AUTHOR'S NOTES: This is a spin-off fic of my other story, entitled "My Little Time Lord", which can be found in my profile.

Try reading both if you're a Doctor Who and a Torchwood fan. Like who isn't right?

"Get up!" Lyra screamed, struggling to push the injured Bon Bon to her hooves.

Bon Bon tried to raise herself up, her strength failing, her hooves slipping on the blood that stained her legs as well as the perfectly cut marble tiles underneath her. Lyra couldn't see it anymore, that terrible creature, unimaginably horrifying and far beyond her wildest nightmares. Somehow they had managed to escape it, at least for now, but Bon Bon's wounds were far too deep; her hind leg far too horribly mangled by that thing's teeth. She heard its roar, echoing through the beams and the unfinished hallways of the new town hall. The moonless night covered everything in its pure darkness.

"I- I- can't," she cried out, dazed, panting as the tears ran down her face. The sensation of pulsing blood pumping from her torn arteries was fading, overcome instead by the growing numbness that slithered through her body. It was so cold; coldness was all she could feel now. "Run, go, please."

"No!" Lyra squealed in reply, quaking as she saw it, the outline of the strange creature, grunting and sniffing at the air, searching out for its pony prey. It lapped the blood trail off the dusty, stained marble floor, enjoying the taste of Lyra's dying friend. "Bon Bon, get the FUCK UP!"

Bon Bon's eyes were barely open. Her voice was barely beyond a whisper now. "I can't. Go."

"No," she said, wrapping her front legs around her, embracing her warmly, "Bonny, I love you!" The monster spotted them, those beady eyes glimmering in the darkness, vicious and mindless. It charged straight at them, running on two legs, its movements so foreign and alien that the two ponies could stand to look at the monster no more, instead directing their gazes into each other's eyes.

"I love you too," Bon Bon said, as loudly as she could through a strained voice, the filly barely conscious. Both ponies shut their eyes, and holding each other lovingly, waited for the monster to end their lives.

"You will stop," said a small voice, barely above a squeak, one that, despite its small squeakiness, was paradoxically without timidity. The monster roared its horrific howl of a reply back at her. Lyra and Bon Bon shivered in their mutual horror, afraid to even look up at the squeaky little pony that was surely being ripped apart via tooth and claw.

"I said stop!" she again asserted. Lyra, now more curious than terrified, turned her eyes toward the insane filly. It was a pegasus pony, just in front of them, staring up at the far larger and far more dangerous monster. The darkness of that moonless night was turned back, the hallway now illuminated by a dim violet light glowing from the horn of a violet unicorn.

"Fluttershy, are you sure you have it under control?" asked the worried unicorn.

"You will come with me," commanded the pegasus, softly yet firmly and without an ounce of fear, "and you will behave. I know you're alone, and that you're scared, but you just can't keep hurting innocent ponies. Now, come with me, and I'll make it better, I promise."

Lyra stared dumbstruck as the horrible creature obeyed the winged pony. Another unicorn, a white one, as if from out of nowhere, walked by Lyra and pointed her horn at her dying lover. Her spell cast, she smiled at Lyra. "There now," she said nonchalantly, as if she were simply mending a torn gown in the confines of her home, "that'll stop the bleeding, though it looks like we'll have to get her some proper medical care as soon as possible. Oh, she's out cold, poor thing. That really was quite a nasty wound, those monstrosities sure do know how to rip their way into flesh and muscle."

"What- what the fuck is that thing?" said Lyra, huddling up to her unconscious lover, "What the fuck is going on?"

The unicorn pointing her horn slightly in the direction of the pegasus and the monster as they made their way out of the hallway, the violet unicorn watching the two as they left. "My my," the white unicorn said in a playfully berating manner, "what coarse language, how very unbecoming of a lady."

"What? I-"

"That thing," she continued, "my rather blunt mare, is a Weevil. Well, that's what we call them anyway, no idea what they really are."

"And who- who are you?"

From the tip of the unicorn's horn there shone a brilliant bright light. Lyra could see the deep violet of her mane, and the prim and properness of her prideful eyes. The unicorn smiled, flicking her flowing violet locks with a single, measured turn of her head. "Who are we? Why darling, don't you know? We're Torchwood."

Torchwood: Ponyville

Chapter 1

Miracle Ponies

"Don't get all fussy with me," said Rarity, her muzzle pointed upwards as she stepped into the library, "at least I didn't go off screaming Fluttershy's name. That was quite the breech of protocol, to be sure, 'Are you sure you have it under control Fluttershy,'" she repeated half-mockingly and yet with a measure of courtesy, "I'm sure Lyra and Bon Bon didn't hear that at all. Well maybe not Bon Bon, what with her too busy being almost dead. Not that it matters, it's not like that amnesia spell won't do the trick, right?"

Twilight rolled her eyes. "We're supposed to be a secret Rare, you know, as in, don't tell everypony who we are, especially after we just saved them? Besides, Princess Celestia entrusted me with one of the most forbidden spells she knows. I can't just use that will nilly, and the last thing I want to do is accidentally lobotomize a pony because we couldn't keep our mouths shut."

Rarity sighed. "You're no fun sometimes."

The library's new book cases, freshly cut and yet bare of any books, gleamed from the smooth varnish applied to their wooden surfaces, even in the darkness of the moonless night. Spike peacefully slept the night away, Twilight could hear the soft rumble of his low snoring and see the movements of his belly slowly rising and falling as he lay supine in a makeshift bed of books and pillows. Poor thing must have passed out working, Twilight thought to herself, a gentle smile forming on her lips. The books had just come in from Manehattan that very afternoon, and despite poor Spike's valiant efforts, many of the boxes and crates had yet to be opened. The idea of finally having those empty shelves filled anew with fresh books brought a measure of relief to her. She hated seeing those bare bookcases. Owlowiscious lit a candle, lighting the way through the maze of boxes and piled up literature.

"Thank you my dear, always the gentleowl," said Rarity with a curtsey.

With a gratitude of her own directed towards her night time assistant, Twilight, and Rarity, navigated the mess that was the library.

"I still think you're overreacting," Rarity whispered after a moment of silence, as she waited for Twilight to open the basement door, "In fact, I happen to think it went rather well, especially considering what happened last time around. That poor cow. Her and her bovine family never saw it coming."

Twilight shivered at the thought of that debacle. A light tap of her magical horn unlocked the padlock. "Don't remind me. I'm stilling getting the smell out of my mane. After you my Lady."

Rarity giggled, giving the purple unicorn a wink of the eye as she trotted her way down the steps. "Why thank you Captain Sparkle. What a kind, handsome mare you are, truly an officer of the highest quality."

Twilight couldn't help but roll her eyes again. "Stop being silly, last I checked I wasn't in the military. A Captain Sparkle I assuredly am not."

Rarity pouted her lips. Both ponies made their way down the wooden steps of the basement stairway, their horns lighting the way down those creaky, dark steps. The smell of the freshly cut wood still lingered in the air. And so did the smell of cow. "You may not be a military mare, but there really isn't anything quite like a pony with her own ship. Besides, really, Captain Sparkle just rolls right off the tongue. You must admit to at least that much, my dear Lady."

There was a hint of the seductive to her words, something that Twilight, despite her not at all extensive experience with romance, either with mare or colt, though she had never considered herself to be the type to fall for another mare, had managed to pick up. It was only very recently that Rarity's behavior had changed, even if ever so slightly. From time to time she would spot or sense it, a lingering glance, a semi-flirtatious quip, a strange longing in her eyes that would end with a blush. It was very odd to the violet unicorn, though perhaps it was nothing more than Rarity being Rarity. She dismissed the thought immediately; there were more important matters to attend to.

The old library and its many books, a couple of which had been irreplaceable even, had burned months ago, as had the rest of the town. The tree housing the library, however, had somehow survived, and had remained standing tall and proud. Even now its leaves were budding anew to replace the many it had lost, and its new branches advanced out from the charred stumps of those burnt away by the flames. It was the perfect place, Twilight had thought then, still thought now, to plant the seeds of Ponyville's, and Equestria's, future.

In the basement the two unicorns made their way through the many machines and devices sent to them from Canterlot. They were the most advanced technologies Equestria's brightest minds had developed: transmitters, magic enhancers, devices designed to amplify and examine, and to Twilight's right, an entire wall covered by a massive slab of metal and tubing, a device which was said to be able to calculate all sorts of information like no pony could all by him or herself. Of course, the thing rarely did anything besides occasionally catch fire and disrupt Spike's beauty sleep. It was called a "computer," and for all its technological wonder, and as a pony of science herself, she really did admire it, it was still a reminder of how far behind ponykind really was, and how dangerous their situation had become.

"You do it this time," said Twilight, her stomach suddenly in knots. Her head began to ache, as it had a tendency to do these days. The way things had turned out, it had all come at her in waves, like a constant attack of parasprite swarms. One moment she had been nothing more than a normal pony, living her life in the quiet, carefree town of Ponyville, and then the next moment... and then the next…

Rarity could sense Twilight's apprehension. She saw the lack of sureness in her eyes as she gazed at the giant mini-labyrinth of tubes and wires in front of her. "We're doing fine darling," assured Rarity, "we have faith in you, all of us do." The white mare pressed a small red button, and clearing her throat most politely, announced, "The Lady Rarity of our Majesty's Torchwood. Password: For Princess and Country."

Torchwood, thought Twilight. A top secret organization, the first of its kind. It was Princess Luna who had picked the name, though why or what it meant was still a question the unicorn would one day have to ask.

Torchwood's purpose in a nutshell, as dictated by Princess Luna over a month ago: "Arming the pony race against the future." To arm it with what? Twilight had wondered then, Apples pies? At the time it was Twilight's belief that all Dalek and Cybermen technology had been wiped off the planet by the Elements of Harmony. After she had accepted her position as leader of Torchwood, Princess Luna had promptly revealed otherwise. Three Dalek ships had survived, abandoned, damaged, and incapable of flight though they were. One of those ships was to serve as a base, a hub, for Torchwood. They were tasked with somehow getting it to fly again, and to use its secrets in the defense of Equestria. Easier said then done, Twilight said to herself, we can't even get our stuff to work right.

The computer, even if it couldn't actually compute anything, could still perform one very vital task. Both ponies stepped back, the both watching as the entire wall moved forward, and aided by steel gears that groaned as they moved their burden, slid into a side opening. Behind the wall blinked on the harsh bright lights of an elevator, the wood exterior of the library basement replaced by the cool, smooth metal of a most unpony-like technology.

"Or if you want," said Rarity, both ponies entering the lift, "I could always take over. Can you imagine me, the Lady Rarity, captain of my own ship and leader of my own secret fraternity? Wouldn't that be quite the feather in my bridle?" Nevermind that she didn't wear a bridle.

Twilight giggled. "Yeah, you wish." The giant computer wall began to move back into place.

"Oh, but I do," she said, rather strangely, her voice softening, "not the whole taking over thing, that's not what I desire." She leaned in on the very confused mare, their snouts so close they almost touched. The lift doors shut.

"D-down," commanded Twilight. The lift began to move.

"I like down," cooed Rarity, batting her long lashes.

Twilight could feel herself blushing. "I-I meant the elevator."

"I didn't."

"Then what are you..? I don't think we're on the same page here."

Rarity pressed a single hoof on Twilight's questioning lips. "Hush darling, don't you feel it? Everything we've been through, you and I? How we battled against the odds together, braved impossible enemies, how you saved me in the midst of that horrible battlefield. You almost lost your life protecting us, protecting me. Even the power of the Elements of Harmony couldn't heal that wound on your face. Not all the way. I can still see it, the tiniest trace of that scar across your lovely eyes. I know it still stings you from time to time, and I see you trying to hide the pain, but to no avail unfortunately. You poor thing, let me grant you relief, as much as I can give…"

"Rarity…"

The sudden shudder of the elevator and the sporadic blinking of the lights shook Twilight from the spell-like haze Rarity had placed upon her. The lights went out. What happened? "Did you just rock my world?"

Both ponies lit the small space with the light of their horns. "Don't be so vulgar captain," she said, half teasingly, half endearingly, "though I suppose that's to be expected from a pony of your status."

Things were getting out of hand, fast. It was one thing for Rarity to start acting a little weird, it was quite another for her to do whatever she just tried to do. "OK, let's get some points straight. Firstly, seriously, quit calling me captain, I don't even like it when Pinkie does it. Secondly, I really think somewhere along the li-"

A clanking, grinding sound suddenly echoed through what sounded like the entire length of the elevator shaft, all forty-something floors. Rarity pressed her hoofs on the circular metal walls, hopelessly looking for a way out. Outside the little metal tube was solid rock, there was no way out. "This thing is safe right? I was told this thing was safe, I only consented to riding this stupid thing because I was told it was safe. I DON'T WANNA BE HERE IF IT'S NOT SAFE!"

"Calm down, it's just a snag or whatever," she said, hoping she was right.

"Don't you dare tell me what to do," said the hyperventilating pony, "Misses 'Hello everypony, wanna join my super secret club? I can't tell you anything about it until after you join though!' If I knew what nonsense we would have to go through, I swear I… I… it's so small here, we're trapped in a space barely big enough for a horse! I can't- the walls are closing in, I swear they are, I don't want to be here! "

"Rarity," Twilight said, hugging the shaking pony, "we'll be alright. I'm sure Applejack is working on it as we speak."

"First the Daleks, then the Cybermen, now these filthy Weevil monsters, what's next? Death by elevator? Is this what I signed up for?"

"No, I mean, I don't know, I just-" Another jolt rocked the elevator, this one far more rougher and louder than the one before, silencing Twilight and forcing a squeal from Rarity. Neither one dared to look down at the elevator floor, which both ponies knew was no longer there and was currently plummeting down some twenty or thirty stories.

"Don't you dare tell me," squeaked Rarity as she held on far too tightly to the other pony, "that we're standing on thin air."

"Uh-um- w-we're not stand- AHHHH!"

What spell do I know that can save us right now? wondered Twilight as they fell to their certain doom, I could try growing a pair of wings. No, that's too complicated, we'll be dead before I can even conjure enough magic. Teleportation! Ok, teleport, teleport, please teleport. Pleasse. OK, that's not working. Oh my dear Celestia I'm going to die!

"NOOOOOO!" both ponies shrieked out in terror. Down the two went, descending through that black tunnel to their very deaths. It wasn't until she noticed a faint blue glow surrounding them that Twilight realized that their freefall was slowing.

"WHO WILL FEED OPAL? OH MY POOR BABY!"

"Rare? Rarity! We're slowing down."

"Oh, are we?" asked Rarity, her left eyelid twitching, "Good, and here I was beginning to panic." The two finally landed safely on top the perfectly undamaged elevator floor. Say what you will of the Daleks themselves, at the very least they sure knew how to forge some pretty strong alloys. The power was out, as evidenced by the lack of anything working and the lack of light, with the exception of some candles sporadically placed about the Torchwood Hub. Rarity hardly seemed to notice. "Well then, I think I'll go pass out for awhile now. My dear Twilight Sparkle, I bid you adieu."

"Sleeping on the job are we?" said a familiar voice, a female voice, but one that wasn't Pinkie Pie's, Applejack's, Fluttershy's or even Rainbow Dash's, though it sure did possess the latter's cockiness. Twilight recognized that voice, the voice of the most infuriating pony in the world. "How amateurish, I wouldn't think the supposedly mighty Torchwood with its supposedly talented members, led by a pony of such supposedly high repute, would be so unprofessionalas take the night off while there's so much work to be done. But then again, Torchwood isn't led by a great and powerful pony, is it? Good thing UNIT certainly is."

Of all the ponies. "Well, look what the manticore dragged in," Twilight said through gritted teeth. She met the blue-coated, silver-maned unicorn face to face.

The Great and Powerful Trixie smirked. She was dressed in her usual violet cape adorned with glittering, flashy stars, though she no longer wore the wizard's hat of her former days as a performer, opting instead to don the blue beret of the Unified Intelligence Taskforce as her headgear of choice. Of course hers had to be violet and adorned with stars as well. Always the show off.

"Hey Twilight," said the perpetually hopping Pinkie Pie, with a nervous Applejack by her side. "Welcome back to Torchwood! I guess you could say," she said with a giggle, "my little ponies are on the Hub!"

Twilight couldn't help but giggle too, despite her randomness. That pony is so weird.

"Heya Twilight," said Applejack, "welcome back. We got guests…"

"Yes, I see her Applejack, thank you. Too bad she's not much of a guest."

"But Lady Captain Twilight Sparkle, or is it Captain Lady Twilight Sparkle? I still don't know!" rambled Pinkie Pie, "she's not the guest. Well she is even though you don't like her but I don't have a problem with her except that she's kinda meanish but we also mean-"

"Wow, my very ungrateful Lady Sparkle," Trixie interrupted, "what a horrible thing to say to the pony that just saved your life. One would think a hero of the war would act with more civility and cooperation. You should follow my example perhaps, what with me being amongst the greatest heroes to ever canter upon Equestria! I even fought alongside him, you know."

Him. Twilight's eye twitched. "And you came all the way here just to gloat? Last I remembered UNIT was still locked out of the Dalek ships they were tasked with fixing. Did you finally manage to get yourselves back in or are you here because you need a place to crash?"

Trixie huffed. "We're still working on that. Dalek technology is no match for the likes of UNIT and the Great and Powerful Trixie! It's nothing we can't handle, after all we do have the best equine scientists in all of Equestria working on it."

"Maybe your scientists should check for the key under the UNIT rug."

Pinkie Pie giggled at the little jab. Trixie seemed none to pleased, though she still very much maintained that air of smugness that irked the violet unicorn. "Your pathetic attempts at neigh-gh-gh-saying are for naught. Maybe if your little clubhouse was up to snuff I wouldn't need to pick up your slack. Obviously since you can't handle it, Princess Luna's decision to form UNIT and place a true leader like myself as its commander was truly a stroke of genius. Under me, UNIT will outclass your silly little group of washed-up fashion designers, hillfilly farmers, crazy bakers and college dropouts in no time flat."

"Once you manage to get yourselves back into your bases that is," said Rarity, "In the meantime Torchwood's already captured its first Weevil, and we've intercepted every incoming Weevil sighting so far. So beat that you boisterous mare."

Trixie laughed. "All of them? Please, don't think I haven't heard about that incident with the cows. Your dearest captain needs a shower by the way. As for capturing a live Weevil, like, since when are we supposed to be capturing them alive? I don't remember that being one of our orders. Maybe the princess can clarify that for us. What do you think, Princess Luna?"

Twilight hadn't seen her, she had been too busy with Trixie, and the alicorn pony was practically hidden in the darkness. Princess Luna, flanked by two pegasi of the Equestrian Royal Guard and three unicorns donning UNIT berets, addressed the shocked Twilight. "Good evening Lady Twilight Sparkle, my big sister sends her regards."

"Princess Luna!" Twilight cried out, bowing before the ruler of the night. "What an unexpected surprise. Oh my Gosh I apologize for the outburst, and the power outage, I promise we'll get that fixed ASAP, and-"

"Lady Twilight, please relax," she began, rather hesitantly. "We have things to discuss."

The holding cells were a new addition to a still new facility. The power had gone out, though such occurrences were hardly rare. Unfortunately, though she was willing to help out in whatever ways possible, retrofitting Dalek technology to work with pony magic was something far beyond her skills. Torchwood, housing the most advanced technology on the planet. If only anyone could get anything to work. But again, that wasn't her field.

The almost pitch blackness and the cramped nature of the room, one redesigned to be a brig no less, should have terrified her, and in reality it did. The stairs, blackened by the power outage, seemed to beckon her to charge up them, to escape to the safety of the nearest light source and away from the creeping shadows and their threatening darkness. It was almost like they wished to consume her. It was bad enough that they followed her everywhere she went. The more she thought about it the more she was sure was going to run away screaming. But she didn't. He kept her in place, the strange creature locked in a cell of impenetrable glass, more terrified than she was, even if it didn't look it.

The others didn't understand. None of them could see it. The Weevil, the name Pinkie Pie had picked out for this strange species from another world, or dimension, or wherever, gazed back at Fluttershy with those beady black eyes. All the others saw were his teeth and claws, the almost hairless, rough texture of his pale skin, and the grey burnt rags he wore for clothing. She placed her head against the glass that encased the creature. He still smelt of pony blood, but she could forgive him. After all, the two ponies he attacked did survive. It wasn't like it was really his fault either.

"Don't you worry," she whispered, pressing a hoof against the glass of that small cell. The Weevil, turning his head toward the hoof, placed his hand, with its five clawed fingers, where her hoof was. "You're safe now. And I promise you, you won't be stuck here forever." As if he understood, no, that was silly, because he did understand, he shook his head. Fluttershy was sure she could detect a smile forming on those gnarled, rough lips. It donned on her who he reminded of her off.

"Angel," she whispered even lower, turning her head from side to side, "you're just like him you know. He was a good friend of mine, like, one of my bestest. I think you would've liked him. He could be so stubborn, especially whenever I tried to get him to behave or eat his vegetables, but deep down, he was a very kindhearted bunny. I can see that in you too. Not the bunny part of course, you're far too hairless and big to be a bunny, but still. Hmm, I wonder if you have a name?"

"Fluttershy?"

The pegasus didn't bother to turn around or move, not even when Rarity's shadow cast itself on her. She continued to stare in the face of the calm creature. "Can I help you Rarity?"

The white unicorn seemed hesitant for just a moment. "I just wanted to congratulate you on a job well done darling, truly a fabulous piece of work capturing that thing and bringing it back here all on your own. I really feel the need to apologize for that, but you know how it is, we can't leave unconscious ponies lying about pools of their own blood. Though honestly, I don't see what the point is in taking these things alive, we're better off killing them really, did you see what that thing did to Bon Bon and Lyra? Why, it would've turned them into a pony buffet! Oh, parish the thought!"

"That's not fair Rare," she responded defensively, "He's more afraid of you than you are of him. If you just gave him a chance, I'm positive you two could really become friends."

"I doubt that darling. Anyway, our lovely leader wishes to see us all in the main part of the Hub. We have guests, though I'm sure you're already aware of that."

Fluttershy couldn't help but giggle. "Twilight's probably so mad right now. I still don't really get it though. Trixie isn't that bad."

Rarity neighed. "It's because that silver-maned charlatan is nothing more than a blowhard amateur who is definitely not deserving of her position. Washed-up fashion designer, well I never."

The yellow pegasus shook her head, smiling as she turned toward her friend. "I'll be right there, just give me a couple seconds."

A look a concern spread across Rarity's face. "Erm, alright, though don't take too long, the last thing we want is for things to get uglier than they already are." The unicorn had never been good at masking her emotions, that much she had to admit to herself, especially when it came to her closest friends. "Dear, do keep your distance from that Weevil creature. It's not like a bird or a squirrel. Or a bunny."

Fluttershy's eyes suddenly grew distant. She turned her sight back toward the Weevil. "I know that."

"You're my friend," Rarity said, sensing the sadness coming from Fluttershy.

"I know. I'll be right out."

When Rarity had finally left, though reluctantly, Fluttershy pressed her forehead against the cell once more. "Angel, that's what I'll call you. If that's OK with you I mean, I wouldn't want to impose."

He pressed his head against the glass, mimicking her movements perfectly. She smiled, concealing her right eye with her pink hair as she shed a tear. "I had a feeling you'd like it. I have to go now, but I'll be back. I can so tell that you're just a sweetie pie, to be sure! No one's going to hurt you, I promise. Cross my heart hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!"

Before she shut the door and activated the magnetic lock, she quickly glanced back at the Weevil staring up at her from below. The dead lights of the Hub sparked back to life. The shadows were gone, and the glare of the whiteness made her smile widely. "My Angel," she said, giving the Weevil one last glance, "No one's going to hurt you ever again."

"How in tarnation did ya get that working?" asked a surprised Applejack. She had spent the better part of two weeks just trying find the light switch, and here Pinkie Pie, of all ponies, had fixed something Applejack wasn't sure was even broken in the first place.

"Oh, well, that's easy, all I had to do was stick this part here and twist here and do you see this part here? Yeah, well thhaatttt-"

"She just got lucky." murmured Trixie.

Twilight giggled. "Jealous much? How about I show something else you can be jealous about. Applejack, is the comm. back up?"

Applejack nodded. "Yep, now that we got power goin' again."

"Great work girls. Ok, patch me in to Dash." Pinkie pressed the switch before Applejack could, much to her annoyance.

Twilight spoke out loud to a pony that wasn't even in the Hub. "This is Twilight Sparkle to Rainbow Dash, can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear Cap. I got nothing to report so far, except for the sweet double wing flip I just pulled."

Trixie gasped. "How are you-?"

"It's a wireless broadband multi-path communications system enhanced with an Eclipse spell," explained Rarity, "developed by Torchwood and utilizing the most sophisticated combination of Equestrian technology, Equestrian magic, and Dalek technology ever attempted. Right now we have our best flyer, the Lady Rainbow Dash, flying reconnaissance over all of Ponyville and its outskirts. The second she spots any Tear-"

"Rift!" shouted Pinkie Pie.

"- Tear related activity, she can call us up at the Torchwood Hub or alternatively, speak to any individual operative she desires using a headset small enough to fit into a pony's ear. We've all got them on right now, though we can also patch her communications through the Hub speakers. I don't think UNIT's quite managed anything like that, though we're more than happy to help them, once we're finished with the testing phase of course."

Trixie shrugged. "That won't be necessary, we, uh, already have something like that, only better!"

"I think somepony's telling tall tales."

"Girls, please," said the princess, "Twilight, continue your report on the, what are you calling it again?"

"Yes my princess. It doesn't quite have a name yet, but I like calling it the inter-dimensional portal."

Pinkie Pie disapproved. "That's too long, we should call it a rift! The Rift!"

"I'm partial to calling it a hole," insisted Applejack, "I reckon its gotta be some sorta hole."

"I myself prefer calling it a tear," interjected Rarity, "like a tear through the fabric of time and space, and, as Rainbow Dash would say, I think it sounds cool. Twenty percent cooler even."

"It's probably more like a stitch," suggested Fluttershy, "If nopony minds, I think we should call it that."

"Yeah, as you can see we're still working on the name, but as for what it is, we currently believe that there are numerous invisible cuts left over from the invasion, connecting Equestria to… well… where ever place the Weevils are from. The cuts seems mostly centered around Ponyville, which fits with our theory of it being a phenomena related to the war."

"Though UNIT's found Weevils as far up the coastline as Manehattan," said one of the UNIT unicorns, a golden colored one, "and as far west as Appleloosa, so we believe these cuts go farther than just Ponyville."

Twilight continued. "We don't think it's an invasion, their attacks have been far too random and they don't seem to be working together in any cohesive fashion. Still, they are dangerous. We've had to… permanently deal, with six of them so far."

"UNIT's killed ten," boasted Trixie.

"Right, but with the recent live capture of a Weevil for study, Fluttershy feels that won't be necessary anymore."

The princess seemed barely interested in any of it. She appeared lost in thought, concentrating on nothing, just vaguely aware of the words Twilight and the rest spoke. To say she was being flighty was an understatement. Still, after a moment, she finally replied. "Very good Lady Sparkle."

Twilight saw the scowl on Trixie's face. Something about seeing Trixie annoyed made the violet unicorn's headache just a bit more tolerable. "Yes well, impressive indeed, but UNIT can and will do better. Whatever, the Great and Powerful Trixie has done her duty in the name of the Equestrian royalty, and if my princess will allow it, I desire to depart this little Nowheresville and head back to Canterlot. You know, where things actually matter."

The princess nodded half-absently. "Thank you Commander Trixie."

"Merry Gold, Wintergreen, Cloverleaf, we're going. My princess, if you do not mind, I'd rather you teleport us out of this dump, I just don't trust Torchwood and their broken junk."

One of the UNIT unicorns, the one with a lime green coat and a clover cutie mark, presumably the one named Cloverleaf, stuck her tongue out at Twilight before being teleported away.

With another spell Luna teleported her royal escort out of the Hub. Twilight assumed Luna would go next. The princess after all, and this had become obvious to Twilight, did not seem to care much for her or Ponyville.

But she stayed, much to Twilight's surprise. With the power back on, the princess finally got a good look at the Torchwood Hub. The center of what was once the Dalek saucer's bridge had been expanded out, Luna noted, with the ceilings of several decks removed to give the pegasi more flying space. Walls had been removed to allow for more running space, brick and mortar replaced the various sections destroyed during the ship's descent into the Everfree Forest, and the grey soot and burn marks that once colored the interior had been cleaned off and given a new coat of white paint. Some of them were even painted pink. Equestrian chairs and tables had been brought in, paintings had been hung up, wooden rails and ramps had been constructed and books were scattered all around. Wires from the deepest parts of the ship had been pulled out and spread randomly in all directions, resembling almost something akin to the roots of a tree. Screens transmitted information that no pony could read or understand, and was therefore nothing more than frustrating nonsense. In short it was chaos, but it was Equestria's chaos, and regardless of whether the ship ever flew again or not, Equestria would find a use for that chaos.

"It's not much, but we only just really started." Twilight said, as her friends watched in the corner, deep with anticipation. It wasn't everyday that Princess Luna showed up to Ponyville after all.

"We need popcorn," Pinkie whispered, much too loudly.

The princess remained silent, her attention directed at a large mural of the sun and the moon.

"Is there anything else your Majesty?" asked Twilight.

"Kiss her," whispered Pinkie, again far too loudly. Rarity covered over Pinkie's mouth.

The princess blushed. "Oh yes, that's right, we have something to discuss. But please, privately."

Twilight showed the princess to her office. Privately, she said to herself as she shut the blinds on her very disappointed friends, this can't be good. The throbbing ache in her head was only getting worse.

Twilight couldn't stop laughing.

She re-read the letter Luna had to given her again, just to make sure she had read it right.

"You're kidding me?" she began, falling off her chair and onto the floor as she tried to stop. "This can't be real, I mean, it's clearly Celestia's handwriting and all, but there's no way this is for real. I just, no way! Its gotta be some sort of prank. She has the strangest sense of humor, but this definitely takes the cupcake!" There was no way this was serious, any minute she was expecting Luna to fess up. And all this time she had believed Luna didn't have a sense of humor.

Only she seemed to be very serious. "It's not a joke… I got kicked out of my sister's castle."

Twilight giggled despite herself. "Wait, I'm sorry, it's been a few rough weeks. So, you got kicked out of Canterlot for super-gluing Philomena to Princess Celestia's hair?"

"That's not what was supposed to happen but yeah, that would be it. I think she's overreacting though. Her new mane cut is really cute. You'll agree when you see it."

To force the princess to cut her eternally flowing mane, it was crime truly worthy of exile. "You're evil."

Luna sighed. "At least it's not the moon. You won't have to worry about accommodations, I was banished to a floating rock in space for a thousand years after all. I won't be needing fancy things, nor did I bring any fancy things, anything that isn't a rock has felt like a luxury honestly."

"You realize that you won't be ordering us around right? The Torchwood charter clearly states that we're outside the control of the monarchy and well, just about everyone else. Outside of very generalized orders or specific situations, you won't be able to tell us what to do."

"Yes, I know, my sister was the one that wrote that in. I'm not here for Torchwood. I'm just here until my sister cools off."

"Well then, welcome to Ponyville. I suppose you can live in the library if you want. It's a little messy right now but Spike and Owlowiscious are working on organizing everything. Oh my gosh, we can have sleepovers! Just because I'm heading a super secret organization doesn't mean I can't have sleepovers!"

Luna half heartedly smiled at the suggestion. "Sure my Lady, that sounds fun…"

So that was it then, Luna was staying in Ponyville. That wasn't so bad. It suddenly dawned on Twilight that she now had access to one of the few ponies that knew Princess Celestia the best. What an opportunity, who knows what incredibly cute secrets about her teacher she held within her memories. The night was getting better and better by the moment.

Luna was first to move towards the office door. A copy of the Torchwood insignia on a random file caught Twilight's eye. "Mind if I ask you a question, my Princess?"

She shrugged. "If you want."

"Why are we called Torchwood?"

She looked up for a moment, and with a glimmer in her eye, she smiled. "It's an anagram of Doctor Who. I named it in his honor."

"The Ponyville physician?"

"What? No, Doctor Who, the pony with the hourglass cutie mark and brown coat, the mysterious one that disappeared after the war."

The headache was returning. To hear him mentioned so nonchalantly took Twilight by surprise. Only Luna had gotten it wrong. "That's not his name my Princess. In all the years he lived in Ponyville none of its citizens ever really got to know him. We never even found out what his real name was. He only ever called himself the Doctor, and some nicknamed him 'Doctor Whoof,' but other than that, he was a mystery we never solved."

"Well then," Luna said as she left the office, "I guess you're named after a phantom."

Out on the ledge of Ponyville's bell tower, its tallest building, Twilight Sparkle looked down at the motionless town below. If it weren't for the simple fact that the moonless night was a regular astronomical occurrence, she would've been willing to say it was some sort of portend. The town was serene in its silence, its newly built homes and shops masking the scars of that one moment. An entire town had been rebuilt by its citizens in their stubborn desire to maintain what they once had, and to forget the nightmare of those three nights. The three nights that had changed everything.

The purple unicorn couldn't forget, couldn't even hope to forget, even if she had declined the job. The ache was worse than it ever had been before, the throbbing, burning sensation following the length of the long, thin scar that ran diagonally down her face. The bright purple glow emanating from her scar and her eyes was something entirely new, and entirely troubling. She focused on trying to subdue the pain, to force herself to stop glowing at least. Rarity was right, not even the Elements of Harmony had been able to heal her. It almost made her laugh. She had watched a pegasus pony's wings grow back good as new after they had been torn right off his back, and yet the power of the Elements couldn't get rid of this?

"Twilight, now what in Sam Hill are you doin' up here all by yourself?" asked Applejack, the mare climbing up the stairs.

Twilight kept her face turned away from Applejack's. "I'm just, -uh, patrolling the town, you know, our job. Nothing else, heh." The pain was intensifying, how it drilled at her skull. Please go away, she begged, not willing to speak those words to her friend, just for now.

"That's what we got Rainbow Dash for." From behind Twilight could hear the other pony slowly step closer.

"Do you think he's out there?" Twilight asked, hoping to slow her down. Just a bit more, and I'll have it under control.

"Who?"

"The Doctor."

Applejack stopped, the silence lingering in the air. "I don't know. Nopony knows Twi, not even the princesses."

"You're wrong about that. One pony knows. It just that we have no idea where she is either."

"I ain't worried about the Doctor or Derpy. Sugarcube, please, talk to me."

"Torchwood," Twilight gasped out, moaning in agony as the glowing pulse grew all the brighter. She was sure the earth pony had noticed the glow now.

"Twi, now, don't you try and out-stubborn me, ya hear? You know I'll win hands down."

"Separate from the monarchy," continued the strained Twilight, shutting her eyes so tightly that she could see stars, "outside the Royal Guard. Our objectives: to track down alien life in Equestria, to scavenge whatever extra-terrestrial technology we find, and to arm ponykind against whatever the future might bring. It was in the mission statement. This is a new era in pony history, and we have to be ready."

Twilight sighed, staring up at the night sky above. "Miracle Night, that's what they're calling it, right? The night we saved the world. Only that's not really true is it? It was him. His miracle. And now it's just us. We have to be ready, because we're it Applejack. The Princesses, us, even UNIT, we're all that stands in the way of the darkness. The Daleks and the Cybermen, what if they were just the beginning? Can you imagine that? I, I-"

Applejack had always been the most dependable of her friends. She could almost guess word for word what she was going to say. "You're allowed to be afraid, and you're allowed to talk to us about it. Just because you're leadin' us ain't mean we ain't your friends anymore. Things have changed, but not that."

"Please, just don't come closer."

"Twi-"

"This is Wonderbolt 7 calling in," spoke Rainbow Dash through the communications link, "I've confirmed four baldies hot off the horseless carriage threading the needle on their way to grandmare's stable, over."

Applejack turned her attention to Rainbow Dash and her silliness, much to Twilight's relief. "What was all that nonsense I just heard?"

"Ugh," Dash scoffed, "I spotted fours Weevils heading downtown. I thought we were using code words and stuff, where's the fun of being in a top super secret spy alien fighting team if we don't use code words and stuff? Do you like the codename I picked up for myself? Wonderbolt 7, it's like so gonna happen too, there's no way they're going to turn me down after what I pulled off. Did I ever tell you about the time I brought down a Dalek battleship all by myself?"

"We were there Dash," said Rarity through the link, "you don't have to tell us again."

"Tell us again!" cried out an ecstatic Pinkie, "I like the way Dash tells it, plus I got knocked out when it happened, so lame!"

"Oh girls, I'm on my way," said Fluttershy, "don't try to hurt the Weevils, really, they're just confused and scared. I would be too after teleporting through the Stitch."

"Tear."

"Rift!"

"Whatever," said an annoyed Rainbow Dash, "And what the hay, why does Pinkie Pie get to name everything? I wanna name the next thing that pops out of Dimension X or whatever we're calling that. I know, let's call it Dimension Dash!"

"Girls, quiet down," said Twilight. The glowing had stopped, her headache was gone, and Twilight Sparkle felt as good as ever. "Dash, sorry but no code words, Rarity, make sure Princess Luna is well accommodated, Pinkie Pie, off the channel and back to fixing things please, Fluttershy, meet up with Dash and wait for Applejack and myself before engaging. Alright Team Torchwood, go!"

Applejack watched the happy pony in amazement. "Twilight, are you alright?"

"No time for talk Applejack, we have a job to do. The future of Equestria depends on us, UNIT be darned!"

Back at the Torchwood Hub, far from the sight of any ponies, a small, almost imperceptible flicker sparked for barely more than a few seconds. If any pony had seen it they would have dismissed and ignored it as a nothing more than an optical illusion brought on by a simple case of overwork. Yet, if any pony were to listen hard enough, past the sound of humming machines and the clanging of Pinkie Pie occasionally electrocuting herself, a low voice may have been heard. Akin to the flicker it was barely more than a fragment, a broken whisper in the shadows.

Yet if anypony were to listen carefully enough, they would be able to decipher a single word:

"Torchwood."