Chapters The Stranger From The Vortex
1. Ready For An Adventure?
Chapter One
The sun is bright as it can be over Equestria. The two week long rain storms for the transition from winter to spring were over, wrapping up the final bits to winter wrap up. It is a state of peace as every pony was going through their daily routines. Twilight Sparkle was as busy as she can be through her scheduled day. She comfortably sat in the Golden Oaks Library floor while researching for her next exam. Alongside the Unicorn was her number one assistant, Spike. The baby Dragon was flipping through The Astronomical Astronomers’ Almanac of All Things Astronomy. Soon he came upon an interesting page about the theory of Wormholes. His young baby brain, which was mostly occupied by anything, but space and time, was confused by the weird figures, letters, numbers, and formulas in the book. This left his mind scrambling for answers.
“Twilight can you help me understand something from this book?” Spike asked as he pointed to page inside the book.
“The Astronomical Astronomers’ Almanac of All Things Astronomy? Aren't you usually into comic books?” Twilight asked, looking over the page about wormholes.
“Well yeah, but I have to wait for next month’s issue for the amazing spider-mare comics” Spike popped out an issue of the comic and flung it to the pile of other comic books. “So I thought, might as well do something since our friends are too busy as well. You see, I was reading the book and it left me pretty confused … like most of your textbooks usually do.”
“You mean this?” Twilight was pointing to the image of a funnel with several charts and small facts explaining the magic behind the idea.
“Yep that’s it.” Spike said.
“Oh, Wormholes?” Twilight noticed.
“Yeah, but this book lost me after it said, ‘Wormholes are ...’ I mean I am a genius, but even geniuses get stomped by some books” Spike’s ego was ignored by Twilight.
“Spike” Twilight said. “It’s very complicated, but I’ll try and say it in simple terms. The wormhole is a hypothetical topological feature of space-time that would be in a sense, a ‘shortcut’ through space and time. There is no observational evidence for wormholes, but on a theoretical level there are valid solutions to the equations in the book that explains the theory of magical relativity which contain wormholes. Because of its robust theoretical strength, a wormhole is also known as one of the great metaphors for teaching magical relativity.” Twilight lost the dragon; pushing his comprehension of wormholes even further back than before.
“Uhm, could you make it any simpler?” he asked, frowning at Twilight’s failure to explain the wormholes.
“Okay so basically a wormhole is, in theory, much like a tunnel with two ends. Each end are at separate points in space time and, again in theory, this tunnel can be used for time traveling.”
“Time travel? Ooh, you mean like the Doctor? And how he moves through time in his blue box?” Spike asked.
“Well he says it works a little differently, and the only spell I know to ever try play with time is the Time Jump Spell from the archives in the Royal Canterlot Library. Even then it doesn't really do what a wormhole is supposed to do.” Twilight put the book down and stopped from her studies. She walked over to her shelves.
“Hmm, true. That stinks because I’d like to tell Past Spike to not drink too much chocolate milk … that and a barrel of coconut ice cream." Spike said and rubbed his belly; losing the pain of the tummy ache from this morning.
“I told you those five scoops and chocolate milk was more than enough. You’re baby body can’t handle all that sugar” Twilight said. “Now back to your dilemma. Although the time spell from before didn’t last long, I have been meaning to try these scrolls I found awhile back at the castle ruins of the royal pony sisters.”
“I don’t remember us going to the castle ruins nor finding any scrolls” Spike curiously asked as Twilight was going through the shelves, eyeing for something.
“Well whenever I asked you to come at another time I went back, you were either asleep, too lazy to leave the house, or going googly eye for Rarity.” the Lavender unicorn said.
“Okay I get it, but these scrolls. Have you ever tried them before” Spike asked.
"This isn't it … Hmm? Oh not really … nope, not this one either" Twilight mumbled as she kept levitating each book off the shell, looking for where the scrolls might possibly be.
“Why not?” Spike asked.
“There’s a bit of a problem with the scrolls. Oh here it is” Twilight smiled as she finally found the box she was looking for.
“A problem?” Spike asked with a concerned tone in his voice.
“Yes. The scrolls I found in the castle ruins weren't made by Star Swirl the Bearded nor Celestia nor any other pony with a great power of magic … at least not in recorded Equestrian History. My research shows that these scrolls may possibly come from a legend” Twilight said. The sudden mention of a legend caught Spike off guard.
“These scrolls …” Twilight went on, “ … were written by an old magician who, as the legend goes, was raised and personally taught by Princess Celestia" Twilight said.
Sparkle wiped the dust off the box. With her magic, she levitated the box and carefully opened it. The scrolls floated around the two. The sudden mention of a legend definitely caught Spike’s attention.
"So this magician, was he a student of Princess Celestia’s like you?" Spike asked.
"That’s how the legend goes, but unlike many it's said that he was found with no parents. No guardians. Not even a cousin twice removed. He is part of that rare group of orphan unicorns who she had to personally raise. As well as teach them to master their powers for the good of Equestria." Twilight said as she laid back down and rolled out the scrolls. Her eyes switched back and forth from Spike to a particular scroll and spell she was searching for. Spike sat beside his friend as she went on about the story.
"Sadly this student disappeared and all his spells were barely taken care of properly. More than likely, his spells might have been stolen or reworked or lost in history. I was pretty lucky just to find these few, perfectly preserved too. They were all left by the broken glass window of the element of magic” Twilight continued, until Spike said something that caught her attention.
“You’re not kidding, look at this. These scrolls are barely scratched or worn out. It’s like if they were waiting to be found” Spike said. She raised an eyebrow and shook off the feeling of the strange possibility.
“Right … and here it is!" she gleefully said. Twilight held the scroll she found and the note she made to translate it. She carefully levitated the other scrolls back into the box.
"I was working on a rough translation, but I only got to do one. It was written in old Equestrian English.” Suddenly the two noticed the windows start to tint and the light from the outside fade a bit. Thinking it must be clouds when the faint of a thunder in the distance struck their ears.
“I thought there was no rain for today?” Spike looked out at the windows.
“That’s weird. Rainbow told me the scheduled rains to finish winter wrap up … Right after pranking me with a thunder cloud. Hmmm, let me read this out, and we’ll check on the weather.” Twilight said.
“Okay, hopefully nothing weird is going on. You know how I am when things get weird.” Spike reminded.
“It won’t be perfect. It took me over 50 hours to translate, plus it’s a rough translation, but I’ll try my best for my number one assistant" Twilight smiled as Spike blushed and sat close to his best friend. Sparkle began the translation.
With a swirl of the tongue and the magic in these words, you will see the gift of time. Locked away for a very long time is a soul so ancient, so dark, and so lonely. Tick Tock Tick Tock Goes the Clock, an eternity will come and go. A mind so noble, so worthy, and strong with the powers of Magic is the key to free the darkness in me. But before I can ever return, a question must be asked. A question so important that will be asked again and again. Are you, brave soul of magic,
Ready For An Adventure?
She finished reading, and a thunderous boom rocked the house. At the same time, the library blacked out, and the two friends screamed in the dark. Their house was shaking like if it was in the worst earthquake possible. Books fell off their shelves, the furniture was toppling over, and the tree was starting to split apart. Spike held Twilight close. They were tossed into the air, and flew towards the door. Twilight quickly used her magic and opened the door to safely fall outside. The unicorn mare locked the door behind them. Spike peeked his eyes back inside. Suddenly, a dense white light busted out of the tree’s windows. He yelled and groaned as it pierced his eyes. Twilight rubbed his head, and looked up at the sky. She gasped to see that outside was normal. No clouds blocked the sunlight, and the earth wasn’t shaking; it was completely normal. The light grew stronger from inside, building up to something. Twilight looked back inside, and saw something in the shape of a Pony in the center of the light. She then clamped her eyes and ears shut as a loud explosion hit from the inside. The two ducked and covered, hoping for the worst to be over … and it was. Twilight and Spike opened their eyes slowly, and turned back to see nothing a room filled with golden and rainbow dust. They opened the door, and stood back as the dust particles disappeared into the sky. The lavender mare and her assistant carefully looked around. The tree was full of cracks, windows shattered; the door was heavily burnt, and several objects were thrashed around. The library looked completely destroyed.
“Are you alright Twilight?” Spike asked, concerned for the mare’s safety.
“Yes … are you?” she asked, wrapping her hooves around him. Spike looked at his legs, hands, tail, and scaly body.
“Well I still got two eyes, my nose, my claws, a taste for gems, my tail and scales! So yeah, I’m alright, but I can’t say the same for the library. It’s totally trashed.” Spike joked, until they both noticed the destruction of their home.
“Oh my beautiful library! Our home is wrecked! Dear Celestia, all my books and notes are everywhere” Twilight gasped as she stepped on the burnt ashes of the books to her exam studies. “Oh no, these were the books for the exam! Now how am I ever to study” Twilight screamed, sad and scared at the awful turn of events. “Everything is ruined and crazy! It’ll take days, heck, weeks to fix it all …”
Twilight hung her head in sadness and started to cry; tears ran down her cheeks. She was a strong girl, and every pony knows that, but now with her home ruined and studies left in shambles, the mare just couldn’t take it. As she sniffled and cried a bit, Sparkle looked back up to see Spike picking up a few books. He came back, putting them in a neat pile. The dragon ran out of her view and came back with two brooms and two pans. She rubbed her eyes, wiping the tears and sniffled a bit. His want to help her and to make everything right brought a smile back to her face.
“Oh you are so adorable when you’re helping me out! Thank you, Spike. I can see what you’re trying to say and you are absolutely right! If we start now, we’ll get it done in no time.” Twilight’s enthusiasm was back. She wiped off every tear she had; revealing the violet in her eyes that beamed with excellence. The best friends had big smiles on their faces and hugged each other again.
Twilight held the books with her horn’s magic as Spike started sweeping. Then they stopped once a different sound came to their eyes. The two looked over at a large pile of books on the floor. Underneath it was something, groaning and slowly moving itself under the pile. They took a step forward; moving closer, and closer towards the books. Suddenly … a squirrel popped out! Scurrying out of the books and running out of the house. They sighed and started to laugh, feeling a little embarrassed.
“Oh gosh, that Squirrel had me going there. Did it scare you too?” Spike chuckled, asking Twilight if she got startled too.
“A little, hehehe. For a second, I thought it was Pinkie Pie pulling a prank. Hahaha!” she said and laughed with Spike.
“Really? Yeah right, haha! I know Pinkie Pie can do some funny pranks, but that’d be so impossible for her to wind-up here after whatever just happened?” Spike said, until he was interrupted from a third voice.
"Ah! Good deduction. But I can assure you, I am not pink or a pie. Ooh my head!"
The two were startled and shrieked as the third voice came from behind. Twilight and Spike turned around to the Unicorn standing behind them. His coat was white, totally in contrast with his black mane and tail; which were very curly and with colorless white streaks. Spike also noticed the crackles of electricity that were sizzling around his mane. He had a pair of light aqua eyes; having a mystical effect with the golden and rainbow particles that covered his body and his torn up grey coat.
“Who are you?!” Twilight asked.
“Shhh!”
The stranger immediately shushed Spike, but Twilight asked again.
"I will ask you one more time, who are you?!" Twilight now demanded.
"AGH! Not so loud, that bolt of lightning really gave me a splitting headache! A-A-And your shouting at me to answer your bloody question is not helping the pain! It really hurts-Ow!"
His steps were tipsy; swerving forwards and backwards and side to side. He heard a crack under his hoof and looked down at a broken mirror. The stranger felt something in his pockets, paper. The stranger pulled out several small notes and went through each one. His eyes scanned them very quickly, until he stopped at a particular one.
“Based on this piece of paper, I think you’ll find the answer to your question, hehehe. It actually sounds cool in a funny sort of way.”
Twilight read the note and discovered his name to be “The Maestro”
“The Maestro?” Twilight asked. Suddenly a strong white light blasted from the stranger’s eyes. He screamed at the top of his lungs. The force of the light’s energy furiously rocked the tree about. Twilight and Spike screamed and covered their faces from the eye piercing glow. Then like the light from before, it was gone as he fell back on a shelf. Twilight and Spike turned back and their eyes widen to see the same stranger smiling and shaking his head. He walked up to them and continued on like it was nothing.
“Ah yes, thank you! I am The Maestro and I … who exactly am I?" The Maestro said, finally revealing his name, but not who he is.
“WHAT WAS THAT?!” Spike screamed, totally shocked by whatever just happened.
“WHAT?! WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT ALL ABOUT?! AND WHY ARE YOU ASKING ME?!” Twilight furiously asked.
“Wow, look at this place. Is this your home? It looks more like a library with all these books lying around, and-whoa! Is that oak?!” The Maestro asked with an immense curiosity that was completely different from how he acted just a minute ago.
The Maestro was observing the tree’s inner shell and smelled it like if he was dating it. He slightly turned to an undamaged mirror. He rubbed his face, observing at its every detail. Twilight and Spike stood there, dumbfounded by the stranger and his actions.
“Well, well, for a pony with an absent mind, he is very handsome. Don’t you think so pretty eyes?” The Maestro asked, catching the dragon and Twilight off guard.
“Just look at these eyes; they are so mystical … blast! The clothes are torn up. Oh I’m so sorry, please go ahead and tell me who are you?” He asked Twilight, now both furious and more confused.
“What?!” Twilight asked again.
“What? What? What? Is that all you can say? Well go on, tell me who you are?!” The Maestro demanded as he got eye to eye with the mare. Twilight frowned as the Maestro bopped her noggin. He turned his attention back to his reflection.
“I’m Twilight Sparkle! Now listen to me, Mister Maestro, you better leave before I-” Maestro then interrupted Twilight, now paying his full attention to Spike.
“A pleasure to meet you Miss Twilight Sparkle, and who are you little … lizard?” Maestro asked, wondering if he was staring at a lizard or dragon.
“Uhm, I’m Spike and I’m a dragon.” Spike regrettably said.
“Wait, you’re a dragon?! I haven’t seen one for … well how could I when you've been through the time vortex! In fact, wait a minute. What is the time vortex?!” he asked himself out loud, knocking his noggin against the walls. “Plus I never had the chance to even meet one. Well that’s because you were too chicken to meet them. No I wasn't! I don’t even know who I am? Look at me, I’m a Unicorn! Okay, well maybe I was a chicken. Wait, but what about that time when …”
Spike and Twilight stepped away and whispered to each other about this crazy Unicorn, while he kept arguing with himself.
"Okay Spike, I don’t know what just happened, but is it me or did he mention time vortex?!" Twilight asked to Spike, wondering how the heck he knew about the time vortex thingy.
“Forget time vortex, did you even see the electricity going all around his head? That stallion is some kind of weirdo. Weirder than anything we've ever seen before” Spike disregarded whatever Twilight was focusing on.
“I know, but no one else except the Doctor and his companions know what a Time Vortex is … and that’s only me, you, Derpy, and Octavia! This day is turning crazy!” she tried to grasp around the fact that some stranger who knew so little knew something so big and important.
“Seconds, minutes, days, months, years; it always gets crazier as time goes by, and maybe that’s why I am here, right?” the Maestro poked into the conversation. The two screamed, startled once again by his sudden pop up.
“Don’t do that, I’ve had too many jump scares today. One more and I might just get a heart attack!” Spike shouted, holding his hand up to his chest.
“Sorry, but when you mentioned crazy, I had to come … I love crazy, wait do I? I don’t know!” The Maestro asked himself again.
“Speaking of why you came here, can you explain how you got here in the first place?!” Twilight asked, getting very frustrated of constantly asking him again and again.
“Hmm? Oh well you see, I think if we-AH!” the Maestro screamed, “Cinders and Ashes! Agh!”
The Maestro screamed as his bones were cracking up and shifting around. He started grabbing onto anything he could find. His hooves grabbed hold of Owlowiscious’ stand. Neither Twilight nor Spike noticed the stranger cough up a batch of black slime from his mouth; covering the base of the stand with it. He fell to the floor and coughed up a storm. Twilight and Spike walked up to him as he was coughing and coughing. He then stopped as they noticed him coughing up some bit of rainbow dust in his breathe. His mouth was gaping, his body was sizzling, his pupils dilated. It was as if he was under some kind of hypnosis.
“What. Just. Happened?! One minute he was with a headache. Then the next, he was screaming and glowing while talking like no tomorrow. And now he’s cold dead! Wait, is he dead?!” Spike said; tensed by all these events.
“I don’t know! Wait, wait, wait; let me check his pulse!” Twilight said and held his hoof up, feeling around his wrist, until she found a pulse.
“Oh thank Celestia, he’s still alive!” Twilight sighed with relief.
“Phew! Okay, I think we should turn him to the authorities. It makes sense since he's a nutball who destroyed our home" Spike said.
“Hold on Spike. Just take a breather and relax!” Twilight said and placed her hooves on the dragon’s shoulders and together they took a deep breathe. In and out, big breathes through the nostrils and out their mouths. They sighed and focused on the unconscious Maestro.
“I know what just happened was just insane, and believe me; I think he should be taken to the rightful authorities too. But something tells me that he didn't intended for all this to happen. If he is this magician from the legend, than maybe he’s a good guy?” Twilight suggested, looking over the stranger whose breathing was slowing down.
“But Twilight, good guys don’t pop out of an explosion in someone’s house and act like a clown” Spike pointed out.
“True, but he was a side effect of that spell with no clue of who he is or where he is? Plus, let’s not forget that he did just mention Time Vortex. This is something maybe the Doctor could help us with" Twilight and explained.
“So, what now?” Spike asked.
“Okay … how about we first take him to Ponyville Hospital and then find the Doctor. I seriously don't like the look in his eyes and he looks like he needs medical attention” Twilight said as she pointed to the eyeballs. Spike poked the Maestro’s eyes as the pupils were changing into a dozen colors.
“Can't we have a day where we meet a normal Pony?” Spike asked and rolled his eyes.
The two lassoed the Unicorn and placed him in a book cart Twilight received on her birthday as a present from Applejack. They covered him in a blanket, making sure no Pony could see what was going on. The cart went along a bumpy trail causing some of his notes to fall out of the Maestro’s pocket. It was a sheet, and it started to fly back towards Twilight’s home. It landed in the branches. Back inside, the house started to shake and rattle again. Another burst of light engulfed the home and died out. Inside the black slime was bubbling and growing as Owlowiscious flew in from one of the many busted windows.
The Stranger From The Vortex
Chapter 2
Doctors and nurses moved in and out of every room, hallway, and offices with dozens of patients sitting around in Ponyville Hospital. Hours had gone by since Twilight and Spike arrived with The Maestro. Luckily for them, an unconscious unicorn whose pulse was fading away got the full attention of the hospital staff. Since then, the stranger has been fast asleep in a room that was floors above the lobby where Twilight and Spike were at the very moment it appeared.
VWORPVWORP VWORPVWORP VWORPVWORP VWORPVWORP * THDDNNKKK!***
The noise had awoken the Maestro from his comatose state.Twilight and Spike rushed outside the hospital and saw the familiar blue box. It was the T.A.R.D.I.S! Its glowing sign that read, “POLICE PUBLIC CALL BOX”, the wooden frame that was recently scrubbed down to a shiny blue, and the lantern’s light that slowly faded as the machine came into physical existence. The mystical time machine was hidden behind the hospital sign, but sadly landed in the middle of a [now] crushed flower garden. The doors opened and a pony with a Grayish amber coat, dark amber mane, and pale blue eyes walked out of the box. He was wearing a red bow tie, a white collar, cuffs and golden cuff links. No mistake, it was The Doctor .
“DOCTOR!” Twilight and Spike said in delight of coming across their alien friend.
“Twilight! Spike!” the centuries old Time Lord gleefully said and shut the door. He walked up to his friends, surprised to even see them there, and gave them two warm hugs.
“Where were you? Heck, when were you?” Spike asked, knowing how the time lord could have been anywhere in any time.
“Yeah, you said you’d be back in five minutes, but it’s been 15 hours” Twilight pointed out.
“To answer your question Twilight, that was my bad for spilling a bit of hot melty, delicious, salty butter stick that might of spilled on the T.A.R.D.I.S console.” the Doctor chuckled.
“I swear, you and food. And where is Ditzy? I saw you both leave after we held the party at Sugarcube Corner, is she with you?” Twilight curiously asked, turning her head back to the doors of the time machine.
“Well after that excellent birthday party Miss Pinkie Pie planned, I personally planned up a gift of my own for DERPY! Honestly, why doesn't anyone say Derpy, it's a nice nickname.” the Doctor explained. Twilight rolled her eyes, knowing it was useless to try once again to explain the Derpy-Ditzy situation, and so she let him continue on.
“Let’s just say that it was spectacular. Once we were done, I took her back home. I thought you would have seen her by now. After all, today is the day she usually delivers the mail from the Equestrian Post office.” the centuries old Time Lord pondered.
“Well maybe we missed her, but I must say, those glasses you made for her big walleyes definitely helped her out … no pianos have fallen on me since!” Twilight joked, making the trio laughed for a bit, until Spike mentioned the incident from earlier.
“But there is a good reason why we might have missed her, and that’s because of something so freaky that happened back at the library” Spike mentioned.
“Freaky?" the Time Lord curiously asked, "Like what? And for that matter, why would you be at the hospital?”
The Lavender unicorn was about to explain, until the nurse ran out to call for her.
“Miss Sparkle, you’re needed, your friend is awake and I think he may need you. Now please follow me back to his room.” Nurse Red Heart said.
“Come on you two, let’s go and find out what’s going on!” Spike shouted as he followed the nurse. Twilight turned back to The Doctor.
“Just come with us and we’ll explain everything” she assured the alien pony. The Doctor followed Twilight and Spike into the hospital. They got into the elevator with the Nurse. The two started to explain to the Doctor what’s been going on this morning; leaving the Time Lord astounded by who this Maestro fellow could be. As they followed the nurse, the three heard a disturbance coming from the Maestro's room.
“Where am I?! Let me go, you brutes!” the Maestro shouted as he was held down by the security guards. He screamed and groaned, struggling even harder to escape their grasp on him. Soon came in a familiar face to Twilight and Spike, Dr. Horse, M.D., the same doctor who examined Spike during his greed phase. He walked over and smiled while looking at the patient.
“Calm down sir, everything is going to be alright. All you need is to just sleep” Horse, M.D., said as he pulled out a needle filled with a dose of liquid to put him under anesthesia. The Maestro turned to Twilight and Spike, giving him the strength to kick the doctor's needle and shove the guards off him. He hugged the mare tightly, choking her body as he didn't let go.
“Oh thank goodness you’re here. Wait, where am I exactly?” the Maestro asked and released her. Instantly, Twilight took in a deep breath before finally explaining to the Maestro where he is at the moment.
“Mister Maestro. You are in a hospital because you fainted. These doctors and nurses are here to examine if you are all right. Why don’t we get you back to bed? Okay?” Twilight explained. The guards stood by the door as Twilight walked him back to the bed. He laid down and sighed. The Maestro stuck his tongue out at the doctor.
“Oh, well if you say so. But I had a horrible nightmare! Then I woke up when I saw your friend their come out of-” The Maestro was interrupted as Twilight shut his mouth with her hoof. The Doctor raised an eyebrow.
“That was a nightmare, don’t worry about it. Now relax.” Sparkle reassured, but even then he was still concerned about it.
“But it felt so really,” the stranger said, “all black and slimy. You were in it and so was your little dragon companion with a pink Pony, a walleyed Pegasus ... and him!”
Twilight was taken back by the mention of a pink pony and walleyed Pegasus, whilst everyone in the room turned towards The Doctor. He fixed his bow tie and slowly approached the Maestro; however Dr. Horse M.D. stopped the Doctor from moving any closer to the patient.
“I’m sorry sir, but I must refrain from you going anywhere near the patient. Seeing that he’s calm with Miss Sparkle, I would say that only she is permitted to see him” Dr. Horse M.D. explained, annoying The Doctor who rolled his eyes and pulled out his Psychic Paper. The perfect tool to fool the pony doctor and get close enough to examine the patient.
“Sadly for you, I’m going to have to refrain you from refraining me to examine him. Oh and I'm the Doctor” the Doctor said.
“What? Doctor Who, exactly?” the physician was lost by the Doctor's rambling. The Doctor was starting to get tired of that question, but he answered as he usually did to the age old question.
“The Doctor or Time Turner if you'd prefer. I'm from the Royal Canterlot Medical Committee. I was in town for a small inspection, but when my associate, Miss Sparkle informed me of this ... character, then I come right away.” the Doctor explained, proving it with his credentials. He passed Dr. Horse and started eyeing the patient in bed.
“If you would mind doctor, I'd be very happy if you and your guards could wait outside for a moment.”
“Actually, I think it would be best if we-” the physician pony was about to disagree, until the Doctor interrupted him again.
“If not, I may have to go back to the Committee and look over why the staff in this hospital forced me to stop my call of duty as a medical physician to help this sick stallion?” The Doctor suggested, intimidating the staff.
“... Just wait outside, come along nurse. If you need me Doctor, I'll be outside” Dr. Horse nervously said as he hurried himself and his staff outside the room. The time lord had a grin on his face, pleased by their reactions. He turned his attention back to the Maestro who waved at him.
“Hello Mister Hourglass Pony, why were you in my dreams?” the Maestro asked, getting a slight chuckle out of the Doctor.
“I do have that effect on most people ... I mean ponies, ponies! Sorry, I'm like that around new people-I mean Ponies!” the Doctor sighed as the Maestro only chuckled back. The unicorn was in awe as the Doctor pulled out his trusty Sonic Screwdriver and waved it around the curious pony. The amazement was cut short when the Maestro touched his hair and felt a static shock from it. He yelped at the shock and held his hoof up to Twilight.
“What?” Twilight asked.
“Kiss the boo-boo, hehehe” the Maestro said, giggling away like a child.
“No!” she refused.
“Boo ... why am I not surprised to meet a Librarian who's all strict” he pouted.
“Excuse me?!” she asked.
“Why are you so serious Miss Sparkle?” the Maestro.
“How can you be asking me that? My house is in shambles and I had to pull you all the way from there to here. I think that's more than enough for me to take things seriously; oh and me being a Librarian doesn't make me automatically strict!” she ranted on, making the Maestro groaned and turn back to the Doctor.
“So Doctor, is there anything wrong with him?” Spike asked.
“Ooh, this is interesting ...” The Doctor said after flinging his sonic up to his face, scanning the slight data it retrieved from the Maestro.
“What is?” Spike asked, looking at the little metallic wand, seeing nothing but a green light from it.
“The sonic is picking up traces of time energy fluxes all over his body” the Doctor said, looking back at the Maestro who was licking his teeth. The Doctor raised an eyebrow as the unicorn turned to a mirror by his bedside. The 1200 year old alien knows that feeling, of looking into a mirror and seeing something that wasn't there, something that was totally weird, new, and exciting. He lost his focused as Spike asked another question.
“Which means?” Spike asked.
“Which means ... that I will need further information that even the Sonic cannot pick up.” the Doctor explained.
“Am I alright Doctor? I'm not sick am I?” The Maestro asked.
“Don't worry; everything's going to be fine ...” The Doctor said as he pulled Twilight and Spike aside, “Okay, everything's not alright."
“Gee! You think?” Spike's sarcasm was duly noted, making the Doctor ticked.
“Look, that man-I mean stallion over there is covered with billions of Tachyon particles that has created a highly powerful time energy field” The Doctor lost Spike; he back at him with a blank expression. The Doctor sighed and reworded his explanation. “... Basically, he's covered in timey wimey stuff that makes things go wibbly wobbly.” The Doctor's message finally came across to the Spike.
“Twilight, you said he came through a time spell right?” the Doctor asked.
“Yes. He turned up right after I read the scroll to the time spell” she replied back, reassuring his theory.
“Well that makes sense. This 'spell' must have been a type of time traveling structure that brought him here” the Doctor explained.
“Wait, so he's a time traveler?” Spike asked.
“Good possibility, but I don't know yet nor do I know if he's alien. It's best if we sneak him back to the T.A.R.D.I.S” the Doctor suggested, while staring back at the Maestro who yelped again from being shocked by the static discharge flowing about in his curly mane.
“You're probably right, Ponyville Hospital couldn't possibly handle a crazy time traveling alien who looks like a unicorn with a bad case of morning mane" Twilight said. The Maestro barely cared for the conversation they had for he was really focusing on his body, until he heard bad and mane in the mix.
“Oi! I may not know who I am, but I very much like this curly look! It's crazy and funny and stylish!” the Maestro shouted. They rolled their eyes and turned back to the matters at hand, getting the Maestro into the T.A.R.D.I.S.
“Okay, so how are we going to get him out of here? I mean, I know your paper thingy tricked that doctor to believing you're a doctor, but I don't think he'll very much enjoy watching another doctor take his patient into a small blue box” Spike pointed out.
“Ah Spike, you are always so smart for your age! You know I'll come up with a way to get him out of here, until then I'm going to get any information I can get from the doctors and nurses on him. Maybe then we can confirm our theories, but for now just keep him company and try to get anything out of him. I'll give you the signal, until then ...” the Doctor turned back to the Maestro who once again zapped his hoof, “... have fun.”
Twilight and Spike turned around and sat beside the eccentric unicorn. They stopped him before he zapped his hoof again, getting a good chuckle out of him and a sigh of relief from Twilight and her assistant.
“Okay Mister Maestro, you need to explain to us a couple of things” Spike started off.
“Oh? Do I?” the Maestro curiously asked, “Because how can I explain when I don’t even know what is going on in the first place?”
“Well maybe you can start by telling us how you got to our home?” Twilight asked.
“I'm a time traveling alien wizard and I was a result of a time scroll that totaled your house.” he quickly said.
“So I was right!” Twilight said.
“Well that’s what you said” he pointed out.
“What?” she asked.
“You and that Doctor fellow said I was an alien who time traveled and came out of a magical spell, so ...” he said, “I mean you three seem to know more than me on what’s going.” Twilight groaned, rubbing her cranium and letting Spike take over.
“But don’t you remember what happened before you wound up in the library?” Spike asked.
“All I can remember is a white light, being zapped by lightning, and meeting you two. Checking out my face, being asked random question … Oh and screaming! There was a lot of screaming in pain and agony when you mentioned my name. Then I coughed up a storm of spit, dust, and slime.” the Maestro started to go into the Pinkie Pie syndrome. “... Then it went black for what felt like hours, waking up, seeing your friend come out of that blue box. Which looks really small for a stallion that big, don’t you think? Oh and then I …” The constant re-mentioning of all the events lead to nowhere. This was hurting Twilight’s brain even more. Her home, her studies, her time, all of it wasted away thanks to something involving the innocent blathering idiot in bed.
“By all that is Celestia, why do I even bother?! You obviously don’t know anything to help us or yourself. You know I planned this day to just be a regular stay in and study with Spike to help me out! And then the one time he reads something I know, I somehow cause my house to explode in a raging inferno of wormholes and you!” Twilight yelled, getting the Maestro angry.
“You’re acting as if I’m a bad guy! I DON’T KNOW ANYTHING!” the absent minded Unicorn shouted, “Plus why are you, a baby dragon, reading up on wormholes! Frankly, if there’s anyone to blame here, it’s you Spike!”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold on, you can’t blame me! I was reading wormholes because I was looking at the pictures on the pages! I had nothing else to do! All I wanted was a simple explanation of a wormhole. We didn’t expect to be going to the hospital after one ripped the library apart!” Spike argued back. Twilight took a deep breath and relaxed herself and her assistant. The Maestro turned back to the mirror; pretty ticked off, but it wasn’t at them. He stared at the mirror as Twilight came back to him.
“Look, obviously we know you’re not a ‘bad’ guy. At least, I don’t think you are …” she reassured him, but he was now lost in the mirror, “BUT! Why are you acting as if you have-... oh” it suddenly hit Twilight, the Maestro wasn’t acting as if he knew nothing … but it wasn’t an act. Her eyes took notice of his rump; no cutie mark. The absent mind, the meaningless title, the crazy bipolar like emotions that swung around at random, all of it pointed to the possibility of something worse.
“I'm the Maestro and …” he started off, but paused for a couple of seconds. “... And I-” Another pause stopped him in his tracks. This time, the silence went on for a minute. The stranger put the mirror back down and ended his statement with sadness.
“I honestly don't know …”
The only sounds coming from anywhere at this point were from the random voices that passed by the door to his room, the beeping of the heart monitor, and the ticking of the clock. Twilight then pulled Spike aside and led him away from the Maestro. The two stood opposite of him inside the room and whispered to him of what may possibly be going on. The Maestro’s eyes were starting to tear up as he looked at the two. He then clenched his eyes with remorse; once the word “Amnesia” was mentioned in their quiet chat between the Sparkle and her assistant. They looked back to see his face buried in his arms and hooves, sobbing and crying. They gave him a moment to let it out, before Twilight finally walked back to the Maestro as his sobs came to a stop. Suddenly something caught him off guard, forcing the stranger to look up, and show off the trails of tears that ran down his cheeks while staring at the lavender unicorn and green spiked dragon as they hugged him tightly. He was confused. Minutes ago they were the same people who were yelling at him, blaming him, and forcing him to realize that he really was crazy, but now they gave him a hug. In between his final sobs, the Maestro spoke up again and asked of what was going on.
“Okay, I must be crazy because you two seem to be hugging me … why?” he asked.
“We know what’s going on and we feel terrible in forcing you to remember who you were when it’s obvious why you can't." Spike said, feeling guilty for this problem.
"I'm such an idiot, how couldn't I see the obvious fact that you had Amnesia" Twilight said.
"Excuse me, but did you? A unicorn who reads tons of books, casts spells, and translated an ancient scroll that likely brought me into existence ... Actually say that you're an idiot" the Maestro started to laugh and laugh. The two friends watched as he bursts into tears of joy while laughing like it was nobody's business.
"Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Haaaa! You, an idiot?! Ha Ha! Oh, oh my, now that is hilarious. Miss Sparkle, out of all three of us here, you are FAR from any stupidity. If I am a result of a spell, an ancient one at that, then you must be quite the bookworm to actually translate it to modern Equestrian English.” the Maestro complemented.
“Uhm, well …” Twilight blushed, enjoying the sudden compliment. “Thank you … I am quite the bookworm”
“If we get through this little adventure, I’m sure you’ll prove me right. And you Spike. He he he he. Oh you seem to have some kind of boldness to you for such a young little guy, pretty smart too to even try and read wormholes. Trust me.” the Maestro explained, with chuckles in between. This brought a joyous energy to the three as they laughed about it.
"So you're not sad or mad anymore?" Spike asked. The Maestro coughed a bit.
"No-" he coughed again, "Not at all, in fact-" the Maestro’s cough interrupted him again. He patted his chest to ease the cough.
"In fact, I-" his coughing grew worse. Now he couldn't finish his thought thanks to the sudden frog in his throat. It raged on, making it louder and longer.
"Are you alright?" Twilight asked. It stopped for a moment.
"Sure I am. I’m an alien who can travel through time. Why wouldn't I beeee-AHH!" the Maestro screamed as the bones inside we're reconstructing themselves again. He grabbed his chest as his heart monitor detected a rapid heartbeat. Twilight and Spike called for help. The nurses and guards came in as the Maestro coughed and coughed, before finally blasting out a powerful force of fiery light from his entire body. The guards were thrown back by the powerful force of the energy while the intense heat burned the bed sheets and shattered the glass windows to pieces. The nurses ran out the room, screaming in terror. The Maestro An alarm went off and down the hall. The out of this world special effects came to a stop, resulting with the Maestro being launched out of his room and flying out the window.
“Twilight! Spike! That was the signal.” the Doctor said, bursting into the room. “I got a wheel chair for your unicorn friend. Help me get him in here and soon we’ll be in the TARDIS, faster than you can say-!” The Doctor now noticed the knocked out guards, the screams of the nurses down the hall, the bed on fire, and glass on the floor.
“Did I miss something?” the Doctor asked.
“Doctor?!” Spike and Twilight shouted, running up to the Doctor.
“What happened? Where’s the Maestro?” The Doctor asked, until they heard a groan from outside. The three poked their heads out the window, seeing that the Maestro was groaning and snoring feet away from the T.A.R.D.I.S.
“Well then … this is useless” the Doctor said, pushing the wheelchair aside. “Come along, we haven’t a moment to lose!”
“Doctor, wait?!” Twilight shouted, galloping behind him with Spike riding on her back. As they ran out, Twilight caught up with The Doctor and explained with Spike about everything that he had missed. The handful of information astounded his mind while slowly coming up with a theory of his own about this unicorn with amnesia. Minutes later, they arrived outside, sneaking around to the spot where the Maestro still laid, exhaling rainbow air particles.
“Rainbow dust particles are seeping from the mouth of an unconscious unicorn with amnesia as a result of a time spell … boy those are words I never ever expected to hear in my life. Ha” the Doctor rambled on.
“DOCTOR!” Twilight and Spike shouted, snapping him back to the situation.
“Oh right, sorry! Now let’s get him into the T.A.R.D.I.S.” the Doctor said as he unlocked the T.A.R.D.I.S. doors. With Twilight, he wrapped the Maestro’s hooves around their necks. Spike opened the doors as the two ponies dragged the Maestro into the time machine. The doors shut and instantly, the blue box faded away, dematerializing until there was nothing left, but a patch of dead flowers where it once stood.
VWORPVWORP VWORPVWORP VWORPVWORP VWORPVWORP VWORPVWORP VWORPVWORP ...
The Stranger From The Vortex
3. Ditzy’s Morning Mail Route
Ditzy Doo opened her eyes to the morning sun as its rays beamed through the windows in her room. She moaned a bit and rubbed her eyes, before letting out a big yawn. Her grey coat shined in the light, but her blonde mane was messy at the break of dawn. The Pegasus got up; rubbing her neck and back a bit before finally reaching out to her special pair of glasses, personally made by the Doctor for her big walleyes. She walked over to her mirror and brushed her mane until it was perfect. After the quick morning fix up, she trotted to her kitchen and as she was about to bake some delicious pancakes for breakfast. She grabbed her Mail-Mare hat and tied a small string-necklace that held the TARDIS key. Ditzy walked out the door with a big smile that made the morning far greater.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Time was going by ever so quickly as the Mail-Mare kept going from mailbox to mailbox; delivering each letter, bill, card, and/or package with ease thanks to the glasses. However, something kept distracting her. She was remembering last night. It was her birthday and all her friends came with gifts and cake, along with a cool party at Sugarcube Corner. However, to keep the celebration going, the Doctor took his companion across the galaxy for an out of this world surprise.
“So … Doctor, what other surprises do you got for me on my birthday?” Ditzy asked. The Doctor was already toying around with the levers, knobs, buttons, and all sorts of gadgetry on the TARDIS console.
“Oh Miss Hooves, hehe” he replied with charisma, “ … You are going to love this!”
The two held on tight as the ground beneath them shook. The warping of the time machine’s travel through the vortex was in context with the shaking for a good period of time. The Doctor jumped around the console to keep it stable. Then by the dings of a bell, the shaking completely stopped. The time lord snickered as he looked at the scanner, certain that they have arrived.
“Where are we now?”
“Why don’t you see for yourself?” he asked with excitement for his companion to open those wooden doors, and see what wonders await for her outside. She smiled and pulled the doors back to reveal a mesmerizing scene of space. Ditzy was getting use to her adventures with the Doctor, but every time her eyes got the glimpse of a mesmerizing cascade in the universe … her simple mind would be blown away.
“It’s beautiful, truly it is, but-” she stopped mid-way through her sentence once the ship turned towards an unforgettable image. She gasped as a set of small stars that were spaced apart in an articulate design in the shape of her face. The Doctor smiled and slowly sneaked back around his console to get a sweet for the two.
“D-D-Doctor, do you see ...” she stuttered; speechless at what her eyes were seeing.
“Yes, yes, yes. I had to pull some favors to do that, so take it all in my companion because it won’t last forever” the Doctor said as he was pulling out a plate and two cups.
“Is it visible from space? I mean, can anyone else beside us see this right now?”
“No, in fact we’re looking at different stars from different time periods in different dimensions! Isn't that amazing?!”
“But how are they all here together?” she asked, confused, but utterly happy staring at the impossible scene.
“Okay let me explain. Through sheer luck and my genius calculations, I was able to get in contact with many of the other me's to simultaneously set our TARDISes to materialize at a central point in the vortex where a weak stream of fusion particles were loosely attracted to each other in order to open up small ‘windows’ in the space time continuum! Ah science, so much easier than plain ol’ magic!”
“Doctor ...”
“Uh, Yes?”
“Shut up and enjoy”
“Ok”
He frowned a bit; only to grow another smile across his face. The Doctor was proud of Ditzy’s contribution on his adventures, and though it has been nearly two years since they've met, he has never felt happier. Their friendship expanded more with other companions, including one lavender unicorn and a talented musician. A sudden ringing came from the phone on the console.
“I’ll be right back. Don’t keep your eyes off of those stars because something tells me you are so going to love what is coming up next!”
“Don’t worry about that, I am so loving this!”
He chuckled and ran back to answer the phone while she kept her focus on the stars, until a sudden image rocketed across the sky. She squinted at what appeared to be a burning comet with a rainbow trail behind it. The falling star suddenly vanished. At the same time, Ditzy’s ears picked up the very faint, familiar, and loud mechanical wheezing sound.
Vwwwoooorp ... Vwwwoooorp ... Vwwwoooorp ...
“Well that was ... WHOA!”
She immediately grabbed onto the doors and shuffled herself back a bit as the ship suddenly rumbled. One by one, each star spun quickly before finally slipping back into their rightful positions in their respective universes. She watched in amazement as the stars that burned the sky with her face were glowing with fury, until finally they each imploded into a fantastic fireworks display. The Pegasus whistled and cheered, clapping her hooves together as she turned to the Doctor, ready to hug him. Yet, Ditzy was caught off guard by the sudden appearance of a muffin up close in her face.
“Uhm … I made this with Miss Pie as a surprise gift. She made the muffin while I was planning the bang, but together we knew it’d be a great way to end your birthday” he said as she took the muffin. “So … Happy Birthday, Miss Derpy Hooves”
She took a bite, feeling the delicious muffin's taste sizzle in her mouth. Ditzy moaned at the sweetness running up and down her tongue. All this was happen while tears ran down her rosy cheeks. Each drop glistened like small diamonds on her eyelashes and making a river of joy as she smiled at the stupendous gift. The mare hugged the Doctor, as well as kiss his cheek in the process. The two blushed whilst their hearts fluttered. They sat back down together, looking out at the vastness of space with tea and muffins.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Best. Birthday. Ever. Those words echoed in the mail mare’s head. That is until she crashed into the Sugarcube Corner mailbox. The Pegasus was dizzy for a minute or two, until she could finally shake it out.
“Ouch” she said, rubbing her head. I hope no pony saw that, she thought to herself; turning around to see no Pony around her.
“I DID!” yelled PINKIE PIE .
“Eeep!” Ditzy squeaked as the highly energetic Pinkie Pie sprang out of Mr. & Mrs. Cake’s mailbox. She was startled and awkwardly fell back, causing the Pegasus to toss the mail in the air. She looked back up and shook herself as the mail slowly floated to the ground.
“Oops, sorry! HEHEHE”
“Pinkie Pie, I told you to stop doing that!”
“Oh you know you love it, you silly filly!”
Pinkie kept on laughing as Ditzy got up and dusted herself off. She frowned, but like any resident of Ponyville knows, it won't take for long before they stop being mad. After all, it's Pinkie Pie and she only did it for a laugh.
“I’m sorry, but you should have seen your face! HAHAHA! It was hilarious!” the prankster laughed harder, until she noticed Ditzy pulled out a half eaten muffin. Pinkie gasped.
“Is that the muffin I made for you and the Doctor?!” She asked, ticked that it wasn't eaten. Ditzy froze, knowing how Pinkie Pie might react.
“Noooo” Ditzy answered.
“Oh really? Because if I remembered, which I do, that YOUR muffin looked like the one in your hoof” Pinkie eyed the other Pegasus, who tried to avoid Pinkie's gaze.
“You’re a silly filly! How could you tell the difference between a muffin yesterday and a muffin today?”
“Because SILLY FILLY, I distinctly remembered that the muffins I baked for you and the Doctor … had your your names stamped on the cup with the Pinkie Pie seal of deliciously awesome birthday approval!” Pinkie’s hoof pointed out all these details.
“Dah-uh-well, you see, I was going to finish it but-” the stuttering Ditzy tried to explain.
“BUUUUT?”
“But … oh, alright. I admit it ...” Ditzy sighed. “I didn’t finish your muffin, but I couldn’t. It was so-”
“So, what?”
“It was so amazing! Pinkie, you couldn't imagine how utterly amazing it was.” she stared at the muffin for a bit. A big smile grew across Pinkie Pie's face for she knew well enough her reasons to keep the muffin meant more than a simple meal.
“He moved the stars to shape my face, and end it with the most spectacular fireworks in space!”
“And … and then your muffins with that delicious flavor plus the scenery! I just had to savor that moment. You understand, don’t you Pinkie Pie?”
It took a moment with Pinkie to think about it, but of course she made her decision even before she said it.
“Oh of course Ditzy, how could I stay mad at a reason like that?! Gosh, you and the Doctor are so cute like that? Don’t you think so? Every pony thinks so, well not every Pony because not EVERY pony knows who you are or him or both or even me … how many ponies could their be to not about you two?! I mean you’re like Knights of Space and Time! Guardians of the Universe …” Pinkie kept blathering on, making Ditzy feel awkward, but blush at the cool nicknames for her companionship with the Doctor. Though it was nice that companions like Twilight and others have come along with them, she liked it more when it is just her and him. As Pinkie went on about her and the time traveler, the mail mare then remembered why she came here in the first place.
“Uh, hey look what I got?” Ditzy held out the mail.
“MAIL!” Pinkie jumped up and down and all around Miss Doo at the excitement of mail.
“Phew” Ditzy sighed relief as Pinkie grabbed the mail. From there on, she started eating another chunk of her muffin, engulfing herself into the flavor.
“Well Pinkie, I've got to get going now. I still have a lot more deliveries to do and-”
“Hey, how about I come with you?!”
“Wait, what?”
“I know right?! While flipping through the mail, annoyed that none of it was for me” the earth pony slammed the mail into the mailbox. “I thought to myself, hey I got nothing to do. You see today is Tuesday, and like any other day I would have a ton of things to do, but ... it's Tuesday. Besides that, your birthday party left me short on party supplies. Which is like really rare, but this is a blue moon kind of thing. Don't Worry, I ordered some cool new ones. Soooooo, how about I paint the town gray and pink with you, me, and that mailbag!”
“I don't know, I'm not suppose to be lollygagging which I'm already doing right now-”
“But how can you dilly dally when I'm just talking while you're going from house to house?”
“Oh! That is true!”
“And I promise to stick with my friend until we deliver every single letter and package and the annoying taxes to the ponies of Ponyville!”
“Well then, let's go!”
Ditzy and Pinkie hoof bumped and traveled on the mail route. As they walked off to the next shop, a blinding light blasted from the windows of the Golden Oaks Library.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
With Pinkie Pie beside her, Ditzy Doo’s morning mail route consisted of jokes and show tunes that brought smiles to each the ponies they came across to. This made the morning even better than most of her days as the two delivered all the usual goodies and junk mail. The simple mail route was an enjoyable one for Ditzy thanks to Pinkie’s talent to make her laugh and smile. The sun was moving across the sky, turning the shadows all across the land in course with every minute that passed. It was mid-noon, but finally she only had one more spot to deliver. Pinkie was getting tired at this point; she yawned while looking over at the bell tower to see that it was thirty minutes past two. Ditzy was getting sleepy; after all, she has been doing this since eight o’clock in the morning, way before Pinkie Pie came in to the picture. She looked at the list and smiled when recognizing who was next.
“One last address; the Golden Oaks Library” Ditzy said. She pulled out a heavy box, marked with a seal that said, Canterlot Library, knowing exactly what was inside.
“Yippee! We're going to Twilight's house, We're going to Twilight's house,We're going to Twilight's house!” Pinkie Pie cheered as the enthusiasm made the pony bounce all around the place.
“This is a great way to end the day!” Pinkie bounced in circles around Ditzy, squealing with delight to see Twilight and Spike.
They finally approached the tree, unaware of the damage inside. Hidden in the soft grass was a piece of glass from the shattered windows, but it was known to the two once Pinkie’s hoof stepped onto it.
“Ye-Ow!” Pinkie yelped in pain before defying physics and rocketing into the air. Ditzy gasped and looked up to see where her friend had gone to … only to yelp in surprise as Pinkie pop out from behind.
“GAH!” Ditzy jumped and turned to Pinkie. “What?! Pinkie Pie?! B-b-b-but, how did you?! Uh-why did you?!”
“Pull it out, pull it out, PULL-IT-OUT!” she screamed, hoping between both hind legs like an impatient child as she held out the hoof with the sharp glass sticking out.
“Okay! Okay! Don’t worry I’ll get it out” the Pegasus calmed her friend before finally pulling out as quickly as possible. Pinkie yelped and waved her hoof a bit, feeling sick as some blood drip out. Pinkie immediately kissed the cut much like a mother would kiss a boo-boo away.
“Here, I have a band aid you can use.” Ditzy pulled out the small strip of medical care.
“I keep these in handy, especially when I crash into mailboxes.”
Pinkie smiled as she peeled the little sheets of plastic from the band and gently slipped it over the wound.
Being with the Doctor has always been an eye-opener for his companions and while being one herself, Miss Doo has also gained new skills to look out for anything out of place. Obviously the glass was her first clue, so now here wall eyes, though usually unhelpful in some instances, were now able to make out anything unusual with the glasses. Her eyes spotted something, and she instantly had to get Pinkie’s attention to what it was that caught her off guard.
“WHOA! Now that’s so freaky! Hehehe! Just look at those branches, and the leaves ... they look they have chicken pox” Pinkie proclaimed as they noticed the leaves and branches covered in black blotches. The ever so cheery earth pony picked one up and together they observed every detail to the leaf. The glass windows were obviously scattered around, but the frames were busted with sign of light or sounds coming from the inside.
“Glass is scattered on the floor, the leaves are covered in black spots, and-” Ditzy stopped and gasped under her breathe as her eye caught Pinkie’s tail twitching.
“That's Not Good! Ooooh, this is not Good! Something's going on here and my tail knows it!” Pinkie's tail twitched as they looked back at the door. They both gulped and moved closer to the door, until they were two feet away. Pinkie knocked on the door.
“Hello? ... Twilight? ... Spike?” Pinkie Pie called out. No response.
“Twilight? It's me, Ditzy-”
“And Pinkie Pie!”
“We’re here with your delivery of books you ordered from Canterlot” Ditzy shouted, getting no response. The two looked at each and back at the door. Pinkie walked to the door and knocked the door. Again, no response back from the inside. Ditzy settled her delivery down and stood before the door, until she grabbed the doorknob and turned it. The door swung back to a room filled with shadows. They crept into the library that was left in ruins from the earlier events. Most ponies would avoid such explosions or weird lights going on from the library as it was known by many Ponyville residents that the student of Princess Celestia is always experiments and casting spells. Pinkie and Ditzy understood this very well from their own experiences, but the home was wrecked in a horrifying way. The sunlight exposed what it could through the windows such as the piles of books scattered across the floor, a burnt mark from the ceiling, and cracks going along the walls.
“Wait a minute ... did I, Pinkie Pie, miss the most awesome party ever?!”
“How can you say that? Of course it wasn't a party, just look at this place! The cracks, the books, the broken glass windows, plus the obvious burnt marks must have been a fire of some kind!”
“Pisha, a party isn't a party without some kind of damage”
“Pinkie Pie, you’re the queen of parties ... obviously you wouldn't miss this one ”
sickly black spotted leaves ... I think we're going to need the-” Ditzy was cut off by the flapping of feathers. They turned around to see Owlowiscious flap down and out of the shadows. Ditzy and Pinkie were content to see the pet owl still around in the chaos of the room.
“Thank goodness! It's only you Owlowiscious.” Pinkie Pie hugged the bird who hooted back with a slight cough. Her hooves kept rubbing the bird, comforting him, until she took notice of something eerie in his feathers. Miss Doo walked around the main room for a bit, using her special glasses to catch anything out of the ordinary. The glasses were enabled with far more features than fixing her vision by a tidbit, in fact her glasses matched her imperfect visions to that of a hawk. She spotted a sample of rainbow dust around the heavy burnt marks across the bookshelves.
“Ditzy, you've got to come and take a look at this!” Pinkie yelled from across the room. The mail mare headed back to her friend who was holding Owlowiscious away from her.
“What’s wrong? Why are you holding Owlowiscious away from you like if she’s sick?” she asked before hearing the owl cough like if it had a smoker’s lungs.
“Oh you know, he needed some air and-” Pinkie was interrupted by the sudden sneeze from the owl. She squeaked and let go of Owlowiscious who forgot to fly in response.
“He’s sick” she pointed out as Owlowiscious was sulking, sticking out his tongue as his feathers turned to a dark green pale look with black spots across the belly and wings.
“Wait a tick, Ditzy look at his feathers” Pinkie noticed as she plucked out one of the feathers. Ditzy looked closely at the patterns on it and back at the sickly owl who was looking more sick as seconds past by.
“These feathers look like the black blotches we found on the leaf” Ditzy said.
“You’re right, look here” Pinkie held the leaf and feather up, each one with equal features that was pointing to some kind connection. The two turned away from Owlowiscious.
“Pinkie Pie, something's not adding up. The tree is in shambles, Twilight and Spike are missing, and Owlowiscious is obviously sick, but what did this?”
Ditzy paused for a bit, realizing that all these clues might be pointing to something bad. She looked at the necklace around her neck and stared at the T.A.R.D.I.S. key. This problem would need the assistance of The Doctor.
“We are definitely in a bit of a jam, here” Ditzy said.
“No, you mean we’re in a bit of a pickle” Pinkie corrected her friend.
“No, I'm sure it's with jam”
“Sure” Pinkie patted Ditzy's head.
“You keep saying that to yourself. Hey maybe muffins ARE better than Cupcakes”
“Excuse me?”
Her sarcastic comment ticked Ditzy, who proudly defended her right as a fan of the delectable muffins.
“I'll have you know that-”
Ditzy was about to continue another Cupcakes vs. Muffins debate with Pinkie, before a sound caught her full attention. Owlowiscious was on her stand, choking out something hard. Pinkie poked him, only to jump back as the pet started to spit out black chunks of slime onto the floor.
“Ewe!” they both said in unison. They watched as it regurgitated up black ooze.
“Gross!” Ditzy said. Both ponies turned away, cringing at the disgusting sounds of vomit. Then came the first surprise.
Hoo …
Their ears tweaked.
Hoo!
Again, the hooting noise caught their ears attention along with the vibrant flaps of Owlowiscious wings hovering over them. They both looked up and gasped at the owl, flapping around as if nothing happened. His blotches were gone, his pale green color was gone, and there were no traces of the sight or smell of the unimaginable horrors that he regurgitated just mere seconds ago.
“What the what?!” Pinkie screamed.
“No way! How can she-but she was-what’s going on here?!” Ditzy yelled. The owl settled down on Pinkie’s back and pecked his feathers, fluttering them before smiling and relaxing against the confused pony’s neck. Both stared back at the creature, looking for anything out of the ordinary, but somehow it miraculously got rid of whatever sickness inside.
“But how? He couldn't have just gotten rid of his sickness that quickly” Ditzy said.
“Magic?” Pinkie suggested.
“Maybe Twilight casted a spell on him to get rid of an ill?”
“I don’t know, she’d have to be here right? I mean, I don’t know much about unicorns and their magic, but I’m sure she’d have to be here to do so, right?”
Pinkie only shrugged in response. Ditzy’s brain was working its hardest to figure out a logical answer.
Owlowiscious turned his head around to see the pool of black ooze bubble and boil. The curious bird raised an eyebrow and hovered near the disgusting slush on the floor. He settled down and leaned forward, sniffing the air. The bird cringed at the horrible smell. Suddenly, it looked back to see the ooze bop up and down before poking a glowing orb to the surface. Owlowiscious hopped back, stunned by what it saw. The ooze jerked back and forth before two tentacles popped right out of the ugly black sludge. He hooted and flew around the two mares, trying to concentrate on the matter at hand. However, the frightened bird caught their attention immediately.
“Owlowiscious?! What’s wrong? Why are you-hey!” Ditzy was tugged by her key necklace. She struggled for a second or two, before finally seeing what the owl was trying to show her. Pinkie Pie and Ditzy gasped as the splat of black goo was coming to life. It was nearly as big they were now and glowing a sickening green. The two began to feel queasy in their stomachs as the glow from the creature radiated outwards.
“D-Ditzy … I don’t … uhhh” Pinkie could barely get her sentence out as she swayed side to side. The two started to feel sick to their core. Ditzy was clenching her eyes as the pain of the sudden sickness that struggled to keep her from performing any basic pony function.
“I … I … oh!” Ditzy’s face turned green. She took a big gulp back, obviously slowing back something gross and coughed.
“The ooze, that green thing is making-making us sick!” Ditzy yelled out, losing energy as they were backing up against the door.
“We've got to-ugh” Pinkie clenched her stomach, “-to get out of here-ah!”
Owlowiscious flapped and pecked at Ditzy’s head, forcing her to back up even more. The irritated Pegasus snorted and grunted and whined back at the bird, until she tripped backward and landed her bubbly rump on the door. Instantly, Ditzy's rump followed the nature it follows … obliterating the door. The two ponies rolled out the house as the door collapsed into pieces. Owlowiscious flew away from the creature that stopped itself from going outside. The owl blew a raspberry at the black ooze before it sneaked back into the library’s shadow.
“Oooooh-whoa! I’m actually feeling better! Ditzy, your iron butt saved us!” Ditzy sighed in relief, even if Pinkie was getting back to her usual jumpy state. Suddenly the mad mare stopped once she remembered about the possible danger to Twilight and Spike.
“But Twilight! She’s still in danger with that thing in there! Owlowiscious, do you remember seeing Twilight at all today?” Pinkie Pie turned to the owl, shaking its head. Pinkie’s whole body
“Okay, well at least it’s staying in there, but we don’t know for how long” Ditzy said, until she looked down at Owlowiscious who had the TARDIS key in his beak. She nodded back, knowing exactly what he was trying to say. Twilight knew how to make her pets smart enough to know that the Doctor was the best possible solution.
“Pinkie, you and I both know there’s only one possible solution to this problem” Ditzy said.
“Pie?” Pinkie suggested.
“Yes-wait, what?!”
“Well when it’s this intense, I think if I bake a pie and eat it … then things wouldn't seem so bad”
Pinkie explained, catching Ditzy off-guard and left dumbfounded than usual. Her eyes slowly drooped into all sorts of directions before finally blinking back to normal … that is what’s normal for the Pegasus.
“... N-Never mind, all I know is if she’s in Danger, then we’ll need the Doctor” Ditzy proclaimed.
“Now let’s go find him!”
“Oki Doki Loki!”
Pinkie Pie smiled and together with Owlowiscious flying right beside them, they ran off to find the blue box while hoping that Twilight and Spike were still safe, all while the creature lurking in the ruins of the library was making its next move inside the very life of the tree itself.
The Stranger From The Vortex
Across town and far from the hospital, Twilight and Spike were with the Doctor as he was moving dozens of advanced medical equipment and scanning devices into the TARDIS Zero Room. The Maestro was fast asleep as The Doctor activated the machines. His cheery attitude from earlier turned into a serious monotone outlook at the situation he’s been dealt with. From Twilight and Spike’s description of what had happened in the room, the Time Lord knew well enough what he was looking for; something out of place, and possibly something not normal to this universe. The Doctor soon took notice of Twilight pulling a blanket out of her saddle, ready to put it on him.
“Uhm, what’s that?” the Doctor asked.
“A spare blanket I took from the house before we left” the unicorn answered.
“Okay, but why are you putting it on him?” he asked again.
“It’s cold in here and after what he’s been through, it just doesn't feel right to leave him in a cold room. Besides, this is one of Spike’s old blankets” Twilight explained.
“Wait it is? Oh right it is … why couldn't you give him one of yours?” Spike asked noticing that it was his blanket from when he was a newborn dragon. Larger than he remembered.
“Because yours was convenient, now unless both of you have any obscure reason to not give him one, then now is the right time … I’m looking at you, Doctor” Twilight eyed the Doctor who only shrugged, and turned back to the mechanisms at work.
“Anything yet, Doctor?” Spike asked, while Twilight finally placed the blanket on the Maestro.
“Hmm? Well I’m still setting up my equipment, but with what I got from the sonic, that residue from his coat indicates some alien material when I cross-reference it to the biological and nonbiological material to this world” The Doctor explained as he aimed his sonic about.
“So he’s an alien?” Spike asked, cutting a piece of bandage around the Maestro’s head.
“Yeah; probably; not sure, but we’ll know soon enough.”
“Doctor, when I told you about what happened in the room, you looked … worried. Why?”
The Doctor started stamping wires onto the Maestro’s body. The machines began to monitor and buzz as the stranger breathes calmly in his slumber.
“Me worried? Pfft. Please Ms. Sparkle. I am perfectly fine. In fact, I am so fine that you can call me President Doctor Fine … actually, no, stop, that is a rubbish title, but trust me. Everything is Fine, now please go back to the Console room, and check the Monitor.”
“... Fine, but if you aren’t okay, then please tell us. A good pony like you doesn’t need to worry so much.” Twilight said. She had a little frown on her face, and sighed before leaving with Spike alongside her. Miss Sparkle knew well enough that if she kept on pushing, he was going to lie about it, but for now all she can do is wait.
“Oh Mister Maestro, I don’t know who you are … but if I you are what I think you are, then I still don’t know what else is waiting for this daft old man in this strange world”
30 Minutes Later...
The Console was lit up as The Doctor kept walking about the machine as he and his friends talked back and forth, searching for right frequencies as the patient was still in the Zero Room.
“How about now?” the Doctor asked.
“It’s still the same, can you explain again what we’re looking for?” Spike asked.
“He said we’re looking for the heartbeat monitor, along with this downloading scan of the Maestro’s body” Twilight explained.
“Thank you Miss Twilight, just saved me some breathe to do this!” Sparks flew off the console from where he stood, jumping the crew back. “-NOW?!”
“NO!” both dragon and unicorn replied. He groaned and sighed.
“Okay. Okay. Ok-Hey! I got it; I know what I need to do!”
“What is it?” Twilight asked.
“If I can reconfigure the wiring below us, and direct the circuits to read out any life sign and TARDIS medical equipment in the zero room, then it’ll be easy as one, two, pi ... Be back in a tick!”
The Doctor grabbed his goggles and ran down the back staircase. He slapped on the goggles and opened the wooden frame from the deck below, pulling out his handy tool box.
“Does that mean we can go? Ow!” Spike yelped as Twilight slapped him in the back of his head, nearly throwing him off the rail.
“Spike! Don’t be rude like that, what if he does actually need us here, hmm?”
“Sorry! Sorry! Ouch, but what about the library, shouldn’t we get to work on it? Plus I am quite in the mood for a peanut butter and gem-jam jelly sandwich-Ow, again!” Spike
“Oh it’s alright!” the Doctor shouted from below. “Don’t you worry a thing; I’ve got this all under control!”
Sparks once again flew off from below, allowing the two friends to hear the time lord yelp with the sound of tools falling to the ground. They giggled for a moment, confirming them that it’ll be alright with the Doctor in charge.
“Oh wait, Twilight! You mentioned something about a scroll?!” the Doctor shouted from below.
“Right! I have it right here” Twilight responded quickly to pulling out a small scroll from her saddle bag. She levitated the scroll to the Doctor and teleported from the glass platform to the deck below. Spike sighed, knowing he was almost free to get food for his hungry stomach. The baby dragon looked over the rails as the two ponies talked to each other.
Knock-Knock
“Hmm?” The Dragon’s ears picked up a sudden knock. Then it was replaced by scratches.
Scratch-Scratch
“Uhm, Doctor? Are you expecting anyone today?” Spike asked.
“I was supposed to meet with Octavia and take her to this relaxing spot in 19th century Trottingham for a nice picnic, but that was yesterday ... Or was it today … Or tomorrow?-Oh never mind, but for now I would say no, why?” he asked, looking back at the scroll with Twilight.
Knock-Knock-Scratch-Scratch
This time, all three heard the pattern of knocks and scratches from the door. The Doctor and Twilight immediately came behind Spike and listened again for the pattern.
Knock-Knock-Scratch-Scratch-Knock-Knock-Scratch-Scratch
The Doctor opened the door and walked out, turning his head at the scenery. The TARDIS had landed on a hill overlooking Sweet Apple Acres, the evergreen forest on the outer edge, the mountains, Ponyville up and down the road from the farm; all of it under one sunny afternoon. The scenery was captivating, but not for long as he picked up a familiar hooting sound. He looked up, and saw Owlowiscious sitting on top of the lantern. Twilight and Spike poked their heads out from the doorway, looking up to see their pet.
“OWLOWISCIOUS!” they cheered in happiness. The owl hooted and flew into the TARDIS.
“Doctor!” the faint shout of Ditzy’s voice cried out. Followed by, “Twilight! Spike!” from Pinkie Pie. The trio turned back to see their friends galloping up the hill towards them.
“Derpy?!”
“Pinkie Pie?!” Twilight and Spike noticed.
“What are you two doing here?” the Doctor asked.
“I was ... and she was ... and it was ... then we ... Phew!” Ditzy kept trying to get her sentence out, but stopped in between for a few breathers.
“Derpy, relax. Take a breather, both of you. And come into the TARDIS”
“B-but there’s no time!” Pinkie exclaimed.
“Excuse me, but did you happen to forget that I am a Time Lord, and that this is a time machine?”
“You don’t understand! Ponyville is in grave danger!” Ditzy started to catch her breath as she and Pinkie Pie walked into the TARDIS.
“What do you mean grave danger?” Spike asked. Pinkie took in one deep gasp of air into her lungs and smiled to see Twilight and Spike were safe. Suddenly the mare grabbed the unicorn and the dragon together, hugging them as tight an anaconda.
“Oh great! Now that she’s able to breathe again-GAH! She’s going to kill us by hugging out every last bit of-OOMPH! Air we have left-AGH!” Spike proclaimed, feeling choked by Pinkie’s hug.
“Pinkie, can you-GAK! Let us go?!” Twilight begged before finally being let free of Pinkie’s grasp.
“Oh I knew you guys were alright!” Pinkie bounced all around the console, with glee to see her friends out of harm’s way.
“Well of course we would be alright, why wouldn’t we be?” Spike asked.
“The library duh! It was left in shambles, and we thought something bad happened to you two” Pinkie explained.
“Thank you for your the concerns, but we can assure you that we are okay, and there was a reason behind the mess you two saw.” Twilight reassured.
“But how did you escape the big gooey black thing we found too?” Pinkie Pie asked.
“I’m sorry, what? A big black gooey thing?” the Doctor joined in, surprised to hear this sudden information.
“Yeah, the big black slime creature that was in the library … you’re telling us that you didn’t see it?”
“To be honest, we don’t know what you’re talking about” Spike proclaimed, “You see, the Library was left in shambles because of a spell Twilight used, which somehow blasted our home into smithereens.”
“And in the process, we somehow came across this unicorn we found in the midst of the destruction … but we know nothing about a slime creature” Twilight explained.
“Maybe it’d be best if you can explain what happened” the Doctor suggested.
“Okay. So, it started out this morning when I was delivering mail. I stopped by Sugar Cube Corner where Pinkie Pie was waiting for my deliveries. Then we started chatting about The Doctor’s really cool gift he gave me for my birthday, and that I was keeping the muffin to eat for later. Then when I was about to leave, Pinkie Pie suggested-” Ditzy was suddenly cut off by Pinkie.
“I suggested that since the Cakes wouldn’t need my help for today to run Sugar Cube Corner, that it would be cool and fun if I hung out with her on her mail route.”
“Right and then-” Ditzy started up again, until Pinkie kept on going.
“And then for the entire morning we went around town delivering mail, eating sweets, debating on the fact that Cupcakes are better than Muffins, and-”
“Excuse me, but if I remember it, we settled that Muffins are the superior bakery sweets” Ditzy corrected.
“No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! We left it at a draw. Plus it is so obvious that when it comes to this issue, every Pony prefers the deliciously sweet taste of Cupcakes than the okay taste you get from Muffins.”
Twilight and Spike rolled their eyes as the Doctor began to repeatedly bang his head on the console, annoyed once again by the reprise of this annoying debate between the two ponies.
“But if you look at the balance of a cupcake, you’ll see that they are 20% Tastier than any Muffin!”
“Well at least a Muffin’s taste doesn’t need to hide under all that frosting! It’s not fake like your glittery show off cupcakes!”
“Glittery?! Fake?! Why I oughta-”
“LADIES PLEASE! GRAVE DANGER, you said; IMPORTANT, you said; BIG BLACK GOOEY THING, you said! Now can we just skip the pointless debate, and get to the main part?!” The Doctor frustratingly commanded.
“... Sorry Doctor” Ditzy apologized.
“Me too, Doctor” Pinkie said.
“It’s fine. It’s all fine. Just tell us what the problem?” the Time Lord asked.
“Hold your horses! We’re getting there ... Soon we went to Twilight’s house, and it looked as if a hurricane went through it!” Pinkie spun around as she kept explaining, “So then we charged into there like this! Charge!” The pony ran out the doors of the TARDIS and kicked them in, totally exaggerating the situation.
“So when we came in, we kept searching around if you two were okay. Then we saw Owlowiscious who looked alright, until he started vomiting up this black ooze. It was totally gross! Eww, even thinking about it makes me shiver” Ditzy explained. The Doctor pulled out his glasses and immediately scanned the owl with his Sonic Screwdriver, waving it about until the device could detect the dried stains of the ooze from Owlowiscious feathers and talons.
“And then out of nowhere, it suddenly sprang to life. Creeping along the floor like an ugly slug. Slowly and slowly oozing its way across the floor towards us!” Pinkie grabbed the Owl and Ditzy, reenacting the entire event with them leaning up against the doors.
“We had no idea what to do, but then Owlowiscious came up with the best way out!” Ditzy explained.
“How?” Spike asked.
“Ditzy’s butt” Pinkie proclaimed.
“Her what?!” Twilight raised and eyebrow.
“Ah yes, her buns of steel! Good job my little owly friend, now stand still. I need a better reading” the Doctor complemented, continuing to scan the bird
“Pinkie! You didn’t have to mention that!”
“Then thanks to her butt, we rolled out of your house before that thing can do anything to us ... like so!” Pinkie opened the door.
“Wait, wait, Pinkie Pie! No!” Ditzy screamed, but it was too late as the Pegasus rolled outside with Pinkie Pie back down the hill. Twilight sighed as Spike chuckled at their antics.
“That’s interesting … oh wait a tick” the Doctor said and squinted at the Sonic Screwdriver.
“What is it Doctor?” Twilight asked. The Time Lord pondered at the scans, sensing something oddly familiar about it. Suddenly as he looked even closer and closer, he noticed the correlation of the smeared dried ooze on the Owl’s feathers. Right then and there, he knew what he was staring at.
“Oh. Oh! Oh-Oh-Oh-Oh-Oh dear God, this is incredible!” he cheered. The Doctor took his glasses off, and ran around the console. He didn’t take notice of the monitor, as it continued to scan the Maestro. He switched it to another setting. Ditzy and Pinkie walked back into the TARDIS, pulling out grass and twigs from their manes.
“How can a big black gooey thing living inside our home be incredible?” Twilight asked, until she and the gang started grabbing onto anything from falling over due to the familiar shakes and rattles of the TARDIS going into flight.
“Ditzy, Pinkie, did you say that Ooze you saw was glowing green? And did it have a purple spots coloration? Any tentacles?” the Doctor asked, shouting as time machine was working its engines.
“Yes, yes, and yes” Ditzy and Pinkie said together.
“And you said it made you feel queasy inside. Like as if you too felt like vomiting it up, right then and there?!” he called out from across the room.
“Yes” the two answered again.
“Oh this is excellent!” the Doctor said, “Because you two and Owlowiscious were in the presence of a living Vortexnia Siconous Dibrandis Vortex Ooze
“Vortex Ooze?!” the gang shouted in unison as the TARDIS finally stopped.
“Though it is very exciting to know that there is still a living Vortexnia Siconous Dibrandis roaming about, I must say that this could be very dangerous!”
“What? Why? How?” Twilight asked.
“I'll explain on the way. In the meantime, I'll need somebody to stay behind and look after the Maestro. Seeing that he was YOUR
“Spike, I think you should stay here with Owlowiscious.”
“Ah, come on Twilight, it’s my home too!”
“Yeah, but this is Time Lord Stuff. Spike, I don’t want some kind of alien to hurt you. Whatever happened in the library after we left may still be there, and I cannot allow it to hurt you or make you feel queasy like the Doctor said.”
“But why do I get stuck here babysitting that Maestro fellow?”
“Spike, you remember how the Maestro was when he realized he had Amnesia. If he wakes up and finds himself in an alien spaceship, who knows what else can happen? Look, I’m so happy that you want to come along and help out, your … courageous spirit is another reason why you’re my number one assistant”
“Oh you don’t have to say that …” Spike blushed to Twilight’s compliment, “… Actually keep going, I like being told that I’m your number one assistant”
“Shut up, you silly dragon” Twilight and Spike giggled as The Doctor waited at the door, while Ditzy and Pinkie walked outside.
“Miss Sparkle, if we do want to stop the Ooze then I suggest we go right now” The Doctor said.
“I’ll be with you guys in a second. Now look Spike I want you to stay and just look over the monitors, if there’s anything weird going on. Just stay here and don’t touch anything or else-”
“Or else if I Press the wrong button, I’ll blow up the moon or block out the sun or whatever time machines do when things go bad. I know, I know. Twilight, if you want me to stay, then I will stay. Anything for my best friend”
“Aww, you’re so cute when you listen to me … for once” Twilight smiled and hugged Spike. They knew everything was going to be alright. Twilight grabbed her saddle, and walked over to the doorway.
“Don’t worry; you guys go stop that ooze thing, and I'll make sure that the Maestro is safe and sound.”
Spike saluted the gang as they galloped out the doors. Initially, after exiting the TARDIS, the ponies recognized that they landed right by the bridge to the center of town. Twilight led the charge back to her library as things inside the TARDIS were about to get weirder for Spike and the sleeping stranger.
The Stranger From The Vortex
Ponyville’s sunny and cheery day kept almost every pony with an utmost confidence to go through it with little to no trouble at all. Though the boom from the Golden Oaks library caught many of the towns folk's’ attention, it didn’t necessarily scare them as her scientific experiments have always had these similar effects in the past. Luckily for Twilight, Ditzy, Pinkie, and The Doctor, there seemed to be no activity going on around the Library. However, just to be safe, Twilight used her magic and teleported herself and her friends to the door.
“You know, I’m still not use to that. It leaves my body feeling a little tipsy” the Doctor commented.
“Oh no, just look at this tree” Twilight groaned out. The others soon took notice to what Twilight was looking at. The leaves, the branches, the bark, the sap, and the roots moving along the ground were looking greyer and sicker than they were when Twilight and Spike left the house. Heck, the tree looked far worse than earlier when Ditzy and Pinkie dropped by. Owlowiscious looked up at the tree and cringed.
“It’s alright Owlowiscious; you don’t have to go in with us. In fact, go to Fluttershy’s. I’m sure if she’s there or not, it would be safe for you if you stay. Ok?” Twilight asked of her pet bird. It shook its head and rubbed itself against her cheeks. Spike hugged the Owl before it finally flew away to Fluttershy’s home.
“This doesn’t look good at all. Well we better get started before-” the Doctor suddenly cringed when he and the others heard a familiar voice.
“Yoo-hoo, Twilight! Oooh Twilight, is that you my dear?” the four ponies turned back to see Ponyville’s very own fashionista taking her time, walking over to the group.
“Rarity! Hi!” Twilight said with a fake smile on her face.
“Hello dear, how have you been?” Rarity asked as she hugged Twilight, rolling her eyes at her friend interrupting their mission.
“Oh you know, just … hanging out with my friends” Twilight said. Rarity then noticed the others behind Twilight.
“Hello, Pinkie Pie. Good day, Miss Hooves Oh … hello, Dr. Clockwork” Rarity waved her hoof at the two mares, but changed her tone once she saw The Doctor.
“Hi, Rarity!” Pinkie Pie enthusiastically greeted.
“Hi Rarity, and its Doo; Ditzy Doo, remember?” Ditzy reminded.
“Oh yes, quite right, but I find hooves much more unique. Wouldn’t you say so, Clockwork?” Rarity said as she slowly approached The Doctor.
“Y-y-yeah. Kinda have to agree with that …” the Time Lord said, feeling awkward at the moment. Even after a thousand years, talking to flirty girls wasn’t something he'd seemed to have a full handle on.
“Soooo, Rarity! What are you doing here? Right now? And not at the shop making your dresses?” Twilight said, getting in between her friend and The Doctor.
“Oh darling, can’t a friend just drop by without being questioned why?” Rarity innocently asked, still having her eyes on The Doctor.
“Yeah, can’t she?!” Pinkie added. Twilight rolled her eyes as she pulled Pinkie back to her side.
“Come on Rarity, this you we’re talking about. There has to be a reason” Twilight acknowledged.
“Fine, you got me. Was it that obvious?” Rarity said, pouting her lips.
“Yes, now what is it you’re here for?” Twilight asked.
“Being the highest of fashion here in Ponyville, I need to keep up with the latest trends. But I’ve had a brilliant idea of bringing back top hats with my latest design for a jacket I'm putting together for stallions” Rarity explained.
“So why do you need me?”
“You didn't let me finish. So the reason I'm here is because I remember you having such a book of historical fashion references of the past 200 years”
“Oh you mean the 'Who's who and What's what in Fashion: Three Centuries of the Art of Fashion' right?” Twilight asked.
“Yes, that one; so if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to borrow it” Rarity said as she walked past her friends to the door.
“NO!” Pinkie and Ditzy jumped in front of her, and caused Rarity to fall back on her romp.
“What?! Pinkie! Miss Hooves! Why did you do that?!” she demanded, getting herself up from the grass. Rarity didn't take notice of the dying grass or the many sickening details of the tree, but she definitely had her eyes on the mail-mare and the party pony.
“Because!” Pinkie said
“Because what?!” Rarity growled.
“Because … I don't have it!” Twilight said.
“What? But how? After all, I saw it yesterday next to those old scrolls you were reading” Rarity clearly remembered.
“Oh ... Right, well you see ... Uhm” Twilight tried to come up with an excuse, but nothing could come to her head.
“Yes?” Rarity asked, raising an eyebrow at her friend.
“Well it’s obvious isn't it?” The Doctor said, butting into the sentence.
“What is, sweet Clockwork?” Rarity asked, looking straight into his eyes.
“If Twilight doesn't have it, then someone must have obviously borrowed it. After all, this is a Library, right?” The Doctor explained.
“Riiiight. You’re so smart, Dr. Clockwork” Rarity complemented.
“Yes, I know” The Doctor agrees.
“Well if that's true ...” Rarity said, grabbing his Bowie, making him feel very awkward, “THEN WHO HAS IT!” Rarity gripped the bow tie and growled out loud.
“Fluttershy!” Pinkie Pie blurted out.
“Fluttershy?” Rarity asked, surprised to hear of all the ponies to borrow the book that it was Fluttershy who asked. She let go of the Doctor who fixed his bow tie and gasped for aid. Ditzy walked to him and happily fixed his tie.
“Y-Yeah, she stopped by this morning, and asked if she can borrow it” Twilight explained.
“Really?” Rarity asked, suspicious of the possibility.
“Uh-huh! She even stopped by Sugar Cube Corner, telling me how she was preparing her own dresses. And I've got to say, she is doing really good” Pinkie Pie added.
“How good?” Rarity asked.
“When I say good … I mean REALLY GOOD. So good, it could even rival YOUR dresses that you prepared for us for the Grand Galloping Gala coming up this week!” Pinkie Pie said, making Rarity gasp at the thought of her dress being rivaled by Fluttershy's.
“No way!” Rarity gasped.
“Yes way!” Twilight and Pinkie Pie said together, worrying their friend more.
“Looks like that I'll need to pay a visit to Fluttershy's. Excuse me girls and Clockwork, but I must be leaving. Ta-Ta!” Rarity said, rushing back to her home. She growled and ground her teeth together as she walked away from the ponies. Twilight turned back to her friends and all of them started to laugh at how they went along with the surprise visit by Rarity. Especially the Doctor, who was happy to see the fashionista quickly walk away.
“HAHAHAHA! Oh, oh my, now that ... that was hilarious” he said, wiping the tears from his eyes.
“HAHAHA! ... Yes-hmm" twilight said, taking in some air as the moment was dying down “Okay, okay. As hilarious as that was, I think it's time we got down to business with this Ooze thing you two saw”
“Right! Derpy, do you have the hazmat suits I designed for Ponies?” The Doctor asked.
“Right here, and I stitched them with our cutie marks” Ditzy said, pulling them out of her mailbag. The Doctor soon took notice of this, and smiled at his assistant, but lost it when he realized that there was only two.
“Uhm, Derpy. Didn’t I tell you to get four?” he asked.
“No, you said two” Ditzy corrected.
“No I said get two pairs” The Doctor said.
“Yeah, but then I thought to myself, why would he want two pears? He hates pears” she explained, obviously getting confused with his request.
“I don't mean PEARS, I meant PAIRS. Like pairs of shoes or pairs of pants!” The Doctor’s examples confused the bunch.
“Shoes? Pants? You’re talking crazy again, Doctor” Ditzy said.
“Oh forget it!” The Doctor said, rubbing his scalp in frustration, “Okay, then I guess two of us will have to stay behind, and two of us will have to go in and deal with the Vortexnia Siconous Dibrandis.”
“I’ve had enough stomach churning experiences for today, so I’ll stay here and keep an eye out for anything” Pinkie said, saluting the Doctor and immediately scouting out the place with her eyes.
“Okay, so who’s the lucky mare to come with The Doctor? Oh I know, how about we flip a coin, what do you say to that?”
“Yay!” Ditzy cheered.
“A coin, are you serious right now? At a time such as this, and besides you didn’t even explain what we’re dealing with is dangerous or not” Twilight mentioned.
“You know battles have been won by flipping a coin” The Doctor added as Ditzy pulled out a coin.
“Name three?” Twilight dared.
“The Battle of Glastnoc Six between the Slitheens and Sontarans, The Battle of Davros’ Dalek Army and the Time Lords in the Last Great Time War, and the Battle of Jelly Babies and Bananas back when I was human … sad lost for the Jelly Babies that day. Now, let’s see who it’s going to be!” The Doctor so enthusiastically said he flipped the coin in the air and caught it. The Doctor slapped it onto his hoof and looked back at the two.
“Which one do you choose girls? Will it be heads or tails?” The Doctor asked.
“I pick heads” Twilight answered.
“Heads … I-I mean, Tails!” Ditzy corrected himself. The Doctor took a peek and smiled.
“Well Miss Sparkle, get that hazmat suit on because it’s about to get a little icky and sticky in there.”
“Aw” Ditzy said, disappointed with the end results.
“Sorry Ditzy” Twilight apologized with the suit in her hooves.
“Oh that’s alright Twilight, at least The Doctor is with a friend of mine to keep him company” Ditzy accepted.
“Oh Derpy, don’t be sad there. Listen, next time, you get to put on the hazmat suit when we’re in the presence of a dangerous threat that could end all life on this Earth, okay?” The Doctor’s subtleness didn’t play too well for Twilight, but it definitely brought a smile to Ditzy’s face. Her bubbly personality definitely stuck out with positivity.
“Okay, but be careful in there. I don’t want to see any vomit on my cutie mark stitches!” Ditzy made a scrunchy face at The Doctor, who only chuckled back at its cuteness.
“I promise. Now both of you stay out here, no matter what happens, do not come in. Do you understand?” The Doctor requested as Twilight, now with the full suit on, helped the Time Lord put his helmet on.
“Yes sir!” Ditzy and Pinkie saluted.
“Alright then; Come on Twilight, time to take a dip in that ooze. Geronimo!” the Doctor said as he opened the door and took a plunge into the Library. Twilight followed right after, and shut the door behind her.
***
Ten Minutes after going into the Library, and all away across the town, Spike and the now fully energized Maestro were quickly pacing themselves through the busy Market to get to the four ponies. The Maestro nearly had his jaw hanging to the ground as his eyes were looking over here and over there and over yonder at the numerous ponies around him. Each one with different colors, different sizes and shapes different genders and ages, and even different types. There were Earth Ponies, Pegasi, and Unicorns like him walking through the Market. There were stores and kiosks and vendors selling with customers buying to their hearts content.
“Yowzah! Look at this place; IT; IS; AMAZING!” he shouted; nearly catching many ponies attention. He didn’t have time to notice that the blanket around him was nearly torn up and mangled with some dirt as it dragged a little behind him. Spike soon took notice and frowned at the Maestro’s careless hold of the bed sheet.
“Can you be careful with the blanket, please?” Spike asked, catching the Maestro’s attention to tie it up again; firmly around his waist. Suddenly his stomach started to growl again, loud enough for Spike to hear as well.
“Owwww, that hurts. Hey Spike, I know Twilight means a whole lot to you, and I’m sure with those bells tolling that it might mean that something might have happened to her and The Doctor, but I am starting to get really hungry right about now. Ooof!” The Maestro asked, stopping to wrap a hoof around his belly.
“Are you serious? Like right now?” Spike asked.
“Yes, it is definitely an emergency. I don’t think my body can hold on much longer to the hunger. Agh!” The Maestro groaned.
“Fine, let’s try and get you something to eat, and quickly” Spike said. He turned around, eyeing for any food cart he could see. Onions; maybe, but he won’t like that bad breath. Raisins … hmm, maybe not? Prunes won’t work, he’s not old yet … or is he? Let’s see, he’ll need something that’ll keep him full … Now what’s healthy and keeps me full right after? Ah-ha! Spike found a cart of Durians, and grabbed the Maestro. They ran up to the cart where a light yellow pony with a green swirly mane stood by. She looked down at Spike as he held up three bits for one of her Durians. She sliced the fruit open to reveal its innards.
“Here, have this.” Spike said, holding the fruit up to the Maestro. The unicorn instantly grabbed it and took one big chunk out of the fruit. The dragon sighed with relief to see the unicorn eating, until he suddenly watched the Maestro groan and run off. He raised an eyebrow and followed the unicorn, but stopped once he could hear the horrific sounds of vomiting. Spike cringed at each vomit, but looked back to see the Maestro waddle back towards him. He wiped his mouth and shook his head.
“Yuck! That was disgusting, what was that awful fruit?!” the Maestro asked.
“A Durian, you really didn’t like that?” Spike asked.
“That is possibly, the worst fruit I ever ate! You like that?” the Maestro spat out some leftover vomit.
“I actually do, even though most of my friends would rather eat tree bark than a Durian. Maybe it wasn’t a good choice.” Spike said, thinking about it over.
“Gee, really?! Now my stomach is emptier than before! Can’t you find me anything else?” the Maestro begged.
“Alright! Ugh, let’s get this over with” Spike groaned.
For the next five to ten minutes, he would regret this decision as the Maestro went on a hunger spree. His mouth took chunks of food in and spat them right back out … or worse, vomited the foods right back out. Almost every fruit, almost every vegetable, almost every delectable meal from sandwiches to salads to even fatty goods had him feeling sick to the stomach and hungrier than before. Spike only had five bits left, getting him even more frustrated.
“Agh! You call that a meal?!” the Maestro said to the owner of a cinnamon bun stand, “I’d rather eat Dirt than that piece of garbage!”
“Listen buddy, you asked for it, and if you didn’t like it then it sucks to be you! Now I don’t care if you think it’s garbage, you gotta pay me up, right now!” the owner said in a Manehattan accent.
“Ugh, alright, but four bits for that is highway robbery! Spike, pay the man and let’s leave this sad excuse for a cinnamon bun kiosk” the Maestro demanded.
“Wait, you said it was two bits; how can it now be four?!” Spike asked, stunned to hear the price increased by double.
“It was, until I bought this water … THE ONLY THING THAT ACTUALLY TASTES GOOD AROUND HERE!” the Maestro shouted around, looking at the other food stands and their angry owners.
“Uhm, Maestro. I only have two; you should have told me that you wanted a bottle of water! I can’t pay him for your mistake!” Spike said.
“Oh, I see … look, about that cinnamon thing. You know that I was only kidding right? A-A-A joke, right?” the Maestro said, with an innocently fake smile on his face. He nervously chuckled as the big earth pony looked down at him.
“Sure, sure, but tell me, are you still interested in this other food I got. It’s free and for customers just like you” the vendor mentioned, with a menacing tone in his voice. He walked around the kiosk, getting Spike nervous and exciting the Maestro.
“Really? Oh how exciting because maybe then we can trade my sorry for that?” The Maestro asked.
“You’ll be sorry alright, and don’t worry; I’ll give you two of my specials. One for you and your little dragon friend” the vendor said, walking slowly up to the two.
“That’s fantastic, so what is it?” the Maestro eagerly asked.
“I call it … DIRT!” the vendor said as he grabbed the two. The other food owners noticed this, and cheered as they heard a neigh and two bucking punches. The Maestro and Spike screamed as they were bucked hard in the bellies, and were sent sky high and out of the Market place.
“And stay out! If I see you two back here again, I’ll not only mess up your lunches, but your faces too!” the vendor shouted, getting an unexpected victory cry from the other sellers. He bowed before going back to his spot as other customers came in. Spike and The Maestro were split apart and landed nearly half a mile away. Spike screamed as he landed face first into the ground, breaking the dirt and catching it in his mouth. He groaned for a moment and shook his head, rubbing it with his hands.
“Spike?!” a familiar voice called out to him. He looked right up and saw the most majestic site straight from the heavens above. It was Rarity and he landed right outside of her Shop.
***
The Doctor and Twilight looked up at the sudden make over to the Library. The Library looked like the scene of a murder, but instead of blood splattered everywhere, it was the blotches of ooze going along the destroyed Library. Below their hooves, they could feel the potent black slime, bubbling like hot oil. Luckily for them, the suits could stand the heat, but they couldn’t see the mist that was forming around them. The windows were sealed up with the Ooze. Twilight was in shock to see her home left in such an utter mess.
“Doctor, this … this is completely unimaginable” Twilight said, sighing as her eyes kept seeing layer upon layer of destruction.
“Well that’s what happens when you open a rift in time and space, you never know what’ll come out of it. Trust me, I have that kind of experience” The Doctor said, “In fact I remember this one time when I-”
“Doctor! Can’t you see what’s going on? This thing Ditzy and Pinkie found has turned my house into a swamp of black goo. Just look at the windows, they’re sealed up. And my feet are obviously stepping in it, and my books … oh my lovely books must be in ruins after this! So can we please start explaining what we’re dealing with?!” Twilight demanded. The Doctor frowned, but knew that she was right.
“Okay, so let’s start at the beginning.” he began, “In the beginning when the universe was created, so was the Time Vortex. Stars and planets and moons and asteroids and atoms and particles and elements and organisms grew out of this explosion, as well as evolve along with the Vortex. Now most species don’t know the existence of the Vortex, again you like every other creature I’ve met think Time is a linear line, when it’s really more complex”
“By complex, about how much do you say?” Twilight asked.
“I know I’ve said this before, but think of it as a ball of wibbly wobbly timey wimey … stuff. And some of this stuff has been able to grow and living inside the Vortex” the Doctor explained, pulling out a radiation meter.
“Like your people, the Time Lords?” Twilight asked.
“No.” The Doctor continued, “The Time Lords were only exposed to the Vortex, giving us our abilities to regenerate and live for a very long time within one incarnation. No, there are some creatures who have actually evolved to live inside the vortex. I’ve battled some, but the Vortex Ooze is one I’ve always tried to avoid.”
“How so?” Twilight asked as the Doctor held up his radiation meter to the misty floor. The two weren’t noticing the sap coming straight out of a crack in the wall.
“About five million light years ago, back in my universe, Gallifrey faced a plague that came from the Vortex itself. It was unbelievably horrible. Much like the black plague, it left death in its wake. Children, adults, and even the elders were dying off for seven centuries. It would die down, but then begin again. Now my people were gifted with knowledge, but the Vortex Ooze was unpredictable, adapting to almost every possible era of time to fit the disease”
“Like an ever evolving virus!” Twilight said as she opened the door to her laboratory. A green glow was coming from below crack in the wall as the ooze kept seeping out.
“Exactly, and it was so powerful that it took the might of our Lord President, Rassilon himself to stop the virus. He nearly wiped it out of time itself by going to the moment of creation of the vortex and using his gauntlet to completely erase the virus from history. However he knew the paradoxes would be too impossible to fix it, so instead he scattered every version of the virus to other planets as small illnesses across the universe.” The Doctor explained. He noticed how the glass on his helmet was starting to get foggy. He rubbed it, noticing how the ooze was still scattered across the walls, even seeping from the roots overhead.
“That’s insane, only a mad stallion would do that” Twilight commented.
“You’d be surprise how mad and corrupted a great society like the Time Lords can be after 50 million years of isolation and several Time Wars. Legend has it that Rassilon kept the original virus, sentient in being, locked in the Vortex. Never to be released under any circumstances.” the Doctor finished.
“So how could it have been let loose here in my home? I mean, not unless it came out of the time spell I made” Twilight asked.
“Well if it did come through the rift that you conjured up with your ‘time spell’ then it could be possible that it was just living inside it waiting for some kind of life form or ship to jump on to take the chance to escape”
“So wait, then that means that it could have come in when the Maestro came out of the vortex too!” Twilight realized.
“Yes, and sadly the rift has been closed. The radiation in here is dangerously high, so whatever you do, be careful and don’t get your suit damaged.” The Doctor reminded
“You don’t have to tell me twice” Twilight said as she pulled out a small case from her saddle using her magic. She laid it on the tables of her now ruined science tools. She opened it and looked at the weird device on the inside, resembling a vacuum cleaner in design.
“What is this?” she asked.
“It’s a gift I got from the hospital planet of Heathronion II. Sort of a virus cleaner, I’ve adjusted it to take on the Vortex Ooze, and it can last for about thirty minutes in this radiation. I suggest we start working on it right away” The Doctor said as he started to program the machinery. Twilight watched over his methods to activate it, whilst the ooze finally sunk right out of the crack in the wall. The central green orb of the Vortex Ooze slowly swirled in the misty floor, pulling in the pool of slime together as well as the many blobs sticking to the wall. Slowly and surely the Vortex Ooze pulled itself together to create something unexpected for Celestia’s Top Student and The Time Lord.
***
A good couple minutes had passed by as did the customers in the Market, but off in a bush several yards away was the tired and hungry body of the Maestro. Thanks to that vendor at the cinnamon bun stand from earlier, he lied there taking a small nap up against the ground and bush, with dirt in his mouth. He was snoring for a while, until suddenly his mind woke up again. Instead of a shocking wake up call, the Maestro’s nap was interrupted by a wooden wheel of a cart that rolled into his face.
“Ow!” he yelped as the cart wheel hit his forehead. He rubbed his forehead while the two ponies who were pulling the cart stopped once the Maestro pulled himself out of the bush. He shook his head, trying to get a steady look at what woke him up, but the sunlight pierced his eyes. The Maestro groaned and shielded his eyes from the sun, until two shadows walked up to him. He looked up and squinted before finally seeing a female Earth Pony and a filly beside her.
“Uh-oh, are you alright mister?” the older pony said, with a southern accent.
“I … think so. Sorry, but it seems that your cart woke me up from my … dirt nap, hehe” the Maestro said, still shaking his head as he now a clear vision at the two ponies. The older pony had a light orange coat, looking more like a light brilliant gamboge, and a blonde color to her mane and tail with an olive tint to them. He took notice of her red scrunchie wrapped near the end of her hair. The Maestro’s eyes quickly took account her Stetson hat, making her look really cool, as well as three white freckles on her cheeks, and especially the marvelous sap green pupils of her eyes.
“Dang it little sister, I told you to be careful with that cart” the orange pony said to her young filly companion.
“Sorry big sis’ I wasn’t listening because I was giggling” the little one said, tipping off to the Maestro that these two were related. He soon also quickly took notice of the young filly’s yellow coat, very similar to the color of her older sister’s mane, as well as the color of her eyes as same as her older sister’s coat. The filly’s light red hair was topped with a big and cute pink bow on top.
“Now apologize to this unicorn before he gets anymore mad” the older sister demanded. The young filly’s eyes looked up at the Maestro, big and sad as he stared back. Even her sadness made his heart flutter at its cuteness.
“Oh it’s alright, I’m sure she didn’t mean it. Right little filly?” The Maestro asked, smiling down at her
“Yes sir!” she said, turning that frown upside down.
“I understand, but my little sister needs to be more careful when we go out to the market” the pony with a Stetson explained
“The Market, you say? Why, are you off to buy something? Because if you are, don’t. That place is horrible, and I don’t mean the vendors, the food too. Yuck!” the Maestro asked, turning back to the general direction he flew from.
“No, no, we’re just off to sell our treats to some hungry customers” the older pony said. Suddenly the word hungry made his stomach growl, and the slight headache came back to him.
“Aow!” the Maestro groaned, feeling the pain of an empty stomach made him sit back down.
“Are you alright there sugar cube?!” the older sister asked. The younger filly walked beside him as her sister checks his head.
“Don’t worry about it my dear, it’s just a slight hunger cramp; you see-Ow! I haven’t eaten at all today, and when you said ‘hungry’ Agh! Well my stomach and brain started to act up again. All I need to do is find my dragon friend and get to some kind of eatery. That Market is terrible when it comes to food … sushi, avocados, tofu, tangerines, oh don’t get me started on the durians!” the Maestro explained.
“Apple Bloom, get this stallion here one of our apples. Don’t worry sir, everything’s gonna be just fine. By the way, my name’s Applejack” the older sister said, shaking the Maestro’s hoof.
“Maestro, the name’s Maestro. Oh thank you Apple … Seed?” he asked, trying to remember the little one’s name
“Apple Bloom sir, and here, takes it. You look like you really need it” Apple Bloom said, passing a red shiny apple to the unicorn. He looked at it and took one big bite, hoping this time that his stomach would like it. All of a sudden, the Maestro’s taste buds sent shocks throughout his entire body. Bits of the apple were smushed in his jaw as the juices flowed along his tongue. The chunks and bits of apple went down his throat, and splashed inside the acid pool of his stomach. The sweet nectar of the fruit made him moan with sheer delight! Fireworks were going off everywhere inside his mouth and mind.
“MMMMM!” he muffled with the fruit in his mouth. This was just his first bite, and a smile just grew across his face. He gulped the most delicious meal of his entire existence, and he cherished the next bite more than the first one. Applejack and Apple Bloom smiled at each other to see the stranger happy with their apple. Soon enough the Maestro finished the fruit, feeling warm and fuzzy inside his own belly. His stomach no longer growled and his head ache slightly left.
“So how was it?” Apple Bloom asked with a big smile.
“Apple Bloom, Applejack, that was the best piece of fruit I’ve ever had in my entire existence” The Maestro exclaimed.
“Well that’s mighty kind of you to say so Mister Maestro, sir” Applejack said.
“I’m just sad that I can’t repay you back with bits because, you see, I’ve lost my dragon friend” The Maestro explained, “Maybe you know him. About yay high, purple scales, green spikes along his back, and green lizard eyes.”
“You mean Spike? You’re friends with Spike?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Yes, if you can say that under these circumstances” he said, thinking about it.
“Well we saw him just a couple minutes ago with Rarity. Boy does that Dragon love that gal so much, ain’t that right Apple Bloom? Haha!” Applejack laughed as Apple Bloom giggled with her.
“That would be Fantastic. Where at did you see him with this Rarity pony you speak of?” the Maestro excitedly asked.
“At the Carousel Boutique” Apple Bloom said
“Right … Sorry, forgot to mention. I’m new around here, so do you mind if I could get directions to this shop you speak of, if that’s alright?” The Maestro asked.
“Fine by me, Mister Maestro. All you gotta do is just go down this here road, turn a left, and then a right and straight down a road past the post office. You’ll see a big colorful shop that looks like a carousel. You can’t miss it!” Applejack explained, giving simple directions to the Maestro.
“Great! Now don’t you move one inch from here. I’ll be back with my bits before you can say, Yee-Haw!” the Maestro said as he started to gallop away.
“No problem, we’ll be setting up right here. Take your time Mister Maestro, come back now ya hear?!” Apple Bloom shouted. Suddenly they saw the stranger come back and hug them tightly.
“Thank you both so very-” The Maestro kissed Applejack’s cheek, “, very-” and then kissed Apple Bloom’s forehead, “VERY much for all the hospitality! Bye!” He galloped away, leaving the sister’s blushing at his hospitality.
***
Ditzy Doo and Pinkie Pie were beginning to get bored after Twilight and The Doctor walked into the Library. Eventually the two laid down on the grass, and started to play some simple card games.
“Hit or stay?” Ditzy asked, looking so bored.
“Hit me!” Pinkie dared. Ditzy planted another card, face down.
“Hit or Stay?” she asked again.
“Hit me!” Pinkie dared, again.
“Hit or Stay?” she asked once again, losing the mood to keep playing.
“HIT ME!” Pinkie cheered this time. At this point, Pinkie had five cards, and though she wasn’t totally focused, Ditzy looked at her cards doubt that Pinkie would win.
“Hit or stay?” Ditzy asked.
“Final time. I say … HIT ME!” Pinkie Pie dared with a devious smile on her face. Ditzy slapped the card face down.
“Draw!” Ditzy shouted with confidence. The two flipped their cards and it came out to be that Pinkie Pie was the winner of this blackjack game with four 4’s and an Ace card, making it 21 while Ditzy had two 10’s, making it 20 for her.
“I WIN! I WIN! I WIN!” Pinkie said, bouncing around Ditzy who was frowning.
“Dang it! I really need to shuffle these cards better!” she frustratingly said.
“That was fun, up for another game? How about Pony Poker? Go Fish? Pegasus Poker? Lunarjack? Celestial Casino?!” Pinkie said, making tricks with the card in her hooves.
“No” she sighed, “I rather just take a bite of another Doctor muffin” She said as she suddenly lost the mood in playing card games after nearly half an hour. Ditzy wished for another of those Doctor muffins as she looked up at the sickly Library, wondering about her friends inside.
“Why do you look so glum, Ditzy?” Pinkie Pie asked.
“It’s just … well, after these past couple of months going away with the Doctor, it’s been a real blast, but I keep wondering if he does it just because he’s very alone” Ditzy thought about the times she caught the Doctor looking glum, especially when she or the others he knew weren’t with him. When he arrived, he said that he was about 1500 years old and now he was 1603 the day on her birthday. What does he do in that time? Is he on adventures? Does he sulk about being the last time lord? Or is he just trying to push them away, trying to make sure he leaves them without being fully attached.
“What do you mean? How can he be alone when he has me, you, Twilight, Spike, and Octavia who lives with Vinyl Scratch?” Pinkie Pie asked
“The thing is that I keep seeing that he is alone out there, in space and time. He told me how he's lost his friends, and I may not be the brightest of the bunch, but I know that not all good things last forever” she explained.
“Why are you thinking about this? Is it because he went into a library with a dangerous creature ready to leave a plague on us Ponies or is it because he went in with Twilight instead?” Pinkie Pie asked. Ditzy didn't respond, and though she preferred to be with him than Twilight at this moment, she mostly focused on how lonely he felt.
It reminded her of a time when she was alone; feeling alienated by the other ponies of Ponyville and Clouds Dale. At the time, she only knew Carrot Top, Pinkie Pie, and felt like to even know Rainbow Dash through her schooling. With the Doctor, her friends now went beyond to those three and soon she became less alienated in Ponyville. Thanks to this alien from another galaxy, she no longer felt like the town doofus, even if she was clumsy at times. Yet, as she laid there feeling sad, Pinkie Pie thought up of a plan to make her friend smile again. She looked right around and recognized that very familiar path up ahead back to Sugar Cube Corner, and a light bulb popped over her head. The light flickered a bit, but Ditzy didn't take notice. Pinkie grabbed the bulb and shook it
“Ditzy, this lookout is leaving me a bit peckish. How about I go and grab us some treats down at Sugar Cube Corner. I got some banana muffins at the shop” Pinkie Pie said in a sing-song tone. The Pegasus looked up and smiled a bit, she then nodded to Pinkie Pie who walked off to get the sugary snacks. Ditzy rested to keep thinking about the time lord who's hiding his loneliness behind a mask that even her abnormal eyes could see through.
***
The Doctor’s so called, “Virus Cleaner” was whirring and beeping as he and Twilight Sparkle were adjusting it for their mission. Twilight used her magic to scoop up the ooze along the walls into three large glass tubes. She then stuck them into the machine, and watched as it lit up. Seconds went by as The Doctor adjusted the dials alongside the gadget, before finally the once black ooze turned into a pure white slime. The machine dinged, indicating that the final step to activate it was complete. Suddenly a long hose like structure with a funnel at the end of it popped out in a goofy manner.
“Doctor, what’s that?” Twilight asked.
“This? It’s a basically the funnel where this light liquid will come out as a foam. The foam is active with a semi-proper elements to actually dissipate the Vortex Ooze, but because it’s made up of too many illnesses, and it can quickly evolve to the foam then the best thing we can do is just shrink it down to size and contain it in this” The Doctor said as he pulled out a large jar.
“A jar? Really?” Twilight raised an eyebrow at The Doctor.
“Hey! A jar can be really good at holding in all kinds of things; which reminds me, I’ve got to move those jar of gems for Spike’s birthday later” The Doctor commented, “No time to waste, ready with the jar Miss Sparkle! The Doctor’s here to make a House Call!”
The Doctor pulled a cord and string, motorizing the machine and splashing the foam at the walls where he saw the black slime oozing out of the walls. As the white foam touched the ooze, and just as expected, the living slime shrunk down to nearly nothing. The Doctor aimed it at the floor beneath them, and once again shrunk down.
“Haha! Fantastic!” The Doctor cheered, “Quickly Twilight, scoop up what you can shove it into the rear of this thing.”
“I’m on it!” Twilight said and used her magic to scoop up the ooze with The Doctor’s jar. She levitated the jar, and poured the weakened ooze into the Virus Cleaner. Lights along its side went from red, yellow, to green and another bleep popped from it. The Doctor got back to blasting the foam again, this time aiming it all around the place. With more in supply, the slime started to shrink even more than before now. There was still a lot to work to be done within the Library basement, but Twilight quickly grabbed the rest of the smaller and weaker slimes, pouring them into the Virus Cleaner. The Doctor soon noticed that the ooze began to retreat up the stairs back to the main floor of the Library.
“No way are you getting away! Come on Twilight, we're nearly got this thing oozing with fear from us” The Doctor said as he and Twilight followed its trail along the steps. Twilight went up ahead of him while he kept blasting at the roots at the floor to get rid of any low level substances of the ooze. He looked down at the entire basement and the basic pool of foam he's made out of it. The Doctor took notice of the sticky ooze left over on the wall and aimed his radiation meter at it; there was nothing, and just to make sure he quickly scanned it with the sonic screwdriver.
“And nothing, looks like we got this basement well under control. So Miss Sparkle, how's the upstairs look like now?” The Doctor asked, but stumbled as he backed up into his companion.
“Hey, why did you stop? I asked how the main-ooh ... is” He asked before finally turning around. Suddenly his mouth was agape as he now understood why she stopped. From the floor to the ceiling, both ponies stared at the enormous blob that was the Vortex Ooze. All of its slimed substances gathered to one pile, with an eerie suction and sloshing sounds coming from innards of the creature. A green aura started to emanate from the Vortex Ooze as it started to shift and bop from side to side. The tree shook and caused the two to get back to their senses, especially as the creature started to form slimy suction cupped tentacles.
“Doctor!” Twilight yelled as they started moving towards the door.
“Don’t worry, I got this!” The Doctor said as he turned the machine back on.
He rearranged the dials and switches to the maximum setting, and aimed the funnel at the creature. A blast of foam shot out of the funnel, and splattered on top of the Vortex Ooze that reacted with a horrifying below came as it felt a sizzling pain from what was coming out of the machine. The Doctor kept on shooting the foam all around this life form, with no joy at all. Though it was a threat, the screeches and howls coming from it easily indicated it as a biological creature that could feel, but to the Time Lord who understood its disastrous implications if left to live outweighed all of his moral rights to keep it alive in Equestria. Luckily with this foam, he can get it back into the vortex with hope that it can stay there for good. In a matter of minutes, the Ooze was entirely covered in the foam. The Doctor sighed with Twilight. It was over, conquering this ancient virus. Twilight and The Doctor hugged each other, and smiled over their victory. However the hug was short lived as their ears picked up a bubbling noise coming from the pile of foam. The Doctor and Twilight instantly turned around to see the liquid begin to boil and steam up as the tree started to rumble.
Outside Ditzy was spooked as the tree’s roots rattled and rocked the ground beneath her. She startled and jumped back a bit as the earth shook all around her and slowly moved out throughout the town. The Pegasus soon jumped up and flapped her wings to keep herself from falling over by the earthquake. She flew over to the windows, trying to figure out what was going on, but all of them were blocked by the ooze. That is except for the balcony on top of the tree. There was no sign of it up there, so she could easily open it.
“Doctor, look out!” Twilight yelled, catching Ditzy’s attention.
From downstairs, The Doctor and Twilight were ducking and dodging the tentacles of the Vortex Ooze. Miraculously it was able to concentrate on the foam and used its radiated energy to boil the foam. In fact, it was so powerful that it nearly left Twilight tumbling. The Doctor used the last of the foam in the tank and blasted her with it, keeping herself safe from the radiation as his hazmat suit was slowly burning away. Hopefully with him being a Time Lord, his immune system might resist the Ooze’s effects.
“Just stay behind me!” The Doctor said as he tossed the machine at the creature, only to have to jump back once its tentacles slapped it right back. They screamed and felt the ground shake as the black slime quickly started to slither its tentacles into the bark and wood of the Library, forcing its way into the very roots and ground leading outside of the house. At the same time, one of its own tentacles reached out for the two ponies.
“You guys, up here!” Ditzy yelled. They looked up and saw their bubbly friend call them from the upstairs room.
“Derpy, I told you to stay out!” The Doctor yelled as he and Twilight raced to the top of the stairs.
“How can I, when the entire Earth is shaking and the crashing going on in here?!” Ditzy screamed back. The tentacle slithered in the air as it was right behind the three. Twilight used her magic to levitate her furniture and tossed them down the stairs. Each one was split to pieces as the force of the tentacle shattered each one. She closed the door behind her and ran to the balcony. The Ooze busted open the door as she and the Doctor grabbed Ditzy's hooves. The Pegasus used all her strength and wing power to carry them away.
“Ditzy! Watch out for the tentacle!” Twilight yelled as the tentacle stretched out and slapped Ditzy from behind.
“Ah! Whoa!” She yelled as her wings cringed for a second, losing her focus on flying. The weight of her friends made Ditzy loose balance and quickly descend to the Earth. The three screamed as she tried to regain her flight again, but ultimately the unicorn, the Pegasus, and the Time Lord crashed into the only spot Ditzy could think of; Sugar Cube Corner. Back at the library, the tentacle retracted back to its owner before finally slipping through the roots of the tree and sink into the dirt. Slowly and forcefully, it moved its way from the Library and heading towards the heavily populated Market.
The Stranger From The Vortex
Rarity stepped out of her Boutique with a saddle on her back, she fixed her flower hat while also concentrating on her own mission at hand. Her mind was curious about this dress that Fluttershy had created by using the book she intended to borrow. Twilight and Pinkie Pie were so proudly boasting about as if they made it themselves, likely trying to get on her nerves. Oh how they succeeded because now she was making her way to Fluttershy’s. Rarity then remembered something odd and out of place after she had left the gang of friends, Rarity took notice of Clockwork and Twilight heading into the Library, wearing white rubber outfits fitted with helmets. Usually she would question why, but knowing Twilight, best to let the mare do whatever she was planning; possibly they were going in for some spring cleaning. So what was it that made her feel as if something was out of place?
For a powerful unicorn, I’m quite surprised she needs Clockwork to help her with a spring cleaning. Well it is a dusty old Library. Hopefully then I can have make time to catch up with that handsome bow tie stallion. I don’t know she doesn’t get Spike to do it? He’ll pretty much do anything for a little guy.
Suddenly she remembered. Spike wasn’t with the group at all. Now it’s no surprise that there are some moments when Twilight and Spike aren’t always together, but it if they were going to do spring cleaning then where was Spike? Then like the unexpected booming of thunder in a lightning storm, Rarity heard a surprising yell that was coming from behind and getting closer towards the shop; she looked up to see Spike rocketing towards her. Rarity screamed. She ducked and covered as Spike crashed into the ground like an asteroid from the cosmos, until his body stopped before Rarity’s hooves.
“Spike; Spike; are you alright? Oh speak to me, Spikey Wikey?” the ever so comforting voice of Miss Rarity asked to the baby dragon. Spike groaned; he forced his eyelids to open as he rubbed his head. The baby dragon gasped to see in the light that it was Rarity. Immediately Spike dusted himself the very instant he knew who was standing before him.
“Uh, hi, Rarity! What are you doing here?” Spike said, trying to act as if nothing happened.
“What are YOU doing here? I saw you fall out of the sky like a rocket, are you alright?” she asked, concerned that her friend might have broken something.
“Nah, don’t worry about me. I’ll be alright” he said as Rarity paid her attention as to where he came from. Behind her back, Spike yelled in silence as he felt complete pain. He turned back to her with a smile, showing no signs he was still in obvious pain.
“Well if you say so, but why are you here? Why aren’t you with Twilight and her friends at the Library?” she asked Spike, who took a minute to finally snap out of his Rarity warped mind back to reality.
“Twilight; you saw Twilight?” Spike asked.
“Yes, and she was-” Rarity continued, until Spike grabbed her with no hesitant to ask her, “Where?! I need to get to her, she’s in grave danger!”
“How is she in grave danger?! Spike I just saw her with Clockwork, Miss Hooves, and Pinkie Pie. How can she be in danger?” Rarity asked, confused by Spike’s outburst.
“I don’t know, but something about a black slimy creature and the Maes-” he stopped and gasped in shock to realize that The Maestro wasn’t beside him at the fall, “No, no, no, no, no; Where did he go?!”
“Where did who go?” Rarity asked, in confusion at his sudden change.
“The Maestro; he’s a tall unicorn and looks kinda-” Spike said, until Rarity interrupted with her details.
“Does he have a white and dirty coat? Has this sort of crazy look to his body, especially with that black, curly, and silly mane; as well as what looks like a torn up blanket around his waist?” Rarity asked, looking past the dragon and at the white unicorn tripping over, get back up, and jump around up the road. She took notice of how a small family with a father and mother pulled their young filly to the side and turn from the unicorn as he kept shouting what sounded like Spike’s name.
“Yes, but how did you know that was him?” Spike asked, dumbfounded by her many details.
“Spike, Spike!” The Maestro yelled out as he finally caught up with Spike. The dragon turned around, but was trampled as the Maestro jumped out and hugged his friend. Rarity raised an eyebrow as the odd looking unicorn just grab her friend and rustle him around like a rag doll in his hooves.
“Oh how I missed you so much!” he said, emphasis on the ‘so’ as he hugged Spike tightly.
“Nice job on getting us tossed out of the Market!” Spike groaned as he pushed him off.
“The Market; but that’s almost a mile up the road. How did you get thrown far out from there to here?” Rarity asked.
“Some market seller with a Manehattan accent bucked us in the face because this pony called his food fat, watery, and too sugary. Then when he figured out that I couldn’t pay him, the vendor got rid of us the hard way with applause from the other sellers that this stallion offended too!” Spike explained.
“Yes, but I can assure you that Cinnamon Bun vendor was going to get it! In fact, he will once we get back there, right after we pay for that Apple Earth Pony’s most delectable apple!” Maestro said.
“Applejack; you met Applejack already?” Spike asked.
“Yes, now come on” The Maestro said, grabbing Spike’s hand, “I want more of her food, and then I promise to-yah!”
Suddenly The Maestro was tossed to the ground by Rarity who took Spike from him whilst keeping on hoof on his nose.
“Oh no you don’t; you’re not taking Spike back to the Market just to get beaten up again by that vulgar manehattan vendor that you are referring to” Rarity ordered, “Besides, Spike was talking about a danger that Twilight might in. Which doesn’t make sense being that she’s with three other ponies, but if Spike thinks she’s in danger then you must excuse us before-”
“Well, well, well, Spike you didn’t tell me that you had other beautiful friends? Who might I ask is this beautiful creature?” The Maestro asked, stunned to be at the end of Rarity’s hoof. She was taken aback by his unexpected comment.
“What?!” Spike furiously questioned.
“Yes, just look at her! A light gray unicorn whose coat just looks delightful at this angle” The Maestro went on, making her blush and Spike fumed with rage.
“Well this is an interesting development?” Rarity said, blushing a little at his unusual reason to compliment her beauties.
“Pfft, my mane looks like a raggedy doll’s in comparison to your profound indigo mane. The shadows, the style, the hints of dark and light mulberry; oh the look of it is just utterly fabulous” The Maestro kept on complementing.
Rarity at this point released her hoof to let him go, and looked up at the Maestro as he got himself up. With other stallions she could tell that they were just lying to her, but his smile was real. She could see the vibes of excitement he had by walking around her. In her mind, this was totally weird and completely insane that some pony she’s never met before is acting like this, but his enthusiasm to merely observe her majesty had gotten to her head. Rarity was taking in all the things he had to say.
“Ooh darling, are you just trying to stop me from letting you take Spike or are you serious?” Rarity asked, testing him. She cocked her head to the side, making her hair wave around. He smirked, and kept playing along with it.
“No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no … well maybe, but trust me; you are one of the most beautiful unicorns I’ve seen in my entire existence. By the way, your hat is so fashionable!” The Maestro said, knowing very well that he was just trying to slip Spike away, but he definitely wasn’t lying about her features.
“Oh stop it; please, you are quite the character, and so random too” Rarity said, looking up at the Stallion as he moved in closer to her.
“I know, much of this day has been one random thing after another, but I quite enjoy it actually. Especially since I’ve so randomly just met you and so randomly had the bravery to just say how fantastic you look” The Maestro bit his bottom lip and smirked as Rarity kept blushing at him.
“Well, I would love to keep making you blush Miss uh … Rarity, is it?” he said, whispering into her ear.
“Yes; Rarity if you’d like to Mister-” she whispered, ‘till he answered her. Spike’s blood was boiling at the sight before his eyes. He clamped his teeth and ground them together at the flirtation.
“Maestro; they call me The Maestro; but sadly these blue eyes of mine must be off, making it very sad for me because I cannot stay and look back at those big, blue, beautiful, moderate azure eyes …” The Maestro said, pulling back and grabbing Spike.
“No!” Spike furiously responded, looking back at Rarity who was under The Maestro’s smitten play with words to get her to let Spike go.
“Come on Spike; I really need to pay for Miss Applejack’s apples!” The Maestro said, pulling his friend.
“BUT WE NEED TO GET TO TWILIGHT!” Spike yelled, pulling the Maestro from the blanket.
“I said we will, but I want to pay for my apples, and let go!” The Maestro said, tugging back at the blanket. The two started to tug at the blanket as well. Both were pulling it back and forth with fury. Spike’s rage gave him enough energy to strengthen his arms and pull back the sheet. The Maestro ground his teeth and snorted as he stomped his hooves on the ground.
“Now boys, just relax and I’m sure we can resolve something” Rarity said. She looked at the blanket, noticing the small tears beginning to form.
“I will not leave Twilight in danger, now stop being selfish and let’s go!” Spike demanded.
“Spike, please; you’re both acting like children!” Rarity pointed out.
“I’m a Baby Dragon, and besides, he’s acting like if he can save my friends at the last minute!” Spike replied. The gaps in the tears were getting bigger.
“Well how can I save your friends when I had a stomach ache that didn’t stop with all that horrible food you gave me?! You know, I had a headache!” The Maestro yelled back, tugging harder at the blanket.
“Just admit it; you only agreed to just get a snack?!” Spike shouted.
“I wanted a snack, sure, but I promised to help!” The Maestro said.
“Boys; stop it this instant!” Rarity yelled; looking at them both as the two kept at it.
“Uh-huh, sure, and don’t you talk to me about headaches! This entire day has been one big headache for me, Twilight, and The Doctor ever since you’ve arrived! Now because of you, their lives are in peril!” Spike shouted, angry and not caring for what he told the Maestro earlier in the TARDIS. All this time he used was just to get a snack, not to really help his friends. Then as expected the fabric instantly tore apart and the two were flung back in the ground.
“Spike, Spike; are you okay?!” Rarity ran over to Spike who was completely angry. The Maestro stayed down, with the ripped sheet covering his face.
“I’m alright Rarity, but I’m not going to stop because he ripped the blanket Twilight gave him when he was knocked out cold!” replied Spike.
“What are you talking about?” Rarity asked, still confused.
“The Maestro ... he’s not from here. He’s not some new friend of mine or Twilight’s, but he’s just some weird twisted result of a spell gone wrong; now because of it, Twilight might be in danger. The Doctor, Pinkie Pie, and Ditzy joined her because they think something else might have also gone wrong with the spell” Spike slowly explained.
“So what’s why they wore those out of fashion white rubber suits?” Rarity said to herself.
“I’m guessing so, but now I might be too late! Right you-” Spike said as he grabbed The Maestro’s torn half of the sheet, but stopped when he saw the stranger’s eyes with tears.
The Maestro didn’t look up at Spike or Rarity as he kept his eyes shut, with the teardrops rolling down his cheeks. He wasn’t being selfish to pay back Applejack, but he knew that it wasn’t right that he took the time they could've used to save Twilight and The Doctor. The Maestro looked up with guilt written all over his face and sighed. Rarity looked back at those crying eyes, and saw the very essence of a lonely pony who was feeling completely responsible and shameful for this situation getting out of hand. Spike looked into those eyes, suddenly regretting all he said because he should’ve understood that The Maestro was just hungry. He remembered all the times when he bothered Twilight to give him stuff, but he was only a baby then … unless that meant that The Maestro was really just a acting child only because of the Amnesia.
The stranger got up, and said nothing. He sulked away slowly as Spike tried to say something. Nothing, he couldn’t say anything. Soon Spike himself turned away and faced the direction to the library. Rarity was completely lost, barely understanding how this situation got out of hoof. She looked at the Maestro, then at Spike; both souls left her in shame from their childish actions just only mere minutes ago. Rarity was sad for two, but as she was about to call out Spike; she yelped as the ground started to shake. She nearly slipped, but held her ground. However it wasn’t good enough as the intense shaking kept rattling beneath her hooves.
“Spike; Maestro!” she yelled at the top of her lungs.
The two finally took notice of the shaking and turned back to Rarity. They both ran back to her, trying to not fall over from the Earthquake. Spike eventually got to Rarity as The Maestro fell over a branch. The two friends looked up to see a nearby tree’s branch begin to snap off, hovering over the stranger as he got himself back up.
“Maestro, look out!” Rarity yelled. The branch broke right off as the Maestro didn’t take notice, until he heard Rarity’s yell. His eyes looked up to see the branch come straight down to him. He jumped back before it could crush him on the spot. The Maestro looked back at the huge branch, knowing very well his last eight hours of life would’ve ended right there. He was left in a state of shock, even as Rarity and Spike made their way to him as they could hear the distant yells of the many Ponies in town.
“Maestro, Maestro; are you hurt?” Spike asked.
The Maestro kept looking at the branch, still in shock. His warped mind was reminded of something dark and terrible, locking him in a trance. Rarity and Spike waved in his face, yelled in his ears, and even tried to slap him in the face, but nothing got him out of the shock. The Tree besides them was starting to give way to the earthquake. The creaking of the wood caught Rarity and Spike’s attention, but not the ever so lost in his mind Maestro. The two grabbed the stallion and pulled him back as quickly as they could before the entire tree finally slammed onto the ground. The boom of the tree suddenly snapped him out of shock at the same time as he looked up to see and hear Ditzy, Twilight, and The Doctor screaming and hurdling towards the Earth.
“Look Spike, its Twilight! She’s flying with Miss Hooves, and … is that Clockwork?” Rarity was again, lost at what was going on, but before they could do say anything, The Maestro was galloping his way past the two, following the direction the three were heading for. Spike and Rarity followed behind as his hooves kept clopping against the shaking ground, but the group’s determination to see that Twilight and her friends were okay kept them going. Minutes after the Earthquake had passed, the three found themselves in front of Sugar Cube. Pinkie Pie was standing beside the dizzy Ditzy Doo and The Doctor who tossed his helmet off, hurrying to get out of his suit to exam Twilight who was knocked out.
“Twilight!” Spike and Rarity called out, running up to her sleeping body. The Doctor slowly laid Twilight down gently on the ground after a full scan to make sure that she didn’t have any injuries.
“Doctor, is she going to be alright?” Spike asked, kneeling beside her.
“Big bump on the head, slow pace of breathing, and her heart’s calmed down. Don’t worry, she’s okay, but that’ll be one massive headache” The Doctor commented. He suddenly took notice of Spike and The Maestro being here and not at the TARDIS.
“What are you doing here? I told you to stay back at the TARDIS, taking care of him” The Doctor said, ticked that once again a companion didn’t follow his orders.
“The Cloister Bell, it was ringing like crazy. I thought you and Twilight were in danger” Spike explained, “Looks like I was right.”
“But why did you bring him?” The Doctor asked, pointing at The Maestro. The Maestro was lost at the destruction. He looked around; his attention on the many ponies still running around, the trees on their sides, carts fallen over, the huge cracks in the ground, some damages on the houses and buildings around him.
“He woke up, and I thought he could be some use of help. Did you find that thing at the Library?” Spike asked.
“Yes, and it is not happy. After our encounter, I’m sure that The Vortex Ooze is working on something else and evolving to something far worse. Plus without my Virus Cleaner, it’s unlikely that I can stop it with the Foam I was using.” The Doctor explained.
“Vortex Ooze, what do you speak of darling?” Rarity asked.
“Rarity; you brought her here too?” The Doctor asked.
“Well not on purpose; it’s a long story, but basically I was thrown out of the Market and I crashed at her Boutique. I am glad that she’s here” Spike said, smiling at his crush.
“Not now Spike; glad that you’re okay, but we need to focus on Twilight and this Ooze thing you speak of, Clockwork” Rarity quickly pointed out.
“Doctor, can’t we do something? The entire town’s going crazy, ponies are running loco, the tremor’s caused some damage! I can only make so many jokes and pranks to bring back the smiles!” Pinkie said, waving her party and prank tools around; magically pulling them out of nowhere.
“Pinkie Pie, are you and your friends alright?!” Mr. Cake stepped out to see the chaos outside. He gasped and called for his wife, who was slightly busy with the babies. Mrs. Cake gasped as they looked at the after effects of the earthquake. The Maestro turned around to see the small crowd of Twilight’s friends, looking out at him and the background of chaos going on behind him. He slowly walked over to Twilight, stopping for a moment when his hoof accidentally kicking it against the fallen sign of Sugar Cube Corners.
“Shhh, don’t worry, Mommy and Daddy are here. Everything is going to be alright, right dear?” Mrs. Cake asked, trying to calm her foals. The Maestro then heard the cries of the Baby Cakes, frightened by the sudden tremors that rocked the town.
“Yes Mrs. Cake, don’t you two worry, I’m sure some pony will fix this” Mr. Cake said, “Pinkie Pie, is your friend Twilight okay?”
“No, she’s got a big bump on her head and she’s unconscious. Can we bring her in?” Pinkie asked.
“Of course you can; I’ll get her a blanket and pillow” Mr. Cake said. Rarity and Pinkie Pie helped get Twilight in whilst Mr. Cake went to get her the things he promised. She was still asleep as The Doctor was pacing back and forth, anxious and disturbed by how things have gotten out of hands.
“Doctor, are you okay?” Ditzy called over.
“Not now, I’m trying to think or am I just not being clever enough?” The Doctor questioned himself, knowing his brilliant mind was at work. Ditzy sighed and stood aside with Spike as The Doctor was busy. His eyes were peering out at the chaotic area. The Maestro was sulking. The buildings were with some minor damage. The earth looked ruined with the dozens of cracks. The sun was nearly setting on the ruins of the place, but then he figured out something. The Doctor was comparing this event to the numerous occasions he remembered back on Gallifrey when the Time Lords faced this creature before.
This Ooze is a living and thinking creature. Like any creature it had to escape. Those windows, it’s as if it had to force itself to block the sunlight out. Being in the Vortex, it had to be accustomed to small variation of light and live in the darkness. Back on Gallifrey, what would it do? First it would try to attach itself to a host, to live in for some time, until it died.
The Doctor looked at The Maestro.
Then it would try to slither its way into the Earth like a deadly seed. The Earth shaking … it must have used its forces to sneak underground. Right, right, and then it would wait, and wait, until it finally spread the plague. But this isn’t Gallifrey; this is an Alien world to it. My intrusion must of forced it to speed up the process … so if it’s not waiting, then what the hell is it doing underground for?
He then took notice of the many ponies walking, chatting, confused about what had just happened. He looked at the many cracks going down a specific road. He recognized this dirt road; it was leading towards the Market. Then it hit him like a ton of bricks!
“Wait a minute … Oh WAIT. A. MINUTE! That virus is so brilliantly evil!” The Doctor said.
“You’ve got an idea?” Spike asked.
“No, a revelation!” he jumped up. The Maestro suddenly listened in, still sulking, but he finally took notice of The Doctor.
“A revelation, what are you talking about?” Spike asked as The Doctor walked to the crack in the dirt road alongside them. He aimed his sonic at the ground and flicked it up, looking at its readings. He crouched down and peered into the crack, looking for something odd. He then felt a familiar feeling coming somewhere deep beneath the ground.
“I think that means that he’s figured out” Ditzy said.
“Correct, Derpy, because this clever mind has once again made me proud. How sad it must be inside those normal minds, thank goodness for mine or you lot would be in danger … even though you are” The Doctor boasted.
“Doctor, can you just say what’s going on?” Ditzy asked, ticked at his ego.
“The Virus Cleaner couldn’t destroy the Vortex Ooze, after all, neither matter can be created nor destroyed. Now with dangerous sickness, it’s obviously being controlled by lower life forms we know as germs; right or not?” The Doctor explained. Spike and Ditzy nodded, as well as The Maestro who was listening in.
“You’re right!” Spike answered.
“Now viruses overtime can evolve. Yet, this takes years and years for the cells to evolve and outlive a cure or vaccine or for the sake of this argument, the foam from the Virus Cleaner. However, this Virus has lived inside the vortex and absorbed its time energy fluxions. Likely, this energy was able to speed up the process, including its very own ability to think and act. So now, not only are we dealing with a plague, but we’re dealing with a creature as old as time and who can think. Thinking is dangerous with the intentions it has.” The Doctor continued on.
“Which is to make us sick, right?” Ditzy asked. The Maestro looked down at the cracks along the dirt road, eying the pathway they were making. The three weren’t noticing him walk away, faintly hearing their voices trail off.
“Exactly, but it has one disadvantage!” The Doctor said with an enthusiasm to it, “It’s symbiotic!”
“Symbolotic?” Ditzy mistakenly said.
“Symbiotic ; that means it has a slight dependency on another organism, but the problem is that this world has never been exposed by it. If it even tries to attach itself to some pony, any pony, it will only make the host sick and breakdown its entire nervous system, immune system, etc. and etc. Or possibly worse ...” The Doctor said, thinking of the worst.
“When you say worse, what do you exactly mean by that?” Spike asked.
“ … Or worse as in it could actually kill some pony! Doctor, we-” Ditzy realized.
“Yes I know, and sadly I know exactly where it is heading for” The Doctor said as he slowly turned around. Spike and Ditzy looked in the same direction as the sun was finally setting.
“Come along Derpy. We've got to figure out a way to stop the Ooze, save your town, and pop back for an English muffin.”
“English muffin?!” Ditzy yelled as The Doctor pulled her by the hooves.
“Wait up you two!” Spike shouted as the small gang started running to The Market.
***
The Market looked less busy as before when The Maestro arrived this time, thanks to the sudden Earthquake. He was looking down at the many cracks going along the road, examining them each. He placed his ear up to the crack, listening for some kind of vibration. Suddenly he heard a gurgle.
“Not you again!” said a distant yell of a pony with a Manehattan accent. The Maestro groaned and looked up. A couple hoof steps away were that Cinnamon Bun vendor, besides him were a couple other stallions he remembered that their foods sucked as well.
“So are you here to sell me another soggy Cinnamon Bun or what? I am very busy” The Maestro looked back down at the crack.
“Look fellas, he's actually eating dirt! Hahahaha” the vendor and his buddies started to laugh at The Maestro who paid no attention to them.
“Why are you back here? Didn't I tell you to scram?!” the vendor asked with a slight cockiness to his tone.
“Didn't any pony ever teach you that it's bad to talk to strangers like me?” The Maestro said, growling as he looked up at the Vendor. His eyes and mouth started to glow with a golden aura emanating from him. The stallions gasped as he stood up to them.
“So why don't you just run along before it’s YOUR turn and YOUR friends turn to taste the dirt!” The Maestro growled as he entire body now started to glow.
“Hey, listen we have no problem. Right fellas … Fellas?” the vendor said as he turned back to see the other sellers closing up their shops far away from where he stood. He started to nervously chuckle as The Maestro smirked back.
“ … Boo!” The Maestro said, blowing a ring of golden vapor into the pony’s face. He screamed and ran in the opposite direction as the Maestro let a slight chuckle. However the victory didn't last long as he turned away to feel the headache come back again.
“Oooh, keep it together Maestro” he said, shutting his eyes as he tried to calm himself down. Something inside his brain was forcing his energy to retreat back into his body this time, as if it was waiting for the right moment.
Calm down Maestro, calm down. Don’t start … glowing like you did back at the hospital! Who knows what panic you’ll create? Your mind may be time warping right now, but doesn't mean every pony has to see that. Especially not after the scare-oof!
He fell back after bumping into what felt like the back of some pony.
“Hey! Watch out where you’re going there! Okay, fella? … Oh it’s you” Applejack said, embarrassed at first that some pony bumped into her rump, but luckily it was that weird looking unicorn from earlier who really liked her apples.
“Miss Applejack, how glorious it is that I find you here again!” The Maestro said, standing up again with a little help from the earth pony. He looked beyond her to see the nearly empty apple cart, and coming out from behind it was Apple Bloom.
“And you little Apple Bloom!” he said, smiling to see the little one quickly walk up beside them, “Are you both alright?”
“Yes, we are, but that Earthquake was quite a scare. I didn’t think that was possible this far into the land” Applejack said.
“No, neither did I, but the odd thing about me being here was that I wanted to repay you and-” The Maestro tried to explain his predicament, but was off track as Apple Bloom started to walk around him. Applejack interjected to relax him.
“Oh you don’t need to pay us for one little apple. You were in pain, and like Granny Smith told me, an apple a day keeps the doctor away because sometimes that’s all you need when you ain't feeling too good. Right, Apple Bloom?” Applejack said.
“Hey, you ain't go cutie mark!” Apple Bloom was shocked to see the adult stallion, obviously in his early 30s without a cutie mark. Applejack snapped at her sister for pointing this out.
“Apple Bloom!” she yelled.
“It’s okay, and good eye there. No one seemed to care of the fact that my rump had no little squiggle or symbol or something, but I did noticed that you didn't have one too little Apple Bloom”
“That’s because I need to find out my special something to get me a cutie mark, and I’m working on it” Apple Bloom explained.
“Well then, maybe you can help me find it too?” The Maestro asked as he lowered his neck to be at eye level with the little filly.
“Yessiree; say … maybe I can convince the girls to let you into our The Cutie Mark Crusaders!” Apple Bloom was jumping up and down with such enthusiasm at the fact that she has met another pony, older, without a cutie mark and is willing to join her club. As she jumped around, The Maestro’s ears picked up a faint gurgling beneath his very own hooves. He looked down and realized that he was standing over one of the cracks.
“Apple Bloom, I don’t think he is interested in that right now” Applejack said, pulling her little sister back at the tail.
“Uh … Yeah, I would love too little Apple Bloom, but before I can join your …” The Maestro kept looking down at the crack, squinting at it, “… Crusaders; I need to do … something. Excuse me, a moment.” The Maestro said as he felt the rumbling was coming from something slithering around underground.
His senses were picking up a familiar essence from the cracks, and looking up ahead he watched as the cracks he was looking at earlier were emitting an eerie glow as vapor poured out of them. Even the crack beneath him started to follow the same process as the others. Remembering what the Doctor said earlier, he realized he had to try something to get Applejack and Apple Bloom out of there. Just then, as he was about to do so, the Maestro noticed The Doctor walking in with Spike and Ditzy Doo at his side.
“Doctor!” the Maestro called out, catching their attention.
Yet before he could take two steps forward, his entire world was shaken up by an unexpected aftershock. He fell back besides the cracks in the ground as they started to shine more powerfully now, pushing out more vapor than before. The Maestro tried his best to get right back up, but the aftershock was harder than before. Something was odd though, the buildings all around the market were stand still while the ground beneath him kept shaking. He ran to Applejack and Apple Bloom as they were stuck in place by shock. Suddenly as he approached them, a thunderous boom surprised every pony. Chunks of rock and dirt blasted behind him as the cracks finally came together as one. The road was now covered with the ooze as its slimy body was unleashed and leading towards the center of the explosion.
“Applejack, Apple Bloom; Run!” he ordered, pushing them away as the crowds of ponies screamed out of the market. Spike ran beside on the Doctor as they kept moving the crowds away from the explosion while Ditzy flew up high to see what was really going on. She stared at it in disbelief; the small pool sized black slime from earlier was now a monster sized creature nearly 15 feet in diameter, with new elongated stubs to measure up with its body size. Her skin had Goosebumps as the creature was growing two eyes with green pupils. Ditzy then raced back down to the Doctor.
“Doctor, the Ooze it’s … growing” she informed him.
“Yes, and by the looks of it, very fast and evolving into something … whatever it is, I’ll have to stop it” The Doctor said, “Derpy, scout out for any ponies left behind.”
“No problem, Doctor! Be careful you two, good luck” Ditzy said, hugging the Doctor before flying away to help any pony out of the market.
“Spike, I need you to find The Maestro. I just need you to make sure that he is safe” The Doctor said.
“But I can stay and help you” Spike said.
“Trust me Spike, finding him might be one of the most important things you can ever do for me. Now please, go!” The Doctor ordered as he gallops off a broken path to the Ooze.
Spike tried to call him out, but the stampede of ponies broke any shouts he could make. He sighed and quickly ran off in the other direction; calling out the Maestro’s name, unaware that he passed the pony that ran with the crowd earlier to get the Apple sisters out of the Market. The Maestro poked his head out behind a barrel, making sure Spike couldn’t see him. He knew that it was dumb, and it wasn't like he was trying to be a hero, but for whatever reason; whether this was his fault or he owed this to Twilight and her friends or it was his moral duty to help The Doctor or even if there was no reason, The Maestro forced himself to follow The Doctor behind and somehow have some role to taking on the Vortex Ooze.
The Stranger From The Vortex
A low and cool mist wrapped around The Doctor's hooves as he paced himself carefully towards the Vortex Ooze. Only ten minutes ago did the Ooze made itself known at a dramatic level by nearly destroying the entire market place. It was definitely bigger now and by Ditzy's description, his assumption of its evolutionary capability to change and grow was right. At this point, no pony was around or at least any that he could sense at the moment. He stopped as the mist and vapor started to rise higher than before, going above his own body. The Doctor was at a standstill.
“Okay Doctor, no problem. It's only a mist …” he said to himself, while waving his sonic around in a full 360. The green lit tip at the end of his screwdriver emanated a mystical glow with the whirring adding more to that magical feeling. He flicked its claws, stunned to realize that the high radiation levels were mimicking the levels back on Gallifrey. Being a head scientist, he could easily recognize this right of the bat.
“… That is, it’s only a mist filled a deadly radiation levels for Earth Ponies. Meaning only creatures with two hearts could be able to move through it” The Doctor said to himself, before losing his track of thoughts to the gurgling sounds of the Ooze. The fog was thick, but he continued on, only to stop at moments to aim his sonic around and see if he was getting closer to the creature. It’s no lie that the Doctor is very persistent, over the years he has grown to overcome certain obstacles, and this was no exception. He moved forward, until he felt it. The sheer presence of the Ooze was now all around him. He could always feel evil, even when his eyes could not see any sign of the monster that gives him this dark and familiar feeling.
“Right then, you might as well show yourself. I know you’re here and I know what you are, so please … come out and I promise no harm will come to you” The Doctor said.
“Is that true?” said a raspy voice, bleeding through a thick and sludge tone. The Doctor looked up at the Vortex Ooze.
“Well then ... that’s different” The Doctor said, a little lost as he was facing a new form of the creature. His initial thought was to see a 25 foot tall blob with razor sharp teeth, and giant tentacles ready to rip him to shreds or something along those lines. Instead, the age old master of the universe had his eyes fixed on an unexpected new shape that it took. It was still gigantic in size, but now there was a pony head growing now out of the blob’s body along with an elongated neck. The dark violet spots were gone, and now replaced by pulsating waves of neon green all along its body. The head had no mouth, but to make up for it were its bulbous eyes that were white and blank with no pupils inside. With no mouth to express its physical emotion, the Ooze relied on the very brightness of the eyes to show its hatred to the Time Lord.
“Interesting shape, but I must say I am very impressed that you have evolved to a level of psychic communication, for a virus” The Doctor commented, “Allow me to properly introduce myself, I Am-”
“The Doctor, and a liar.” The Ooze interrupted.
“And why are you calling me a liar?” The Doctor asked.
“You said, ‘I promise no harm will come to you’, and yet you deliberately attacked me earlier in that stuffy tree! Why shouldn't I call you a liar?!” the Ooze replied.
“I’ll admit it, in the grand scheme of things, that really wasn't the right thing to do, and I always want to look for the best solutions. The only one I could come up with at the time was to just contain you, not destroy you.” The Doctor explained.
“Liar!” the Vortex Ooze forced itself forward, confronting the Time Lord face to face.
“I know all about you and what you've done. You would spread your diseases, plaguing civilizations for countless generations, causing mass extinctions, and even using the Vortex for your own dastardly purposes. My people knew it more than any other creature in the universe!” The Doctor’s details fascinated the creature. Through its evolutionary abilities, it was actually able to remember all the times it did such as the Doctor was saying.
“You said, ‘your people’ … which species are you referring to?” the Ooze asked as it crept itself around The Doctor.
“My people were from the very place where you originated from. Gallifrey, home of the Time Lords.” The Doctor answered, carefully keeping his eye on the creature.
“Time Lords?!” The Vortex Ooze shouted. Every time it spoke, the monster’s eyes would glow brighter, changing in color to the emotion it felt.
“Yes, but unlike Rassilon, you can trust me. You don't have to return to the Vortex.” The Doctor said, “I promise you, I can find some place to fit your needs”
“Why; after all, what makes you different from them?"
"I told you, I'm The Doctor, and you can trust me. I am the last of the Time Lords, and as a beholder of the laws of time and space ... I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I only did what I thought was best, I didn't know that a simple virus as yourself would grow to such an existential level. I mean you are different, but you are a beauty." The Doctor complimented, not realizing the creature itself had its own plans in mind.
"... I do apologize Doctor, but I cannot trust you. You've lost your chance, and so has this world.” The Ooze replied.
"Why do you do this? I can help you if you only give me a chance!" The Doctor shouted, trying to get a hold of the situation.
"You don't seem to understand me; I don't want your help. Remembering what I use to be makes me even more excited to show you this!" it said, humming a low pitch call towards something hidden in the fog. The Doctor watched as dark shapes started to surround him. He jumped around and watched as the virus was dangling the now Oozified bodies of many ponies, by its sticky tentacles.
“I quite like these equine based life forms. It’s new, it’s complex, it’s interesting, and it’s ripe for the sickening.” it said, chuckling at its sick changes to the ponies. The Doctor shut his eyes, hiding the rage that was burning inside him. By now, these ponies were dead. Their earthly bodies couldn't resist this high amount of radiation, the toxicity in the mist, nor this black slime. The Doctor grinds his teeth while stomping his hooves to the ground, growling in frustration. After all was said and done, the Doctor looked back up at the
“... I gave you a chance, but always ... why do I always give you lot chances? In the end, all you are is a curse from Gallifrey’s past, and I will not allow this curse to take over this world and its Pony kind” The Doctor threatened the Ooze.
“Oh Doctor, but you're just another Time Lord. What good could you have against me when not even your people found a cure or strategy to stop me. All you can do is lock me back into the Vortex, but I'll find a way out!" it then started to laughed as it moved its whole body up to the Doctor who stood his ground.
“Well you are a virus, and I'm the Doctor!” The Time Lord then pulled out his sonic screwdriver and amplified it to a higher frequency.
The Vortex Ooze screeched and hollered as the frequency made it lose its Pony face, retracting it back into its blob body. The other slimed ponies growled and stumbled to the floor, using their hooves to cover their ears. The Doctor groaned as the frequency made a strong powered whirring noise that ached his ear drums. He aimed it at the Ooze, forcing it and its puppets to push back. The creature screamed and waved its tentacles around. Without seeing it, the Doctor was shocked to see a tentacle slapped the sonic out of his hooves and into the the thick fog. Then out of the fog, the Doctor too was bashed in his sides by the tentacle, tossing him into the opposite direction of where the sonic screwdriver landed.
***
I am a major idiot. I am completely lost. I am a major idiot and I am completely lost. Glad I got that out of the way ... dammit I'm lost!
The Maestro slowly moved through the fog, creeped out by the green fog. He was grossed out by the slime underneath his hooves while the heat of the mist made him feel dizzy. Something about the environment started to get to him. The nervy was powerful and alien to his body. The air started to become thin for him. Suddenly the Ponyville clock tower bell rang.
BOOOOONNNNNG …
The Maestro stopped.
BOOOOONNNNNG ...
He started to sway from side to side.
BOOOOONNNNNG ...
Without any warning, his hooves started wobbling. He suddenly fell to the ground, as the glowing vapor retreated back into his body. The headache was back and stronger than before. Something was going on inside his mind again, sending his body into hysteria. He could barely breathe again as he held onto a knocked over cart. His eyes were starting to dilate. His body was glowing again, heating up his skin like if it was on fire.
“No ... Please, not now” The Maestro said aloud, coughing up the golden energy like earlier. He loudly let out a yelp of pain, ready to pop like a balloon as the radiation was getting to him. Suddenly as he was ready to blast away, he heard the distant sounds of a whirring along with horrifying yells. The whirring sounded like the one from the wand like device that the Doctor had. He looked up as he heard what sounded like two bullwhips cracking in the air. All of a sudden, he was slapped in the face by the sonic screwdriver, hitting him in the eyes. He groaned, rubbing his eyes immediately, but soon heard the gurgling of the ooze nearby. The Maestro gasped and shook his head, getting back his concentration. He reached out, tapping his hooves along the ground to try and find the sonic in the mist.
“Come on, come on, where are you?!” The Maestro was getting anxious now as he could hear the creature moving in on him. Then, out of sheer luck, he finally had the screwdriver in his hooves. He laughed in joy, only to stop as he felt the presence of multiple eyes looking down at his back. He slowly turned his head around and gasped to see black slimed ponies around him. The Maestro screamed as he got up and ran away in the opposite direction. The Ooze Ponies galloped after The Maestro as he kept running with the screwdriver in his mouth. He jumped over turned over carts, pushed down the food stands and barrels, and threw anything he could at them. The Maestro suddenly tripped over something heavy. He quickly turned around, and saw the grey Pegasus friend of the Doctor's, Derpy Hooves.
“Derpy?” he said, remembering her name as well. He pressed hoof against her neck and felt a slow rhythmic pulse. He could hear the Ooze Ponies coming closer and closer, making him highly nervous. With not a moment to lose, he grabbed the mare and pulled her behind a couple of hidden barrels. He suddenly was face to face with the creatures, only noticing him running from behind the barrels.
“Give us the device!” one of them shouted. He noticed that they had no jaw, but he didn't question this as he made it his purpose to keep them away from the barrels.
“No!” He muffled with the sonic screwdriver in his mouth.
“Tell us why you were hiding behind the barrels?!” another Ooze Pony asked. Maestro spat out the sonic into his right hoof.
“Nothing for you lot, now answer me this; where is The Doctor?!” He demanded. The creatures started to make their way to the barrels
“Answer my question!” He shouted, they didn't listen as one half of the group started to move closer and closer to the barrels while the other moved in on him.
“Don't make me use this!” The Maestro held up the sonic and aimed it at the ones that peaked over the barrels. The others surrounded him, pressing him back.
“What a pretty creature you have hidden here ... Our master will be pleased with this specimen” they said as the barrels were pushed aside, making it easy to see Ditzy.
“I said, NO!” He shouted as he pressed the button on the side of the device, turning on the high frequency that rocked the monsters. They screeched and hollered as the Maestro kept the sonic at them. He inadvertently pushes the slider up to higher frequency. The unicorn now made his way to Derpy, pushing them away from her. With all his might, he dragged her back and placed her on his back.
“You tell your master if he doesn't give me, The Maestro, back the Doctor then you all will regret even trying to come after me!” The Maestro yelled as he ran away from the ooze ponies with Derpy dangling on his back. They growled and slunk away, retreating back to their master.
***
“Spike; Twilight, open the door! Quick, please, I found Derpy” he yelled from the door at Sugar Cube Corner. Immediately as the doors opened, he jumped right into the building. He noticed earlier that, after making his way out of the market, no ponies were outside, and the stores and homes were locked up tight. The Maestro asked for some pony to open the door for Derpy at least, but nothing. Every pony hid in their homes, in fear of what lured outside. Then remembering how Twilight and Spike were at that bakery sweets shop, he dashed his way back to the establishment.
“The Doctor, I think, was facing the Vortex Ooze. While I was lost in the fog, I could actually hear him.” The Maestro explained. “I followed his voice, but before I could do anything, I was attacked by these creatures.”
“What kind of creatures?” Twilight asked.
"They looked like ponies, but their bodies were covered by that Ooze's slime. Even then, I couldn't do much. The bells of the tower and the power inside this fog started giving me another one of those body spasms like at the hospital. I heard the Doctor scream and that’s when I found this.” he then pulled out the Sonic Screwdriver. He gave it to Twilight and Spike, while Rarity and Pinkie Pie were standing besides Derpy, who was slowly breathing and safe now. Mister and Misses Cake comforted their terrified babies. Applejack and Applebloom were stuck inside, not being able to get out of town in time to escape the fog with all the confusion
“And where is he now?” Spike asked.
“I don’t know. I was so scared that I ran away like a coward, even with that wand thing” The Maestro then looked outside. “And somehow, this is my fault.”
He hung his head in shame.
“Don’t beat yourself up. It wasn't your fault; if anything it was my fault for not taking to account the troubles with spell casting and scrolls. Besides, look at what you did today. You were so sick in the morning that not even a hospital could handle you, and yet you followed Spike to come and help us out when me and the Doctor had to face the Ooze” Twilight reminded.
“Only for me to get selfish due to my hunger.” he shared.
“You didn't seem selfish to actually come back to see if me and Apple Bloom were still okay after the Earthquake.” Applejack interjected.
“And a selfish pony wouldn't go out of his way to return back to a place, where he was pretty much banned by the sellers, to assist us in finding the Ooze” Spike added.
“And no selfish pony, who is running away from monsters would stop to save me” Ditzy suddenly spoke. The Maestro instantly kneeled before her.
“Actually I tripped over you … best fall of the day” he joked.
“Thank you, really thank you so much, but we've got to find The Doctor. We can’t let that alien ooze hurt him in any way.” she said, trying to get up. Suddenly she groaned as her wings were aching. Pinkie Pie and Maestro slowly put her back down.
“No, you stay. Something tells me that the fog made you weak. Yet, how was I able to easily move through it? Even after I was about to go into my episode ... there has to be some fundamental reason behind it. Think, did The Doctor mention anything as to why that is?” The Maestro asked.
“The Doctor and I both believe that you were in the Time Vortex.”
“That’s interesting, so I came from this Time Vortex thingy and the Ooze came out of it through me-wait!" he said, pausing to process the clues together. He paced back and forth, banging his head against the table to figure out the answer. "Oh, Oh, Oh! That is amazing! I'm immune to the Virus thanks to the Vortex!”
“Time Vortex, what is that?” Rarity asked.
“Yeah, you two aren't making sense.” Applejack commented.
“Wait, but how?” Spike asked.
“He was exposed to both the virus and the vortex simultaneously for Celestia knows how long. So that means that he can survive the fog long enough to find The Doctor.” Twilight said. "Maestro-"
Twilight stopped as she turned to see the Maestro had walked outside, shutting the door behind him. He waved at them, bouncing on the ground. He took in a deep breathe of the toxic air, and sighed it back out.
“Maestro, wait!” Twilight called out to him as she used her magic to teleport the sonic screwdriver in front of his hooves. He picked it right back up, and waved at the gang.
Minutes went by before he finally took notice of the fog was getting thicker. Maestro knew what was inside it, and he made it his way to push through the mist.
***
The Maestro kept walking for fifteen minutes, until he was faced with an unexpected challenge. The only light came from the moon as the creepy sounds of dirt and leaves rustled in the ground beneath him. He could hear several things around him, but nothing like the Ooze. His senses were somehow active in this environment, feeling more welcoming than the regular surroundings of the day before this happened. It felt alien, but it felt so comforting. The effects of the fog weren't sickening, but more relaxing and at ease for his nerves. Yet, he had to keep focus and not let any sudden noises scare him Suddenly surrounding him were the dead white eyes of the Ooze Ponies from earlier, but before he could try to use the Sonic Screwdriver, Maestro was shocked to see The Doctor tossed before his hooves. He jumped into action and got down to the tired Doctor.
“Doctor, can you hear me?! Are you alright” he yelled, getting a couple of coughs and groans.
“I can assure you, he is most definitely not alright.” the Ooze said, with a devious chuckle.
The Maestro growled and swung his hooves up, until he felt the Ooze grab him with a tentacle. Maestro gasped as he stared at the creature as its entire body had completely changed to a fifteen foot tall copy of the Doctor. It was an Ooze Doctor, a complete copy of the original Time Lord, with the only exceptions being it had no mouth, and its coat was shiny black slime. With all its might, it tossed the Maestro away from the Doctor. He yelled in the air, until his body crashed into an empty apple cart, dropping the Sonic Screwdriver. The Ooze grabbed the sonic, and merely smirked at it.
“Finally we meet again, the Maestro. However, you look quite different then when you became my host in the vortex. Quite alive too, but look at you ... the hero, right?” the Ooze said, mocking the Maestro in the Doctor's voice. The Maestro pulled himself away from the cart along the ground and groaned at his muscles.
"Who says I'm the hero?" he asked the creature, groaning as the force really hurt his sides.
"You called me out like some cowboy threatening the outlaws to run out of town and demanded your friend back. You're outnumbered, and yet you still walk. I'd call that heroic." the creature said, now morphing into The Maestro's shape.
"Okay, so sue me for being the hero. I'm having an identity crisis here." he said, rubbing his head roughly.
"Really? Well I'm not surprised, you were dead when I found you, so how could you remember what you did before you died. Sad and pathetic though, how the Vortex tore you into nothing, but luckily I came along to keep you sustained."
“You should talk!” he groaned out his words, trembling to get back up. “I think you're the one who needs to be sustained! You're a virus, and by definition you cannot even exist without a host! Heck you can't even stay looking like one body!"
He continued to banter on with the Ooze as it changed into the shape of Derpy Hooves, making The Maestro really angry.
"And don't you dare mock me by telling me that I needed you to be where I am now! I don't need you now, not before, not ever!" The Maestro cried to the Ooze, only getting a laugh from the creature and its cohorts. He only stared at the converted ponies, trying to figure out what they are.
“I've waited nearly ten million years to finally see what you are, and it is hilarious. Thank goodness for that girl discovering your scrolls, like I thought she would-oops ... HAHAHA!” the Ooze said, shaping himself into Pinkie Pie this time and continuing to laugh at him.
"My Scrolls; what are you talking about?" The Maestro asked, turning back at them.
"Spoilers, now listen, being that you're outnumbered. Why don't you go run along and play hero somewhere else, hmm? Or else I'll pay my congrats to your friend, Miss Twilight Sparkle and her little dragon boy." he said, mimicking Twilight's voice at the end. The Maestro watched as it shaped into Twilight's body, laughing at him before finally using its tentacles to slap the pony in the side of his face. The force of the slap flung him into the Ooze Ponies. The minions started to toss him around like a beach ball, using their hooves to beat him severely. His grunts and screams could be heard throughout the dark streets as the Vortex Ooze and Oozed Ponies kept cackling. The Maestro landed besides the Doctor, groaning loudly.
The Maestro looked at the Doctor, and back up at the Vortex Ooze.
“Why The Doctor, you may ask? I’m not aware if you know this, but he is a Time Lord, the last of the Time Lords. They have been exposed to me. These purple spots are only a side effect from absorbing his life force” The Vortex Ooze explained, hovering its new hooves over the Doctor’s body. Suddenly the same golden particles that Maestro recognized from his colic symptoms were slowly leaving his body and transporting into the Ooze’s body. The Doctor cringed, groaning as his very essence was being pulled out of him. The Maestro crawled to the Doctor, only to be caught around his hooves by the Ooze itself. His body was dangling upside down from the Ooze’s tentacles
“You know, he looks like he’s ready to die … he is very deilcious!"
“You find this delicious?!” he shouted, only to lose some air as the tentacles slithered around his chest and choked him. “That is disgusting; you’re an abomination!”
“No, I am the perfect biological creature in all of evolution! I can shape and form into the air, corrupt the waters, and skin the earth below my own body! And no damn Time Lords will stop me now!” the Ooze began to choke the Maestro even tighter now. The pony yelped out for some kind of help, but nothing could escape his mouth as the Ooze Ponies crackled their wicked laugh as the Maestro’s body was losing more and more air. The Ooze suddenly grew a smile out of spite and laughed with a darkness inside that made the unicorn cringed even more. He started to lose his vision as the blood kept rushing to his head made things even worse. He looked down, and saw The Doctor.
I’m sorry, Doctor.
He shut his eyes, ready to accept Death’s humble slumber that all lives across the cosmos meet at their final moments. No more pain, no more dreams, no more friends. His one day of life was about to end. Then he felt something. The burning sensation was returning again. Then he heard the very thing he never took notice today. His heart beats. They were returning, louder, and in a new rhythm he never heard before. It wasn't only two simple beats; No, it was four! He opened his eyes to see that he was still in the Ooze’s tentacle. The creature was shocked to see the Maestro still kicking.
“What is this?” it asked, confused as the Maestro was blinking now. His body started to glow out the very same golden particles from earlier. The light from the golden aura flowing from his mouth started to wrap around the Ooze’s tentacles.
“I’ll tell you what it is, it’s me. I finally know what I am right now. I am the Maestro and I offer to you my life for the Doctor’s life. I am a better host than he will ever be! I lasted longer than he did with you in the Time Vortex. You lived inside of my dead corpse, now you can forever thrive in my living body!” the Maestro begged.
The Ooze ponies were listening in on his begging as well.
“Why do you do this? After all, you've only known him for less than a day, why give your life for him?” The Ooze asked.
“He’s The Doctor. I trust him enough; I know him enough, and something inside me is telling me to do this for him, and by doing this for him, this one day will have a meaning to me. I don’t know who I really am, or who I really was before, nor can I believe that I was already dead when you found me. Even if I am dead, then maybe he can find out how and why I died? Just please, take me, and give him back his life.” The Maestro said, looking down or up from his perspective at the awakening Doctor
“Such a noble thing to do, and I am definitely enjoying this fresh life energy,” The Ooze smacked its lips together, licking them after. “What do you say my pets? There’s definitely more than enough for me and you all!”
“Take it Master! Take his life! It’s fresh, new, and pure! All hail our master, The Ooze” its minions cheered on. After thinking about it for a minute, the Ooze made its decision.
“After thinking about it, I have finally made my decision … I will take your life as my main course in favor of The Doctor’s life” the Ooze suddenly opened its mouth and blew the life force of The Doctor back into his body. He then gasped for air, feeling all of his energy return, and clear out the virus inside. He smiled as The Doctor kept coughing and coughing in the moonlight. Yet, even as this was such a crowning moment for the stranger, his smile faded along with the rest of his body as the Ooze immediately tossed him into its mouth. The Maestro then vanished into the body of The Vortex Ooze.
The Stranger From The Vortex
Minutes had passed, and The Doctor finally arose to see the company he was with again. He looked up as the Ooze Ponies approached him in a horrifying fashion. Their bodies were completely made of slime and sludge, but entirely mimicked the muscle movements of the host bodies. He started to crawl back, trying to search for his sonic screwdriver. The Doctor scurried to get to his precious device, after realizing where it was tossed.
“Uh-uh-uh, not this time, Doctor!” said one of the Oozed Ponies as they grabbed him by the tail and flung him back at their master.
“Oh you're friend was so different than these creatures, in fact his life force felt very familiar. Hmmm ... you might even say that he wasn't even remotely from this world.” The Ooze said, enjoying the taste of The Maestro's energy bubbling inside it.
“I could hear everything he said to you, he pleaded for your mercy on me.” The Doctor said in rage, feeling the now solid slime twist around his body. “Now you're going to kill me! You lied to him!”
“That’s where you are mistaken my dear Time Lord,” the Ooze said, now using his mouth to speak, “for I did as he asked me to. I gave you back your life, in return for his … but he never said what I could do once I did give you back your lindos energy”
It proceeded to laugh along with the Oozed Ponies as it pulled The Doctor up to its face to be for an eye to eye confrontation.
“Face it, Time Lord; you are to die by the curse of your ancestors. Sad, the last of the Time Lords, calls himself The Doctor is defeated by a virus. Ha!” the Ooze flaunted.
“That's where you're wrong because if there's something this universe is full of, it's surprises, and that pony you just ate has possibly been the biggest surprise yet. So you see, I am not alone, not anymore!” The Doctor yelled before bashing head into the Ooze's, and bit the tentacle.
The creature groaned and dropped The Doctor. As it felt the pain, so did the Ooze Ponies. A familiar flaming aura surrounded their bodies as they felt the pains of his head bash and bite. It was the same glow that the Maestro emanated when he was at the hospital. He suddenly came up with a plan, and instead of using a high pitch frequency, The Doctor amplified his sonic screwdriver to a newer settings, and aimed it at the Ooze. They all gasped, in fear of feeling the same pain from earlier. However as The Doctor’s sonic screwdriver was glowing with a bright green at the tip, just like before, and warbled, just like before … this time there was no grand effect. The creatures flinched at first, but after a couple of moments with no feeling of agony or pain, they were confused. They looked at The Doctor, who was grinding his teeth and holding onto the sonic tightly with his life. He groaned and shook as the sonic was being pushed to its very limit, yelling like if he were carrying the heaviest object ever. The Ooze and its pony manifestations only smirked as The Doctor struggled hard doing whatever it was. Then he dropped it. The Doctor knelt down before the monsters as they moved towards him at a snail’s pace. His hearts were beating, sweat ran down his face, and his body felt tired.
“Pity, such a waste for your final moments. well my pets, you can have the body, but I want the mind. Not only will I make your body weak, but I will find your weakness, Doctor.” The Vortex Ooze said, until he was caught off guard by the Doctor's laugh. He laughed, and laughed, and laughed with every bit of air he had in his aching lungs. His laughter was so loud that every pony within a half mile radius could hear him. The Ooze Ponies were confused; he was about to die, and yet he was laughing.
“Why are you laughing? Tell me why, Doctor?” the Vortex Ooze demanded.
“It’s because you, a little bitty muddy thing thought that you won as if we were really at battle or something!” he answered, laughing so hard that his friends at Sugar Cube Corner peaked at the window. The Doctor started to back himself away as the Vortex Ooze was getting frustrated with his laughter. It was annoying it even further to the point that none of the creatures couldn't notice how the fog was starting to glow differently.
“Stop it! I order you to stop!” The Ooze demanded.
“No, hahahaha!” The Doctor said, laughing harder and harder now as he was right in front of Sugar Cube Corner.
“It’s The Doctor!” Ditzy said, happy to see him alive.
“You know, being in the vortex, I bet you forgot how Time Lord Biology works, huh? Oh man, that sonic was struggling so much to do what I needed it to do, but after this, it’ll be totally worth it!” The Doctor said, waving his device to flaunt his efforts.
“What are you talking about, Time Lord?!” the Ooze said, so angry that he grabbed The Doctor by its slimy hooves.
“A little trick we Time Lords have; it’s also how we kept beating you all those millenniums. Vortexnia Dibrandis, your day is over!” The Doctor said, before he shoved the sonic screwdriver into the Ooze’s neck and allowing the frequency to strongly push into it now. It gagged in agony, sending the same sharp stab to the Oozed Ponies. The Doctor jumped away, and ran into the shop.
“Doctor, you’re okay!” Ditzy said, jumping out to hug him.
“Not now Derpy, we have to get ready!” The Doctor said, moving her aside. Outside, the Ooze began to let out slight yelps of agony, groaning in between each one.
“Ready for what?” Pinkie Pie asked, “Oooh, is it a surprise?”
“Mr. & Mrs. Cake go upstairs and keep your children safe! And Pinkie Pie, it most certainly will be!” The Doctor assured. The Cakes didn't understand why, but whatever it was, they did as he asked and left to their babies’ bedroom.
“Doctor, what is going on?!” Twilight asked.
“This is bloody fantastic! Oh this universe is full of surprises!” he said.
“Doctor, you’re not making sense; what is going on?!” Twilight asked again.
“Twilight, nothing makes sense anymore. Not with the Maestro, here and alive. This completely changes everything!” The Doctor said.
“What do you mean, Clockwork?” Rarity asked.
“I can't explain it, but the Maestro's life is in danger, and I need Twilight and Ditzy's help. We have to save the Ponies that are under that thing's control.”
“Okay, so what do we have to do?” Applejack said.
“Don't dare follow us, and whatever you do, keep yourselves safe!” he ordered, turning back to the Ooze as it started to fight the pain back.
“And what are we gonna do?” Ditzy asked.
“Magic and weather! Spike, you stay behind and make sure these ladies do not follow us, you got it?! Good, come on you two!” he said in a dash. The Doctor opened the door and shoved his two companions out with him. Spike tried for the door, but he could do nothing as the warbling of the Doctor's sonic indicated that the lock was shut.
***
Twilight and Ditzy nearly tumbled over, but instead stood still as they saw the enormous blob figures of the Ooze twist and turn into other forms of life. It screeched like a dying animal, hollering as the flames of a golden fire blasted out of its mouth and eyes for a mere couple of seconds.
“What's happening to it?!” Twilight asked.
“The Vortex Ooze is struggling to cope with The Maestro’s powers.” the Doctor shouted as the creature's screams made it loud to hear.
“You mean he's stuck inside there?” Twilight asked.
“He sacrificed himself to bring me back to life, but he's still alive in there. His regenerative forces are keeping him alive.” The Doctor explained.
“Regenerative, but doesn't that mean-” Ditzy asked, only to get shoved into the ground along with Twilight by the Doctor. She got back up and stared at the tossed over cart the Ooze flung to them.
“Yes, but we don't have time for that. We’ve got to act fast. I added enough sonic wavelengths to amplify the Maestro’s life energy, and now his body is reacting to the Ooze. Fighting against the virus itself, but we need to give him more power!” he said, watching as the mist started to disappear.
“So what can we do to help him stop it?” Ditzy asked.
“You’re a pegasus, right? So what do Pegasus do best?” The Doctor asked.
“Make rainbows?” Ditzy said, trying to think of what makes her kind the best at something.
“That and create fixed weather patterns, and I need the power of lightning and thunder to give the Maestro the power he needs to burn this puppy up!” The Doctor said.
“But Doctor, I’m not that good at making-” she tried to explain, only to have the Doctor shush her immediately.
“Not another word out of you missy. You believe me when I say that you can do this! All I need is one cloud, just one cloud, and give it that Ditzy Doo charm to blast that thing out of this world!” He said, encouraging the mare to do as he asked. She looked at him and back at Twilight.
“Ditzy, if he says you can, than I think so too!” Twilight added. Ditzy looked at the two and smiled one last time before finally pulling out a serious face or as serious as you can get for a cute pony with wall eyes, but serious nonetheless. She hugged the Doctor and Twilight before flying away to grab the best cloud possible.
“Right then, now as she does that. Twilight, we need to keep the Maestro alive. The longer we do, the more time it’ll take for him to figure out that he can stop the Vortex Ooze!” The Doctor.
“So what’s the plan then?” Twilight asked.
“I need you to use your powers to grant me an opening or an entryway into his mind. Your magic, plus my Time Lord telepathic consciousness may be able to stop this along with Derpy’s lightning!” he yelled as his Pegasus companion started pulling in a thunder cloud.
“Right, but for how long?”
“Long enough to get me in there and help him concentrate full control of the Ooze. Now hurry!” the Doctor ordered. Twilight took in a deep breathe and concentrated on the central glow coming from within the main virus’ body. Her horn started to glow a lavender aura as she focused on the Maestro and his being. She tried to remember how he looked, the little interactions they’ve had, and watching him save Ditzy before heading back out to find the Doctor. Sweat started to run down her head and groaned as she had to push through the creature’s telepathic powers. The Doctor could see this struggle, and like before he amplified the sonic screwdriver to make it weaker. Suddenly he watched as a bolt of lightning zapped the creature. It screeched and yelled, weakening its focus on protecting itself from Twilight’s powers, giving the unicorn enough time to open a strong link to the Maestro.
“Doctor, the link is open; now’s the perfect time to do what you have to do!” Twilight exclaimed, using all her power allow this mind melding plan to go through.
“Right, establishing contact.” he said, before shutting his eyes and focusing his mind on the Maestro. He suddenly groaned and yelled as the Maestro’s mind refused him. He then felt something shove him away, another force as he heard a voice yell back at him.
“No, you fool, I’m trying to help you … what do you mean-? Listen, you’re The Maestro, and you need my help!” he yelled out loud. Twilight listened in on him as he kept conversing with the Maestro’s essence. The Doctor nearly trembled before and shook his head about, moving back. Twilight closed the contact and grabbed the Doctor.
“Doctor, what happened?” Twilight asked, yelling this time as Ditzy zapped another lightning bolt on the creature, this time having to jump around as it whipped its tentacles in the air.
“His mind … it’s refusing my contact. I’m not sure if it’s the Ooze or his mind keeping me away from something …” he said, pushing more focus on trying to contact the Maestro.
“Doctor, you have to put me in this contact thing you’re doing. Let me try and help you.”
“No Twilight, that is out of the question! Gah! This is between me and him, and besides you have to keep the link-” he was explaining, trying to get her to not try this. Suddenly another idea popped in his head, one so crazy enough that it might just work. “Wait, wait, wait. I have an even better plan. Derpy, come back quickly!”
Ditzy heard the Doctor and bucked one more bolt of lightning into the creature. The force and heat of the blast thrashed the Ooze and its Oozed Ponies into an alley way.
“What is it Doctor?”
“This may sound crazy to you two, but I’ve got to get inside that thing. Something is happening to the Maestro that our minds cannot communicate. If I am to save him and the ponies under the Ooze’s control, then I need to do something I’ve never done before.” The Doctor explained. “A Super Contact”
“What’s that?” Ditzy asked.
“Basically it’s where one Time Lord forces his mind and essence into the mind of another creature. His mind is shut and I’m going to have to force myself in whether or not the Ooze or even the Maestro himself allows it!” the Doctor explained.
“Then what do we have to do?” Twilight ask, looking over as the glow from the creature still lit up, growing more as it tried to reach itself back out.
“Get back inside Sugar Cube Corner, and keep my body safe. Until this is over, my body is going to be unable to move or even interact, until I can get the Maestro back out.”
“… And if you can’t?” Twilight suddenly asked. There was a slight silence for a moment or two as The Doctor took to account what would happen if he couldn’t save the Maestro.
“For now, let’s just worry on keeping my body safe. I know what I’ll have to do if it doesn’t work, but all I need you to do for me Twilight is to get me in there.” he said, with a monotone while keeping his eyes shut. He opened them again to see the two worried. “Please … all I need is for you to Trust Me. Please.”
They looked at each other and back at the Time Lord, zoning out the screams of the Vortex Ooze and its minions.
“Okay then, but be careful. Please come back safe.” Ditzy said, hugging the Doctor. He hugged her back, tightly before looking at Twilight who only stared back at the creature, contemplating the chances this might work. She then saw the Doctor and how he smiled at her, winking to assure here everything was going to turn out fine. Whether it was all these times they’ve been traveling or his Time Lord wizardry, but she quickly got back her smile and nodded back.
“Alright Miss Sparkle, time waits for no one, off we go!” he said. She and Ditzy ran right behind him, following him around Sugar Cube Corner, and sneak into the kitchen. As the Doctor locked the door, in walked Pinkie Pie and Spike.
“Twilight, you’re alright!” Spike exclaimed, happy to see his best friend safe and alive.
“What happened out there? We saw some lightning, but we couldn’t tell if you were still okay.” Pinkie Pie said, sounding a slight worrisome as she gave Twilight and Ditzy a hug.
“Don’t tell me the great queen of laughters and smiles got worried? Come on Pinkie Pie, give us a smile!” The Doctor said, passing her by.
“Uh, Doctor, shouldn’t we get this mind meld thing started?” Twilight said as he walked to the front and locked the front door and shut the windows. Rarity and Applejack got up, relieved to see their friends safe and sound as well.
“Thank Celestia you three are alright!” Rarity said, relieved to see them okay.
“Is it over, did you stop that Ooze thing you were talking about?” Applejack asked.
“No, but we're about to by doing something … Different.” Twilight explained.
“Different as in what, exactly?” Rarity asked.
“Oh, oh, oh, let me guess; you tried to establish a telepathic contact with the Maestro because you think if you can contact him then you can save the ponies under the Ooze's control, save him as well, and destroy the monster forever. However, his mind is still going through a regeneration, so that means you'll have to force your mind into the creature and help the Maestro control his alien powers before he burns himself out, killing the creature, and possibly everything else in a half mile radius!” Pinkie Pie said under one deep breathe. Every pony stared at Pinkie Pie, dumbfounded by her guess, especially the Doctor. His jaw hung about for a couple of seconds, completely taken aback by her precise explanation.
“H-H-How did you know?” he asked, stuttering as if he was in the presence of the most unbelievable thing possible. The girls then stared back at him, realizing that her weird and odd explanation was right.
“Just a lucky guess.” she calmly answered. They all kept looking at her, until they felt a bang coming from outside. Ditzy peaked out the window, and gasped as the fiery glow was starting to disappear
“Doctor, he’s starting to get some control back.”
“Oh no he doesn’t!” he demanded, poking out his sonic and amplifying it to the proper settings. He passed it over to Ditzy, and gave his final instructions.
“Now if anything, just use the sonic and it’ll keep stun the creature momentarily, but I’m counting on you all to keep yourselves and my body safe. Alright?” he asked as she stared down at the screwdriver. She nodded and hugged him tightly.
“Alright, but be safe. Promise me that you’ll stop all this.” she whispered before pulling back.
“I’ll try, but in the end it’s up to the Maestro’s will to stop all this.” He said, looking back out at the Ooze and the Oozed Ponies. He turned back to Twilight. “Okay Miss Sparkle, it’s time. Open the link again, and more force this time; give it all you got!”
Twilight nodded and concentrated deeply now as the lavender aura emanated strongly now from her horn. She clenched her eyelids, grinding her teeth, and groaning as her telepathic powers were being pushed to a farther limit than before. She gasped and opened her eyes, now glowing a mystic white. The Doctor shut his eyes and cleared his mind of everything. He placed his hoof on her head, and gasped for air as his entire life force slipped out of his body.
“Spike, open the door!” she demanded.
The Doctor’s body began to lose all color as his energy slithered around Twilight’s horn; his coat and mane turning into a pale gray while his eyes turned into a lifeless white color. Spike instantly opened the door, revealing the creature on the other side. It screeched and hollered at Spike; every pony, but Twilight and Ditzy, screamed as its horrors were at the door. Ditzy flung the screwdriver at the thing, and pressed a button. The warbling of the space device made the creature screech and push back, holding its tentacles up to its pony ears. It was there that Twilight struck the beast with a ray of golden energy into the creature’s face. As she kept blasting, the Doctor’s body shook itself as if it was finally feeling the effects of his life force being pulled out. The others ducked and looked away as the Ooze was again forced back by the magical beam. Apple Bloom screamed as she held onto Applejack tightly while Spike clinged to Rarity. Pinkie Pie merely giggled while wearing her sunglasses, watching the intense light show. The force of Twilight’s magic rattled the house immensely for a near minute, until finally all of her magic and the Doctor’s lindos pheromones were absorbed into the monster’s body. The Time Lord’s body suddenly collapsed
“Somebody shut the door!” Ditzy yelled as she too ducked from the force.
“Oki Doki!” Pinkie Pie happily replied, slamming the door and locking it up as quickly as she could. The Time Lord’s body suddenly collapsed, with Twilight’s as all that power left her tired to even stand.
“Twilight!” the gang yelled, running to her aid as Ditzy and Spike tried to help her up.
“I’m alright … the magic I used takes an abundant of time to practice … and I only learned it two weeks ago.”
“No wonder you’re like this, but Clockwork. What did you do to him?” Rarity asked as Ditzy held up his lifeless body up to her.
“Clockwork and Maestro, they share a-” she tried to explain, but stopped to think of a way to not reveal the whole alien factor. “-a ‘special’ connection you might say, but enough to get them together.”
“So what now, Twi?” Applejack asked. Suddenly they felt a bang from the door.
“AJ, you send Apple Bloom upstairs and keep her safe. We’ve got to keep Clockwork safe.” Twilight said.
“Right, but don’t count me out Twilight. We girls gotta stick together on this one!” Applejack replied.
“But-” Twilight tried to say, only to be interjected by her friends.
“No buts Twilight, Applejack is right. We’re your friends and we’re not going to leave you, Spike, and Miss Hooves alone to fight that horrible creature!” Rarity said.
“Yeah, we’ll show that thing not to mess with this town and our friends!” Pinkie Pie said, pulling out her Party Cannon. Twilight smiled at the three and Spike who was holding the door back, giving a thumbs up to her, but more focused on the bangs.
“Alright then, grab what you can girls because this thing is not going to turn my town into a sludge fest!” Twilight cried out, holding out her hoof.
“For the Doctor!” Ditzy said, putting her hoof in with the sonic.
“For Sugar Cube Corner!” Pinkie Pie cheered, putting her hoof in
“For Sweet Apple Acres!” Applejack and Apple Bloom said in unison.
“For that all the beautiful Ponies of Ponyville!”
“For a little bit of help!” Spike yelled.
“Right then, let’s get to it!” Twilight said as she and the girls immediately split up.
Twilight and Ditzy used their strength to lift the Doctor’s body upstairs to one of the rooms. Applejack had to argue with her sister as to why she had to be left back on this adventure. However it was made clear to Applejack that this discussion would have to no end, so the earth pony forced Apple Bloom to stay out of trouble in the safety of Mister and Misses Cakes. Pinkie Pie loaded the Party Cannon, setting it up with Rarity. Yet, even the fashionista made up her own plans to possibly keep the Ooze distracted with a little help of the sugar sweets of the store to inspire a possible way to stop the Ooze and its little minions. Spike held the door up, but with the help of the Doctor’s screwdriver from Ditzy and even Twilight’s spell to create a small and temporary shield around the building. It wouldn't last for long, but it would do for even as the creature persisted to fight, the gang of ponies were ready for anything possible. In the end, it was up to The Doctor to stop this virus; a cure that would need the help of not one, but of two Time Lords.
The Stranger From The Vortex
All of time and space … the magic of the universe … everything and everywhere was waiting to be seen, explored, and lived at its fullest. For a Time Lord, it could all be there at the touch of a button, lever, or switch of a TARDIS’ six paneled console. Its body was majestic in design; its power was incomprehensible to any other; and its essence was breathtaking. The sheer presence of the TARDIS would either mean safety or danger, and right now The Doctor was sensing a danger.
The Doctor opened his eyes, but shut them immediately again as if he had just awoken from a long night’s rest. He rubbed his eyes, groaning a bit with a slight headache. He then remembered what had just happened, but something else shocked the 1500 year old Time Lord. The Doctor looked at where his hooves were, stunned to see that were now replaced by hands. He scuffled to his feet, and surprised to see himself back as a humanoid creature. He walked over to the monitor and stared at the screen, observing his face as if it had been through regeneration.
“Look at these! I’ve got feet and legs, and hands with five fingers, plus my face! One chin, a nose, nice lips, and my hair! Oh this is not good!” he said turning away from the monitor. There was a slight worry on his face, and he kept asking himself out loud many questions as to this confusion, but then he stopped. The Doctor had the urge to turn around, and look at his face again. He pulled out his glasses and stared once again at the image. This likely because his life essence was sent into the Maestro’s mind; morphing him into a plane that showed his true being. He moved the muscles in his face, and played around with many expressions to see what he really would look like in this current incarnation.
“Oh the nose is quite big actually than the last ones, but it makes sense. What with being a pony, and those muzzles. Well at least I wouldn’t have to worry about ‘the chin’ again.” The Doctor commented, looking at his face and then focus his attention at the hair. It still came out like his mane, but he actually enjoyed it, minus that one little detail he wished he could have.
“Not that bad, but still no Ginger. I do like the outfit! It’s kind of nice that I’ve been given pants too. Oooh, and it has my cutie mark.” he said, bewildered by how his entire body came up in full clothes and having the hourglass cutie mark pop up on the hips of his pants. “Oh hands, how I’ve missed you.”
He rubbed his face and his hair and all over with its five tiny members. The Doctor was thrilled to see them alive and moving and functioning just like before. Yet, this moment wouldn’t last for long for at that precise moment the TARDIS activated the Cloister Bell.
“Right, sorry, I’ve got to find out where he is. Now think Doctor, if he was able to construct a replica TARDIS by sheer memory, then maybe I can still locate him with the console. It’s worth a shot!” The Doctor spoke to himself aloud. He jumped around the machine, pushing the various controls with one hand while the other was busy on the monitor’s buttons. His body moved so quickly around the machine like he always does, and there was no time to waste. With the cloister bell still gonging away, he could hear a faint beeping sound from the monitor. He grabbed the screen and looked at a digital map for the various rooms located inside the TARDIS, but he only found one room active and visible.
“Hmm, he’s only seen the Zero Room and the Console room. So that’s all his subconscious could make up to justify anything his mind holds.” The Doctor said before looking down at his watch. “No time to waste, don’t worry girls, I’ll get this over with in a lickety-split … God, did I really just say that? Note to self, I must try and stop talking to myself a lot … oh who I am kidding, I love doing that.”
The Doctor ventured down the one of the steps leading into a corridor. With the console room behind and time ticking, Gallifrey’s most infamous child had to prepare himself for anything in this odd little peak at the stranger’s mind.
***
Twilight Sparkle, Ditzy Doo, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, and Spike stood inside the center room of Sugar Cube Corner, staring at the front door entrance. They waited for some kind of sign that the Vortex Ooze and/or its minions were still moving and kicking. The creatures stopped their screeching and hollering, as well as the banging on the door from earlier. Twilight knew that the Ooze stopped only to try and come up with a plan. Just like Ditzy, being with the Doctor gave her new instincts as to how to go along with moments like these. It was about using your wits, staying on your toes, and lots of running. However there was nowhere to run, but up if it somehow got in. Suddenly, they all heard the sludge and squishing noises of the Ooze slithering across the ground outside. The force field surrounding the outside was strong, but the question now was to see how long and how much it could take under the creature’s alien powers. Then they heard a bang come at the door
“Okay girls, get ready!” Twilight said. The banging continued with an intense and brute nature to each hit as the creature used more force into banging the door. Its horrific screams made them shake a little, but not enough to make them abandon their posts. Suddenly they heard the Cakes and Apple Bloom scream at something.
“Oh my goodness, Apple Bloom; don’t worry lil’sister I’m coming!” Applejack cried out as she ran up the stairs. It was then that the house began to shake and rattle, but the farm pony pushed further to her sister as the others tried to keep balance. Spike fell down, groaning as everything in the house kept quaking. He suddenly felt a blast of air thrust him up as the floorboards were cracked open by the Ooze’s tentacles. Spike screamed as it busted through the floors.
“How could it have gotten inside?!” Rarity said, watching as the tentacle whipped through the air. Covering herself as dirt and slime was splattered around.
“I didn’t take to account that maybe it could dig under the house. Ah!” Twilight screamed as Spike pulled her back from being torn in two by the tentacle. “I’m Sorry!”
“Don’t worry, Twilight, let’s just get this thing outta here!” Spike said as he grabbed a floorboard and banged the member with it.
“It’s party time!” Pinkie Pie cried before she started flinging hundreds of hundreds of pastries at monster’s tentacle while Rarity started wrapping a stylish fabric around it, trying to hold it down with her magic. Ditzy amplified the Doctor’s sonic, making it more wild, but weaker as they were forcing it to go back down. In the end however it was Twilight’s magic that really got the creature; she used her powers to engulf the tentacle in an inferno that boiled it to its core. The Vortex Ooze roared in agony once her magic heated up its tentacle to the point that it was forced to escape back underground. They all cheered in victory by its retreat, but it was short lived as they looked at the gaping hole it left.
“Quick, we’ve got to board this up before it can do anything.” Twilight said.
“Right!” The others said, until they heard glass and wood crash from above. Then they heard the cries of the Mister and Misses Cakes’ babies, along with Apple Bloom's screams.
“Rarity, come with me. Pinkie Pie, Ditzy, you stay here with Spike. Cover up this hole with anything you can use.” Twilight said as she started up the staircase.
“Be careful!” Spike yelled as the two unicorns ventured to the second floor to see what the hustle was all about.
***
It was a short walk to the Zero room; after all it was only one long corridor leading to a pair of sliding doors. The Doctor took a quick breath in and out of the nostrils before he placed his palm onto a scanner. The little device beeped and whirred before finally opening up to the room. He slowly walked into the white and almost empty room. He passed by the medical equipment he used on the Maestro’s body earlier. Each one looked mangled and destroyed from some kind of electrical malfunction, the edges hinted slight burns. The zero room looked like it could go forever, but the Doctor looked out for any signs that the Maestro was close by. Then he heard him; the Maestro was close and The Doctor was moving closer in on him. The noise was clearing up for him to clearly tell that the Maestro was in fact crying. He then noticed the blanket Twilight wrapped around the Maestro earlier, lying alone on the floor.
“Maestro?” He lowly called out, but the crying continued. The Doctor crept along the floor, taking notice of the slight drips of blood leading up to the blanket. He feared if something did happen to the Maestro's life force, but with time running out, The Doctor forced himself to grab the blanket and toss it away. He looked down to see nothing was there. Yet, the sobbing continued, like if he was a ghost that keeps crying for help. The Doctor had a puzzling look on his face, along with some frustration. He turned his head to any direction, trying to see where the body was. He even tried looking up, possibly thinking he was hovering over him due to the zero gravity, but there was still no sign of him being there. The Doctor stomped his foot on the floor, pulling off his glasses at this impossible mockery.
“This can't be possible! How is it I can hear you?! You're not a ghost, you're not anything supernatural, so how could you still be crying?!” He said, stomping his foot again. The Maestro's cried louder now, but something else happened. The ground beneath The Doctor violently shook as if reacting to his mad hit. The Doctor fell over, and felt a crack start to shape in the floor. The shake stopped as did the loud crying, reverting back to a sob. The Doctor looked at the crack, peaking at what was on the other side. The sobbing suddenly sounded louder through the crack. The Doctor then had a ridiculous grin on his face because he finally figured out what to do. The Doctor got up and made his way back to the TARDIS console room. He ran into a red lit room, and just like always, the cloister bell rang.
“Oh how could I be so stupid?” The Doctor exclaimed. “He's not in the room, how can he be when I'm in his mind!”
He ran to the monitor, fixing the dials to a higher setting. The screen then revealed an astonishing event; everything around The Doctor was The Maestro.
“If his entire being was still intact by the Ooze, the in order to be fully structured and finish his regeneration, than his mind had to shape something he was to stay alive than he had to rely on his memories!” He exclaimed, excited to be in another Time Lord's mind. “Of course, with a mind that's memory blank before today, meaning he didn't have much to rely on, but the memories of today … So he chose the memory stood out the most; my TARDIS console room!”
He swung his arm and grabbed the controls to his mock up time machine. The TARDIS magically worked at the Doctor's will.
“If I hope to merge with his essence then I'll need a way to draw out his essence. I really hope this works!” The Doctor exclaimed, before slamming the palm of his hands onto a flashing red button. He held onto the console as sparks blasted from the time rotor.
“Geronimo!” He yelled before feeling the heat of a blast engulf his body. His screams were lost in the symphonic sounds of the entire console room being shattered and blown to bits along with the Zero Room.
***
Twilight and Rarity made their way to the second floor and heard what sounded like furniture being thrashed around, as well as the sounds of several punches. The two busted into the room where they thought the noise was coming from, and watched as Applejack was beating three Oozed Ponies. Twilight looked at the glass window being shattered, and yet they were able to get through the force field. The two were ready to get into this fight, but in the end all they had to do was watch the cowgirl wrestled the three corrupt creatures with all her strength and might in lickety split. She smashed the three with her hooves, and used her lasso to swing the slimy monsters right back outside the window.
“Great job Applejack!” Twilight cheered as Rarity attended the Cakes.
“Thank you Applejack, you’ve saved us!” Mrs. Cake exclaimed as she and her husband were handling the babies, grateful that her family was safe. Apple Bloom popped out from behind them, and bounced around her sister.
“Yeah, did you see how my big sister handled those things?! You really showed those monsters why it ain’t good to mess with the Apple Family!” Apple Bloom cheered for Applejack’s bravery.
“It was nothing Misses Cake; I had to save my friends and my lil’sister.” She said, rubbing Apple Bloom’s head, rustling up her bow. “My question is how could they have gotten in? I thought your magic kept them out.”
“I don’t know either. My magic should have kept it out long enough for the Doctor to stop-” suddenly Twilight stopped her explanation as she heard a window glass break from the room across. She gasped once remembering that the Doctor's body was lying inside there, lifeless and easily able to be taken away.
“No, no, no; Doctor!” she screamed. Twilight teleported herself to the other room, and found two of the Oozed Ponies as they crept over the Doctor’s body. Once she popped into the room, the two paid their attention to her, growling and snarling like animals clinging to their prey.
“If you want his body, you’re going to have to get me first!” she cried out as her horn started to glow. The Oozed Ponies leaped out at her, but not in time to see her duck. They smashed their faces into the wall behind her, and collapse to the floor. Applejack and Rarity rushed into the room, and watched as Twilight was trying to handle the two Oozed Ponies.
“Guys, we have got to get Clockwork’s body out of here. If he’s captured at all, then we’ll have no chance to stop these things and free them from the Vortex Ooze!” Twilight said as Rarity and Applejack wrapped them around in Rarity’s fabric tight ribbons and Applejack’s rope. Twilight then used her magic, concentrating on levitating their bodies. The two Oozed Ponies screamed while being tossed out of the window.
“I really hope the Ponies under that slime monster’s control don’t feel the hurt after all this is over.” Rarity said, looking out the window to see the two slimed puppets knocked out in the shrubs. Rarity then used Applejack to help her wrap the Doctor up in another stylish piece of sturdy fabric along with a blanket to make it easier to move him out. Twilight paced herself back and forth in the room, while her friends grabbed The Doctor’s body. She was frustrated to still see her shield outside the window, and yet the Oozed Ponies were able to phase through it.
“This isn’t making sense.” Twilight exclaimed. “I focused my magic on the Vortex Ooze. I can understand that if the force field didn’t reach the underground, making it able to break through the floorboards, but the Oozed Ponies shouldn’t be breaking through the barrier at all. How they can be breaking through my barrier?! There has to be some logical explanation behind it!”
“Twilight, I know this is really eating away at you, but we ain’t got the time to dilly-dally about this all day.” Applejack reminded as she held the Doctor at one end while Rarity used her magic to levitate him at the other.
“But don’t you see Applejack; it’s breaking through the force field. Oh this is bad, this is very bad; my magic should have also melted that tentacle thing into a puddle of black goop!” she said, still trying to figure out what’s really going on with this creature from the vortex.
“Please Twilight, Applejack is right; all we have to do is focus on finding another way to stop it. If magic isn’t working at its full potential, then we’ll just have to rely on our wits and skills to keep it back while Clockwork and the Maestro fellow try and stop it.” Rarity said, holding Twilight calmly and steady. Sparkle sighed and nodded, until they heard a large boom coming from the main floor again.
“Guys, we need a little help, here!” Spike cried out, as he kept waving a floorboard at the heads of two Oozed Ponies. Pinkie Pie suddenly blasted her Party Cannon into another four of the Oozed Ponies; tossing their bodies into the kitchen. Ditzy tried her best bucking them back. She then jumped back as more and more tentacles ripped through the floorboards. Ditzy flew over the tentacles, whirling the sonic around to push each one away. Twilight, Rarity, and Applejack got in on this battle. The girls and Spike did everything to keep the Cakes and Apple Bloom safe, whilst fighting off the many Oozed Ponies and the tentacles of the creature. Pinkie kept shooting her cannon while Spike reloaded it with anything. Meanwhile Twilight kept zapping them with her magic as Rarity and Applejack bucking or bashing the lots coming into the building. Ditzy flashed the Doctor’s sonic around, making one group weak while the others kept fighting another set.
“ENOUGH!” a voice boomed, rocking the beaten home. Every pony stopped, including the Oozed Ponies, who only had devious smiles on their faces. “This ridiculous fight ends now!”
The Oozed Ponies stepped back as the center hole where the tentacles came out of started to wiggle in place. Suddenly the house started to shake as the floor beneath them crumbled and cracked.
“Get back up the stairs!” Twilight ordered.
“We can't, they're upstairs too!” Mrs. Cake said as she and Rarity backed up from the Oozed Ponies. Every pony screamed as everything around them crumbled. Twilight used her magic to make smaller bubble around her and her friends, protecting them as the house broke down. The Cakes looked away, shielding their children like Applejack to her little sister as their home was tumbling into pieces. The toxic fog was slowly coming out of the ground and carrying its toxic evil, but with Twilight’s bubble, the gang of friends and family were safe.
“No, no, no, Doctor; please wake up!” Ditzy yelled at the lifeless body of her friend. “Please, we need your help!”
She continued to yell, but it was no use as he was still inside that creature. In the light of moon, the ponies and Spike looked at the blob of the Ooze, wondering what else could possibly go wrong. This was answered by an unexpected rumble coming from the blob when four large hooves blasted out of its front and back sides. The creature lifted its bulbous body up so high that it went well beyond the height of the building that was once the Sugar Cube Corner. A head with sharply curved ears and green glowing eyes popped out of the chest, and slowly an elongated neck pushed the head out and above. Green and violet waves of light pulsated up and down its entire ponified body, giving it an elegant and sinister look in the fog. Tentacles wrapped around the top of its head and the back of its neck, forming a familiar curly look.
“ … Yeah, I really regret asking you about wormholes this morning.” Spike said to Twilight as she looked with horror at the creature’s size. Suddenly they all screamed as the earth beneath started to shake, but soon came to see that it was one of the Ooze’s tentacles wrapped around the magical bubble. They all held on tightly to each other as they phased through the cloud of toxicity, going high up to be face to face with the alien virus. A sadistic grin slowly grew across the monster’s face, along with the creation of a large horn that spiked out of its head. Tentacles wrapped around the top of its head and the back of its neck, forming a familiar curly look. Twilight and Spike then gasped as the face morphed into that of The Maestro’s.
“So this is the Time Lord’s back up plan? Earth equine creatures, held up in a house made of sugar and candy? An ugly one if I might add! Ha, I laugh at this feeble attempt to save your home.” the Vortex Ooze said, disrespecting their home.
“Hey, don’t you disrespect Sugar Cube Corner. I’ll let you know, it’s one of the best places on Earth! Coolest parties, greatest sweets, and a loving family! And ugly; really?! Well you’re not much of a looker you big mean ugly slime ball!” Pinkie Pie yelled at the creature, courageous to stand up to it.
“Do you know what I am? I am the first disease in all of creation. I have plagued more planets throughout the cosmos than the number of times your little contraption has blasted my little slaves away!” it yelled back, making Pinkie grunt and turn away, sticking out her tongue at it.
“Don’t dare talk back at my friends yah slime bucket! Take away your powers and y’all are just one big disgusting booger!” Applejack said, hiding her sister.
“I’ve lasted millions of years of evolution, and for what? To be talked back by a resilient bunch of Earth ponies; humph! The Time Lords you’re holding faith in won’t last for long you know.” the Vortex Ooze mentioned, catching Twilight and Ditzy’s attention.
“That’s where you’re wrong you Meany! That’s the Doctor you’re talking about, and if he’s really with another Time Lord then you’re going down!” Ditzy yelled back, frowning at the monster.
“Ha! I can feel them right now, settling in my stomach. It won’t be long, until they’re completely gone inside me. Their life essences destroyed by new internal organs.” The Ooze exclaimed, devilishly chuckling at the end.
“I’ve had just about enough of this!” Twilight yelled back up at the Ooze. “You either give up now or face up to the Doctor’s abilities. You’d be surprised what he can really do, he’s not any ordinary Time Lord.”
“Oh? What about the Looney one, the Maestro fellow? Is THIS time lord, extraordinary too?” it asked, smirking at the unicorn. Twilight didn’t reply for a moment as she then had to think about this entire day. Everything happened because of the scroll, and from there her simple day filled with planned and organized tasks was swept by the Maestro. It reminded her how the Doctor did the same when they first met, but with this pony she could see that there was nothing possibly evil inside, and if he was courageous enough to step up for her friends then maybe
“ … I don’t know for sure, even he didn’t have a clue as to who he maybe, but anypony who stands up for my friends against a monster like you must have some clue of what’s right and wrong when it comes to events like these!” she exclaimed, getting the Ooze’s attention. He growled at her little uplifting speech to defend the Maestro. “And I am not going to let you stop him and the Doctor from beating you! Ditzy use the sonic screwdriver now!”
Ditzy held up the screwdriver as Twilight made a small opening the bubble. She stabbed the tentacle with the Doctor’s gadget, pressing down on the button to send off the highly painful wavelengths that messed with its mind, body, and control. The monster hollered and screamed with the feeling of every single cell in its body moving farther and farther apart from each other. Its minions started to feel dizzy again, groaning and crying out in horrifying yells in the night. The tentacle lost its grip on the bubble surrounding the group, letting it fall to the ground. The bubble dispersed into nothing but magical dust as they landed on a bed. The sonic screwdriver was lost inside the Vortex Ooze’s body that it made the creature act wildly through the toxic fog. With the mist still active though, Twilight tried her best to come up with a spell that would clear the mist around them. Sparkle concentrated on a wind spell she learned in her studies, the kind that would at least push the fog away. Her friends were starting to choke and cough dangerously, but with all her focus on the spell, Twilight’s body was covered in an aura as the air around her started to spin and spin in all directions. In a matter of seconds, her spell had fanned the mist far enough to keep them safe.
“Wait a go Twilight!” Spike cheered as they were in the clear.
“Nice job Twilight, you’re magic saved us!” Applejack said, fixing her Stetson.
“Thanks … phew … remind me to start back on the weather spells agar-AAAAAH!” Twilight said, before feeling a tentacle wrap around her. She screamed as her body was being dragged into the air. Spike jumped out and grabbed her hoof, but his extra weight did nothing to slow it down.
“Help!” Spike shouted. Ditzy immediately leaped out and grabbed Spike’s hands, flapping her wings to pull them back. Yet, she too couldn’t handle the force of the tentacle tugging them back, and with the sonic missing she couldn’t do anything.
“Oh, no you don’t!” Applejack cried before pulling out her lasso out and whipped the rope around Ditzy’s body. She stood her ground with a fierce determination to stop the monster from snatching her friends away. The farm mare used every muscle in her legs and hooves to keep them still. Rarity and Pinkie Pie rushed immediately from behind and started to tug back Applejack. The combined strength of all three mares made it possible to keep the semi-weakened tentacle at bay. Suddenly they heard Apple Bloom shriek as shadows started to come out of the fog. Applejack turned back to see Four Oozed Ponies surround the Cakes and Apple Bloom.
“Stay away from my sister you varmints!” Applejack yelled as one started to bite its jaw close to her muzzle. Yet Apple Bloom surprised the creature by swing back with a wooden stick in the eye. It shrieked as she kept waving the stick around. Suddenly Applejack's eye shot wide open as a tentacle whipped right of the rubble and snatch her sister into the sky.
“NO!” Applejack cried, making her lose focus and the grip she had on the rope. Instantly they too were pulled back by the slight greater strength of the tentacle holding onto Twilight. The gang screamed and yelled as they were pulled into the fog. They held on tightly to each other as they were hung in the air and faced the angered Vortex Ooze. Another set of tentacles grabbed each of Twilight's friends while the Oozed Ponies were closing in on the Cake Family.
“I am a virus if the body, mind, and heart of every living creature Miss Sparkle.” the Ooze said up close to her face. The girls and Spike gasped in fright as he held up the body of the Doctor and Apple Bloom together. “It's time someone taught you that you can't always believe in what some DOCTORS say to make you feel better.”
Twilight sighed and started to tear up. She looked away as something was starting to stir inside the monster's body.
***
Powerful winds were howling and whistling at high speeds along with raindrops that kept rushing by The Doctor. He then felt raindrops hit his entire body, and opened his eyes as lightning and thunder clashed in the distance. The Doctor gasped for air, and stared down at his hands, still there and still wiggling. He looked around to see that his TARDIS console room was completely gone. The only things left were remnants of the fictional time machine that flew off right behind him. He was inside the Time Vortex, or rather a memory mock-up of the Time Vortex. The powerful flow of history was whizzing all around him, in which every point in time and space were inside the dense clouds that made up this chaotic swirling tunnel. The Doctor assumed that because the mind works to its own will, it’s possible that this vortex was safe … or at least it looked safe to him. Suddenly he could hear the Maestro’s cries further up ahead in the time tunnel. The Doctor used his greater will at mind control to move himself swiftly and without haste towards The Maestro. However, even with his mind control, The Doctor had to go from smooth travels to dashing and dodging bolts of lightning crashing through the vortex. He screamed and grunted to move his body as stably as possible, while trying to avoid the bolts of lightning as they increased in numbers and power. Suddenly he could see an alluring light, and inside the light did a shadow resemble The Maestro.
“Maestro!” he shouted at the top of his lungs to the Maestro, but all he heard back were the cries of the Time Lord. This time however, they sounded not as cries of pain. No, these sounded like cries for help. The Doctor flew at a fast speed, bouncing from clouds to cloud like a Pegasus to avoid the insanity of the Vortex’s lightning.
“Maestro!” The Doctor shouted again, moving closer and closer to him. His cries became clearer and clearer as the ball of golden-white light revealed the Maestro. He was twisting and turning as patches of black slime were attached to various parts of his body.
“I’m coming, don’t be afraid! It’s me, The-AGH!” The Doctor said, until he felt a bolt of lightning zap the back of his head. He screamed in pain as it forced him to lose control, and crash into the Maestro. The two bounced around as lightning kept thrashing at this force field of yellow light. The Maestro stopped screaming for a second to see The Doctor was barely hanging in his arms.
“D-D-Doctor?” The Maestro exclaimed, looking down at the Time Lord’s face. His entire body looked completely different from his own, but yet it had a familiar feeling. The Doctor groaned and mumbled. “Doctor, I’m-AGH!”
The Maestro then felt the black patches of slime start to burn his skin.
“No! Agh, let me go!” he screamed, trying to pull each one off. “I gave you my body, what more do you want?!”
“I want everything you have. Now that you can see me, I can finally be free!” a voice whispered out of the bubbling patches of slime.
“What?!” he said, confused as to what the black patches of slime whispered to him. All of sudden, two clawed hands reached out of two patches of slime at the end of his hooves, and grabbed the Maestro by his neck. Lightning blasted his shield again, creating cracks around it as golden dust flowed around the two.
“This is mine, all of it is mine. You locked me up, and I want it back you pathetic creature.” The voice whispered loudly now. The Maestro cried in between his chokes as it violently thrashed him inside the bubble. “This is my body! You will obey me; I am-!”
Lighting blasted the bubble again, but only this time it had the force to open a slight crack. Sparks and crackles of electricity bounced inside the bubble. The electricity zapped the Maestro’s horn, giving him the energy to directly attack the claws, and force each patch of black slime to ooze off his body. It withered into the golden dust particles wrapped around him. He suddenly noticed the shield starting to crack, but that had to wait once he heard The Doctor mumble in his arms.
“M-Maestro, listen … please-oomph!” The Doctor softly said, coughing a little. His body was weak, and he could barely speak. Maestro held him up to his ears, and listened in closely. “Listen, our friends are in danger-Gah! And we must-ah!”
“Shh, it’s okay; everything’s going to be okay … uhm … just, please tell me what I have to do to help you and your friends?” The Maestro asked, holding up the Doctor as closely as possible.
“… Merge with me, and remember.” The Doctor said in one final whisper, before finally fainting. His body started to glow, and shape into an outlined figure of his body. The Maestro was lost at what the Doctor instructed him to do.
“Wait, what did you mean by-” suddenly he stopped. The Doctor’s body was floating as more golden dust started to build up inside this cloud they were making. “Merge … that means we have to become one … okay. Merge and ‘remember’ he said. Remember what?”
He shut his eyes, to try and remember something. This was then interrupted by more lightning and thunder. He screamed as the bubble was zapped by three bolts of lightning. The Maestro felt his bubble crack and explode around him. He grabbed the Doctor, and held on tightly as the vortex collapsed around them. Slowly and slowly, all of the chaotic forces of the fake time vortex disappeared and wither into nothing. It was now only them, the cloud, and the darkness of what he believed to be the emptiness of his Amnesia induced psyche. The Doctor stood still as they landed on something. The Maestro looked down and felt a floor beneath him. It was a metal, grey pad; the only thing that existed in his mind.
“Nothing; there is nothing here. How can I merge without remembering anything?” he said again. The Maestro got to his knees and kept on crying for what seemed like forever. There was no sign of his past life; even if this gray pad was some kind of reminiscent of his past, it meant nothing to him. He looked back up at the Doctor’s body. A haunting image, that was frozen and waiting for him. His body kept bobbing up and down silently in mid-air. The dust at this point was starting to expand, and scattered in the darkness. The Maestro looked at each glowing particle moved by delicately in the dark. Suddenly he heard a distant scream off in the distance. He tried to find out where it was coming from and what it was saying, but with the pad being his only possible platform, he could do nothing, but just listen to the screaming.
“Doctor, Doctor, can you hear me?! Blink twice if you can hear me!” The Maestro said as he grabbed his friend by his leg. The Doctor did not respond. “Damn it! A pony is screaming for help, and I’m stuck here!”
He shouted at the floating humanoid body of the Doctor, but just like before, there was no response.
“What do I do? I don’t know how I can I merge and remember who I am if I don’t even know what I was before today!” he shouted at The Doctor. Then it hit him … literally. It hit him, and he fell down. “ … Wait!”
He took a pause, got up, and thought about it again. An idea formed inside his mind, immediately hitting him again.
“Wait!” he repeated again.
He turned to the Doctor, and then back to the golden lights around them. It hit him one more time, leaving a bruise in his brain.
“Wait a minute! I can’t remember anything BEFORE today, but I remember everything from today. So if I can focus in on everything and everybody I met, then maybe we can finally merge!” he turned back to the Doctor again. “If I’m right, don’t blink!”
The Doctor continued to do nothing in his stasis.
“I Knew I was right. Now then, who do I go for first!” he asked himself.
“Aaahhh! Let us go you revolting creature!” a familiar voice echoed in the distance. He listened in closely, trying to hear out who it is.
“That sounds like … Miss Rarity?” he exclaimed. Suddenly several rays of the golden stars raced into his mouth. He gasped as each one he absorbed. Memories raced of the few minutes he spent with Miss Rarity, but something else was missing in these images.
“Don’t you dare hurt my friends you alien freak!” a younger boy’s voice yelled out in the darkness.
“Spike, can you hear-ah!” the Maestro was then hit from behind by the rays of light, each one flowing up and down his spine. Pictures of his arrival into the Golden Oaks Library, meeting Spike, the hospital, and running out the TARDIS into the Market came back! However something was blocking the two memories of Spike and Rarity; which then forced his mind to flip around the memories of the two.
“No, no, no, there’s something else that happened! Think, damn you, think!” The Maestro said as he stomped his hooves down on the platform. His body was glowing at this point, but it was dim compared to the Doctor’s for both still had no immediate connection, except possibly for Spike.
“Applejack, help!” a little filly’s voice cried out, immediately reminding the Maestro of the little filly and her older sister.
“Apple Bloom; let go of my sister or else I’ll show you-AHHH!” Applejack cried out, until something made her scream in agony.
“The Apple sister, I remember them; AH-HA!” The Maestro said; jumping with excitement as his body was glowing brightly in the darkness. Though the magic of these star lights were making him glow, and even float beside the Doctor, he was missing one more element to start the merging.
“Come on Maestro; think, think, think! Spike, Rarity, Applejack, and Apple Bloom! I wouldn’t have met all of them if it wasn’t for one thing!” The Maestro said aloud, looking straight at the Doctor as the rays of light were nearly there to pulling them together. The darkness around them started to crack, opening rays of light at to the two beings. Then he heard that voice. The first voice he heard the moment he had awoken inside the Library … and this time, she was calling out for him!
“Maestro; listen to me! I know you’re in there, so please listen! You’ve got to merge with The Doctor right now or else everything you did today and every day from this point on will be gone! I promise that if you help us, I will help you find the secrets to who you really are! Just merge-AHHHH!” she was suddenly cut off as The Vortex Ooze started to squeeze her.
“Twilight!” all her friends yelled to her as she kept screaming. The darkness started to fall apart around the two as the white light was coming into place. The golden dust started to twirl around the Maestro. He shut his eyes, taking in one deep breathe. He opened them to reveal a golden aura blasting out of his pupils. At the top of this golden tornado, the faint sounds of electrical zaps along with a thunder boomed the last bits of darkness. The traveler and the stranger from the time vortex finally came together as one lord of time.
***
Twilight kept choking as the Vortex Ooze squeezed her tightly. She looked at her friends, before being forced to be face to face the monster.
“Still have faith in your precious Time Lords?” the creature whispered lightly, squeezing her tightly to not let her answer. “Because let me tell you why you shouldn’t trust in Time Lords. They are weak, always have, and always will be weak. I’ve lived for millions of years, spreading my plague wherever I pleased to do so, but it wasn’t just the bodies I played with.”
It then turned her to her friends, letting her breathe this time before she could pass out in the tentacle. They all looked tired and on the brink of collapsing as it were choking them. All, except for Apple Bloom who was crying as it dangled her by her tail. She wept for Applejack and her friends. Twilight growled as she was forced to watch this by the Vortex Ooze. It slightly chuckled at torturing the little one.
“I am not only a virus to the immune system; I am an ever evolving being. Soon enough, I will be able to torture your body and minds. I will break down every creature on this little ball, through the very air you breathe, and into your thick skulls! No Doctor, no Maestro, just me and this pathetic planet.” it continued to explain its plan. Worldwide conquest was on its mind, not focusing on the glow coming from its very eyes. “And I think I’ll start with you three!”
Suddenly she watched as it smashed her body into the same tentacle with Apple Bloom, and then tosses Spike. They held each other closely in this one tentacle, looking up at the creature with fear. That was then, while they kept staring into its eyes, Twilight took notice of the glow coming from its eyes. Spike looked up ahead to see a glowing green light faintly flow through the tentacle. The tip of the device stuck out, while also blurring out its familiar out of this world sound effects. It looked alive as a golden dust popped it out. The device fell into Spike’s claws.
“It’s surprising that all it took for this to happen was for that buffoonish Time Lord to die in the Time Vortex, but looks like we’ll never know how or even why he ended up there in the first place. Have anything else to say, Miss Sparkle?” The Vortex Ooze asked.
“Yeah, you’ve got something in your EYE!” Spike shouted. He bit into the tentacle, giving it enough bite force to make the Vortex Ooze loose some grip on him. The baby dragon then used all of the strength in his arm to toss the screwdriver into the Ooze’s glowing eyes. Twilight then zapped the other eye, therefore causing it to scream in agony by the stinging sensations of her magic rays and the sonic piercing through the other eyeballs flesh. It immediately dropped everybody that its tentacles were gripping onto. The gang screamed in terror once their bodies were free falling toward the rubble of Sugar Cube Corner. The Vortex Ooze pulled out the sonic screwdriver as it rubbed both eyes with its hooves. The small device fell toward the ground, landing somewhere in the rubble. It looked down at the ground, and tried to find out where the bodies splattered. Suddenly it felt something poking at the back of its head. The Vortex Ooze turned its head around, and watched as a tentacle smashed into its face. The Oozed Ponies felt the punch as well, but stared at disbelief as six tentacles came out from behind with one of them holding onto the girls and Spike. Each one was emanating a golden aura with gold dust flowing up into the sky.
“What?!” the alien virus asked aloud before turning around again, until it felt another golden glowing tentacle whip itself along its face. Another two came around and slapped it in muzzle, then poke his eyes.
“The Doctor a-a-and the Maestro … they’ve finally merged!” Twilight exclaimed as the tentacles kept beating up the Vortex Ooze’s body. Soon more and more of its wiggling appendages started to glow like bars of gold and attack the monster they belonged too while. The girls and Spike kept cheering on for the Time Lords, chanting their names for encouragement, while being lowered down safely to the ground. By this point, the Vortex Ooze’s minions were lying unconsciously on the ground, but surprisingly the slime was gone.
“Whoa, what happened to them? Where did all the slime on their bodies go?” Spike asked.
“We saw them jump off their bodies and head back to that monster.”
“Well of course it would, I did that!” the Maestro’s voice yelled out of the creature’s mouth. Everybody looked back up.
“Maestro!” Twilight and Spike said, smiling as his voice boomed.
“Yeah, but I suggested it!” the Doctor’s voice commented out of its mouth too.
“Doctor!” Ditzy jumped up with glee.
“What is going on; AGH?!” the Vortex Ooze yelled as each tentacle started to wrap around his neck, belly, and hooves.
“This is the end for you, Oozy!” the Maestro yelled as it flipped the creature back into the ground. “Doctor, I’ve got him now!”
As the creature was wrestling with its uncontrollable tentacles, deep within the mind of it, the two Time Lords that have merged into a unicorn that had the Doctor's mane and eyes, and the Maestro’s physique, were pinning down a purple striped black blob to the ground.
“Keep him down because it’s time for us to regenerate!” The Doctor’s voice said.
“What does that mean?!” The Maestro asked, stomping their hooves to pin it down completely.
“It means we’re going to use up all our combined life energies, and in the process we’ll melt the virus and burn it into smoke!” The Doctor explained.
“Burn up our life energies? But doesn’t that mean we’ll … die?” The Maestro asked with a slight hesitation of fear in his voice.
“ … Possibly, but there might be a slight chance we can survive this.” The Doctor said, staring out into space like if he was staring at the Maestro. The stranger stayed in silent, changing his expression from shock to fear.
“Maestro, listen to me! Listen to me! You’ve done so much for me today, and I know I’m asking a lot out of you right now … but if you do this with me, I can promise you that from this day forward, your life will change. You and I can do this, I know you can!” The Doctor yelled out.
“How do you know I can, huh?! I know we merged, but we still have a chance at both of us dying. I can’t let you die when I know that you can find out all about who I was and what I am and-” suddenly he was interrupted.
“I know what you are Maestro!” the Doctor blurted out. “ … And I promise you that I will find out more, but you’ve got to trust me! We can do this because I am the Maestro and-!”
“And I; AM; THE MAESTRO!” The Maestro yelled with a victorious boom to his voice. He looked down at the Vortex Ooze.
His yell reached outside in the real world. The giant black slimed pony was then thrashed around the floor, and each hit it took would cause it to lose its limbs. Each limb would suck back in the toxic fog it made, while also melting back into one bulbous body of black slime. The gang watched the golden particles swirl around its body like a blazing tornado, shining in the night while vaporizing the monster.
“This isn't fair!” The Vortex Ooze shouted.
“So were your plagues on Gallifrey, and all the species on other planets that you forced into extinction! Goodbye Oozy!” The Doctor shouted out of its mouth. Everybody watched as the creature of black goo from outer space was engulfed by the twister made of lindos energy.
“Look at you Maestro! You still fight and you don’t even know who you are?! Looks like someone use to have a Hero Complex, but you listen to me good Amnesia Lord … whatever happens now, you will regret this. Whoever you become, whatever you become, I promise you that it will not be a pretty one!” The Ooze cried out to the Maestro.
“I may not remember who I was, but after today … things like you will know who I am!” The Maestro said, before finally pulling him and The Doctor’s life energies out of the creatures blob body. Within a matter of minutes the Vortex Ooze was finally dead; melting into a puddle of dead slime, bubbling like a hot water spring. The Doctor’s essence sprang right of the twister and straight into his physical pony body, instantly bringing it back to life.
The Doctor’s friends cheered for his return. He stood back up gasping for air as Twilight and Ditzy helped him up. Before he could say and do anything, the Time Lord and the rest watched as the glittery golden sands started to flow up high into the sky. Strands of the Maestro’s regenerative energies moved throughout the town, and wherever they went each one would repair the damages of the Vortex Ooze’s path. The cracks in the streets, the broken buildings that had businesses and homes that belonged to the many residents of Ponyville, and the toxic flea market’s damages were all being fixed. It even reached as far as Twilight’s Library with restorations to her entire home and erasing any signs of the damages from earlier. The ponies started to watch as the rubble around them started rebuild itself back together from the foundations to even the many sweet treats that the Cakes couple baked in the day. The Sugar Cube Corner was back to its full glory. Though the Cakes were happy about this, the rest of their friends were too focused on the Maestro.
His body flowed at the center of this miraculous event, not knowing that it was his powers and his will to regenerate was erasing every trace of the damages. The sands reverted back into his body, absorbing it all in, before finally being used to finish his regeneration. The Maestro stood on his hind legs with his hooves held out to the sides. Like fire, a burst of light zapped out of his coat in every direction. The Doctor and Twilight, with Spike following behind, galloped outside as he screamed into the night. They stood only five feet from him, shielding their eyes from the intense light. His scream was unbearable for Twilight to hear because all she could imagine was the pain of this Time Lord regeneration, yet if this was normal for the Time Lords as the Doctor’s told her in the past than it would be all over soon. The light slowly died away into the night in a matter of seconds. They slowly looked back at the Maestro. He swayed from side to side, until he finally collapsed to the ground.
“Maestro!” Spike said before getting on his knees to lift his head. “Maestro, are you okay?! Can you hear us?!”
“I did it. We did it. We stopped the Vortex Ooze … hurray …” the Maestro barely said. With one last glimpse of Twilight and Spike holding his head up, while telling him that everything was going to be alright and the Doctor examining him, the Maestro shut his eyes and fell into a deep slumber.
The Stranger From The Vortex
In the two days following, Twilight Sparkle and her friends would watch as Ponyville completely forgot the events that unfolded the day of the Vortex Ooze’s attack. However, one of the strangest things had occurred soon after its demise at the Maestro’s regeneration. Nobody remembered what happened. The doctors and nurses at the hospital completely forgot of a Maestro. The residents that were under its control and converted into Oozed Ponies could not recall anything that night, but only waking up with headaches. She wondered how only she and Spike remembered the event, while her friends didn't. In private, The Doctor theorized that it had to do with the fact that the Maestro’s complex powers and possible unicorn magic made it possible to erase any traces of the Ooze’s chaos, as well as his own presence wherever he was. However, the personal memories he made with Twilight, himself, and Spike were so profound that he kept their memories of him.
With that out of the way, The Doctor and Twilight went to her laboratory, and turned their attention to one more thing … what were they to do with this impossible pony from Gallifrey?
“Let me get this straight, you’re saying he is and isn't a Time Lord?” Spike asked while Twilight was looking over an experiment she was working on.
“I’ll tell you this one more time. The data I recovered from his fiasco in my TARDIS, as well as the studies I conducted in his coma show traces of his DNA resembling mine. I even had the TARDIS trace his genetic origins and it lead back to my reality, my universe, my Gallifrey.” The Doctor explained with some frustration before sitting down.
“So how is he impossible?” Spike asked and then took a sip of hot coco.
“His genes originated back to Gallifrey, but the TARDIS has no historical records of his existence before or after the Time War. So now I’m left asking myself, is he a Time Lord? If he is than how did he survive the Time War and get out of its Time Lock? Why is he here, now and not before? I’m left with too many questions that can lead me to nowhere and being nowhere is bad!” The Doctor said while looking at the TARDIS and wondering what could be really going on if even his trusty time machine couldn't tell what this stranger was all about.
“Does this make him dangerous as well?” Twilight asked, walking over to her potion book.
“It makes him impossible, and I've dealt with Impossible things before that have led to dangerous things, but that doesn't mean he's initially dangerous.” The Doctor exclaimed, before sipping some coco.
“I don't know Doctor. I mean, I agree that his initial role when it came to the Vortex Ooze incident shows that his warped mind knows some kind of good. Enough good to help us stop it, but I have this feeling that the scroll he came out of was meant for something else.” Twilight commented as she then opened up the scroll she read from. He passed it to the Doctor. “You see, for the past couple of weeks, I've been working on trying to rework the puzzles and potions from the scrolls I found. Each one is connected by one thing and that is the Dark Wizard of Time.”
“What are you trying to say Twilight? That the Maestro is this Dark Wizard?”
“No, I was told by Princess Celestia that the Dark Wizard was merely a legend, but then so were these scrolls. I cross referenced each scroll and I realized that try are just modified spells and potions of Star Swirl the Bearded. There are exactly 23 of these scrolls, and they each deal with time, space, science, or dark magic ... Except for four scrolls that had good magic; this scroll was enchanted with a genuinely good magic spell to unlock something.”
“And you believe this something is in fact the Maestro! My-my-my Miss Sparkle, you have one of the most brilliant brains I've ever been fortunate to meet!” The Doctor exclaimed, kissing Twilight's forehead. She blushed a bit, and felt proud of her friend’s kind words. “I'll admit, this theory is quite far fetching, but I won't rule it out. A good Scientist never rules out a crazy idea.”
The Doctor took the scroll and stuff edit into his jacket's pocket.
“If you don't mind, I'll take this and the other three scrolls filled with this 'good' magic.” The Doctor said as he helped out his hoof.
“Spike, can you get them please. They're marked with green stickers for safe. They should be by the stairs leading up to the bedroom, so second floor, okay?” Twilight said.
“You got it; I'll be back before you know it.” Spike said as he ran back upstairs.
The two continued to discuss about the Maestro, sharing their two theories and figuring out if they should inform this to the Princess or not. Spike made it all the way up to the second floor, and searched around for the scrolls. He realized however that he move them up to their beds when she had a late night revelation about them. He walked up the steps and grabbed the three green sticker scrolls. He dashed back downstairs, passing by the couch where the Maestro was laid down since he fell into his coma. As Spike ran by the unconscious Maestro, he did not notice the Impossible Time Lord slowly breathe out the last of the golden dust particles, humming a harmonic them with its departure from his body.
“Here you go Doctor. The other three good magic scrolls!” Spike said as he handed over the scrolls to the Doctor.
“Thank you Spike; now I'll be off, I promised to meet with Octavia for that picnic. We might be gone for a while, maybe a week so don't get into any trouble until then, alright?” The Doctor joked as he pulled out the TARDIS key. He opened the door, but was tugged at the back of his collar by Twilight's magic.
“You’ll be gone for a week?! But Doctor, what about the Maestro? What do I do when he wakes up?” The unicorn asked, worried of what to do with the Maestro without knowing what to do with him.
“Give him a nice breakfast. Read him a book. Show him around. Give him a party for all I care, but you mustn't expose the fact that he may possibly be an alien from another galaxy or a dark wizard from another time, at least not to the authorities. Now can you please-AH!” He tried to explain quickly, but instead got pulled out of the doorway and forced to face Twilight.
“Not even Princess Celestia?! I've got to write my weekly letter to her by this Saturday. You mean to tell me, I can't even tell her about him, when she knows all about you?! That doesn't make sense!” Twilight frantically said, contemplating the consequences. The Doctor rolled his eyes, and sighed before coming up with a proper explanation to this little issue.
“Relax, Twilight. I know that letter is dire, so just write to her about what you've learned from the darker scrolls and that you're looking over the four you gave me. I promise you that in a week from now, you can send her another letter to Princess Celestia about him. Now can I please-HEY!” He calmly explained while turning back, until Twilight pulled him back, again.
“What about our friends, what if they remember from something he says that triggers their memory of that night. Or what if he tells them and they come to me with questions?” Twilight asked, now worried about what her friends might think.
“I won't answer that because I trust you well enough by now that you know how to handle a secret like this one. You need to understand that your Princess mustn't know anything about him, until I know for sure whether or not he is safe for this universe.” The Doctor quickly said before jumping back into his TARDIS, and shutting the door behind him.
“And if he isn't …?” Twilight asked from the other side. The Doctor paused going up the steps to his console. Twilight and Spike only stared at the Police Box doors, waiting for him to open it again and answer her question. There was a moment of silence between the two, with the only sounds coming from the bubbling of the potions behind them and the humming of the TARDIS. Suddenly the speakers turned on and The Doctor spoke out to them from his console.
“If you want to tell your friends who he is, then its fine by me, but when he wakes up … just try and take care of him … ok?” The Doctor asked, watching both Twilight and Spike from the wall monitor.
“We will and we promise to help you through this Doctor.” Twilight said as she and Spike looked up at the wondrous machine and its glowing sign.
“Okay, step back now. I’ll be back soon. Bye!” he said.
They did as he said and stepped back. The machine’s engines roared with that enchanting sound. Spike watched as it materialized out of existence, leaving nothing but the faint sounds of its engines roaring into the Time Vortex. Twilight sighed and turned away to her studies while Spike went back to cleaning their room all the way in the second floor. Meanwhile the Maestro lies asleep on the couch, dreaming of everything and nothing for the many days ahead. With the Doctor away and traveling in time and space via his Type-40 TARDIS, all he could do for now was to put it aside and focus on was getting to Octavia for their picnic at Trottingham. Even though at the back of his super genius brain, his subconscious was littered with all sorts of questions and theories that were interconnected by this impossible stranger from the time vortex.
The Stranger From The Vortex
Spike kept looking at the TARDIS monitor, barely understanding what he was looking at except for the heart rates. The beeping to the heart rate sounded way off; there was a rhythm to it that made it different from the average pony heart.
“He’s got to be an alien ...” he thought to himself. Then his attention was drawn towards his hungry belly that growled. He looked upon the numerous halls going off in every direction from the console room and tried to remember where the kitchen was. The baby dragon looked back to the monitor; the Maestro was still breathing.
“You know for a space ship, I bet you can get lost in here pretty quickly” Spike said. Like any young minded creature, he walked up to the console with a curiosity. Even after all these months with the Doctor, the console was still a sight that left him in awe. He walked around it, watching its every buttons and gadgetry and flickering lights, trying to thinking which one could possibly lead him to the kitchen ... if there was a kitchen.
“Hmm, the Doctor did say that it is alive … sort of. If that’s true then maybe if I talk to it, I might get directions to the kitchen” he said while looking up at the pumping mechanisms inside the column of the Time Rotor going up and down inside the glass cylinder; glowing with an awesome aqua light. Spike then realized how insane he sounded by considering such an idea.
“Whoa, I've only been alone for five minutes in here, and already I'm going crazy. Can’t imagine was 1,000 years has done to the Doctor. Now I know how he makes up his crazy ideas, hahaha” Spike chuckled.
Out of nowhere, several white lights turned on down alongside the walls of one corridor after the buttons and levers activated on their own. Then a buzz alarmed Spike to turn back to the screen. Covering the data numbers and charts were large digital words that read: FOLLOW THE LIGHTS TO THE KITCHEN. Spike gulped and nervously chuckled while slowly backing towards the corridor, realizing that there might actually be more to this machine then he initially thought.
Spike followed the lights down the corridor and eventually they lead him to the enormous and glamorous kitchen that could rival the Canterlot Royal Kitchen. He peaked around to see the room was very shiny, futuristic, and chrome like in design. Spike's stomach growled hungry for anything after today's weird adventure. He found the largest fridge in the room, and low and behold his eyes were greater with a unique site of tasty drinks and goodies. Yet, what really caught his attention was the surprising jar of gems. He squeaked with sheer glee and jumped up to reach for the jar. After a couple of tries, Spike finally grabbed it and read the tag attached it.
“Dear Doctor, do not give this Spike until his birthday. Also, stop leaving it next to the milk. Gems are not at all delicious as that little dragon says they are! Especially the green ones, some how in this world when crunched into powder, tastes like pears; yuck! I know how much I hate pears, So please move them from the milk, it is NOT milk powder. Sincerely, the Doctor . Hmm, we'll he was going to save it for my birthday ... BUUUUT, Future Spike will eventually eat this so its best that Present Spike take a sneak peak, just to get ready for it when it comes” he said to himself, and instantly, a devious smile grew across his face. Spike opened the lid and reached in for one gem, from there he dropped it in his mouth and took it all in with one bite. The taste of it crushing in his teeth and landing on his tongue in smaller bits was savored by the dragon, lasting even after the entire thing was inside his stomach. He licked his lips, but groaned soon after for he was still hungry.
“Hmm, maybe one more will satisfy the hunger” Spike grabbed another and gulped it down, causing him to burp once again. He licked his lips, but even then his stomach was still hungry.
“Okay, okay. Just let me grab some milk first and then I’ll take two more and that's-” Spike immediately stopped talking once he opened the fridge again to see another four jars right behind the milk. An even bigger smile grew on his face, completing the awe that his wide eyes had. He was bewildered to see the extra jars of gems and diamonds. Spike looked at the jar in his hands and started chugging it down his throat. It was obvious by now that his mind was set on getting his stomach full of three more jars worth of delicious gems. He ran about the kitchen to prepare him a delectable meal. Meanwhile several rooms away something else was going on.
***
The screen was calm after Spike left, but very soon afterwards it started to display a change in Maestro’s heart rate, with an ever growing pace. There was a sudden rise in blood pressure, reaching to dangerous levels. His body temperature drastically changed to higher and lower levels. The TARDIS and all the machinery scanning his body were detecting an abundance of data that pointed to dangerous flow of electronic impulses from his cerebrum, to his reticular activating system, and along the medulla oblongata.
Sweat ran down the Maestro’s forehead while he ground his teeth together. His breathing grew heavier and heavier, replacing the sound of his nostrils sucking in air and blowing it out with quick wheezes. His eyes twitched like a madman's in response to the horrid vision locked in his mind. From his mouth escaped vast amounts of rainbow and golden dust, just like before at the hospital. Without warning, his body violently shook and his hind legs kicked about. His kicks were close enough to toss the monitors back and crash against the floor. Sparks blasted from the machines, along the wires to his body and zapped the nervous system below his waistline. The Maestro screamed from the intense static shock at the same time that the TARDIS console screen began to flash red as it detected a flat line, no brain functions, loss of blood pressure. His body was blasted from the machines, and he rolled across the floor.
Spike smacked his lips, looking at the delectable gem cookies he made with a glass of crushed gem fruit juice. He sighed and opened his jaws, ready to take a bite out of his meal, until the lights turned off. Then back on to neon red. Then came the worse sound possible, the Cloister Bells. Spike gasped.
“No, no, no, no, NO! This isn't good! Oh why didn't I just stay and wait for Twilight!” Spike yelled, running out the kitchen … only to quickly come back for his snacks and drink, where he officially ran down the corridors to find his way back to the console room. Eventually after many trial and errors with each corridor and room, Spike got to the console room. The aqua glow was now replaced by a menacing red. His attention was drawn towards the console monitor. Spike dropped his glass, causing it to shatter to pieces and glide across the platform.
“No … No ...” was all he could say. Spike sat down on the floor, stunned by what he just read; he began to tear up in his eyes, feeling like a failure for his stupid mistake. The bells tolled as the monitor started buzzing and beeping a warning: DATA CORRUPTED, NO LIFE SIGNS DETECTED FROM … THE MAESTRO
***
Down every corridor, and along each metal pipes and rails, the tolls of the Cloister Bell echoed throughout the TARDIS. The sound made its way to every room, including the Zero Room. Several Minutes had passed and lying on the floor was The Maestro. There was no movement for a long time. Short sparks blasted from the dysfunctional machines, the blanket that Twilight gave him earlier was had drops of blood with smears of golden and rainbow particles. His body was lifeless for many minutes at a time. All of a sudden, his ears began to flop and turn towards the tolls of the bells. Static started to zap all around his hair and disappear into his chest. Soon after, his entire body started to slowly come back to life. The Maestro opened his eyes, but squinted at the bright white of the zero room. He shook his head while feeling an immense banging rattling inside. He moaned and slightly coughed into his hooves, clearing his throat a bit. He smacked his lips, feeling extremely throat dried.
“Whoa … where the dickens, am I?” the Maestro said, taking notice of the white room and machines laying on the floor. He breathed deeply through his nostrils, and took scent of a familiar smell.
“This is definitely not the hospital, but that smell … Ooh, that smells familiar” the Maestro sniffed the air and carefully got up. His legs were a bit wobbly from the intense shock to the legs, which caused him to fall over a couple of steps. After getting tired of falling over every step he took, the Maestro forced his upper body to drag himself towards the blanket. He rolled onto his back the instant his hooves got a hold of the blanket. He smelled the blanket and sighed happily. It smelled of those that violet unicorn and green spiked dragon he met at the hospital. Then his snout caught the scent of that earth pony with the bow tie.
“Oh what were their names? Errr, come on, you know this. It’s on the tip of your tongue. Come on-oh wait, wait, wait! I remember it now, it’s … No, I forgot, damn it!” he shouted; ticked off that he could barely remember. The Maestro sighed and covered himself with the warm blanket.
“I can almost feel them here, even though I don’t know where HERE actually is … how the heck did I get in here? All I remember was the unicorn and the baby dragon giving me a hug because of my-oh, yeah” the Maestro pouted, looking down and shut his eyes. He let out a sigh of disbelief to the fact that he may possibly have Amnesia. Yet, it seemed pretty obvious after thinking about; what with all the loss of memory, but how is it possible that when he dreams it comes back and it leaves when he awoken. Yet with all this going through his mind, the Maestro took notice of the machines off to the side and the wires laid down the floor. Curiously he approached them. However, with his hind legs out of commission at the moment, the unicorn had to crawl his way towards them. His muscles ached, but if he wanted any answers then getting to those machines was the only answers. Slowly and surely with some aches, his hooves clamped against the floor and pulled his entire mass to the faulty wiring and cracked screens of the monitors.
“Agh! Finally, now let’s see what we got here?” the Maestro observed the devices in every way possible. From the design to the texture to the even what type of metal it could be, the curious pony took every precaution to see what he was looking at which included the process of looking inside to see what wiring and mechanism he could see. For a clueless pony with a weak body, his curiosity did take the better of him, but even then the Maestro knew nothing about machines. The bells kept tolling, which got him very annoyed at this point, but once he noticed each machine were connected to wires that were leading out the door way, an idea popped into his warped mind. He could recognize one of these devices being like the heart monitor at the hospital, including its ECG's. The glue was dry so he couldn't attached them easily back to his chest, but like any clueless dope, the Maestro thought the best possible plan was to lick them and pray they stuck to him like a fly in tree sap.
“For a clueless pony, I got some pretty sweet idea-AAAAHHHH!!” he screamed as the static shock zapped his tongue. He dropped the wires and felt his tongue go numb for a good while. He covered his mouth and made muffle screams. Five minutes passed by and he realized that the wiring inside must have tripped to cause this, so like any simple minded person he searched inside the wiring and prayed that he knew what he was doing was right. Soon after the screen came back to life, detecting a flat line like before.
“Oh no I've died! ...” horrified at first, but quickly remembered that he was still alive. He chuckled and blushed out of embarrassment, as well as thankful that no pony was around to hear him say that.
“I guess this machine thinks I'm dead. Well not for long because it’s time to bring me back some life!” he cried out like a mad pony, and licked each ECG to the surprise that it didn't shock him this time. His eyes turned back to the heart rate monitor. Nothing, it was still a flat line. At this point the Maestro was tired of trying to fix the monitor, and he ground his teeth together in anger.
“Come on you stupid thing! Work damn you, WORK!” with his rage, the Maestro banged the monitor around and jump started it. The heartbeats were detected.
“Woo-Hoo!” he cheered, “Maybe now, some pony will see that I’m still alive, and get me out of here … I hope” the Maestro sighed and lay back as his hopes were coming true.
***
Spike sat in the chair; he was done crying, but only because he convinced himself that there was nothing left to do. Whatever mission that the Doctor and Twilight and their friends were off to, their victory will be shattered once they realized that the Maestro was dead. Spike sighed, still feeling mortified that he let the stranger die … or so he thought. Nearly twenty minutes had passed since his friends ventured out, and there was no sign of the cloister bells stopping.He got up and walked towards the exit. He was in need for some fresh air to clear his mind. Spike was only mere seconds from turning the doorknob, but the bigger surprise that caught his attention was the lights returning back to aqua green. Spike was taken aback by the monitor as it detected a faint heart rate. His jaw hung and a smile came right after. The bells finished tolling and he immediately followed the wires back to the zero room.
“Maestro?!” Spike yelled out as he approached the room.
“Spike?! Wait I remember now! Your name is Spike, HA-HA!” Maestro laughed back. Spike came into the unicorn’s vision, and he waved his arms at the friend.
“Oh thank Celestia! You’re alive!” Spike was relief to ran into the room and find the Maestro on the floor. He hugged the unicorn, thankful to see.
“Yes I am, but do you mind explaining to me, where am I?” he asked.
“You’re in a zero gravity room, but apparently the TARDIS turned the zero gravity off” Spike noticed.
“Zero Gravity? TARDIS? What do you mean?” the Maestro was confused by these words.
“That’s what the Doctor calls it; this is his home. I think it stands for Time and … something, something in Space” Spike explained.
“Wait-wait-wait … did you say Space?” the Maestro asked, to make sure he heard it right.
“Yeah, I’ll explain on the way. Come on, I’ll take you to the console room.” Spike said.
“Actually I can’t seem to get up because of the shock to my legs. Now I’m not crippled, but they’re still asleep, and though we’ve just met a couple hours ago ... would you, uhm … I can’t believe I’m asking this, but would you mind carrying me?” the Maestro asked. Seconds later, the unicorn was frowning as he had to crawl with Spike only holding up his hind legs, but soon after they arrived to the console room. The strange unicorn’s jaw dropped at the beautiful sight.
“Oh … wow!” the pony said, in amazement at the console room’s scale and size. Spike helped the Maestro sit up on the chair, but he refused to stay down. He had to see this entire room.
“This is one of the most amazing sites in the world, and I’m sitting down?! No way little lizard” the Maestro proclaimed.
“But if your legs are asleep, how are you gonna walk around, and NO! I will not carry you around.”
“Damn it, no wait!” He noticed the wires leading out of the TARDIS console panels and likely back to the Zero Room. Another ludicrous idea popped up in his noggin.
“What is it?”
“Hmmm, I think I have an idea. So crazy that it’ll either get me to walk … or kill me in the process. When I was in my slumber, the shock from the wires sort of shut down the nervous system temporarily, but maybe if we switch the polarity of the electricity flow by using these blue wires instead of this red one which came from the machines then maybe, just maybe, it might reactivate my hind legs!”
“But you said you might die?” Spike reminded him.
“If we do this wrong. I-I hope, now let’s not dilly dally! I’ve got a machine to see!”
“You know, you’re beginning to sound like the Doctor. Even your accent sounds funny” Spike mentioned as he grabbed the wires and bit them to expose the actual metal underneath.
“Accent? I have an accent?” the Maestro said, which he proceeded to check by making mumbling sounds.
“Yeah, kinda like Rarity’s” Spike said, smiling at the thought of Rarity’s voice in his mind. A sudden shock busted out of the wires and got him back down from his imaginary cloud nine.
“What’s a Rarity?”
“A friend of mine and Twilight’s. She does this incredible fashion stuff, maybe we should stop by and I’ll introduce her to you. I bet she’ll find some way to dress you up, make you look dashing, hehe” the dragon smirked as the Maestro took notice of his lack of clothes.
“I guess a set of clothes will do me well” the Maestro said.
“You must be an alien. You know how I know … because only a nice guy can convince me that an idea like this COULD actually work out” the Spike clapped the wires together, making a shock between them.
“Oh hush, now come on! I want to see this mesmerizing palace of machinery and sci-YEOW!” the Maestro was suddenly screaming out as Spike zapped his hooves with the exposed wires. The young dragon immediately tossed the wires away. His body was acting sporadic, but finally froze; striking a pose as if his body was dead.
“No, no, no, no! Damn it, I think I actually DID kill him this time” Spike nervously said. He looked at the twitching body, still running electricity throughout his nerves. Just to make sure, Spike poked the Maestro’s left eye.
“Ow!” the Maestro rubbed his eye, “Careful, you have claws! Not hooves dang it!”
“Uh ... Maestro …” Spike said.
“What?!” he shouted, continuing to rub his eye.
“You’re walking!” Spike shouted.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever now can we-WHAT?!” the Maestro yelled and looked down to see that he was on all four hooves. Spike clapped for the pony, who’s plan actually worked out. The Maestro jumped up and down, finally happy to see his two hind legs working again.
“Your plan did work!”
“It did?! I mean, yes! Of course it would … now let’s check this baby out shall we” The Maestro said as he started to walk around the TARDIS console room.
The Maestro stared down at the glass platform beneath his hooves. He swaggered around it, in utter amazement that the floor had an illusion of him and Spike walking in midair. He slowly walked around the console; eyeing every bleeping light, every button and switch, every dial and lever, every single little detail to the point that it became all too stunning for the unicorn. The framework was mixed with all sorts of materials from glass to plastic to coral to iron, even elements like gold and silver. The crystal cylinder in the center caught his attention with the pumping time router within it. The Maestro rubbed the console’s edge, admiring the machine's design and style. Suddenly the Maestro ran down to the platform beneath the console and stared at the several wires and aqua lights all going to the center cylinder again where a wooden frame surrounded it.
“Oh Spike, this is completely amazing! And this is the Doctor’s house?!” The Maestro asked.
“Yep, as well as some other impossible things” Spike mumbled.
“I know I am utterly speechless, but what does it do?”
“Remember how I said it stands for Time and something, something in Space?”
“Yeah, you didn't quite explain that”
“It's kinda complicated, but basically this is a spaceship”
“A Spaceship? Spike, are you sure the wires didn't touch you too? How many hooves am I holding up” The Maestro asked, chuckling at the baby dragon's answer.
“Hey, I'm serious. Look, it may seem like a kooky modeled mansion, but trust me, this is a spaceship” Spike frowned at the Maestro who seemed as skeptic as he was when he first entered the TARDIS.
“Right, and let me guess, the T for Time means its also a Time Machine? Hahaha!” Maestro laughed, leaning against the rails.
“Well ... Yeah” Maestro looked back at Spike. With the laughter out of his system, he finally took notice that Spike wasn't quite pleased with the pony's reaction.
“ ... You're serious, and not just about the spaceship bit, but about the time travel too?” he asked. Spike nodded, with his arms crossed as he stared back at the Maestro. The pony looked back at the machine and started to walk back around it. He then took notice at the circular symbols engraved in the router overhead. He squinted as if it were staring at hieroglyphics.
“Spike, what are those symbols up there?” Maestro asked.
“I don't know actually, but they're the Doctor's language. Actually, I honestly don't know why I'm telling you this, you obviously are skeptic” Spike explained
“Well that wasn't very nice to say, and how could you say that to me. I am not a skeptic. I mean just look at me, I'm as impossible as the idea that Time Travel is impossible”
“Then why didn't you take me seriously?”
“Because when I think Time machine, the first thing that doesn't come to mind is a phonograph speaker” he pointed to the big horn poking out of the machines compact body. He started to chuckle at the goofy thing. Spike looked up at it and also realized this too. The Maestro had tricked the dragon to think he didn't believe him, but all of this information. Sure the spaceships and time travel were still a little off, but how can he doubt it. After all he is talking to a dragon, a young one nonetheless. The two were thrown out of the laugh once the Cloister Bells tolled again.
“Ah! What's that?!” The Maestro yelled as the bell rang.
“I think the Doctor calls them the Cloister Bells! They only ring when the TARDIS detects something dangerous!” Spike answered through the loud bell tolls. The aqua lighting turned red again.
“So that's why they rang before? It thought I was dead?” The Maestro asked.
“Uh-huh! But why would it be toll now, you're okay ... Unless ...” Spike stopped mid-way through his sentence, thinking about a possible worse going on outside those doors.
“Unless what?!” The Maestro asked,
“Unless the Doctor is in danger, and if he’s in danger then so is Twilight, and Ditzy, and Pinkie Pie, and the Town!” Spike yelled. The Maestro raised an eyebrow, barely understanding how a ringing bell could tell Spike that his friends are in danger. Spike immediately grabbed the Maestro, pulled him by the hoof to the doors.
“Wait a minute! But how do you know that they are in danger?!” the Maestro asked, nearly tripping on the stairs.
“I don’t actually know, but the ship … it just knows, and I've got to find them!”
“Okay, so if it is telling you that they’re in danger, then why do I need to go?” the Maestro couldn't understand what was going on, slightly refusing to go before he was given a proper reason
“You are the main reason why those bells are going off!” Spike shouted, frustrated with the Maestro’s questioning.
“Excuse me, but how is it that I am the reason why the Doctor’s so called time machine is going crazy?! What did I do?!”
“Let’s see, hmm, oh right; you crashed out of a time portal, destroyed my home, your body keeps blasting weird golden light, and you’re obviously more troublesome to take care of than I expected; for Pete’s sake you died and came back to life!”
The Maestro stopped talking.
“Now because of something Ditzy and Pinkie Pie found at the Library, their lives might be in a peril. When those bells toll, that must mean that the Doctor is in danger as well” Spike continued on.
Maestro paid no attention to the bells now; zoning them out with his thoughts. His mind was deeply focused on the words Spike had said, rattling around in deep concentration. His heart felt slight heavy to this startling realization. He sat his rump down on the floor. His eyes were radically moved around the room, taking nothing in, but the fact that he’s turned this innocent creature’s day, as well as his friend’s day into one of danger. If only he didn't have that dumb Amnesia. Spike looked down at the Maestro and sighed, now wishing to take back what he said.
“Maestro … I’m sorry” Spike apologized, “I shouldn't have said that, especially with this Amnesia thing you have going on. Truly I am Mister Maestro. The sheer thought of having no memory of your past, of who you are, where you come from, or who your real family is … something I can truly understand” Spike started to think about his situation. Twilight meant so much to him as a friend, as a mentor, and even as a sister. Heck, sometimes she can even play like a mother, or at least when she tries to act as such when the dragon acts out. To see this older pony who seemed to have lost everything, with his hooves clinging to the blanket ever tighter than before, has somehow created a sincere sympathy and understanding to the Maestro’s dilemma.
“You know, seeing you in that blanket reminded me of the nights Twilight would tuck me in it.” Spike said, “I was a slight jealous actually that she gave it to you, after all it was mine, but I grew old out of it … one thing I've learned growing up with Twilight is that Friendship is important. To share this blanket is another way to sort of show that importance.” Spike’s motivational pep talk made the Maestro smile at the blanket, but he lost out once figuring out what must be done.
“Now I can understand if you don’t want to go, but please understand that if something bad has happened …”
“Stop right there Spike, now I know I maybe glum right now, and it’s pretty simple to see what we’re going to do this very instant” the Maestro said, interrupting Spike’s sentence.
“Save Twilight and my friends?” Spike looked up at the Maestro.
“AAAAAND grab a quick bite of some delicious apples, I have a craving for apples!” the Maestro said while wrapping the blanket around his torso.
“After we save them, right?” Spike asked, a little confused of the out of place statement
“Before, after, in between, does it really matter? Let’s get out of here. Those bells are really starting to drive me nuts!” the Maestro said, covering his ears with his hooves.
“Right! Then let’s get a move on!” the baby dragon cheered for this sudden enthusiasm coming from the Maestro. Spike pulled back the door, and jumped right out with the Maestro behind. The unicorn gasped at the glorious site of Ponyville. His eyes took in everything; the buildings and the bridge, the trees and the grass, the river and the skies, the colors and the sunlight, and the smell of fresh air was so overwhelming for him. The Maestro turned around to shut the door, but stopped in his tracks to another unimaginable site. Instead of a huge mansion, like he expected to see walking out of those doors, there was an eight foot tall blue wooden box. His jaw dropped, until Spike snapped him out of it.
“What? But how?! Spike, do you see that?!” the unicorn said, nearly falling back at the site of the police box.
“Yes, it’s Smaller on the Outside. We don’t have time for this; we need to get to Twilight, now!” Spike urged as he grabbed the pony by the blanket.
“I was actually gonna say that how is it made out of wood, but sure, that too. Do you mind not running so fast, I still got myself a splitting headache!” the Maestro shouted as he followed Spike into the streets of Ponyville. The TARDIS’ Cloister Bells continued on as the console monitor was repeatedly beeping and flashing: MEDICAL DATA COMPLETE