Onwards
Chapter 1 - Target
"Together" was a word they all came to know and love. Ever since that strange babbling stallion came into their lives, it was one adventure after another. He had become a true member of the family. Even the sweet unicorn filly was the first to call him her "uncle" much to his embarrassment, and innocently wished he could stay with them forever.
They called him the Doctor. It was not his real name but merely his most commonly used alias. They never did learn his true identity, and when they asked him he simply changed the subject or claimed that they wouldn't even be able to pronounce the first syllable. On some occasions he would adopt a persona named Time Turner when living as an ordinary citizen. It was mostly to avoid unwanted attention due to his unusual name.
This pony wasn't a typical doctor like one would initially think. He was more than that, a traveler who operated on a much grander scale. To some he was hailed as a hero. To others—he didn't like talking about it. But for them, they didn't care who he was. They liked him, and he liked them.
"Pear, Doctor?"
The light violet unicorn grinned as he held the bright green fruit in his hoof. He had a brilliant yellow mane, an odd color combination according to some ponies. His cutie mark was a strange case to everyone to saw it. "Crooked" was the best way to describe it. No one could tell if it was supposed to be the number eight or the infinity symbol. Most decided on the former which eventually led to his nickname.
"C'mon! How do I know you're just being stubborn?"
The brown stallion with an hourglass cutie mark glared at him. Unlike most ponies in this area, the Doctor actually wore clothing if one could call it that, a basic green tie hanging from a white collar around his neck. He brought his sandwich up enough to take a bite without breaking eye contact.
"Fine." Eight groaned as he bit into the pear himself.
"Stop teasing him." said the pegasus sitting next to him.
Eight's wife, Ditsy Doo, was also an unusual pony though in a completely different way from the Doctor. Most ponies called her "Derpy" after her constant cross-eyed expression wherever she looked. It was a quality that gathered much ridicule during her childhood. Despite her "goofy" appearance, Derpy was actually quite intelligent, but she never displayed much confidence to actually put it to good use, at least until Eight became part of her life. Nowadays, she gladly accepts her formerly humiliating nickname provided it's used in an affectionate or friendly manner.
"I want to see proof!" Eight whined.
"I hate pears," the Doctor said, "simple as that."
"Why? Allergic?"
"They taste dreadful and leave an even worse aftertaste in my mouth."
"So what'll it take to get you to eat one?"
"You cannot bribe me, Eight."
He slowly began reaching for the nearby bunch of bananas. "So let's say you were deprived of every single banana in Equestria, and the only way to get them back was to eat a pear. Would you do it?"
"I would-"
"And no using the TARDIS to go back in time before this moment, get them from another universe, or some other convoluted method that involves her."
The Doctor remained silent.
"I think I have a new goal in life!"
Derpy giggled. "Alright, it's getting late. I want to make sure Dinky didn't stay up past her bedtime."
"Oh, I wouldn't worry," the Doctor said waving his hoof. "Dinky's a good girl."
"I don't know..." Eight said nudging him. "I'm pretty sure she inherited some rebellious traits from me. She's probably at least hiding under her sheets reading one of her adventure books with a flashlight until the moment she hears our door opening."
"And that's why I told Sparkler to make sure she falls asleep," Derpy said confidently.
"Sparkler's a good girl, sure, but even a pony like her has an urge to break some rules~"
"Just shut up and help the Doctor pack up, you nuthead."
Eight sighed as he began using his magic to levitate the empty plates and uneaten food into the basket. Meanwhile the Doctor was folding the checkered blanket into slightly uneven folds.
"Need a little help, Doctor?"
"No, no. I'm fine. Just a little more and...there!"
The Doctor placed the folded blanket in the basket, and the two stallions followed after Derpy. They soon came to a tall blue police box resting by a large boulder. Eight opened the doors, stepped aside, and bowed.
"After you~"
Still holding the basket's handle in his mouth, the Doctor rolled his eyes and proceeded inside. Eight laughed and took one more scan of the area before going in and closing the doors behind him.
In a few seconds, there were strange whirring sounds as a strong wind began to pick up. The police box soon began fading away in fluctuations, progressively until there was no trace of it ever existing.
"Doctor?"
"Yes?"
"When I said 'scenic view', I didn't mean 'rugged cliffside over colonial Baltimare'."
"Well then, be more specific next time~"
Ponyville, a peaceful yet occasionally chaotic town situated in the plain regions just south of Equestria's capital. Despite its small size, a number of historic events took place here and the surrounding areas, events including the return and defeat of the mythical Nightmare Moon and the end of the briefly reawakened personification of chaos, Discord. In addition to that, it was a wonder how some of the inhabitants managed to live normal lives.
Though unheard by passersby, there were whirring sounds the cellar of a house in the eastern part of town. The police box was materializing in the center of the room. Once stable the doors opened, and it occupants stepped outside.
"I still think that could've gone better." Eight said.
"I swear," the Doctor said, "you are ridiculous when it comes to pleasing you."
He shrugged. "I try."
"C'mon, Doctor," Derpy said. "You know he appreciates everything you do."
"Yes," the earth pony replied, "but now I think there are times he's actually being serious..."
Eight sighed. "Fine. If you're still not convinced..." He suddenly jumped and embraced the stallion.
"Wha-! What are you doing!"
"Hugging you! Stop being such a grumpypants over everything! C'mon, Derpy! Squeeze the life out of this lovable lug!"
Eight wrestled the Doctor to floor, pinned him down, and ruffled his mane. The earth pony didn't put up much resistance. Instead he looked towards Derpy who couldn't help but smirk at the sight.
"Why did you marry this hyperactive behemoth again?"
"Don't deny it, Doctor. You sometimes see yourself in him."
"I'm really-Urgh...! I'm really starting to take that statement back..."
"Oh, you're no fun!" Eight whined. He released the Doctor and helped him to his hooves. "Didn't hurt you too much, did I?
"A little dirt," he said patting his tie, "but nothing a quick cycle won't fix."
"Alright. We'll see you later, Doctor."
He nodded. "Take care. You too, Derpy."
"Goodbye, Doctor."
Derpy undid the lock of the cellar door and took off with her wings. Eight followed up the staircase and was courteous enough to use his magic to lock the door again.
The Doctor headed up the other staircase into the house above. He opened the door to the living room and immediately set his sights on the pile of unopened envelopes and other papers lying on the coffee table.
"Subscribe to Equestria Daily!" he read aloud after picking up the first flyer. "I already renewed my subscription last-...! Oh wait, I technically didn't do it yet... Where did I leave my pens?" The Doctor walked to a nearby stand and opened the drawer. "No...no...rotten banana...Ah, that's where I left it...no...no...pen!"
As he headed back to the table, two knocks came from his front door. The Doctor dashed towards a large window and peeked through the curtains.
Standing outside was Ponyville's Mayor Mare. She was a light amber earth pony with a blue ribbon-tied scroll for a cutie mark. She had gray mane with a lighter streak, a color scheme that was more obvious in her tail. Like the Doctor, she also wore a collar and necktie in public although her tie was mostly called a "puffball" by the children of Ponyville.
"Mayor!" the Doctor greeted her as he opened the door. "What brings you here at this hour?"
"Hello, Turner. May I come in?"
He stepped aside. "Of course."
The mayor walked inside and took a seat upon the couch. "We have a problem..."
"Is the clock tower getting all wonky again? Don't worry. I'll have it fixed in the morning!"
"The clock tower is fine." She glanced at the Doctor's untouched pile. "I see you haven't been keeping up with the news lately."
"I've been occupied. All the bills are paid so I wasn't in a rush."
The mayor grabbed one of the newspapers, glancing at it before tossing it to the Doctor. "Then you might want to spare a few seconds for that one."
"MYSTERIOUS PONY TARGETS HOURGLASS CUTIE MARKS... Well that's odd."
"Turner, given your 'special' circumstances, I think you know what this likely means."
The Doctor stared at the article for less than a second. "All it says is that there have been a string of attacks on ponies with hourglass cutie marks. Thankfully none of them were fatal. Mere hit and run at the least."
"Did you take note of the locations?"
"The attacks first started in Manehatten and then they started occurring in Fillydelphia. There was even one report from that small village, Hollow Shades..."
"It's not published yet, but a noblepony in Canterlot was the latest victim. The story will be the headline tomorrow."
"He's merely a few hours from Ponyville now..."
"That's why I came here. I'm worried about the safety of the citizens. If this criminal is after you..."
His body started trembling, not in fear but in anger. "Then everypony around me is at risk..."
"What are you going to do?"
"I wanted to ask you that. Shouldn't you be exiling me as per your duties as mayor of Ponyville?"
She turned away. "I was...but my advisers and I concluded that an attack is bound to occur whether or not you're here. Until then I can allow you to remain in Ponyville before I am forced to take action."
He nodded. "I understand."
"I'm sorry that I came this late at night. Your lights were off for hours and I was waiting in the plaza until you finally turned on your bedroom light."
"I...never turned on my bedroom light..."
The mayor now sat wide-eyed, frozen in fear. The Doctor approached and calmly helped her off the couch.
"Head back home," he whispered, "pretend nothing is out of the ordinary."
The mayor nodded and slowly made her way towards the door. Her body grew tense as the staircase was located directly next to it. Noticing this, the Doctor walked beside her and opened the door.
"Thank you for visiting, Mayor! I'll see you at the next council meeting!"
Closing the door, the Doctor turned his head towards the staircase and looked up. Nothing but darkness. The stallion reached into his collar and pulled out a pen-like device from a hidden pocket. It was metallic and had a glowing blue diode on one end. The Doctor held it his mouth as he headed upstairs.
"There's no use in hiding. I know you're there." The floorboards creaked as he reach the top. "I'm already here. Might as well just do what you came to do."
The Doctor peered down the hallway. Nobody other than him was present. At the far end was his bedroom. The door was slightly open and light was still shining through the crack. The Doctor steadily approached with his "weapon" in mouth. Stealth was not an option given the aged floorboards in the upper portions of the house.
"If you're not going to attack me then at least tell me what you're doing here. Are you truly attacking ponies with hourglass cutie marks or are you actually searching for me?"
The Doctor pushed open the door and stuck his head inside. The room was also empty. Everything seemed to remain untouched except the window which was left wide open with the curtains swaying with the breeze. The stallion approached and examined the surrounding area. In the distance, he could spot Mayor Mare about to enter her house. Everywhere else seemed to be at peace. Most ponies were asleep by now, but there were still a few lighted windows.
"He didn't attack," the Doctor mused to himself. "Then he really is after me..." He looked around the room. "But what was the purpose of coming inside here?"
What was valuable to this criminal? No possessions were stolen. Everything remained in their proper place, everything except...
"No..."
Resting on the desk was a picture frame holding a photograph of the Doctor, Eight's family, and two royal guards happily posing outside the gates of Canterlot Castle. It's alignment was crooked, a few decimeters displaced from how the Doctor kept it.
"No!"
In a furious sprint, the Doctor raced down the staircase and outside the door. As he reached the fountain plaza, he immediately heard the panicked scream of a mare up ahead, a mare whose voice he recognized.
"Sparkler!"
Quickly turning a corner, the Doctor almost crashed into a unicorn mare. She had a light magenta coat and a purple mane with lighter highlights. Her cutie mark of three diamonds almost glistened in the moonlight. She screamed even louder upon seeing the Doctor but soon tried to calm herself when she realized his identity.
"Doctor..." she said panting. She struggled to hold herself up by a wall. "Please... You have to help!"
"What happened?"
"I was just in the middle of saying goodbye to Eight and Derpy and thanking them for letting me foalsit Dinky for the night... Then the front door suddenly burst open and a unicorn started blasting projectile spells at us!"
"The unicorn. Describe him. What did he look like?"
"He wore a hooded cloak, but the hood fell down the moment he launched that first spell. He...had a charcoal coat and a white mane. And his eyes...his eyes were terrifying! They were just regular brown eyes, but the way he looked at us...! I don't even know how I was able to move!"
"Well, you're not injured. How did you get out unscathed?"
"He...never aimed at me. I think he was just trying to scare me off."
"And the others? What about the others!"
"When Eight told me to run, I ran. Last I saw him, he was fighting that pony in a magic duel while Derpy headed upstairs to protect Dinky."
"Thank you, Sparkler. Quickly. Find a safe haven and stay out of sight. Do you understand?"
"Y-Yes!"
Eight's house was just down a few more streets. As the Doctor drew closer, more ponies started coming outside their households, most likely investigating the earlier scream. The Doctor wanted to tell all of them to stay inside and lock their doors and windows, but he had wasted enough time learning what was happening from Sparkler. He had to keeping moving.
"Please be all right. Please be all right. Please be all-..."
He was speechless when he arrived at Eight's home. The entire building was contained in a red magic force field. A few ponies were already gathered in front of it, some of them even trying to break it down to no avail.
"Doctor!" a voice cried out.
At first he thought it was Derpy or Dinky, but then he realized it came from outside the barrier. He didn't know whether he should have felt relieved or frightened, but he tried putting a smile on his face..
"Twilight..."
She was a light mulberry unicorn and the librarian at Ponyville's Golden Oaks Library. The Doctor always recognized the violet and rose streaks in her sapphire mane. Her cutie mark was also unique among all the ponies he had met, a pink star surrounded by five smaller white stars. Twilight's reputation as Princess Celestia's personal student was something the Doctor always took note of.
"Doctor, I heard somepony's scream while I was up studying! I got here as quick as I could when I saw this shield materialize not long afterward!"
"Do you think you'll be able to penetrate it? Brute force doesn't seem to be working at the slightest."
"I'll try."
Twilight lowered her head to examine the barrier more closely. She tried a few basic reversal spells, but each one failed, not even able to weaken the structure. Now knowing the strength of this defensive magic, Twilight channeled as much magic she could handle into her horn growing steadily brighter. The light radiating off it reached blinding levels as she fired a massive beam.
The counterspell didn't seem to have an effect at first, but everyone soon heard cracking sounds that grew louder. In a few seconds the barrier shattered, the shards disintegrating upon hitting the ground.
When the light subsided, Twilight grasped her head and began wobbling but fortunately had the Doctor catch her before collapsing.
"Whew... That was a doozy..."
"You all right?"
She mumbled a sound the Doctor assumed meant "yes".
"Good..." He turned his head towards a nearby stallion. "You! Take this mare! I need to investigate that household!"
The stranger obeyed without question and wrapped one of Twilight's arms around his shoulders. Another stallion joined and did the same. They placed the mare on a wooden bench to let her rest.
Meanwhile the Doctor dashed through the front door. The room was in shambles. Broken furniture lied everywhere, large gaping holes were torn into the wallpaper, and broken glass littered the floor. For the Doctor, all of this didn't matter. He stood horrified staring at the brutally injured Eight lying by the staircase.
"Eight!"
There was no response even when he tried shaking him. By this time more ponies entered the house. The Doctor quickly handed over Eight's unconscious body and raced upstairs to Dinky's bedroom. The second floor's condition was no better. Picture frames hung loose or laid shattered on the floor. Random burn marks covered the walls. Even a few wooden boards were coming loose from their hinges.
Dinky's room was empty. There were clear signs of a struggle, but it appeared no magic was involved aside from the large burn mark in the center of the room. A unicorn mare who had followed the Doctor examined the spot and detected magic residue. A teleportation spell had been used, a powerful one if it was enough to leave such a strong trail.
"I'm sorry, Mister. I never learned how to track magical residue..."
"It's all right... I wasn't exactly prepared for this either..."
She soon heard the sound of more ponies downstairs. "I think the emergency teams have arrived. We should be heading back now."
"Right..."
The Doctor followed the unknown mare back outside where a crowd was already gathered. Among them were more faces the Doctor recognized, especially two of Twilight's friends who were attending to the weary mare. Mayor Mare was the first to break through and confront the stallion.
"Turner! What's going on? It looks like a destructive battle just took place here!"
The Doctor continued walking, but the Mayor stayed beside him. "Eight and his family were attacked by...him."
"But...why? Neither Eight nor Derpy have hourglass cutie marks! And of course their daughter who still hasn't discovered hers yet..."
"He found me, and he knew he couldn't win against me... Instead he went after my companions, knowing I would be forced to hold back..."
"I'm...so sorry... But don't worry! I'll get a team to track them as soon as possible!"
"Don't bother. I have all the resources I need right here in Ponyville. For now, make sure the citizens remain safe and unharmed."
She stopped and turned around. "If that's what you wish..."
The Doctor approached the two mares sitting beside Twilight. The first was a white unicorn and had a purple mane with curled ends. Her cutie mark was similar to Sparkler's, a trio of diamonds but each in a lozenge shape. The Doctor knew her as the owner of the Carousel Boutique, the place where he acquired his tie and collar. He remembered spending a tedious amount of time waiting for the seamstress to finish sewing them such a simple outfit, if one could call it that.
The other mare was Pinkie Pie, a pink earth pony with a wild frizzled raspberry mane. There wasn't a single pony in town who did not know Pinkie Pie's name. Her cutie mark depicted two blue balloons and a yellow one. The Doctor didn't have to guess her special talent. The day after he was considered a resident of Ponyville, he arrived at his new house to find a majority of the town or at least a large quantity already inside. He was baffled at first, but it didn't take long for him to lose himself in the festivities that lasted until daybreak.
"Pinkie... Rarity..."
"Oh, Doctor!" Rarity exclaimed. "I should've known you would be here."
"Hi, Doctor!" Pinkie greeted him joyfully.
"How's Twilight?" the stallion asked.
"She fell asleep." Rarity replied. She moved aside so he could see Twilight resting on the bench. "I know she's been staying up very late recently. I'm sure whatever energy she used in that spell was the only thing keeping her awake tonight."
He sighed with relief. "Good. As long as she didn't overexert herself..."
"Oh, don't worry about that!" Pinkie exclaimed. "Twilight's great at magic! And she's only getting better!"
"Yes, yes," he said with a smile, "I am well aware of that."
"Say, do you wanna come by Sugarcube Corner later? We accidentally ordered an extra shipment so we're having a special on all of our first batches in the morning! Well...morning as in the Sun's already up, I mean!"
"Thank you, Pinkie, but I'm afraid I'll have to decline. Eight needs to be hospitalized and I need to protect him if that criminal returns... But perhaps you can deliver some of your sweets when he wakes up? A 'Get Well Soon!' cake, perhaps?"
"Okey-dokey-lokey! I'll make it my best one yet!"
"I'm sure. Just put it on my tab, I'll make sure I pay you back once this whole mess is over."
"Don't be silly, Doctor! It'll be all on me! And I'm not taking 'no' for an answer!"
"You should head over to the hospital now." Rarity said. "Don't worry about Twilight. Pinkie Pie and I will take her back to the library."
"Thank you, you two. Stay safe."
The Doctor continued down the street. He eventually came to a road leading outside of town. This area was less densely populated, only a few houses situated near the river or flat lands containing small farms. At the end of the road was Ponyville's hospital, a three-story cottage building divided into three wings. The Doctor passed under the wooden awning and pushed through the double doors.
Inside was the main lobby, smaller than one would have suspected. Small cushioned waiting areas were on each side. The reception desk was directly ahead. A nurse was already present here, but she was conversing with another guest.
"I'm sorry," she said, "but I cannot let you see the patient unless you are a family member which you clearly are not."
"If a relation is what you require," the cloaked stranger said while turning around, "perhaps he will be what I require?"
The speaker was a unique sight around Ponyville, even the entirety of Equestria. She was a zebra named Zecora, a foreign-born shaman who currently lived within the mysterious Everfree Forest. Residents of Ponyville originally believed her to be an evil enchantress and ran away at the mere sight of her. Eventually the misunderstanding was cleared and Zecora soon became more active in the Ponyville community. She was still somewhat of a recluse as most of her visits were to purchase supplies, but many ponies looked to her for advice or if they needed a "mystical flare" for an upcoming event.
"Zecora!" the Doctor exclaimed. "Sorry I'm late! I got held up by a few friends!"
"And who are you?" the nurse asked.
He pulled out a blank white card his collar and held it in front of her. "Time Turner, Ponyville's timekeeper. I'm Eight's brother-in-law although I wish he was my blood brother." His eyes then narrowed. "I was the one who found him in that state to begin with..."
"Oh! Of course! You must terribly worried! Please follow me."
"And my friend can come along too, correct?"
"Well...as long as you keep an eye on her, I'll allow it."
"Excellent! Come along, Zecora!"
The nurse escorted the pair to the emergency wing. They entered a small room where a now conscious Eight was lying in bed. His head, right arm, and upper body was bandaged up and there were a few bruises on his body, but that didn't seem to matter with him as he attempted to sit up when the Doctor walked under the doorway.
"Hey! Lie back down!" the nurse commanded. "Honestly, I'm still surprised you regained consciousness this quickly."
"He has tremendous willpower," Zecora said, "a fine quality in this hour."
Eight smiled. "What brings you here, Zecora?"
"I believe this is meant to be private." the Doctor said. "Would you excuse us, nurse?"
"Of course." the mare said as she exited the room.
"Alright, Zecora. If you're here, then things might be worse than I thought."
"A terrible event has occurred tonight indeed," the zebra said, "a catalyst of much worse I must concede."
"How long do we have?" Eight asked.
"Three passings of Celestia's Sun. Any longer and the deed is done."
"Good. I'll be up and out of here by morning."
"No!" the Doctor exclaimed. "You're staying here until recover from your battle!"
"I'm telling you," he said with a shaking hoof, "I'll be fine."
"No! I won't risk him hurting you again or even worse!"
"That monster took Derpy and my little girl! Dinky's probably scared out of her mind right now!"
"At least she has her mother."
"And how do you know he didn't split them apart and lock them in separate cages?"
The Doctor didn't respond.
Eight was about to say something but quickly stopped himself and sighed. "I won't go on. I don't want to go there, especially around you..."
"...I know I cannot stop you, but I truly believe it would be better for you to remain here while I deal with this problem..."
"Who are you bringing?"
He turned towards Zecora. "I assume you'll be our guide?"
The zebra nodded.
"Then Twilight will be enough. She's the only one here with the knowledge and capability of countering this criminal's magic. Once she's recovered and prepared, we're setting off."
"Doctor," Zecora said, "before you go, there is something you need to know."
She reached into a her cloak and pulled out an old tome. The Doctor cautiously grabbed it and began examining it. There were no special markings on the front and back, just a simple black cover. Flipping through its contents, it seemed to be an ancient spellbook with very long and detailed descriptions and stories accompanying each incantation. The only problem was that they were written in a archaic language he had never seen before.
Zecora assisted the stallion by turning to a certain page near the center of the book. There was a large illustration that occupied both pages. It was simple drawing of what the Doctor assumed to be two ponies drawn over an extremely large and complicated circular glyph.
"The stars of old provide much wisdom, but not all is good to those that heed them."
Author's Note
Note that this story is not meant to be long if I decide to continue it. I only intend for three chapters, maybe four if I want to expand on a few things.
