Doctor's Shadows

Doctor’s Shadows

Chapter 6: Shadows of Circumstance

Derpy walked into the TARDIS, her daughter and husband following behind. “Where are we going?” Her face shone with a look of worry. Dinky simply looked around, taking in the view.

“I’m going to drop you off an hour from now, near town hall. Wait until Twilight Sparkle or someone else comes by, then go with them. Alright?” He fiddled with the console as he spoke, finishing the sentence along with the input.

“Ok…are you ok?” His appearance was becoming raggedy. She hadn’t seen him like this in a long time. She was beginning to think it may have been a long time since he saw her…

“Yeah. Always, dear.” He put on a smile, or maybe a grimace, and turned away. After a moment of silent thought, he moved to his daughter, wrapping his forehooves around her. He took a moment to whisper a few words, then got up to kiss his wife. The doors swung open, and he motioned towards them.

“Goodbye, Doctor.”

“Goodbye, Muffin.”

It was.

Canterlot Castle…present…

The walls of the castle had blown apart. The green fire that caused it had apparently spread out, forming a barrier around the city. So this is how it happened? Interesting spell. The Doctor noted that the sun was already dark…oh no. I couldn’t stop it. He cursed himself as he stood. He saw a large white alicorn standing on the top of the rubble overlooking the gruesome scene of the city. It had progressed so fast. I have to get out of here.

Luna leapt to her feet as she awoke next to the still unknown earth pony. She said nothing as she surveyed the situation. Her eyes settled on what was supposedly not really her sister. As this being turned around, it became clearer. Her walk was more aggressive in nature, and as she came closer, a malicious look came into her eyes. Luna stood stoic.

“Now that the plan is so far in motion, neither of you can stop me.” She turned to the Doctor. “Even you are powerless now. No TARDIS. No helper…I think I’ll be rid of you now.” Fire consumed her form, and there stood a large changeling, whose structure resembled that of a stallion.

If not for all of the holes and the shell…and wings. As Doctor Whooves was lost in thought, Luna rushed forward, smashing into the changeling warlord. It was taken as the perfect opportunity to escape. He pulled the screwdriver from his bags and sent off the frequency.

As the TARDIS began appearing in the room, he heard the words that would set off the next hour of his time. “Just try and save your wife, Doctor!”

The TARDIS…one meta-temporal hour later…

The Doctor watched his wife and daughter exit, sighing in relief. As far as he was concerned, they should be safe now. He had checked the safest locations to drop her off at beforehoof. No reason to worry. Now, it was time for the next phase of his plan. I need to collect Fluttershy. Her friends will come looking, so I need to send along a distraction. He gripped a lever in his teeth and pulled, sending himself through time once again. Raider ponies will do. Any one of those girls could probably handle themselves…probably.

He stopped off and popped the door open, staring happily into the faces of a group of stallions ransacking the schoolhouse. “Why would you raid a school? There’s a beautiful cottage up near the forest. Race you!” He closed the door again, flipped a few switches, and pushed some buttons. Fluttershy was suddenly standing a few feet away, screaming until her lungs were vacated.

“D-Doctor!”

“I left Rarity somewhere around 962, or so. She’ll probably be in Ponyville again by now. I’m trying to speed things up a bit. Based on the rate things are going, this invasion should last a week before a winner comes out. I plan to end it in a day. Ready?”

Fluttershy dropped.

“…good enough.”

Canterlot Castle…

Luna and the changeling called Nightshade grappled on the shattered remnants of the castle, augmenting their assaults with clashing blasts of color. Luna latched on to Nightshade and her horn lit up. No one may impersonate my sister…we go together.

She released the energy built in her horn, and the world around them seemed to vanish.

The Doctor was supporting a now awake and hyperventilating Fluttershy as he landed the TARDIS. He guided her to the door and kicked it open, seeing the black sky only a moment before witnessing the massive light appear at Canterlot. A concussive blast knocked him, Fluttershy, and, according to the screams heard, many of the residents of Ponyville. As he climbed back onto his hooves, and Fluttershy quivered in his wake, it became apparent that the invasion was, officially, over. The shroud over the land vanished quickly, and the sun shone through.

“This isn’t how it’s supposed to go…Luna should still be fighting…did she win?” He puzzled for a minute, trying to deduce the possible outcome.

“That didn’t look like something a winner would do…” Fluttershy’s voice startled the Doctor from his thoughts. “Oh! Sorry, I just meant that if someone had to do that…maybe they were…losing.”

“Maybe…”

Rarity flew back down the stairs as the shockwave hit her. Her friends had also experienced this, as when she looked around, they were still clambering back onto their hooves. She ignited her horn to give more light to the room, and to fix a few things that had been knocked from place. Namely, the bounty of mirrors that were previously on the wall.

“Rarity, are you alright?” Twilight walked over, a slight limp giving evidence to a sharp impact to her hindlegs.

“Of course, darling, do you need something for that leg?”

“No thanks.” Twilight smiled, the presence and well-being of her friends keeping her spirits somewhat upwards of their earlier slump.

As the rest of the room managed to stand up, and the loose objects were replaced, the attention turned towards the window, as sunlight of all things began pouring through.

Rarity took the first view into the blue sky. Did he do it? The only pony capable of answering that question took that precise moment to enter the room, accompanied by a significantly calmer, though still anxious as always, Fluttershy.

He cleared his throat, and with the attention of the whole room, declared: “Rarity, I have no idea what’s going on.”

End Ch. 6