Just a couple of warnings: 1. I don't know if the plot is similar to other Doctor Whooves fics because the only one I read was Sepia Tock (If you call it a Doctor Whooves fic) so I apologise if it seems too mainstream or something… 2. This may be extremely influenced by Sepia Tock or Discord Whooves (well more like pre-discorded Whooves), 3. I don't write much so this may or may not get somewhat confusing. Also there's a huge chance that my writing style may differ a lot due to how lazy I get. In any case, read and see if you like this or not =).
Disclaimer (Is this really necessary?): I don't own MLP. Nor Doctor Who (the amount of DW in this is still under pending) Now do I have to write this in every chapter because some fics don't bother with disclaimers and I think it's rather obvious that I don't own TV shows.
Chapter One: Caught Red Hoofed
BOOM!
Time Turner's neighbors all jumped at another particularly loud explosion. It was the eleventh one today and it was only fourteen past seven in the morning.
Despite the large number of grumpy and sleep-deprived ponies, they didn't bother to do anything about it. It's not that they were afraid. They got over that yesterday. It was more like they didn't want to risk getting sucked into the void of rapidly increasing weirdness, the reason why not one of them had the desire to even step into the clock shop.
CRASH! "NOOOO! NOT AGAIN!"
It was only a few months ago when most would describe Time Turner as nothing special. Just an average stallion with a seemingly boring job. Not very bold or inspiring but a seemingly nice, yet somewhat aloof, pony.
However, several weeks before the Summer Sun Celebration, they began noticing something strange. It was barely noticeable at first with him being a normal pony and all that but after a while it gathered almost everypony's attention. The bizarre occurrence, normally at large gatherings and events, of several Time Turners appearing simultaneously.
Most of them went 'Hey it's probably my imagination' but this became extremely hard to ignore when you're standing next to about three stallions that look exactly the same.
But in spite of the large amount of Time Turners, odd thing number two was his random disappearances. On the rare occasions where the odd citizen of Ponyville goes 'I need a clock' or 'NOOO! My clock is broken! Must get it fixed IMMEDIATELY!' chances are the shop is closed and stallion is gone.
"STOP IT!" CLANG! "ARGHHH!"
His new multiple personalities were number three. His forgetfulness and out-of-character scatter-brained attitude appears out of nowhere and disappears next time you meet him.
An additional strange quirk that a few noticed was that several ponies, namely Twilight Sparkle, her friends and Mayor Mare, were completely oblivious to all this.
The purple unicorn had laughed. "I think I would notice if multiple versions of the same pony was running around the place. I can believe it if he was an unicorn since some ponies are really good at using duplicating spells but I'm pretty sure that Time Turner is an earth pony."
FWSSSSSSSSH! "Eh? What is it doing now?" …BOOM!
Those who did realise Turner's weirdness all made a nonverbal agreement that making up rumours in public were rude and proceeded to do so in the privacy of their own homes. Not that it stopped the flow of gossip surrounding the brown pony but at least they tried.
A particular random-and-crazy-theories-about-the-clockmaker session happened at Carrot Top's kitchen.
"He's a time traveler," Lyra Heartstrings waved her hooves in the air, knocking over her cup of berry juice. "It explains why there's so many of him! He enjoys observing everything so much that he watches it over and over and over again!"
Carrot Top gave her a confused look, recalling an event where there was multiple Time Turners. "Time Turner doesn't seem the type who likes fashion shows that much…"
The mint-green unicorn slammed her hooves against the bench. "He's pretending that he isn't to trick us!"
"…Why bother tricking us?"
Lyra opened her mouth to say that clothes were secretly taking over the world, but then realised that it was just plain stupid. "…I got nothing."
Bon Bon scoffed. "I think your idea is complete and utter rubbish. Being a time traveler does not explain why he acts so differently. However all is explained if he was…abducted by aliens!"
"So the aliens brainwashed him. Right," Carrot Top nodded her head absently.
"Wrong! The Time Turner now is an alien clone! They cloned the poor colt multiple times to observe us ponies and held him hostage on their spaceship!"
Lyra gave Bon Bon a nasty glare. "And you called my theory 'complete and utter rubbish.' Aliens don't even exist!" The rest of the mares nodded their heads in agreement. Extraterrestrial beings in their world of magic and mythical creatures? What preposterous idea!
Taking another sip of juice, Berry Punch nervously said, "Um…this is kind of unrelated… but did you notice that Ditzy has been disappearing as well? It's been happening a lot more than Turner."
Lyra once again slammed her hooves on the table, this time startling the rest of the mares and sending the cups flying. "How is that unrelated? Time Turner must have something to do with it! He might be a kidnapper or something."
Carrot Top looked a bit surprised. "She was perfectly fine when I last saw her… She just told me that she went travelling with a friend." It probably was true. Why would the mare lie to her best friend?
There was a brief moment of silence before Berry Punch burst out, "I think he's a ninja!"
Another pause and an exchange of glances and then:
"He's a secret agent!"
"A leader of a secret organization!"
"A potato!"
The theories only became more and more ridiculous from there.
"…Huh? It sto-" BOOM!
As the number of BOOMs reached triple digits and increased in sound, a disgruntled fashionista from across town finally got her friends to attempt ceasing the source of the explosions.
"This racket has been keeping me up all night," Rarity complained (not whined), walking towards the source of the racket. "I was up late, finishing up my latest order. Then the moment I try to get some rest, these horrid explosions start happening every few seconds!"
"Really? I thought someone was having a party!" Pinkie Pie tilted her head to the side.
"A party? How in Celestia's name did you guess that?" Applejack asked.
Pinkie was about to reply but was interrupted by another explosion.
Twilight smiled to Fluttershy and said, "It's lucky that you live far away enough that your animals aren't frightened by all of this."
"Oh yes. Elizabeak is still upset from that cockatrice incident. I don't know if she can handle anymore stress," Fluttershy said as they reached their destination.
The unicorn turned to the crowd that was formed outside of the clock shop. "All right everypony! It's about time we stopped this noise pollution!"
One of mares gave a nervous laugh. "Y-you can go first…we'll just stay here, hehehe… N-none us are that interested anyway." The crowd nodded their heads in agreement.
"Then why are ya'll here in the first place?" Applejack muttered under her breath.
Rainbow Dash shrugged. "They're probably too chicken to investigate. C'mon let's do this!" She kicked the door wide open and black smoke rushed out, making the inside of the shop visible.
Some of the spectators couldn't help themselves and scrambled to peek through the doorway. Wow… he was cloned!
Crowding around in front of what was most likely the source of the explosions, were four Time Turners, completely covered in ash. Judging by the cups they held and the discarded wenches scattered on the ground, the stallions were on a tea break.
The only Time Turner who was on the edge was running around the room, making fruitless attempts to salvage what was left of the clocks, before he quickly noticed the girls and the onlookers.
The stallion nervously stepped forward and half-yelled, "I can explain this!" He looked back at the group of doppelgangers, who were cheerfully waving at the newcomers while drinking tea over a smoking blob of metal, opened his mouth to say something then downheartedly said "…Actually no. I can't explain this…"
Then the metal blob of clockwork pieces exploded.