THE DAY AFTER
CHAPTER 1, PART 1
By
REDDRAGONKAN
Firefly, Redheart, and Alley Way walked through Ponyville on a sunny afternoon with Cheerilee at the lead and Scootaloo close behind the group. Of all the ponies, the filly pegasus wished she could bring along her scooter to just go on the lead and make the trip shorter. It seemed like any other day in the town where everypony was busy either selling goods or just enjoying their day as they should. Berry Punch seen by Cheerilee snatched Ruby Pinch and closed the door in her home after the filly opened the door without permission and was gawking at everypony for minutes before she got caught yet again. Cheerilee sighed and kept trotting while the rest talked among themselves.
"So...Alley Way is it?" Firefly stated. Her voice was rough and tomboyish. The unicorn nodded while chewing gum and expected a question soon after the initial mention.
" A bowler huh?"
"Yes indeedy!" Alley Way said while popping her gum within her teeth. "I bowl professionally, but I love doing it in my spare time, too."
"That’s cool," Firefly admitted sincerely, for what felt like the first time in days. "I like sports myself, but as a manager at the cloud factory in Cloudsdale, I don't have much time for them.
"That a fact?" Alley Way asked, as Scootaloo suddenly fluttered close to them. Her wings buzzed like a swarm of bees over a flower patch. Firefly raised an eyebrow at her as the filly stared at her with sudden rapt attention.
"What's in your mind, squirt?"
"You look so much like her..."
"Who?"
"Rainbow Dash" Scootaloo said a bit too excited "You have the same mane and tail style, and you're a pegasus, and even her attitude! Just not the same colors."
"Well thanks for the observation kiddo" said Firefly as she began trotting faster away from the filly. Scootaloo blinked and saw her go faster away from her, wondering what she said wrong. Redheart neared her and gave her a comfortable nuzzle on her cheek, snapping her out of her worried expression.
"Why did she got angry?"
"Don't worry about it," the nurse said soothingly "She just misses her sister."
"Her What?" Scootaloo suddenly said out loud, making Cheerilee and Alley Way turn their heads wondering what was going on. Redheart chuckled and nodded.
"I didn't know that! Why didn't she say so?"
"At times it’s complicated dear. Lets just leave her alone until we solve this mystery hm?"
Scootaloo nodded and kept looking at Firefly all the way as they reached the Ponyville train station, where Cheerilee simply phased through the rails where the ticket booth was located. The rest followed and then stopped right in front of the train that was headed to Canterlot. Firefly neared the teacher seeing her somber expression.
"So what's the plan Cheers?"
I don't know." she admitted. "We could take this train to the castle and seek Princess Luna's help, since Princess Celestia is also affected by whatever happened to this town, but I dn't know if we can even reach Canterlot or..."
Her voice trailed off and before Firefly could instigate an explanation the whistle sounded from the station announcing the departure. The small group nodded to each other and went right through the door before it even opened for the passengers that didn't even noticed they were around, as anypony thus far had done with the exception of Pinkie Pie, who was their only hope and had mysteriously disappeared before she told them Princess Luna could give them something they could use with her Alicorn magic. They all went by seats until they sat on a spot where it seemed could hold their semi corporeal states. Firefly looked through the window checking the other side of the train while the rest began conversation.
"Well," Redheart started "Maybe we could’ve sent Firefly to check if we could leave town unaffected first"
"But that could mean many things would happen" Cheerilee cautioned "Including Firefly either being successful and just vanish into thin air, or not being able to come back to help us further."
"That's a scary thought" Firefly said not looking back at the group and the train began moving. Scootaloo scooted past Cheerilee and next to Firefly, standing on her legs and forehooves positioned on the glass of the window as she saw the moving scenery while the train took motion.
"Hm, guess this is the first time Scootaloo had being in a train" Redheart observed as Cheerilee smiled. Alley Way was busy looking around inside the car checking all the ponies that were on their way to the gallant part of Equestria. She kept chewing the same wad of gum, much to Firefly's annoyance who decided not to start an argument about it, and then spotted a pony she knew was part of the Princesses' chosen ones to hold the Elements of Harmony. The unicorn known as Rarity was at the back of the car, looking through the window while powdering her cheeks using her magical telekinesis. A fluffy tail showed itself while an arrogant meow announced that it was her pet cat she always took along on her voyages.
"Hey she's one of the librarian's friends isn't she?" The rest of the group turned their heads except the filly who was still entertained by the window. Cheerilee began moving towards her before Firefly placed a hoof on her shoulder and shook her head. Cheerilee sighed and sat back down as the train kept moving forward. Cheerilee bit her lip wanting to see if she could be able to reach Rarity and hope she could help on their quest in case this idea didn't work. Soon after she was engaged in an interesting conversation about medical discoveries in the last couple of years. Alley Way and Firefly avoided such talk with an exchange of their own practices in work and sport. Scootaloo began dozing off and soon fell asleep, curled next to Firefly which startled her briefly, but then grinned and patted her head.
It began getting darker and while they were talking, the train was passing through the tunnel inside the mountains surrounding Canterlot. Cheerilee exclaimed excitedly that Canerlot station was not very far off as the rest of the group was now with relief happy that nothing happened during the trip. Scootaloo yawned and began waking up as the train began stopping, whistle announcing its stop.
"Last stop, Ponyville. Last stop Ponyville station, thank you for riding the Pony Express and we look forward to your business next trip."
"Wait what?" Firefly said as she looked through the window. Sure enough, what was outside wasn't the elegant station at Canterlot, but the same quaint smaller one from Ponyville where they just left. Cheerilee got from her seat and galloped past the wall of the car stopping outside in the station in the same spot where they boarded the train. Alley Way trotted to the end of the car while Scootaloo looked at Redheart with concern. The nurse consoled her as much as she could as Firefly flapped her wings and phased through the roof staring in disbelief and wanting to fly over to the castle herself but reminding herself of what just happened. She fluttered towards Cheerilee who was now babbling incoherently to herself turning into a nervous wreck. Firefly tried to calm her down as Redheart and Scootaloo came out to meet them.
All of them were chatting among themselves on what to do next when Alley Way came rushing from the car and breaking the group with a shocked expression.
"Alley what’s up?" Firefly asked while still comforting Cheerilee.
"Its Rarity,” Alley Way said with disdain and fear "She's gone!"
***
In a very dark place, where no sound is heard except for a few beeps and clicks here and there. Pitch black save for a few blinking lights which didn't gave much to look around as a pony kept trying to find his way about. Moments later he trips over something and falls on top of what he felt was another pony, one he knew very well for she has been her companion since before time ever began.
"Well, this is a very good time as any to ask, Doctor” she said and waited for a moment while he tried to get off “Are we going to copulate?"
"Heavens Romana don't joke in a time like this!" The Doctor said as he finally got off and turned on his Sonic Screwdriver which hummed and illuminated a bit inside the TARDIS with its bright blue light. The light illuminated the young face of the Unicorn he referred to as Romana, who was known as Colgate back in the land of Equestria. She grinned and lit up her horn, matching the light of the screwdriver minus the sound that came along with it. Both started around the central mechanism of the TARDIS fiddling with knobs and pressing buttons here and there.
"I just can't believe you forgot to jumpstart the safety lock when I told you to before we escaped the catastrophe" He said while holding the sonic screwdriver on his mouth not letting it drop while he scolded her. Romana rolled her eyes while she affixed her horn's tip to a circuitry board making sparks on it as she tried to repair it.
"Well you can only do much when somepony gallops straight at you and knocks you unconscious for a couple hours."
"Don't go blaming this on me, mare” He said while pressing more buttons trying to start the TARDIS "I was lucky to escape that explosion before it enveloped me inside that trap everypony was caught. Now we must check if my plan worked before it gets any worse. Work damn you!"
"I am I am, no need to be so callous!"
"Not you, this thing!" He said as he kept banging the console with his hoof in an attempt to make it come alive again. He gave it one more hit before it came alive, lighting everything inside as the TARDIS once again became operational. He then heard Romana yelp under him.
"Romana are you alright?!"
"No, no I am not!" Said she as she slid out from her working spot, mane sizzling while her face was scorched, deep blue eyes glaring at him.
"Next time you do that a warning would be nice Doctor."
"No time, now that we have power again I must check what transpired while we were lost in Limbo."
"Well gee, don't give me any hopes I was sleeping so soundly having a nice dream where I was on an island made of waffles and mountains of ice cream..."
"Shh! Here comes the feed."
The image came alive before their eyes, giving a detailed description during the last four days they've been away from Ponyville and into an unknown location not only in place but in time as well. They both looked at the info not missing a single bit then the calculations of what may happen in terms of calculation and prediction showed. Both of them blinked at the same time as they received the info and the screen turned off.
"So, it comes to this isn't it Doctor."
"Afraid so. We must go back as fast as we can before that happens."
"Alright, but I must do something while we travel back. It is imperative to see it’s done."
"And what is that Romana?" The Doctor asked as he started the TARDIS to go back to Ponyville before anything the machine told them would happen. He turned his head as he didn't get an immediate answer and his eyes almost bulged seeing Romana levitating a series of dentistry tools with a surgical mask on. He could not see the smile she was sporting but knew her very well by this time to see what her intentions were.
"No, nonono, right now its not the right time, we have urgent business Romana!"
"Oh, but we have all the time to check your fillings Doctor, you have neglected those pearls of yours for sometime now, so be a good colt and deal with it!"
"I don't have fillings, my teeth regenerate as I do, you don't have to do anything you mad dentist!"
"That's my Timelord title, don't over use it!"
As the TARDIS traveled, screams were heard from it but nopony...no one could hear him as the tools made noise while she worked on him.
TO BE CONTINUE ON CHAPTER 2
