Doctor's Shadows

Doctor’s Shadows

Chapter 5: Shadows of Deceit

The doors swung open and Rarity was quickly moved through them. The Doctor had no interest in why she wanted to go back to her normal life. He was excited to learn all about his new body, and who he was. Like a child, she thought to herself. She could see a group of ponies up ahead, standing over something, and looking down at it.

Her approach brought the attention of the others upon her. She noted the faces. Her friends. Almost everyone. No Fluttershy. Maybe they haven’t made it there yet…

Only as she took the last few steps did she see what had planted the downtrodden looks on their faces. The body of Derpy Hooves. And something else…was that her daughter? As she gazed down upon the black, hard-shelled creature that was clinging to its lifeless ‘mother’, she couldn’t help but feel a mix of terror and disgust.

“What do we do with it?” The voice issued itself, or felt that way, from Rainbow Dash.

Applejack spoke up in return. “It’s a she. It’s Derpy’s daughter. We gotta protect ‘er. She’s got nopony left.”

“Where’s the Doctor? He can take care of…her.”

“We don’t know that, Sugarcube…he could be just as…bad.”

Rainbow Dash silenced herself, looking down at the blackened creature in its slumber. “Well…we need to find

Fluttershy then. Doctor Whooves visited her more than anypony else. He even donated a shed.”

Everypony nodded, but the question could be seen easily on everypony’s faces. Where was Fluttershy?

The dungeons had been dark, damp, and hard to breathe in, but he had made it. 40 years in solitude. Forty entire years of staying still, never letting anyone see him move, never speaking, never even letting himself shift unless for food. It had to be worth it.

About an hour ago, he had received a cellmate. The invasion had begun, but based on the lack of tremors or earth-shaking explosions, it hadn’t truly entered full swing. It was probably a surprise attack, in the final preparations.

The large mare across the room awoke. He heard her faintly muttering. After a few moments of listening to her call out in the darkness, he began to move. His muscles ached under the pressure. It had been far too long, he realized, since his last movement. It would take some readjusting.

The mare, who had easily identified herself, merely in speaking, as the princess of the night, now quieted, watching the movement in the corner of the room. She quickly went into the Royal Canterlot accent, and slipped into the archaic language of a thousand years before. “Who art thou who approaches?”

He remained unfazed, and looked down upon the lowered form of Luna. She rose to her full height, ready for defense. His throat was coarse and dry from disuse, and he barely scratched out the words. “Hello. I’m the Doctor.”

Luna was taken aback by his address. He did not bow; he did not show any apprehension. Yet, he still seemed to stay behind the line of disrespect, and even seemed to command respect for himself. She lowered her voice, speaking in a sweeter tone. “Well then…Doctor of what?”

“Everything.” It was a simple word, and that was where he left off. He removed the bindings that held back her magic, and she removed her chains. “And you are Princess Luna, of the Night. Some of the best adventures are at night. Thank you.”

Luna began to feel more secure…she now only wondered why she was in the dungeon. It matters not, she decided, looking over her fellow captive. He looked well worn down. The food wasn’t the best this far down into the dungeons. Not to mention his waning physique. Most prisoners tried to keep up their strength. He seemed quite odd.

“Would you mind…maybe teleporting us to the confiscation lockers? I seem to be missing a few things.”

She did not know what to do. He was deep in the dungeons. It must have been bad, whatever he had done. But he seemed very kind. He had freed her. He was her only means to knowing what had happened, it would seem. She agreed, and her magical aura surrounded them, filling the Doctor with warmth he hadn’t felt in years.

The office was filled with lockers, and each locker held many boxes, which held different prisoner’s items. He found box number 76. His box. He opened it and retrieved his suit, his saddlebags, and most importantly, his screwdriver. He had put it at just the right frequency to bring his love back into his life, when he needed it.

Therefore, he put it away. It wasn’t time yet. He had to figure out what to do about Luna. Where is everyone anyways? How are they planning to move an entire city?

The cottage had all of its lights on, yet no one was coming to the door. Even with knocking, no nervous squeaks could be heard from inside, and no movement. Naturally, the door had to be bucked in. Applejack’s hind legs appeared where the door had once stood, and everyone rushed inside, ready to combat any ponynappers or other threats to their friend. The house remained quiet however. It seemed as if no one was home, but there were hundreds of candles lit up around the house.

“Fluttershy!” Rainbow Dash shouted into the silence of the home. No response. The tension between them thickened, as they all began to worry for their shy friend. She was Fluttershy, how could she survive being alone in the darkness, or worse, with something in the darkness.

As they all stood there, somepony else walked in behind them. “’Ey. What are all’a you doin’ here?”

A quick turn accompanied a view of four stallions, carrying large, empty saddlebags and dressed in black. Another one spoke up. “I thought it was just one mare s’posed to be here.”

Applejack returned from surprise quickly, and acknowledged the threat in similar fashion. Readying herself for a fight, she practically growled out her words. “What’s yer business here?”

The stallions chuckled to themselves, receiving, at a surprisingly quick speed, a powerful blow to the jaw of the foremost member of their group. The stallion in question failed to pick himself up, catching the full alert of his companions.

The last of the burglars fell to the ground, Applejack standing over him. Her friends were not quite surprised that she had handled the majority of that fight on her own. It came as great relief that they happened to be there instead of Fluttershy. But where was she?

Canterlot Castle…that morning…

Luna had never known a Doctor to act as if there was equality between them, but here it was. The Doctor, as he had asked to be called, was a strange man. She felt some sort of familiarity. They reached the throne room of the castle.

“Here we are, Princess. Shouldn’t be long now.”

“For what?”

“I don’t know yet.” He smiled as Princess Celestia entered from the door behind her particular throne. Something was already wrong. Oh, good, it’s starting quickly.

Celestia showed signs of a start as she spotted Luna in the room. “Ah, Luna, I was wondering where you were.” She slipped her eyes over to the Doctor in the room. “Who is he?”

Luna studied the other alicorn carefully. “He is a prisoner from down in the dungeons…you should know that, he was too deep to have been placed there without your orders.”

Celestia nodded carefully. “Ah, yes…”

“Well, Celestia, why not tell Luna why I was in there?” His lack of titles in his address caught both Princesses off guard, but Luna cared more about the question itself.

“I had been wondering that, yes.”

“Well,” Celestia began her statement calmly, but quickly began deteriorating as she found herself to be caught. “He was...bad.”

Doctor Whooves stepped forward. “Where did you put her, Nightshade?”

The room shattered.

Ponyville…present…

The five mares were now venturing back into town, where torches had been lit back up, and the townsponies, now calm and no longer in panic mode, were gathered in front of Town Hall. Mayor Mare was addressing the crowd. She went mostly ignored by the girls as they sheltered their still sleeping bundle of…love.

As they walked into the Carousel Boutique, where Rarity had told of an extra room where Sweetie Belle would stay on her visits, they were deciding on what to do with her.

Rarity had already made a decision. “We’ve known her long enough to know she means no harm, so she may stay here.”

“We don’t know that it’s really even her though!” Twilight was behind this outburst, having finally recovered from her shock and worry.

“I do. I don’t know why, but I know she is. She’s just looking a bit different is all. She stays here.” With that, Rarity took up the bundle in her magic and would say no more. The young changeling was still unconscious, but breathing steadily. Rarity gently placed her into a small, makeshift crib. She then sighed, and left the room, under the curious gazes of her friends.

Rather than stay under their scrutiny, Rarity walked up the stairs, into her room, and shut the door. She looked over at Canterlot, or where it should have been, and let out another sigh. I failed him…but if I can keep his daughter safe maybe I’ll be forgiven. Suddenly, the spot she was looking at in the sky exploded.

End Ch. 5