The Everfree Forest.
As those of you reading this may know, the Everfree Forest was what one might call not just a wild spot for freedom of nature, but one of unique and strange magics. No one knew for sure why, but, some thought it might be due to some otherworldly being, one that did not care for the trespass of orderly Equines in their domain.
That was all well and good, but a few had other theories.
Anyway, as the Everfree went on existing-Although, it was a special night, a night where a certain mare in the moon came to reclaim her throne-a sort of whirring sound interrupted the calm. And, in an empty space, what looked like a blue police box materialized. Some would have flabbergasted by the sight of this, while others? Well, there were others who wouldn't have been very much surprised by the sight, or, at least might be able to guess what it meant, such as a gentleman or gentleman travelling through time and space, if one were to really believe such things as that.
But, indeed, shortly after the whirring stopped, a forest green unicorn stallion, with fair brown, curly hair, wearing naught but a dark green victorian style with cravat, exited the TARDIS, looking around for the moment.
"Hmmmm," He hummed, "Why'd you bring me here of all times, ol' girl...?" He put a hoof to his chin, rubbing along it with curiosity. "Don't know if there needs to be much more excitement on tonight of all nights. I sure wouldn't want to disrupt the following events myself. ...Unless, of course, there's something amiss going on. Is that you're saying?"
Silence followed.
"I suppose I'll just have to figure it out for myself then," He noted, before closing up and locking the TARDIS, and beginning to take a look around.
It was colder than he liked, the strange stallion felt compelled to note to himself. Ah, well, must have been meant to be like those brisk Nightmare Nights that the transformed former princess enjoyed, oh so much, even though it definitely wasn't that time of the year.
At least it didn't look like any other creatures were around at the moment. Or monsters. Or, so he thought, anyway.
As soon as he got about a hundred yards away from the TARDIS, he felt as if there someone or something nearby, stalking him.
"Alright," He started, "Whoever you are, you'd be wise not to try anything funny. Because, I'm the Doctor, and those who are my enemies usually tend to fall at my hooves."
It was a bold threat, but, he didn't always carry out those threats. Truth by told, he hoped for a more peaceful solution. Maybe he could intimidate whoever it was this time.
"Doctor?" It was a shrill, wispy, feminine voice that replied to him. For some odd reason, he couldn't detect where it was coming from. "Oh, that's rich~ Tell me, are you supposed to be some kind of surgeon, or something then?"
"Well..." He hummed. "Not quite really a surgeon, I suppose. Not really a medical Doctor even-"
"Well, what so called kind of doctor are you then hmmm? And, Doctor? Doctor Who, exactly?"
...He couldn't help but groan. He felt like that question only got more and more annoying the more times it was asked. "Just 'The Doctor', or 'Doctor', thank you very much."
"So, you're someone obsessed with wearing a title, is that right?" The voice seemed to be moving around him as it spoke, in what could be considered a stalking sort of manner.
"I suppose, perhaps, I might be. Just as you seem to be someone who enjoys annoying questions about someone's identity."
"Well, gee!" The voice was closer now, mocking laughter suddenly erupting from the trees. "Sounds like someone is a bit touchy about said identity, huh?"
He looked annoyed and irritated, for lack of better words to describe how he was feeling at the moment. "Well, yes, I might consider conceding that...If you consider telling me what you are. After all, not a whole lot of ponies that come out to the Everfree after dark. That is, if you even are a pony."
There was silence for a few moments. Then- "You know, you seem like a real smart cookie. I don't think I like smart cookies like you very much. You understand things that others don't care for, including things that are best not left revealed."
"And, you seem afraid, that if you change into a different form now, I'll correctly deduce that you're a changeling, based on the erupting green glow, correct?"
"...Really hate smart cookies like you."
"Well, you seem particularly annoying yourself, so, I guess we both find each other at least a little bit irritating. The real question is, though, if you're a changeling, where's your swarm? Few changelings try to make it out this far alone, without a swarm."
"Don't need them anymore. Don't want them anymore. If they're all stupid enough to follow her, they deserve what they get."
"Now, that's an unpleasant view on things. Surely, they deserve at least more of a choice. ...Unless- Wait. What changeling hive are you from?"
"...Well, she's too busy to find me anyway, so, I guess I can blab. I'm from the Chrysalis swarm."
The Doctor paused upon hearing that. "Chrysalis? You mean, the same Chrysalis who wants to take over Equestria?"
"...Wow. Didn't know our swarm or our queen were that famous. Yet. I still don't know what kind of Doctor you are yet, and, that kind of disturbs me."
"All you need to know is that I usually come around to fix things up. And, for the record, yes, she is famous. Or, at least, she will be. Might as well call her infamous though..."
"So, what?" He could now see her outline as she continued to circle him. "You some kind of time traveller?"
"You could say that, yes. ...By the way, now that I'm thinking about, when exactly did you desert your swarm? Was earlier tonight?"
He could see a faint nod, as she continued moving around him. "She's plotting to do something with not only these things called the 'Elements of Harmony', but, something called the 'Eye of Oryx' too..."
"I see..." That was troubling. He didn't know what this so called 'Eye of Oryx' was, but, if it was something that had to do with a villainous scheme to use the Elements of Harmony, it couldn't be good. "And, where is she now?"
"Not so fast, Doctor." The female changeling finally trotted into view, looking relatively normal for a changeling drone, except for some odd pink eyes. "If you're going to deal with them, you might need my help. Am I wrong?"
The Doctor hummed in thought at that. "Well, I do have a thing for unique companions, I suppose. Sooooooo, why not? First though, I'll need a name from you. I can't just call you 'drone' or 'changeling' now can I?"
The changeling hummed. "All my brothers and sisters in the swarm call me Trachea."
The Doctor blinked. "Well, I suppose it works. Alright, Trachea, lead the way. Keep in mind, though, I won't brook any betrayal from you."
Trachea nodded. "That's fair."
And, so, they went deeper into the Everfree, who knows what awaiting them?
Author's Note
And so, begins my first Eighth Doctor Story
Dark Flowers in the Night
"When are we going to strike?" The impatient changeling queen asked. "You said this would be a perfect opportunity for us to get some well-needed power before eventually striking Canterlot, but, you haven't told us much more, so, when are we going to strike?"
The blonde-maned with gray streaks pony, wearing a black suit, sighed a bit. "Patience, Chrysalis. You know your destiny lies just ahead of you already. This is just an extra bit to help you in the future."
"...Fine," Chrysalis relented. "But, I still want to know. Besides, what is this 'Eye of Oryx' anyway? I've never heard of such a relic."
"It was made by a civilization that no longer exists, that's all you need know. Now, we should talk logistics. Are your scouts looking for the ideal position, as well as keeping an eye out for interlopers?"
"They are. ...However, there might be a problem."
The black-suited pony couldn't help but frown. "What sort of problem?"
"One of my drones seems to have deserted. A pink-eyed female changeling named Trachea. I shouldn't be surprised, really. She was always a bit rebellious..."
"And, you've only told me about this now? Send out a search party, leave no stone unturned, and deal with her before she causes any trouble."
Chrysalis snarled. "I don't care who are you, or how helpful you might be, I'm the one who decides what happens to drones of mine, not you."
"Perhaps. But, I'm the one with the Eye of Oryx, aren't I?"
"...Okay, fine, I'll send some drones to go and look for her. Happy?"
"I'm a bit more satisfied with that, yes."
Good, thought Chrysalis. And, once you've helped me gain me some more power, I won't really need you anymore, will I, oh Mysterious Benefactor?
The Doctor sighed. Why hadn't he gone trekking through the Everfree more throughout his lifetimes? Would have helped him a lot more up to that moment. Or, maybe that wasn't through the problem, since he remembered plenty of times going through the mysterious forest with his past companions. Maybe it was just his memories, or the magic of the forest itself.
Thankfully, his new companion seemed to know the way, although, that also disturbed him a bit. Why?
...Well, if she knew where she was going, it was likely that more changelings would have the area scouted, and, that might be a problem for them, especially if they decided they wanted to go after a rogue changeling.
"You're lagging behind, oh, Doctor," came Trachea's voice from infront of him. Her whispy, somewhat infuriating voice, he thought to himself.
"Yes, yes, I know, sorry, I'll try and catch up." He said, moving a bit more swiftly now. Once he was by her side, a thought occured to him, relating to what he had been previously thinking. "How much of the Everfree do you and your old swarm have scouted out?"
"Oh, enough, I'd say. Though, they haven't discovered everything about this forest they want to just yet."
The Doctor nodded. He felt at least least a little bit grateful for that small blessing, at the very least. "Good. Now, what do you know about this Eye of Oryx?"
She merely shrugged. "Nothing much, really, except that it's supposed to grant immense power somehow, and, its in the hooves of Chrysalis' new partner, our Swarm's apparent new mysterious benefactor."
The Doctor paused, humming in thought. Someone else trying to interfere with events before they're supposed to happen? An alien invader with temporal equipment, perhaps? Maybe even a rival Time Lord? Well, it didn't matter. This was an important night, after all.
The night where Princess Luna came back from being Nightmare Moon after a millennia.
Suddenly, though, Trachea stopped. "Shhhhhhh..."
"What's wrong? Why are you shushing meeeeeee-!" He got pulled into a nearby bush by Trachea, who joined him in the bush right after.
As he got his bearing back in order, he first glared at the female changeling, before he noticed that she was looking and glaring at something else. Following her eyes, that's when he noticed them.
A group of six normal drones, were being lead by a changeling, whose colored bits seemed to be red and purple, and, who had a very serious, very dangerous look in his purple eyes.
Trachea hissed. "Pharynx..."
More changelings. He supposed he shouldn't have surprised that the leaving of one rogue from the swarm would pre-empt such a response. And, that Purple and Red changeling-Pharynx, based on what his new companion had just hissed-was apparently a lower leader class changeling, who, as previously noted in his mind, seemed very serious, and potentially dangerous.
Pharynx looked back at the six changeling drones, and snarled. "Alright, fan out in three groups of two each, see if you can find her. And, remember, our former sister is more elusive than one might expect. Don't fall for her tricks."
The six drones nodded, making chittering sounds, as they started to look around.
The Doctor noted that Trachea looked worried for a few moments, before a look of pure determination replaced the worry on her face.
"Alright, Doctor, I bet you've got some good ideas of your own, but, I'm going to suggest that we take to the trees. If we're lucky, the bigger trees around here can support our weight. Don't worry, since I know you're not a pegasus, I'll carry you up the first one."
The Doctor nodded in appreciation, despite his internal doubts that Trachea had enough muscle to lift him.
He was pleasantly surprised to be wrong, however, as she lifted him up to the first tree, just before two of the drones could find them.
With that, they started to make their way over the clearing where Pharynx was, with the Purple and Red changeling seemingly none the wiser.
...However, that notion was quickly challenged, when over halfway over the clearing, Pharynx suddenly changed form, into that somekind of monstrous flying Purple, Black and Red giant Spider, and crashed through the branches above.
The Doctor and Trachea held on for dear life, before both decided to drop to the ground.
"RUN!" The Doctor yelled, once both their hooves impacted the ground, and, that's when the chase began, the Doctor and his new companion in the front, and, Pharynx and the drones coming from behind.
