Princess Faust regained consciousness slowly. Her head throbbed remorselessly, and she was dizzy. The alicorn opened her eyes to see the entire world had been turned upside-down. Faust was suspended in a slimy cocoon of webbing that smelled like rotting flesh. Several changelings hovered nearby, admiring their work for a moment, before zipping off.
"You won't get away with this!" Derpy yelled, her hooves stuck to the floor by the same slime that encased Princess Faust. Chrysalis glanced at her with a bored look on her face.
"Princess Luna and her friends will—" Derpy began, but she was cut off by the doors to the hall banging open. The guests had long since fled, leaving only the changeling Queen, Faust, Derpy, and the still zombie-fied Doctor. Several changelings entered, roughly shoving Luna and the others forward. Spitfire was suspended between two of the creatures to prevent use of her wings.
"You were saying?" Chrysalis mocked. She turned back to Luna. "You do realize the reception's been canceled, don't you?!"
She looked up at the changelings. "Go!" She shrieked. "FEED!"
The creatures zipped out the door, slamming it behind them. Chrysalis lifted Luna's chin with one hoof.
"It's funny really," She chuckled. "Luna here was suspicious of my behavior all along, but the rest of you were too caught up in your wedding plans to realize that those suspicions were correct!"
Carrot Top placed a hoof on Luna's shoulders sadly. "We're sorry, Lu. We shoulda listened to you."
"It's not your fault," Luna said dejectedly. "She fooled everypony."
"Hmm, I did, didn't I?" Chrysalis purred in satisfaction. She glided to the window and placed an emaciated hoof on the sill, looking out at the carnage that had once been the pride of Equestria. Ponies had been driven from their homes by hordes of changelings, who pursued them throughout the streets of Canterlot.
"This day has been just perfect!" Chrysalis said gleefully. "Just the kind of day I've dreamed since I was small. I'll soon control everypony, every stallion, mare and foal! Who says a girl can't really have it all?"
While the Queen gloated in her victory, Luna crept past her, keeping a wary eye fixed on the enemy. Upon reaching Derpy, the alicorn's horn flashed, searing away the slime.
"Quickly, go to him while you still can!" Luna hissed. Derpy flexed her hooves, then approached the Doctor. He stared straight ahead, not even blinking as Derpy got near. The Pegasus felt tears springing to her eyes at the helpless condition of her love. The dulled, scratched, but still beautiful amulet around her neck glowed amber, and a wisp of golden energy curled from it, settling between the Doctor's eyes. He blinked, his eyes turning from green back to their normal brown. He shook his head, a dazed look on his face.
"Wh…wh…huh? Is the wedding over?" He stammered. A huge grin spread across Derpy' face. Luna smiled, but it quickly faded when Chrysalis slammed her hooves into the carpet.
"It's all over!" She snarled. Luna gasped.
"Your spell! Perform your spell!" She urged. Chrysalis cackled.
"Spell? You two aren't even unicorns! What good would it do? My changelings already roam free!"
"No…" The Doctor muttered. "These ponies are under my protection."
He lowered his head, and concentrated hard. Beads of sweat trickled down his muzzle. He opened his mouth, and exhaled a wisp of golden smoke that quickly dissolved. He hung his head.
"The time energy inside me has been exhausted," He groaned. "I sealed Canterlot away a second out of sync with the rest of Equestria, preventing anyone from entering, but now that the seal has been broken, it's used up all my time energy. I'm sorry, Derpy, I don't have the strength to repel them."
"I shall give you strength, my love, Derpy murmured. Chrysalis laughed scornfully.
"What a loving but absolutely ridiculous sentiment!" She cackled. The Doctor glared at her, then looked at Derpy lovingly. He would protect her with his life. The stallion raced over to Chrysalis, and before the changeling could react, slammed his hoof into the side of her jaw. Chrysalis collapsed, dazed, and the Doctor glared at her.
"I'm sorry," He growled. Then he seized Chrysalis's face, and pressed his forehead to hers, filling the changeling's mind with the most horrible things he had been through. The Last Great Time War, the destruction of the Time Lords, watching his home burn, knowing that he had made it happen. Chrysalis saw the strange metal ponies with the screeching voices and blue eyes thundering through Arcadia, saw a mare holding a small filly weeping in an alley, cornered by the metal ponies. The changeling Queen saw ponies like the Doctor. One, a stallion with a pale mane, sneered at a pony in a brown suit and tie, while a four-beat cadence drummed ceaselessly.
The Doctor released Chrysalis, who slumped to the floor, shivering uncontrollably. With a great effort, she struggled to her hooves, glaring at the Doctor with horror and hatred in her gaze. The Doctor calmly met her gaze.
"Leave." He growled. "Leave this place, and never return."
Chrysalis stood breathing heavily. Then her twisted horn blazed with magic.
"No, no, no, you will die!" She shrieked. The Doctor braced himself, but Chrysalis vanished. As though she had never been there.
"Wh…what?" The Doctor said, totally confused. Then he saw Luna. The alicorn's horn was blazing, and her eyes flickered, sometimes normal, sometimes catlike slits. With a great effort, she got herself under control.
"I sent them home." She stated flatly. "They won't be back anytime soon."
"But—how—I—alright…" The Doctor said. He raced over to Derpy, and flung his hooves around her, peppering her muzzle with kisses. Luna remembered Princess Faust, and raced over to where the white alicorn had been dumped on the floor as the slime dissolved.
"Don't worry about me," Said Faust. "You have a real wedding to put together."
Luna looked at the Princess gratefully. The next few days were a buzz of activity. Derpy tried Carrot Top's apple muffins, Octavia held up a mirror for the bride-to-be to admire herself in the dress, and held several of Lyra's songbird choir on her hoof as they trilled beautifully. Vinyl Scratch and Derpy danced around the room to the unicorn's newest song, as Luna checked the last item off her list with a smile.
Finally, the big day arrived. Guests once again filled the hall. Luna glanced at the Doctor's bowtie, straightening it. Looking out amongst the guests, the Doctor saw an elderly, graying mare in crimson robes wiping her eyes with a handkerchief. His jaw dropped, but he quickly composed himself. Scanning the mass of ponies, he noted other oddities. A stallion with a pale mane dressed in black winked at him, and a tall pony in a long coat with a ridiculously long scarf grinned.
Lyra readied her songbird. They began singing, as the doors to the hall opened. The flower fillies skipped down the aisle, spraying petals everywhere. Then came Derpy. She looked amazing, in her snow-white wedding gown, with several birds holding up the train.
"Fantastic…" The Doctor murmured in awe.
"Seriously, though," Luna muttered to him. "I can understand why the Queen of the Changelings wanted to marry you, but how did you get somepony as amazing as Derpy to marry you?"
"I told her she wouldn't be gaining a husband, she'd be getting a pretty great sister too."
It took a moment for this to sink it. Luna beamed at the Doctor. Octavia wiped her eyes, as Derpy glided down the aisle.
"Mares and gentlecolts," Announced Princess Faust. "We are gathered here today to represent the union of the real Ditzy Haz Pezuñas—"
"Just Derpy Hooves will be fine." Derpy said. Faust smiled. "The union of Derpy Hooves and the Doctor. The strength of their commitment is clear, the power of their love undeniable."
She turned to the ring-bearer. "May we have the rings please?"
Spitfire trotted forward with the pillow that housed two delicate gold bands. Faust lifted them with her magic, and placed one around the bride and groom's right foreleg.
"I now pronounce you mare and stallion." Faust said. Luna and her friends cheered as the newlyweds stepped onto the balcony overlooking Canterlot. The massive crowd gathered below shouted in joy. Far above, perched on the gables of the castle, several of the Pegasi gargoyles unfroze to watch the scene.
"Spitfire, that's your cue!" Faust hissed. The orange Pegasus leaped from the balcony, soaring overhead. The Doctor smiled at Derpy, and kissed her gently. Above them, a ring of fire burst forth as a result of Spitfire. Smoke trailed from the Pegasus's tail as she soared into a dive.
"BEST—WEDDING—EVER!" She yelled.
That night, after the reception, Derpy and the Doctor took their places in the carraige. The guests crowded around.
"Ready to go?" The Doctor asked. Derpy nodded, then paused.
"Oh, almost forgot!"
The gray Pegasus leaned out the window and tossed her bouquet high. It arced through the air, straight towards the former bridesmaids. They looked up eagerly, but were shoved aside.
"MINE!" Octavia shrieked, snatching the flowers. She held them sheepishly under the glares of the other mares. The carraige rumbled away into the dimming light.
The Doctor stood with Derpy on a deserted beach on the coast of Equestria. They had decided to stay in a cabin, as a change of pace from the Doctor's TARDIS. The Doctor had chosen a quiet spot—a place called Malum Lupus Bay. The sun was setting, turning the water to gold. The Doctor glanced down the beach, and paused.
Far down the beach, a tall, skinny stallion was walking with a pink and yellow mare. They were so far away the Doctor could only just make them out. The two seemed perfectly content with each other's presence. Was that a smaller pony bouncing about their hoves, or were his eyes playing tricks on him?
The Doctor watched the pair until they vanished into the distance, then turned back to Derpy. She was almost asleep on her hooves, so the Doctor guided her back to the cabin. No matter where they went, or what they encountered, the Doctor would make sure his mare was safe. Always.
FIN
