He called it regeneration.
He gave her instructions.
“Just watch over me, Derpy. I’ll need a day or so to feel better. It all be alright, just make sure the TARDIS keeps and stays on autopilot. You remember what autopilot is?”
“Yeah it’s when it flies by itself. But I still don’t understand.” She asked him.
“Well, it’s a bit complicated. I don’t know how it works this time with the equine physiology, I’ve been human every time I’ve done it before. I think I’ve gone down to just one heart when I came to your world, I think it was like a half generation. But this... Well, it’s kind of a bit of mystery for meself... but I know I’m in good hands- err hooves.”
And that was all she had to do. Just watch him.
If anypony told her a year ago that they wanted to help her with flying she would have taken it in a heartbeat, she being a pegasus. But that was before she met him, the Doctor. His flying machine, TARDIS he called it, was a blue box that had buttons, switches, and knobs on the inside of it. Derpy haven’t had the slightest idea how it worked.
“Don’t be worried. Autopilot!” He said comfortingly pointing a hoof to the control panel. “It flies itself! Just sit back and catch up on some reading or something, and when I come back I’ll be right as rain.”
“Are you going to be OK?” She sadly asked stepping closer to him.
“You know I hate it when you frown,” He stepped closer and placed a hoof to her cheek. “I’ve told you that before.”
She did remember.
“Your wings won’t work in space.”
It was what he told her once on their first trip.
“There is no atmosphere or gravity in which you can create an airfoil to gain the lift to get off the ground. Well there is no ground really.”
“No ground?” She asked. “So you would just keep falling and have nowhere to land?”
He laughed. Which was kind of opposite to what Derpy was feeling at the moment, she felt horrified.
“You’re frowning. I hate it when I make someone frown! Come on, this is an adventure, let’s find something to get you smiling!”
“You’re still frowning.” His words brought her back from her memory to the present.
Derpy shook her head, getting lost in her thoughts was somewhat of a flaw of hers, along with other things.
“Listen,” he said stepping forward and placing his forehead against hers. “I’m a little scared too. But I feel more excited than scared. The last time I had done this was because of an accident or something bad happening. But this time... I dunno I think, NO! I just know that something with is going to make this special. And well, I have you.”
She reached up and kissed him on the cheek.
He smiled.
“You're not the first person to kiss me. But after traveling around, and seeing so many things. Normally it’s been me asking for others to join me by their side. But this time it’s the other way around! I want to be by your side. I know, isn’t it weird?”
He looked deeply at her. He wanted to kiss her back, she could see it in his eyes. But she could see something hold him back.
“Selective voluntary regeneration!” He said immediately pulling away from her. “It will be taking a step away from being who I am now, and become someone who I want to be. Someone who can...”
He leaned back in closer to her face looking like he was going to kiss her again, but stopped halfway. Derpy finished the job, leaning forward and kissing him.
She pulled away, and he looked back with a somewhat intrigued look on his face.
“Yes that,” he said with a nod. “The pony I change into on the outside may still look like what I do now, but emotionally, and physically on the inside I will be...”
He stopped again, struggling with his words.
Derpy place a hoof to his lips.
“Just, tell me why you’re doing it?” Derpy asked.
“Well isn’t it obvious,” he said cocking his head to the side. “For you of course.”
That was all she had to hear.
“OK,” he said suddenly gasping as he was leaning against the console. “It’s coming! Very soon now.”
He reached a hoof up and turned a few knobs.
“Autopilot engaged. And the rest is just waiting.”
“Doctor, you don’t look good.” She said to him
“It’s alright.” He said waving a hoof, taking another pained breath. “All part of the transformation process. This happened last time.”
There was a loud bang, it came from the side of the TARDIS and it rocked to the side.
“What was that?” She asked.
“I dunno,” he said in a labored breath.
He ran over to the other side of the console, and hit a few buttons.
“What!? Impossible!” He said looking a the little screen and blinking buttons.
“What?” Derpy said, dashing up next to him.
“The sun! Your sun, is moving.”
“What do you mean?” She asked.
“Planets and bodies around in a single star system orbit around that star. That’s how gravity works.”
There was that word again: Gravity. The thing that makes ponies fall.
“But the TARDIS is telling me that the shift in gravity is because your sun is moving!” He said staring perplexed at the screen. He then let out another groan.
He hit the ground looking like he was sick.
“Doctor!” Derpy screamed.
His eyes started to glow.
“DOCTOR!”
“It’s happening. Right now!” He said, and then his whole body erupted with light.
The TARDIS gave another shake.
Both Derpy and the Doctor were thrown to the opposite side of the room.
She flapped her wings, and caught the Doctor, cushioning him from the sudden impact of hitting the wall.
He was still glowing. not a brightly as before, but sparkling like stardust or magic. His eyes were closed.
“Doctor? Can you hear me?” She called to him.
He gave no response. He told her that would happen once it started. The clock had now started, he will not wake up for a day now.
“Doctor I don’t know what to do.” She said holding on to him. “Oh Celestia help us!”
She buried her face into his chest.
The room shook again harder this time. Sparks flew up from the console.
She looked at his still glowing face. He looked so peaceful. He was changing for her. That’s what he said. She brushed his mane with her hoof.
There was another boom and a crash.
“Oh Celestia, Luna! Help us!” Derpy sobbed.
She looked over at the console. Her mind remembering that the Doctor told her the autopilot would take care of everything.
“DO SOMETHING!” She screamed at it.
A loud click came from the console and Derpy heard the familiar churning the TARDIS made whenever it disappeared to another time.
She did not let go of him when the pistons moved and buttons flashed.
“It’s working,” she said. “It’s getting us out of here.”
But something was wrong.
She saw the console starting to fade away, the walls too, and the floor.
The TARDIS was leaving, but they were staying put. It was leaving without them.
“Noooooooooo!” She cried as the room disappeared to a black abyss of space.
She instinctually flapped her wings.
Your wings won’t work in space.
Nothing happened, she felt weightless
So you would just keep falling and have nowhere to land?
That’s what was happening. They were falling with nowhere to land. Falling across the universe.
“I’m sorry,” she cried to him. He still unconscious, and glowing like a shooting star.
“I’m sorry!” She said again.
She was still falling, for a brief moment she thought she felt the burn of the sun upon her face. Her eyes were still shut tight, but she did not know which way was up or down.
And then she took a breath.
A familiar scent of grass floated across her nostrils.
The sound of a light breeze came by.
She tried to lift her hoof but something was pinning it down.
Derpy blinked her eyes open, he was on top of her arm. On top! There was gravity! They were now lying in a field! Were they dead? Was this the great prairie of the hereafter?
She looked at his face, his eyes were still closed but his breathing was steady. She then noticed just over his shoulder was the Canterlot skyline.
Her worry melted away, they were safe on Equestria. She sat up and pulled him into her forearms, cradling his head against her chest.
“We’re OK!” She said to him in a relieved sigh. She kissed his head and stroked his mane. “We’re OK!”
There was a sudden bright flash above them as Princess Celestia appeared and landed in front of them. She glared down at the two of them, her horn sparkling bright red like fire.
“Step away from him, pegasus! That is no pony you are holding, he is only mimicking one.”
“No,” Derpy cried, pulling him closer. “He is not a changeling!”
“No he is not!” Celestia avowed. “He is far much worse. For centuries ponykind has recorded him coming and going through our history. And in his wake he brings others; creatures and beings of violent and cruel intentions. For the greater good he must be stopped. I must do this is for the protection of our world! Now stand aside!”
Derpy held up her wing around him like a shield.
“No! I love him, he’s changed!” She cried.
Celestia’s glare hardened.
Derpy felt the princess's magic envelope the two of them and starting to pull him out of her forearms.
Derpy fought and struggled, but Celestia’s magic was far more powerful.
Celestia’s expression remained cold and determined.
“STOP!” A loud voice in the heavens called out.
A bolt of lightning struck the ground between Celestia and the couple. Derpy felt Celestia’s magic give way, and she immediately pulled the Doctor back into her arms. Her ears were now ringing from the massive clap of the thunder.
“SISTER YOU ACT TOO HASTILY!” The booming voice said again.
Another flash of light appeared and in its wake was Princess Luna, the younger sister of Celestia. Stood on the charred ground where the lightning had struck her star-sparkled mane blowing violently with her wings completely spread.
“Luna!?” Celestia countered, a look of anger and surprise crossing her face, her wings too going to full spread. “You raise the Royal Canterlot Voice to me!?”
“IF YOU ARE WILLING TO LISTEN THEN I SHALL LOWER IT!” Luna responded.
Derpy looked up at the two sisters, their eyes locked upon each other. For a brief moment she thought the two of them were about to lock horns in a battle of alicorn against alicorn.
“Fine,” Celestia said in a conceded tone, closing her eyes, folding her wings and taking a calming breath. “I am surprised in you, Luna. You have never challenged my authority since your return. But you are my sister, and just as much a ruler of our subjects as I am. You deserve to be heard.”
“Thank you sister,” Luna said in a regular voice, taking a less aggressive posture as well.
“Are you aware that this pony is the Doctor? The Doctor that travels through time and space as mentioned in the Starswirl the Bearded archives?” Celestia inquired.
“Yes, sister” Luna replied. “I have read the very same tomes you have. And if you remember, when we were fillies I myself have read and kept track of those specific occurrences in fine detail.”
Celestia sat back on her haunches and scratched her chin with her hoof.
“Hmmmm,” she said. “You are right, my dear sister. I have forgotten that in our youth, you had become an expert on Gallopfrey happenings.”
“Yes,” Luna said nodding.
“Very well,” Celestia stated, taking a place beside her sister and looking down at Derpy and the Doctor. “What are your thoughts?”
“I have been watching these two for a while,” Luna told her.
“How?” Celestia asked. “I only just became aware of his blue journey box just a few hours ago. I then decided to move the sun in hopes to burn the box finally destroy him.”
Derpy looked up at her with a look of betrayal and hurt.
“Sister,” Luna said sadly placing a hoof on Celestia’s shoulder. “Both Derpy and the Doctor were in the TARDIS. Had you succeeded the two of them would have perished.”
Celestia gave a look of shock at Luna words.
“Forgive me, pegasus.” Celestia immediately said to Derpy with a look of regret. “I see now what Luna was saying about my haste. I would never wish harm of one of my own subjects, no matter what company they wish to keep. I am thankful the Doctor was able to bring the two of you here.”
“Sister,” Luna said meekly. “It was not the Doctor that brought them to safety that was my doing.”
Celestia gave an unsettled sigh.
“I am then thankful for your vigilance and your quick response dear sister.” She said giving Luna a small but affectionate nuzzle. “Be that as it may, I still stand by my intention to finally deal with the Doctor.”
“Sister,” Luna pleaded, lighting her horn. “Use your magical senses. You’ll see any guise or essence of the time lord is fading.”
Celestia raised an eyebrow at Luna, and then lit her horn.
“How? Is he dying?” Celestia asked incredulously.
“In a way,” Luna replied.
Derpy felt a new wave of fear sweep through her.
Luna saw her expression and gave a reassuring look.
“It’s OK, Derpy.” She told her. “This was what he was telling you. He has surrendered his title and abilities of a time lord. He has sacrificed that life to become simple pony that he may better love you.”
“He is changing into one of us?” Celestia asked.
“Out of love,” Luna replied. “For her.”
Derpy saw Celestia glace down at the Doctor with a slight look of affection.
“But we are still in danger.” Celestia said coming back to her senses. “His journey box possesses great power. It will bring others who wish to use it.”
“The TARDIS,” Luna corrected to her sister. “Has been destroyed. Sadly that part of your plan had worked. This leaves the last dangerous element here.” Luna placed a hoof on the Doctor’s head. “His knowledge. If we remove any memory he has of his journeys. The time lord will be simple earth pony, at most a mere echo of what he was.”
Derpy saw a look of realization cross Celestia’s face.
“You are proposing we give him a chance to build a new life?” Celestia asked Luna.
“Let him start anew in the arms of a lover,” Luna nodded to Derpy. “And then all that which is a threat will be removed and no one will need to die.”
“But,” Derpy frowned. “He will forget everything, our journeys, who I am, and why he chose to become a pony in the first place.”
Luna stepped forward and kneeled down next to Derpy.
“I know,” she said to Derpy. “It is a high price that must be paid to protect our world. But it is a better alternative than him dying.”
Celestia stepped forward, this time a look of empathy on her face.
“Sister your words do not go without merit, but there is one thing that concerns me. Even if we erase his memory, this grey pegasus has traveled with him and knows who he really is, she too poses a threat.”
Luna frowned. She looked Derpy and the Doctor and looked back up at her sister.
“I see no other way,” she said sadly. “I have a plan.” She then leaned over and started whispering into Celestia’s ear.
Derpy was still on edge, she was thankful that Luna had come to their rescue, but worried on what she was planning.
Celestia’s expression did not change.
“I am fine with that,” Celestia replied then turned to Derpy. “My little pony, do not be worried this will not harm you. You will forget a few things, but in turn you remember others in their place.”
Luna gave her a nod.
“Don’t worry,” she said. “We’ll make sure you and the Doctor are not far away from each other.”
Both Luna and Celestia lit up their horns and Derpy was blinded by a bright flash of light.
****
There was a sound of small fast moving hooves. That was the first thing she recognized in a haze, followed by a sound of a door swinging open.
Next she felt herself shaking like she was in an earthquake.
“Mommy! Daddy! It’s Hearths Warming Day, let’s go down stairs and open presents!” A young voice called out.
Derpy opened her sleepy eyes and saw a little gamboge unicorn filly bouncing up and down on the bed she was sleeping in.
The filly’s expression lit up at the sight of Derpy waking up.
“Mommy!” She said happily and pounced on top of her with a hug.
Derpy let out an “oo”’ as the filly landed on her chest.
“Dinky,” a voice next to her said. “What did we tell you last night?”
Derpy looked at the voice next to her and saw the Doctor lying in bed next to her slightly blurry eyed as well.
The filly looked over at him with a pouty lip.
“To let mommy sleep in because she had a late night last night.” She said guiltily.
Derpy was speechless.
The Doctor leaned over kissed her and Dinky on the forehead. He then scooped Dinky up off of Derpy and plopped her down on the floor on his side of the bed.
“Ok muffin, let’s go make mummy some breakfast and let her rest a while longer.” He said slipping out of the bed.
“Then presents?” The little filly asked following him.
“First present of the morning will be bringing mummy breakfast in bed.” He said nudging her towards the door. “Then the rest after.”
Derpy looked up to say something to him.
“Not a word,” he cut her off. “I promised to give you a quiet Hearths Warming morning. You go back to sleep love, I’ll keep both Dinky and Amethyst Star occupied.”
He then trotted out of the room behind Dinky and closed the door behind them, leaving Derpy sitting up in the bed confused.
“Where?” She asked aloud, suddenly remembering her last memory was clutching the Doctor before the princesses. “How? What happened?”
“Love,” a familiar voice said. “Love happened.”
Derpy looked across the room and saw Princess Luna was standing there.
Derpy looked up at her even more bewildered.
Luna smiled and walked over to sit beside her bed.
“It’s OK, I know this may look and feel strange to you. Please let me explain what has happened.” She said. “In your mind your last memory was falling out of the TARDIS with the Doctor, and my sister and I debating your fate.”
Derpy nodded.
“That moment has technically never happened. It takes or should I say it took manipulation of history itself hide a Time Lord. Celestia and I successfully used our magic to give the Doctor a full true pony life here in Ponyville: parents, home, a full childhood, and job. Time Turner is now his name, and he is now known as the best clockmaker in Ponyville. We thought that would be it but then something else happened, something quite remarkable.”
Luna smiled at Derpy.
“After we successfully changed the past and given Time Turner a new life, you and him found each other and fell in love. My sister and I did not need to provide any intervention, it happened by itself. It was as if you were tied by an unbreakable string of fate. I asked my sister if she knew how this could happen so perfectly, she said it was part of the mysterious and powerful force of love that surpasses our own magics.”
Derpy looked over at the picture frame that sat on her bed stand. In it was her and the Doctor standing behind two fillies. One girl was Dinky with a big grin on her face that practically made Derpy’s heart skip at the adorableness. The other filly was also a unicorn. She was in her teens, had a magenta coat and a three diamond cutie mark. She was glancing up at the Doctor with an expression that reflected a great admiration and affection for him.
“Your daughters, Dinky and Amethyst Star, are a testament of that love.” Luna observed.
“Daughters, I’m a mother,” Derpy whispered, picking up the picture frame.
Luna nodded.
“Again that was your doing,” Luna affirmed. “My sister and I only gave the Doctor a beginning, the two of you wrote the rest yourselves.”
“Why do I not remember it?” Derpy asked.
“Forgive me,” Luna conceded. “My memory spells are not as precise and quick as my sister’s. While you slept this Hearths Warming eve I restored your memory of the Doctor and the TARDIS. Your mind is currently sorting the two different histories, constructing the two different timelines in your memory. In a few days or so you will have full recollection of both. I recommend you take your husband’s advice and take it easy this morning, it will take some time for your memories to become clear.”
Luna stood up and turned her back to Derpy.
“I have restored those memories for a purpose, I must warn you what I am about to tell you is somewhat defiant of my sisters wishes. Celestia intended to completely stamp out every trace of the Doctor including your memories as well. She was more than happy to let the two of you live out your lives as husband and wife. Her fear of the Doctor has also made her blind. Yes we must be careful of enemies of the Doctor but at the same time if we completely eliminate him we also eliminate the greatest defense of protecting us and the universe of those enemies. Don’t you agree?”
Derpy thought back on her adventures with the Doctor and everything she had seen and heard him do. She nodded in agreement.
“That is why I have given you back your memories of the Doctor, and give you this to protect.”
Luna levitated up a small wooden jewelry box and placed it in Derpy’s lap. Derpy opened it up, inside was a small interesting ornate pocket watch and the Doctor’s sonic screwdriver.
“The screwdriver you know, the Doctor’s trusted tool. That watch it very important.” Luna told her. “Everything the Doctor was is in that watch, his memories, abilities, and even his Time Lord physiology. If he were to open it up and gaze upon its face he would become himself again and remember everything.”
Derpy examined the watch, admiring its shape and design.
“For the longest time I have kept these myself. My plan was if we ever needed the Doctor, I could find him at a moment’s notice and give him this watch. But then I had a sad realization last night as I saw you and your family at the Hearth’s Warming Eve pageant in Canterlot.”
Luna lowered her head and gave a sad sigh.
“I could not take my eyes off of you and your happy family, there is nothing fake or artificial about the love and unity your family has. If I were to bring the Doctor back, I would be taking away Time Turner. And who am I to come and pull a loving husband and father away from his family? That is why I have given you back your memories and give you this watch. You’ve have been both the Doctor’s companion and wife, if the question should arise the Doctor should come back, you should be the one to make that decision.”
Derpy looked at the watch and then back at the photo. She felt her mind start to recall her wedding, the smell of his cologne as they danced their first dance as husband and wife, the taste of the cake, and the smiling faces of their friends and family watching as they danced. She gave a little sniff.
Luna saw her face and nodded with an understanding expression.
“Keep this box safe,” Luna said again. “I have cast a forgetfulness spell on it that only you are immune to. To any other pony they will look at it momentarily, dismiss as unimportant, and then forget it a moment later.”
“What about the TARDIS?” Derpy asked. “Celestia destroyed it. The screwdriver can only do so much if Equestria is threatened.”
Luna looked back at her with a clever smirk.
“The TARDIS is not destroyed, I lied to my sister. If you remember the TARDIS took off without you. It was because I activated it to go somewhere only the Doctor would know where to find it, that is if and when he remembers who he is.”
Derpy took a long moment to think about things as she continued to look at the watch. She finally put it back, closed the box, and placed it under her bed.
There was a stoic pause as both her and Luna took a moment to let the situation settle in.
“Two unicorn daughters,” she finally said smiling, going back to the photo of her family.
“Yes,” Luna laughed. “Both you and the Doc- er I mean Time Turner have some strong magic blood in you. Having one child a unicorn does happen with ponies, but two; you are exceptionally blessed.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Derpy said gazing at the picture. “I would have loved them no matter what they were, pegasus or earth pony.”
“Your motherly instincts are coming back to you.” Luna affirmed. “And I should go before my sister become suspicious. Take good care of your family, not to say I don’t doubt you can, you’ve already been doing it all your life.”
Luna then vanished in a swirl of magic, leaving Derpy alone in her room again.
She laid back down on her pillow and took a deep breath. She could feel her memories slowly crawling back into her mind; their first date, honeymoon, and the day she found out she was pregnant with Amethyst. It was like remembering a childhood song, the more she thought about it the clearer it became.
Her thoughts then went back to the box under her bed. She took a deep sigh, should the Doctor be needed again she would have to tell him. She rolled over and touched the still warm spot on the bed where he was sleeping a few moments ago.
He felt her heart slightly sink. He was happy now, she was happy now. She was thankful Luna had given her memories back, but angry because at the same time she was now given a heavy burden to carry. She hoped and prayed that she would never have to come to face that decision, regardless of the outcome; she knew it would be a painful one.
“Time Turner,” she muttered to herself. “Time Turner Hooves.”
She focused her thoughts back to her resurfacing memories, each one of them a treasure and a comfort. She continued to lay there as her eyelids started to close as she drifted back to sleep.
