Chapter 3: Trapped
In a dark, damp hall Derpy Hooves is running. The faster she runs, the darker the hall gets until she comes to the end and waiting for her is The Doctor, but he looks different. Instead of that hazelnut coat and brown mane and tail, it all appears as a gray hue. The heartwarming smile and pleasant eyes are no longer there. Instead there is a melancholy frown and bitter looking eyes. She approaches the stallion only to hear his voice say "I no longer need you, Derpy. You are worthless to me. Leave before I gain any sympathy."
Derpy couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Y-you don't really mean that! This isn't you, I know it isn't! This isn't real, it can't be real! YOU ARE NOT MY DOCTOR!" Derpy charged at the malignant Doctor only to vanish before her eyes. She starts hearing laughter. "THIS is your nightmare?! HAHAHA! It isn't even scary! Look at how worthless you are to him. He doesn't see you in the same way, so why do you persist in showing your feelings?"
"Do you really want to know why!? I try because even if it is dark and lonely, I know that deep down, he loves me back! He tries to hide it and all the other things he has done to me, but I see his pain-his sorrow. He always thinks his life is like this hallway- dark and lonely, but if there was just one soul that can make a difference, then that soul will shine brighter than the sun itself! And that soul is me!" Derpy exclaimed. The mysterious voice gasped as the hallway lit up into vibrant colors. The Doctor began getting back his color on his coat and mane. His frown turned into a beautiful smile and his eyes showed joy once again! "*grunts* What's going on? Is that you, Derpy?" The mare smiled and replied "It's me, Doctor. Quick, there is no time to lose!" With that, the two time travelling ponies were reunited and exited The Doctor's nightmare. "Can you explain to me what the hay is going on?" The Doctor asked. "Do you remember back when we were in the Canterlot Hospital?" He nodded, recalling the events that took place there. "Okay, so this is what happened afterwards…"
Canterlot Hospital, Royal Ward a few hours ago…
"I am back! And no thanks to you, Doctor! My night will last FOREVER!" Nightmare Moon began to laugh maniacally as nightmares of her were returning to all the ponies' minds. In Derpy's mind, she was at her house with child and no sight of her husband, Time Turner. "Time Turner! Are you in here?" Derpy asked as she went to the kitchen. No one was there except her. "I wonder where he went off to…" Suddenly, a mysterious voice told her to check the back yard.
"Look, over there! It looks like Rarity, but who is with him? Oh! It's Time Turner! But what are they doing?" Time Turner pulled out roses and offered it to the white mare with a delicately permed mane. Rarity blushed and smelled them. Derpy Hooves looked furious and began to approach them. "TIME TURNER! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!" She yelled. Time Turner smiled malignantly at her. "I don't love you anymore! I prefer Rarity to you! I don't even recall why I married you in the first place. Now leave us alone! I am going to take the beautiful Rarity to lunch, and we are both going to eat English Muffins! HAHAHA!" He said. Derpy began to cry when suddenly she heard Princess Luna's voice. "Can you hear us, Derpy Hooves?" Luna asked. Derpy said yes. "This is just a nightmare, Derpy. Enter the door I have left you so you can save The Doctor from his." Suddenly, a door appeared in front of her and she entered it.
The scene turns back to the present…
"I really didn't mean to say those things to you in my nightmare, Derpy. I wasn't in control of myself. It's like I could see and hear you, but the words coming out of my mouth weren't mine." The Doctor said.
"It's okay, Doctor. Nightmare Moon had you under her control. I knew you couldn't really mean those things!" Derpy exclaimed.
"I know, and I'm glad you are safe. So, which nightmares are we headed into next?"
"I think we're heading into Applejack's nightmare, if I am correct." Derpy replied. "Let's go then!" The Doctor said. They both ran through the next door into the cowgirl's nightmare which was a gentleman's party with small proportionate meals that had no taste. The Doctor knew just how to act to get Applejack to snap out of it. "Howdy, everypony! I don't want y'all to fret, but yer food is spoiled!" The fancy ponies all stared at him with disbelief. "If our food is bad, then how come none of us are getting sick?" one of them asked. The Doctor chuckled before he spoke. "I didn't say the food was bad, I said it was spoiled! Spoiled food for spoiled people I suppose. Now IS THERE ANYPONY BRAVE ENOUGH TO STAND UP TO THESE SPOILED STALLIONS?" The Doctor yelled. Applejack became nervous a bit and started to tense up. "She's starting to lose it! This is good, really good! I just need that extra edge to get her to stand up and get out of here, and I think I can get Derpy to be that edge!" The Doctor thought. "Derpy, now's your turn!" Derpy looked at him and nodded, then she jumped onto a nearby table and said "Let's show these spoiled ponies how to dance, Doctor!" She said. The Doctor understood what she was getting at then started to do the best hoe down ever seen in front of Applejack. That made the orange pony snap out of her trance and joined The Doctor on the table.
"Thanks, doc! Any sooner and I would've actually started to like the food! Now let's go save everypony else!" Applejack said with relief. They all exited Applejack's nightmare and saved Fluttershy from her animal rebellion, Rarity from her fashion crisis, and Rainbow Dash from Thunderbolt try outs. Pinkie Pie, surprisingly, didn't need saving from her nightmare as she conquered the booing crowd with her jokes and smiles. The last pony to save was Princess Celestia from her nightmare of her kingdom in chaos and Nightmare Moon on the throne. We cannot aid you in this next task, Luna said, This nightmare that my dear sister is having is being blocked by something. It is now up to you, Doctor. With that, they entered the ruler's nightmare.
As the ponies entered the nightmare, they heard blades' clashing as the scene was being revealed to them. Pretty soon, The Doctor and everypony else were in the throne room in front of a battle between Celestia and Nightmare Moon.
"This isn't you, sister! Yield now and I will find a way to cure you again!" The Princess said. Nightmare Moon began to laugh. "Do you really think you can stop ME this time?! I HAVE A NEW BODY," Nightmare paused and began to attack with more strength than before. "I HAVE NEW POWER," The malicious alicorn paused again and attacked with powerful magic, Causing Celestia to show signs of weakening. While this was happening, Derpy whispered to The Doctor "Do something, Doctor! If we don't intervene, one of Equestria's rulers could die!" He nodded in agreement, pulling out his Sonic and turning it on to boost Celestia's strength. "What you have underestimated, Nightmare Moon, is that the magic of Friendship doesn't need a fancy trinket or a single pony to show its true power. As long as there are ponies willing to show compassion, its power will reveal itself to help. And THAT WAS YOUR MISTAKE!" Celestia exclaimed, shooting a bolt of powerful magic at Nightmare Moon, causing her to disappear in starry, purple smoke and declare in a voice "You may have defeated me in your nightmares, but I can still beat you in real life!"