The Doctor and Twilight end up in Canterlot in 987, where they come across a young Shining Armor and a devious villain who has dark plans for the young unicorn.
After leaving Eugora, the TARDIS takes a giant leap through time and sends the Doctor and Twilight to Canterlot in the year 987. Here they come across an 8-year-old Shining Armor who is dreaming of becoming a royal knight. However, a devious villain has set her sights on the young unicorn and it's up to the Doctor and Twilight to save his magic, his life, and his future.
Quinn Park, Canterlot, Equestria, Gaia, Summer, 987 C.E.
The two young ponies played happily in the park as the sun slowly began to set. The air was slightly humid but was mostly cool and relaxing. The eldest of the two ponies looked up at the sun and beckoned for the younger pony to come towards him.
"Come on!" groaned the young pony. She was a four-year-old unicorn with a purple mane and lavender coat. The elder pony, her brother, was an eight-year-old unicorn with a blue name and a white coat. "I still want to play some more!"
"Mom and Dad will be wondering where we are! We need to start heading home!" said the elder pony.
"Just a little bit longer?"
"No, Twiley."
"Ugh! Fine!"
Twilight Sparkle walked up to her brother and gave him a childish shove. Shining Armor looked down at his kid sister and smiled. He gave her a friendly pat on the back and she turned around to face him.
"I promise that we can come back here tomorrow," he said.
"But...I thought you wanted to go with Dad and see the castle," said Twilight.
"I can do that any time. You're my little sister. I'll always have time for you."
Twilight's eyes opened wide and a wide smile appeared on her face. She lunged at her brother and gave him a big hug.
"Thank you!" she cried.
"No problem. Come on. We really need to start heading back home," said Shining Armor. The young Twilight nodded and the siblings happily walked out of the park and down the nearby road.
Several minutes passed and the park remained silent. Then...she appeared. A cloaked mare quietly strolled out into the park. The sun had already set and now the park was illuminated with the soothing glow of late twilight. The mare waited in the darkness until another mare arrived. This second mare was incredibly weak and scrawny. She had a frizzled green mane, a messy gray coat, and a pair of small beady green eyes hidden behind a pair of taped glasses.
"H...hello?" she asked. The cloaked mare emerged from the shadows and slowly approached the mare with the glasses.
"You're Sirena?" asked the cloaked mare. The weaker mare nodded. "The one with the second sight?"
"Y...yes."
"I have to admit that I'm somewhat disappointed. I expected somepony more...well more."
"I have the information that you requested of me."
"Okay. What is it?"
"The pony is here. The one who possesses the aura that could sustain you with unlimited energy."
"Excellent. Where is this pony?"
"I do not know where he lives exactly. I know that he is young."
"How young?"
"He's eight years old."
"Perfect. An eight-year-old shouldn't be too difficult to trick. What does he look like?"
"He has a blue mane, a white coat, and his cutie mark is that of a shield with three silver stars above it."
"Excellent. What's his name?"
"Shining Armor."
"Good. I shall find him soon. Nopony can hide from me for long."
"Okay...if you don't mind...can I have my payment?"
"What? Oh. Here you go."
The mare tossed a sack of coins at Sirena and she eagerly picked it up.
"Thank you," Sirena said as she picked up the sack. The mare leaned in close to Sirena and grabbed one of her hooves.
"Here's a piece of advice for you. I'd suggest learning how to adapt quickly because I promise to make several changes to this place when I'm in command," she hissed.
"Okay...no problem."
"Good."
The mare let go of Sirena and the weak mare turned around and ran out of the park. The mare sat down and leaned against a nearby tree. As the sound of a violin began echoing throughout the town, the mare began to sing a tune she had sung every day since her youth.
She pointed her head up towards the moon and sang, "Count to three; come to me. The Changeling Queen is here for thee."
The nineteen-year-old Twilight Sparkle hung on tightly as the TARDIS gave one last jolt. The Doctor popped out from the other side of the control console and smiled.
"You alright?" he asked.
"Of course," she replied. "I've pretty much gotten used to the TARDIS by this point."
"Splendid! Well she needs some more time to rest and heal so that leaves another mystery destination to explore!"
"What are the odds of something bad happening here?"
"About one in two."
"Fantastic odds."
The Doctor laughed and beckoned Twilight to the TARDIS doors.
They emerged from the TARDIS to find themselves situated on the side of a train station. A long train track ran past the the station, one end leading off into the countryside and the other end leading off towards a majestic city.
"It's Canterlot!" Twilight exclaimed happily. "And it looks like the Canterlot from my time! You may have finally gotten me home!"
"Don't jump to conclusions too quickly, Ms. Sparkle," said the Doctor as he approached a nearby guard. "Excuse me but...do you know what year it is?"
"The year? Shouldn't you know that by now?!" the guard snapped.
"Yes but I bumped my head on a stone and forgot it."
"Whatever. The date's July 16, 987."
"Thank you!"
The Doctor and Twilight walked away from the guard and stepped behind the TARDIS.
"987...so we're fifteen years early," Twilight groaned.
"At least we're close. That's a good sign," the Doctor said with a smile. Twilight looked up at the chestnut pony and smiled.
"I guess you're right."
"Well we might as well go exploring."
"Wait a minute!"
The Doctor turned back to Twilight as her horn began to glow. Suddenly, her purple hair became deep green and her coat became bright yellow.
"What was that for?" asked the Doctor.
"So that nopony will be able to connect me to my four-year-old self currently living in Canterlot," she replied.
"Ah. Well, if you're changing then I might as well too."
The Doctor looked down at his brown suit and then disappeared into the TARDIS. He emerged a few moments later in a dark blue suit with a white undershirt and dark red tie.
"There! That's better! It sure feels good to get out of that old suit," he said. Twilight chuckled and the two headed into the station to purchase their tickets.
The in-town trolley came to a smooth stop and the Doctor and Twilight were the first to get off. They walked out of the station and found themselves in the middle of the glorious city of Canterlot.
"What a brilliant little city! It's not nearly as fantastic as the Canterlot in 2002 but it still holds itself up on its own!" the Doctor exclaimed. He turned back to Twilight and shook his head.
"What?" she asked.
"I'm sorry, I just can't get used to you with a green mane and a yellow coat."
"It's not like I'm planning to make this permanent!"
"Thank God."
They rounded a bend and came across a small cafe with a series of outside tables.
"Am I the only one feeling a bit hungry right now?" asked the Doctor.
"Nope! I could use something to eat too," Twilight replied. They nodded to each other and strolled into the cafe.
The Doctor and Twilight sat happily under a large umbrella as they slowly drank their chocolate shakes.
"I really needed this," said the Doctor hungrily as he took another sip.
"I agree," Twilight chuckled. "I-"
The Doctor noticed Twilight's eyes look away from him and he looked in the direction that she was looking. Three ponies were approaching the cafe. One was a mare unicorn with a pinkish coat and a purple/white mane. She was accompanied by two young ponies. The Doctor looked at the youngest pony and realized why Twilight was staring.
"Are either of you interested in a treat?" asked the mother.
"Oh yes please!" chirped the four-year-old Twilight Sparkle.
"What about you, Shining Armor?"
"Sure," replied the young white unicorn. "Why not?"
The family walked into the cafe and emerged several moments later with a small bag of cookies. They sat at a table next to the Doctor and Twilight's table. Twilight the elder gulped nervously and the Doctor slowly turned back to her.
"It's rude to stare, you know," he said calmly. Twilight shook her head and looked back towards the Doctor.
"That's me!" she whispered.
"I realized that."
"This is too weird! It's even weirder than when we met Thalia!"
"So you're seeing your past self? Big whoop. I've been through that plenty of times."
"Well you're a time traveler! Of course stuff like that would be normal for you!"
"Yeah, well, I...say...does that cloaked pony over there look suspicious or is it just me?"
Twilight looked back to see a cloaked figure watching the cafe from a distance. She seemed to be focused on something.
"Who would wear a black cloak in July? She should be melting!" Twilight exclaimed. The cloaked mare then turned away and disappeared down a nearby alleyway. Twilight turned back to the Doctor. "That was strange."
"So are you done?" Twilight the elder heard Shining Armor ask. Twilight the younger nodded her head. Shining Armor grabbed the bag and ate the following cookies in a heartbeat. "Watch this, Mom! I've been practicing my targeting skills!"
Shining Armor tossed the crumpled cookie bag at a nearby wastebasket, but it instead ended up hitting Twilight the elder in the face.
"Nice going, Shining Armor!" teased Twilight the younger. Shining Armor got out of his seat and walked up to Twilight the elder.
"Sorry about that," he breathed. "I was aiming for the wastebasket."
"Uh...it's no problem," replied Twilight the elder awkwardly. She handed the bag back to Shining Armor and he quickly threw it into the wastebasket.
"Yes! Made it this time!"
"You seem excited."
"Of course! I plan on becoming a royal knight one day so that I can continue to help protect Princess Celestia from all the monsters waiting out there!"
"Well you're not going to get there by throwing bags at ponies," said Twilight and Shining's mother, Twilight Velvet, as she approached the table. "I'm terribly sorry, ma'am."
"It's no problem," said Twilight the elder.
"Hmm...you look familiar. Have we met before?"
"Uh...no. Never. I've never seen you before in my life!"
"Ah. Well have a nice day."
Twilight the elder watched as her mother walked Twilight the younger and Shining Armor away from the cafe and down the nearby street.
"So," said the Doctor. "Did Shining Armor ever fulfill his dream?"
Childhood Home of Twilight Sparkle, Canterlot, Equestria, Gaia, Summer, 987 C.E.
Twilight the younger sat on her couch quietly as she watched her older brother practice his guard poses in the middle of the living room. She giggled silently at the sight of her brother's overconfident face.
"What are you laughing at?!" he snapped.
"You look funny!" she laughed.
"Hey! I don't laugh when I watch you practice your magic!"
"I'm not the one who makes those hilarious faces!"
Shining Armor sat down on the floor and took a deep breath.
"Are my expressions really that funny?" he groaned.
"Not all of them!" she said quickly. "Some of them are really good! It's just...I think you're trying way too hard with some of them."
"Trying too hard?"
"Yeah! You're trying to look stern and tough like the actual guards. Maybe you could try...loosening up a bit."
"I guess."
The young ponies looked at their mother as she entered the room.
"I'm heading out for a little bit, okay?" she said. "Your father should be home in a couple hours."
"Okay. See you later, Mom," said Shining. Twilight Velvet nodded at her two children and walked through the front door. Twilight watched as her mother walked down the street. "So, you ready to go the park?"
"We're going now?!" asked an excited Twilight.
"Yeah! I promised that I would take you there today, didn't I?"
"Yay! There's been a trick that I've been dying to try!"
Shining smiled as he led his sister out of the house and down the street.
Kirke Avenue, Canterlot, Equestria, Gaia, Summer, 987 C.E.
"Strange," said the Doctor as he sniffed the air around him. He and Twilight were now standing in the middle of an abandoned alleyway. Two large brick buildings bordered the small path on both sides.
"What are we doing here?" Twilight asked.
"Can you smell it?"
"Smell what?"
"That smell? The smell of...dirty spices."
"Dirty spices? I don't even know what that smells like!"
"At least tell me that you smell something strange!"
Twilight lifted her nose up and took in a few whiffs of air. He was right. There definitely was a peculiar odor in the air. It wasn't a good smell but it wasn't a bad smell either. It was just...funky.
"Yeah. I smell it too," she replied. "What is it?"
"Power. Raw and incredibly unstable power," the Doctor replied.
"How can you tell?"
"Everything leaves a trace, Twilight. Even magic leaves some kind of marking. Something, or somepony, left a large remnant of raw energy here."
"Who?"
"I believe it was our cloaked friend."
Twilight thought back to the cloaked pony she had seen earlier while she and the Doctor had been at Hamlet's Cafe.
"Sounds possible. That pony sure did look suspicious," said Twilight.
"I smell trouble, Twilight," the Doctor continued.
"No doubt about that."
The Doctor chuckled and then cleared his throat.
"I do believe that this is worth looking into," he said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his Sonic Screwdriver.
"What are you using that for?" Twilight asked.
"Tracking."
He activated the Screwdriver with his tongue and it proceeded to emit its strange sound for a few seconds. He then turned it off and placed it back in his suit pocket.
"Well?" Twilight asked.
"I've got it. The trail has been made," he replied happily. Twilight felt it. The smell seemed to change into a mental pathway in her mind. A pathway that the mind desperately begged her to follow.
"Huh. I thought all that thing could do was open stuff."
"It can do more than that...to an extent."
"So what are its other abilities?"
"Hmm...to be honest, I'm not quite sure. I can sense that the Screwdriver has other abilities but most of them are new. I do believe this is your world's doing. Your dimension is doing odd things to my Screwdriver."
"How?"
"The laws, magics, and workings of your dimension are worming their way into my possessions and mixing with their original abilities. In fact, I've noticed some changes in the TARDIS as well. I'll have to look into it more once the TARDIS is fully healed."
"Interesting."
"Yes. But let's think about this later. There's a certain cloaked pony out there somewhere who needs to answer a few of my questions."
The Trinity Apartment Complex, Canterlot, Equestria, Gaia, Summer, 987 C.E.
The third floor of the Trinity Apartment Complex was almost completely abandoned. It was now only home to around ten ponies at max. Opal, a young earth pony with a yellow-red mane, yellow coat, and hazel eyes, was one of them. She had recently moved into the complex following her graduation from Princess Celestia's School for the Gifted. In fact, Opal was thinking of her graduation as she quietly approached her room.
"Huh. I just noticed that Princess Celestia has an uncanny resemblance to her ancestor, Princess Madeline," she said to herself as she walked down the hallway. "I'll have to mention that fact to her when I see her again."
Opal approached her room and was about to unlock the door when she heard something. It was the sound of uncontrollable sobbing. She instantly knew who it was. Opal looked down the hallway and saw a gray earth pony slumped against the wall.
"Poor Sirena," Opal breathed. She hadn't known the depressed mare for that long but she knew that Sirena's life was far from perfect. The poor pony suffered from paranoia, night terrors, and was even rumored to have a few mental diseases. Opal didn't care for the darker and more sinister rumors. In her eyes, Sirena was just a young mare who hadn't had the best of luck in life. She tried to ignore the sobbing but it was too much. The least she could do was help the saddened pony feel better. Opal turned away from her apartment door and approached the crying mare. "Sirena. What's wrong?"
"Huh? Oh...nothing. I just...felt like...crying today," replied Sirena. Opal reached down and helped the gray pony back onto her hooves.
"Why don't you come over to my place? I'll make you some tea."
"That...that sounds nice."
Opal smiled awkwardly and led the depressed mare into her apartment.
Across from the Trinity Apartment Complex, Canterlot, Equestria, Gaia, Summer, 987 C.E.
The cloaked mare stood in the shadows, eying the exterior of the apartment complex. The mare was definitely a problem, she thought to herself. She knew it. She could see it from the moment in which they first made eye contact. Sure she had been useful in the case of identifying the one but now she was a disaster waiting to happen. Mentally unstable and full of grief. She was sure to spill the beans eventually. Now it's probable that she probably won't open her mouth, but the risk is still too great. She has to die. The mare looked down the street and cocked her head.
Two ponies were walking up the street. One was a chestnut stallion in a blue suit and the other was a yellow mare with a flowing green mane. Strange, thought the mare. She had definitely seen those two ponies somewhere before. Of course! She had seen them at the cafe sitting next to the young unicorn and his family. Had they followed her here? Impossible! What reason would they have to follow her? However, the one in the suit had been eying her suspiciously. He must have suspected something. Damn! Now she had another pair of dead weight to deal with. No matter. She could take care of Sirena and her unwanted stalkers all at once. She just had to wait until they were in the perfect position.
The Trinity Apartment Complex, Canterlot, Equestria, Gaia, Summer, 987 C.E.
Sirena sipped her tea quietly as Opal watched her from the other side of the room.
"So, do you feel better?" Opal asked. Sirena placed her tea down and reached into a bag slumped around her back. She pulled out a brown sack and clutched it in her hooves.
"No," she replied sadly. Opal walked over to Sirena and sat next to her.
"What's the problem?"
"Why do you care? We hardly know each other."
"I'm just trying to be friendly here. I try my best to make other ponies happy. That's why my cutie mark is that of a hammer and a smiley face."
Sirena looked down at Opal's cutie mark and smiled.
"It's a nice cutie mark. I hope you enjoy doing what you do," she said.
"Of course I do!" Opal stated. "How could somepony not enjoy performing the talent that makes them special?"
"I don't enjoy what I do."
"Well...what do you do, exactly?"
"I see things."
"You see things?"
Opal looked down at Sirena's cutie mark. It was an eyeball with a question mark in it instead of a pupil.
"I can see things that most ponies can't," Sirena continued.
"Like ghosts and stuff like that?" Opal asked.
"In a way. I can see more that spiritual auras. I can see...connections."
"Connections?"
"Connections between ponies. I can see their connections stretching through time and space. I can see some of your connections right now."
"Really? Like what?"
"You...you once dated a stallion named Jumping Jack. Then he got sick and moved away. You're still sad about it."
"How...how the hay did you know that?!"
"I told you. I can see connections. I don't like to, though. It can be a grueling talent. I see horrible things in my dreams. The connections of ponies leading to brutal pasts and dark presents. Bloody futures and sad tragedies. I can sometimes see them all at once, only to forget about them within a few seconds. It wares on the mind."
Sirena raised the brown bag and presented it to Opal.
"I...I just revealed a connection...that could ruin us," she continued.
"What do you mean?" asked Opal.
"She...she's going after him. The Queen is going after Shining Armor."
"Who's the Queen? Who's Shining Armor?"
"She's going to kill him. She's going to kill Celestia. She's going to rule us all!"
"What the hay are you talking about?!"
"She-"
Sirena looked at the bag in her hooves. It was vibrating slightly. Suddenly, Sirena's eyes emitted a bright flash of white light. Opal jumped at the sight of her glowing eyes. The light went away and Sirena turned towards Opal.
"Run," she breathed.
"What?" Opal asked.
"Run! RUN! GET OUT OF HERE! YOU'LL DIE IF YOU DON'T RUN! DON'T LOOK BACK! DON'T STOP RUNNING! JUST GET OUT OF HERE!"
Opal obeyed the now sobbing Sirena. She didn't know why but she had the urge to follow the pony's orders. Years later, Opal would look back on this moment and always be grateful that she did what she was told.
The Doctor and Twilight walked alongside the windows of the ground floor of the Trinity Apartment Complex as they followed the trail implanted in their minds.
"She should be close," said the Doctor. Twilight then grabbed the back of the Doctor's collar as she came to a sudden halt. "What was that for?!"
"There she is!" Twilight replied. The Doctor looked across the street to see the cloaked pony looking straight at them. The pony then removed her hood and the color slowly drained out of Twilight's face.
"Twilight, what's wrong?"
"It...it's her! It's her!"
The Doctor looked back at the mysterious pony. He found himself examining her muzzle and, as he did so, she mouthed, "Now!"
The Doctor wrapped himself around Twilight as the air around them exploded.
Quinn Park, Canterlot, Equestria, Gaia, Summer, 987 C.E.
Shining Armor was busy watching Twilight the younger attempting to levitate a broken tree branch when the ground shook violently beneath their hooves.
"What the hay?!" exclaimed Twilight as she caused the branch to fall back to the ground. The siblings turned around and watched in awe as a plume of smoke rose into the sky.
"Sweet Celestia!" breathed Shining Armor. Shining then grabbed his sister and put his hoof over her eyes. "Don't look, Twilight. It'll all be over soon."
Twilight began to cry silently as the plume of smoke towered over the city like a hungry demon.
The Trinity Apartment Complex, Canterlot, Equestria, Gaia, Summer, 987 C.E.
Opal hit the ground hard as the world seemed to catch fire around her. An incredible force smashed into her backside and she felt herself flying across the floor until she slammed into a wall at the far end of the hallway. She grabbed onto a nearby door handle and pulled herself up to see that half of the third floor had been blown apart. Parts of the upper floors had begun to collapse but, luckily, emergency magical supports had kicked in to prevent any further damage. A good chunk of the two bottom floors had also collapsed, leaving several holes and cracks in the floor. Small patches of fire were scattered throughout the building and the screams of injured and trapped ponies began to reverberate through the surrounding area. Opal coughed loudly as deep black smoke began filling up the hallway. She fell to the floor and proceeded to crawl to the exit.
"What...what happened?!" she asked herself as she arrived at the top of a somewhat damaged stairwell. She picked herself up and ran down the stairwell, towards the ground floor.
The Doctor didn't open his eyes until the world around him fell silent again. He had expected to feel his body being torn apart, burned, and crushed but he instead found his body to be completely intact. His arms were wrapped around Twilight's neck and it wasn't until he saw her glowing horn that he realized what had happened.
In the last second, Twilight had created a magical force field around herself and the Doctor. The Doctor looked at the force field and smiled.
"Brilliant!" he exclaimed as the force field dissolved.
"You alright?" Twilight asked.
"I've been better but I could have been a lot worse."
"That's good. Now can you please let go of my neck?"
The Doctor released his grip of the unicorn's neck and examined the area around them. It was clear that the ground beneath them had collapsed and that they were now several feet below ground. A massive opening above them gave them a clear view of the damaged side of the Trinity Apartment Complex.
"What happened?" Twilight coughed as they looked up through the opening.
"A bomb. That pony set off a bomb!" stated the Doctor. "But why? What was the purpose for doing such a thing?"
"I'm confused too. Even for her, that's a strange stunt to pull."
"Who was that pony? You seemed to recognize her."
"It's somepony that I recently dealt with back in my time."
"Who was she?"
"Her name's Chrysalis. She's a Changeling."
"A Changeling? What's that?"
"Changelings are beings that can transform into anypony they wish. They prefer to transform into ponies that are greatly loved by other ponies so that they can feed off of the positive energy and grow stronger."
"Interesting. So you've dealt with her before?"
"Yes. During my brother's wedding, she kidnapped his bride, Princess Cadance, and took her place. She grew extremely powerful from the love that my brother had for Cadance. I was the only one who was able to see through her guise and, even though she managed to imprison Princess Celestia and overrun Canterlot with Changelings, my brother and the real Cadance were able to stop her."
"I guess she was causing trouble even before you met her in 1002."
"Yeah. At first, I thought that she had traveled back in time herself but, now that I think about it, she looks different now than how she did when I first met her. Her horn's straight, her hair's not so strewn, and there aren't any holes in her body."
"And, I will admit, she definitely was a sight for sore eyes."
"Please tell me that you're not falling head over hooves for her!"
"Don't worry. I lost my interest in her when she tried to blow me up."
"Good!"
"We better find her quickly. I have a feeling that this plan of hers, whatever it may be, is not something I want her to go through with."
"At least I know that she'll fail."
"How can you be so certain?"
"It's the past! The past is set! I'm sure that Chrysalis's plan involves her taking over Canterlot. Well, I can tell you that hasn't taken over Canterlot in my time."
"This may be the past, Twilight, but this point in time is in flux."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Time Lords, such as myself, have a sixth sense when it comes to time. We can tell what points in time are fixed, which means that they cannot be changed no matter what you do, and what points in time are in flux, which means that they can be changed. This point in time is in flux. Which means-"
"There's a chance that Chrysalis could succeed!"
Suddenly, there was a flash of light, and the Doctor and Twilight were now standing across from the ruined Trinity Apartment Complex.
"We need to find her, Doctor!" Twilight stated. "Now!"
The Doctor took in a deep breath and smiled.
"We're in luck," he said. "She's still giving off raw energy. That means that we can still follow her!"
"Excellent!"
The Doctor and Twilight focused on the trail created within their minds and, without giving it a second thought, they took off.
The street outside the Trinity Apartment Complex had turned into a scene of chaos. Injured ponies pulled themselves from the burning building as guard ponies arrived to help save the trapped civilians. Opal was one of the first ponies to make it out. She had a few bruises and cuts but, for the most part, she was okay. She was still confused about what had happened but what she was sure of was that she needed to find this Shining Armor. She needed to. She looked over at a nearby pony couple and shrugged her shoulders. She had to start somewhere.
"Excuse me," she said as she approached them. "By any chance, do either of you know a pony by the name of Shining Armor?"
The two ponies shook their heads. Opal let out a loud cough.
"Are you okay?" asked the stallion.
"Don't worry. I'm fine."
She turned away from the couple and approached another small group of ponies.
"Do any of you know a pony by the name of Shining Armor?" she asked. All of the ponies shook their heads.
"I do!" said a young filly who emerged from behind the group. She was a pinkish eight-year-old alicorn with a pink, white, and purple mane and a cutie mark in the form of a sapphire heart with two gold markings.
"You do?"
"Yeah! We're in the same class."
"Thank Celestia! Do you know where I can find him?"
"Why are you looking for him?"
"I think he's in trouble. Somepony's trying to hurt him."
"Oh no!"
"Please! Where can I find him?"
"I see him playing at Quinn Park a lot with his little sister."
"Quinn Park."
Opal suddenly remembered the countless summer days she used to spend playing at the park with her friends.
"I know the place."
Opal began to make her way to the park but, after taking a couple steps, she stopped and looked back at the little filly.
"What's your name?" she asked out of a sudden moment of curiosity.
"Cadance," the filly replied.
"Thank you, Cadance!"
"No problem!"
Opal turned away from Cadance and ran down the street, towards Quinn Park. Her mind was so focused on finding the endangered pony that she didn't notice the young alicorn following close behind her.
Quinn Park, Canterlot, Equestria, Gaia, Summer, 987 C.E.
"You can take your hoof out of my face now," said Twilight the filly. Shining Armor slowly pulled his hoof away from his sister's face. The pillar of smoke was still billowing over the city. "What...what happened?"
"I have no idea, Twiley," Shining replied. "But I think we need to get home, right now!"
Shining and Twilight began making their way to the park exit when, suddenly, a cloaked figure stepped into their path.
"Not so fast," said the cloaked pony in a somewhat motherly manner. "Now where are you two fillies heading off to?"
"That's none of your concern," replied Shining sternly.
"Come now. I mean you no harm."
"Then what's with the disguise?"
The pony pulled her hood off and revealed her face to the young ponies.
"My name's Chrysalis. I was just passing through and I wanted to say hello," she cooed.
"Well you have. Now I'm afraid that we must say goodbye," Shining replied. He tried to find a way around the cloaked pony but she seemed to block their exit from the park completely.
"Where are you off to in such a rush? Has the giant smoke cloud scared you?"
"It hasn't scared me. I just think that it's time that I brought my younger sister to safety."
Chrysalis looked down at Twilight and smiled.
"Ah, yes. It is always good to make sure that our siblings are...safe."
"Excuse me, but we should really be going."
"I can bring you two to a safe place!"
"Huh?"
"I can bring you two to a world of no worries! A world without fear or danger! Who needs this place? Canterlot. Ugh! It's just another crime-ridden city. I know a place where you two can be happy...forever."
"Liar!" Twilight snapped.
"Do you really expect us to fall for stupid tricks like that?! Come on, Twiley. There's another exit over there," said Shining. The two siblings turned away from Chrysalis and began making their way to the other side of the park.
"Don't turn away from me, Shining Armor!" Chrysalis snapped. The two ponies stopped.
"How...how do you know my name?"
Chrysalis's eyes widened. She blew her cover, even more so that she had already done.
"Run, Twiley!"
Shining and Twilight broke into a run. Chrysalis charged after them. They were nearly at the exit when Chrysalis grabbed a hold of Shining's tale.
"Shining Armor!" Twilight cried as Chrysalis picked Shining off of the ground.
"Run, Twiley!" Shining called. "Run and don't look back!"
Twilight couldn't move. She was frozen in fear. Chrysalis laughed calmly as a mysterious light began forming around Shining's body.
"Time to feast," she said as she began to absorb the light into her body through her horn.
"What's...going...on?" asked Shining. Shining looked into Chrysalis's smiling face as he slowly lost consciousness.
Quinn Park, Canterlot, Equestria, Gaia, Summer, 987 C.E.
The Doctor and Twilight emerged from an alleyway and climbed over a relatively small fence. The park was quiet except for a series of distant screams.
"Something's definitely not right," said Twilight. The Doctor nodded and they cautiously ran in the direction of the screams. They ducked behind a nearby bush and peered through the leaves to see three figures standing in the distance. The Doctor and Twilight instantly identified one of the figures as Chrysalis. The identities of the other two ponies came as a shock to the Doctor and Twilight. "That's...that's me!"
"And your brother," the Doctor said.
"This isn't good!"
They watched as Chrysalis grabbed a hold of Shining's tail and lifted him off of the ground. A weird light began emanating from Shining and began going into Chrysalis.
"What...what is she doing to my brother?!" Twilight asked anxiously.
"She appears to be absorbing a type of energy produced from his body. My guess is that the outcome of this little process is not going to be good for young Shining Armor," said the Doctor.
"No! I'll stop her!"
Before Twilight could attack Chrysalis, however, a pinkish blur flew past the bush and smashed into Chrysalis's back.
Eastern Exterior of Quinn Park, Canterlot, Equestria, Gaia, Summer, 987 C.E.
Opal edged her way alongside the fence as she peered into the trees of the park. Strange, she thought. It was only just past noon and yet the interior of the park looked so dark that one could almost assume that it was nighttime. Opal quickly jumped over the fence and ducked down into a cluster of bushes. She crawled along the ground in silence until she heard a series of voices several feet away from her. She stopped and tried to listen. The voices were muffled due to the leaves around her but it didn't take long for her to realize that there were three ponies, and one of them was definitely bad news.
The voices soon turned into screams and the three ponies began moving away from Opal's location at a brisk pace. Opal stood up and ran after the ponies. They were a fair distance ahead of her but she was able to run fast enough to keep them within her eyesight. Opal ducked behind another bush and watched as the largest pony took hold of the young male pony. Soon a mysterious light began traveling from the young pony and into the older mare.
"Oh no!" Opal breathed. "I have to do something...but what?!" It was at this moment that she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. Hiding within a bush a couple yards away were two ponies. One was a stallion in a blue suit and the other was a yellow unicorn mare. "I wonder who they are." Opal's eyes were then drawn to something running down the pathway. Opal gulped in fright as she realized that this something was the alicorn filly named Cadance. "Oh no! She must have followed me! How could I have not noticed?!"
Cadance jumped into the air and took off. Her wings pushed her through the air and towards the cloaked mare and the helpless colt. Cadance smashed into the mare's back and the colt fell to the ground. A white stream of light shot out of the mare and was absorbed back into the colt's body. It was at this moment that the suited stallion and the yellow mare emerged from the bush.
Western Exit of Quinn Park, Canterlot, Equestria, Gaia, Summer, 987 C.E.
The Doctor and Twilight quickly emerged from their hiding spot and raced towards Chrysalis, Shining Armor, Twilight the younger, and the eight-year-old Cadance.
"Shining Armor!" cried Twilight the younger as she knelt next to the unconscious body of her older brother. Chrysalis turned back and faced Cadance.
"You'll pay for this!" Chrysalis snapped as a blast of dark magic shot out of her horn.
"Not so fast!" yelled Twilight the elder as she created a magical barrier around Cadance. Chrysalis turned to face the Doctor and Twilight.
"Impossible!"
"Actually it's quite possible. Magical force fields can be quite handy at times," said the Doctor with a smirk.
"No matter. You are nothing for me to worry about."
Twilight the elder used her force field to pull Cadance away from Chrysalis.
"Who are you?" Cadance asked.
"Just a couple of friends," replied Twilight the elder. The unicorn stood her ground and aimed her horn at Chrysalis. "No games! Just kindly step away from those two and things won't have to get any messier than they already are!"
Chrysalis merely laughed and, with a quick movement, grabbed Twilight the younger and held her in a tight headlock.
"Aim your horn somewhere else or I snap this filly's neck like a twig," she said darkly.
"You wouldn't!"
"I would. I'd kill a hundred stupid fillies to get what I want!"
"And what exactly do you want?" asked the Doctor.
"Shining Armor."
"Why? What could a young colt have that you would go to such lengths to retrieve?"
"He has the Aura."
"The Aura? May I ask what that is?"
"Come now. Everypony has an aura. It's their basic life-providing energies. Separating a living creature from their aura has...negative effects on said being."
"I'm guessing that death is the outcome."
"Correct. However, most creatures don't have to worry about getting separated from their auras. Living beings can only be separated from their auras by death or the use of an extremely powerful magical process performed by another living being."
"Let me guess. You know how to perform this magical process."
"Correct again."
"What's so special about Shining Armor's aura? What makes it so powerful?"
"It's the perfect aura for me."
"Excuse me?"
"I met a mare a little while ago who had the ability to see things that most ponies can't. She could see connections. You see, I've be absorbing auras for a long time...but none of them have been able to provide me with the unlimited power I seek. This mare, Sirena, provided me with the identity of the pony who has the Aura. The aura that is perfect for me to absorb and gain my prized unlimited power."
"I'm sorry. But I can't let you do this to that colt. If you want his aura. You're going to have to get through me and my assistant."
"Sir, you are in no position to threaten me. In case you've forgotten, I've got this little filly in the perfect neck-snapping position. If I were you, I would just step back and let the process unfold. That is unless you want the death of this filly on your shoulders."
"Doctor! What are we going to do?!" Twilight the elder whispered. The Doctor looked back at Twilight the elder and then looked at Twilight the younger.
"Please don't let her hurt my brother!" pleaded Twilight the younger as tears began streaming down her cheeks.
"So, sir, what's it going to be? The life of Shining Armor or the life of Twilight Sparkle. You choose," Chrysalis teased. The world seemed to fall silent. All the Doctor could hear were the steady breaths emanating from his mouth. A bead of sweat strolled down his face and fell to the grassy ground beneath him.
Suddenly, something flew out of the bushes and crashed into Chrysalis. Twilight the younger flew into the air and the Doctor caught her. He then looked over to see that a mysterious yellow mare had lunged at Chrysalis.
"Who are you?" the Doctor asked. The mare turned to face the Doctor as she pushed Chrysalis away.
"My name's Opal. Don't worry about me! Get Shining Armor and get out of here! I'll hold her off!" she said. The Doctor nodded, placed Twilight the younger down, and slung the unconscious Shining Armor over his back.
"Where are we going to go?" asked Twilight the younger as she approached her older self.
"The Princess. She'll take care of Chrysalis," Twilight the elder replied. The Doctor nodded and Twilight the elder's horn began to glow as Twilight the younger and Cadance held onto her. The Doctor approached her with Shining Armor on his back.
"No you don't!" snapped Chrysalis as she ran past Opal and towards the Doctor and Shining Armor.
"NO!" cried Opal as she chased after the cloaked villain. Chrysalis horn glowed bright green as she latched onto the Doctor's back. Opal then took a hold of Chrysalis's cloak. Then...they were gone.
"Oh no!" cried the two Twilights as they stared at the spot where the Doctor, Chrysalis, Shining Armor, and Opal had previously been.
Changeling Cave, North of Canterlot, Equestria, Gaia, Summer, 987 C.E.
The Doctor grabbed hold of Shining Armor with his hooves as he slammed into the cave wall. At first, his vision was blurry but it soon cleared up. They were in the main chamber of a large cave. Water trickled down from the ceiling and light entered the cave from the nearby entrance. The remains of old flags, boxes, and varied pieces of armor and clothing were scattered on the floor of the cave. The Doctor still held Shining Armor firmly in his grasp as he stood up. Opal was laying on the ground a few feet away. She had a few cuts and bruises but at least was not seriously injured. It was then that the Doctor turned his attention to Chrysalis. The Changeling Queen smiled as she disappeared into the dark recesses of the cave. The Doctor slung Shining Armor onto his back and pulled out his Sonic Screwdriver.
"Are we playing hide and seek now?" he teased as he walked out into the middle of the chamber. The Sonic Screwdriver dangled from his muzzle as he talked. "To be honest I'm not really in the mood for games."
"That's good. Because I'm not really in the mood for games either," said the voice of Chrysalis from the darkness. Opal quickly got up and ran to the Doctor's side. "By the way, what is your name, obnoxious interferer?"
"I'm the Doctor, if you must know. No, there isn't anything else to it. It's just the Doctor."
"Well, Doctor, how about we make another deal? You leave dear little Shining Armor with me and I promise to not lay a hoof on either you or your new accomplice."
The Doctor turned to Opal and she blushed a bit.
"Don't let her take him, Doctor!" Opal pleaded. "It'll be the end of us all if she does!"
"So what's it going to be, Doctor?" Chrysalis teased.
"I'm sorry but I'll have to decline from your little deal. I'm not the type who hands the innocent over just to protect my own skin. If you want to get this unicorn then you'll have to get through me first," the Doctor replied.
"And...and me!" Opal stuttered.
"Excellent. Let the games being, Doctor," Chrysalis chuckled. The Doctor jumped to the side as Chrysalis flew out from the darkness. Opal rolled to the side as Chrysalis stood triumphantly before them. "I'm going to enjoy this."
Chrysalis flew towards the Doctor but he dodged once again. Shining Armor flew off of the Doctor's back and slid over towards the edge of the cave. Chrysalis flew towards him but the Doctor grabbed onto one of her hind legs.
"Get off!" she snapped as she flew up towards the ceiling of the cave. The Sonic Screwdriver fell from the Doctor's mouth and landed in front of Opal. Opal grabbed the metallic device and ran over to Shining Armor's side. Chrysalis attempted to smash the Doctor into the ceiling but he successfully maneuvered himself away from the attack.
"It seems I'm more flexible as a pony. Kind of sad that I'm only discovering this now," he chuckled to himself as Chrysalis attempted to throw him into the cave wall. He dodged again and, unintentionally, sunk his teeth into her upper thigh. She screamed in pain and kicked the Doctor bluntly with her free hind leg. The Doctor lost his grip and fell to the ground several meters below. He hit the ground with a loud thud as Chrysalis grabbed her injured leg in pain. The taste of foreign blood touched the Doctor's tongue and he quickly spat the red liquid from his mouth. "That could have gone better."
He pulled himself up from the ground and looked towards Opal and Shining Armor. He saw that the mare was holding his Sonic Screwdriver and began making his way towards them. He tried to call something to them but his body was in too much pain to allow him to make such loud sounds vocally. He motioned at Opal to toss him the Sonic Screwdriver but she failed to understand the motions. She looked down at the metallic object with curiosity and examined it.
"What a peculiar object," she exclaimed.
"Give him to me!" Chrysalis ordered as she flew down towards Opal. The Doctor stopped moving and focused all of his strength into his vocal cords.
"Hit the button and shoot her!" he cried. Opal's eyes widened as Chrysalis bore down on her, the Changeling Queen's horn glowing bright with green energy. She looked down at the Sonic Screwdriver and noticed the button on it. With one quick movement, Opal aimed the Screwdriver at Chrysalis and slammed her other hoof down on the button. There was a loud bang and Chrysalis and Opal were flung in opposite directions. As a cloud of smoke began to fill the chamber, Shining Armor slowly regained consciousness.
Outside the Childhood Home of Twilight Sparkle, Canterlot, Equestria, Gaia, Summer, 987 C.E.
There was a bright flash and the two Twilights and Cadance appeared in front of the cozy home that housed the young Twilight and Shining Armor.
"You two go inside," said Twilight the elder as she pushed Twilight the younger and Cadance towards the front door. "I'll try to find out where they went."
Cadance wrapped her hooves around the young Twilight and began pulling her towards the house.
"Don't worry. It's alright," she said. Twilight the younger broke free of Cadance's grasp and approached Twilight the elder.
"Please...bring my BBBFF back home safely!" she said as tears began forming in her eyes. Twilight knelt down in front of her younger self and wiped the tears away.
"Don't cry, Twiley," said Twilight the elder. "I'll bring Shining Armor back to you safe and sound."
"You...you called me Twiley. Only Shining calls me that. How...how did you know that that was my nickname? Furthermore, how did you know my name any-"
"Let's just say that I'm a friend who certainly knows a lot about you. It may not make sense now...but one day you'll meet a very strange pony with a box and it'll all make perfect, logical sense."
"You're a strange pony, you know that, miss?"
"I do know that. And you know what? You're also a pretty strange pony."
Both Twilights smiled at the same time. Twilight the elder stood up and looked at Cadance.
"Don't worry, miss. I'll keep her safe until you return with Shining Armor," Cadance said with a face that could only be described as a mix of happiness and seriousness.
"Good. Now get inside where it's safe," Twilight the elder said. Cadance nodded and pulled the younger Twilight into the house. The older Twilight focused on the old mental trail that led to Chrysalis and began following it. "I can't wait to get back to the present. Talking to my younger self and eight-year-old sister-in-law is just too weird."
Changeling Cave, North of Canterlot, Equestria, Gaia, Summer, 987 C.E.
"What...what happened?" Shining Armor asked out loud as the smoke slowly began to clear. The Doctor trudged his way over to the young unicorn and stood before him with a confident smirk on his face.
"It's a long story. Don't worry. I'm going to get you home and back to your sister," the Doctor said happily. Shining looked into the Doctor's eyes and nodded.
"You're...not...going...anywhere!" stated Chrysalis as she pulled herself out from the cloud of dust. Her horn was now badly bent and disfigured and she had several cuts on her body. A strange stream of green gas was billowing up from her damaged horn.
"Curious."
The Doctor examined Chrysalis's damaged horn and suddenly thought back to a conversation he had had with Twilight earlier that day.
"Power. Raw and incredibly unstable power," he had said.
"How can you tell?" Twilight had asked.
"Everything leaves a trace, Twilight. Even magic leaves some kind of marking. Something, or somepony, left a large remnant of raw energy here."
"Who?"
"I believe it was our cloaked friend."
The Doctor then flashed back to the present and stepped in front of Shining as Chrysalis slowly drew closer.
"Raw energy," he said to himself. "Raw and incredibly unstable energy. Her constant collecting of auras. Certainly there must be a way to break apart that already unstable energy." Then he turned to where Opal was lying and saw his Sonic Screwdriver lying down just a few feet from her. "That seems to be one way. It might not be able to defeat her completely, but at least I can weaken her." He tried to move but the pain from his injuries was catching up with him fast. He turned back to Shining and came up with a plan. "Listen, Shining Armor."
The unicorn turned to face him.
"Yes?" he replied.
"I need you to do something for me."
"Do you need me to defeat her for you?"
"Not necessarily. You're going to help me defeat her."
Chrysalis rose into the air and prepared to strike.
"How?" Shining asked.
"Do you see that metallic device lying next to the mare over there?" the Doctor asked. Shining's eyes fell upon the Sonic Screwdriver and he nodded. "I need you to run over there, grab it, and toss it over to me. Do you think you can do that?"
"Of course I can! I am a future royal knight after all!"
And with that, Shining jumped out from behind the Doctor and ran for the Sonic Screwdriver.
"No you don't!" Chrysalis exclaimed as she zoomed towards the charging Shining Armor. Shining looked back and, just before she could reach him, made a successful dodge.
"Yes! I've been practicing that move for months!" he exclaimed happily. Chrysalis nearly crashed into a nearby wall but she managed to successfully prevent the impact. Opal slowly regained consciousness and Shining Armor charged towards the Sonic Screwdriver. "Almost there!"
An orange ray of light shot out of Chrysalis's horn and hit Shining's hind legs. A strange sticky substance appeared out of thin air and attached Shining's hind legs to the cave floor.
"This was not part of the plan," the Doctor sighed.
"Come here, Shining Armor. Come here and accept your fate," Chrysalis chuckled as she approached the trapped unicorn.
"Being a bit generic there, Chrysalis!"
"The only reason I'm still putting up with you, Doctor, is because I know you'll be dead soon enough."
"If it makes you feel better then keep thinking that way. Just don't be too disappointed when your fantasies don't become reality!"
The weakened Opal crawled her way over to the Sonic Screwdriver and grabbed it.
"Catch!" she breathed as she tossed it to Shining Armor. Shining grabbed it and proceeded to toss it to the Doctor.
"What is this?" Chrysalis asked with a smirk. "Is everypony playing a game of catch now?"
"You could say that," the Doctor replied as he caught the Screwdriver in his two hooves. He then aimed the Screwdriver at Chrysalis and fired. Chrysalis screamed in pain as her right wing instantly became riddled with holes. A green mist began to emanate from the holes.
"Was...that your best shot, Doctor? This...is only a minor setback!"
Chrysalis smiled as the green mist was absorbed back into the wing and the holes slowly disappeared.
"Damn! It's not enough! I need something more! Something more powerful that could blend with my Sonic Screwdriver and break apart the unstable energies in Chrysalis for good!"
Chrysalis made it over to Shining and viciously grabbed his mane. The white light began emanating from Shining's body and began to flow into Chrysalis's mouth.
Suddenly, there was a bright flash of light and the nineteen-year-old Twilight Sparkle now stood in the center of the chamber.
"Chrysalis! Let him go!" Twilight ordered as she shot a blast of magical energy at the Changeling Queen. The blast hit Chrysalis's front left leg and she groaned with pain as the outline of a hole appeared in the blast spot.
"That's it!" the Doctor exclaimed. "Twilight Sparkle, you are a miracle maker!"
"I guess I'll have to deal with you before I can finally have my meal," Chrysalis snarled as she approached Twilight. A blast of green energy shot out Chrysalis's horn and missed Twilight by a few inches.
"Twilight! Over here!"
Twilight ran over to where the Doctor was standing as Chrysalis took to the air.
"What's the plan?" Twilight asked. The Doctor aimed his Sonic Screwdriver at Chrysalis as she dived towards them.
"Fire your horn when I say so!" he replied. Twilight nodded and aimed her horn at the charging Chrysalis. Chrysalis suddenly realized what was happening and tried to get out of her dive. It was too late. She was falling towards them. "Fire!"
The Screwdriver emitted a sonic shriek as it was set off. A long purple blast of magic shot out of Twilight's horn and mixed with the Screwdriver's waves. Dark violet rings of power flew towards Chrysalis and struck her on all sides. Chrysalis screamed in agony and anger as her body was enveloped in a dome of white fire. The Doctor, Twilight, Opal, and Shining waited for the fire to disappear.
It didn't take more than twenty seconds for the white flames to disappear. For a moment, Chrysalis's limp body levitated a few feet from the ground. Holes were scattered throughout her body, her horn was jagged, her wings were cut up, her hair was messy and strewn, and her teeth were sharp and dirty. Chrysalis's eyes rolled into the back of her head and she blacked out. The defeated Changeling Queen then fell to the cave floor. A mix of different aura energies rose up from her body and disappeared into the air around her.
"I said it once and I'll say it again," the Doctor said as he grabbed Twilight in a bear hug. "Twilight Sparkle, you are a miracle maker!"
"Doctor! I can't breathe!" Twilight gasped. The Doctor let her go as the pain from his injuries slowly returned. The Doctor and Twilight walked over to the unconscious Chrysalis and examined her.
"Please tell me we don't have to worry about her anymore," said Opal as she approached the Changeling Queen along with Shining Armor.
"Don't worry. From the looks of things, this defeat really took a lot out of her. I don't think she'll remember anything about us when she wakes up," The Doctor replied.
"At least I won't have to worry about being hunted down by her."
"How are you feeling, Shining Armor?" Twilight suddenly asked. Shining took a few deep breaths as he examined the body of his attacker.
"You...you all saved my life!" he exclaimed.
"Well, from what I saw, you had a hoof in it too!" said Opal cheerfully.
"How did you know where to find us?" the Doctor asked as he turned to Twilight.
"The mental trail that Screwdriver implanted in my mind. I was able to follow Chrysalis's trail straight here," Twilight replied with a smile.
"Of course! Brilliant! I sure am lucky that I didn't disable that earlier!"
"You can worry about disabling it later."
"Excuse me," Shining breathed. The young unicorn turned to face Twilight. "This strange stallion called you Twilight Sparkle not too long ago."
Twilight gulped. She knew where this was heading. Shining walked up to her and looked her straight in the eye. His eyes widened. He looked at the yellow and green unicorn standing before him, color swapped her in his mind, and compared her face to that of his sister's. Undoubtedly, it was a perfect match.
"T...Twiley?" he stuttered. Twilight smiled as her horn glowed. Her coat and mane returned to their original colors.
"Fifteen years later," she said. Shining smiled at the sight of his older younger sister and hugged her. Twilight hugged her younger older brother and patted him on the back.
"I'd probably enjoy this moment a lot more if I didn't have a series of annoying strikes of pain in my body," the Doctor whispered to Opal.
"I feel the same way," Opal whispered back. Twilight and Shining slowly drew apart.
"How?" Shining asked.
"Time travel. Duh! I'll tell you more about it when that mad pony with the box finally gets me back to 1002," Twilight replied.
"Don't pin this all on me! That Dalek started it!" the Doctor said with a smirk.
"I...I have so many questions!" Shining stated.
"And they'll all be answered in due time."
Shining turned back to face the Doctor as he knelt down in front of him.
"Now," he said. "You've met your older younger sister, but don't you think it's time that you reunited with your younger younger sister?"
Childhood Home of Twilight Sparkle, Canterlot, Equestria, Gaia, Summer, 987 C.E.
"Shining Armor!" cried the young Twilight as she hugged her older brother happily. Shining Armor smiled as hugged his sister back.
"I hope you didn't lose faith in me," he teased.
"Nu-uh! I knew that you would come home. I bet you beat that mare all by yourself!"
"Well he did have a little help," said the Doctor. Twilight the elder then proceeded to give the Doctor a hard shove. "Okay, that was unnecessary."
Shining and Twilight the younger drew apart as Cadance walked up to them.
"Thanks for looking after my sister while I was in trouble," Shining said. Cadance blushed a bit and took a few steps forward.
"It was no problem," she said. Twilight the elder then stepped between them and pushed them away from each other kindly.
"The wedding isn't for another fifteen years so don't take things too quickly now, you two," she teased.
"Wedding?" Shining gulped. Cadance giggled and she eyed Shining with a cute grin.
"So what happens now?" Opal asked as she leaned against the nearby wall. Twilight the elder approached the Doctor and brought her muzzle up next to his ear.
"Doctor, I don't understand. Why don't I remember any of this happening?" she whispered. The Doctor turned the Twilight and patted her on the shoulder. He then approached Twilight the younger, Shining, and Cadance with a warm smile on his face.
"I know what happens next, but first I'm going to need you three to stand next to each other," he said. Cadance stood next to Shining on the left while Twilight the younger stood next to Shining on the right. "Now, Twilight and Cadance, I want you two to hold onto Shining."
Cadance grabbed Shining's front left hoof and Twilight the younger grabbed Shining's front right hoof. The Doctor then put his front left hoof on Twilight the younger's right temple and put his front right hoof on Cadance's left temple.
"Doctor, what are you doing?" Twilight the elder asked. Opal moved away from the wall and stood next to the older Twilight. The Doctor looked back at the two mares and smiled.
"Are we going to see you again?" Shining asked as the Doctor turned around to face him.
"Of course," he replied. The Doctor then looked at the four-year-old Twilight and smiled. "See you in fifteen years."
The Doctor closed his eyes and Twilight the younger, Shining, and Cadance all lost consciousness and fell back onto the floor.
"What did you do to them?!" asked Opal as she ran up and examined the sleeping ponies.
"Don't worry. They're only unconscious. I wiped a few of their memories. They shouldn't remember anything about the past few hours or so," the Doctor replied. Twilight the elder walked up next to the Doctor and gave him another shove. "What's with all the violence recently, Ms. Sparkle?"
"So you can wipe memories now?" she asked with a smirk.
"It's a Time Lord thing. Since you couldn't remember any of these events I simply assumed that you, your brother, and Cadance must have forgotten about them some way. Well, I'm that way."
"Obviously."
"Are they going to be alright?" Opal asked.
"Yes. They might have a slight headache when they wake up but, other than that, they should be completely healthy and okay."
"Are you going to wipe my memories too?"
"I see no reason to."
"Why did you help us out with Chrysalis?" Twilight suddenly asked. Opal laid Shining's head back and stood up.
"I got a warning about Chrysalis from a very sad pony. A pony who had the ability to see connections among ponies and events. She's the one who told Chrysalis about Shining Armor. She felt guilty about it and told me about it. Then, right after she told me, my home blew up," Opal replied.
"The explosion earlier," said the Doctor.
"Yeah. That was my home. I'm guessing that poor pony had a bomb implanted on her by Chrysalis."
"So that there could be no loose ends in her plan," Twilight said. Opal then began making her way towards the door. "So what are you going to do now?"
"I don't know. I guess I could try talking to the Princess about a job."
"A job?"
"Yeah. I just recently graduated from Princess Celestia's School for the Gifted. I might be able to get a job there. Try to make a fresh start."
"That sounds like a good plan," said the Doctor.
"Make sure to drop by Ponyville in about fifteen years or so," said Twilight. "Just in case you want to go on another life-threatening adventure."
"I have fifteen years to think about it. Who knows? I might have that adventurous urge again one day."
"Well I hope to see you then," said the Doctor.
"Yeah...maybe."
Opal smiled, waved goodbye, and left the house through the front door.
"I guess we better be leaving before my mother arrives," said Twilight.
"Yeah. I don't have the strength for another memory wipe," said the Doctor. The two ponies then quietly walked out of the house, leaving the younger Twilight, Shining Armor, and Cadance to dream their memories of Chrysalis away.
The TARDIS seemed the glisten in the afternoon sun as the Doctor and Twilight approached it happily.
"It seems that wherever and whenever we go, trouble seems to be waiting for us," said Twilight.
"I guess that's my fate. I might never be able to settle down somewhere," the Doctor chuckled.
"Come on! Try to think optimistically!"
"I am a very optimistic person. I just don't have a lot of faith in the possibility of having a normal life."
The Doctor grinned at Twilight and she gave him another shove.
"More violence?" he teased.
"Let's just head off to our next crazy adventure," Twilight said.
"Okay them. After you."
Twilight began to walk into the TARDIS when something caught her eye. A mysterious mare was standing several yards away on the edge of the platform. She had a dark red coat and a flowing purple mane. A large, pink, brimmed hat sat on her head at a fancy angle with a single feather extending from it. The mare turned towards Twilight and smiled. Her blue eyes seemed to pierce right through Twilight's soul.
"Twilight?" asked the Doctor. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Twilight replied as she shook her head. "I just saw something strange."
Twilight quickly hopped into the TARDIS and the Doctor followed, shutting the doors behind him.
"Well it looks like she's healed quite a fair amount while we were gone," he exclaimed as he walked over to the control console. "I do believe she'll be completely healed following this next trip."
"Really?" Twilight asked. The Doctor noticed that there was both a sense of joy and sadness in her one-word-question. He smiled and nodded at the lavender unicorn. "That's...good. I'm really looking forward to...getting back home."
"Well I guess it's time to head off then."
The Doctor proceeded to begin the traveling sequence. Just before the TARDIS began its leap into the stream of time and space, the doors to the TARDIS opened. The Doctor and Twilight turned towards the doors and Twilight gasped. It was the red mare with the sharp blue eyes. The two travelers were speechless at the sight of their unexpected guest. The mare shut the doors to the TARDIS behind her as the ship began making its usual departing noise.
"Hello, Doctor," said the mare with a seductive grin. The TARDIS then gave a giant nudge and the Doctor and Twilight fell to the floor while the mare remained perfectly still.
"Great. This is just what I needed at a time like this," the Doctor groaned. "A bloody hitchhiker!"
The mare giggled gleefully as the TARDIS leaned to the left and shot off down the endless river of history.
