Elements of Good Support

There was a knock on the doors of the box, and I stepped out, smiling warmly at the pony in front of me. "Ah, hello hello! I'm Doctor Hooves. Wonderful to meet you!" I stepped completely out, shutting the door behind me for safety's sake.

"Sorry to bother you in your Tardis, Doctor. I am Research and Development."

"Eh? Tardis? Oh, right. One of my selves is a Time Lord. For simplicities sake, let's just pretend I'm not that Doctor. After all, some people don't quite know exactly what it is there... Oh, never mind trying to lie about it, it rarely ever gets me anywhere. Time Lord, twelfth regeneration of the Doctor, and resident brown-coloured earth pony who seems to get into much more trouble than he should. What can I do for you?"

"You ramble." The unicorn said flatly, glancing at my flank and sketching out my cutie mark in his notebook. "I wanted to ask you about your adventures. I heard from a certian Pink Pony about an adventure with Weeping Pegasi and Jabberwoks?

"What?" I blinked a few times in confusion before groaning. "Oh for Gallifrey's sake- Or would it be 'Gallop'frey with all of these horse puns- Those are alternate tales of mine, different versions of me."

Research nodded, writing a few things down. "That's interesting. I'm researching the Elements of Harmony in regards to ponies, so I wanted to start with you."

"I guess that means I should say a few things about me, eh? Well, some true things in what Ms. Pie probably has told you are the bubble-butt mare, Derpy Hooves- oh, what? Our last names are the same. W-well, er, that's... coincidence, yes. Like Mister and Misses Cake!"

"That's their married name... "

'Right back to me! I do have her as a companion, I also help her take care of her children Dinky and Sparkler, although I am NOT their father."

Research smirked as I felt my muzzle heat up a bit. "I never said they were."

I mostly ignored him there and continued, "I've gone back to the days of the Windigoes and the origins of Equestria, I saw Princess Luna's descent into Nightmare Moon and watched Celestia tear herself up over sending her to the moon... I've gone through many tines and have dealt with quite a few different creatures trying to destroy, take over, and do various nefarious schemes." I paused, and Research seemed to bristle, a spark in my own eyes reflecting in his.

"I am the Doctor that Humans have seen in their Telly. The doctor married to River Song, and who took companions on magical journeys through time and space... And the doctor who will never forget anyone, human, pony, or otherwise, who he's taken with him. Donna Noble, Rose Tyler, Amy Pond, Jack Harness, Martha Jones, Clara Oswald, Derpy... No matter who I've been with on journeys through time and space, I will never- NEVER- forget them, and will honour the time I spent with them."

I turned his notebook to me, glancing at the necklace with a red hourglass gem. "That, is why I'm loyal. I'll never forget anyone who I've traveled with and befriended."

Research was silent, staring at me with a small glow around his horn. The pony obviously was shocked by what I said, but it was true. "All right. Now that the very deep talk is out of the way, and you know that, how about I show you an alternate timeline. A time when me, and other ponies, were chosen to face Nightmare Moon and had been tested, and a time when we were the ones to face Discord. But first, why don't we go visit Derpy Hooves. I hear she has some nice muffins for ponies who visit her."

"Now. Allons-y! She’s actually made English Muffins for me today. Extra butter too!" The unicorn chuckled and I had a temporary companion with me. I made a note to remember him. After all, even if it's for such a short time, what sort of companion would I be to forget somepony?

-The Time Lord Who Will Never Forget.