Doctor Whooves: Revisisted

Colgate was startled from her bed when she heard an all too familiar sound from outside. In the cold of Luna’s night came the whirring echo and a light flashing a bright white. She knew what it was but could not bring herself to believe it. Colgate threw the covers over her face and tried to pretend it wasn't happening, it was just her going crazy. No, she hadn't heard that sound since she was a filly, such a long time ago. Her memories of it were faint and she scarcely remembered the colt she had met that night. She thought to herself in some attempt to keep her sanity,

‘You just imagined it Colgate. Nothing is outside. No lights and no sounds, no blue box to take you away.’ Colgate took a deep breath and threw the covers off her face, looking up to the ceiling.

‘ You've truly lost it now, imagining such things. Have I gone crazy? Quite possibly.’ That was when the strangest part kicked in. A loud honking noise came from just outside the house.

“Was that a horn?” Colgate spoke aloud and jolted up in surprise. She quickly got up and looked out from the window. Sure enough outside the front door, and leaning on the large blue box, was the strange brown colt she had seen so many years ago.

“NO!” Colgate blurted in shock. “Go back to bed now Colgate, you've completely lost your head.” She couldn't help but press herself against the glass, believing her eyes had deceived her, till the brown colt looked up at the window she was pressed against and gave a small wave. “Yep, crazy.” Colgate took another deep breath. “Maybe I should check it out, just to confirm it, no, bad idea. But what if it actually is him and I’m not crazy, but it’s not likely. There’s still a chance. No, to risky.

Colgate begun to dig into her blue and grey mane furiously, pulling herself away from the glass in a panic.

“Buck it, I’m going to go find out.”

“Took your time didn't you.” The brown colt said as Colgate peered through the front door. He seemed familiar, I mean, even too familiar.

Colgate picked up the nearest lamp and hid it behind her back. Things could get serious very fast if they had to. The brown colt was well dressed in a grey pinstripe suit and a red tie, his mane was a dark brown and spiked at- wait. Who was this?

“Mr Turner?” Colgate murmured, giving the colt a strange expression.

“Who?” He asked in return. Wait, it had to be him. They looked almost identical from up close. But she hadn't seen him since his last visit to Ponyville a fortnight ago.

“Are you Time Turner?”

“Not the last time I checked no.” He seemed to now have a puzzled look on his face but maintaining a light, almost dorky, expression. Colgate could make out a very odd accent that was different form Mr Turners, almost like somepony from Trottingham.

“Are you his brother or something? You look practically identical.” By now I was growing impatient.

“Nope. I’m the Doctor though.” The colt traded his puzzled look for a giddy smile. I could not help but give him a small one in return and slowly put down the lamp I was about to use as an improvised club. Wait, who was he? The Doctor, what kind of a name was that?

“The Doctor? Doctor Wh-“

“Let me just stop you there, just the Doctor is just fine.”

“Have we met?”

“Yeah. About fifteen years ago, well, a month for me, fifteen years for you. Being a time traveler mucks up your perception of time a bit, Miss Minuette.” How in blinking hell did he know my name?

“How could I not remember meeting you before?” I blatantly lied. I remembered the night a little bit but had convinced myself that it had never happened and was merely a dream.

“I doubt you wanted to remember. What was it, just a dream, a sign of insanity? You were too young to understand.”

“So, so that’s your ship?” The Doctor looked back at the blue box.

“Yeah. The TARDIS, time and relative-“

“I think I've got that much.” He responded with a wide smile and I felt slightly assured by him. Slowly I allowed the front door to creak open and stood out onto the dirt roads of Ponyville. I had never grown accustomed to walking in the mud every day but a regular hoof clean made sure that it was never an issue. That was obviously beside the point.

“How would you, Miss Minuette, like to come for one last trip? You know, for old times’ sake.” This caught me off guard. Some serious thought was going to have to go into this.

‘I couldn't, I simply could not. After that nigh so many years ago my parents thought I’d gone mad. I started seeing a councilor and my friend at the time never spoke to me again. The night with the Doctor sent my world spinning downward. Now I had too much to lose. I was now a fully trained and qualified Dentist. I loved my job and was proud of it. I had friends, and this time, more than just three or four. Lyra and Bon Bon, Berry Punch who had been kind enough to move to Ponyville with me nearly a year ago, Daisy, Carrot Top, Derpy, Octavia and Vinyl. I could not stand to lose them. I don’t want to be known as the crazy one anymore. My life was crazy enough as it was without this.’

“I, I simply can’t Doctor, certainly not today at least. This is my life and I can’t just run off with you whenever it may take your fancy. Isn't their anypony else you could take, friends, family, close friends?” All look of glee fell from the Doctors face. He stood stern and averted his blue eyes from hers. Colgate knew he was unimaginably lonely; everything about him gave that away, I don’t think he quite knew it though.

“There have been others, friends and some more than friends, and I lost them.”

“How?”

“Some left on their own accord; some simply forgot me, and some I could not save. Never again, I swear. Nopony else is going to die for me.” Ponies had died with him! What kind of insane pony was this? Could I be next?

“I’m sorry, Doctor. I just can’t.” The Doctor now seemed to hide away all sadness and disappointment. He picked up his head and said with a calm voice,

“Very well Miss Minuette. I completely understand.” The brown stallion turned back to the TARDIS and put a hoof on its door, a silent sadness tinged in his words. She almost felt pity for him, almost wanted to rush up and comfort him. But something continued to nag at her mind, something he had said. Maybe he could be- no, he couldn't.

“Turn- I mean Doctor,” Colgate quickly let out grabbing the brown colt’s attention. “You don't by any chance know one of my friends do you. Her name's Ditzy, but most ponies just call her Derpy Hooves. It sounds crazy but do you... remember her? Where you guys close at all?"

‘Deep breath now, Colgate.’ She thought to herself.

“She has two kids you know, Dinky and Sparkler, but she just calls her Amy. It's funny, she used to talk about things that we thought were crazy, but now I've never felt so wrong.”

“Amethyst” The doctor muttered under his breath. Colgate could see his mood quickly change to self-loathing.

“Maybe I'm just crazy as well.” Colgate paused to catch her breath. She felt the slightest of tears pooling in the corner of her eye as she recalled the story her friend had told her. “But Derpy is an innocent soul, I just don't want to see her get hurt.”

The mood was silent, only broken by the slight cold breeze in the night. Colgate spoke up first as the brown colt seemed to be too deep in his own thoughts.

“I need to know,” The brown colt looked up from his drooped gaze. “have you been running?”

“I'm always running.” He simply said as he opened the TARDIS doors. The blue box begun to spur into life once again, the light flashed and the sounds echoed through the street. Soon the box faded from sight leaving no trace of its presence. Colgate wondered if that would be the last time she would ever see him again, but she did not care either way. He was trouble, more than she needed in her life.