Adventures in the TARDIS

Upon her introduction, I take a knee as Princess Celestia of Equestria enters into the dark room that she is hiding within. I hear her hoof clomps as she enters the room. Moreover, I notice, curiously, how her presence brightens the room as if her white hide is made of light. Sneaking a peek back at other scattered objects within the room, I notice how shadows start to stretch across the wall as a new light source enters the room.

“Please, Your Majesty,” begins Celestia’s calm and elegant voice, “you need not bow before me. You’re not one of my subjects and you are a fellow ruler.”

As requested, I steadily lift my gaze and behold the raw majesty of the god-like mare before me. Indeed her hide casts off a radiant white through the room. Her mane seems to glow too with a cascade of various colors while it waves softly as if caught in a smooth, constant breeze. Seeing that made me curious what would happen to her mane if it is caught in a real breeze. Would the magic of her mane defy that breeze and blow wherever it wants?

Princess Celestia is very tall and looms above me. She is also spreading her white wings a bit which I get the feeling she does, sometimes, out of royal protocol whenever she wants to give a strong impression. That pose actually makes her seem a bit imposing, yet the gaze in her eyes seems calm and doting like a loving mother.

“Forgive me, Your Majesty,” I say as I rise to my hooves again. “If I am breaking any kind of royal etiquette right now then it is largely because of my own ignorance.”

“As you have feared, Your Majesty,” announces the Doctor who stands beside the Princess and facing me. He was also the one who introduced the Princess a moment earlier. “His Majesty, Nanpour Alabaster, indeed does have amnesia. However,” he turns to regard the royal alicorn beside him for a moment, “I don’t think it is because of the damage to his horn as you suspected earlier. Instead, I think it is part of a fiendish plot from the Grand Vizier. The creature that inhabits his body right now provides certain abilities and traits that the creature acquired from previous hosts. One of them is likely a hypnotic gaze. Via that ability, he most likely induced the memory loss of His Majesty here.”

Having shifted her eyes to look at the Doctor as he spoke, the Princess continues to regard him as she says, “Then that would make any dealings with him dangerous for us. If I meet him, I could be subjected to the same effects. For that matter, many other personnel working under him could also be in a similar trance.”

“I believe I have a defense I can offer against that particular ability, Your Majesty,” the Doctor proposes politely. “But regardless, I don’t think Dispatcher is much of a threat in the daylight anyway. The species that inhabits his body is normally harmless, but the corrupted ones are extra photosensitive. As such, it would greatly impede him if he were to engage you in the daylight. So, until the sun goes down, I do not think he’ll be that much of a threat to you.

“In addition, symbites accumulate the weaknesses of various species it possesses in addition to their strengths. That can later be difficult to sort out. Furthermore, the more abilities it acquires, whether it is a hindrance to it or not, it increases its hunger. The longer it lives and the more hosts it had, the more genetic material it will need to feed on to sustain itself.”

Princess Celestia gives a subtle nod of acknowledgment for the Doctor’s announcement then shifts her eyes to look back at me as she tells me, “Since we are both sovereign rulers of our own respective nations, I request that we address each other on even hoofing. Please address me simply as Celestia while you are in my presence.”

“Did I do that before?” I check with her.

“Typically only while we were in private,” Celestia admits. “In public, both of us usually put on more airs. Believe me when I say I am well acquainted with the tradition of putting on public masks. In privacy, I am more comfortable relaxing and dropping some pretenses. I had gathered that you once felt the same.”

“It’s odd to hear anypony else knowing who I am better than me, but that is the circumstances we find ourselves in now,” I tell her. “When you speak of Nanpour, I almost feel like you are describing a stranger. For the past several moons, I have only known myself to be the stallion Swift Step.”

“Would you prefer if I address you by that name?” Celestia offers.

“I’m not sure,” I say in a tone of wonder. “Maybe I’ll need to get used to being called Nanpour again.”

“I am under the impression that your wife would agree,” Celestia announces which cuts deep into my emotions suddenly. The very slight squint I see in Celestia’s eyes informs me that what she said was a very carefully calculated move on her part. She’s nudging this conversation towards the important things that are at stake here. “I could feel her sorrow through the letters she wrote me after she thought you passed, though for a while there she had refused to believe it.”

“I must admit, it feels strange to me to hear of this other life, that I no longer recall, being referred to as dead,” I tell her. “I feel anxious too. If I get the throne back, I’d have to rule it without any of the experience and training that I had before. That’s a very daunting thought to me.”

“Unless Dispatcher has tampered with her mind too, you can rely on the wisdom, training and experience Princess Arielza has,” mentions the Doctor. “Furthermore, since you have the telepathic ability to absorb some memories of things and creatures that you touch, perhaps touching her will spark some of your own memories. It is a lot more likely absorbing the memories of somepony who is familiar with you may jog some of your own memories, especially if it is somepony that you have strong feelings for as well.”

I notice Celestia lift a curious eyebrow at the Doctor when he mentioned that I have gained the telepathic ability to absorb some memories of others. However, when she looks back at me, she seems to dismiss her earlier confusion and instead tells me, “If it is indeed true that you can absorb some memories of others upon touching them, then I have no doubt that Princess Arielza is likely to reawaken some of them, for nary have I often seen two other ponies as deeply in love with each other as the two of you.”

“Really?” I ask with a slight bit of skepticism. “Because I once heard that it was a political marriage. At least, that is the word on the street in some corners.”

“I’ll admit, it may have started that way,” the Princess confesses to me, “but I have seen the way you two have addressed each other in the past. It warmed my heart and put a smile on my face when I beheld how deeply and dearly you two clearly loved each other. A lot of political marriages don’t often go down that way, but in the case of you two, there clearly was a spark there that none could deny.”

“A healthy relationship between a married couple always involves some degree of effort,” the Doctor chimes in. “My guess is it was a decision the both of you strived to make. You both tried to make that relationship work, and for that effort, you two had some success.”

Princess Celestia’s eyes shifted from the Doctor when he spoke, then her focus returns to me with a subtle nod of agreement as she adds, “Indeed. Based on my own observation, one thing I can tell you that both you and the Princess had in common is your love for your subjects. If I had to guess, that was a strong baseline where the core of your deep relationship with each other started. It seems to me you resisted any attempt to actively love her until you established that she’d make a great ruler for your subjects as well. As soon as you realized how much she cares for them, too, is probably when you gave yourself permission to love her.”

Princess Celestia shakes her head slightly as she goes on to say, “In fact, at that point, I think you couldn’t resist loving her. From what I can tell, being a perfect princess really is her cutie mark destiny precisely. She was literally born and raised for this role and it fits her to the core of her being. The only problem with her is how many others fought for her hoof in marriage.”

“Oh?” I ask in an intrigued tone.

Once again, Celestia gives this subtle nod which I’m beginning to notice is a trait of hers. She then says, “Yes. Princess Arielza really is unusually fit for a role like this.” She twists her flank to the side so I can see the left side of her flank. In that pose, she gestures back to her own brilliant and blazing sun cutie mark as she says, “My destiny has always been to raise and lower the sun. I also find it indicative of how much light and glory that I cast over my nation. I dispel shadows and cast radiant warmth of love wherever I trot.” She returns to her normal pose. “But with Princess Arielza, she was fit to be only one thing in her life; to be the perfect princess and she succeeded in that role all too well. When you married her, not only did that strengthen the political ties of your nation, but you also prevented the outbreak of a war because your romantic opponents to that marriage did not have enough political clout to oppose you. If, however, you didn’t step in then they might have clawed at each other’s throats like a pack of savage beasts. In her eyes, and many other ponies for that matter, you did your nation a huge favor by marrying her. Even some of your romantic rivals probably reluctantly agreed with that fact. It would have been a bloody and costly conflict had you not stepped in.” She beams at me proudly as she adds, “And I suspect most of the subjects you rule agree with this move, because they have fallen in love with her too.”

“As a matter of fact, this may well explain Dispatcher’s motivations as well,” the Doctor puts in then waves a hoof. “Aside from political ambition or the fact that the symbite tends to amplify the worst traits of anypony it possesses, Princess Arielza herself has a history of evoking strong jealousy. She is, quite frankly, too good at her job. As a result, many a stallion and colt have tried to covet her hoof in marriage.”

“As a matter of fact,” puts in Celestia, “I was invited to this nation to preside and oversee that ceremony exactly. By marrying Princess Arielza, Dispatcher Hoofclaven hoped to legitimize his rule over the throne of Neighbriais and, by extension, the entire nation of Saddle Arabia.” She looks cornerwise up as she says, “I used to just think marrying her was a power-play move,” she looks back at me, “but now I suspect he really does want the Princesses hoof in marriage as well. That might even be his primary motivation in all of this.”

“Presiding over the marriage of a foreign nation? You can do that?” I ask her with a questioning blink.

Celestia nods as she says, “I did it for your marriage.” She straightens with royal dignity. “I would consider this kind of service optional for other nations. Not every sovereign ruler has offered for me to do this and I certainly respect that, but many nations consider me, as well as that of my nation, to be exceptionally influential. If I preside and approve over any particular marriage then many regard that is a good blessing and omen. It is just as important to many foreign rulers to believe that other rulers gain that impression as well, so having me preside over the marriage is considered a combination of a good luck charm and a power play simultaneously, especially considering that I only agree to do this with dignitaries that I personally respect and trust.”

“So being wed by you is considered a political badge of honor,” I realize aloud. “I see. Any pony wed by you, a powerful and greatly influential leader, gains greater status in the eyes of other rulers as well.”

Celestia nods in agreement then goes on to say, “But some other nations have their own traditions and stick to that no matter how much political clout they would have gained if I were more involved. Sometimes I at least get invited as a guest to such weddings. As a courtesy to them as well as an interest to establish and maintain a positive political relationship, I tend to accept. That’s actually grown into something of a tradition for the majority of the world.”

“You are a princess that raises and lowers the sun and the moon. Both are a service that the world cannot survive without and that has not escaped the notice of the leaders of foreign nations,” I realize aloud. “No wonder you have so much political clout aside from the strength and prosperity of your own nation.”

She nods at me as she says, “Which is one of the reasons why my participation is considered a good luck charm. Other nations are hoping to emulate the level of success and prosperity of my nation. For my part, I do whatever I can to help them succeed too. My ultimate goal is to unite the entire world in harmonious bonds of friendship.”

“And yet you agreed to preside over Dispatcher’s wedding too?” I check with some confusion and doubt.

For the first time since I saw her, I see Princess Celestia’s body grow stiff and her eyes sink to cold fury. For a brief moment I thought I made a social blunder until I see her gaze elsewhere at a wall as if to indicate the true source of her fury is elsewhere. For that alone, I internally breathe a sigh of relief.

“Publically, I agreed to attend this wedding as a diplomatic courtesy,” the Princess explains with steel in her voice. While her face remains directed at a wall, her eyes shift back to me which occasionally gets obscured by her ever flowing rainbow mane. “But the real reason I chose to attend is to get some answers. I found the overall circumstances of your sudden departure to be highly suspicious, so I wanted an excuse to get a closer look at this situation to see if it is on the up and up.”

“And if the answer is no, which it clearly is?” I check with her. “What then? You’re just a guest in this nation, not its ruler. Granted, you are a guest with a high degree of political clout, but I’m not sure what you can really legally do in this situation other than make your disapproval public.”

“That alone would do some damage,” the Doctor announces. “The Princess here is so well respected, loved, and sometimes even feared that her disapproval would be considered a bad omen in the eyes of other nations. They might shun a nation that does not meet her approval in fear that if they don’t, then they might get included as a nation that will get shunned as well.”

The Doctor then lifts a hoof as if he’s about to bring up a new point, which he does by saying, “Consider this from Dispatcher’s perspective, though. What else does he gain by inviting Princess Celestia, of all ponies, to his wedding ceremony? Sure, he may want the political power of this nation, and sure . . . he may personally want Princess Arielza’s hoof in marriage, but right now Princess Celestia is a threat to Dispatcher in a very unique way because the symbite that resides within him has a weakness and aversion to sunlight.” He then gestures to the Princess standing beside him. “And who raises and lowers the sun each morning?”

I widen my eyes and red lines crack in it as I say aloud, “And the Grand Vizier recently also gained the ability to hypnotically control other ponies into a trance.”

“In her case, I think he plans to do worse than that,” the Doctor warns as he returns his hoof to the ground that originally gestured to the princess beside him. “I think he plans to make her one of his spawns.”

I notice confusion in everypony else in the room about that statement. As for myself, I think I see where the Doctor is going with this.

“Spawn, Doctor?” Celestia inquires for clarification.

“The symbite within Dispatcher is essentially a virus,” the Doctor explains. “It gives its primary host a slew of useful abilities but some drawbacks as well. One of its most nefarious abilities, though, and definitely a trait that the other symbiotes do not share, is the ability to infect other hosts with a portion of the virus. If that happens, then the symbite can share a portion of its strengths and weaknesses with other hosts. In exchange, they become highly influenced by the primary host. This can even be done telepathically at a distance. The stronger the symbite grows, the more spawns it can create and control, too.

“So think about it. Grand Vizier Dispatcher Hoofclaven, who is the primary host of the symbite that recently landed in this world, invites Princess Celestia, the only known pony who can raise and lower the sun and the moon, to his wedding where he gains the opportunity to make her one of his spawns, willing or not. If he gains that level of control over her then he can essentially also control two of the most important celestial bodies on this planet, one of which is a key weakness of his. I assume the rest of you can surmise the rest.

“Note, too, that the primary host of the symbite can achieve a quasi-form of immortality, but to do it, the creature will have to continually drain genetic material from other lifeforms. Essentially it can forcefully gain a new lease in life by draining it from others.”

“Much like a vampony,” Celestia realizes.

The Doctor nods as he says, “Right. Much like a . . .” He trails off with a blink then looks at Celestia with surprise as he asks her, “Excuse me. Did you say vampony?”

“Yes,” Celestia confirms while giving the Doctor a narrow-eyed stare as if to say, “I know what you’re going to say about that and I want you to not say it.”

The Doctor snickers a bit. When he recovers, he says, “Um . . . right. Much like a vampony, and because of that, it might actually be the symbites that is the source of that myth in this world.”

“He can’t get his hooves on Princess Celestia, then, at all costs!” I firmly decide. “Because, if he does, we are, all of us, doomed.”

“I appreciate your concern, but you do not speak for me,” Celestia warns me. “I came to this nation as a guest in order to investigate the suspicious circumstances that this nation has recently fallen under. When I do, not only do I find that some corruption has indeed fallen upon it, but it is also so bad that it’s even a threat to my little ponies, and that is something I cannot tolerate.”

My jaw firms up a bit. I feel nervous to say this, especially to her of all ponies, but I’m also determined enough to proceed. I tell her, “I may not speak for you personally, but you currently are a guest in my nation. As your host,” I gesture to myself, “you are my responsibility and I take that role seriously. Please, Your High . . . Um, I mean Celestia, let us hoofle this threat for you. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“And just how do you plan to hoofle this?” Princess Celestia challenges me with steel in her voice and eyes as she looms over me. “Very few other ponies know you’re alive right now so they won’t recognize your authority yet. On top of that we have another power-hungry, potential dictator who has an alien virus in his system which stimulates the worst traits in him.”

“And if that wasn’t enough, there is the tiny ship that entity came in as well,” the Doctor adds. “If any of you see it, it may not seem like much, but that tiny ship has the power to crush the life out of anything between an ant and an entire solar system because it can create a black hole. As such, I don’t blame Celestia for affirming that she has a stake in this situation, for Dispatcher can, indeed, threaten her little ponies . . . and anyone who knows her would realize that is a big no-no to her.”

“As I said before, I really do appreciate your concern over me,” Celestia says to me much more softly but she firms up in the next sentence. “But we have to consider everything that’s involved here and what resources we have access to which we can use to solve this problem. Of that, I believe I have brought a lot more along with me than you currently have access to,” she says with a firm jab of white hoof towards me which has a golden horseshoe proceeding about two inches above and around her hoof. “You are the legitimate ruler of this nation, though, whether the majority of your nation realizes that or not. As such, you can grant or deny me permission to participate in this mission. To that end, I beg you, Nanpour, please give me permission to help. If you do, we can both work together to solve and avert this crisis to both of our beloved nations.”

“Dispatcher would want you to say no if he was aware of this deal,” cunningly adds the Doctor’s manipulative argument. “That’s probably the point of hypnotizing you, erasing most of your history, and trying to establish a new identity in its place to encourage you to be the opposite of your previous role. Maybe, in his head, that would further serve to justify his right to rule.

“On the other hand, the last thing he’d want you to do is gather allies and resources which could threaten and oppose him. I, too, understand and respect your concerns for the Princess since I partially share them, but I am the Doctor and this world is under my protection. The threat of a foreign and hostile alien force has come into play so I must step up as well.” He reaches up and tightens his necktie as he goes on to say, “Now I can do this with or without you, but for obvious reasons, I would prefer to have your support. Besides, if we all work together, we can increase our chances of success, and I have a plan.”

“Of course you do, Doctor,” Celestia agrees with a side, almost snide and amused expression at the Doctor beside her. She’s reacting as if this situation reminds her of another encounter she’s had with him in her past and this amuses her for some reason.

I sigh then say, “Well, considering the limited resources I personally have access to right now and considering the threat to national security in place, I don’t blame you two for wanting to get involved. Right now I’m forced to concede to your point. As such . . .” I pause for a moment as I bow to them then plead, “. . . please, I beg you both, help me.”

“Done,” the Doctor agrees instantly.

“I will gladly extend my support,” Celestia expresses as she beams at me proudly.

“Princess!” announces a royal Canterlot guard who rushes into the room and salutes his princess. “I have urgent news for you, Your Majesty.”

“Speak,” Celestia bids her guard.

“A large platoon of royal guards from this city is on their way here!” he reports in alarm. “Their captain is leading the team as we speak.”

“What?! How?!” I exclaim questioningly. “Gah! That stallion never fails to somehow find me.”

“For once, I don’t think it has to do with you,” the Doctor argues. “There might be another agent in play in this situation. An old frienemy of mine, I suspect, has leaked the location of the Princess.” He looks at her. “In this case, I think she’s the real target here.”

“Let them come, then!” Princess Celestia firmly decides. “They are probably here to escort me to the Palace, and I wanted to go there anyway.”

“It would be opportune for us if we arrive there soon, too,” the Doctor adds. “Particularly while the sun is still up. I don’t think the Vizier would make any major moves against you, Your Highness, until he can do so with an advantage in his corner.” He looks at me. “In the meantime, I want you to accompany us as well. Disguise yourself as one of her royal guards. With that, she’ll be able to lead you right through the front door of the Palace as well. Once you’re inside, I have a mission for you.”