having climbed out of it in spite of the fact that she couldn’t POSSIBLY have been able to fit inside of it in the first place.

Of course, as the Doctor had WATCHED her climb out of it, he couldn’t say that it was impossible now.

“Yes, I know I Pinkie Promised, but that doesn’t mean that you can just pop out and scare the living daylights out a pony when…” Rarity paused, her eyes flickering to the now discarded hatbox before her expression hardened. “Wait, if you were in the box, then... where is my chapeau!?”

“Oh, hold on.” Pinkie seemed to lose all of her indignation as she moved to the box and reached inside, stuffing her entire body up the shoulders into the relatively shallow container. “AHA! There it is!”

The pink pony withdrew, a flawless sunbonnet with a large yellow lily set into its hem in her teeth. She tossed it to Rarity, who immediately rushed forward to catch and make sure the headpiece was intact.

The Doctor took the opportunity to move over to the box now on the floor next to Pinkie Pie, setting a forehoof inside and barely fitting his fetlock in while he tried to understand what should have been impossible.

“Sooooo… where’re we going?” Pinkie asked, a giddy expression on her face as she moved up to the Time Pony, nudging his shoulder with her own.

“How did you know we were going anywhere?” Rarity asked indignantly, clearly not having anticipated the sudden appearance of the manic mare.

“Wouldn’t you know it? I figured out a new Pinkie Sense!” Pinkie explained with exuberance, moving to demonstrate.

“Itchy hoof, chattery teeth, twitchy eye.” She explained quickly as she, in order, clicked her back hooves, had her teeth chatter in her mouth as if she were cold, and then had one eye twitch a few times before she brought up a hoof to rub it. “That means the Doctor’s up to shenanigans in the TARDIS. And I have the day off from Sugarcube Corner today, so I want in!”

“In less than two months you developed a whole new series of body spasms just for me?” The Doctor sounded both amused and flattered.

“Well, I’ve been getting this one a lot ever since you first showed up. It just took me awhile to piece it together.”

“Pinkie, darling.” Rarity smiled, although it was a bit forced. “I know that you want to come along, but I was just thinking it would be… you know… just the Doctor and myself this time.”

“What about Spike?” The Doctor pulled himself back, giving Rarity a somewhat accusatory look.

“Well, yes, and Spike too, I suppose. But I just mean that I wasn’t—”

“There you are.”

The new, familiar voice that graced them was one that the Doctor was actually surprised to hear as the purple unicorn mare, the very first being in this universe he had met, came marching into the TARDIS with a definite purpose.

“Hi, Twilight!” Pinkie waved, clearly oblivious to the unicorn’s determined expression, something that Rarity however didn’t have a problem noting.

“Oh dear, Twilight, is something the matter?” The seamstress pony asked before Twilight squared off with the Hourglass Stallion, who looked quite confused as to her intent.

“Doctor, we need to talk before you go anywhere. In private!”

“A-alright. Alright.” The colt nodded, turning to the the console in order to reset the controls. “I don’t see a problem with that. In fact, you and the TARDIS seem to have the same idea. It’s obvious she won’t be leaving anytime soon.”

Distracted by the task at hoof, nopony was paying any particular attention... when the glowing ivory and fuchsia gems inlaid in the central column were joined by their lavender counterpart as it suddenly flared to life.

*SLAM*

All eyes turned as the TARDIS doors suddenly flew shut.

*CLICK*

And then twisted back as the parking brake disengaged on its own.

The TARDIS shuddered as a familiar sound filled the air around them.

“DOCTOR!” Twilight scolded as she slipped, trying to move over to the railing as the time machine began to rock more violently, causing her to tumble and her saddlebag to fall open, its contents spilling out.

“WHEEEE!” Pinkie fell back with delight as Rarity put her hooves up to the console, attempting to steady herself without touching any of the buttons. (The Doctor had been very clear about not doing so, lest they run the risk of endangering the space-time continuum.) Meanwhile, Rarity’s luggage also skittered and tumbled all over as the machine rocked.

“IT’S NOT ME THIS TIME!” The stallion tried to defend himself, pulling himself up towards the console as it hummed.

“What do you MEAN it’s not you!?” Twilight demanded as she reached and grasped the railing, her horn aglow as she deftly lifted what looked like a book out of the path of spilled ink from a broken inkwell.

“She took off on her own!” He tried to explain, but was cut off before he could elaborate as their entire world shuddered and ceased shaking as quickly as it had started. A deep thumping bass sound reverberated through the floor panels, indicating that they had landed and allowing all four ponies to relax as they caught their breath.

“It... she... can do that?” Rarity asked, amazed to learn that their transportation was capable of that kind of initiative.

“Yep!” Pinkie chimed in, bouncing excitedly over to the console. “The Doc told me about it when I got the tour; she’s alive. She eats universe juice and stuff and has a heart and everything.”

“It’s not quite as simple as that... but, yes. The TARDIS is as alive as you or I.” The Doctor moved to pull the scanner display around to his side, looking it over. “Hmm... that’s definitely odd. I’m not sure what she’s up to here but--”

The stallion broke off as he looked over to Twilight, who was bringing her saddlebag back up in a glow of purple magic.

His eyes widened by degrees as they happened to fall on something he never thought he would see again.

“Twilight...” The Doctor’s voice was low and concerned as his expression hardened. “Where did you get that book?”

There was a moment of complete silence in the TARDIS as the unicorn and Time Pony met one another’s eyes, the aura of magic holding the item in question steady a moment before it was slipped back into the saddlebag.

This was not good.

Twilight didn’t know why... but the Princess had specifically told her to not let the Doctor see it. And judging by his reaction, there was good reason.

“It’s not a book, it’s a journal.” She quickly stated, although she regretted it a moment later.

“Yes, I know it’s a journal. Where did you find it?” He asked again, moving around the console.

“It happens to belong to me.” Twilight stated, holding her own ground while avoiding specifics. “It was given to me a while ago.”

“By who? And what are you putting into it?”

“It’s a private journal. Telling anypony what’s inside of it kind of defeats the purpose, Doctor.”

“Twilight, this may be important.”

“I fail to see how...” Twilight snapped back. “And you know what? It doesn’t seem at all fair that you’re so worried about my personal business when you yourself are keeping things from us.”

Rarity and Pinkie Pie watched from the sidelines as the two went back and forth for a moment, neither wanting to interfere as their voices started to rise.

"Who says that I am keeping anything from you?"

"I do! I mean, it's obvious that you are. For instance, neglecting to tell me about this little trip, then dragging me along anyway the second I step on board!”

"As I already tried explaining, the TARDIS took off by herself. I had no part in it. And besides, if there was anything I wasn't telling you, it would only be for a very good reason.”

"Aha! So you ARE keeping secrets!”

"I didn't say that. Twilight, I just...”

The Time Pony paused, his expression growing suspicious as he took a step forward, watching her carefully as he tried to measure her tone and clearly detecting a hint of something hidden under her indignation.

“Twilight, what exactly is it you wanted to talk to me about?”

Mare and stallion watched one another for a moment, the air between them tense enough to cut with a knife as they maintained an uneasy silence, each clearly waiting for the other to begin.

“Uh-oooooh!”

The silence was broken by an upbeat voice coming from the TARDIS entryway, causing the two embattled equines to break eye-contact and turn in unison to see the doors had been opened and Pinkie Pie was now standing just outside of them.

“Somepony forgot to wrap up winter!” The Party pony grinned as she put a hoof to her mouth, her tone reminiscent of a foal pointing out an adult’s mistake.

“Pinkie! What are you doing!?” Rarity made her presence known again, having been too enraptured by the unfolding drama between her two friends to notice that the party pony had gotten bored and decided to investigate where the TARDIS had brought them. “We don’t know what’s out there!”

“Well, duuuh!” Pinkie rolled her eyes, an amused smirk on her face at what she saw as a rather silly remark. “Isn’t that kinda the point?”

Without waiting for any response, the pink equine bounced into the air, the distinct poinging sound punctuated by the crisp crunching of snow.

Twilight and the Doctor turned to face one another again, the tension between them eased, but not broken by their mutual friend’s antics.

“We are NOT done talking about this.” Both of them said to each other in unison.

Mare and stallion drew back half a step, each feeling a sudden surge of awkwardness from the simultaneous statement. A feeling that grew as they both swallowed reflexively, mirroring one another’s movements.

For a fraction of a moment, concern showed on the Time Pony’s face, who quickly averted his eyes, causing Twilight to shudder lightly and breaking whatever spell had fallen over them as he forced a haggard smile.

“Well, Hi-Ho Ponies…” The Doctor’s attitude shifted in an instant, an air of excitability permeating his every movement as he trotted with a purpose towards the door. “Whole new world to see, after all. Let’s find out what my the old girl’s picked out for us this time.”

“What was that about?” Rarity asked as the Doctor rushed out the doors of the police box without looking back.

Twilight blinked as she tried to understand… to rationalize what had just happened, then shook her head when no answers came to her.

“I’m not sure.” Twilight admitted, letting out an equine snort before she too started forward. “But I intend to find out.”

——————————————

Location: Unknown
Time: Unknown

One step outside of the TARDIS brought Rarity and Twilight to a halt as the two mares were struck by two very resounding revelations.

Firstly, their surroundings were beyond beautiful.

Glistening hills and pointed spires of ice rose all about as snow drifted lazily through the air, an unbroken landscape of freshly fallen snow covering the ground as far as the eye could see. In the clear, pale purple sky hung a wan azure sun that shimmered entrancingly, the blue light it cast off reflected and magnified by the bleached white ground and only added to the enchantment of what they saw.

Secondly… and perhaps unsurprising given the first revelation...
IT WAS ABSOLUTELY FREEZING!

The first thought that came to Twilight of course was the last time she felt this cold, when she had woken up in the glacial caverns under Zebrica, suspended on a constant jet of an icy cold pressure wave. The second thought fell on the legend of the Windigos, malevolent equine spirits that fed on dissonance and anger, but that also didn’t seem right, as she quickly concluded that this was an altogether different sort of cold.

This cold felt natural and all-encompassing. More like the deep winter of Northern Equestria than the forced frost of spiteful spirits. And judging by the blue sun, Twilight could safely assume that they were most certainly not on Equis anymore.
At her side, Rarity was shivering in seconds, her teeth chattering uncontrollably as she shifted her forehooves on the crunching snow.

“It’s... s-so c-c-cold. So very, v-very c-cold...Bbbbbbbrrrrrrrrrrr” The fashionista managed through trembling lips as her entire body shivered, her thin fur coat doing little to combat the sub-arctic conditions.

“Hold on, Rarity.” Twilight managed, wondering if perhaps her experience in Zebrica had endured her to the sudden shock of cold as her mind scrambled for a solution and quickly settled on one that she had wished she was able to use back in those caverns.

Turning her head, her horn aglow, Twilight focused her magic into a self-insulation spell she had learned as a filly in order to win a bet with her brother about who could last longest playing in the snow one winter.

Cheating? Perhaps. But it had been worth it to get him to surrender his share of marshmallows during their post playtime cocoa.

Rarity visibly relaxed as she felt a flowing layer of magic run over her, the bite of the wintry chill reduced as her own body heat was trapped and held back against her coat. The glowing purple bubble around her remained visible for only a few seconds before the magic became transparent.

“Ahhh...” Rarity smiled in relief as she opened her eyes. “It may not have been planned, but I am so very glad you came along, Twilight.”

“I didn’t ‘come along’, I was shanghaied by the TARDIS, remember?” Twilight said with an irked expression while casting the spell on herself, covering her body in a layer of purple magic for a moment before it too faded to be transparent. Pausing a moment, Twilight turning her head to determine where their other two friends had gone.

“Well, while this does certainly help, if you’ll excuse me, I need to slip into something more appropriate for this setting.” the white unicorn excused herself, backing into the still open TARDIS doors.

About two dozen feet to the side, Twilight caught sight of Pinkie Pie romping about in her usual carefree manner, her hooves making a mess of the until then undisturbed snow as she fell on her back and waved her legs about wildly making snow-pegasi.
Watching her with amusement, the Doctor seemed likewise unperturbed by the cold, which wasn’t surprising.
As hardy, stubborn-natured Earth ponies, Twilight knew that Pinkie and the Doctor wouldn’t feel the effects of the cold as acutely as she and Rarity had, but in spite of the stereotype that they could easily thrive in any imaginable environment, nopony could last indefinitely in these conditions.

“Hey, TWILIGHT! Look! SNOW-PONY!” Pinkie announced, bouncing up from the flat of her back like an acrobat and landing on all four hooves. Clumps of wet snow were clinging to her mane and coat, already starting to melt and seep into the fur.

“Yes, I see it… now hold still for a moment, unless you want to become a Pinkie-cicle.” Twilight chided lightly, leaning her head forward, horn aglow as she repeated the spell, wrapping Pinkie in the warming aura of her magic.

“Mmmm, toaaastyyy…” Pinkie grinned. “Thanks, Twilight. OH! You know what time it is? BELLY-SLEDDING TIME!”

With a sudden squeal of delight, the pink pony then immediately went back to indulging her inner filly, bouncing off and throwing herself onto her front to slide down a soft hill on the snow.

Twilight simply shook her head in amusement.

Only Pinkie Pie.

Her amusement faded as she moved to the Doctor’s side, his attention having clearly turned elsewhere as he took in his surroundings. He said nothing as she brought her horn up to him, covering his body in the thin layer of insulating magic that faded from sight after a moment.

For tense few seconds, Twilight thought perhaps he had resorted to giving her the silent treatment, as if the tense moment they had shared in the TARDIS had been some sort of deep affront to him that she had not realized.

But as he broke the silence, she realized that wasn’t at all what was bothering him.

“Something’s... not quite right here.” The Doctor mentioned thoughtfully, scanning the landscape with a wary eye.

“What do you mean?” Twilight inquired, trying to follow his gaze and only seeing the gleaming snow and ice that stretched into the horizon.

Was there something she was missing?

“Judging by the angle of the sun, we’re in this planet’s equatorial zone, or close to it.” He took a deep breath, his exhale sending a cloud streaming from his nostrils. “Air is crisp and clean. No sign of any form of pollution or industrialization, or society in general... Even in Ponyville you would have the smell of wood chimneys and baked goods.”

He dug a hoof into the snow, digging for a few minutes until he had a fairly-sized hole that exposed a patch of dull ground.

“The landscape is completely undisturbed... and probably has been for centuries or longer. And under the snow? Nothing: No trees, no shrubbery, not even tundra grass... Not a single sign of life.”

“Considering the conditions here, maybe life never developed.” Twilight shrugged. “I mean, maybe it’s just too cold.”

“In the life-bearing zone around the star, perfectly suitable oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere and an obvious abundance of liquid water? I suppose it’s possible, but not very likely.” The Doctor nodded. “If there is one thing I’ve learned in my travels, it’s that life finds a way. If I were to hazard a guess, we’ve landed in the middle of an Ice Age. And having set hoof on a good deal of ice planets in my day, I can safely say that this one is pretty bad. If it’s like this near the equator, the rest of the planet is probably even more desolate.”

Twilight considered his words for a moment, but she certainly deferred to his expertise in matters such as this. From a logical and academic standpoint it made sense, especially given his assertions that not only were ponies and the thinking creatures of Equis not alone in the universe, but that the stars she so often looked up to in the night sky were absolutely teeming with life.

“Which is something she should have realized.” The Doctor’s eyes narrowed before he turned suddenly, adopting a half-leaping step rather than shuffling through the snow. “Why would she bring us here?”

“She?” Twilight turned curiously before moving to match him, their rainchecked discussion fading from her mind as she picked up on the gravity in his concerned tone. “You mean the TARDIS?”

“I set her to a pick out a random time and place, yes; but with a few specific parameters. She got peaceful down... but we’re a little lacking on the advanced society we asked for. It could just be that the randomizer’s due for a bit of a tune-up... Or...” he trailed off as he turned his hoof up to look at his watch.

“Or what, Doctor?”

“Pinkie! Back to the TARDIS! Quickly now!” The stallion called out, eliciting a child-like “Awwwww...” from the pink mare who was still happily frolicking in the snow before turning back to Twilight.

“Or something really really bad is happening here.” The Time Pony stated cryptically, moving towards the blue box as its doors opened yet again, revealing Rarity in a thick black sweater with red highlights and a matching set of elegant knee-high boots, earmuffs, and a long scarf.

“Now this is how a lady enjoys her winter retreat.” She stated with debonair.

“We are leaving. Now.” The brown stallion stated as he moved past Rarity and back into the police box, leaving a stunned white mare in his wake. Pinkie and Twilight managed to reach the threshold at the same time, shrugging in a sign of their own puzzlement as the colt moved to the center console.

“But I just got...” Rarity managed before the situation elicited a agitated huff that she immediately tried to cover up. “Well, alright then. I guess there will be another time to bring this ensemble out.”

“Uhhh, Doc?” Pinkie asked, her tone uncharacteristically worried. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m moving us into orbit to get a better look at this planet.” He explained quickly, excitement turned to caution. “Something’s not adding up here, and I would feel more comfortable if we had some more information. So we’ll just pop out for a bit, run a planetwide diagnostic sweep and try to get an idea of just what’s going on.”

Twilight said nothing, but her mind raced.

Too dangerous?
He was being careful?
Cautious?
Protective, even?

She didn’t know why but this struck her as strange. The stallion who had spent centuries running headlong into danger... playing it safe.

“Dangerous? Awww, come on, Doc! We laugh in the face of Danger! HA-HA-HA!” Pinkie beamed as she let out an overly dramatic and cheesy theatrical laugh.

“Yes you do, Pinkie.” Rarity confirmed, her voice deadpanned. “And that was very rude you know. Mr. Zone didn’t care for that prank at all.”

Meanwhile, the Doctor, ignoring their continued conversation for the moment, finished programming in the short jump in space moved and moved to flip the required switch. The heavy sound that preceded the TARDIS taking off then echoed through the control room.

“He needed to loosen up.” The party pony waved off Rarity’s disapproval with a smile. “I mean, how could a pony named Danger be such a...”

Pinkie stopped in mid-sentence, wincing a bit as she suddenly pulled herself back into a sitting position on her rump, reaching out with her forehooves to rub on her back legs.

“Pinchy knees? Uh oh!”

Twilight gasped loudly, drawing the Doctor’s attention as the lyrical sound of the time machine started to fill the air, the time rotor having begun its oscillations in earnest.

“Wait, doesn’t pinchy knees mean--”

*PTTZZT-CRACKLE*
*THOOMB*

Twilight never had a chance to finish as the entire TARDIS rocked violently, eliciting cries from of shock from all four of its occupants as the vine-like trail of wires under the glass floor burst in a cascade of rainbow sparks. The natural ambient light emanating from the walls dimmed suddenly as the roundels set in the ceiling flickered in and out, which combined with the torrent of sparks to add a terrifying strobing effect to the already terrifying scene.

*CRRISSHHHHHH*
*BOOM*

The world around them went vertical as three mare’s voices screamed out in horror and a stallion grunted as he lost his hoofing, gravity thrown completely wild as they started to fall off the floor and into the wall. The baggage brought aboard by the white unicorn befell a similar fate, flinging open as all manner of clothes and fabrics were tossed about the room, adding to the frantic chaos and causing Rarity’s shrieking to rise an additional few decibels.

And as quickly as it had begun... the nightmarish ride ended.

*GONG*

A deep maroon light started to glow from the walls, fading in and out in time with the tolling sound of a bell that resounded through the air. The four ponies found themselves in a pile along the back wall of the TARDIS, covered in a mountain of open suitcases and mounds of fabric. The doors were now on the ceiling and the central glass column hung like a horizontal beam over their heads. All the while there was a sharp hissing noise as a stream of light green vapor escaped from the edges of the console.

“Unnnggghhhh.”

The Doctor roused first, pushing himself up with a pained grunt as he arched his shoulders, hoping that the sudden fall hadn’t seriously injured anypony.

As he heard the tolling sound of a bell ring again however, he immediately pulled himself to his hooves in spite of his own soreness.

“Cloister bell... Blast.” He shook his head, looking up at the vapors escaping from the center console. With a flick of his hoof, he extended his sonic screwdriver from its clutch and pointed into the air towards it.

*click*
*whiirrrrr*

And then brought the device down in front of his snout, where he squinted at the crystal with a concerned expression.

“Ohhh, that’s bad... Well, that’s not so bad... And that’s a lot worse...” He monologued as he took in the data he could get about what had occurred and triaged his situation in less than a second.

“Extractor fans on!” He shouted as the three mares around him started to regain their senses, each verbalizing their soreness in grunts while Pinkie let out a childish “Owieeee...”

The Hourglass Stallion breathed a sigh of relief when the sound of heavy fans filled the air.

“Good, at least those are still working. Hate to have to try and learn how to breathe that stuff.” He nodded, satisfied that the immediate danger had passed and moving to help his three friends up. “You girls alright? Anything broken?”

“...No. Ouch... Definitely going to be feeling that in the morning, though.” Twilight grunted as she got up on all fours.

“I’m feeling it right now.” Rarity complained lightly, rolling on her side and letting out a rather pathetic sounding moan.

“Unggghhh... Doctor, that wasn’t fun at all. Can we not do that again, please?” Pinkie asked, pulling herself up on top of a trunk as she stretched out her back legs.

“What in the world happened?” Twilight asked quickly, taking stock of the situation.

“I’m not sure.” The brown colt shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck with one hoof as he tried to simplify an explanation as quickly as he could. “The TARDIS is damaged, that much is certain... When we tried to take off, something rather violently yanked her off course. The strain of whatever pulled on us damaged several of the more delicate systems. The orientational stabilizers are offline, which means we’ve landed sideways, and the time rotor cracked leading to a chronoton vapor leak.”

“Sooooo, we crashed?” Pinkie asked blankly.

“Weeeell... to put it in such simple terms... yes, we’ve crashed.”

“Oh, well.” Pinkie shrugged, suddenly opening the trunk she had been resting her forehooves on and pulling out what looked like an announcement board. Its surface was a dark green, and in crisp white letters it read:

Remember, Safety First!

We have gone [59] days without a workplace incident!

With a somewhat disappointed expression, Pinkie pulled the numbered card off a small set of hooks in the board, replacing it with another one she drew from out of the trunk that had a zero on it.

“I don’t remember packing that.” Rarity offered as she watched Pinkie, although the Doctor’s jaw had all but dropped.

“Wha...? But... But...” The Time Lord was stunned by the absolute absurdity of the action, and the impossibly coincidental circumstances it entailed.

“What could do something like that?” Twilight asked, now sounding very worried and ignoring Pinkie Pie’s moment without questioning it.

The Doctor often talked about how the TARDIS was the most advanced piece of technology in his universe, and she tended to believe him.

The Time Pony, still reeling from what he had seen, shook his head with a huff as he took a moment to try and answer the question.

“Well, there are few natural phenomena capable of such a drastic alteration to the TARDIS’ course, though these things have been known to occur... Then again, whole new universe and all, perhaps its just something I’ve never seen before.” The Doctor explained wistfully, though his eyes betrayed the fact that he was fraught with worry.

Twilight’s eyes narrowed slightly as a sense of unease filled her chest.

There it was again; that feeling that she knew... without any evidence or understanding why... but she just knew he was holding something back.

“So, now what?” Rarity asked, rolling to her hooves at last while she blinked, her violet mane now a disheveled mockery of its normally pristine form as she pulled off her earmuffs and boots. “We’re not stranded here, I hope.”

“No. I’ve already kicked off the emergency protocols. She’ll repair herself mostly, although I might have to give her a more thorough checkup as soon as we get back to Ponyville.” He explained quickly, not wanting any of his compatriots to panic. “At least the damage is not too extensive. The only reason there was such a dramatic effect is because I didn’t bother raising the shields for a relatively simple jump in distance. Anyways, just give her a few hours and she’ll be upright and in working order again.” The Time Lord reassured her as he looked up.

“Now, we need to just get up to the doors.” The Doctor sighed. “Rather wish that Rainbow or Fluttershy were here now. What we could really use is a grappling hook and some rope, but getting to the storage room right now would not be easy.” The Doctor turned towards the corridor that led deeper into the TARDIS, which was now several feet away from their hooves and which now dropped straight down for an uncomfortable amount of length. “Maybe I should consider putting together an emergency utility kit for these situations. Although...” He brought up a hoof, looking it over. “Right, maybe the grappling hook wouldn’t work so well... Twilight, do you think you could teleport us up there?”

“Only if you want to fall down here again.” Twilight shook her head. “I usually have to see where I’m going or know the area well, and I don’t want to even try teleporting out of here.”

*boing*

“Hey Doctor...”

*boing*

“How about...”

*boing*

“...this?”

Pinkie drew everypony’s attention back to her, their eyes now having to bob up and down to follow her movements.

Now the Doctor was seriously confused, as was Twilight.

“Pinkie... where did you get a trampoline!?” The lavender unicorn mare asked.

“I certainly don’t remember packing that.” Rarity stated as the pink pony flew higher with every bounce, her hooves scrambling as she shot up past the console and towards the doors overhead.

“I’m not even going to bother with this one...” The Doctor shook his head, clearly stunned as he watched the party pony bounce on the fully assembled and highly springy black trampoline.

“Almost...”

*boing*

“...got it...”

*boing*

“Little more...”

*boing-CLUNK*

“Ow...! Hey, Twilight?”

*boing-THUMPH*

“Little help?”

Twilight winced as Pinkie’s head hit the doors, her hooves unable to catch the handles and open it before she started to fall again. So with a glow of her horn, while Pinkie was on a drop, the purple unicorn turned the handle to make the doors swing inwards with a creak.

“Thanks!”

*boing*

The three ponies standing on the back wall watched as Pinkie reached up at the apex of her bounce. Her forelegs flailed for a moment as she reached out to catch hold of the threshold but succeeded in grasping it with her hooves.

With a grunt, the party pony managed to pull herself upward, her hindlegs flailing as her lower body dangled over the lip of the door.

Then suddenly, her whole body ceased wiggling for a good few seconds.

“HEY GUYS! I FOUND ALIENS!!!”

The Doctor set his hoof against his face.

“And here we go...”

Ch. 3: The Last City of Qing

-The Science Spire-
-Antechamber-

Pinkamina Diane Pie’s reflection looked back to her, distorting her features like a funhouse mirror around the edges as she tilted her head, her blue eyes gazing back at her and sparkling with childlike wonder.

“Ooooooohh what’s this thingamajig, Kir?” the pink pony asked, turning over her shoulder as her friends continued making casual conversation with their new alicorn-sized alien friend.

“It’s a mirror obviously, Pinkie,” Twilight answered with a trace of annoyance, amazed at how something so simple had captured the party mare’s attention given their situation.

Aside from some amusement at Rarity’s exaggerated and over-dramatic reaction to his introduction, Prince Kir had shown himself to be a deft host as well as a perfect gentlecolt. Like his attache, Kir was unperturbed at the obvious alien nature of his guests and showed himself to be quite well-spoken; with a manner that Twilight thought was more appropriate for a skilled diplomat than a scientist, as his title claimed him to be. As the opening exchange of names had come to an end, the Lord Prince led the four ponies towards what he declared to be a personal antechamber, which Twilight had to admit seemed to have far more in common with a laboratory than a throne room.

Large complex-looking chemistry sets lined one wall, vials filled with all sorts of mysterious fluids, although none of them were currently active, and multiple half-constructed devices of various configuration lay about on the many tables. While not as cramped or varied as DiHoovsie’s workshop, the devices in easy view were easily of an advanced nature. And though Twilight could only guess at their purposes, she did notice that the white metal and clear crystal that was clearly key to Quilin architecture were also the materials of choice for the majority of their technology.

With an amused smile, Kir excused himself and broke away from a slightly tongue-tied Rarity, who had been attempting to regain her composure while she had the quilin prince’s attention, and moved over towards Pinkie, who was now making faces at the crystalline mirror that lay against one wall.

“Memory diamond,” Kir told the pink pony, standing by her flank for a moment and looking at both of their reflections before reaching forward, tapping the edge ever-so-slightly with the pointed tip of his platinum hoof-cuffs. As he traced back along the edges in a counter-clockwise direction, the reflection took on a life of its own, Kir’s likeness walking backward out of the image while Pinkie’s faces played out before her again, only in reverse.

“Any image captured in its surface can be saved and replayed,” Kir explained, moving his hoof off the crystal surface and causing the images of Pinkie making faces to play back again, much to the mare’s obvious delight. “One of many novelties the Science Spire has developed under my rule.”

“Ooohhhhh, neato!” Pinkie exclaimed, watching the image of herself pull the bottom of her eyelids down to make a disturbing face as an enthusiastic expression overcame her, Twilight almost shuddering to think of what sort of applications of such technology were coming to her friend’s mind.

“Although such a device feels like an utter insignificance compared to what has taken place here today,” Kir stated, turning back towards his other three guests with an obvious excitement of his own. “Before the endless winter descended upon our world, our scholars and scientists had only dared to believe that life existed in the space beyond our blue star. But never in my life did I imagine that I would actually live to meet such beings. I simply must know, Lady Sparkle, Lady Rarity…”

Rarity blushed a bit as Twilight, accustomed to the honorific due to her status as Celestia’s prized pupil, accepted the title with a modest nod.

“...how did you come to the Last City? And for that matter, how did you pass through the Great Dome?” The Prince managed to reign in his curiosity some, maintaining his air of measured grace. “Until today, I had thought our bastion hidden and our protective barrier impenetrable.”

“Oh, we have this box…” Rarity started, then caught herself as the immediate image of a foal playing pretend in a packaging box came to mind, and she did not want the same thought to influence their host. “…A ship.”

“A spacecraft? Fascinating,” Kir nodded. “Although, that does not explain how you managed to enter the center of the city without crashing through the Dome.”

“Our ‘ship’ doesn’t really work like that. It just sort of… appears,” Twilight elaborated, suddenly looking around for the one pony that could actually give an accurate description of how they landed. She wasn’t surprised to see him some distance away, looking over the devices on the shelves and paying their host no heed at all. Hoping to maintain the Prince’s attention and keep it off the fact that the Time Pony was quite rudely keeping to himself, Twilight added: “We weren’t really intending to come here, but it suffered some sort of malfunction in mid-flight. I’m afraid it landed in your ballroom and caused a little unintended damage. We apologize for the mess, your highness.”

Kir waved her off, maintaining his smile.

“Oh, there is no need for such formalities, Lady Sparkle. I insist you refer to me as Kir. After all, you were kind enough to allow me the use of your names, and it would be poor manners for me not to do the same.” The quilin nodded before turning to the side and drawing attention towards Sai, the small silver quilin that had so easily blended into the background to go unnoticed by the ponies. “Sai, is what she says true?”

“Yes, Milord,” the Prince’s attache nodded, his tone somehow managing to sound both confident and deferent. “The ‘alien’ device we were first informed of was confirmed by our guests to be their vessel. At the Doctor’s request, it has been left in the Azure Halls.”
Twilight took note of the look of concern that passed over the Prince’s face, an expression that was strangely familiar given his alien appearance.

“I see,” he stated with a somewhat distracted tone. “Sai, would you kindly direct members of the Science Spire’s Court to the Azure Halls to ensure that the vessel remains untouched?”

“At once, Sire.” Sai knelt down with both forelegs splayed out in a submissive gesture before pulling himself up and cantering out of the room quickly.

“Is there a problem?” Twilight found herself asking, the Prince’s sudden change in disposition for some reason rubbing her in all of the wrong ways.

“No, I shouldn’t think so,” Prince Kir shook his head. “However, it would be for the best to be cautious. You see, I for one am eager to welcome you as our city’s first visitors since its founding; to share what we have accomplished in spite of our confinement and the society we have built in defiance of the ice beyond the Dome. Why, a mutual exchange of culture alone would be a monumental milestone for our people, the likes of which has not been seen in recent memory. However, some of my less... academic peers might object.”

“Ohhh, now I can’t imagine why that would be.”

The Prince and three mares turned towards the voice of the Hourglass Stallion, goggles pulled down over his eyes as he ran a hoof over what looked like a random device, the white metal shell broken open to reveal a bundle of thin metal wires.

“Four equine explorers, traveling the stars to explore strange new worlds… seeking out new life and new civilizations...” the Doctor shrugged with a small smile.

“Boldly going where nopony has gone before!” Pinkie suddenly spoke up, her foreleg up in a declarative manner, unable to contain herself as the Doctor turned back towards the gathered ponies and quilin prince. “Heeey, that’s kinda catchy.”

The Doctor merely chuckled at her antics before reaching up and pulling his goggles off of his muzzle.

“Indeed. Certainly nothing for anypony… or anylin for that matter… to get upset over.” The Doctor nodded, a broad smile on his lips as he moved back towards the group with an easy stride. “And I agree: In the interest of establishing a friendship between Qing and Equis, an open exchange of knowledge is an excellent idea.”

“Really?” Kir seemed surprised, as well as delighted at the stallion’s attitude.

“Really?” Twilight echoed, her expression a bit more skeptical.

“Yes. In fact… I would say this calls for a celebration! A chance to allow us the honor of meeting with your fellow Princes and the elite of your magnificent city.”

Twilight narrowed her eyes at the brown colt, who paid her no mind as she tried to work out what the Time Pony was planning.

“Precisely what I was thinking! It is time that the banquet had a purpose beyond the usual mingling. A chance to show you our hospitality!” Kir’s smile widened as he nodded to the smaller brown colt. “Take care, my friend. Some of my people may begin to suspect you capable of reading their minds if you do that too often.”

“Now that would just be preposterous,” the Doctor grinned, his tone civil, but with an underlying amusement that was clear to the pair of unicorns, who both remained silent.

Something that the pink earth pony clearly did not pick up on.

“Actually, Dashie told me that--” Pinkie was suddenly at the brown stallion’s side, quick to point out a fact she had heard before he quickly nudged her in the ribs, causing a ticklish giggle to cut off what she was saying.

“Pinkie,” the Doctor started curtly before she could recover enough to continue her line of thought. “Why don’t you go after our little friend Sai and let him know that the Prince has ‘graciously’ decided to throw us a welcome party?”

Rarity couldn’t help but smirk as the last word out of the Doctor’s mouth caused their pink friend’s eyes to shrink to pinpoints, her brain clearly going into overdrive as a large grin came over her. Her first reaction was a single soft squeak before she began bouncing around the room erratically.

“OOOOOoooohhhh, OH YES!” The mare launched herself from the floor with an enthusiastic “poing” as she dove towards and out the door, talking all the way. “We can set it up around the TARDIS the blue theme is perfect for Azure Halls they already have the lighting and everything and I can set up banners and give Moth pointers on how to and we can show them Equestrian games and pull out my record player and show them my slick moves Oh! I know what I need to do! I need to write a song about this, it’ll go over great, I bet that they’ve never heard a...”

There was finally silence as Pinkie moved out of earshot, bouncing with a purpose after the shining attache as Kir watched the doorway a moment longer.

“Lady Pinkie seems to be quite… enthusiastic,” Prince Kir stated, his voice disbelieving at the behavior.

“Yeah, that’s about normal for her,” Twilight waved it off as Rarity moved a bit closer to the tall quilin, a hesitant expression on her face.

“While we wait for Pinkie and our little friend to return, perhaps a tour?” the Doctor asked with a large smile on his face. A smile that Twilight felt sure was hiding something. “Your home is quite magnificent, Your Highness. And I would like to see more.”

“I am sure I can arrange something like that,” Kir nodded, his expression considerate. “Allow me some time and I will see if I can find a knowledgeable member of the Science Court that can offer the proper insight into our--”

“Umm, Your Majesty?” Rarity started, unsure of herself. “If I may…”

“Kir… I insist,” The quilin royal’s large golden eyes moved over to the smaller white mare, who had to control herself as she felt her heart rush.

“Alright, Kir…” the unicorn blushed lightly, pink tinging her white furred cheeks. “If it’s not too forward of me to ask, perhaps you could show us around yourself? I am sure you have your own questions about Equis… and I would LOVE to learn more about you.”

The Prince’s concern melted away as he smiled warmly, leaning down so that he did not tower over her and so that he might better address her.

“Lady Rarity… it would be my pleasure.”

The unicorn nodded in thanks as Kir brought a foreleg up and directed them towards the doorway which his assistant and Pinkie Pie had left earlier, leading Rarity along as the Doctor and Twilight fell into step behind them.

“What are you up to?” Twilight asked in a low tone, attempting to keep her voice from carrying as Kir began to ask Rarity a few opening questions about her own home.

“Pieces to the puzzle, Twilight,” the Time Pony nodded, maintaining a soft smile that the unicorn identified as a mask over concern. “All pieces to the puzzle.”

——————————————

“Saaaaaaiiii!!”

The small silver quilin, flanked by several similarly-built aliens each wearing stoles that matched his almost perfectly, paused at the threshold of the Science Spire as several heads turning back towards the sudden cry with a look of confusion.

“Lady Pie?” the silver quilin tilted his head, unsure as to why the large fuchsia mare was moving towards them now that they had met with the Prince.

“Is something wrong?” one of his compatriots, a small, dull grey mare asked, reaching up to nervously pat down the stole at the side of her neck as if having to reassure herself that it was there.

“No… It’s alright. I’ll speak with her.” The Prince’s attache shook his head, lifting a hoof to wave them forward. “To the Azure Halls, all of you. Wait for me outside the threshold. I’ll be along in a moment.”

With only an obedient nod, the five members of the Science Spire Court moved on, exiting the safety of their own spire and moving onto the Golden Roads with an obvious anxiety, remaining in a small herd where their flanks were almost touching.

Pinkie Pie came to a halt just short of the quilin, a large smile on her face as she bent her legs slightly to be more face to face with him.

“Hey there, Sai!” Thought you didn’t hear me,” the mare told him, causing the silver quilin to wince slightly, although she was unsure why. “Kir wants to throw a ‘Welcome to our World’ party for us so we can meet all the fancy-pantses!”

“I see,” the quilin nodded. “If that is what the Prince desires, then it shall be done.”

“Oh, goody!” Pinkie grinned enthusiastically. “I’ll come with you! I have all sorts of ideas for Moth. This will be the best party ever in this whole world!”

“You wish to tell the Master of the Halls how best to accomplish his task?” the quilin asked, clearly concerned.

“Not to step on anypony’s tail, but I think I could show him a few tricks,” Pinkie boasted happily

“I… don’t believe that would be altogether wise, Lady Pie.”

The pony’s mirth and whimsical smile faded in an instant, her expression suddenly neutral and voice flattened in a way that the Lord Prince’s attache would not have believed was possible.

“Why not?”

“Claiming authority in such a manner may be seen as... offensive,” the quilin attempted to explain, although his warning tone clearly fell upon deaf ears.

“Nahhh! It’ll be fun! Tell ya what: I’ll take care of the decorating and all of the hard stuff and you and the Prince can come and enjoy!”

Taken aback by the sudden shifts in her disposition, Sai hesitated.

“You... want me to attend... a noble’s banquet?”

“What’s the matter? Don’t you like parties?”

“I would not know...” the silver quilin offered. “I have never been to one.”

What Sai had said drew an abrupt and startled gasp from the pink pony.

“Whaaaaaat!?” Pinkie exclaimed dubiously, as if the simple comment was an affront to the laws of nature themselves. “Why not?”

The Lord Prince’s attache drew back as though he had been struck, shock plainly etched in his features as he tried to comprehend the question.

“Because I’m Sai,” he stated, certain that would clear up the misunderstanding.

“Well, duuhh...” Pinkie rolled her eyes. “Sure that’s your name, but that’s no reason not to go to a party. OH! I wonder if Sai and Sai would wanna come too!”

“Sai is not my name.”

“But you said to call you that.”

Pinkie looked at the alien for a moment in confusion, the confusion that had been mirrored in his own eyes beginning to clear, replaced by comprehension.

“I don’t have a name. A sai is... well, it is what I am. In as much as you called yourselves ponies, we are Sai,” the small quilin tried to explain before nervously looking over his shoulder. “And I really should be attending to my duties.”

“Waitaminute! If you don’t have a name, then I’ve been calling you Sai like you would call me ‘Pony’? Now that’s just rude,” Pinkie reasoned, setting a hoof to the underside of her chin as she looked at the quilin thoughtfully. “You’ve got to have a name... Hmmmmm, what should it be?”

The sai’s eyes widened by degrees, causing him to look over his shoulder with worry before he put up a hoof, stammering for a moment.

“NO! No, that’s... quite alright! Just Sai is perfectly--”

“I think I’m gonna call you ‘Silver.’ How does that sound?” Pinkie gave the quilin a large grin.

The sai tilted his head, now seeming quite unsure of himself as his objection was replaced with a question.

“You wish... to name me after a metal?”

“Well, you’re all shiney with those scales. You look like a big ol’ peice of polished silver; literally! So why not? Perfect little nickname for my sterling little friend.” Pinkie reached up and patted the sai affectionately right between the horns, an action that he accepted, albeit grudgingly, finding himself torn over the situation that was arising here.

“‘Nickname’?” he asked, unfamiliar with the concept.

“Sure, like mine. Pinkie isn’t my real name, it’s just what ponies call me because it’s easier to say than ‘Pinkamina Diane Pie.’ It’s just something that makes me stand out from the other ponies named Pinkamina.”

The sai, now dubbed ‘Silver’ by the alien mare, wasn’t sure how something so obtrusively pink could fail to stand out, nor whether such an odd, foreign-sounding name as “Pinkamina” was common among her species.

“So it’s... much like a title, then?” the sai reasoned. “An honorific to differentiate us in your eyes?”

“If you wanna get all dictionary about it, I guess.”

“Well, I suppose, if your culture encourages such things, then that would be... tolerable,” Silver nodded hesitantly. “Although, If you would refrain from using it around the Master of the Halls or other quilin, that would be greatly appreciated. But, for the time being, I should go and attend to the matter at the Azure Halls. It would be best if you were to--”

“Why, Silver! I would love to walk you back to the Azure Halls! I thought you would never ask!” The pink pony darted forward, hooking a foreleg under Silver’s as she moved past him and causing him to pivot around a full one hundred and eighty degrees before another nudge on his shoulder brought him into step with the mare at his flank.

“Now, how about you tell your new bestest friend Pinkie why in Celestia’s name you’ve never been to a party?” Pinkie started, her tone sweet and assuring as her hooves clicked on the golden road leading away from the Science Spire, the sai’s stammering attempts to decline the mare’s company unheeded as he moved his legs quickly to keep up with her stride.

=========
-The Halls of Azure-

*SNAP!*
*THUMPH!*

Another thick strap broke as no fewer than a dozen sai went stumbling over themselves, some crying out in surprise as they tumbled over one another. They had been suddenly freed from the burden they had been desperately attempting to remove from the Halls while several other sai were hard at work repairing the damage caused by the sudden appearance of the this infernal object.

The Master of the Halls growled slightly in his throat as the blue box, still laying on its side, refused to budge so much as a hair from its place.

It was taunting him, a large blue obstacle staying obstinate as he attempted to prepare for the dim cycle’s banquet.

It couldn’t have appeared and crashed out on the Golden Roads or in one of the Prince’s Spires, or at least the Sai Blocks where such damage would hardly be noticed. No, it had to crash here! In his Halls, where it was now his problem.

“You! Stop what you are doing and find out where the sai that the Lord Prince promised us are!” the Master of the Halls snapped at the nearest of the sai, who was busy untangling himself from the straps that they had lashed around the blue box.

“Yes, Sire! At once!” the sai stumbled over itself for a moment longer as he kicked off one of the straps and darted for the large, ornate door.

“It is hollow, My Lord,” a voice called from off to the Master’s side, the taping of a hoof on the strange object causing him to look up towards a sai that had clambered on top of it. The noise was the result of the diminutive colt jumping lightly on the side that the strange aliens had climbed out of. “And warm to the touch... but certainly not made of ore or stone. There is no reason it should be so heavy.”

“Are you of the Science Spire, Sai?” the Master of the Halls asked, his tone testy.

“No, Sire. But I thought...” the sai looked away sheepishly, reaching up to pat at the stole around his neck, which was white and blue.

“THEN GET DOWN FROM THERE!” the quilin snapped, causing his underling to wince. “It is not your duty to analyze such things! You are not here to think! So stop trying to impress me and get back to work!”

The sai complied immediately as another of the short-horned creatures moved up to the side of her overseer, her posture worried.

“...What is it now?” the Master of the Halls didn’t even look to her, already sure that something else was now conspiring to make his life even more difficult.

“Sire... Both the Crown Prince and the Warrior Prince have sent representatives to collect the alien device. They are both demanding it be relinquished to them immediately.”

“A Keeper AND a Warrior? Here? NOW!? AT THE SAME TIME!?”

“Yes, Milord. And several sai from the Science Spire are claiming to be here at the Lord Prince’s request. They say the Prince’s attache is on his way.”

The Master of the Halls growled in his throat again. In all of his life, he had never had such trouble befall him and he had never failed in his assigned task to manage and maintain the level of quality his liege demanded for the formal banquets. And now, in one afternoon, he was being thrown right into the middle of perhaps the most outrageous conflict of authorities in recent memory.

And what was worse was that his only recourse with such a conflict was to throw more fuel onto the flames.

“Send a sai to the Spire of Law to fetch a Guard. We require immediate arbitration before I have to explain to the Jester Prince why there are bloodstains on the hallways”

Of course that assumed that some of those stains were not his own. The Master of the Halls shook his head as he considered the unfortunate circumstances before he called out for attention. “Sai! All of you! Stop what you are doing this instant and move to the preparation rooms until this current situation has been resolved!”

There was no questioning this instruction as the sai immediately put down their tasks and moved towards the doors, the Lord of the Azure Halls actually catching a few of them looking relieved by the sudden and unexpected break in their duties.

’Sai: Give them a moment and they will take a cycle,’ he thought, rolling his eyes. He was far too anxious to even bother chastising them for it, as his worries were on the box that had so quickly brought ruin into his admittedly simple life while the last of the sai under his authority moved past the doors, leaving him alone with his thoughts and the blue box.

He honestly didn’t care who had authority over this “alien” situation, and if they could find a way to remove the obstruction from his Halls, all the better. All he wanted was for the damnable thing to be gone and not to be caught in whatever might transpire as a Warrior, Keeper, and Guard, three of the most aggressive breeds of quilin in the whole of the Last City, began to butt horns.

“I hope your proud of yourself, Box!” The Master of the Halls, now alone, took a swift step forward, kicking at the side of vented at the alien device in a futile gesture. “Going and making my life miserable!”

Or perhaps not so futile, as a sudden, soft sound filled the air around him...

A rasping, warping of the air...

Turning on his hooves, the Master of the Halls watched in stunned silence as the light set into the side of the box glowed and it began to fade from existence, leaving only an easily repairable rut in the floor behind.

For a brief moment, the Master of the Halls stood in stunned silence, a small smile spreading over his face.

Then the sound came back, growing louder and louder for a moment as he looked about, attempting to discern its location... before finally looking up.

His expression fell instantly as his eyes locked on the source of the noise...

*CRASH-CRUNCH!*

…just in time to watch it drop through the air atop the newly-replaced table along the Northern Wall with the ear-splitting crack of shattering crystal. As the rubble and dust settled, the damnable blue box stood amongst the wreckage, standing tall and upright even as the odd sound still echoing through the chamber was replaced by the stuttering, wordless outrage of a distraught quilin noble.

=========

-The Science Spire-
-Observation Level-

Sparks flew from the insides of an orb shaped device, the sparkling lights dancing in Twilight’s eyes as she tried to resist exploding with questions (again) about the purposes and scientific applications of the device that lay in the room before her.

With only a thin, transparent window opening down into what Lord Prince Kir had dubbed one of the Spire’s many “Experimentation Rooms,” she had a fine view as almost a dozen of the smaller quilin, clothed in dull white coats as well as the identical stoles they each wore, milled around the device urgently, as if trying to determine what had gone wrong.

She allowed herself a small snicker as one of the quilin scientists rushed forward with a blue canister, which sprayed a frothy white foam over the device and ended whatever experiment had been underway with sighs of relief.

Eventually, Twilight managed to pull herself away from the spectacle to her more immediate surroundings.

The “Observation” Level was located midway up the Spire, as Kir had told them while they ascended the tower. It was an entire floor dedicated to looking down on the fourteen separate and sealed experimentation rooms on the floor below them, and with each one she looked into, a new and wondrous technology unlike anything that Equestria had ever seen teased her from behind the protective barrier. Some, like the one she had just peered into, contained devices of metal and crystal, the purposes of which she could only guess at. Others seemed devoted to research of a variety of exotically-colored substances, with chemistry labs more elaborate and complex than any she had seen even at the highest levels of Canterlot’s illustrious Academies.

While she was taken with observing the advanced technology that was so far ahead of anything she had dreamed, Twilight also remained aware that neither Kir nor Rarity seemed at all interested in the events transpiring below them, keeping up a pleasantly placed conversation that she only half heard. Rarity was clearly relishing being at the center of attention as she shared with their host what their home was like, describing a world unlike anything Kir was likely to have experienced.

The Doctor, on the other hoof, had been quiet since they had come up here, looking from window to window with an almost blank expression that had overcome his features shortly after they had arrived.

Twilight tilted her head slightly as she took note of how he had been standing at one particular portal for quite some time now, curiosity taking hold as she moved to his flank, following his gaze.

In the experimentation room below, a half dozen of the smaller quilin moved around vats and bins with various crystal formations growing out of them of every color and formation that Twilight could imagine.

While Crystallography was far from her strong suit in academic study, she had to admit that she found the growths in the room below them intriguing. She found herself wondering if the crystals that the quilin used in their architecture was all specially grown to suit a purpose, or if they were a more malleable resource, like wood; to be carved and shaped into the forms they needed depending on their properties.

“Now... this is troubling,” the Doctor muttered, his dark tone drawing Twilight’s attention as she took note of his sour expression.

“What is?” Twilight asked, her eyes narrowing.

“What? You don’t see it?” the Doctor answered her question with another, his expression lightning a bit with... a smirk? Was it an indication of amusement? Mockery?

Regardless, the unicorn returned it with a soft, offended response.

“Apparently not, because I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, Twilight...” The Hourglass Stallion shook his head before turning towards her, his eyes uncharacteristically somber. “You really shouldn’t be glossing over something as important as this. You’re far too clever for that.”

“What do you mean? Am I missing something?” the mare puzzled over his statement, doing what she could not to show how much it unnerved her on the occasions he got like this; when his good humor and mirth broke ever so slightly, showing something stern and dark underneath.

“Yes. Something far too obvious given all the things we have experienced so far,” he told her cryptically, his eyes moving over her face as if attempting to see something, although what she could not say. “The pieces are all there, you just need to make the connections.”

“Connections between what?” Twilight inquired, her tone perhaps a tad more aggressive than she intended before the stallion turned away from her, leaving her question unanswered as he approached Rarity and the Quilin Prince.

“You’ll see soon enough,” he nodded back to her before a smile formed again on his face, banishing his obvious concern before he spoke up to gain the attention of the gleaming white quilin noble.

“Your Highness, I must say, I am quite amazed!” the Doctor declared, drawing Kir away from Rarity, which Twilight noted caused the white mare to pout slightly. “Bedazzled, mystified, shocked even at the remarkable work you are doing here.”

Twilight had to resist having her hoof meet her face as she watched the stallion ham it up, having spent enough time with him to tell (for the most part anyways) when he was being sincere.

This was not one of those times.

“I am pleased to hear it, although I am surprised,” Kir raised up, standing at his full height as he addressed the stallion with a smile to match. “I had feared that a species capable of traveling between the planets and manipulating energy with this ‘magic’ ability might find our little exercises in the field of science rather quaint.”

“Weeeell, our vessel isn’t really ‘typical’ of Equestrian technology,” the Doctor explained, looking around before darting towards another of the observation windows, and looking down with a degree of interest at a seemingly random project. “And these are far from ‘little’ exercises. In fact, if I had to guess, I would assume that your quilin down in this one are working on... hmmmm... Actually, I’m not entirely sure what they are doing down here. Would you mind?”

Kir’s smile faltered for just a moment, Twilight noticed, before he regained his composure, moving over to the transparent barrier down into the lab where the Doctor now stood, Twilight and Rarity moving as well.

Inside, nine of the small scientists in harnesses, each anchored to a wall, moved around a large metallic orb, similar in design but much larger in scope to the one that Twilight had seen rupture earlier.

“This...” Kir took a breath, shaking his head. “...is our latest prototype for the Geomagnetic Inversion Breaker. Our attempt to make up for our ancestors’ mistake.”

“What mistake?” Rarity asked, taking note of the sad tone that had seeped into the Lord Prince’s voice.

With a resigned sigh, Kir turned away from the project, looking to Rarity, then Twilight before steeling himself for what he clearly felt was a terrible admission.

“You told me that you saw our world when you first landed, Lady Rarity? The frosted wastes that go on forever, surrounding our world in glacial ice and snow.”

“Yes,” Rarity nodded.

“That... was our own fault.” Kir shook his head. “You see, the Keepers of our ancient lore tell us that Qing was once a temperate paradise, with natural crystalline spires and forests of gems rising high into the sky as Azure, our blue sun, watched over a glorious empire. An empire that spanned the whole of our world, bringing order and civilization to the other races of Qing and guiding them to a greater future. We quilin thought ourselves masters of all we surveyed; that nothing was beyond our reach. And that arrogance... that... hubris, that all of our world was ours to command, was our downfall.”

Twilight watched the noble as he paced, moving back and forth as he motioned with his forehooves to punctuate his tale, while at the same time puzzling over trying to find what “connections” the Doctor had mentioned.

“The weather began to change. Slowly at first, our winters becoming colder and longer. And then the early scientists of Qing, my predecessors, discovered something frightening. You see, our world was beyond rich in mineral wealth; ores and precious metals were an integral part of our Empire. And through some phenomenon we are still trying to understand, the magnetic polarity of the entire world’s mineral deposits was shifting, affecting our magnetosphere, causing it to grow more powerful, refracting and dispersing the soft, warming light of Azure.”

“And with that refraction, a lowering of temperature planetwide, meaning ever longer winters, which in turn causes a snowball effect that accelerates the process even more. And before you know it you’ve got a global Ice Age with no end in sight,” the Doctor nodded in understanding, although Twilight detected a slight hint of patronization in his voice.

“Yes. The Empire panicked and threw all of its resources into projects to prevent its fall before the effects became too drastic. They developed alternatives to our reliance on ferrous metals so that fewer would need to be mined, reducing the amount of magnetic polarization on the surface of the world. Early crystaltech was developed as another alternative which we have spent millennia perfecting. And finally, most ambitious of all, a device was built that would ‘lock’ the magnetic polarity of the planet in place, preventing the world from falling any deeper into the ice.”

Kir’s head bowed, his eyes shut as as he explained.

“And that was when an already terrible situation became something far worse...” Kir explained. “Nolin knows exactly what happened on that day, but when the device was activated, it all but destroyed us. The climate spiraled out of control as temperatures plummeted across the planet and blizzards the size of continents covered large swaths of the globe. Whether it was a miscalculation or a malfunction, it hardly mattered. In less than a year, everything came crashing down. The Empire was covered in miles of glacial ice and countless quilin were lost to the cold.”

“Oh, dear... Kir, that’s terrible. I... Why, I can’t even imagine.” Rarity held a hoof to her mouth, lower lip trembling as the Lord Prince painted the picture of the final days of his species’ globe-spanning civilization while Twilight found herself realizing yet again just how fortunate her own kind was with the amount of control they had over their environment.

In Equestria, she had taken for granted the ability of pegasi to manipulate the weather, but after the drought of Zebrica and now hearing this tale, imagining a winter longer, harsher and magnitudes worse than the one described of in the tale of Hearth’s Warming, she found herself realizing just how lucky she and her friends truly were.

Although that brought forward the question:

“How did your people manage to survive?” Twilight asked, tilting her head back towards the observation room, realizing that they had gotten off track from what had been asked. “And what does that have to do with this device?”

Kir turned to her, his eyes growing softer as he moved on in his tale.

“That any of us lived to today was the doing of the first Nine Princes, one of them being my direct ancestor. In the early days of the crisis, they were the sovereigns of nine separate imperial noble houses who came together in spite of their formal rivalries and pooled their resources to build the great crystal dome, which would create a sanctuary from the ice. They saved those they could and set down the traditions in those harsh early years that have grown to our modern society here in the Last City, each serving in their own capacity to maintain it so that one day, when the ice lifts, we may reclaim the world that was once ours.”

Kir motioned back to the window, towards the device.

“One of my constantly evolving projects, as it has been with each Lord Prince before me, has been to create a device capable of undoing what the original Geomagnetic Inverter wrought; to bring Qing back to its natural state. So far, it has yet to work, and we have spent generation after generation struggling to understand the phenomenon that stole our home from us and recreate what the finest minds of the great Quilin Empire built.”

“Right, keep digging until you hit daylight...” the Doctor muttered under his breath, drawing a scornful look from the violet mare at his side before he spoke up in a manner that was more audible. “No, the truly amazing thing is how you managed all of this advancement in such a confined area and with such limited resources. Granted, I am sure that, having had so long to work on the problem, you and your predecessors have come up with some interesting things, Prince Kir.”

“Of course, we have taken steps to make our isolation less troublesome,” the quilin royal nodded, reaching up a hoof to tap against one of the metallic walls, which rang with a bell-like resonance for a few short seconds. “For instance, we developed the Lustershine alloy to meet all of our material needs. Non-ferrous with absolutely zero magnetic properties as well as being tremendously strong. Yet it can be created without the need for an extensive, laborious smelting process. Easily malleable in relatively low forging temperatures, it is absolutely perfect for sculpting to suit our needs.”

“And how exactly does that help?” Rarity asked, not quite making that connection.

“With it, we don’t have to dig into the mines of the lower levels to drudge up new metals and can focus more of our time in cultivating and gathering food,” Kir explained. “We have also developed crystaltech to perform a myriad of tasks, aiding our survival as well as providing utility. From self-healing construction materials to memory diamonds, such as the one used for the ‘mirror’ your pink friend enjoyed.”

“Oh, I bet they can do so much more than that,” the Doctor smirked, looking to Twilight for a moment. “With proper care and nurturing, a crystal lattice can be quite durable.”

“Indeed,” Kir agreed, giving the Doctor an appreciative look. “We have developed sixty-seven different varieties of quickly-growing crystal formations in these very laboratories. In fact, one of the Science Spire’s most important duties is to maintain the largest single crystalline growth on Qing. It holds back the leading edge of a glacier some miles north of the Last City and keeps it from encroaching on the Great Dome itself.”

“That sounds quite impressive,” Rarity noted with genuine interest. “I like to consider myself somewhat of an aficionado when it comes to crystals and gemstones, but to be able to create such magnificent things with them... It’s nothing short of a miracle, Kir.”

“I wouldn’t go that far, Rarity,” Twilight lightly chastised her friend’s starry-eyed exaggeration, before turning her attention back to the noble. “I’ll agree that it is impressive, though. Still, that must have taken some time and a great deal of planning to hold back an entire ice shelf, Your Majesty.”

“Oh, not at all. In fact, it is quite simple. All one needs is the right sort of seeds and an ample water source and the crystals grow almost by themselves,” Kir explained, a smile on his muzzle as he dismissed the praise.

Twilight’s nodded for a moment, digesting this tidbit of information.

Then she gasped audibly, eyes widening as she realized the significance of what Kir had just said. Her reaction caused the Doctor’s features to soften as he watched her approvingly.

“And the bit drops,” he commented, causing the Lord Prince to look at him curiously.

“I beg your pardon?”

“Nothing, Your Highness,” the Hourglass Stallion shook his head, keeping his tone respectful. “I thank you for sharing this with us. I can certainly appreciate the hardships your people have faced. If you or your fellow Princes require any assistance, anything at all, by all means, do not hesitate to ask.”

Kir eyed the Doctor appraisingly for a moment, as if unsure what to make of the offer and taking no notice of the soft sound of clicking hooves coming up behind him.

“Your offer is... greatly appreciated, Doctor.” The Prince now seemed unsure of himself, feeling as if he had somehow walked into some sort of trap. “What exactly was your specialty again?”

“Oooohhhh, a bit of this, a bit of that. My studies are a little eclectic really.” The stallion waved one hoof nonchalantly before curling it around Twilight’s shoulder, the mare still noticeably reeling as he started to pull her aside. Something from behind the Prince drew his attention for a moment, yet his smile remained fixed. “Still, don’t hesitate to call. Now, we shall leave you to your duties as I believe you have more pressing matters to attend to.”

“Pressing matters...?” Kir drew back, still unsure as the rapid clipping sound now attracted his attention, causing him to turn back and take note of the small quilin approaching him at a good pace. The poor thing was clearly out of breath as his chest heaved and a wet sheen shone on his scaled flank.

“My... haaah... Lord Prince...!” The new arrival came to a sudden abrupt halt upon being noticed and pulled himself into a quick, somewhat exhausted bow before continuing. “Your... presence is... required... at the--”

“Calm yourself, Sai... Take a breath,” the Prince offered, his expression clearly concerned as he was forced to attend to the smaller servant and allowing the young quilin to breath a moment before continuing. “Now, what is it?”

“Sire,” the smaller quilin began again, still breathing heavily, but now better able to speak. “The Crown and Warrior Princes have arrived at the Spire. They are demanding an immediate audience!”

This news was clearly not of a pleasant sort as Kir’s expression soured.

“Is... something wrong, Kir?” Rarity asked hesitantly.

The fact that the servant turned to face Rarity with such speed and force that he might as well have broken his neck was not lost on the Doctor as he observed the situation, taking note of the quilin's aghast expression.

“No, nothing to be concerned about, Rarity,” Prince Kir told her, shaking his head as he gave a small sigh. “It should be no surprise that word of your arrival has already reached the ears of my fellow Princes. I merely need to allay their fears and assure them that your arrival is not cause for alarm.”

“Of course, I completely understand,” Rarity nodded. “We are rather unexpected. Perhaps I could--”

“No, it’s alright,” Kir shook his head again. “I am sure they will be delighted to meet you at the welcoming celebration, but first I need to address them in a more formal manner. Sai!” Kir called out with a greater degree of authority, which caused the smaller, subservient quilin to snap to attention. “These three travelers are here as my personal guests and need to be made ready for the Dim Cycle’s banquet.”

“Y-yes, Your Majesty,” the quilin offered. “Of course. I shall fetch the proper attendants at once.”

Kir nodded to the small quilin, who again bowed low as he took his leave, before the Prince turned with a more apologetic expression to Rarity while Twilight looked to the Doctor, her own eyes suspicious.

“How did you know about the other Princes?” the unicorn asked, keeping her tone low and amazed at the timing of the interruption.

“I didn’t,” the Time Pony confided in his friend as they moved a few steps back towards the glass, looking down into the lab with the assorted crystal vats. “But you could tell from the way that one was running that something urgent had happened.”

Twilight couldn’t discount that fact now that she considered it, but the simple deduction did little to calm her in the face of the revelation that she had only recently managed to obtain... with a little help.

“About those crystals... Are you sure there’s really a connection with Zebrica?” she asked in a low tone.

“Almost positive,” the Doctor responded at a similar volume, his voice deadly serious in contrast to his jovial behavior in front of the noble.

“Does this mean that the Quilin...?” she found herself breaking off, realizing how foalish the idea sounded.

“I don’t see how.”

“How can you be so sure then? I mean, it could be just a coincidence, right? Maybe whoever did do it just used something similar.”

“Twilight... After all my years of travelling through time and space, not once have I come across anything I would call ‘coincidence.’ Not with something this big; this important.”

Without warning, the Doctor flicked his hoof, extending his sonic screwdriver outwards before looking contemplatively between it and one of the vats in the room below. Then he glanced back at Twilight through the corner of his eye, as if leaving to her the decision to banish her own doubt.

Twilight hesitated for just a moment before her eyes narrowed. She had to know for certain.

“Do it.”

The Doctor set his hoof to the transparent barrier.

*whiiiIIIRRRRRRiiiIIIIRRRRRR*

The reaction was instantaneous. Pandemonium broke out among the coated scientist quilin as several of the vats suddenly burst open, the crystals shattering and breaking apart as if they were naught but icicles suddenly thrown against a wall.

Twilight’s ears flattened against her head as something she would have considered impossible an hour ago was confirmed with a single note that reverberated through the floor and up her spine even as the sound was literally crystal clear.

B-Flat.

================

-The Halls of Azure-
-Banquet Chamber-

“Oooooh! Hi, Moth!” came an enthusiastic, squeaky voice that grated on the last frayed nerve of the Master of the Halls, causing him to cringe.

However, the sudden appearance of the voice’s owner barely fazed the steel-grey quilin that stood at Moth’s side, himself just as tall as the disgruntled banquet organizer. His task now complete and having no interest in the bright pink alien and her accompanying sai that had been grudgingly allowed back into the Azure Halls, the representative of the Arbiter Prince swiftly made his exit from the room.

To say that the Lord of the Azure Halls was in a foul mood would have been a gross understatement. After having to deal with the attentions of a Warrior intent on burning the blue box to cinders (along with the Azure Halls and everylin inside) and a Keeper who had claimed that the very existence of the blue box and the alien equines had to be concealed and hidden away (along with everylin whom had come into contact with them) he was quite well beyond emotionally and mentally exhausted. Had it not been for the Guard, a quilin sworn to be the cold, steely voice of reason and judgement, taking his side and declaring that neither the Crown Prince nor the Warrior Prince had any authority on the matter, the Master of the Halls feared the situation could have escalated beyond any semblance of control.

So the last thing he wanted to deal with in this instant was the small, bouncy pink creature that clearly had no concept of “personal space.”

Unfortunately, as she all but leap up onto him in an almost suffocating embrace, it was all he could do not to shove her away.

“I’m so happy to see you again! I mean, I know we got off on a bit of a tricky hoof, but I was just so excited! Weren’t you excited? Well, with the whole aliens thing and all that, of course you were excited. Who wouldn’t be? So who’s your friend with the grumpy frowny face? What have you been up to since we left? Did you miss me, Moth?”

“Moth” took a deep breath, attempting to control his temper as he was sure an outrage-induced rant directed towards any of these new guests of not only his own liege, but the Lord Prince as well, would reflect very poorly upon his station.

“Lady Pie... if you would kindly refrain from that... word...” the quilin managed through clenched teeth.

“It’s called an acronym. You know, first letter of every word makes a short snappy thing to say? And it fits, too. I mean, don’t you get tired of being called ‘Master of the blah-blah-blah’ all of the time?” The pink pony, to her credit, released him from the hug, but seemed completely oblivious to his barely restrained ire.

Fearing what might come to pass should he continue conversing with the alien mare, Moth shook his head and turned his attention towards the smug sai that was smirking a short distance away, preparing to have a word with him before the mare began to speak again without any warning.

“Oh! Hold on, Moth! I had some ideas for the big welcome party that I just know you’re going to love! I was thinking we could build a theme around--”

Moth turned to her with horror in his eyes.

“‘Welcome... party’?”

“Ya-huh!” the pink pony grinned widely. “Kir said it was a great idea! After all, it’s not everyday that a pony shows up, right? Well, I guess it’s an everyday thing for me but that’s because where I come from everypony is a pony. But really for you quilins it’s a big deal! You know, I think this is the first time I’ve ever had a hoof in throwing a welcome party for myself! You know what this calls for? BALLOONS! I need to get some!”

Moth’s eye twitched for a moment as the party mare bounced away in an impossible fashion, her legs springing up under her and launching her body into an arc that should have shattered her knees upon landing as she moved towards the aliens’ craft.

In the short time that the object had been dropped onto him, it had been an annoyance. Even ignoring the initial damage, it had ruined the otherwise perfectly symmetrical nature of the banquet hall and created an obstruction that was going to inevitably be noticed as it was simply too large to be covered up. He had tried hauling it away. He had tried having multiple sai attempt to push the doorway open so they might get at the controls to maneuver it. In one particularly silly moment of desperation, he had actually verbally pleaded and then demanded the box to move, all to no avail.

So, as the pink pony bounced up to the door, rapped a hoof against it twice, and then pushed one door inward casually as if it required no effort at all before slipping in, preventing the Master of the Halls from seeing inside, the final straw broke.

“Be right back! I think you’re going to love this!” Pinkie offered before ducking her head inside the box and closing the door behind her.

Moth did not wait, turning on the silver sai, who had been directing his associates from the Science Spire.

“ENOUGH! I am going directly to my liege to inform him on this matter before he hears it from somelin else! As for you... the Guards may have granted you passage and authority regarding the aliens, but I will not be held responsible for whatever travesty that creature is thinking of inflicting upon my halls, or the Jester Prince’s guests!” Moth snapped at the lesser being, agitation filtering though every word. “And the way I see it, as these aliens fall under your master’s authority, that makes this fiasco your problem now, Sai!”

Silver looked up to the Master of the Halls with an appraising look.

“You are giving me authority over your halls?” the sai attache asked, wanting to make absolutely sure of the situation. “You expect me to do your job for you?”

The Master of the Halls smirked.

“In regards to this sudden and unexpected ‘celebration,’ yes. I have been given no such directive by the Jester Prince and as far as I am concerned, your master is intruding on my authority by imposing this upon us. So by all means, you can have it! And I should warn you: In spite of his reputation, my liege is notoriously picky and will be paying close attention to how it turns out. It’s a responsibility to be certain, so enjoy it while you can, Sai.”

Moth nearly bowled Silver over as he surged forward, knowing full well the weight suddenly thrown onto the small quilin’s back as he moved to the exit before anything else conspired to keep him there. He departed just in time to miss taking note of the pony pulling herself out from behind the blue door of the box, unsteadily shuffling on two hind legs as several large packages remained perched precariously in her front ones.

Looking to her, Silver found himself sincerely hoping that the mare’s hyperactive babbling and boasting about her reputation as an “event planner” were not baseless.

If this went poorly, her naming him would be the least of his worries.

================

-The Science Spire-

-Grooming Chambers-

“Oh my... Ooohhh my...” Rarity trailed off, her eyes wide as she stood in shock. at what lay before her.

Then, a smile spread across her face as she pulled a long, golden colored dress out from the rack presented to the two unicorns, the dimensions clearly intended for a pony similar to the Lord Prince’s size and form, but its fabric and design an inspiration in the fashionista's eyes.

“This is fabulous! What do you think? Spun gold? I think this is pure gold thread! And yet, so light a breezy.”

“Rarity! Are you listening to a word I’m saying!?” Twilight snapped, even if she had to admit the “dress” (although it looked nothing like a traditional Equestrian style dress) was nice to look at, she was sure the intricacies of what she and the Doctor had discovered took precedence.

“Yes, of course Twilight. Hanging on every word,” Rarity stated, although her dreamy and dismissive tone make the lavender unicorn certain that she really meant the opposite of what she said.

It had been perhaps an hour, maybe a little less, since they had been separated from Prince Kir and then the Doctor as well, the attendant that had been summoned to “make them ready” for the banquet insisting it was inappropriate for males and females to be dressed in the same room.

Of course, that same attendant had nervously admitted some trepidation to the fact that both Twilight and Rarity were utterly unadorned. This led to Twilight having to explain to the alien that their fur acted as a socially acceptable level of adornment in regards to modesty, covering their actual skin. It had struck Twilight as somewhat hypocritical since all that their attendant wore was that gold and scarlet stole, but it was hardly her place to criticize her host’s culture. But in spite of her own lacking state of dress, it had not prevented the small quilin from leading them to what looked like a wardrobe fit for a princess, filled with all sorts of designs unlike anything ever before seen in Equestria.

“They had the exact same resonance frequency, Rarity!” Twilight tried to explain, driving home the point she felt she had been trying to make for the past half hour; that things were not all they seemed in this place. Of course, that was made a bit harder as Twilight felt an obligation to hold back a great deal of information seeing as how she did not want to betray Zecora’s confidence in regards to what had transpired during her last trip in the TARDIS.

“And that means... what, exactly?” Rarity inquired.

“Only one thing; that the crystals that were used by those spider monsters I told you about were made here, on Qing.”

“Oh, that’s simply absurd, darling,” Rarity told her friend, shaking her head as she set the golden dress up against her fur. “Does this clash with my mane?”

“Your mane? Oh, for the love of Celestia, FOCUS Rarity!”

“I am listening, Twilight, now you just have to listen to yourself!” Rarity cut the educated unicorn off. “You’re positively frantic over something that makes absolutely no sense. And I think that perhaps, JUST perhaps, you may be getting yourself all worked up over nothing. It has been known to happen, is all I am saying.”

“But I watched the crystals shatter!” Twilight defended herself. “I’m not saying it all makes perfect sense, but the Doctor is right. Something is wrong here! And Kir has to have something to do with it.”

“Don’t be silly, Twilight,” Rarity shook her head, running her hoof over the golden fabric, ideas on how to shorten it to accommodate her height and body length running through her head. “How could somepony like Prince Kir consort with ‘giant spider monsters’?”

“Stranger things have happened,” Twilight proclaimed, drawing a flat look from the white mare that drove the scholar to continue. “Even before we met the Doctor. I’m just saying that we need to confront him about it. Find out what he knows.”

Rarity recoiled as if she had been struck, turning to Twilight with an overly dramatic gasp.

“Oh, for the love of... What is it now?” Twilight rolled her eyes, quite accustomed to her friend’s tendency to play up the moment.

“Twilight! You can’t go around accusing ponies... or quilin... or anyone for that matter... of consorting with spider monsters just because their crystals shatter.”

The white mare paused for a moment, looking up and away as she ran over what she had just said again, as if having to double check the non-linear facts in her statement. Clearly satisfied that she had not misspoken, she continued.

“I refuse to believe that he could possibly be involved in something so diabolical as that.”

Twilight shook her head, more than able to read between the lines to find the source of Rarity’s certainty.

“You have to be kidding me. You trust him implicitly, yet you’ve only known him for, what? An hour?”

“It’s been a little longer than that, I think,” Rarity shrugged, then shook her head as she focused on the matter at hoof. “And since we have arrived, Prince Kir has been nothing but a perfect gentlecolt. He’s cultured, polite, and chivalrous. I mean, perhaps you didn’t notice, but it’s clear that our appearance here on Qing wasn’t met with joy by everypony... I mean, ‘everylin.’ And in any case, I don’t think that he would be capable of--”

“Oh jeez, it’s obvious that you’re falling for him!” Twilight facehoofed, realizing that this may well be a lost cause as she bluntly put her worries out in the open. “Rarity! I thought you were ‘over’ princes.”

“What? I’m not saying he’s a saint just because of his title, Twilight,” the fashionista started defensively, although she quickly leaned towards her friend, her tone going into the offensive. “Or are you saying that, unlike you, I am not allowed to appreciate that maybe, just maybe, colts from outside of Equestria are a little more ‘sophisticated’ than the ones back home?”

“No, I’m saying that--”

Twilight felt herself twitch suddenly as the actual meaning underpinning Rarity’s words impacted her.

“And just what is that supposed to mean?”

“Come now, Twilight. It’s obvious. I mean, the Doctor’s already made it abundantly clear that I’m not the one he’s interested in.”

“UGH! NO! For the last time, NO! We are JUST friends! There is NOTHING going on between me and the Doctor!” Twilight shouted, stomping a hoof.

“‘Me and the Doctor’?” Rarity repeated back to her with a smirk. “Don’t you mean ‘The Doctor and myself’? I must say, a grammatical faux-pas, from you of all ponies, Twilight? I think it’s safe to say that I’ve struck something of a nerve.”

“Confound it, Rarity! Here I am trying to tell you about something monumentally important and you want to pick out dresses and gossip like it’s the Grand Galloping Gala all over again!?” Twilight held her friend’s gaze with an angry expression, before it mellowed out somewhat, and she gave a resigned sigh. “I guess I shouldn’t even be surprised. Some things really don’t ever change.”

There was a tense silence between the two of them as Rarity set aside the gold dress, her eyes stern as her earlier amusement and patience dissipated.

“No, but you have.”

There was another moment of silence as it was Twilight’s turn to recoil.

“...What?”

“Twilight, ever since the Bloom Festival, you’ve been different,” Rarity offered, her tone firm and level. “First you were all withdrawn and secretive, which I can understand... I mean, you had to keep the Doctor a secret, which I know couldn’t have been easy. But even after you shared everything with us, you have been secretive, withdrawn... distant.”

“No I haven’t,” Twilight shot back, her own expression growing harsh. “I’ve spent just as much time with you girls as before. More, even! Maybe my studies have been a little more... unfocused... since we started traveling in the TARDIS, but I always make time!”

“But you’re not really there, are you?” Rarity explained, putting to words observations she had been making for weeks. “You’re always somewhere else, always thinking about the last adventure or planning for the next. At first I was overjoyed. I mean, I had never seen you happier... but that was before Zecora fell ill. Ever since you and Fluttershy came back from whatever you did that day, you just seemed as if you’ve shut down completely; like nothing in Ponyville is important to you anymore.”

“That is not true! Ponyville is everything to me! You girls, my best friends are everything to me! That hasn’t changed in the slightest!” Twilight countered, her voice growing harsher than she’d have cared to admit.

“I don’t know if I can believe that, Twilight. Today is the first time in weeks that I’ve seen you get excited... get passionate about anything. And that ‘thing’ is to be suspicious of Kir? When all he’s done is offered a hoof in friendship and shown us hospitality? When did you become so paranoid?”

“I AM NOT PARANOID!” Twilight found herself gritting her teeth. “The Doctor agrees with me! Something’s wrong! We have to figure out what it is!”

“No, we DON’T Twilight!” Rarity shook her head again, holding her own even as she grew more concerned with Twilight’s behavior. “The quilin are not foals that need us to rescue them. They are an intelligent and cultured species. They don’t need us flipping over rocks and trying to dig for clues. We don’t have the right! This is their home, and we are guests here. If we go snooping around and sticking our noses where they don’t belong, all we will be doing is alienating them.”

“So you think we need to just ignore what’s happening here?”

“And just what is happening here, Twilight?”

The straightforward question took Twilight off guard, causing her to hesitate before she regained her momentum.

“I don’t know... yet. But I’m going to find out what it is before it goes any further. No matter what.”

Twilight turned, moving towards the door that led back to the halls of the Science Spire, her mind now racing as she considered how best to find the Doctor again.

“No matter what? Twilight, since when are you an ‘at any cost’ kind of mare?” Rarity asked.

Twilight’s hooves ground into the floor as she caught herself, her heart suddenly rushing as the simple question struck a raw nerve that Twilight didn’t even know she had.

“I AM NOT!” the incensed unicorn shouted, clenching her teeth as she felt the fur on the back of her neck raise. “You don’t know what you’re talking about! I am NOTHING like her!”

For the first time in their conversation, Rarity took a step back, her ears folding against her head as she watched the other unicorn carefully.

Nothing was said for several long seconds as Twilight’s shout echoed across the walls, finally fading into the ambient silence.

“...Like who, Twilight?” Rarity finally asked, her voice expressing one tiny twinge of a subtle sound that instantly took the surging heat in Twilight’s chest and turned it into ice water. The brittle, tentative sound of a pony suddenly unsure of who exactly she was speaking to.

The sound... of fear.

Taking a few short, sharp breaths, Twilight took a step back, turning away from the fashionista as a regretful pain rushed over her very being.

“I need to find the Doctor,” she stated simply, shifting her weight as she turned, not looking back at Rarity as she left without another word.

Ch. 4: The Opening Act

Ch: 4: The Opening Act

The Science Spire
Antechamber
The Last City of Qing

“So help me Kir, if this is another one of your blasted pranks...” the eldest of the three quilin nobles let the threat hang in the air, his tone as edged as the sharp crystal formations it echoed off of.

“An alien visitation as a prank? Dai, do you truly believe that I would concoct so elaborate a hoax simply to alleviate my own boredom?” the youngest of the three queried, his expression patronizing.

There was no hesitation in the answer.

“YES!”

“Then you’re more foalish than I ever gave you credit for.”

“Why, you insolent little--”

“Dai! That is enough!” another, more even tone silenced his more aggressive compatriot before returning his attention to the youngest of the Nine Princes. “While overzealous in his accusation, the Warrior Prince is not wrong, Kir. Your reign of the Science Spire has hardly inspired trust among your fellow princes.”

The Lord Prince of the Last City glared at his guests, retaining his composure as he endured the shouts and condemnation of the two elder princes.

“I assure you, Shu: I have the situation well in hoof,” Kir objected, maintaining an air of dignity with the full understanding that any sign of weakness before these two would be detrimental to his position. “These travelers are not the barbarians of lore, raving at the gates and threatening to raze our civilization to the ground. They are merely explorers! Clearly an intelligent and cultured people not so different from ourselves. With abilities and technology that may even surpass our own.”

The Crown Prince’s eyes narrowed in a spiteful glare as a tense pause held sway.

“Kir, that is blasphemy.”

“I mean no disrespect, Crown Prince,” Kir withdrew a bit, knowing full well that he had moved into dangerous territory by speaking his thoughts on the matter directly to the ruler of Qing. “What I mean is simply that they are no threat. Even Dai would realize that after conversing with them for more than a few moments.”

Warrior Prince Dai huffed angrily at the thinly-veiled insult.

“This may be one of the most important events to transpire since the founding of the Last City, Shu,” Kir continued. “Imagine what we could learn; the doors that it could open.”

“I agree that this matter could have far-reaching consequences, Kir.” Shu shook his head. “And far more dire ramifications than you realize. Claiming authority in the manner you have is--”

“The only way that this can possibly work!” Kir objected again. “Dai, unsurprisingly, sees them as a foe to be crushed and wants to destroy them. You see a threat to your claims of our species’ absolute superiority and want to cover them up. And I am certain that Pei would want to dissect and study them like the animals in his arboretum!”

The Lord Prince stomped a hoof in frustration.

“I won’t have it! The first visitors to our city, and you would have us behave like the savages in your stories of Ancient Qing! We are better than that!”

“You do not dictate to us! Why, if you were not Lord Prince, Kir…” Dai bared his teeth, a sharp menacing glare in his golden eyes and shining black scales.

“What, Dai?” Kir challenged, attempting to cover up the fact that his heart was racing and hiding the effect the intimidating Warrior Prince was having. “What would you do if I were not?”

The silence held for several heavy seconds, the two Princes holding one another’s golden gaze before finally, Dai turned away, grumbling under his breath as Kir was allowed to relax.

“You do not have the experience or the authority to deal with something of this magnitude, Kir,” the Crown Prince asserted once more, attempting to reinforce his position.

“I notice Wei is not with you,” Kir pointed out, which earned him another snarl from Dai at the mention of his greatest rival: the Arbiter Prince. “I do wonder what he would think of the situation.”

Crown Prince Shu scowled at the upstart Lord Prince.

“I deemed that Wei’s presence was not required. The Grand Magister is preoccupied and--”

“Would undoubtedly rule in my favor,” Kir completed, recognizing the political feint for what it was. “The law is the law and this is an academic endeavor, which falls solely under my jurisdiction. Until such a time as they are deemed a threat to the wellbeing of the Last City, I claim authority. In any event, I fail to see how this is of any concern to you at all, ‘Loremaster.’ At this time, Wu has more claim to authority in the matter than you do.”

The Crown Prince bristled at the insult, but maintained his poise.

“The Jester? What part does that lout play in this?” An uncharacteristic curiosity tinged the Crown Prince’s voice.

“I have sent my attache to the Azure Halls to ‘request’ that this day’s banquet be set to celebrate the arrival of our guests,” Kir explained, which drew him another angry glare from the Warrior Prince. “As I have yet to receive a rebuke, I assume that the request was accepted. I intend to introduce them to the Princes and Mistresses.”

“And where are these ‘pony-creatures’ now?” Dai demanded. “And their ‘magic’ vessel?”

“They are under my authority,” Kir replied curtly, which further inflamed the elder Warrior Prince. “That is all you need to know. If you wish to speak with them, you may do so at the banquet, in the open, in front of everylin of importance, and not a moment before. Now, if that is settled, would you like me to summon an escort? Or can you remember the way out of my spire?”

There was another moment of tense silence, Dai’s jaw quivering at the indignity of Kir’s insult before Crown Prince Shu shook his head, letting out an amused huff.

“You know, your predecessor was not nearly so troublesome, Kir,” he remarked, giving a forced, hollow smile. “Very well. If you wish to walk this treacherous path, then I shall not deny you. But be aware: If I am not satisfied that this ‘alien’ matter is being handled properly by the end of the banquet, then I shall do everything in my authority as the Protector of our City’s Secrets, to rectify the situation.”

Kir huffed as Shu turned away, rolling his eyes at the empty threat as Shu’s black-scaled lackey turned to follow the Crown Prince out of the antechamber.

“I expected this from Dai, Shu… but not from you. What are you so worried about?” Kir called after the Crown Prince before his voice dropped, speaking almost to himself. “It’s not as if we have anything to hide.”

The Crown Prince of Qing said nothing in reply, not even bothering to look back towards the young academic as they left the antechamber. So intent was his aloofness, he took no note of their slightly-distorted reflections in the unassuming crystalline mirror hanging on the wall.

—————

The Science Spire
Grooming Quarters

*rap-tap-tap-tap*

A small tan quilin clipped his sharp hoof patiently against the metal entryway, which had been sealed shut for some time since he had led the alien stallion to these quarters so that he could be groomed and properly prepared for the banquet.

A task that was made much more difficult as the furred alien had barricaded himself within the room upon arrival and had not answered the attendant’s knocks since he had returned with an assorted rack of proper attire for the upcoming social engagement.

Unsure of what else to do, the attendant waited a moment longer before reaching a hoof up and trying to knock for perhaps the dozenth time.

*rap-tap-tap-tap*

“Excuse me,” a pleasant female voice called out to him, causing the sai to recoil and turn, his eyes wide with concern as a furred purple mare approached him. A single pointed spire protruded awkwardly from the center of her forehead rather than a pair of them from her crown, as was natural for any being native to the Last City.

“Milady!” The sai knelt down quickly, still unsure of what to make of the alien creature in front of him and deciding it best to fall back on a safe, tried and true reaction. “Is something amiss? May I be of assistance?”

“Uhhh, no. That’s okay. I don’t want you to... That is, you don’t have to bow or anything,” Twilight Sparkle stammered slightly, drawing a hoof back to rub the back of her head as the sudden subservient display gave her a pang of discomfort. At least it was not as pronounced as that of the last servant she had spoken with, who had all but thrown herself at the unicorn’s hooves begging her pardon for not knowing the answer to her question for certain.

Even the staff of Canterlot Palace were not so blatantly submissive, and they worked under a pair of demi-goddesses.

“I’m just looking for my friend, the Doctor. You know, looks kind of like me, but brown. No horn, hourglass on his flank... One of your coworkers said he was down this way.”

“Yes, of course, milady.” The sai pulled himself up and nodded, relieved by the alien’s casual manner. Moving to one side, he pointed towards the doorway he had been knocking on before explaining.

“I had gone to fetch him something suitable to wear for the banquet. The Lord Prince has made some of the vests from his personal wardrobe available for our guest’s perusal and I wished to see if any of these garments might meet with his approval. But when I came back with the selection, the door was locked and he has not yet answered.”

Twilight nodded, moving towards the door as the quilin reached up, patting his scarlet and gold stole against his neck as if to reassure himself that it was still there. It was an action that Twilight had observed several of the other servants do whenever they seemed unsure or uncomfortable around her.

“I was actually beginning to grow concerned he may have fallen asleep and I might be disturbing him, which certainly was not my intention.”

“I doubt it; he doesn’t sleep very much.” Twilight shook her head, trying not to let her rampant imagination get away from her as various reasons tried to jump to mind as to why he would be unable to open a simple door.

“I’m sure he’s fine. Here, let me try,” she offered before raising her foreleg to rap the front of her hoof against the middle of the metal door.

*rap-tap-tap-tap*

“Doctor?”

No answer.

Twilight’s polite expression dropped with a mix of annoyance and worry as she pulled her foreleg back and struck the white metal full on with the bottom of her hoof at much greater force.

*CLANK-CLANK-CLANK-CLANK*

“DOCTOR! OPEN UP!”

The doorway slid open suddenly, causing the unicorn to have to pull back before she struck out with her hoof again, while a certain spikey-maned stallion poked his head out.

“Well, that sounded rather urgent. Is something the matter, Twilight?”

“Can we talk?” the unicorn asked simply.

“Is this about that book and what you wanted to talk about in the TARDIS earlier?” the stallion deadpanned. “Because this is sort of a bad time for that.”

“No,” Twilight shook her head, sounding sheepish. “Something different.”

“Then of course, come on in.” The Doctor pulled back, motioning for her to come inside.

“Um, sire, if it’s not too much trouble, I have some garments here for--” the sai attendant attempted to get the stallion’s attention, only to receive an appreciative pat between the horns.

“I assure you, that’s quite alright. I don’t tend to dress up too much. What I have on suits me quite well enough,” the stallion redirected the conversation, patting his hoof on the quilin’s crown a few more times before withdrawing it and cutting off the attendant's attempt to speak up with a very unexpected question. “By the way, what is your name?”

“Name? I don’t--”

“No, no wait, let me guess: It’s Sai, right?” The stallion grinned. “Of course it is, and I bet you just love your job, don’t you?”

“I... uhhh...” The sai looked from side to side, quite overwhelmed by the sudden burst of attention and the brown stallion’s lilting manner of speaking. “I don’t...”

“Oh, don’t worry, we’ll talk about that later. Now, how about you just go and take the rest of the day off?”

“Day... off? I...” The quilin shook his head, attempting to focus on his task. “Sire, if I could trouble you to perhaps try one or two of these on so that I could--”

“By the by, do you happen to have the time?” the stallion asked suddenly.

The sai drew back, a confused look on his face.

“Uhhh...”

“How long until the banquet starts, my good quilin?” the Doctor asked again, his pleasant expression dropping. “It’s a reasonable question.”

“The banquet? It will begin at the start of the Dim Cycle, sire.”

“Which will be when, exactly?”

The quilin looked confused again, something Twilight caught from inside the small, comfortable room in which the Doctor had been staying.

“Shortly, sire,” the attendant offered, still uncertain.

“I see.” The Doctor nodded, smiling again. “Thank you, you have been most informative.”

“Of course, milord. Now if I could get you to--”

*Zhink-CLANK*

The white-metal door slid back into place, leaving the sai frazzled and confused.

After standing there, facing the closed door for a few moments longer as he tried to make sense of what had just transpired, the quilin sighed and shook his head, supposing that this was simply natural for the alien ponies.

Moving to the rolling clothes rack to push it away, the sai attendant took no notice of the tiny grey metal disk that been slipped into his wiry mane.

“What was that about?” Twilight asked suspiciously as the Doctor closed the door with a gentle push of his hoof and brought a small crystal block down to lock it in place.

“Testing a theory,” the Doctor stated simply. “So, what do you think, Twilight?”

“About what?”

“All of this. A whole civilization set to ruin by their own attempts to combat the inevitable whims of nature. Managing not just to survive, but to maintain an admittedly advanced lifestyle and thrive in the confines of a great domed city.” The Time Pony grinned. “Why, that sounds downright inspiring doesn’t it? I’m sure every quilin in this city feels just lucky to be alive. And it’s just so beautiful here too, don’t you think?”

Twilight watched the Hourglass Stallion for a moment before speaking up.

“You don’t buy it?”

“Not for a second.” The Doctor shook his head, his expression falling as he took note of Twilight’s uncertain posture. “And it’s bothering you too, isn’t it?”

“No... I mean, yes, I agree. It’s just...” Twilight took a breath, her concerns coming to the forefront of her mind. “Do you think maybe we’re being overly-paranoid about all of this?” she asked, clearly concerned and shuffling slightly on her hooves as she spoke.

“I mean, what if we’re getting ahead of ourselves? Can we really just keep finding problems like this almost everywhere we go? Is that what we do? Or can we just, I don’t know, maybe relax a little and let it go?”

The Doctor watched Twilight’s hesitant expression, her uncertainty and the gnawing doubt, which stung him more than he would care to admit.

“Twilight, what’s wrong?”

The unicorn hesitated, sitting back on her haunches as she looked away.

“I was talking to Rarity, trying to tell her about what we found out about the crystals,” the unicorn confided in the stallion. “She didn’t believe me. But... maybe she’s right, and we’re just looking for trouble where there isn’t any.”

The Doctor gave her a sideways look, still trying to determine how to respond before she continued.

“She said I was being paranoid. That I’ve changed. But she’s wrong, right? I haven’t changed! Everything we’ve done together so far, they were all good things right? I’m not shutting everypony out and being--”

“Twilight. Stop,” the Doctor cut her off, realizing where her train of thought was going. “Stop right there. That never happened and it is never going to happen. That entire chain of events has been completely subverted and can never take place. You did that, remember? You changed it.”

“But what if I...?” Twilight let the question hang, unable to give voice to that terrible possibility.

“You won’t, Twilight.”

“How do you know?”

The Hourglass Stallion offered his friend a tired smile. “Rule number three.”

The unicorn deflated slightly, bowing her head as she swallowed.

“Arguing with you in the TARDIS... Being suspicious of the Quilin right away... Those aren’t things I would have done just a few months ago. I have changed, haven’t I?”

Twilight felt a hoof move under her chin, drawing her eyes up to the understanding expression on the Time Pony’s face.

“Everything changes, Twilight. Believe me, I know that all too well.” From the firmness in his voice, and the intense depth in his eyes, it was painfully obvious to her that he truly did know what he was saying. “But you can’t let your fear of what could be get in the way of what you’re going to be... And I know, from the bottom of my hearts, and I do mean both of them, that you’re going to be absolutely brilliant.”

Taking a few breaths, Twilight let his words sink in. Rarity’s observations still held strong in her mind. But what the Doctor had said, and the plain, sincere way in which he had said it, made her feel that maybe, just maybe, he could be right.

Twilight’s breath caught in her throat as she suddenly realized she had been gazing straight into the stallion’s soft blue eyes. A realization that he seemed to share as the Time Lord and unicorn both turned away from one another.

‘I’ve really got to stop doing that,’ Twilight found herself thinking suddenly, the thought echoing in her mind for a moment as she found herself wondering if he also felt that strange tingling down her spine when he had looked away.

The moment between them was cut short however, as a sudden ringing echoed from the hallways; a sound like hundreds of windchimes caught in a gentle breeze drawing the attention of the two ponies back to their immediate situation.

Then the soft glow of the ambient crystal lights overhead dimmed. The faint blue tint, barely noticeable now that they had gotten used to it, grew stronger and altered to an almost indigo hue as the overall level of illumination dropped.

“What is that? What’s going on?” Twilight asked, grateful for the distraction.

The Doctor’s eyes shifted back and forth, a small amused smile forming on his face.

“I get it... Oh, how literal. ‘Dim Cycle.’” He shook his head before offering a hoof to Twilight. “I do believe it’s party time. Let’s go introduce ourselves to the royalty, shall we?”

Twilight felt a sudden rush; a growing excitement that she found she had been missing over the past few weeks. The Doctor’s smile was proving infectious as she took his hoof and heaved herself up onto all fours again.

“Yes, we shall.”

---------------------------

-The Halls of Azure-
-Banquet Chamber-

The Master of the Halls was frozen in horror as he stood in the great doorway looking out over his domain, the Banquet Chamber. Where the nobility of Qing often gathered to mingle, share stories of what had taken place during the previous Bright Cycle, enjoy one another’s company, and indulge in both the hospitality of the Jester Prince and the finest delectables his compatriot, the Deep Prince, could offer.

But this banquet was to be different. For the first time since he had assumed his duty as Lord of the Azure Palace, the responsibility of setting up the night’s festivities fell to another; and a sai, no less. His prince was less than pleased to hear of this turn of events, given the obvious break in tradition, though it was allowed this time because of the admittedly extraordinary circumstances.

Aliens and magic boxes and conflicts between the first four Crowns of the Last City were most certainly NOT within his purview, and he was glad to have washed his hooves of it all. If he was a more empathetic kind of quilin, the Master of the Halls might have felt sorry for the socialites who would soon show up, expecting their banquet.

For without him, there would be no banquet.

He had not planned to make any appearance this evening, intending to let the insolent sai drown attempting to fulfill his duties and let the Princes figure out what to do with the aliens. Then he could rest during the Dark Cycle and begin rebuilding the reputation of the Azure Halls with that nuisance taken care of.

But that was before he had been hoof-delivered a message by one of his own sai, her stole identifying her as one of the Azure Halls’ couriers.

He had been so shocked upon receiving the message in his personal quarters that he had not even taken the time to chastise his sai, the small quilin mare rushing away with a satchel over her back containing more of the kind of message that she had given to him.

It was so strange, the small missive. Emblazoned upon a thin, flimsy material was an illustration of the blue box, and the pink alien creature standing with one hoof outstretched to meet another hoof belonging to, what he realized after a few moments, was a poorly-illustrated representation of himself... smiling. And between them in the background, a silver sai, which filled the noble’s chest with an angry heat as he recognized the pattern on his stole.

Below the illustration, in a formal script that certainly was too advanced and intelligently written to have been done by whoever had created the illustration, were words. It took him reading it three times to make sense of the verse, almost like a puzzle, before the realization was made.

It was an invitation; formally extending the well-wishing of some noble he had never even heard of, going by the titles of “Pinkamena Diane Pie, Former Sovereign of Party City, Premier Party Planner, Master of the Bakery, Bearer of Laughter and Champion of Equestria” (whatever that meant) to the ruling class and elite of the Last City and inviting them to a banquet unlike anything they had ever seen before.

This was absurd! Banquets required no invitation! In all of his time as Lord of the Azure Palace, he had never utilized them. From the Nine Princes to the lowest of the Sai, everylin knew that the banquet was held in the Halls of Azure come the Dim Cycle. If they had the stature to attend, they would attend.

And the things it spoke of....

Dancing both traditional and modern?

Music never before heard by quilin ears?

Exotic foods from another world?

RSVP not required?

WHAT IN THE NAME OF THE NINE CROWNS DID THAT EVEN MEAN!?

That had been mere moments before the Chimes indicated the end of the Bright Cycle and the beginning of the Dim Cycle, and the sheer implications of what the “invitation” entailed set the noble to running faster than he could remember. Even before the last chime sounded, the Lord of the Azure Palace had already covered a good deal of the distance between his modest private estate adjacent to the Jovial Spire and the Azure Halls.

What he found when he arrived was truly something out of a nightmare.

The Halls were barely recognizable to him, with large round objects he had never before seen floating at different heights overhead in shades of white, gold, and blue. They cast off an odd gleam in the light that somehow exaggerated the illumination, making it appear brighter than normal even with the loss of the Northern Chandelier.

His two long banquet tables had been moved from their usual place, now occupying the Northern Wall to his left, and placed in angles around the object that had become the bane of his existence: The tall blue box. The eyesore that had spitefully crushed two finely-crafted and very difficult to acquire tables was now seated right in the middle of the Halls for all to see. On one side it was flanked by plates of the usual fare; food indeed fit for those in attending. But on the other table stood items unlike anything that the Master of the Halls had ever seen.

A plate of long orange spears with lanky green sprouts coming out of the top unlike anything he had seen before, much less put in his mouth. Behind those sat plates stacked high with small, spongy white triangles packed with colorful, sinewy... things. Taking up most of the table however, were crystal plates piled high with alien things that ranged from small brown, black-spotted circles to a bowl of bright pink fluid with a large spoon sitting in it.

Across from him, facing the stairs along the Eastern Wall, was a hastily-erected platform made of quick-growing crystal under a thin sheet of metal which somewhat resembled a stage. A long piece of fabric was laying down over it at the moment, with multiple sai, both his own and some wearing scarlet and gold stoles, working to run long cables through the edges, clearly preparing to pull the fabric up along the wall. This led to another thing that took the noble completely by surprise: sai still hard at work in spite of the fact that they should have been dismissed with the Chimes.

To his right, against the Southern Wall, a large round table made of a solid brown material had been set, with several of his sai still moving around it and setting out metal goblets.

Goblets reserved for the Princes and their Mistresses.

And among them, four goblets made of the same brown material as the table, each with alien-looking designs etched into them.

“What in the name of--”

“And... heave!” the painfully-pitched voice assaulted the Master of the Hall’s ears, causing him to cringe as he took note of two cables that had been run up the wall. As he watched, they pulled up a large, white fabric banner that was first at eye level, then over his head, drawing his attention up as it covered the traditional carvings of the wall.

“Welcome Emissaries of Equestria”

Below the words, drawn out in large letters using a fine gold ink, was another illustration of the blue box, something that he stared at for a moment before moving forward to look over the banister of the staircase and straight down into the floor. There, over a dozen sai, both his own and those wearing stoles of the Science Spire, pulled on two cables to raise the banner into place, the pink alien mare tying the ends off on a jutting piece of the wall so that it held in place.

“WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!?” the Lord of the Azure Palace shouted, his eyes wide as the full weight of his defiled Banquet Hall finally hit him, overpowering the shock.

“Oh! Hi, Moth!” Pinkie Pie waved up to the quilin happily before giving him a strange look. “I didn’t expect to see you so soon. We’re not quite ready yet, but what the hay. Come on in! Also, just to let you know, I’m pretty sure we pulled that gag in the last episode. Let’s not get stale now; we have to keep up standards!”

“What!?” Moth’s confusion peaked again, mixed with no small amount of sheer outrage. “What are you TALKING about!?”

“The meaning of ‘this.’ You know, it’s a dictionary joke,” Pinkie answered thoughtfully. “You don’t have much of a sense of humor do you?”

The Master of the Halls moved quickly as the pink mare was talking, rushing down the steps with a fervor as heat rushed to his face.

“What have you done to my Halls!?”

“I know, it’s kinda bare bones right now, but that’s just because it was so short notice.” Pinkie grinned, turning to look over her shoulder to the banner. “I gotta say though, your little sai friends here have been great! I never would have gotten this done in time all by myself!”

Moth turned his head to the side, glaring at his caterers, many of whom cringed under his fuming gaze.

“Good work, guys! Cookie for everylin!” the pink pony offered enthusiastically, presenting a plate of the small brown wheels to his sai.

In an instant, the sai seemed to forget their fear and rushed forward enthusiastically, practically attacking the tray presented by the taller pink pony, who giggled after a moment before pulling it away completely bare.

The Master of the Halls watched in a mix of shock and disgust as his workers indulged in the alien food, clearly savoring the soft, almost gooey circles, some leaving black smudges of an almost oil-like sludge on their lips.

…Repulsive...

“Lady Pinkie, the nobles and the princes should be arriving any moment.” Another, very familiar looking sai moved up past the Master of the Halls, drawing the pink mare’s attention away from the sight of watching the small quilin devour the alien delicacies. A sight which she was clearly (for some reason that escaped Moth completely) enjoying.

“Hold it! I’m not ready yet! I gotta go get changed. Okay, Sil...aaaaaiii...” the pink alien inexplicably stretched out the sound as she shot a glance towards Moth, who returned it with a questioning look as she continued. “Just remember what I told you.”

“You will find we are very good at following instruction, milady,” Silver nodded with a smile as the pink mare darted away towards the blue box, again slipping inside too quickly for Moth to look in after her.

As soon as the door closed shut, the Master of the Halls instead decided to bear down on the silver-colored nuisance.

“How DARE you!”

“As I recall, you gave me authority over your Halls. I am merely performing the work that was required of me,” the sai countered in a determinedly polite tone, his golden eyes glaring back as the minor noble attempted to use his size as an intimidation factor.

To Silver’s credit, he resisted the nervous need to pat his stole.

“Although, I am quite obviously inexperienced compared to you. I improvised and did what I could with what I had available to me. With some guidance from the guest of honor, of course.”

“You spit on the traditions of the Banquet! Disrupt my tried and true methods! Place this bizarre, foreign ‘food’ out for the nobility to choke on! Insult the Princes by seating the aliens amongst them! And worst of all: You have the audacity to allow SAI to remain in my Halls after the Bright Cycle has passed!”

“They are not attending, if that is what you fear, sire,” Silver explained flatly. “They are only here to serve.”

“But it’s the Dim Cycle! Your kind can’t get out of the doors fast enough when that happens! Why would they stay!?”

The Lord Prince’s attache smiled, an action that carried enough smugness to nearly cause the Master of the Halls to reach back and strike out at him.

“Lady Pinkie has proven to have quite powerful methods of motivation.”

Moth snarled in his throat before huffing angrily.

“No! I will NOT allow this... this... travesty! You will take your sai and the alien back to your master’s spire and NEVER set hoof in my Halls again! This banquet is canceled! I will not let this come to pass!”

Silver looked up towards the Master of the Halls for a moment before his eyes darted up a bit higher, a smug expression returning to his snout.

“I would think... you are far too late for that.”

“Why you little...” Moth brought up a sharpened hoof in a threatening motion...

“SANG!”

...and froze in place. His eyes widened with horror as a booming voice echoed his true name across the Halls, causing all of the sai present to take a step back and bow forward towards the staircase submissively.

“What’s all this then?” the boisterous, normally jovial tone asked, drawing closer as heavy metal cuffs could be heard clicking down the steps and into the Banquet Hall itself.
There was a definite degree of disappointment in his words.

For the Master of the Halls, it truly was too late.

The Jester Prince had arrived.

The Banquet had officially begun.

------------------------------
The Science Spire
Antechamber

“Lady Rarity apologizes for the inconvenience, but requests a bit longer for preparation, milord,” the female sai attendant informed her prince, bowing her head respectfully as she relayed the message given to her by their alien guest.

The Lord Prince, who had been waiting in his antechamber with Twilight and the Doctor for some time since the Dim Cycle had begun, gave a soft, but understanding sigh as he considered the message.

“Then I suppose we shall simply have to wait a bit longer.” Kir nodded patiently, dismissing the servant as he turned his attention back towards the two guests who had been waiting alongside him.

“Is she still preening?” Twilight let out a soft groan, rolling her eyes. “I swear, that pony is worse than a peacock. If I had known she was going to take this long I would have gone back to actually pick out a dress.”

“Well, we apparently do have the time if you would like to return to the grooming chambers and select one, Lady Twilight,” Kir offered with a warm smile.

“No thank you, Your Majesty,” the unicorn shook her head, amazed at how casually the title rolled off her tongue. Perhaps it was because she had not grown up idolizing Kir as she had with Princess Celestia that let her do so, or that she was losing some of the deference to aristocratic authority that most citizens of Equestria maintained. ”Most of what was available was too extravagant for my tastes in any case. I hope that’s not going to be a problem for the other members of the nobility at the banquet.”

“Oh no, of course not. Lady Rarity explained much to me of your kind’s culture during your tour and we share many similarities, our stance on clothing among them,” Kir assured the unicorn. “I myself rarely wear more than a vest. And I don’t believe the Primal Prince has ever worn so much as a sock in his entire life.”

“Well, I guess some ponies can just pull off the ‘au natural’ look. Now me, I am downright useless without some practical apparel. Pockets, for example, are an absolute necessity in my experience,” the Doctor commented, an amused smirk on his face before his tone dropped with a hint of concern. “Although at this rate, the banquet may very well be over before we manage more than ten meters past the door,” he noted, tapping and occasionally grinding a hind hoof impatiently against the cool metal floor.

“I very much doubt it. After all, you are the guests of honor. And I am certain that my fellow Princes will be most eager to meet with you,” Kir expressed to the two ponies, though he didn’t sound too convinced of the latter statement. “Yet... I am surprised that my attache has not returned with your friend. It is not like him to dally.”

Twilight tried to hide a slight chuckle, imagining what sort of antics the pink mare might be getting up to, but she evidently failed to do so as she drew Kir’s golden gaze.

“Is something amusing, Lady Twilight?” Kir asked, his expression slightly confused.

“Oh, it’s nothing, just… well, Pinkie can be a little ‘difficult’ to manage,” Twilight tried to explain. “She means well, but if I had to guess, she’s probably driving poor Moth crazy with party plans and trying to explain ‘Pin the Tail on the Pony.’”

Kir’s expression shifted, a hint of confusion in his voice. “Moth?”

“That’s what Pinkie called him. You know, short for Master of the Halls.” Twilight elaborated. “He was the quilin noble that we first met when we crashed.”

“I see...” The Lord Prince hesitated for a moment, as if digesting what he had been told before he responded in a serious tone. “I believe I understand why they have not returned, then. That is something I should have considered given how quickly you were willing to share yours.”

Twilight’s amusement faded a bit at the gravity of the quilin’s tone.

“Wait, did we... do something wrong?”

“It is nothing to be overly concerned about, but I am afraid a minor cultural faux-pas may have occurred. One that I had not considered in my excitement,” Lord Prince Kir attempted to explain, bringing a hoof to his chest. “You see, quilin names are a deeply personal affair, not something to be given out and used lightly. In many ways, our names define who and what we are, and as such, they are shared only with those we trust absolutely. Those that we consider our friends or equals. For others, such as acquaintances and those who serve under us, we are referred to by our titles; as I am most commonly referred to as Lord Prince or Scientist Supreme. For somelin to use a personal name without invitation is considered akin to declaring authority over an individual, which is quite offensive to minor nobles such as the Master of the Halls.”

“Wait, so what you’re saying is that telling me your name and letting us call you Kir...?”

“Was intended to be a gesture of friendship and trust. I had not realized that perhaps for ponies it would not be the case,” Kir confirmed. “Aside from yourselves, my station only allows me to be on a true name basis with the other Princes. And I’m afraid other nobles will likely prefer that you call them by their titles.”

“Okay, so… ummm, what would it mean to a quilin if Pinkie were to ‘give’ them a name and start calling them by it?” Twilight asked, her demeanor now more serious and worry gnawing at her as she realized just what a complex situation the Lord Prince had revealed to her.

“For all intents and purposes, it would indicate that she is superior in some way to the quilin in question. Which would be…”

“Insulting,” Twilight finished, biting her lower lip as she remembered Sai’s amused reaction to Pinkie’s nickname for the larger noble.

“Indeed. However, thankfully, the Master of the Halls has very little in the way of formal authority, and I trust my attache can defuse the situation. I shall personally attend to the matter and explain the misunderstanding upon our arrival,” Kir reassured Twilight. “It is nothing to worry about.”

“Worried?” Twilight forced a smile, a bit of fray showing in her mane as she tried to push the sudden image of Pinkie Pie locked away forever in a quilin dungeon. Or worse: Banished to some impossibly distant planet and locked in a dungeon in the place she was banished to. “Who’s worried? I’m not worried.”

*Whiiirrrrr*

Twilight, distracted as she was, barely registered the warbly, familiar sound while Kir’s ears perked, causing him to look about.

“What was th--?”

“My Lord Prince!” a lofty, poised tone suddenly rang out as the doorway from which Kir had made his introduction earlier was opened outward. “Your Lady Rarity has arrived.”

All eyes turned to the mare now standing radiant in the doorway. Her mane perfectly curled in its signature fashion and her coat practically gleaming, a light sprinkle of diamond-dust glitter sparkled against her fur like a fine makeup.

Her outfit was absolutely gorgeous to behold, even for Twilight, who often considered herself blind in terms of fashion sense. An elegant golden wrap of the material that Rarity had pointed out before, it was tucked and folded in a manner that was quite un-Equestrian, leaving her forelegs bare, yet draping over her shoulders, chest, and back to cover her flank. It was obvious that the seamstress had taken some time to alter the dress as well, as the the trailing golden fabric hanging off her otherwise snuggly-held body dangled a few scant inches off of the ground.

“I trust I am not overdressed for the occasion.” Rarity smiled winningly, one hoof reaching up to brush back a loose tassel of her mane.

Twilight watched the mare for another second before taking note of where her attention was directed and followed the white unicorn’s gaze.

Next to her, Kir stood, eyes wide and clearly stunned with his mouth hanging slightly open.

‘Wow, I guess some things cross species barriers well enough,’ Twilight thought to herself as she rolled her eyes.

The Lord Prince recovered quickly with a shake of his head and smiled warmly, nodding to the mare as she approached them.

“Not at all, Lady Rarity,” he assured her. “Good things are certainly worth waiting for.”

A sudden clearing of the throat brought everypony’s (and one quilin’s) attention to the only other occupant in the room, who had gone unnoticed amid Rarity’s entrancing entrance.

“Perhaps, but I think everypony has waited quite long enough, Your Majesty, don’t you?” the Doctor commented, Twilight looking over her shoulder to see him straightening his bow tie. He gave himself an appraising look in the crystal mirror hanging on the wall and ran a hoof back over his spiky mane before he trotted over to the rest of the gathered quadrupeds. “Let’s go make an impression.”

——————

The Golden Roads

Much like the light-giving crystal chandeliers inside the Science Spire, the ambient light radiating down from overhead as the three ponies and quilin prince walked the Golden Roads was a deep indigo shade, giving a familiar distinction to the late dusk hour. The streets that had been empty earlier were now thick with small, short-horned quilin who were moving out of the various spires, milling over the roads in small groups, conversing in a relaxed manner to one another as they went about their business.

There must have been hundreds of them walking along the Golden Roads now... Thousands, even.

And, Twilight noticed, each one wore a colored stole, the tight-knit groups seeming to bear matching sets as they moved along.

Most of this hoof-traffic was going against them, she realized, but the quilin who approached them immediately became quiet, giving the three alien ponies and the quilin prince a wide berth and a respectful bow of the head. And as Twilight checked over her shoulder a few times, she took note of many amazed stares as the Lord Prince passed them by, clearly recognizing the beings flanking either side of the Lord Prince as being unknown and unusual creatures.

Still, aside from the looks, none of the smaller aliens questioned or said a word to the group, merely stepping aside as they moved on.

“I see your assistant wasn’t kidding,” Rarity broke the odd silence, keeping in step to one side of Prince Kir while the other two ponies walked along his opposite flank. Her tone made it clear that she was stunned at seeing so many of the alien quilin whom, until now, she had only encountered in small groups or individually. “The sun goes down and everypon-- er... everylin comes out of hiding.”

“Well, the beginning of the Dim Cycle is the end of the official work day,” Kir explained, his voice soft but maintaining a regal essence as he continued to move forward, offering no acknowledgement to the smaller quilin. “They have earned some time to relax.”

“I am curious, Kir. What is the significance of those dangling scarves they are all wearing?” the Doctor spoke up suddenly, his expression curious.

“Oh, those are Spire Stoles,” Kir answered somewhat off-hoofedly. “They are a symbol of which Spire the wearer works for. The color of the fabric indicates the Spire itself, and the symbols on either end indicate their position within that Spire.”

“I see. So it acts as a form of identification then?” the Doctor queried.

“More or less.”

“We do something like that,” Rarity nodded, drawing attention back to herself. “During Winter Wrap-Up. Ponies are divided into teams based on their abilities and are given special outfits to that effect.” The fashionista tapped her lip thoughtfully for a moment before adding with a smile: “You know what? I could work up something for the four of us along the same lines while we are here; try and indulge in some of the local culture.”

“Rarity, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” the Doctor intervened quickly, his tone drawing Twilight away from a group of morose, exhausted-looking quilin that were passing them by, each wearing black stoles with bright red triangular markings.

“Oh, pish posh, Doctor. We are guests here and you know what they say: ‘When in Roan, do as the Roanans do.’”

“Okay, Rarity,” Twilight spoke up, her tone lined with snark at the comment her friend had made. “Speaking as somepony that has actually been to Roan, I can tell you that you do not want to do as the Roanans do.”

“Why? What do they do?” Kir asked, clearly not catching the meaning of Rarity’s proverb or Twilight’s objection to it.

“Turn to stone, mostly,” the Doctor answered, drawing a confused look from Rarity and an amused snicker from Twilight that she could not suppress. “Long story, but let me tell you: That was one wild party.”

The Doctor suddenly stopped in place, his hooves clicking on the soft metal under them as the two mares and noble quilin managed a few more steps before also pausing to look back to him curiously.

“Speaking of parties...” The stallion grinned, his ears perking and twitching slightly as he made out a faint, yet distinct sound. “Does anypony else hear music?”

----------------------

-The Halls of Azure-
-Party Central-
-*Formally the Banquet Hall*-

“Remarkable! I have not seen so many attending a Banquet in all my time as-- What in the name of the Crowns?” Kir observation was cut short as he gaped, unsure of what was happening in front of him.

“Twilight...” Rarity deadpanned as she moved past the doors leading back into the room where they had first arrived, the two pony mares and the quilin prince unconsciously folding their ears back in order to protect their sensitive hearing.

“Yes, Rarity?” the lavender unicorn answered, her tone equally flat.

“You realize what our mistake here was?”

“We told Pinkie Pie there was a party. And then sent her off to prepare for it without supervision.”

“Spot on,” Rarity confirmed.

The room itself had been completely rearranged, with the music, upbeat and certainly Equestrian in nature, playing from a familiar-looking record player with a large audio-horn attached to belt out the tune as it sat on the stage that had certainly not been present the last time they were there.

Then there was the crowd of the taller quilin, at least a hundred of them standing side by side, mesmerized by what was on the stage. Most of them were physically of the same stature as the Master of the Halls, and while their horns were roughly similar as well, their clean, polished scales were of a wide range of hues that covered the spectrum as much as any group of ponies. Some were heavily-wrapped in regal, elegant garments while more than a few wore nothing at all, which Kir had lead the trio of ponies to expect.

On the stage, not surprisingly at the center of attention, was a dancing, juggling, and singing pink mare wearing...

What... the... hay...?

“Where... in the name of Celestia... did she get that outfit?” Rarity asked through clenched teeth, her voice cracking as it was obvious that the garment in question utterly offended her refined tastes in fashion.

“What’s the matter, you don’t remember packing that either?” The Doctor smirked, clearly amused by the mare’s stage outfit.

“It’s Pinkie Pie, Rarity. You’ve known her longer than I have.” Twilight shook her head, her face in one hoof as she fought back a horrible blush. “You should know better than to ask those kinds of questions.”

“Well, at least it’s better than that awful getup she threw together in Appleloosa,” Rarity sighed in resignation.

The outfit, (or perhaps costume would be more appropriate), was red, black, and white, and clearly fashioned to look ridiculous. In the Doctor’s mind, it harkened back to the harlequin outfits of Earth’s theatrical traditions, often mistaken for the court jesters of the Medieval Age. (A common misconception, as the style of dress had actually come about during the Renaissance). Although he had never seen such an analogue at all during his time on Equis, he supposed such a similarity in cultures was hardly out of the question.

It was certainly in tune with her personality, but the one thing that confused him was why, in place of her own cutie mark, the outfit had a triple diamond design that was actually more reminiscent of Rarity’s.

“Better dance routine too. When did she learn how to use her hind hooves to juggle like that?” Twilight asked.

“I do believe she’s been practicing that for the twins; I hear they simply adore it.” Rarity opined, her eyes dancing around as they followed her friend’s enthusiastic motions. “Glad she found another audience that can appreciate the... Oh, my!”

“Your friend is remarkably... flexible,” Kir offered, watching in astonishment as the performer continued with her routine.

“Ouch. That looked... well, she seems to be fine in any case. Although honestly, I didn’t know ponies could bend that way,” the Doctor remarked.

“We can’t.” Twilight winced, feeling a sympathetic pain running down her spine as she tried to come to grips with what she just witnessed. She was still unable to pull herself away as the song wound down, ending with a stage-show slide on her hind legs, her forelegs in the air with a large smile on her face and her chest heaving a bit from the exertion.

The music ended and silence filled the hall for a few tense seconds, the pink mare’s enormous blue eyes darting around as she held her smile in place, hoping beyond hope that this would not be a repeat of her ill-fated Appleoosa performance.

After all, that song and dance routine ended up starting a war.

After a moment longer, a series of excited cheers filled the air, hooves stomping wildly against the metal floor in a cacophony that could only be the applause of an equine audience.

Pinkie’s smile ceased to be forced as she stood, looking over the audience for a moment before looking up towards the stairs and then waving excitedly towards her friends.

Onto the stage with her rushed out a familiar quilin, his stole and vestment still in place as he moved to the mare’s side and brought a foreleg out as if the audience’s attention could be focused any more on the alien mare.

“My Lords and Ladies!” Silver called out, his voice as strong as any herald as he called over the gathered applause. “Presenting our esteemed guest! The first visitor to ever set hoof within the Dome of the Last City since its founding! Former Sovereign of Party City, Premier Party Planner, Master of the Bakery, Bearer of Laughter and Champion of Equestria, Pinkamina Diane Pie!”

“Wait a minute. Sovereign of what now?” Rarity tilted her head as she whispered, perplexed by the titles while the Doctor and Twilight snickered.

“Oh my Celestia... she’s actually using that?”

“Well, it is technically true, Twilight. She was Queen of Party City for what... a full eighteen hours before we dragged her out of there on a stretcher?”

“AND ABOVE ALL!” a deep, booming voice quieted the crowd, drawing attention to a figure that had been hidden towards the back of the stairs.

He was as tall as Kir and at least twice as wide, a broadly-built quilin with three sets of short white whiskers that ran down either side of his snout. His bright blue scales were polished to a gleaming shine as he smoothed a hoof back over his long, curved horns.
Around his neck, he wore an impossibly bright orange scarf that trailed down his back almost like a split cape, the clashing color causing Rarity to wobble on her hooves on the verge of collapsing.

“Kir? Who is that?” the Doctor asked quietly.

“The Jester Prince, the Lord Entertainer,” the Lord Prince explained, also keeping his voice low. “Seventh Crown of the Last City. He rules over all social events and all of our forms of cultural and artistic expression.”

“Oh, great... a critic. That’s just what Pinkie needs,” Twilight muttered in a low, worried tone, now hoping that her friend’s stunts had managed to impress more than just the assembled lesser nobles.

“That was, without ANY doubt, the finest performance I have EVER seen!” the large quilin boomed with such volume that, when coupled with the acoustics of the room, could have easily been mistaken for the Royal Canterlot Voice. “You are MOST welcome to our city, Lady Pinkamina!”

“Thanks, Prince Wu!” Pinkie bowed her head respectfully, the simple acknowledgement drawing a small gasp from some in the crowd, more than a few sets of eyes shifting to watch the Prince’s reaction.

That reaction being the Prince grinning a grin that nearly outshone Pinkie’s as he let out a soulful belly laugh that spoke of good cheer; a rolling laughter that the lower noble quilin were soon sharing.

“And on behalf of my fellow ponies and our good friend, Prince Kir...” Pinkie brought a hoof up to gesture towards the three equines and quilin on the staircase looking down over the crowd. “I hope to make tonight a night that nolin will ever forget!”

“Oh good. And here I thought this was going to be awkward,” the Doctor managed, smiling as every golden eye looked up towards them. A cheer went up among the crowd as the other ponies nodded, their reactions varied as they were shoved into the spotlight.

Pinkie had won the approval of the gathered nobility and yet another Prince.

Two down, seven to go.

It was time to meet the rest of the Nine Crowns.

Ch. 5: Food, Fun, and Games of Intrigue

Ch: 5: Food, Fun, and Games of Intrigue

The Azure Halls
The Last City of Qing

The Banquet of the Azure Halls had been an institution and staple of quilin culture for as long as the Last City had stood. It was considered by most to be a muted, formal affair, with the elite of Qing allowed a moment to enjoy one another’s company; with many making an appearance for the sake of making an appearance and taking the time to catch up on the latest gossip from outside each noble’s respective sphere of influence.

Every member of Qing’s ruling class knew what to expect of a Banquet. Or so they had thought.

That is, before the night that a pink-furred creature from outer space changed everything.

————————

Twilight Sparkle felt an oddly familiar soreness in her right foreleg as she moved down the gilded stairs, staying just a step behind Prince Kir with the Doctor and Rarity on either side of her. Their pace was deliberately slow, set by the Lord Prince as they walked down the stairs in a manner that allowed everylin in the room to get a good, long look at them.

Twilight cringed inwardly, feeling the gaze of hundreds of sets of golden alien eyes on her, the overpowering hint of expectation behind them making the unicorn feel immensely uncomfortable and triggering a sudden ache in her shoulder. It was a purely pavlovian reaction, she had come to realize; a remembrance of the night of the Grand Galloping Gala when she had spent most of the event at the Princess’ side, shaking the hooves of what must have been every stuffy upper-class pony in Canterlot until her leg felt ready to fall off.

She dearly hoped that this evening would at least not end on the same note as that one.

“Oh, come now, Twilight. No need to be so stiff, darling,” Rarity offered in a quiet whisper, grinning warmly as she lifted one hoof in a wave, having taken note of the unicorn’s concerned expression while the Doctor looked over the room. “You could at least smile for them. Enjoy it.”

Oh, right, Twilight thought bitterly. The key to any grand public display: keeping up the appearance.

Twilight tried to smile, she really did, but she feared it came across as awkward and forced as she considered their situation.

Despite what some ponies might have thought given her past actions, Twilight had never really felt comfortable in the spotlight. Ironically enough, the idea of being put on a pedestal for others to admire had only ever served to make her feel isolated. Fame had never been an ambition of hers; it was simply a byproduct of the circumstances of her life.

She had always preferred the companionship of those she knew over the admiration of complete strangers.

Of course, it probably didn’t help that these particular strangers were all alien beings whom Twilight was slowly but surely coming to suspect of hiding something dire under their cultured, scaled exteriors.

Finally, (yet still not soon enough for Twilight’s own liking), the quartet neared the bottom of the staircase, the crowd’s silent watch breaking off almost in unison as the gathered quilin began to talk excitedly amongst themselves.

Gee, I wonder what they are all talking about this evening... Twilight couldn’t help but roll her eyes a little at the thought.

“Kir!”

The unicorn’s attention was snapped up in an instant by a voice that seemed to overpower the din of conversation around them, nearly causing her to jump.

It took no time at all to identify the source of that voice as “Prince Wu” trotted briskly towards the new arrivals, the lesser quilin nobles practically leaping out of his path as he did so.

The Lord Prince, to his credit, didn’t seem at all put off by the approach and was clearly accustomed to the boisterous elder prince, simply nodding as a small smile formed on his own muzzle.

“Hello, Wu,” the silver-scaled quilin prince greeted the larger quilin casually. “I see you’ve already met one of our new friends.”

“HA! That I have, my colt... That I have.” The blue-scaled quilin shook his head in amusement. “And here I thought Sang had fallen ill or else gone mad when he came to me with talk of magic boxes and aliens.”

“Silly Wu! It's not magic, it's science!” A new, more whimsical tone broke in as Pinkie Pie, still in costume, bounced past a group of amazed nobles and into the wide circle they had given to the newcomers.

Ducking through the crowd in Pinkie’s wake, the diminutive form of a quilin wearing a familiar gold and scarlet stole made its way towards the group, coming to a stop in front of his liege.

“I apologize for my prolonged absence, my Lord Prince.” Silver bowed his head respectfully towards Kir when he had come into easy speaking distance, before explaining himself. “Circumstances dictated I assist her Ladyship Pie with the preparations when the Master of the Halls declined the responsibility.”

“No apology is required, Sai.” Kir smiled, nodding to his attache. “You have done well.”

“Very well, my little Sai! You’ve certainly done much to make this place more lively! In fact...” Wu smirked as he nudged the smaller Lord Prince in the shoulder affectionately. “I might just take him off your hooves, if you’re interested, Kir.”

Twilight, who had been watching the exchange quietly, suddenly found herself taking acute note of a change in the demeanor of the Lord Prince’s attache at this simple statement. The way his ears fell back, the sudden cringe that he quickly tried to cover up, his hoof lifting ever so slightly in the direction of his stole before he made a conscious effort to return it to the floor.

And there was something else, barely contained behind his eyes. Something she’d come to recognize quite easily since she started traveling with the Doctor.

It was a trace of fear.

Then it was gone.

Twilight blinked, feeling a sudden, dizzying head rush as if she had been holding her breath. It lasted for only a split second before the servant regained his composure, but Twilight felt like it had all occurred in slow motion, allowing her to take in every detail.

“I don’t believe that will be necessary.” Kir shook his head. “In any case, I believe introductions are long since due, wouldn’t you agree?”

“OH! OH! Let me!” Pinkie bounced up and down a few times, accompanied by her typical “poinging” sound as she pushed of the ground and then rushed forward, causing Kir to have to step quickly out of the way.

“Oh, yea Jester Prince Wu: Heart of Society, Joy of Qing, and Connoisseur Extraordinaire!” Pinkie settled into a declarative, almost over the top herald-like voice that she sometimes used when she was trying to act “official.” “I hereby introduce you to: my friends!”

Pinkie darted back almost quicker than the eye could see, putting one foreleg around Rarity while the other motioned to her in a grand, sweeping gesture.

“Behold! The Queen of the Drama, Designer Supreme, Mistress of Fashion, Keeper of Generosity, and my fellow Champion of Equestria: Lady Rarity!”

“Oh, my... Pinkie...” Rarity allowed herself a small laugh, trying not to blush as she leaned into Pinkie Pie. “Stop~ You’re embarrassing me.”

“As you wish, Your Ladyship!” Pinkie replied excitedly, obviously enjoying herself. She then suddenly slid out from underneath Rarity, almost causing her to topple over, before she sidled up right next to Twilight.

Twilight, on the other hoof, couldn’t help but recoil a bit. “Pinkie, I don’t need you to--”

“Behold! The Pride of Celestia, Scholar of Friendship, and the smartest and most powerful pony I’ve ever known! The Element of Magic herself: Lady Twilight Sparkle!”

Twilight blushed profusely as Wu’s eyes fell over her, giving her an appreciative nod that she took to indicate that he was impressed by the titles which Pinkie seemed to have made up for her on the spot.

“Pinkie, you really shouldn’t-- WHOA!” Twilight had to steady herself as Pinkie moved away again, jostling her ever so slightly before she went past her to stand beside the brown stallion next in line, who seemed half-amused, half-concerned as she threw out both of her forelegs to present him.

“Aaaaaaaaand...” Pinkie took a deep breath, then fell back to all four hooves as she released it, her tone far less aggrandizing than before. “...the Doctor.”

Wu and Kir’s expressions both fell, surprised by the sudden casualness that had taken the place of Pinkie’s impressive introductions.

“Yes?” Wu asked, partly intrigued as he encouraged Pinkie to continue.

“Just... the Doctor.” Pinkie nodded again to the stallion, who shrugged submissively before the mare turned her attention back towards the white unicorn. “That’s a really nice dress, Rarity! You look all sparkly! Hold on, did the Cake twins dump a tub of glitter on you, too? Don’t worry, I know exactly how to get it out of your fur! I just need a scrub-brush, a jar of mayonnaise, and a rubber ducky!”

“Pinkieeeee...” Rarity facehoofed with an embarrassed blush, Twilight watching the two for a moment with a smile before her ears perked up, listening more to the conversation developing behind her rather than her friends’ bantering.

As Lord Kir moved to the side, his head lowered as his attache spoke with him in a low tone, the Doctor strolled by with a confident, almost laid back expression towards the much larger Jester Prince.

“Well, it is certainly a genuine honor to meet you, Your Highness.” The Doctor bowed slightly to the royal. “I am most definitely looking forward to being introduced to your fellows as well.”

“You shall not be disappointed, then, fair Doctor. I expect most of them to attend, as they always do. And to show up late... as they always do,” Wu added with a hint of weariness, shaking his head at his little joke. “By all means, enjoy yourselves! Partake in the scenery of my glorious halls as well as all the Banquet has to offer. By far, this may be the best one of my reign of the Culture Spire.”

“And how long has that been?” the Doctor asked casually.

There was a pause. One that caused Twilight to turn away from her friends, who were still speaking of diamond dust glitter and the proper methods of its removal, and cast her gaze towards the Jester Prince.

He seemed... confused by the simple question for a moment, until he managed to shrug it off with a bemused smile.

“Most of my life,” he answered with conviction.

For whatever reason, something about the two stallions’ exchange brought an unpleasant sense of foreboding to Twilight’s mind. Feeling something was amiss, yet sadly unable to pin it down exactly, she got the sense that this party was going to be anything but carefree.

And the night had only just begun.

————————

It took some time to drag her away from her adoring quilin fans, but after a while, Twilight had finally managed to pull Pinkie aside, walking along with her to the table spread with plates and bowls set out atop satiny white tablecloths that fell all the way to the floor. It had all been set up along the wall near the TARDIS, which was apparently being treated as something of an art piece by the banquet’s guests.

“This is so great!” Pinkie all but shook with her excitement, clearly appreciating the scene around them; the tall, horned nobles of Qing still talking animatedly and obviously enjoying themselves. “There’s nothing like a good old-fashioned welcoming party to get everypony in a friendly mood.”

“Sure, Pinkie.” Twilight nodded, trying to inject a bit of optimism into her voice as they moved up to the table. “Whatever you say.”

The unicorn wasn’t sure why, but seeing the spread Pinkie had laid out for the guests caused her stomach to grumble as a sudden and unexpected hunger seized her. She approached the table and immediately levitated a large metallic plate off of one end of it with her horn. This simple action caused a nearby noble to gasp in awe as he watched the mares from a distance, which Twilight tried to ignore as she remembered that magic was also a foreign concept to the natives of Qing.

“Awwwww, somepony sounds like she’s got a case of the grumpies.” Pinkie’s upbeat voice dipped slightly as Twilight moved along the table.

“It’s not that, Pinkie. It’s just… Well, you know how awkward I get around new ponies and…” Twilight stopped mid-sentence as she picked up a ladle and dipped it into a large bowl of bright red punch.

At least, she assumed it was punch. Until she realized that the ladle was experiencing an unusual amount of resistance to her magic pushing down on it.

Turning away from her friend for the first time, Twilight lifted the ladle and poured out what she had scooped, her eyes widening by degrees as she saw a cascade of hundreds of tiny, sparkling gemstones tumble back into the bowl with a hard patter.

“Jewels?” Twilight took a moment to look down the table, realization setting in as she took note of the expertly set piles of stones of all shapes and sizes, running the gamut from glittering to a polished shine. Many of which Twilight doubted even existed in Equestria.

“Okaaaay... Maybe we should try to keep Rarity away from this table.” Twilight huffed in amusement before a thought occurred to her. “Wait, why are there crystals at the food table in the first place...? Are the Quilin crystavores, or something?”

“Nope, they just like to eat shiny rocks,” Pinkie explained with a shrug.

“That’s what crystavore means, Pinkie.”

“Oh! Then yep, just like Spike!” Pinkie confirmed before pointing a hoof over to the adjacent table, which was still piled high with flower sandwiches, apples, carrots, other kinds of plants, and slightly steaming chocolate chip cookies (which appeared to be the only foreign item present that the guests had partaken of at all). “I put our food over there for them to try and for us to munch on. They don’t seem to like fruits and veggies all that much… but oh, boy do they like cookies!”

Twilight shook her head. “Pinkie, I don’t know if this is really a safe thing to do.”

“Why not? Dragons can eat gems and pony food just fine,” Pinkie pointed out.

“Yeah, that’s true. But we don’t know enough about Quilin physiology to assume--”

“You worry too much, Twilight,” a familiar voice interrupted the two mares as the Hourglass Stallion moved past Twilight, snagging the plate out of her magical grip with his teeth and flipping it up to the top of his head. He teetered back and forth for a moment while he found his balance, but eventually kept the plate still, immensely pleased with himself at the result.

“You don’t think it’s dangerous to feed our new ‘friends’ something that didn’t grow on their planet?” Twilight asked skeptically, feeling only slightly miffed at the Doctor swiping her platter. Her tone became more hushed as her eyes shifted around to make sure nolin overheard her. “It could be poisonous to them for all we know.”

“Twilight... Do you really think a creature that eats rocks for sustenance is going to get sick from eating organic food? Trust me, I wouldn’t have suggested a cross-species party if I thought there was even a remote chance of something like that occurring. At the very worst, it’ll simply pass right through their systems without imparting any nutrients.”

The Doctor grinned smugly before carefully edging a hoof under a sandwich, flipping it up and catching it on his head with little difficulty. “Ho-ho! Did you see that? You know what? I think I’m really getting the hang of this ‘no hands’ thing. Fantastic-looking spread by the way, Pinkie. Oh, and that performance; absolutely amazing! I had no idea you were a contortionist.”

“I’m not a contortionist.” Pinkie shrugged, the Doctor’s compliment clearly going right over her head. “I’m a baker.”

“That you are, my dear,” the Doctor noted, his plate sufficiently full as he reached a hoof forward to slide a cookie from the top of the sweets tray, biting into it. “But as I was saying, Twilight, you need to stop over-analyzing every little-- Is this a freshly-baked cookie?”

“Yep, baked from scratch!” Pinkie beamed proudly as the Doctor chewed a couple of more times, a look of shock coming over his features. “How else would I get ‘em?”

“You... baked them,” the stallion repeated in disbelief, and at his side, Twilight could anticipate the questions that were surely arranging themselves in his head.

“Doctor... don’t. Trust me, just don’t...” Twilight attempted to warn the Time Pony, but her pleas fell on deaf ears.

“How did you find the time to bake anything? How did you bake it at all? I can't imagine that the Quilin have proper kitchens,” he commented incredulously, before looking around at the other piles of food laid out next to the cookies. “Better question... Where did you even get all of this food from!?”

“Stop it, Doctor! Take it from somepony who knows: Just accept it and move on!” Twilight warned again, knowing all too well what became of those who questioned Pinkie’s idiosyncrasies.

That way lay madness... and pianos getting dropped on one’s head.

“From the TARDIS,” Pinkie, being her usual, oblivious self, informed the stallion without any hesitation.

“Pinkie, you’re tempting... Stop tempting!” Twilight attempted to cut in, but was ultimately unable to keep the ball from rolling.

“But... I locked the TARDIS... How did you...?”

“I knocked, and she let me in.”

Twilight let out a short sigh, shaking her head as the Doctor’s eye and ear twitched at the party pony’s simple declaration.

“I’m just gonna take that off your hooves.” Twilight’s horn glowed, lifting the plate of snacks off of the Doctor’s head as she turned to leave him to a fate that was sure to befall any who would dare object to the bizarre logic of Pinkamena Diane Pie. “I have the feeling you’re going to be busy for a while.”

He’ll learn eventually.

Twilight moved away, licking her lips as the befuddled Doctor stammered for a few moments behind her, while levitating a daisy and daffodil sandwich from the top of the tray and indulging herself with a quick bite. She barely had time to swallow before she looked up to see that her path was not clear, her hooves grinding to a sudden halt several steps away from the tables when she recognized that there was a quilin standing directly in her path, and making no effort to move out of her way.

“Oh! Pardon me...” Twilight managed to keep herself from running directly into the scaled native and momentarily berated herself for not paying more attention.

Then she had a second to actually take stock of the quilin himself.

He stood perfectly still as Twilight’s eyes ran up and down his form, his front legs and chest covered in a robe-like drape of a faded black color that split along the back, leaving his dull grey scales unadorned from neck to flank. His tail was bobbed; a wiry-looking brush of stark white metallic hairs. His head was wrapped in a deep hood, obscuring his face, ears, and eyes in shadow and allowing only his snout to show, similar white hairs forming a very thin and short mustache that extended from midway up his muzzle.

His horns, which pierced the top of the hood, were tall and curved like Kir’s and Wu’s, but lacked the same polished appearance, a crack running along one as if he had been injured long ago. This, along with his stature, granted Twilight a sobering realization that this was not a regular noble at all.

She was face to face with one of the Nine Princes.

“You’re a-- Your Highness!” she said quickly, putting her head down in a respectful bow and hoping she hadn’t offended him in some way.

Not a word was said in response, and after a few moments, Twilight lifted her eyes, unsure what to make of the silence.

The quilin prince merely stood there, staring in her direction but not at her, as if he was focusing on something else, far in the distance.

“Uh... um... Allow me to introduce myself.” Twilight’s mind scrambled to remember how Pinkie had introduced her before. “The Student of Celestia... Element of Magic... and uhhh... Librarian of Ponyville, Visitor to the Last City, and--” She stumbled for a moment before shaking her head, foregoing the silly line of titles and throwing caution to the wind. “My friends just call me Twilight Sparkle.”

Still no response.

Twilight looked around, noting both that the other quilin nobles seemed to be making a concerted effort to give them as wide a berth as possible, while simultaneously trying to focus on literally anything else.

“I would be happy to count you among them, sire.” She tried to force a smile, hoping it didn’t seem at all awkward. “...My friends, I mean.”

Nope... nothing. The Prince continued to look forward, not reacting to her at all. Whether it was due to shyness, or something else entirely, Twilight didn’t have a clue.

This is even worse than when I met Fluttershy... Twilight thought to herself. At least she responded when I talked to her.

“Uhhh... So, are you enjoying the Banquet, Your Majesty?”

To tell the truth, she was beginning to feel a bit creeped out by the still-silent quilin.

“Can... can you even understand me?”

Still nothing.

Royalty or not... Twilight huffed shortly to express her growing anxiety. You could at least acknowledge that I’m here.

“I’m sorry if there’s some sort of ritual or custom that I haven’t observed, but even if there was, that’s no excuse to be--”

“Milady!” a new voice interrupted her as the Lord Prince’s attache suddenly darted out from between the perimeter that had formed around the mysterious noble. With a start at his exclamation, Twilight’s magical focus on her snack tray faltered, causing her to wince at the noise it made as it unceremoniously crashed to the ground, spilling its contents. As for the Prince, he didn’t even so much as flinch.

“Oh my Celestia... I’m so sorry. I...” Twilight stammered, unsure of what to do about the deteriorating situation until she felt Silver nudging her with his shoulder. “Sai? What are--”

“Lady Sparkle, let us not intrude upon His Lordship’s time,” Silver stated with urgency as he pushed against the unicorn, urging her away from the still-unmoving quilin.

“But, the mess--”

“I shall clean it up momentarily,” the small quilin said quickly, pushing her along even further until they had moved past the invisible barrier surrounding the prince and joined a group of lesser nobles nearby. A few of them regarded the smaller quilin with something approaching contempt, but regained their composure upon noticing Twilight, to whom they gave a short, polite bow before going back to their own business.

“What’s wrong? Who is that?” Twilight asked, unsure what to make of what had just happened as she looked up and noted that throughout the entire thing, the quilin prince had not moved from his spot.

“Somelin that we never expected to come to the Banquet.” Silver shook his head, averting his eyes deliberately away from the dark-colored noble as he continued in a low tone. “That is the Grim Prince, Ninth Crown of the Last City. The Silent Lord. The One Forgotten.”

“Okay...” Twilight shrugged. “And that means... what exactly?”

“It means, Milady, that, barring the other eight Princes, you and I have likely just been closer to him than any other quilin in recent memory,” Silver tried to explain in a tone that Twilight could only describe as “spooked.”

“Really? Why is that?”

Silver looked from side to side, seeming like he was about to divulge some kind of privileged information if not for that fact that they could easily be overheard by anylin nearby.

“The Grim Prince almost never leaves his Spire, and when he does, nolin ever witnesses him coming or going. When in public, he is granted a wide berth by all. It is whispered that even the Warrior Prince fears him, though nolin knows why except perhaps the Crown Prince himself.” Silver leaned in closer. “Nolin knows for certain his origins, but it is said that the Grim Prince is as old as the Last City itself. He is the Prince of Ill Omens and Dark Portents.”

“You have a Prince of Ill Omens? That’s... interesting.” Twilight looked up past the red-stoled quilin again, her tone disbelieving. “I just don’t understand the big deal, though. He seems like he’s just an elderly quilin to me. Although... I did think it was strange that he didn’t even say a word to me.”

Silver looked about, his expression one of worry that drew Twilight’s eyes back to the servant of the Lord Prince.

“That’s not surprising... He’s called the Silent Lord for a reason; he never speaks. Not a word. To anylin. Ever.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Hold on. If he never says anything, how is he the Prince of Ill Omens?”

“I... cannot explain, Milady. It is not my place,” Silver informed the unicorn before turning away. “I advise you to do as the nobles do and ignore him. Or better yet, do as my kind do and avoid him entirely. For your own sake.”

As Silver started away, Twilight looked up again, intending to look over this so-called “Grim Prince” with greater scrutiny, before her eyes widened in shock at the realization that the elderly quilin was nowhere in sight.

————————

Rarity felt as though she was truly in her element here at the Banquet, smoothly working her way through the room of highly cultured quilin. Many of whom commented upon her dress and her fur coat, and asked her questions about the world she came from so far beyond their domed city.

Now, Rarity had never considered herself much of a storyteller, but her musings on Canterlot and the high society of Ponykind did seem to go over quite well with her audience, who reacted much as she expected of an educated and cultured herd; politely, with dignity and poise.

If she was being honest with herself, she was grateful to discover that the nobility were so eager to hear what she had to say, allowing her to detract from the foalish antics of Pinkie Pie and give them a more defined impression of what it truly meant to be an Equestrian.

“So your two princesses possess authority over all things?” one of the nobles asked, his tone absolutely fascinated. “Across multiple cities and lands?”

“For the most part, yes.” Rarity nodded in affirmation as she maintained her posture “just so.” “Though they hardly do so alone. They are assisted and advised by the Solar and Lunar Courts, as well as a Council which is comprised of some of the noblest members of ponydom.”

“And you are not alone there? There are many nations? Many rulers?” another quilin mare asked enthusiastically.

“Well, as far as rulers go, most of the creatures of our world at the very least acknowledge the dominion of our Princesses. After all, it would be quite difficult to challenge the authority of the ones responsible for moving the Sun and Moon each day. But there are other lands and cultures to be sure, though none are possessed of the same level of... enlightenment as Equestria,” Rarity explained, hoping she wasn’t overstepping her bounds by saying so. “The Northern Griffin Roosts, for example, are plagued by internal warfare, constantly fighting over this or that chilly mountain top. Such brutes. The Buffalo and Zebra Herds, as I understand them, are friendly enough, but all they do is wander around their territories, stuck in their old ways and never settling down or building anything lasting. Oh, and many others, although I am not entirely familiar with all of them. Foreign affairs has never truly been my forte.”

She brought up one foreleg in a more traditional “stalwart” pose, flicking her mane back in as regal a manner as she knew how, before continuing.

“My true passion has always been in the creation of beautiful things, and my work is praised by many ponies at home and abroad,” the fashionista boasted, trying to put a positive (if a little ambiguous) spin on her relatively modest lifestyle as a simple tailor. “At the risk of sounding vain, I like to think I have a talent for... drawing out the inherent majesty of nature’s gifts.”

“A noble cause if ever there was one,” came a voice from behind the unicorn, this one clearly feminine, yet subtly lower in tone.

Rarity turned to face the owner of this new voice, expecting another of the quilin nobles to have caught sight of her and come over to see what all of the fuss was about.

Instead, what she saw caused her graceful poise to slip, if only for a moment, as her eyes craned upward.

The lithe quilin mare stood nearly a head taller than Rarity, her golden eyes laser-focused on the suddenly self-conscious unicorn that she dwarfed not only in height, but in splendor as well. Laid over her shimmering purple scales that sparkled in a deep shade of amethyst was a flowing white and crimson dress that fit snugly in all the right places, and parted in the back to show a tail that resembled a waterfall of gleaming silver. While the mare lacked the horns and wiry mane of her fellows, rather than detract from her appearance, it gave her a distinctly clean, polished look, as if she were a living statue carved of precious stone. Her proportions reminded Rarity of the famous Equestrian model Fleur de Lis, but on second thought, she found the comparison lacking.

Standing before her was easily the most beautiful creature she had ever laid eyes on. At least, among the ones who were mortal.

Settled along one of the tall mare’s shoulders, what looked like a small grey ferret or weasel watched her curiously with tiny, beady black eyes. Rather than fur, the animal seemed to be covered in hundreds of tiny, triangular bits of steel that shifted and flexed with its movement like a coat of living armor.

While Rarity wouldn’t dream of comparing the new arrival to the raw, divine beauty of an alicorn princess, she would have been lying if she did not admit to suddenly feeling quite inadequate in current company.

“Oh, dear...”

“So, you must be one of the visitors that I have heard so much about.” The gem-like mare smiled, displaying a set of perfectly white teeth which, oddly enough for an equine species, tapered off to very soft, but very obvious points. “How... intriguing.”

“Lady Sadaiir?” One of the quilin whom had been holding Rarity’s attention earlier took a step back, bowing his head like the others in immediate proximity (although, Rarity noticed out of the corner of her eye, not nearly as lowly as those whom she had seen acknowledging Kir or Wu’s presence). “Apologies, Mistress. We were unaware you had an interest in our guest’s presence.”

“You are forgiven.” The mare called Sadaiir waved a hoof, her tone pleasant as the simple gesture served to disperse Rarity’s captive audience like fillings of iron repelled by a magnet.

Mistress...? Rarity remembered Kir telling her something about this back in his Spire. He had referred to them as a sort of “princess”; the female counterparts of the Nine Princes, though not every Prince had one. Though their traditional roles had no real authority, they were often the closest companions of their mates, offering them counsel and tending to their desires. As Kir stated he did not have a mistress himself, it seemed that Sadaiir was to be Rarity’s first introduction to this particular tier of quilin culture.

Assuming that the same rules of etiquette applied to the Mistresses as well as their beaus, Rarity bowed respectfully to the mare as the two of them were left alone, attempting to recover her composure.

“Delighted to make your acquaintance, Your Highness,” Rarity offered politely. “My name is Rarity of Equestria.”

“My... To give one’s name in the very first meeting... How very forward of you.” Sadaiir continued to smile, and although her words made Rarity wonder if she had perhaps breached some unforeseen rule of conduct, there was a certain matronly playfulness in her voice that almost reminded her of Princess Celestia. Lifting her hoof slightly, she bid Rarity to stand, which the unicorn did without hesitation, returning the smile. “And quite refreshing, I might add. Your arrival has caused quite a stir, Lady Rarity. I usually don’t attend these events, but I simply had to come and see these otherworldly travelers for myself.”

She continued to beam as her eyes swept up and down Rarity’s form.

“And I am certainly not disappointed,” she finished, bringing a sharpened hoof up to pet the small steel-colored creature that obediently sat on her shoulder, causing it to emit what Rarity interpreted as an affectionate chitter. “But where are my manners? Allow me to introduce myself properly: I am the Mistress of the Fifth Crown, Lady Sadaiir of the Primal Spire, Caretaker of the Beasts.”

“Caretaker?” Rarity asked aloud, looking the mare over and hoping it wouldn’t be interpreted as gawking. One thing was certain: Sadaiir didn’t look at all like the type to be sweeping out pens and tending to sickly animals.

But then again, she considered, neither did the meek and graceful Fluttershy.

“Oh, yes.” Sadaiir nodded enthusiastically. “Allow me to explain. You see, my dearest, the Primal Prince keeps the beasts and animals that were saved from the frost in order to preserve and care for them in his Spire. I assist him in this lonely endeavor, yet there comes a time when even the most devoted Mistress feels the need to step away from her duties to indulge in the company of others. And as it happens, you are by far the most interesting company I see here.”

Rarity’s expression grew into a genuine smile, herself feeling quite pleased with how this night was starting to turn out as the elegant, violet-scaled quilin moved up beside her.

“That is, of course, if you care to share in my company, Lady Rarity,” Sadaiir added, her tone inviting, but hinting at concern as if worried that she might be rebuffed.

“Oh, why, of course!” Rarity quickly put the mare’s fears to rest, showing no hesitation in taking her up on her offer. “As a matter of fact, I am quite honored, Your Ladyship. I would be more than happy to tell you of my world.”

Sadaiir’s features positively sparkled from her elation at this news as she nodded to the alabaster unicorn.

“Splendid!”

Much to Rarity’s shock, the small steel-scaled creature astride Lady Sadaiir casually leaped over and onto her own back, and she had to suppress her shocked reaction before she realized it meant no harm. In fact, the animal wasted no time kneading its small head against the nape of her neck, communicating its affection with a pleasant chittering sound. The display elicited a slight, almost filly-like chuckle of delight from her new party-going companion.

“How precious! I do think he has taken a liking to you, Lady Rarity,” Lady Sadaiir stated with amusement. “Not surprising, I suppose; They do have a keen sense of value.”

“What is it, exactly?” Rarity asked, fascinated by the creature and finding it hard to argue with its taste in companions.

“It is a steel vole; a common sort of rodent here in the Last City. They’re perfectly harmless, and often kept as pets,” the mistress explained, her golden, oval eyes glittering with mirth as she watched the two of them together. “This one in particular is named Aster, and I never go anywhere without him.”

Rarity couldn’t help but let out a small giggle as the adorable Aster moved his body across her fur, tickling her with his metal scales before finally settling his lengthy body around her neck like a living necklace.

“Now then, I would simply love to hear all about this exciting world of yours. ‘Equestria,’ was it called?” Sadaiir nodded as she moved forward, walking with a graceful stride and bidding her newest friend to take up a position at her side.

So enthused was she at the attention of the royal quilin mare, Rarity failed to notice that the other nobles were now giving the pair a surprisingly wide berth.

————————

“Wei, you old savvak! You old so-and-so!” Jester Prince Wu grinned widely as he made his way through the Banquet, having to speak up over the sound of music emitted from the alien “record player” device in the center of the room. With a sweep of his foreleg, he waved down the pink alien currently entertaining the guests in a bid to get her attention. “Lady Pie! Come over here, I have somelin I want you to meet!”

“Oh, goody! Time to meet new friends!” Pinkie, who was holding herself up with one foreleg while juggling a set of balls with her hind legs, suddenly hopped back to all fours, letting the balls fall unceremoniously to the stage as she bounded forward, much to the dismay of her audience (although not a single one decried the Jester Prince’s interruption).

Pinkie seemed to simply bounce through the gathered crowd, the bells on her harlequin outfit signalling her approach as she made out where Wu was standing. Once she spotted him, she made her way towards him with a wide smile on her face at the prospect of meeting the two new quilin he had been referring to.

Opposite the polished, blue-scaled Jester Prince stood a pair of iron-grey quilin who wore far more reserved expressions in contrast to Wu’s joviality. The larger, clearly a Prince like Wu and Kir, was sporting a set of curved horns that looked to have been sharpened to a fine point, but was otherwise bare and nondescript without any facial hairs or clothes to speak of. His stance was rigid and the moment Pinkie saw his face, she was immediately reminded of the perpetual scowl that came standard with Celestia’s Royal Guard.

Standing at his flank was a mare who, except for lacking horns and a mane, seemed to mirror him in posture and expression perfectly.

“Ahhh, Lady Pie, allow me to introduce my good friend: Grand Magister and Second Crown of the Last City, the Arbiter Prince. As well as his lovely consort, the Mistress of the Spire of Law: Lady Zeaiir. Late as usual, I might add!”

“Hi, I’m Pinkie Pie!” Pinkie said with a giddy bounce, grinning widely.

“Charmed.” The Arbiter Prince nodded, his tone flatter than a popped balloon.

“Likewise.” His mistress followed her beau’s lead almost perfectly, right down to the nod and blink as she did so.

“Ooookaaaay...” Pinkie eyes shifted between the pair. “Creepy.”

Wu let out a bellicose laugh at seeing the mare set back before he moved over, setting a foreleg over the Arbiter Prince’s shoulder, which earned him a questioning glare from his supposed “friend.”

“That they are. Wei and Zeaiir here have a sense of humor drier than the tongue of a saltaholic Sai!” Wu explained before he made an over-the-top “pouting” face, clearly attempting to elicit some sort of response from the grey quilin. “Oh, my friend, why so serious?”

“Not all of us can so easily play the foal, Wu,” the Arbiter Prince droned, his voice evenly monotone. “Some of us actually have important jobs to do. And I would appreciate it if you would remove your leg from my shoulder.”

“I’ve been trying to get this colt to lighten up since we were both foals,” Wu explained to Pinkie, his forelimb stubbornly in place. “Come on, Wei… You could at least smile once in a-- OW! OW OW!”

Pinkie pulled back a step as Wei’s hoof came up and deftly pressed it around Wu’s leg in a manner that looked quite uncomfortable, forcing the Jester Prince to remove the offending limb.

Out of the corner of her eye, Pinkie took note as the corner of Zeaiir’s lip curled up and she had to suppress an amused huff.

“That wasn’t very nice,” Pinkie observed as Wu shook his foreleg, unharmed but clearly set back.

“Justice rarely is.” Wei shook his head, realizing that he needed to explain his position to the alien mare and doing so in a straightforward and methodical fashion. “In all honesty, Lady Pie, I usually don’t attend the Banquet, but this is a very special occasion. One that some might attempt to use for their own advantage at the expense of others.”

Wei turned his head slightly and narrowed his eyes towards the blue box that was standing a short ways away from the gourmet tables.

“For the most part, I am here to keep the peace. Speaking of which, I must attend to my duties. Zeaiir?”

“If at all possible, love, I would like to stay and acquaint myself with Lady Pie. It is, after all, a very rare opportunity,” the statuesque grey mare stated in a similar “no nonsense” tone that drew a permitting nod from Wei. She moved off to the side, watching him leave as Pinkie found the mood sufficiently punctured.

That was, until the Arbiter Prince moved out of sight and the Mistress of the Law Spire brought a hoof to her mouth to suppress a loud snerk. Pinkie Pie perked up instantly as the quilin regained control of herself and lowered her hoof, revealing a grin underneath.

“Wu, dear, you know better than to tease him like that,” Zeaiir chastised the Jester Prince in a more lighthearted voice, who merely shrugged in response.

“Well, I’m nothing if not persistent, Zeaiir,” Wu admitted, his tone one of mild defeat as he took another look around the large room. “Ah, there’s Hua! I’ve been looking for him all Banquet; need to have a word with him. If you ladies would kindly excuse me...”

While Pinkie did not object to the transparent excuse to depart and leave her alone with the Mistress of the Law Spire, she did shift a little awkwardly, unsure how to approach the lovely, pristine-looking regal and her sudden shift in personality.

“Okay, I’m sooo confused right now.” Pinkie tilted her head as she watched the mare before her, who seemed to have undergone a radical transformation with a simple smile. “Are you supposed to be a no-fun stick in the mud, or not?”

“Only when the occasion calls for it, dear,” Zeaiir explained. “Do allow me to apologize for Wei. He means well, but his nature comes from a lifetime of being impartial in most issues that come his way. It is a sad reality of his line of work, as well as mine. He’s even worse when Wu is around since the Jester Prince often goes out of his way get some kind of rise out of him.”

“Oooohh…” Pinkie’s eyes lit up with understanding. “I get it! So you have to be all mean and tough because it’s, like, your job? But you’re really not?”

“I think you will find that few things are what they appear on Qing.” Zeaiir nodded, her tone empathic as she leaned down to better stay at eye level with Pinkie. “For instance, my love’s position as Dispenser of Justice means that he can show no favorites and have no official attachments, since it could prevent him from fairly passing judgement on those who break our laws. He can’t show it, and I will deny it if you tell him I said so; but he does care deeply for the safety and wellbeing of his fellow Princes as well as our subjects.”

“Awww, that’s so sad, having to be all lonely and not having any friends just because of his job.” Pinkie drooped a bit. “I bet if he had just one real friend, he might not be so grumpy!”

“That probably wouldn’t go over so well.” Zeaiir shook her head, her tone stern as she tried to head off the plan that was clearly forming in the pony’s eyes. “If you want to be Wei’s friend, I would recommend simply abiding by the laws of the Last City while you are our guest here.”

“Okie-dokie-lokie!”

Zeaiir pulled back, not quite understanding the phrase. “Am I to assume that means you understand?”

“Correctamundo.”

“...Is that an affirmative?”

“Yepperoni!”

“You’re just toying with me now, aren’t you?”

“...Maaaaaaybe.”

Pinkie giggled a little, an action that proved infectious as Zeaiir shared in her moment of mirth before standing to full height.

“However, I think it is safe to assume that you and I will never be caught up in an Arbitration, Lady Pie. So, in lieu of my Prince, I would be quite happy to be your friend.”

Pinkie’s eyes grew wide, sparkling as her face split into a grin which confirmed the rumor Zeaiir had heard that ponies mouths and teeth could in fact take up most of their face.

“That’s great!” The mare bounced enthusiastically for a few moments before zipping around in a pink blur barely visible to quilin eyes as she excitedly nudged Zeaiir forward towards the stage. “Come on! I gotta show you my act! You’ll get a kick out of it!”

For a brief moment before the small pink mare dragged her along, Zeaiir found herself wondering just what she had just gotten herself into, and if she would eventually come to regret her decision.

————————

“...Excuse me, sir, but are you alright?” a green quilin noble asked, prodding the brown alien stallion with a hoof as he finally got up the nerve to approach. The Doctor merely stood there, stock still with his eyes glazed over and an expression of complete disbelief over his features.

“Is this normal for their kind?” another quilin mare asked, keeping her distance as the braver of the two waved a hoof in front of the brown pony’s eyes.

“I’m not sure.” The noble shrugged as he looked the alien over with a curious expression. “Somelin’s put a sign around his neck, but I can’t read it. Perhaps we should fetch one of the Princes. Or perhaps the mare that came with--”

“How would that even work!?”

“Agh!” The topaz-scaled noble stumbled back over himself as the Doctor suddenly sprang to life, immediately launching into a tirade already in progress.

“You’re not a unicorn, but even with magic, there are some laws of universal practicality that are simply impossible to--”

The Doctor stopped mid-sentence, suddenly realizing that he was no longer facing the perpetually giddy pink mare and instead a quilin noble was watching him with a mix of apprehension and shock.

“Wait, where did she go?” The Doctor looked around, baffled. “Did she… How long have I been standing here?”

“For quite a while, Lord Doctor,” the topaz quilin answered, recovering as he recognized the confusion in the stallion’s voice. “We were beginning to think something was amiss.”

“Oh, something is amiss alright! I don’t know how she can possibly justify being able to... Hold on a moment. What is this?” The Doctor paused, realizing that there was something hanging around his neck and quickly pulling it up and around to see what it was.

To his startled realization, it was a small dry-erase board with a strip of cloth pinned to the corners. His expression of confusion was quickly replaced by disdain as he read what had been written there in a messy script and pink marker.

The Doctor is out. BSOD. Please come back later.

-PP

Although he didn’t recognize the acronym in the center of the sentence (it must have been a pony thing), the Doctor couldn’t help but notice that, accompanying the scrawl, there was a child-like drawing that he recognized as himself with sparks and clouds streaming from his ears.

Under that, in a much cleaner, more refined script with an equally fitting shade of purple was written something even more damning.

I warned you. Just be glad you didn’t burst into flames like I did.

-TS

The Doctor shook his head, setting the dry erase board down on the table with a bemused expression as he realized what had happened and was left even more confused than before.

“I swear, these mares are going to be the death of me,” the Doctor sighed before he turned his attention back towards the quilin who had approached him, intending to offer an apology.

It was then that he realized the pair had suddenly and without any explanation left his immediate vicinity, having moved back into the crowd of the surrounding party.

“Well, that seems a little rude,” he considered aloud as he wondered what could have driven them--

“Is this it then? The ‘Magic Box’?” came a grinding tone from behind the Hourglass Stallion, one of dismissal that immediately put the Doctor in a more defensive mindset as he turned to face the owner of the voice.

Standing before the doors of the TARDIS, with a metal goblet held in one curled foreleg, stood a clearly royal figure, this one jet black in appearance from the top of his curled horns to the tips of his hooves. Along his chest and back, a painstakingly crafted suit of blood-red plate armor lay in place, its edges sharp and menacing as the quilin’s golden eyes looked the blue box up and down.

“I was somehow expecting something more.”

In spite of his dismissive words, the Doctor could feel an undercurrent in the quilin’s voice as being far from unimpressed and quickly put the pieces together.

“Greetings, oh Warrior Prince.” The Doctor stepped forward, his expression neutral. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I don’t recall giving you permission to speak with me, pony creature.”

“Oh, don’t be like that. We’re all friends here, are we not?” the Doctor offered in a veiled tone. “Allow me to introduce myself, I am--”

“Doctor, the thrall of the one called Twilight Sparkle. I am quite well aware of you and the other aliens.” Dai waved his hoof in a dismissive fashion, holding the goblet aloft for a moment before drinking from it.

“Thrall? That’s not exactly how I would describe our relationship… Do you... always keep such close tabs on your visitors?”

“The Last City has no visitors. As far as I am concerned, you and your associates are nothing but trespassers, corrupting our long-standing peace with your strange ways. If it were up to me and not that whimpering, wide-eyed foal of a Lord Prince, the lot of you would have been banished from this place the moment you arrived.”

The Doctor huffed, amazed by the blatant and open level of hostility being displayed here without any attempt at restraint. Of course, considering that the last creature that tried to intimidate him had four more legs and an army of mutant spiders to call on, he just wasn’t feeling the fear.

“Well, you’re not one for subtlety are you, Your Majesty?”

“I am the Warrior Prince,” Dai growled, his lip pulled back in a sneer as he set the goblet down on the table next to the TARDIS, and drew himself up to his full height. “Defender of the Last City, Blade of the Quilin, Master of Combat, the Undefeated. You will show proper respect!”

The Doctor grimaced a bit, drawing in a breath through his teeth.

“Undefeated? Really? Well, I suppose that would be fairly easy to accomplish, seeing as you’re army’s the only game in town, wouldn’t you say?”

Dai stiffened, his eyes widening at the insinuation. He seemed to struggle with this for a few moments before grunting and ignoring the valid point. Clearly deciding to go in a different direction, the Warrior Prince took a step back and waved at the doors of the blue box before giving a simple command that he expected to be obeyed without hesitation.

“Open it.”

“I don’t think so,” the Doctor stated quickly, causing the quilin royal to draw back at the fact that he had been rebuffed by a being so much lesser than himself.

“You dare...” The Warrior Prince grit his teeth for a moment before he seemed to remember himself, the Doctor gauging his reaction and reaching his conclusion about this one almost immediately. “That was not a request!”

“I get that, but the thing is, I don’t really care.” The Doctor shook his head. “With apparently one exception, nothing enters my TARDIS without my permission.”

“Then you will give it!”

“Oh, it’s been a long time since somelin said ‘no’ to you, hasn’t it?”

The Warrior Prince growled again, taking a step towards the Doctor.

“Those that do... seldom live long enough to regret it, pony. You will open your transport or I’ll--”

“Is there a problem here, Dai?”

The new voice drew the onyx-scaled quilin’s attention, his aggression taking a backseat as he turned to address one of his fellow Nine Princes. The Doctor’s eyes also flickered over to the newcomer, who stood in a stark contrast to the other Princes he had met in that he seemed to be far less concerned with his physical appearance, as his scales were grey, lackluster, and unadorned.

“This does not concern you, Wei.”

“I think it does.” The Arbiter Prince’s voice came with a hinting undertone of annoyance. “Or do you claim to have authority?”

Dai, the Warrior Prince, balked at the question before directing a hoof to blue box, speaking up quickly.

“My sources state that his vessel is capable of appearing out of thin air! We know nothing about how it works, or just what it’s capable of! It has invaded our sovereign territory without any warning, bypassing our every defense; This is clearly a tool of war!” the onyx prince accused, intending to convince his fellow.

The stoic Arbiter Prince was unmoved, turning his attention to the Doctor.

“What say you to this?”

“The TARDIS is not a weapon,” the brown stallion said firmly, recognizing what was happening here. “My friends and I are travelers, nothing more. I think our actions thus far are proof enough of this.”

“I agree.” The Arbiter Prince nodded before looking back to the younger, onyx-scaled prince. “Your claim of authority is denied. Go about your business.”

“Wei! Don’t you dare fight me on this! I--”

“You are disturbing the peace, Dai,” Prince Wei stated bluntly.

The Doctor took in his opponent’s reaction, the sudden recoil… the outrage… the indignation.

All the while, the Arbiter Prince stood firm, his eyes betraying no emotion even to the highly observant Time Lord.

“I think it’s time you went home to your Spire and ran a few drills. Don’t you?”

Dai, to his credit, managed to swallow whatever rant or retort he had crawling up his throat, an insulted expression clear across his muzzle. By some combination of decorum and tradition, he departed from the confrontation, forcing the Doctor to move quickly out of his way as he all but stomped off like a foal being sent to his room.

Wei sighed as the black quilin parted the crowd before him, moving away from the Doctor and the Arbiter Prince, who was shaking his head in disappointment.

“As it happens, I’m the Arbiter Prince,” he offered to the brown stallion, a surprising degree of respect in his tone. “Grand Magister, Keeper of the Laws. You may call me Wei.”

“Nice to meet you, Wei. Thanks for the help. I’m the Doctor,” the Time Pony responded before asking: “Does he always carry on like that?”

“Most of the time,” Wei huffed. “You see, Dai is a throwback from a less ‘civilized’ era, whose title and purpose have long since become irrelevant. An embarrassment maintained by tradition more than anything else. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was actively hoping you were the vanguard of a true invasion force, if only to justify his own continued existence.”

“Well, sorry to disappoint.” The Doctor shrugged, taking a liking to the straightforward mannerisms of the Arbiter Prince.

“To the contrary, I am actually quite impressed,” Wei stated, and there was just enough inflection in his voice to believe it. “Very few outside the Nine Crowns have the nerve to stand up to his ranting and raving in such a bold manner.”

“To tell the truth, I’m not all that unfamiliar with the type.” The Doctor waved a hoof dismissively. “All bark, no bite.”

“I don’t follow...” Wei sounded momentarily confused, unsure what to make of the alien’s statement.

“Nevermind. Although, I wonder, Prince Wei.” The Doctor’s gave the quilin a curious, sideways look. “Would you mind if I asked you a few questions?”

————————

Lord Prince Kir, his attache standing at his side, looked out over the the proceedings with a mixed degree of satisfaction and concern as he strolled through the Banquet, which had taken a slightly more muted air as it went on and the initial shock was downplayed by interactions with their new guests.

His duties and conversations with some of his fellow Princes and the lesser nobles who had been eager to gain an audience had kept him from interacting with his newest friends, something that gave him great cause for alarm when he learned they had taken to the festivities quite quickly.

Thankfully, his ever-vigilant assistant had been more than capable of keeping tabs on the developing situation and was keeping the Prince well-informed in spite of the glares he was getting from some of the guests, clearly disliking his continued presence in the Noble’s Banquet.

“Things are going quite well, sire, all things considered,” Silver informed his master in a surprisingly upbeat voice. “Aside from the unexpected arrival of the Grim Prince, I would say it’s been a tremendous success.”

“Indeed.” Kir nodded, although his own voice was far from glad. “I was worried when I heard that the Warrior Prince had arrived, but I suppose his quick exit is something to be thankful for. Now what of our guests themselves?”

“Lady Pie is still entertaining half the attendees over by the stage, as you can see.” Silver pointed over towards the stage, which indeed had a decent-sized crowd gathered around it as well as the majority of the music that filled the Azure Halls. “When last I saw Lady Sparkle, she was conversing with the Architect Prince and his Mistress.”

“Poor mare must be bored to tears by now,” Kir sighed, knowing all too well that once Zuan got talking, he never stopped.

“Surprisingly, the Doctor seems to have really hit it off with the Arbiter Prince,” Silver continued. “I believe that His Lordship was quite pleased by the colt’s handling of the Warrior Prince before his intervention.”

“I wonder what Wei could possibly have to talk about with a physician...” Kir tapped his chin with one hoof, clearly giving the matter some due thought.

“Well, they all seem to be impressing the right quilin, sire,” Silver noted. “Lady Rarity has even managed to gain the attention of Mistress Sadaiir. To be quite honest, I did not believe such a thing was poss--”

Kir stopped in his tracks, his sharp hooves clicking heavily on the polished metal floor as he ground to a halt.

“You left Rarity alone with Sadaiir!?”

The Sai attache recoiled slightly, unsure of the reaction from his patron as he pulled himself back a step.

“Y-yes, sire. They seemed to be getting along quite well.” Silver pointed in the direction of the foodstuffs. “Is something the matt--”

Kir did not give his assistant time to finish, instead turning and moving almost immediately to a full trot and giving the nobles in his way barely enough time to avoid getting trampled.

————————

“I have always considered myself the adventurous type, but I don’t know about this, Lady Rarity… Are you… quite sure?” Sadaiir hesitated, obviously nervous at what her new friend was asking of her. “I’ve never actually tried anything like this before.”

“I don’t recall you offering any complaints earlier. If this seems to be a problem, you could simply give it a lick just to taste,” Rarity offered, her tone cooing as she tempted the quilin mistress.

“It just seems so… wrong.”

“There is nothing wrong about it, my dear. In fact, if Pinkie Pie is right, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Of course, if you don’t care for it, we can always stop.”

Sadaiir bit her lower lip, debating with herself internally as she felt the alien object in her hooves. It was warm and soft, so different from anything she had ever had before.

“Go ahead. Just dive in, darling,” Rarity encouraged.

Taking a breath, Sadaiir steeled herself and took the plunge, a long, somewhat forked tongue slipping out of her mouth as she leaned forward, giving the treat before her a long, steady lick.

Stars all but exploded behind the quilin mare’s eyes as her body shuddered, Rarity smiling warmly at her reaction as the first hesitant lick turned into nibble, then ended with the refined lady gleefully going all the way. With not a single concern for subtlety, she crammed the rest of the the soft, gooey alien thing into her mouth.

“MMMMMMmmmmmm!” Sadaiir’s eyes closed as she chewed, a feeling of blissful relaxation coming over her as she savored the exotic flavors of the round, brown, Equestrian baked good. “Oooooh, by the Crowns!”

Rarity, standing next to the cookie tray, couldn’t help but grin as her new friend indulged in what was to her a common treat, but here (as Pinkie had assured her) seemed to be a confectionery delicacy beyond compare.

“We call them ‘cookies,’” Rarity told Sadaiir, clearly amused by the beautiful mare’s expression of ecstasy. “Back home in Equestria, there are many different varieties; peanut butter, sugar, mint, white fudge... In fact, Pinkie Pie earns a living off of making them almost every day, among other things.”

“I am amazed that there are still any left,” Sadaiir stated incredulously, reaching forward and snapping up another treat, which she quickly devoured.

“Well, it seems that your fellow nobles are having difficulty getting past how strange they look to your eyes. I admit they are not as beautiful as your usual gemstone diet." Rarity's eyes darted over to the gem-studded plates; particularly to Aster, the steel vole who was now looking quite a bit pudgier as he lay in the bowl of tiny gems that he had dived into upon arriving at the food table. "However, I am quite glad that you approve of them.”

Sadaiir nodded, but, like any refined lady, she made sure she was finished with the treat and swallowed before speaking again.

“Approve would be putting it mildly. They are utterly delectable! And you say there are even more foods like this where you come from?”

“Oh, yes. Pies, cakes, tarts and such. Sugary food tends not to be considered a ‘meal’ in the truest sense of the word. They are more appropriate for light snacking. In a more formal dinner setting, we refer to it as ‘desert,’ which is often the part of the meal during which the casual discourse turns to lighter topics.”

“Perhaps that is a custom we should adopt.” Sadaiir shook her head, her tone dragging down. “Meals shared by the Princes tend to be--”

“My Lady Rarity!” a new, familiar tone interrupted, pulling Rarity’s attention immediately away from Sadaiir, who scowled upon seeing the silver-scaled Lord Prince approach them at a brisk trot. As he slowed to a stop, his eyes went from Rarity to the beautiful purple quilin Mistress, his expression hardening.

“Sadaiir,” he hissed, his tone cold.

“Lord Prince,” she returned, her voice likewise icy.

Rarity often considered herself to have quite the eye for detail, but that was hardly required to tell that the Scientist Supreme and the Primal Mistress were clearly not on good terms with one another. And of course, Rarity’s imagination was set ablaze as she found herself wondering what history the two may have shared.

This introspection was cut short however, as Kir turned his attention back to the white unicorn, his expression softening almost immediately.

“Milady… If you would be so kind as to accompany me outside of the Azure Halls, there is something I would like to show you.” Kir offered a hoof, bowing his head with a suave expression playing over his features. “Something quite special.”

Rarity, who had managed to maintain her composure well enough throughout the long Banquet, found her heart fluttering and legs quivering at the noble and romantically undertoned nature of his request.

Without thinking, Rarity immediately lifted and set her hoof in his own, smiling warmly.

“My Lord Prince, I would be absolutely delighted,” the unicorn answered, turning to Sadaiir with her expression dropping by a few degrees. “That is, if you wouldn’t mind, Milady.”

“No, no, of course not.” Sadaiir shook her head, clearly disappointed but not about to speak out against the Prince’s wishes. “I understand.”

Her mood seemed to lighten drastically as she continued.

“I do hope that we will meet again shortly, perhaps after the Banquet. I would be more than happy to offer you the hospitality of the Primal Spire.”

“I think I would like that,” Rarity agreed before moving to Kir’s side, following him away from the gourmet tables and the stunningly beautiful quilin Mistress.

“Another time, perhaps.” Kir nodded respectfully to Sadaiir, although his expression remained flat as he started away from them, taking little note of how Rarity was leaning into his side. As if walking through a haze, the ivory unicorn’s mind was awash with the notion of the events depicted in the countless romantic novellas she had read coming true before her eyes.

So absorbed in these thoughts was she that Rarity did not take note of the way that Kir glared back over his shoulder towards her newest friend. Nor did she witness the manner in which Sadaiir returned the glare with a scowl sharp enough to pierce the scales of a full-grown dragon.

————————

The Doctor moved through the crowd with purpose, looking about frantically to locate his companions as he nodded to the well-wishing quilin and tried to maintain the appearance of an easygoing stroll.

Pinkie’s still onstage, in plain view. Good, good. That’s one, he considered as his eyes darted around, attempting to pick out the varied colors of fur and dress that the three mares traveling with him were in. Come on girls, where are you?

Suddenly, the Doctor’s skilled eyes caught sight of a familiar set of curved, polished horns towering over the slightly smaller nobles and picked up on the glimmering gold fabric worn by the mare at his side. They were moving towards the stairway leading out of the Azure Hall.

“There you are, Rarity. Now where do you think you’re going?” the Doctor uttered under his breath. “Come on, don’t wander off on me. Bad things happen when you girls wander off.”

The Doctor started forward, intent on getting the mare’s attention before he was suddenly cut off, a lithe scaled form towering over him as it blocked his path.

He was no judge of equine beauty, not by a long shot. But over the past few months of living in Ponyville’s completely one-sided gender dynamic, he had learned what it was that mares concerned themselves with the most. Their figures, their coats, the size of their flanks, and their overall state of grooming were key to their appearance.

And based on these parameters, he guessed that the golden-scaled mare eyeing him hungrily, lacking in horns and mane but with a thick, braided silver tail, was the pony equivalent of an Amazon.

“Hello there...” she greeted him sultrily.

“Oh, um, greetings.” the Doctor answered awkwardly, feeling very much like a prey species at that moment as he tried to edge himself to the side and hopefully bypass the mare; to no avail as she simply shifted to follow his steps.

“My name is Muraiir,” she told him, her tone far from upset as she informed him of the next vital point. “Mistress of the War Spire.”

“Ah… I see.” The Doctor had to crane his neck to look past the Mistress and noted how Kir and Rarity had already reached the stairs. “Well, I’m the Doctor. And I apologize for your Prince’s early departure, Milady. I was simply--”

“Oh, the foal had it coming. I mean truly, throwing a tantrum like that in the middle of the Banquet.” Muraiir clucked her tongue dismissively, immediately leaving the Doctor with the impression that her position as Dai’s Mistress was not entirely of her own choosing. “Please, allow me to apologize for him. I am afraid that he lacks in ‘maturity.’”

“Oh, well, in that case, thank you. I appreciate it. Now, if you would excuse me I need to--”

“Oh, I don’t think you understand just how sorry I am for allowing him to disrespect you in such a manner,” Muraiir purred slowly, leaning down with her eyes half-lidded. “I would feel so much better if, perhaps, you could let me... make it up to you, in some way.”

The Doctor’s eyes widened by degrees as the mare’s intention hit him with all the force of a runaway train.

“Ah! Oh, um, well...” The Doctor cleared his throat loudly as he shifted around awkwardly, running a hoof over his mane as he started slowly backing away. “I… appreciate the offer, but… not interested. Terribly sorry, but I simply...”

Much to his shock and dread, he felt his tail brush up against another set of forelegs, leading him to turn over his shoulder to realize two other mares had moved up behind him while he was distracted. They seemed nearly identical to Muraiir in every way, except in their scales, which were colored a gleaming emerald and a sapphire blue, and their tails, which were the same color silver but styled more plainly. And like Muraiir, they too were looking the stallion over with curious eyes.

“H-hello, Miladies.” The Doctor’s expression became more concerned as he realized he was fairly well trapped. “Pardon me, I wasn’t… uhhh… Are you ladies enjoying the Banquet?”

“I am now...” said the emerald-colored mare in a honeyed voice.

“These are my sisters: Mistress Haaiir of the Architect Spire and Mistress Kayaiir of the Culture Spire.” Muraiir grinned, her sharpened draconian teeth giving her a hungry predatory look as she took a step towards the Hourglass Stallion. “And if we may, Lord Doctor, we would be more than happy to show you a little… quilin hospitality.”

“I can think of a few games we could play,” the blue one, evidently Kayaiir, brought up playfully.

The Doctor gulped in desperation as a cold sweat broke over his brow.

Not good.

————————

This was an absolute unmitigated disaster!

The Master of the Halls cringed openly as he moved through the Banquet Hall, taking whatever care he could to avoid nudging his peers and betters with his shoulders and absolutely aghast at the utter disorganization that had befallen them.

Traditional formality had been cast aside. Nobles of all Houses were moving around at random, speaking with their fellows from other Spires without any concern for the protocols that had been set forward as to how they were to interact. The Master Builders of the Architect Spire were conversing with the lowly Masters of the Mines. The Mistresses were prowling around the Halls without their usual entourages, engaging with lower quilin and the aliens at a whim. Even the Princes themselves had begun to lose their sense of decorum, entering and exiting the Halls at will without so much as requesting heralding to their comings and goings.

He had even heard that the Grim Prince himself had made an appearance; an occasion for which the long-standing Lord of the Azure Palace had a dozen contingencies for, none of which could be implemented with the Halls in this state!

It was utter chaos! And it was all their fault.

The aliens were peppered here and there throughout the Halls and, much to his relief, the majority of them were actually behaving on par with the upper crust of quilin society. All save for the one who was, by far, the worst of the four: the costumed fuchsia mare that had first emerged from within the blue box.

Except for the few times when she stepped down to rest or to interact with her audience, the mare called “Lady Pinkie Pie” was still the center of attention on the stage that she had set up with his traitorous Sai, who were now at least being kept out of sight in the service rooms. How she could still be up there, coming up with new material off the top of her head, with jokes and antics that the Master of the Halls found anything but entertaining, was beyond him.

It kept many of the nobles coming back for more whenever she stepped back up onto the stage, still entertained as their latest and by far most effective diversion from their daily trials and stresses kept many of them riveted where they stood.

Still, as the one sane quilin it seemed was left in the Last City, Sang: Keeper of the Feasts, had maintained his traditional role, taking it upon himself to ensure that protocol was followed as he conversed with the other nobles from the Deep Spire to the Crown in orderly succession.

And now, he thought, as he began approaching the Prince to whom he swore his duties, it was time to truly get down to business. He was finally able to speak directly with his liege; to try and discuss what measures should be taken to contain this terrible misconduct of--

“Sang!” The Jester Prince turned to the slightly smaller quilin, a grin over his face as he quickly rushed over and nearly flattened the Lord of the Azure Halls with a hearty clap on the back with a foreleg. “I tell you, my colt! This is better than anything I could have hoped for!”

“My liege, I need to speak with you about-- Wait… what?” The Master of the Halls drew back ever so slightly.

“Look around you, Sang! Breath it in!” Prince Wu instructed, waving his free leg around at the Halls.

The Master did as he was bid, taking exact note about how mangled the entire affair was. How all of the wrong quilin were in all of the wrong places and how they were idly chatting away, unconcerned with the fact that others might require to speak with them.

“Sire, I--”

“For the first time in my reign, Sang…” the Jester Prince beamed, his voice jovial and boisterous as he considered it. “Our guests are actually enjoying their time with us. Taking in one another’s company without the constant ‘who needs what’ mentality and actually speaking with one another! Attending out of curiosity and staying out of a desire to do so rather than simple obligation!”

“I… well,” the Master of the Halls quickly scrambled to find his hoofing and forced a small smile. “I am delighted you think so, sire.”

“That alien may well be the best thing that has ever happened to our Spire, Sang,” Prince Wu announced, not bothering to keep his voice down as he gestured over to the pink-furred pony who was now getting the audience involved in singing some ridiculous song that was exclusively about smiling. “If only she had come along back when I was young and courting. Don’t get me wrong; Kayaiir is a marvelous mare, but Lady Pinkie would have been a perfect Mistress of the Culture Spire, don’t you think?”

The Master of the Halls hid an expression of disgust and swallowed back a bitter taste in his mouth at the thought as he forced himself to nod in agreement. And yet, it didn’t stop him from thinking about ways he could turn this to his advantage.

“As you say, sire. Our plans have certainly made the Halls more lively than they have been in some time. It’s heartening to see that my intentions for the Banquet have gone over well with our guests.”

“Your intentions?” Wu asked curiously, his grin still in place.

“A break with tradition if you will, sire. After all, I suppose it is entirely possible the Banquet has grown… stale… which is why I was so eager to allow Lady Pie her opportunity to introduce us to these new forms of joviality.”

“I see... So it was your idea to so drastically alter generations of tradition for the sake of our alien guests.” Prince Wu nodded knowingly, as the Master of the Halls continued to pontificate.

“Exactly. And I must say, it pleases me to no end that you approve, my Prince. To be perfectly honest, I never thought--”

“Sang…”

While the Jester Prince’s smile never faltered, there was a sudden heavy tint to his tone as he drew the smaller quilin closer, practically squeezing the Master of the Halls to his side, their scales now uncomfortably brushing up against one another.

“Do you know the one thing I can’t stand, my colt?”

The Master took notice of the distinct change in his Prince’s voice, and it caused a brief but noticeable shiver to run down the length of his spine.

“That would be… prematurely harvested opals... sire?”

“That too.” The Jester Prince nodded in agreement with his underling’s admission, as the gemstones tended to make him queasy when they were not properly aged. “But more than that, oh Master of the Halls… The one thing that I just cannot abide…”

The Prince leaned down, bringing himself nearly eye level with the smaller quilin noble.

The grin was gone.

“…is a sycophant.”

Sang’s eyes went wide, his shoulders suddenly feeling as if they were about to buckle under the harshening tone.

“S-sire, I certainly did not mean to offend…”

“You abandoned your duties, Sang,” Wu pointed out, not releasing his grip on the smaller noble. “In your own words, I believe you said that you had been insulted by the insinuation that the Science Spire’s attache could do your task.”

“The Sai was my concern, sire! I did not want to allow him to bungle up my work… but I had every intention of following through with Lady Pie’s methods of--”

“Kir’s Sai and Lady Pie managed to not only put together a plan, but succeeded in persuading the Sai under your care to continue working past their required service. And while they were doing this, you left the Halls for your own estate, intending fully to let the Science Sai drown in his own ambition,” Wu stated with certainty, his voice hard. “You would have left those gathered here… my guests… to be left unsatisfied and insulted because you felt that it was beneath you to actually do something different in regards to your duties.”

“My Prince, I merely--”

“Thankfully, this is not the case, and their efforts have succeeded despite your pessimism. And now that this Banquet has shattered your own expectations as well as mine, you wish to swoop in and claim that you had a hoof in it? Utterly disgraceful.”

“Sire...”

Wu lifted his foreleg from the Master of the Hall’s shoulder and flexed his body in a way that rebuffed the smaller quilin, nearly sending him off his hooves as he staggered to the side.

“You are dismissed, Sang.”

Sang, the now former Master of the Halls, gaped in shock at the deadpanned declaration, his heart all but turning to ice as his entire world crashed down around him.

“B-but, sire, I... I...” the quilin attempted, but the words would not come as the impossibly horrific implications made his throat and tongue go numb.

The Jester Prince moved away, paying no heed to the stammering quilin that had been beside him. Now that this unpleasant business was finished, he could direct his attention to the stage as the pink mare bowed to an applause of stomping, sharpened hooves.

A thought occurred to him then, and that thought brought with it the return of his smile. For the first time since the beginning of his reign, Wu had an open position in his Spire.

And he intended to make sure it was properly filled.

————————

Twilight Sparkle yawned as she fixed herself a cup of punch, this time sure to take the drink from the bowl set on the “pony food” table as opposed to bowl of glimmering pebbles on the now nearly empty table of gems and stones.

Her brain felt like it had been rolled around in something fuzzy, her eyes heavy as she fought back a tired feeling that usually came from a late night of studying by candlelight.

How long does this Banquet last, anyways? she found herself wondering as she sipped at the punch, immediately knowing from how sweet it was that Pinkie had been the one who mixed it.

It felt like they had been doing this for hours.

Then again, maybe that was because of the way her interactions with the other Princes had gone.

“Twilight!”

Twilight perked, recognizing the semi-panicked tone of the Time Pony instantly as he rushed up to her, panting slightly and looking disheveled as if he had run a marathon.

“Doctor? What in the name of--”

“Do you remember a few weeks ago when you asked me to explain the TARDIS’ perception filter so that you could study it?”

“Uhhh, yes...” Twilight gave the frantic, desperate-looking stallion a confused look. “I was wondering if I could figure out how to duplicate it as a spell. Why do you--”

“Can you cast it!?” He threw a worried glance over his shoulder, drawing in a sharp, fearful breath. “Right now if at all possible!”

“Well, I can try. But I still haven’t had a chance to test it yet.”

“No time like the present!” the stallion said urgently, shifting on his hooves. “Quick, before they catch up!”

“Who are ‘they’?” Twilight tilted her head, amazed by the pleading expression of desperation in the Doctor’s eyes before she acquiesced. “Okay, okay! Fine. Just don’t blame me if you turn into a frog or something.”

Twilight drew back, her horn igniting with purple light for a moment as she focused on the patterns and mental motions of the spell she had formulated. With a final thought, the energy escaped from her horn in a familiar discharge as it washed over the Doctor’s form.

And not a moment too soon, it seemed. The timing was perfect as Twilight took note of three lovely mares sharing a stature she had come to associate with the Mistresses of the various quilin Spires all but plowed through the crowd, looking around wildly. While she wasn’t sure about the golden or sapphire ones, she had been introduced to the emerald-scaled Mistress of the Architect Prince, who had been just as bored as Twilight was of her beau’s constant meaningless prattle.

The Doctor, for his part, stood stock still as the three looked around, their golden eyes scanning the area with an excited eagerness, as if the chase was somehow adding to the thrill of it all.

After a few moments, they started away, speaking in hushed tones between one another and reminding Twilight for some reason of three particular flower-mares that often formed the same inclusive sort of exclusive huddle.

“Oh, thank heavens.” The Doctor relaxed, sighing as his presence was glossed over by everylin and everypony present, except for Twilight, whose spell had a built-in feature that allowed the caster to be immune to its effects.

“Doctor, what was that all about?” Twilight found herself asking, not sure if she should be amused or concerned. “Are you in trouble?”

“I’ll say I am, although to be honest, I’m not entirely sure why.” The Doctor shrugged. “One moment I was trying to get over to Rarity and the next thing I knew I had the Warrior Prince’s wife and her partners in crime attempting to drag me off to a secluded closet somewhere.”

Twilight drew back, a look of shock on her face as she interpreted what the Time Pony meant.

“Wait, you’re telling me that they wanted to--”

“I don’t know and quite frankly I don’t want to know,” the Doctor interrupted bitterly. “I learned a long time ago that getting mixed up between royalty and their spouses is a very, very bad idea.”

Twilight couldn’t help but chuckle at the Doctor’s tone, one that spoke highly of his awkwardness around the three absolutely beautiful mares that nearly any stallion she knew of would’ve gladly let have their way.

“I’m surprised you didn’t try to hide in the TARDIS.” Twilight smirked.

“Too dangerous.” The Doctor shook his head as he caught his breath. “I don’t want to risk opening her with this many quilin around, particularly after my little encounter with the Warrior Prince. A real charmer, that one.”

“At least it sounds like you’ve had an exciting evening.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “I got to listen to a never-ending lecture about the many fascinating applications of Lustershine Ore in the construction of the different towers.”

“I thought you enjoyed academic lecturing.”

“I do,” Twilight defended herself with a sigh before she cleared her throat. “And it was really interesting for a little while, at least. But he just... didn’t... stop. I couldn’t get him to talk about anything that didn’t have to do with building codes and structures of the Last City. It was worse than the lectures I had to sit through in the School for Gifted Unicorns. After about the seventh time of him explaining non-magnetic properties and the proper angles of the Spire’s door-frames, I finally managed to excuse myself.”

Just the thought of having to listen to more of that mind-numbing discussion brought the fuzziness back in full force, and Twilight couldn’t help but yawn widely.

“Feeling sleepy, Twilight?”

“Yeah. How long is this thing supposed to last? I feel like we’ve been here for hours.”

“How can you tell?”

Twilight’s ears perked at the simple question, looking to the Doctor with a sudden suspicion. “What?”

The Hourglass Stallion tilted his head. “You mean you haven’t noticed?”

“Noticed what? What are you talking about?”

“I’m not quite sure yet, but I think I’m getting closer to an answer,” the Time Pony confided in his unicorn friend, who narrowed her eyes on the stallion in an accusatory fashion.

“What are you not telling me?”

“Um... Twilight, I don’t think this is the right time for us to be having that discussion again.”

“What do you mean ‘again’?” The unicorn scowled, her exhausted state of mind making her come off more snappish than usual. “We didn’t have it the first time. You can’t avoid this forever.”

“You would be amazed at the lengths I can go to in order to avoid things,” the Doctor chuckled.

“...Is that so?” Twilight smirked suddenly, an expression of humor in her tired eyes, and the inflection in her voice caused the Doctor’s own pair to widen.

“Twiliiiiight... Don’t you--” he managed before he felt a discharge of what felt like static over his fur as the magic veil dissolved. “Uh-oh.”

“There he is! I found him!”

The Doctor’s pupils shrunk to pinpoints as he froze, much to Twilight’s amusement, when Kayaiir’s voice was heard over the din of the party, and the three tall mares began to barrel through the nobles in their way towards the newly-revealed pony.

Grinning smugly, Twilight offered the Doctor a bit of his own advice: “Run.”

The Doctor bolted away at a speed that would have made Rainbow Dash proud, clearly panicked as the surrounding quilin watched on in amusement, observing this game of cat and mouse. Or rather, a game of three cats and mouse.

Twilight merely chuckled as she was left alone again, certain that the slippery stallion would find another way out of this predicament. If he could avoid getting entangled by an interested Rarity, then surely it wouldn’t be a problem for him to escape from--

“Ah!” Twilight flinched as something sharp brushed against her haunch, causing her to start forward half a step and twist around at the unexpected sting.

Looking down to the floor, she saw a single cookie laying there, quickly snapped up by a dull green hoof, which pulled back under the satin tablecloth that was hanging down to the floor.

“What the...?” Twilight cocked her head to the side, unsure of what to make of this as she leaned down, reaching a hoof to the fabric and slipping her head up under the folds.

Twilight paused as her horn ignited, shedding a soft purple light under the dark shadows of the table to reveal that she was not alone there.

Sitting there on her haunches was a small, dull green quilin, her hooves to her face as she chewed ravenously on what was left of the cookie she had just pilfered from the table overhead.

After about half a second, she seemed to realize that she was no longer alone under the table, and looked up to Twilight with wide golden eyes, an expression of shock coming over her face as she was almost literally caught with her hoof coming out of the cookie jar.

“Oh, hello there,” Twilight started warmly, recognizing the white and blue stole on the mare’s shoulders that signified her place as a worker in the Azure Halls. “What are you doing under--”

“No, no... Please...!” the green quilin whispered urgently, tears rimming her eyes as she seemed on the verge of uncontrollable sobbing. “I’m sorry... I am so sorry... I didn’t mean to... They were just so good I couldn’t... help myself. I just...”

“Whoa, calm down, it’s okay. Come on out. You don’t have to--” Twilight started to lift the table cloth with her neck, intending to coax the small quilin out into the open.

Her reaction was one of almost utter panic as she shook her head violently.

“No! Please! Don’t let the nobles find me here!” she managed with a strangled sob. “I don’t want to be dismissed and thrown out to the frost!”

Twilight froze, her eyes widening.

Her fear clearly wasn’t one of a filly hoping she didn’t get grounded or an employee that didn’t want to be docked her pay for some menial offense.

This mare was afraid for her life.

Twilight tilted her head, concerned as the poor girl cowered before her helplessly, glistening tears rolling down the scales on her cheeks.

Carefully, the unicorn shifted her shoulders and worked her way under the table, hoping that nolin would notice as she crawled under and tried to keep her barrel uncomfortably low to the ground, almost laying on her belly as she kept an eye on the green mare.

“Shhh... It’s okay... it’s okay. Calm down. I won’t tell anylin,” Twilight cooed, hoping that she was coming across as soothing to the small quilin who was trying her hardest to follow the unicorn’s instruction. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you. Now, what was your name?”

The quilin’s fearful expression turned to one of confusion as she regarded the unicorn.

“My... my name...?”

And for the first time since the Banquet had begun, Twilight suddenly had the impression that she was about to witness something truly important.

————————

The Golden Roads

The Golden Roads were empty and silent, as they had been since the initial rush of workers following the beginning of the Dim Cycle. The deep indigo of the sky overhead setting the dazzling white and transparent towers of the Last City awash in a beautiful glow.

But as amazing as the sight was, it paled in comparison to what now lay stretched out before Rarity as she stood on the edge of the Last City’s mighty dome.

Stretching out to the horizon, thousands of ice and crystal spires glowed and glittered like a forest of diamonds under the tinted violet light of Azure’s dusk, creating colorful, glimmering auras across the snowy fields that stretched on for miles, a soft snow ever so slightly distorting the colors as they passed through those auroras and caused the light to sparkle like a field of stars.

Her breath had been stolen away by the spectacle; a work of art created by nature that she was able to enjoy from the safety of a bastion of civilization.

“This is... amazing... Brilliant...” Rarity offered weakly, unable to truly find the words that could describe what it was she was seeing. Such words simply did not exist.

“This is City’s Edge. Not very many quilin come out this far,” Kir explained, having laid down on the gold road, which ended a few meters short of the dome before which Rarity was now standing. “Most don’t like to be reminded that just outside of our home lies a desolate world of ice and frost. Me, personally? I find that it helps to remind me of just how precious what we have here is.”

“I can see what you mean.” Rarity nodded, looking out across the icy fields, aglow in the fine aurora. “It’s so beautiful here. So... perfect...”

Kir watched the unicorn for a moment... his eyes roving up and down her graceful form. The way the dim indigo light radiated off her gold-wrapped body; the diamond dust sparkling in her soft, exotic fur; her mane, which was styled in a way that no quilin mare could imitate.

The Lord Prince of Qing felt his heart race as he watched her standing there, before the dusky glow of the City’s Edge.

“It is now...” The words came unbidden, surprising even himself.

Rarity turned at this, looking back at the tall, dashingly silver-scaled quilin with her soft blue eyes, causing him to turn away as she took note of his appreciative gaze.

“It’s a little embarrassing for me to admit this, Kir, but... I’m envious of you.”

“Of me?” Kir tilted his head, turning back to her as she positioned herself to face him.

“This life you have. The beauty and elegance. The sophistication and glamor,” Rarity continued, sounding amazed before she lowered her head, a hint of shame in her posture. “I... am afraid I have a bit of a confession to make, Kir. You see, I haven’t been... entirely honest with you.”

“What do you mean?” the Lord Prince asked, his expression worried.

“I’ve told you about the Equestrian Noble Houses and our higher culture. About our Princesses and a little about our ways. But...” She sighed, lowering her head further. “Unfortunately, that is not my place in our society. That isn’t ‘my’ spot in Equestria. As much as I wish it to be otherwise, however much I try to play the part... the bitter truth is that I’m not really a proper lady or a member of the nobility. I’m just... a seamstress. A common pony mare from common old Ponyville who’s just lucky enough to have an amazing set of friends capable of such incredible things as traveling across the stars to new worlds.”

Kir watched her a moment longer as Rarity let the facade she had been crafting since she arrived in the Last City fall, allowing him to understand what she really was.

“This life of yours, Kir; to be among nobles who truly are noble, as much in deed as in name, has always been a dream of mine,” Rarity continued. “To be counted as an equal among them. Rubbing shoulders and breaking bread with the upper crust. Tonight... well, tonight has been a dream come true.”

The mare now stood directly in front of Kir, her eyes downcast as she sighed with a tone of embarrassment that was more than apparent to any that might hear it.

“I’m sorry that I am not... what I tried to show myself to be.”

“Well...” Kir took a breath, nodding as he digested this confession. “It seems that we have more in common than I ever thought, Lady Rarity.”

Rarity looked up, amazed by the Prince’s slight, almost roguish smile.

“The truth is... my crown notwithstanding... I’m really not much of a scientist,” the quilin stallion admitted as he shrugged. “I was born into my role, educated and expected to do great works. But, in spite of my studies and trying to fulfill that purpose, I’ve just never had that ‘spark’ of innovation. That... creativity that is required of the ‘Scientist Supreme.’”

Rarity stood in stunned realization as she began to comprehend what it was that Kir was doing... That he was confiding in her something that he had clearly been trying to keep to himself for perhaps as long as he had reigned over his Spire.

“Until tonight, I had always avoided these Banquets. They’ve just always made me feel as if... as if I had somehow failed in my duties. That I haven’t been able to live up to the expectations set by my predecessors and instead have been letting my Court Sai run themselves. But... tonight was different from all of those other dreadfully boring Banquets.”

Kir looked up, realizing that Rarity had laid down in front of him, the two facing one another as he spoke, her undivided attention on the stallion.

“I was pulled aside, having to answer so many questions and offer explanation to many of the other noble houses. But, to be honest: all I really wanted since we first arrived... was to spend my time with you. To try and... get to know you a little better. I realized that wasn’t going to happen at the Banquet, so I thought that--”

“Kir.”

Rarity leaned forward, her round, alien eyes glimmering wonderfully in the indigo light of Qing’s dusk sun. She brought up a hoof, at first hesitantly, to the side of his face as she met his golden gaze with her own.

For a moment, her hooves, softer than any quilin’s could have been, stroked along the scales of his cheek, causing him to falter slightly at her touch.

“I’m here now, my sweet prince,” Rarity offered, leaning closer as Kir did the same, feeling the warmth of her fur as their muzzles came closer together. “You have me all to yourself...”

Her heart was aflutter, her mind buzzing with electricity as she neared the climatic point that she had read time and time again in her hundreds of romantic stories of daring heroines and dashing princes.

Her lips parted, as did Kir’s, and they leaned forward, both of their eyes growing half-lidded as they prepared to partake in another commonality shared by their two peoples.

*GOOONNNNNNGGGGGG*

Rarity cried out and drew her head back, Kir likewise startled as his eyes snapped fully open in recognition. The white pony looked around wildly, her heart racing as she came to realize it was the ring of what sounded like a large, bronze bell.

“Now, Shu?” Kir growled under his breath as he looked back to the Azure Halls, clearly far from happy with the interruption. “You want to do this now!?”

“What? Kir... what is it?” Rarity asked, the mood sufficiently shattered as she took note of the agitation on the Lord Prince’s muzzle. “What’s wrong?”

Kir lowered his gaze, shaking his head as he explained.

“The social aspect of the Banquet is officially over,” he told her, a degree of trepidation in his voice. “Normally that means everylin returns to their homes, and the attending Princes usually meet to discuss the various businesses of the Spires. But that bell means the Crown Prince has issued a summons. All of the Nine Princes are being called to dine. No exceptions.”

“All nine of you in one place, dining together?” Rarity clarified breathlessly, recognizing the significance of such an event, and feeling a bit less worried as she got a grasp on the situation. She didn’t bother hiding her disappointment at the interruption, but even she could understand the urgency. “Well, in that case, we shouldn’t keep them waiting.”

“Right...” Kir nodded as Rarity began to trot briskly back towards the Azure Halls, an expression of concern crossing his face. “We don’t want to disappoint him.”

Author's Note

Whew. There we go, finally got this one out.
Now I am sure everyone is wondering what took so long with this chapter. Well the truth is, what made it to final cut was actually only about a third of the events that were originally planned for the Banquet. Coupled with the releases of my two other stories, the fragmented style of the chapter, which went directly from scene to scene and among many different characters, was actually quite hard to write out and maintain coherency without getting completely lost in the flood of new characters.
In short, this chapter was probably re-written about three times and had to actually be whittled down to get rid of a huge amount of additional fluff and unintentional spoilers that would have made later chapters far less dramatic.

Please do comment and critique and I hope that you all enjoy.

Prologue: Art of Distress

Carousel Boutique
Ponyville, Everfree Province of Equestria
58th of Summer, 1002 C.R. (Celestia’s Reign), 7:57pm

Parents of the ponies of Equestria seemed to have an innate intuition when it came to the naming of their foals. Surely there were exceptions, but most ponies had a tendency to live up to their names with an almost scary accuracy. Sure, some of the other races mocked the equine’s tendency to name their young after objects, personality traits, or abstract concepts rather than giving them a name intended to be a name (such was the practice of griffins) but they didn’t understand the inherent, magical connection that pony parents had to their children. A bond that gave a mother and father a supernatural insight into their young’s future abilities and talents that even they couldn’t quite understand in hindsight.

So Rarity should have known that when she had been introduced to the somewhat aloof noblemare named ‘Talk Down’ that she was going to be in for a particularly frustrating session.

“And this hipline is so tight! I thought I ordered a dress, not a girdle.” The ‘slightly’ pudgy lime green mare turned a bit as she looked at herself in the mirror. While clearly past her prime, the unicorn with the lemon yellow mane still admired herself even as she spoke, her nasally and surprisingly ‘loud’ voice causing Ponyville’s premiere fashion designer to clench her teeth as she tried to focus on letting out the hips of the frilly and lacy dress that encompassed her body from neck to tail and fell down over her hooves. While it had a certain level of volume in and of itself, the dress had clearly been designed to be form fitting.

On a much SMALLER pony.

“Yes, yes I understand.” The white mare attempted to explain while she moved around, her horn aglow, gently tugging at the seam with her magic. “And I do apologize, Lady Down, but the measurements that you sent me for the commission were…”
Rarity found herself pausing for half a moment as she considered the proper way to put it.

‘Irreparably inaccurate.’

‘Ten years late and seventy pounds light.’

‘Clearly intended for another mare.’

‘Wishful thinking.’

“Slightly off.” Rarity finally settled on, her smile forced as she pulled a pin from the red cushion strapped around her leg and squinted slightly from behind her orange working glasses, examining the seams as she, not for the first time, let out the fabric.

“And just what exactly are you implying?” Talk’s pitch rose with an air of insult, although she didn’t move from her place in front of the mirror.
Rarity was glad she was facing away from the mirror so that the noble Canterlot pony couldn’t see her roll her eyes and considered how she had gotten into this mess.
What was supposed to have been a half-hour long final fitting while her ‘customer’ graced the ‘mudpit in the middle of nowhere’ with her presence had turned into a grueling revision of EVERYTHING that she had been asked for in the private commission. While Rarity was not averse to having special requests and jobs sent to her from all over Equestria, (particularly after her designer lines had become the talk of the upper class thanks to Hoity Toity’s admiration of her work), even a seamstress of her talent needed proper measurements to get the proportions right.
And while the designer was certainly no stranger to the whims of customers and even last minute major overhauls, the manner in which Lady Talk Down, Niece of Duke Golden Bit, one of the richest ponies in all of Equestria, handled herself was enough to make even the aspiring socialite begin to lose patience.

“Why, nothing at all dear.” Rarity maintained her professional standing even as she took a step back, her mind racing as she tried to think of how else she could make the mare before her appear slimmer without resorting to tightening the already complicated design again.

“Don’t you ‘dear’ me. I’ll have you know that--” Talk started back, only to be cut off by a more reserved, but no less haughty, stallion’s voice off to the side.

“Oh, for the love of Celestia, Talk. Let the mare do her job!” Look Down, Talk’s younger brother, was clearly growing irate in his boredom as he snapped, drawing both fillies’ attention to the yellow unicorn colt with the red mane and his posh collared attire. “It’s not her fault you let yourself go!”

FINALLY… the rich mare was set back enough to stop ranting, mumbling incoherently and allowing a moment of relief to wash over Rarity. She was grateful to be saved from having to endure another verbal lash, unable to respond for fear of losing what might be a well-connected and well-paying customer.

“Thank you, Mr. Down.” Escaped Rarity’s lips, drawing a glare from the mare she was continuing to work on while the colt turned away from her, his moment of frustrated outburst quickly covered with an indignant disinterest.

“Yes yes, you’re welcome. Just get this over with would you?” Look replied in a cross, impatient tone. “As riveting as this entire session has been, seven hours of listening to her complaints and your excuses is enough to wear on anypony’s nerves.”

And there was the pompous indignity rearing its ugly head again.

After her fantasies and preconceptions about the nobility had been shattered to a million tiny pieces by the behavior of the so-called ‘Prince’ Blueblood nearly two years ago at her first (and likely last) attendance of the Grand Galloping Gala, she had come to terms with the realization that noble titles and wealth did not necessarily make one a noble, regal pony.

But even with this revelation, Rarity had spent most of her life trying to find a way into high society, and was often taken aback at how common this particular side of the upper class was.

“Of course, I apologize. But I do believe that…”

Rarity paused, her eyes going wide as her pupils and iris’ shrunk down to pinpoints in realization of what Look had just said.

“Se…seven hours? You mean… it’s eight o’clock in the evening?” Rarity looked around, trying to figure out where she had set her clock in the most recent ‘re-arrangement’ of her second floor workroom as panic filled her. “As in, eight P.M.!?”

“Yes… How time flies when one is having fun.” Talk droned on, huffing in an unamused manner and clearly unmoved by the purple-maned designer’s sudden apprehension. “As much as I am loath to admit it, my idiot brother does have a point. This has taken much too long.”

“Yes, well there you go! All set!” Rarity grinned toothily, her forced smile torn between weariness and panic as she used her magic to cut the last few lines of thread that were hanging from her most recent adjustments.

“What? But now it’s too--”

“Oh, my, my. Darling don’t you look simply RAVISHING!” The fashion pony stated quickly. “Sure to be the talk of Canterlot after your party.”

“But this isn’t for a party, it’s for--” The lime mare was stunned when Rarity suddenly pushed at her flank with both forelegs, edging the posh noble away from the dressing mirror and towards the door, an action that clearly amused her brother as Look stifled a snicker at Talk’s appalled expression.

“Now then, we can discuss any further adjustments to the commission’s design via mail. Please feel free to keep this particular piece at no charge and I’ll begin work RIGHT away on something that will be far more elaborate now that I’ve had a chance to work with you in person. I hope that you enjoyed your visit to Ponyville and do come see me again if you have any troubles with the dress. I’d love to chat more, but I am afraid that the Carousel Boutique is closed for the evening.”

“Wha... I beg your PARDON!?” Talk ground her forehooves into the wooden floor, causing a light scratching sound as Rarity continued to push her. “This is absolutely UNACCEPTABLE! I was under the impression that this ‘boutique’ was regarded by my fellow noblemares as being above and beyond its uncouth surroundings. Now, I did not come all this way to waste my precious time just to be shooed out the door with a half-finished dress and trite platitudes like some common mare being chased out of a thrift shop!”

Rarity drew in a sharp breath as her eyes finally fell on the small table clock she kept up in her workshop and cursed herself for having hidden it behind the stands holding the copies of ‘Clothes Horse’ and ‘High Style’ magazines that attested to her work’s quality.

8:05

She still had some hope. Maybe something had happened. Maybe there had been some delay. Maybe, just MAYBE, they had forgotten. Now, if she could just--

Talk Down shifted suddenly, planting her haunches on the floor with an angry pout like and impetulant filly who was angered that she was not getting her way.

“I am not going anywhere until I’m completely satisfied! If the Carousel Boutique is really worth all of the bragging that I’ve been hearing in my social circles, than it needs to act like it!”

“Talk, contrary to your belief; neither the world nor this young mare’s life revolve around you.” Look started with a disdained tone, clearly agreeing with Rarity that it was past time the two of them had exited the boutique. “Miss Rarity, would you be available to continue this fitting in the morning perhaps? I think that all parties involved have grown ‘testy’ given how long you have been working at this.”

“Of course, and I do quite sincerely apologize for the delay and inconvenience, but you are correct. A break for the night would behoove all involved.” Rarity nodded with a tired, but still formal air while a hopeful giddiness welled up in her chest.

“But...” Talk pouted again, but was cut off as Look turned to her, the dynamic surprising as it was the younger sibling who was chastising the elder with a stern expression.

“As you well know, my dear sister: Perfection is not meant to be obtained with ease.”

‘YES!’ Rarity managed to contain any outward expression her joy at the realization that, while still somewhat pompous, at least the younger Down sibling had a degree of common sense. Although how much of it was motivated by a desire to remove himself from these circumstances, she did not know.

Nor did she care if she could just get them out of her shop before...

Any hopes she had were dashed as the door to her workshop opened suddenly, revealing the last two ponies in the whole of Equis that she wanted exposed to potential members of her customer base.

“Of everything that could happen...” Rarity muttered under her breath, crestfallen, as her forced smile crumbled. “This is the worst... possible... thing.”

“HONEY! SURPRISE! Time for our weekly get together! We got reservations to that new fancy Phrench restaurant you were all up in a huff about.” Chimed in a very distinct tone from the familiar pink unicorn, her purple mane done up in a ridiculously tall mass that only a sadist would call a ‘bun’. Her red shirt, sleeves torn at somewhat irregular angles, and tight-fitting white trousers completing the clear illustration that somepony had lost all sense of good taste.

“Well! Evening, Rarity.” Came the upbeat voice that was always partnered with the first. His accent as unmistakably ‘Hoofsdale’, although how a pony could speak with that accent ‘THAT’ clearly with such a thick mustache, she never understood. Some ponies could pull the look off with poise, but this white-coated, brown-maned and heavily built stallion was not among them, as was apparent by the way it grew thickly right along the tip of his snout.
To his credit, he had eschewed his usual floral-print shirt design in favor of an aged-looking blue hoofball jersey which she knew without looking had the number ‘12’ and the word ‘Coach’ emblazoned in fading letters on the back.

But to her dismay, she noticed he was lacking the straw hat he often wore.

Rarity drooped as the fashion disasters that were her sire and dame moved into the workshop, the noble Downs stunned by their appearance. Her blue eyes falling instantly on the perplexed-looking Down siblings as the two noble ponies took in the pair of equines standing before them.

“Ah... Sorry, didn’t know we was interruptin’.” Rarity's father nodded, extending his hoof in a friendly manner. “You twos must be the important clients my girl was going on and on about the other day. Good ta meetcha. Call me Coach.”

Look took the stallion’s hoof somewhat gingerly, an awkward smile on his lips.

“And I’m Sassy Belle.” The pink unicorn nodded, taking note of Talk, who was clearly struck speechless. “Oh, that outfit is just super adorable on you, honey! Really! That’s my filly’s work right there, know it anywhere.”

“Your... filly?” Talk turned towards Rarity, who all but withered under the skeptical, appraising glare.

This was truly a nightmare.

“...Mother... Father... These are the Downs... Look and Talk. ‘You know’... as in the son and daughter of Baron Down of Canterlot... brother of Duke Golden Bit. Member of Princess Celestia’s ‘personal’ council.” Rarity said placing stress on the titles in an attempt at an awkward introduction, HOPING that her urgent tone would get through to her parents.

With no such luck.

“Ahhh, so, big city, big money, big shots.” Coach nodded, his smile never leaving his face as Look gave him a glance that Rarity hoped to all the stars in the sky was an expression of amusement. “Well, you’re in the right place now if quality clothes is what yer after. My filly’s the downright best in her business, let me tell ya.”

“I see... so Miss Rarity is ‘your’ daughter then, Mr... Coach?”
Rarity felt what was left of her heart sink as Look’s eyes flickered to her father’s forehead, which was clearly lacking a horn.

“Darn tootin’, and couldn’t be more proud.” Coach nodded, reaching up and clapping Look on the shoulder with enough force to nearly cause the unicorn noble’s legs to buckle, ending any debate as to the triple hoofball cutie-marked stallion’s ‘situation’. “She’s one heck of a hard worker, my Rarity. Brought this place up from scratch, don’t ya know.”

“THANK YOU, Father!” Rarity quickly interposed between the two colts, pulling the orange glasses from her face with a faint aura of magic and doing all she could to try and keep her anxiety from showing at this clearly disastrous turn of events. “I’ll... be downstairs in just a moment, if you and Mother could--”

“Oh, that can’t be comfortable. You know, you really need to let this out a bit around the thighs, it looks too tight on you honey... Here, let me help with that.”

Rarity’s mane actually smacked Look in the snout as her head snapped to one side, taking note of her mother standing next to an annoyed-looking Talk, the seamstress’ worry as to her father’s conversation with Look having distracted her from a far greater danger.

“MOTHER! NO! THE SEAMS ARE--”

*vrrrrmmmm*

The dress glowed along Talk’s haunches with a faint pink aura that matched Sassy’s horn, the upper portions of the noble’s back legs widening a bit as restraint was lifted and the fabric was allowed to stretch, revealing the mare to be perhaps more ‘full figured’ than she had appeared.

“Inter...connected.” Rarity winced, clenching her eyes shut as the inevitable consequences of such a dynamic change to such a complicated and delicate balance of thread and fabric took form.

*RiiiiiPPPP*

“Aww, don’t that feel better now.” Sassy grinned as the multiple points of strain on the dress’ design failed. The form-fitting garment that had taken seven hours to retool and alter in order to maintain a leaner look on the ‘large-boned’ pony let out and allowed Talk’s more generous proportions to tear the fabric in several places. “Come on, honey. if you got it, don’t hide it. Flaunt it.”

There was a long, ear shattering silence in the boutique, broken only by the sound of grinding stones.

After a moment, the two colts were able to pinpoint the source of that sound to the purple-maned unicorn’s grinding teeth, her eyes shut as far as they could go.

“Mother… Father…” Her tone was low and growling, more akin to a dragon than a pony. “Out…”

“Now, honey, ya know that yer mother means well…” Coach offered weakly as both he and Look took a step back and away from the mare.

“OUUUUT!!!” Rarity shrieked at the top of her lungs, a sound that reverberated across the early evening landscape clear across Ponyville, echoing through the trees of the Everfree, and even detected by a few seismic devices in Canterlot.

A few moments later, her throat hoarse and panting for breath, Rarity opened her eyes to find her parents had indeed gone, leaving the Downs standing in her shop, Look’s face a blank mask while Talk trembled with indignity.

Rarity took a breath to steady herself as she tried to put forward a more professional front.

“My Lord and Lady, I--” She started, only to be cut off.

“I have never been so insulted in all my life!” Talk interrupted immediately, ducking her head down as she struggled to pull herself free of the torn dress with as little care as possible, ripping the fabric even more than it had already suffered. “I don’t know what you had to do to bedazzle your other customers and critics into thinking these rags were worthy of anything but swaddling for rock-farming Earth pony foals!”

“I…”

“Enjoy this mediocre excuse for a business while you can, ‘MISS’ Rarity!” Talk exclaimed, working off the final bits of the outfit with a stomp of her hindlegs, revealing her larger than average flanks and thighs as well as her cutie mark, a loudspeaker with a small pile of bits arranged next to it.
“Because I assure you that you will have none of mine! When my friends hear about this… this... TRAVESTY… you won’t be able to sell anything outside of this ground-pounder infested mud hole.”

Rarity’s desperate cringing attempt at playing the professional was shattered by Talk’s final angry taunt, clearly directed at her Earth pony sire.

Her expression hardened in an instant.

“Get out of my shop.” The white unicorn stated, any grace and humor gone and even her carefully trained and preened manner of speech slipping.

“What did you say!?” Even the noble unicorn was stunned by the venom in her voice.

“Did I stutter? Please, allow me to rephrase:” Rarity brought herself nose to nose with the older mare, her glare almost enough to rival an angered Fluttershy. “I said… GET YOUR FAT, SNOTTY GREEN FLANK OUT OF MY SHOP BEFORE I THROW IT OUT THE WINDOW!”

Talk was taken aback, her entire body shuddering with outrage as she seemed prepared to start foaming at the mouth.

“H…how… how… da…dare...”

Rarity felt her body tense, ready for anything before the younger colt moved between them, his tone and expression remaining neutral.

“I think we’re done here tonight, Sister.” Look nodded, setting a hoof against Talk’s shoulder. “Miss Rarity, we shall be in touch.”

“Y…Y…You…”

“Talk… we are leaving. Now!” Look stated more firmly, which seemed to pull the mare from her angry attempt to speak and settling her on a simmering glare that Rarity met as the two unicorns moved to the door, which slammed as soon as they were past the threshold with an angry fury as Rarity stewed quietly.

The muscles along her back and legs twitched erratically as she felt herself coiled like a spring, a torrent of frustration and anger rising up while she replayed the entire encounter in her mind.

What was worse was she wasn’t sure if she wanted to scream or cry as she fell back on her haunches. Her mind was lost in a sudden haze as she pulled up the tattered remains of what had this morning been a lovely dress, its dimensions clearly intended for a filly on the cusp of marehood.

What had she done?

The Downs were one of the most influential families in Canterlot. Talk’s word could be enough to ruin not only her own career, but that of the ponies that had come forward praising her work. Sapphire Shores was probably above such things as a professional singer; nopony would care where she got her outfits. But both Photo Finish and Hoity Toity made their livings in the fashion industry. It wasn’t as if business in Ponyville wasn’t difficult enough when the vast majority of the population was perfectly comfortable in the fur. She depended on her sales to more ‘clothes conscious’ places like Canterlot. Not to mention any number of well-to-do clients she had in Trottingham, Manehatten and Fillydelphia.

Once Baron Down heard what his daughter had to say about her, he could likely have anything that her hooves had touched declared an affront to fashion, her work turned from vogue garments to pariah rags in the eyes of the nobility in a second.

But wait... It was well known that the Baron occasionally associated with some particularly well-positioned members of the Equestrian government... Could she have some sort of law put out that would have her garments labeled contraband?

…

OH SWEET CELESTIA WHAT HAD SHE DONE!?

She didn’t want to scream or cry anymore as she moved to the window, looking down out over the street that led back to the center of Ponyville from her boutique.

She just wanted to disappear.

Her father’s wagon was already some distance down the road, her parents clearly having realized that their daughter would be inconsolable for the night following what even THEY had to have realized was a career-ruining debacle. Below her she could see the Downs climbing into their own wagon, a set of Pegasi stallions that had been waiting for hours for their employer’s return setting themselves back into the harnesses before pulling it skyward.

While she could not hear anything, likely the result of a sound-proofing spell intended to maintain an added degree of privacy, Rarity could make out the forms of a flailing, ranting pony in the lantern-lit interior of the wagon.

What sort of dastardly things could that snobby mare be planning with her aloof sibling, Rarity didn’t know. But she doubted it boded well for her or her business.
If Talk had her way, Rarity would probably spend the rest of her life hiding her face in shame, ostracized for the horrors her work inflicted upon the ponies of Equestria.

Then what was she going to do? She was twenty-two years old and for her entire life all she had ever wanted to be was a fashion designer. Most found it remarkable that she owned her own business and had found her degree of success at such a young age while she was still in the prime of youth.

Sure, she had managed to survive rough bumps in her job before. Limited supplies, difficult customers, and swarms of ravenous gumdrop-sized monsters... but this...

If the first fashion show her friends had put on to display their... ‘alternative’ Gala dresses to Hoity Toity had been a hammer blow to her business (and one look over her sales records would definitely confirm that it was), then this was nothing short of a full-on collision with a runaway train.

Rarity watched the sky-cart disappear into the distance, the Downs clearly deciding it better to make the hours long journey by air back to Canterlot rather than spend another moment breathing the same air as the common ponies of Ponyville.

Unsure what else to do and her mind still in an exhausted fog, Rarity kept an eye on the clear night sky.

All she wanted to do now was run away.
Someplace where none of it would matter.

Not the words of a stuck-up noblemare that didn’t deserve her title... or the judgement of a colt who clearly found her mixed heritage amusing. Not her parents who would likely be back in the morning telling her that everything was going to be just ‘super-duper’ or some other such nonsense.

Somewhere... far away.

Rarity watched the stars for a moment longer, those twinkling lights that made up a tapestry in the night sky which had grown all the more spectacular since Princess Luna’s return from exile.

She had never been much of a stargazer. Not this unicorn. But in this moment, Rarity found herself leaning into the window, her head in her hooves as she craned her neck skyward, focused on a particular patch of stars... so far away.

But no longer out of reach.

Rarity felt the tension seep out of her as she considered her options, her mind moving far beyond the mundane thoughts of a hot bath and a tub of ice cream. (Although both of those were still on the agenda for tonight.)

Yes, she needed to get away.

FAR away.

A nice... long... holiday.

That was just what the Doctor ordered.

—————————————————————————————

*Opening Theme*
Featuring:
The Doctor
Twilight Sparkle
Rarity
and
Pinkie Pie

Doctor Whooves: The Series
“Only Skin Deep”

Ch. 2: First Impressions

-Halls of Azure-
-The Last City of Qing-

“What do you mean ‘it’ appeared?” the Master of the Halls demanded, his tone mixed between annoyed and accusatory while maintaining the air of dignified elegance that was appropriate to one of his station. His sharp hooves clacked crisply as he moved down the polished and gleaming corridor leading to one of the ornate feast halls that fell under his auspices.

He found it insulting enough that those under his lead could require his assistance for something as simple as setting up a banquet; a task that they had performed countless times before. But that unpleasant sensation was tempered with curiosity as to what could have possibly upset his cadre of caterers.

At his side, the familiar presence of a smaller, subservient being moved in a far less refined manner, its pale grey scales and fur slightly disheveled from its earlier gallop to find its superior. Its weariness was apparent as the servant nearly tripped over the stole that hung over its shoulders. Still, even out of breath and clearly shaken up, the smaller of the pair managed to maintain a respectful distance behind and to the side of the noble.

“Just that, milord,” the smaller being spoke up, its tone maintaining a subtle squeak and higher pitch than that of the noble as it shook its head, clearly out of its depth. “We do not know what it is. It appeared out of thin air and crashed to the ground.”

“So you are telling me that one of Lady Sadaiir’s pets got loose and into the Halls again? And you think it fitting to disturb me over something so trivial as that?”

“No, milord, of course not!” the smaller equine being shook its head, managing to maintain its place at the noble’s side without overtaking him. “With all respect, sire, I do not believe that you are yet aware of the severity of the situation. Whatever this thing is… it is… big… and blue... And certainly does not belong to Lady Sadaiir.”

“Big and blue?” the Master of the Halls drolled, his tone patronizing. “Yes, I can see why that would be cause for my personal attention.”

The smaller being swallowed slightly, knowing full well that his patron would not like what else had to be said.

“It also… destroyed the Northern Quarter chandelier when it appeared...” the smaller being stated hesitantly.

The noble’s crisp steps stopped abruptly, his head turning to glare over his shoulder at the caterer which drew itself down fearfully.

“It did... what!?”

“And… the northern spread tables… as well as putting a rather large hole in the northern wall where it impacted...” the servant stated, its voice growing more halted as its superior’s eyes widened angrily. “…and digging a trench into the floor before it came to rest.”

With a huff of agitation, the noble picked up his pace, turning from an easy gait to a full trot as he approached the impressive gilded doors that led the way into the banquet hall in question, the beauty of their inscriptions and ornate decorations lost on him as he unceremoniously threw the doors open.

“This is an outrage! Damage to MY halls!? I swear to all the Lords of Old, if this turns out to be another one of the Lord Prince’s damnable experiments, I will personally see to it that he…” the Master of the Halls began to slow as he moved forward, the scene before him registering in his mind. “…that he…”

The large banquet hall was much the same as it always was; the reliefs and designs carved into the white metal walls shimmering in the faint blue-tinged light of three enormous chandeliers, each easily as wide as fifty of his servants standing flank to flank and housing hundreds of brightly glowing blue crystals. Long tables stretched along two walls while a large open area was set aside for the guests that frequented his halls to mingle.

But what immediately drew attention were the six smaller, subservient caterers and groomers of the halls, all standing in a frightened, mute awe next to what had long been designated the Northern Quarter, where a smaller, more secluded table was normally set for the most important of the guests.

The area was slightly dimmer than the rest of the hall, as the fourth chandelier lay in shattered, glowing pieces across the floor. The head table itself was little more than shards of broken crystal and metal, the once beautiful designs crushed by a tremendous force and an enormous dent pressed into the strong metal wall that the noble would have never imagined possible until now.

And laying at the center of it all; a long, rectangular box lay on the floor, a small ditch dug into the tiles and exposing dull grey stone under the polished surface.

The silence was broken only by the sharp clopping of hooves as the noble rushed forward, disbelief on his face as he looked over the blue box that lay before him, with smoke rising from its walls of cobalt wood and a pale white light flashing from a fixture set into its side. Tilting his head to the side, he saw what looked like an archaic writing on the top of the strange object, but could not read it.

“It is quiet now, but when it first appeared, it made this… music… like nothing I’ve ever heard before,” the caterer who had come to fetch him stated, keeping behind the noble as he took stock of the situation. “Then this… ringing… Like the tolling of a bell.”

One of the servants, a small mare caterer with a dull green coat and scales, looked to the noble with fearful reservation in its eyes as he drew closer.

“What is it, sire?”

“It… must be…” the noble’s mind reeled, attempting to make sense of what lay before him. Trying to determine what in his range of experience could cause so much damage, clearly falling into the ground at an angle and with such force, and yet having no possible way to have entered the Azure Halls in the first place as there were no obvious points of entry.

“Some… sort of… prank,” the Master of the Halls shook his head, his shock turning to agitation as he thought swiftly, realizing that it would be vital to reassert his control of the situation over his subordinates quickly. “Yes, that must be it! A new device developed by our ‘beloved’ Lord Prince.”

The half dozen smaller beings looked back and forth between one another, their expressions a mix of unease, disbelief, and concern as the noble stomped a hoof.

“I am not amused! If the Scientist Supreme believes this to be a jest, he is sorely mistaken!” The Master of the Halls drew himself up to his full height as he turned to the gathered group, which immediately gave him their full attention, hiding any dispute they had with his conclusion as he pointed to one of them randomly. “You: Fetch the Lord Prince! He must answer for this! Regardless of his station, I will not stand idly by while he lays ruin to my--”

*CLUNK*

The noble turned in place, his heart leaping into his throat as the servants all pulled back in shock, the air all but drawn out of the room in a single gasp as a sharp knock pushed up the top of the box slightly.

“What is…?” the noble swallowed, his earlier thought of maintaining dignity gone as this new occurrence had set even him back on his hooves, taking several steps away from the blue box.

*THUMP*

The small group drew back another step, their hooves slipping as they backed away, fear palpable in the air as the noble backed into the throng of smaller servants. Standing several hooves taller than any of them, he visibly gulped.

*creak*

The top of the box fell inward suddenly, the barely perceptible action revealing the box-like device to be hollow.

*FLUMPH*

“AH!” one of the caterers cried out softly, another fainting dead away as two absurdly bright, pink hooves suddenly reached up from inside, grasping at the edge of the box and holding firm as a series of grunts and huffs were heard.

Then it rose from within the strange device; a mass of curled pink mane that towered as the creature from within heaved itself forward, the curly mass giving way to an equally pink equine face with eyes clenched shut with what looked like strain.

No scales, no horns, and no stole, the creature was truly and completely alien to the noble, who watched with a fearful awe as the being pulled itself forward.

Then it opened its eyes, revealing round, bright blue orbs centered with a black pupil that was upright as opposed to the more horizontal oval shape of any other living thing that the creatures watching her had always connected with their kind.

The creature from inside the blue box went still for a moment, watching the caterers and their lord as they watched her in return.

The noble Master of the Halls, now completely and utterly out of his depth, prodded the servant closest to him with one hoof, his manner far from superior as he managed a fearful whisper.

“Fetch the Lord Prince… immediately.”

“HEY GUYS! I FOUND ALIENS!!!” the pink creature shouted suddenly, her voice instantly identifying her as a female of her species as her lips pulled back into a smile so wide the noble feared her face may have split in half, displaying a set of flat, pearly white teeth.

—————

The TARDIS

“Aliens? As in alien aliens?” Twilight’s eyes were wide as the implications of Pinkie Pie’s simple declaration hit her.

“Are there any other kind?” the Doctor removed his hoof from his face, looking to Twilight with amusement as the fact rocketed around in her mind.

First Contact.

Well, she supposed that technically First Contact happened the day that the Doctor came to Ponyville, but she didn’t count that as he looked like a pony and besides, he was transdimensional, not extraterrestrial.

This was different.

An actual live encounter with a thinking species that was not from Equis. Perhaps one of the most important moments of their history as they encountered a race that was not of their world.

And Pinkie Pie was their ambassador.

Pinkie Pie.

This is not going to end well...

“This should be interesting,” the Doctor noted, shaking his head with some amusement as he clearly came to the same conclusion that Twilight had.

“We have to get up there before she causes some sort of interplanetary incident!” Twilight stated quickly, a dozen worse case scenarios running through her head as her considerable imagination ran rampant.

“While I think your concern is a bit exaggerated, I agree that it would be rude not to join in,” the Doctor quipped, smiling as he flicked his hoof forward towards the trampoline, the small device mounted in his hoof-band whirling for a moment before he climbed up onto it. “Shall we?”

After a moment of bending his knees, the Doctor hopped once, bouncing high into the air and past the time rotor to easily match Pinkie’s ascent, positioning himself alongside the pink mare so that he was able to catch onto the threshold just as she did.

Twilight, suddenly caught up in a rush of excitement and forgetting that she was here against her will, wasted no time following, climbing onto the trampoline and giving the taut surface a test bounce before she hopped in place. The changes made by the Doctor’s device were plainly evident as she was catapulted high into the air, the taut rubber surface reacting with far more energy than she had expended into the bounce.

“Oh, dear,” Rarity held a hoof to her mouth for a moment as she watched her more adventurous friends rush forward, eager to see exactly what it was that Pinkie had discovered, while she hesitated, considering for a moment what might be up there.

True, she herself had asked to come somewhere exotic and different, but she couldn’t deny her level of apprehension now that they were there, weighing down on her heart and mind before she came to a singular conclusion.

This unicorn wasn’t going to get left behind. After all, if Fluttershy of all ponies could go on wild adventures with the Doctor, then certainly she could handle anything that this venture might throw at her.

Rarity moved forward, ever so carefully pulling herself up and onto the bouncy contraption that Pinkie was so fond of and flexed her legs a moment before giving a tiny bounce.

She felt an awkward weightlessness as her legs were suddenly flailing against the air, her tiny bounce sending her careening upwards and towards the soft, blue-tinged light overhead.

Of course, it was only near the apex of her ascent when she realized that, unlike the Doctor and Twilight, she had not bounced in a manner that would put her hooves level with the door.

“AIIEEEE!!!” the white unicorn cried as her legs flailed, her head barely leveling out at the threshold before that rising feeling in her stomach turned back to a sinking feeling, and a terrible fear welled back up inside her as she remembered something crucial she learned the day the fashionista had foalishly entered the Best Young Flyers Competition on fragile gossamer wings.

She had a terrible fear of falling.

“TWILIGHTCATCHME!” she shouted as she flailed for a moment, panic setting in as she began to again descend towards the far wall of the TARDIS’ interior once more.

A fall that was slowed as she was enveloped in a warm purple aura of magic, allowing the unicorn to breath a sigh of relief as she once again thanked Celestia that she had such a magically-inclined friend.

Lifted up to the opening, her hooves out to grasp at the lowest portion of the threshold near the bottom of the TARDIS’ door, Rarity found the magic aura slowly letting go of her as she got a grip with her forelegs and was able to look out over what Pinkie had discovered.

The scene before them was quite unlike anything she had seen before.

They were within a great ballroom, easily on par with the Canterlot Palace Ballroom where the Grand Galloping Gala was often held. Several other details she picked out further confirmed the conclusion that this was clearly a social center. First and foremost were the tile floors, polished to an almost mirror-clear shine, and the long tables made of metal and crystal, set in a fashion that would allow a pony to move around either side of it to partake of whatever food might be served without the tables being overly obstructing. The chandeliers overhead emitted a cool, but illuminating glow that lit up their surroundings quite well, although the light did have a slight blue tinge that she was unused to. The walls, clearly chosen to compliment the lighting, were a reflective white metal with reliefs and symbols that rose from the background to create a pleasing, glimmering pattern all around, although there was no metal she was aware of that could behave in such a fashion. Given her refined taste in jewelry and precious materials, she could tell it was certainly not made of any ore found on Equis.

This was all taken in by her astute eyes in the fraction of a second before she lay her gaze on what truly mattered, as just under half a dozen equine-like creatures watched the four ponies that had pulled themselves out of the blue box.

She had to say “equine-like” because at a glance she could declare with certainty that these beings were certainly not ponies.

Immediately she realized that, while they shared a pony’s basic body shape, it was easy for a pony such as herself to pick out the differences between these “aliens” and her own kind, such as the fact that none of them possessed cutie marks of any form. Most of the alien creatures in front of her were slightly shorter than the average pony as well, with a pair of very stubby horn-like protrusions from the top of their heads. While they were of a variety of colors, ranging from white to a light green, their hues were muted and upon a moment of inspection, Rarity realized, were not furred, but rather covered in scales far smaller and finer than those of a dragon.

Any thought of them being truly reptilian was set aside however, as she took note of the thin, wiry hairs that reminded her of spun metal thread, which sprouted in place for their manes and tails, matching their scale color perfectly and brushed down to hold in place very distinct stylings.

She was able to determine the males in the group quite easily, at least if they were anything like her own kind, by the long, thin whiskers that formed at the base of either side of their snouts. Some were more generous than others, but this, along with other subtle physical cues, told Rarity that the majority of the aliens she saw here were male, with only three lacking the odd mustaches and sporting slightly more feminine forms. Their eyes were also strange; shaped quite differently from a pony’s as they had a more oblong and sideways look, their eyes all golden and with large, oval irises that fit quite well with their shape. And another commonality was that they all wore long stoles (and nothing else) that draped off either side of their necks, a white length of fabric ending in identical blue designs.

One of the aliens before them was different, however. Standing taller than any of her friends did, he (she could tell it was a stallion from the almost hoof-long set of whiskers he sported) had a build more on par with a royal alicorn than with a common pony. This one wore a white, form-fitting vest with a flared, pointed collar over his deep blue body. Like the smaller creatures, he had horns, but where the little aliens had stubby points on their heads, the pair of longer, straight horns on the larger creature could be more accurately described as “antlers,” adding almost another foot of height to his already impressive stature. Like the smaller aliens, he also had scales and wiry, metal thread-like hairs, but both were far more substantially groomed and gave him an immediate aura of authority and status over the rest of those gathered.

For the long few moments while Rarity studied these new creatures, nopony said a word... both parties apparently locked in a mutual shock and amazement at their discovery.

Of course, as the white unicorn mare had learned long ago, silence was a fleeting thing when in the presence of Ponyville’s resident party mare.

“Oh-my-gosh, Twilight! Aliens! REAL live aliens!” Pinkie chattered happily as she finished pulling herself up and out of the TARDIS, settling down to the ground with a sharp clop and clearly not appreciating the still fearful gaze of the gathered locals as they took a step back from her almost in unison. “Ooohhhh, this is so cool! You’re ALIENS!”

Twilight would have facehoofed, but that would have been counter-productive to her attempt to pull herself the rest of the way out of the TARDIS, so she settled on verbally chastising the pink mare.

“Pinkie, this is their planet!” the unicorn pointed out as she and the Doctor managed to draw themselves out at about the same time, Rarity struggling for a moment longer before a soft glow wrapped around her legs and gave her the extra boost she needed to pull herself over the edge. “To them, we are the aliens.”

“Oh, right…” Pinkie tapped her chin thoughtfully for a moment, then, clearly coming to an understanding, stood up on her hind legs to make a great declaration to her newest friends.

“WE’RE ALIENS!”

Silence.

Utter silence reigned for several moments.

Before it was broken by an amused snicker.

“This is either the worst… or the BEST… First Contact I have ever bore witness to,” the Doctor shook his head, having to suppress a fit of giggles. “I’m really not sure which, but it is certainly the most entertaining.”

“Pinkie… Maybe you should let the Doctor handle this,” Rarity offered, taking note of the manner in which the terrified-looking equine creatures had reacted to her declaration with more silence and stunned shock. “After all, he has experience with this sort of thing.”

“Indeed I do. So, pay attention girls: Intergalactic Relations 101.” The colt straightened his bowtie with one hoof before drawing himself up and moving forward a few steps with a confident stride as he nodded to the largest of the alien equines.

“Hello. I’m the Doctor,” the Hourglass Stallion offered. “We come in peace.”

Twilight, her hooves now back on solid ground, facehoofed… hard.

“That’s it!? Doctor! First Contact with a whole new race… and you resort to a cliche?” the unicorn gave an exaggerated sigh.

“It’s not a cliche…” the stallion defended himself, looking mildly offended as he brought a hoof to his chest. “It’s a classic.”

“Oooooooohhhh curiosity abounds!” Pinkie rushed past the Doctor in a rush of pink, coming to a sudden and physically improbable halt from the one of the smaller alien mares, this one a dull shade of green. “Hi! Whatareyoucalled? Whatdoyoudohere? What’syourfavoritecolor? Doyouwannabemyfriend?”

As she spoke, Pinkie leaned closer to the mare until her muzzle less than an inch from the alien’s, which was impressive as she had been slowly shrinking back until her legs were fully bent and her barrel almost brushed the floor.

Her eyes flickered to the larger of the aliens, who, while still looking concerned, seemed to be slowly regaining his composure and gave a small nod.

“Uhhhh, in order? Sai… I work here… Blue… and… yes?” the mare managed, her tone hesitant and meek before she was suddenly seized in by those thick, soft pink forelegs, which drew her up out of her near laying position.

“YAY! FIRST ALIEN FRIEND! MISSION ACCOMPL--YIPE!” the pink pony let out as she was suddenly seized by the tail and jerked back firmly, forcing her to release her captive, who stood there in shock for a moment longer, trying to comprehend what had just happened. Rarity stood by, shaking her head with an embarrassed expression, her horn aglow with the same nearly transparent blue aura as was wrapped around the pink pony’s tail, pulling her back.

“Pinkie, give the poor girl some space. You’re scaring her,” Rarity scolded, her horn’s glow subsiding after putting a bit of distance between Pinkie and the alien mare.

“Ahem…” a deeper, more authoritative voice cleared his throat, calling the four colorful creatures’ attentions to the largest of the new beings that they had found. Although he certainly seemed less afraid now than a moment before; he was certainly more in control than the smaller creatures, who were still well-immersed in their stunned shock.

“You know what? I’ll handle this...” Twilight rolled her eyes, moving past the chestnut stallion, who gave her an amused look.

“Are you sure, Twilight?”

“I’ve got this. Don’t worry, I’ve read all about diplomatic contacts with the Zebra Herds, the Buffalo Tribes, and the Griffin Roosts. This shouldn’t be that much different,” she waved off the brown colt before turning to the largest of the alien equines.

“Greetings and salutations!” Twilight gave her best “diplomat” voice, steady and friendly while she gestured in a formal manner, clearly recalling something she had read. “We are Ponies from the World of Equis. I am Twilight Sparkle, Representative of the sovereign Princess Celestia of Equestria. We come forward unto you in the name of friendship and peace.”

The Doctor rolled his eyes.

Pomp and circumstance… Ughh…

“G-greetings. We are the Quilin,” the taller alien managed, attempting to inject a degree of control to his tone as he gave a formal bow. “I am the Master of the Halls. Keeper of the Feasts, Lord of the Azure Palace. Welcome… um… ‘visitors.’ Welcome to Qing.”

“Wow, I didn’t even have to ask. Alright, so lead the way,” the Doctor moved forward.

The noble tilted his head, not understanding. “The way to what?”

“To your king.”

“To our… No... NO… Not ‘king’… ‘QING!’” the noble stomped a hoof in agitation, realizing and very quickly correcting the miscommunication. “Our world is named Qing.”

“Ohhh, I see… So is there a King of Qing?” the Doctor asked with a blank expression, causing the noble quilin to grind his teeth slightly.

Some ponies, on the other hoof, didn’t know when to stay quiet.

“You okay, Moth?” Pinkie asked, “You look like you have a twitchy vein trying to pop out of your head. Ohhhh, is that normal for quilin too? Twilight does that sometimes, but usually it’s right before she bursts into flames.”

"I only did that once!" Twilight objected.

“‘Moth’?” the noble’s agitation gave way to confusion.

“Yeah," Pinkie answered. "Master. Of. The. Halls. Emm-oh-tee-aych. Moth. You didn’t give us your actual name, so I came up with one. Do you like it? I could also call you Kotf. Or Lotap. But those just sound silly, don’t you think?”

*snerk…*

The noble’s eyes went wide as realization came to his expression, turning to glare at the smaller beings at his side as if attempting to determine which of them had found the pink mare’s new name for him amusing.

All he saw were expressions of downcast deference, the culprit not daring to stand out from the rest of those gathered.

The Doctor watched the alien’s reaction with his face falling into a neutral, thoughtful expression, saying nothing.

“You would name me?” the alien’s growing discomfort began to show through, and as both Twilight and Rarity took note of, he sounded almost insulted by the concept.

Before Pinkie could answer, however, the attention of the gathered ponies and quillin was collectively turned towards the large, ornate doors that were set into the walls a short way past “Moth” and his fellows, which opened to reveal a pair of the smaller quilin.

One of the small equine aliens was just like the others gathered there; a colt with a short set of whiskers, dull white scales, and a white stole with the same blue design as the others.

His compatriot though, was a completely different story.

The small equine matched the others in stature almost exactly, but held himself with a certain degree of importance that the others seemed to lack. With a unique style of long mustache, which had a longer set slightly more forward on his muzzle and a shorter growth dangling closer towards his mouth, the newcomer also had shining silver scales that seemed to have been polished with as much care, if not more, than Moth’s.

Like the others, he also wore a stole around his neck that dangled down on either side of his chest, this one a golden cloth with wide scarlet bands in addition to a bit-sized luminous silver coin that hung from a thick tassel at the ends. Unlike his fellow quilin however, this one also wore a vestment with a pouch set along either side of his shoulders.

Moth’s immediate reaction as the quilin moved towards the group, a pleasant and fairly interested smile on his face, was most telling as the Doctor observed.

“What are you doing here, Sai?” Moth demanded, agitation clear in his voice. “I sent for the Lord Prince!”

“And he sent me,” the new equine nodded pleasantly, not reacting to the aggression of the larger quilin. “A matter of this importance is far out of your purview, O’ Lord of the Azure Palace. I shall take over from here.”

Moth seethed for a moment, a contrast to the calm smile of the smaller creature as the four ponies watched, even Pinkie Pie realizing that there was something simmering under the surface here.

“I do not take directives from you!”

“I am well aware, sire. However, the Lord Prince has asked that that these ‘strange new creatures’ be brought before him immediately,” the silver quilin stated, a hint of smugness seeping into his tone. “Would you claim higher authority on this matter?”

“I...” Moth stopped himself before letting out a sharp huff and jabbing a pointed hoof at the walls. “I demand reimbursement for these damages!”

“Additional workers will be provided to expedite repairs,” the newer arrival stated in a bored tone to appease the larger-horned noble. “After all, it would be such a shame if the feast was canceled.”

“And that... thing is still in my halls! I want it removed!” Moth motioned to the large blue box, which had for the most part lay forgotten in the excitement of the four alien beings.

The silver quilin looked past the aliens towards the object in question, a sudden look of curiosity on his face.

“What... is that?”

“That... would be our ship. And I am afraid that she’s not going anywhere for a while,” the Doctor stated factually, clicking a back hoof twice.

As if in reaction, the top of the blue box suddenly slammed shut, the doors that had fallen inward completely ignoring gravity as they moved into place with a click.

“Just leave her be and she’ll right herself in no time.”

“I want it out of my banquet hall!” Moth asserted again, causing the Doctor to smirk smugly.

“You’re welcome to try moving her. Although I recommend you don’t use anything you are not willing to break in the attempt,” he stated.

Moth gritted his teeth while the silver quilin’s smile widened.

“I like this one already...” He shook his head. “Forgive me. Introductions: I am the personal attache of the Lord Prince of the Last City. I have come to escort you to meet with my master.”

“Oh, yes. Brilliant. Alright then! I’m the Doctor,” the Hourglass Stallion stated before any of the other girls could speak up, a large, somewhat goofy grin on his face. “This is Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie. Now, if you would be so kind: Take us to your leader.”

Twilight lowered her head and gave an exasperated moan.

-------------------------------------------------

-The Golden Roads-
-The Last City of Qing-

Their surroundings were like something out of a dream as they stepped out of the Azure Palace and onto what the Prince’s attache had dubbed “the Golden Roads.”

They certainly lived up to their name, as Rarity immediately and in a state of some shock, declared that the street beneath their hooves was paved with solid gold; a fact that the Doctor at first thought he had confirmed with a swift lick. (Much to the amusement of Pinkie Pie and the Embarrassment of Twilight.)

However, the dream was punctured as a single scan from the Doctor’s sonic screwdriver served to inform them that the road was not in fact solid gold.

It was merely gold-plated.

As they started down the road however, their attention was drawn upwards, to the tall buildings that seemed constructed of crystal spires and the curious gleaming white metal, shimmering in the glow of the soft blue sun overhead. The alien purple sky was now quite visible as they moved out from under the branching, slanted rooftops of the Azure Palace and into the proper street.

While their guide moved ahead of them, unheeding, the three pony mares certainly took note of the beauty all around them and the way the softly-tinged blue light made the buildings shine and gleam like the purest of gemstones.

“It’s the same planet...” Twilight realized quickly. “Doctor, this is the same ice world we were on before.”

“Yes, not at all surprising really,” the Time Pony nodded, looking around. “The TARDIS got pulled off course, but not far. We’re only a couple of kilometers away from where we started I would guess, if I’m judging the sun’s angle correctly,” he stated before uttering under his breath: “Something in this city must have drawn her here.”

“It’s so warm, though,” Rarity noted, glad that she had left her winter ensemble back in the TARDIS before Pinkie had bounced her way out.

The Doctor sniffed at the air for a moment, continuing to walk along with his friends as they followed the quilin.

“Hmmm.... Fully-enclosed environment. Air is too clean to be natural; slight hint of petritre dust, which is an indication of a rather advanced air filtration and recycling system. Full air conditioning... Not room conditioning like you might find on some worlds but actual air conditioning, to keep the entire region nice and cozy at all times. If I had to hazard a guess I would say that we’re inside a highly-transparent, dome-like superstructure, keeping out the elements. I have to say, I’m impressed. The level of technology needed to pull off something like this is definitely on the higher end of the spectrum.”

The Doctor huffed, a somewhat distant look suddenly finding its way to his expression as he thought back to something, Twilight taking note of the sudden surge of sadness in his eyes.

“Quite astute, Doctor,” their guide looked over his shoulder, his tone indicating he was indeed impressed with the stallion’s deductions. “Indeed. This is the Last City.” He gestured around to the beautiful white metal and crystalline buildings. “Our sanctuary against the endless ice that has overtaken our home, and the last pocket of true civilization in all of Qing. The great dome has stood for millennia, protecting us all from the frigid conditions.”

“Really? It’s that old?” Pinkie noted, turning her head this way and that as if she was afraid she might miss something. “Everything looks brand new.”

“It does, doesn’t it?” the Doctor nodded in agreement.

Their guide allowed himself a small laugh.

“We go to great pains to maintain this region of the city. You see, the Golden Roads connect the various palaces of the Quilin Nobles. You have seen the Halls of Azure, where the Master of the Halls oversees the preparation of our finest culinary wonders and hosts the many Noble celebrations.”

“You mean Moth plans all of the parties?” Pinkie suddenly bounced a bit higher, drawing attention as she grinned. “OHMYGOSH! I wish I’d known! We could have talked shop, swapped notes and stories, and shared secrets! OH! Maybe he would like to see my Party Cannon!”

“Pinkie...” Rarity gave her friend a sharp look. “You don’t have your Party Cannon.”

There was a moment of quiet as the Doctor and Twilight shared a glance, both remembering quite well how the pink mare had somehow managed to smuggle said balloon and confetti blasting artillery into “Party City” a month earlier, much to the delight of both the locals and the party-goers and the shock of the Time Lord, who was quite certain she had never brought the thing into the TARDIS.

“Moth?” the quilin gave Pinkie an odd look, clearly surprised.

“Yeah, he never said his name and the title was too much of a mouthful. So, I just call him Moth. It’s kinda strange though; he didn’t seem like a happy-party-thrower like me.”

“Well,” the silver quilin smirked, shaking his head and for some reason amused with what Pinkie had said before speaking up. “Perhaps he will be more eager to speak of such things when he is in a more jovial mood. I am afraid that the damages your ‘craft’ caused may have greatly upset the Master of the Halls. You see, the nobility of the Quilin tends to be rather ‘demanding’ in their expectations for such festivities.”

Rarity nodded, wondering if perhaps she had judged the alien noble too harshly when she had thought he seemed overly aggressive.

It was possible. After all, their only impression of Moth had been after they had dropped in unannounced and done some considerable damage to his home.

“Oooohhh, that reminds me, what’s your name?” Pinkie asked suddenly as they continued on their way, for some reason wanting to change subjects all of a sudden. “You only gave us your title, and Paotlp is kinda hard to say.”

The quilin seemed surprised by this question, taking a moment before answering.

“Well, I suppose if you must, you may call me ‘Sai.’”

“Ohhh, really!? Neato!” Pinkie grinned. “I met a quilin back in the Azure Halls named Sai... She was a girl, but still, the fact that my first two quilin friends both have the same name? Wow, what are the odds?”

The quilin offered a pleasant, if a bit forced, smile.

“Quite good, I would say.”

As they spoke, Pinkie and Rarity asking their guide more questions about their surroundings as he pleasantly pointed out the towers and spires of the various palaces on their path, the Doctor stayed back a short distance to walk alongside Twilight, who seemed far less enthused than her friends.

“Twilight? Are you alright?” the chestnut stallion asked.

“It feels... weird here,” she stated, taking a breath. “I didn’t notice it back in the Halls, but now that we’re out in the open, it’s like... there’s something missing?”

“I think you’re right,” the Doctor nodded, keeping his voice low. “Something very important.”

“You feel it too?” Twilight asked in a hushed tone.

“Yes, but the way the TARDIS reacted... even if I didn’t, I would be vigilant,” the Time Pony confided in the unicorn. “I stand by what I said before on that snowbank. Something isn’t right here.”

Twilight was quiet for a moment as they continued to walk, Pinkie bursting into laughter at something that was said, although judging from "Sai’s" expression, it was not intended to be a joke.

“Doctor... is there anything you’re not telling me?”

The Hourglass Stallion looked to her.

“Please...” the unicorn managed, having to look away from those old blue eyes.

The Doctor sighed, shaking his head as he paused a moment, running a hoof down the back of his neck to flatten his spiky mane.

“This place... it reminds me of somewhere I try not to think about,” he admitted.

“Where’s that?”

The Time Lord was quiet for a moment longer as he took a breath.

“Home,” he answered before starting forward again, quickening his pace to make up the distance that their friends had put between them.

Twilight, who had hoped for an actual answer, now found herself filled with more questions.

Questions that would have to wait for answers as she too trotted more quickly and caught on to what Rarity was asking their guide.

“...odd that we haven’t seen another living thing since we left the Azure Halls,” the fashionista commented, looking back and forth down the golden streets that ran towards the spire-like towers and the rounder, more squat dome-like structures that were connected to them. “Where is everypony?”

“You mean everylin?” their guide suggested, attempting to prevent any misunderstanding.

“Oh-ho!” the Doctor exclaimed smugly, a victorious smile on his face as Rarity was set back by the correction. “You see? I’m not the only one who gets it wrong now, am I?”

Taking no note of the white unicorn’s glare at the chestnut stallion, their guide nodded and proceeded to answer the original query as he turned to lead them down a narrower strip of road that seemed to lead directly towards a particular spire. This specific building forked at the top with two prongs that Twilight was sure she saw a thin arch of energy running across.

“We are still in the bright cycle of the day. Most of my kind are working. Come the dim hours, these roads shall be filled with quilin going home to rest during the dark cycle.”

“Oohhhh!” Pinkie grinned, coming to a realization. “Does your prince raise the moon and sun like our princesses do? OH! What if our princesses and your prince met and were able to talk about raising suns and moons together!? That would be sooo cool!”

Their guide turned to Pinkie with a puzzled expression for a moment before realization seemed to dawn.

“Oh, no. My master, the Lord Prince, does not control the daily cycles. That prestigious task is left to our Crown Prince, the Sovereign of the Sky.”

“Wait, how many princes do you have?” Rarity asked, somewhat surprised.

“Nine,” the silver quilin answered quickly, drawing a surprised look from the three mares, while the stallion maintained a neutral expression. “However, it is not my place to say. I believe that the Lord Prince could better explain the intricacies of our nobles to you. Just as well, as we have...”

Their guide trailed off slightly as he looked up towards the spire he had led them to, taking in what the Doctor had taken note of some time ago.

Four quilin were standing in their path, clearly awaiting their arrival as they did not balk at the sight of the “aliens” that were moving towards them.

Two of the quilin were built much the same as Moth, although whereas his scales had been blue and his outfit an ornate white vest, these antlered, alicorn-sized quilin bore jet black scales and what could only be described as scarlet red chainmail with matching helmets.

While they bore no weapons, the Doctor had learned that in this universe, where unicorns wielded magic and pegasi manipulated weather, a lack of armaments was hardly a sign that any given creature was incapable of bringing harm.

In front of these two intimidating guards however, were quilin more of their guide’s stature, one a dull bronze while the other was an off shade of red, and both wore golden stoles with the scarlet band much like the one worn by their guide, although lacking the silver coins at the end.

Wrapped around one of the red quilin’s front hooves like some kind of boot was an odd device that seemed composed of the same white metal they had seen all around the city, which glimmered in the blue-tinged light from the sun overhead.

The silver quilin took a short breath before he continued, a strangely strained calm in his tone.

“...arrived. This, my pony-friends, is the Spire of Sciences, where resides our Lord Prince.”

“And these charming gentlecolts?” Rarity asked politely, although her smile was clearly forced as they continued to grow closer to the group. Even Pinkie ceased her usual bounce to walk normally along with Rarity, Twilight and the Doctor slightly behind them as their guide led the way.

“The two beings who share my stature and stole are members of the Scientist Supreme’s court; fellow followers of the Lord Prince. The larger ones in the armor are...” the Lord Prince’s attache hesitated for a moment before he found a proper way to describe them. “...members of our city’s defense forces, under the command of the Warrior Prince.”

“Why does that make me nervous?” Twilight asked.

“Probably because proper militaries have a nasty habit of being a wee bit over-reactive to new and alien things that drop unexpectedly out of the sky and crash into their ballrooms...” the Doctor commented.

“I assure you, everything is alright,” their guide offered, although he kept his voice low, whatever smugness the smaller quilin had shown in front of Moth clearly not in place as they approached the armored guards. “The Scientist Supreme was quite adamant about meeting you when he heard that something from beyond the City had somehow arrived. The Warrior Prince is simply taking precautions I am sure.”

“HALT!”

The small precession of ponies came to a stop when their guide did, the silver quilin pausing a moment before stepping towards the two guards who towered over his fellows.

“I am the personal attache of the Lord Prince, carrying out his decree and delivering these visitors to an audience with the Scientist Supreme. Under what authority do you delay us?”

“By the authority of the Warrior Prince. We must determine that the aliens discovered in the Halls of Azure pose no immediate threat to the Last City!” one of the guards spoke up in a deep, gravelly tone, using a foreleg to push the smaller scientists forward. “Get to it, Sai.”

The two smaller quilin moved forward, and though discontent was apparent in their eyes, they did not complain towards the admittedly larger quilin as they approached the aliens. The bronze-colored quilin cleared his throat as he moved up to their silver-scaled guide with a respectful nod.

“Ooohhhh, is your name Sai too? Wow, three for three, that is soooo weird! Is that name popular around here or what?” Pinkie spoke up, although the bronze quilin seemed intent on ignoring her.

“If it pleases the Lord Prince’s ‘guests,’ we would like to examine you to ensure our valiant defenders of the Last City that you pose no risk to the Prince himself.”

“I am a bit concerned,” Rarity noted, turning towards Twilight and the Doctor. “How can we possibly be a threat? I mean: a baker, a librarian, a doctor and a tailor? Threatening?”

“You have to see things from their point of view, Rarity...” Twilight spoke up. “I mean, discounting magic or the like, our presence alone could cause a disruption if we aren’t careful. For example, there could be some sort of massive allergic reaction from something as simple as our fur touching their scales. Or, if you happen to read Neigh G. Wells, they could end up like the Maresian Invaders, stricken by common pony illnesses that they have no immunity to. Or--”

“Twilight!” the Doctor cut her off curtly through clenched teeth, setting a hoof against the mare’s mouth as he smiled broadly towards the three smaller quilin, all of whom were now looking towards her with large, concerned expressions. “Ixnay on the amature alien-biodiversity analysis please.”

With a hesitant nod of agreement from the purple unicorn, the Doctor stepped forward.

“Pardon my friend here, she reads a bit too much. It goes to her head sometimes.”

“Read... too much?” Twilight scowled in the Doctor’s direction, clearly offended

“Sometimes?” Rarity put forward, causing Twilight’s scowl to immediately change targets.

“However, I can assure you all that you are quite safe. Despite the... how shall I say... overactive imaginations of her world’s science fiction writers, that sort of thing almost never happens in situations of cross-species contact. I mean, really. Such a foalish notion when you think about...”

The Doctor paused for a moment before turning to Rarity.

“Did I just say ‘foalish’?”

“Yes, Doctor, you did.”

“Oh, heavens... I truly am going native...” the Doctor uttered under his breath.

“What was that?”

“What? Nothing.”

“Not to discount your assurances, ‘Doctor,’ but...” the bronze quilin started with a somewhat patronizing tone, gesturing to his compatriot. “We would prefer to have data directly from our own devices. Now, this is a simple biometric scanning tool. It is designed to provide a basic non-invasive analysis of tissues and cellular structure. Once it has verified that you pose no obvious threat to us, you shall be cleared to pass.”

“OH! OH! ME FIRST! ME FIRST!” Pinkie bounced up and down enthusiastically, perhaps a bit overexcited at the prospect of having her body scanned by the alien’s device.

The Doctor tried to hide a small smirk.

“Well, if you insist. By all means,” the stallion took a step back and away from the pink mare. A very big step back.

The red quilin nodded as he ran his hoof over the device, glowing silver circuitry suddenly illuminated along the sides of the strange device while he directed it towards the still bouncing Pinkie Pie.

“If you could hold still, your ladyship... I am beginning scan in three... two...”

Twilight shook her head before she took note of the movement next to her and managed to pull her eyes away from Pinkie Pie to see the Doctor flattening his ears and pulling down his goggles.

“One...”

*beep*

*KA-POW*
*KKKRAACCCKKLLEEEE*

“OWW!” the red quilin jumped back, shaking his foreleg frantically as the device short-circuited, its edges pulsing with a red-hot glow while a stream of brightly-colored sparks dribbled out from one side.

“Oooooooohhhhhh... Pretty...” Pinkie smiled, impressed by the display.

The two guards moved forward, confused for a moment as the two quilin scientists were still scrambling in action, the bronze one having to reach with both hooves to pull the still sparking, catastrophically failing scanning device off of his partner’s hoof while the red quilin fought back tears as his hoof was slightly blackened.

“What happened!?”

“If I had to guess, I would say diabetic shock,” the Doctor offered the inquiring guard with a shrug, Twilight suspiciously eyeing him as he pulled up his goggles. “I find this kind of thing quite common when dealing with Pinkie Pie, actually.”

“Is that supposed to be amusing, alien?” the guard demanded aggressively, only to suddenly have their silver guide suddenly interpose himself between the warrior and the Doctor before either could act.

“Our guests have been delayed long enough, Warrior. My master is waiting,” he stated coldly before turning his golden eyes to his fellow quilin. “Sai, does the scan indicate that the alien ponies are any threat?”

The bronze quilin shook his head abruptly, still clearly in a state of mild shock as his partner nursed a scorched hoof.

“It didn’t indicate anything!”

“So, no threat detected. You heard it straight from a member of the Scientist Supreme’s Court,” their guide stated, standing as tall as he could on his hooves. “Your presence is no longer required, ‘honored’ warriors.”

The two armored guards glared for a moment at the quilin, before they looked up and towards the four brightly-colored aliens.

After a tense moment in which even Pinkie Pie, normally oblivious to such danger, remained quiet and stock still, the two guards stood back, towering over the quilin who still stood up to them for a brief second before they turned and began to march together down the Golden Roads away from the Science Spire.

Allowed a moment to breath a sigh of relief, the three mares gave one another a comforting nod while the Doctor kept his eyes on the two soldiers as they walked away at a slow march.

“Come, my friends, the Lord Prince awaits,” the silver quilin indicated, gesturing for the ponies to follow him towards the doors to the white metal and crystal spire.

The Doctor did not cease his observation as the two quilin in armor looked back towards the troop moving into the spire, their leering gazes surprisingly predatory for an obviously herbivorous species.

“Twilight... stay close to me,” the Doctor said quietly, gazing back as he moved flank to flank, glaring at the two soldiers until he and his friends had moved past the threshold of the spire’s large ornate doors on their way to see the prince.

-----------------------------------

-The Science Spire-
-The Last City of Qing-

“How did you know that the scanner wasn’t going to work on Pinkie?” Twilight asked under her breath as the four ponies waited in a small foyer, their guide having gone to fetch their apparent host: the “Lord Prince” of the Last City of Qing.

Rarity and Pinkie were talking as well, although about what, Twilight wasn’t sure, and didn’t care to eavesdrop as she had other concerns.

The Doctor nodded slightly, having laid down on one of the foyer’s soft down-stuffed pillows while they waited for the prince.

“I soniced the scanner before they started so it would overload,” the stallion explained, bringing up his right hoof to indicate the device resting in its harsh-tree pulp cradle. “It’s impolite to point unknown technology at someone you only just met. And besides, I don’t much care for anyone who thinks that a full body scan should be a determinant as to whether you attack or grant them access.”

Twilight nodded, clearly still concerned about something before she voiced another issue that she was having.

“Do you think it was a good idea to leave the TARDIS like that? I mean...”

“Oh, she’ll be fine,” the Doctor waved her off. “You know full well that nopony... or ‘nolin’ for that matter... can break into the TARDIS. Even if the perception filter was damaged in the crash, I left her anchor engaged, so she can’t be moved. The last thing we need is for her to be carted off somewhere in her condition.”

“Has that happened before?” Twilight inquired.

“Oh, too many times...” the Doctor shook his head, a small smile coming to his muzzle. “When we have a free moment, I’ll tell you about the time Donna and I were in Pompeii and it got sold by a produce vendor to a sculptor as an art-piece. That was just embarrassing.”

Twilight nodded.

“Doctor, can I ask something else?”

“Of course.”

“Why are you lying to me about what happened to the scanner?”

The brown stallion paused, looking up towards the unicorn, who was watching him with concern.

“I know what it sounds like and I know how you use it,” Twilight pointed out. “And you never even so much as raised your foreleg. So what really happened?”

“You want the truth?”

“Yes, I do.”

The stallion was quiet for a beat longer than usual before he sighed, using three words he absolutely hated to use in sequence.

“I don’t know.”

The pair of intellectual ponies shared another moment of silence before Rarity’s voice carried over to them, drawing them away from yet another of the awkward moments that had been growing in frequency since Zebrica.

“I am NOT going to swoon!” Rarity stated firmly, her expression sour as she looked to Pinkie Pie, the party mare wearing a large grin.

“Oh come on, Rarity, it’s a PRINCE!” Pinkie offered in a giddy tone. “We all know you’ve just been waiting for the right one to come along. And if his name is ‘Charming,’ then it would REALLY be a dream come true!”

The white unicorn shook her head, setting her forehoof just under her horn as she tried to ward off a headache.

“It’s just an expression, Pinkie,” she tried to assure her friend. “I assure you, after the Gala, I abandoned that foalish fantasy of the dashing, romantic fairy-tale prince.”

“Awww, Blueblood really ruined it for you didn’t he?” Twilight teased, taking a moment of delight in the stallion’s confused expression as they referred to an event he had no knowledge of.

“What was this then?” he inquired, grateful for both the distraction and the fact that Twilight had allowed their subject to drop.

“Oh, when we went to the Grand Galloping Gala year before last, Rarity finally got to meet the colt of her dreams; Prince Blueblood, Princess Celestia’s nephew,” Pinkie explained quickly.

“And he was a horrible, uncultured, self-obsessed busybody with no appreciation for anything but himself,” Rarity completed, her tone edging towards the dramatic. “All my dreams of being whisked off my hooves... gone... in a flurry of terrified animals and a coating of crumbled apple cake with frosting.”

“That bad?” the Doctor snorted, having grown quite familiar with Rarity’s over-the-top drama queen moments.

“She crushed her own glass slipper to keep him from finding her,” Pinkie pointed out.

“It had to be done. If I never see Blueblood again, it will be too soon.” Rarity shook her head. “So, as I said before, I am completely, truly and utterly OVER princes.”

As if on cue, the large metal doors leading from the foyer deeper into the Palace of the Lord Prince opened, with Sai, the same silver quilin that had led them here, stepping out with a pose that expressed an air of importance.

“Honored guests from afar. Introducing: my master, His Royal Highness, the Fourth Crown of the Quilin Court, Scientist Supreme, Keeper of the Artifice, Lord Prince of The Last City of Qing.”

Stepping back with a respectful bow and flourish, the small silver quilin moved aside as a new form stepped through the doorway to greet their guests.

Standing before them, taller still than Moth or the guards, stood a quilin with glistening ivory scales that would perhaps have been a match for Celestia’s fur, a slight glittering giving the impression of a fine dusting of diamonds inlaid upon him. His form was firm and his posture elegant as he stood on four well-muscled legs, his hooves clad in what looked to be platinum cuffs not dissimilar to the kind worn by the royalty of Equestria.

Over his chest and sides, he wore a vest with a pointed collar, similar, but much more extravagant, than the simple white design worn by Moth; a silken material that glimmered and somehow managed not to detract from his natural scales.

Like the other male quilin the ponies had met, this “Lord Prince” too had a set of whiskers, but unlike the others, his were the color of spun golden thread, long enough to trail down to the beginning of his legs, yet still managing to maintain a groomed and perfectly-styled appearance. As well as his long, elegant tail, also golden in luster which somehow managed to appear soft and flexible despite being nearly as long as he was and made of of the same metal thread-like hairs.

And from his head, two long horns sprouted, black at the base like Moth’s straight horns and the stubby nubs on the smaller quilin, but as they grew larger, the royal’s horns curved backwards, turning white as they began to round out in a way that no other quilin’s they had seen had. And between them, running down his neck and back, his wiry golden hair shaped back into spikes that gave his already handsome features a roguish look at that.

For a moment as he surveyed them, a kind smile over his features, Rarity could do little more than stare, eyes widening by degrees as her lower lip trembled. A brief, warbly whimper was the only warning given to her Time Pony friend, before she all but collapsed back into him, her legs apparently turning to jelly as he staggered under her weight for the second time that day.

“Welcome to Qing, Travelers from the Heavens. Home of the last vestiges of the Quilin,” the quilin Prince nodded, his voice strong, yet lilting; perfectly befitting his appearance and title as he looked them over with an expression of deep interest. “I am Kir, Lord Prince of the Last City. Please, consider yourselves...”

His almond-shaped, golden eyes fell on Rarity, her own round blue orbs sparkling as the Doctor managed to push her off of his flank and hold her up in a slightly more comfortable position, although one could easily imagine his temptation to just let her slip onto the floor.

In that instant... their eyes met... and Rarity felt her heart all but melt.

And when he finished speaking, as far as Rarity was convinced, it was solely to her, the emphasis on the word clear that he intended so much more.

“...friends.”

Her eyes half-lidded, the white unicorn managed a single word in response to this as she gasped slightly for breath.

“Hello~”

Beside the Doctor, who was having some difficulty holding up Rarity’s weight, Twilight merely shook her head with a knowing smile on her face.

Some things never change.