Doctor Whooves
Sound of Drums
From here on out, because my life has literally done a complete one eighty in the free time department, meaning now I've got none, and we're doing roughly three week updates... Yeah not so cool. But, good news, we're still going!
"Hold still, I've almost got it."
"Doctor they're getting in!"
"It's not going to work, it hasn't for years!"
"Because you didn't have me, Gale grab hold!"
Ka-zap!
Hoofdon, November, 1003.
Between two large buildings, in an alley where a few trash and and a stray cat made their home, a sudden wind disturbed the peace. Between two bins, a large blue vortex appeared, spitting out three ponies frozen in position. The Doctor was holding Nightengale's hoof to Captain Jack's vortex manipulator, the two of them were in position holding back the door so the Futurkind couldn't get in. The vortex vanished and they collapsed.
Gale clutched her head and groaned, "Oh my head..." The Doctor shook his head vigourously, "Ug, time travel without a capsule, killer." Jack stretched a little, his wings popping back into places. The Doctor looked towards the street and nodded, "Come on, this way."
They trotted out to the street, where average ponies were going about their day. Jack looked around and smiled, "At least we made it, Gaia by the looks of it, 1003. Talk about lucky."
"That wasn't luck," the Doctor corrected. "That was me." Jack rolled his eyes, "Moral of the story, if you're stuck at the end of the universe, make sure you've got an ex-Time Agent and his vortex manipulator."
"But this Master bloke," Gale said, interrupting, "he's got the Tardis, he could be anywhere in time and space."
"No, he's here," the Doctor said strongly. "Trust me."
"Who is he anyway?" she continued curiously. "That voice, it wasn't the professor."
"Must've regenerated," Jack explained.
"What does that mean?"
Taptaptap-tap. The Doctor looked around, searching for the source of the strange tapping.
"It means he's changed his voice, face, body, everything."
Taptaptap-tap. It was a pair of fillies, playing some sort of clap game, but it was the same rhythm, over and over.
"A new stallion."
"Then how will we find him?"
"I'll know him when I see him," the Doctor pipped, looking away from the foals. "Time-Ponies always do." Gale tapped her forehead in thought, then her eyes widened in surprise. She jumped to her hooves, "But if he could be anypony, and we missed the election... But it can't be!"
"Extra extra! Read all about it! New prime minister, can he hold up to his promises?" called a news colt.
"I said I knew that voice," Gale said, shocked, as the Doctor walked over to the colt. "I've heard it before, loads of times. And I've seen him, we all have! That was the voice of a Counter Clockwise!" The Doctor brought one of the newspapers over, and sure enough, he recognized the stallion on the front page, "That's him, he's the Prime Minister." He read further into the article, "The Master is the Prime Minister of Hoofdon, the Master and his wife?"
Beneath the front page photo was a caption, more accurately, a quote: "This city is sick, this city needs healing. It needs medicine, and care. In fact, I'd even go so far as to say, this city needs a doctor."
Theme song!
Ah Downing Street, been a long time since we went there eh? The doors were wide open, welcoming in the new Prime Minister and his wife. Miss Clockwise was a thin thing, light purple coat with a darker mane streaked with white, her cutie mark was, a few gems grouped together, her name was Opal. As she and, well, we'll call him Counter Clockwise for now, entered the building, ponies handing him folders left and right, a steady pile was growing on his back.
He looked back at Opal, who smiled, "Oh Clocky, I'm so proud of you."
"Thanks sweetheart," Clockwise replied, giving her a quick kiss.
"Um, excuse me, sir?" asked a voice, he turned around, where Sparrow, Nightengale's sister, was standing. "If you don't mind me asking, I'm a bit new but, what exactly am I supposed to be doing?"
"Oh yes! I'm sorry, what was it?"
"Sparrow, sir."
"Sparrow, well, you just stand there and look gorgeous," he replied with a smirk, trotting into the cabinet room and shutting the door tight behind. All around a large table, boring looking politician ponies sat, watching him expectantly. Clockwise cleared his throat, "Well then, glorious day. Downing Street rebuilt, the Cabinet in session, let the work of government begin!"
He grabbed the files on his back and tossed them across the table, earning a few disapproving glances. He smiled a little and sat down, "Oh come on. That was funny, at least crack a smile."
"That was very funny sir," not of the mares said in a drawling monotone voice, "there is the matter of policy, which we have very-"
"No no no," Clockwise said, cutting her off. "Before we start all that, I'd just like to say, thank you. Each and every one of you, thank you... You ugly bunch of fat sniveling traitors." There was a general gasp, the mare who'd spoke before made a face, "Again sir, very funny but-"
"That, wasn't funny," he said, tone dropping drastically. "I guess I'm not making myself very clear. Funny, is like this-" He smiled widely, eyes huge with excitement. "Not funny is like this," a deep scowl. "And right now, I'm not like this-" ridiculous grin, "I'm like-" furious scowl. "Because all of you are traitors! Yes you are! As soon as you as we votes swinging my way! you abandoned your parties and hopped on the Clockwise bandwagon. And now, you'll get what you deserve."
Clockwise sat back down, dusted off his tux, reached under the table, and pulled out what looked like a plastic mask. It had a tube coming from it though. He strapped it on the end of his muzzle and leaned back, watching as his fellow cabinet members got very confused.
"Um, sir, what is that?" asked one of them.
"Is ha as ask," he replied, voice distorted.
"A what?" He rolled his eyes and pulled up the mask, "I said, it's a gas mask."
"A gas mask? What for?"
"Da gash."
"Excuse me?" He groaned angrily and pulled off the mask again, "It's for the gas."
"What gas?" The Master grinned behind his gear, "Dis gash." Vents opened up in the ceiling and white mist began pouring out. The cabinet members panicked and tried to run, only to find their hooves too heavy to move. The fast acting potion began turning each of them into stone, fascinating statues of fear.
"You're insane!" somepony shouted as their mouth froze shut. The Master nodded, tapping out a rhythm on the table. Taptaptap-tap, taptaptap-tap, taptaptap-tap.
Nightengale breathed a sigh of relief as they entered her flat, "Home." The Doctor went almost immediately to action mode. "What have you got? Computer? Laptop? Anything will do." Gale nodded at the desk, where her rather cumbersome laptop was plugged in. She sat down in front of it and began the process of turning it on. Jack grabbed a home phone of a charger and began dialing.
"Jack who're you phoning? You can't tell anypony we're here."
"Just some friends," he replied, setting the phone down, "But there's no reply."
"Here you go," Gale interrupted, getting out of the way so anypony who needed to could use the computer. Jack sat down, "I'll pull up the Clockwise websites, you'll see, he's been around for around for ages."
"It's so weird though," Gale pipped, looking around her flat, "Because, it's the day after the election, that's only four days after I met you!"
"We went zooming around the universe and he was here all this time," the Doctor remarked, with a sigh.
"You going to tell us who he is?" asked Gale, crossing her forehooves expectantly. THe Doctor made a face, "He's a Time-Pony."
"What about the rest of it?" she continued, "I mean, who'd call themselves, 'the Master'?"
"That's all you need to know," he answered, looking over Jack's shoulder at the laptop. Gale rolled her eyes and picked up the phone Jack had discared. SHe dialed for the voice messages.
"Gale! You're never going to believe this, I got this new job and they just phoned me-" Sparrow's message was cut short as Gale turned it off with a groan, "Like it matters anyways."
Speaking of Sparrow, while waiting at Downing Street, trying to figure out what she was supposed to do, a purple pink unicorn mare pushed past her towards the room where miss Opal Clockwise was. Sparrow stammered, "I'm sorry, but you're not allowed in-" The mare flashed an ID at her, "Counter Clockwise, an earth pony Celestia, it's the definitive piece I think, on the stallion himself." She had a nasally vocie that was rather irritating, "Oh come on sweetie, you must've read it."
"Not really, sorry, I'm new," Sparrow said, following her uneasily.
"Mister Clockwise does like a pretty face," the reporter replied. "But I'm here to see Mrs. Clockwise."
"You can't just go barging in-" the mare ignored her and shoved through the large double doors. Opal looked up in surprise, and some shock. "Mrs Clockwise!" the reporter cheered, "I'm Headliner of the Crystal Mirror, you've heard of me?"
"Oh can't I just have an hour to myself?" she asked tiredly, "It has been one hell of a day."
"Strike the iron's while they're hot I always say," Headliner replied with a false smile. "Opal, I can call you Opal can't I? Now, everypony's talking about Counter Clockwise but I though, what about the wife? All I need is twenty minutes."
"Oh, I think we should wait," Opal tried to say.
"The headline's waiting to print, 'the Power Behind the Throne'." She looked intrigued, "Really?"
"Hoofdon's First Mare."
"Gosh."
"Front page," Headliner added with a smirk.
"Oh well, I suppose," Opal muttered, before breaking into a smile, "Oh go on then! Twenty minutes."
"Excellent!" Headliner cried. "Thank you." She turned to Sparrow, handing her a bag full of miscellaneous things, "Go on, uh, what was it? Er, Sparrow, now can you please leave us alone?"
"Aren't I supposed to sit in?" she asked uneasily, taking the case in her magic.
"No no it's just a profile piece," the reported explained, shoving her out the door, "You know, hair, clothes, and the nonsense. There's a good foal, out you go!" Headliner shut the door, then looked back at Opal, who was still smiling.
"Mrs. Clockwise," she said gravely, "I have reason to believe you are in very great danger. All of us in fact. Not just our city, but the whole world." Opal made a face and rolled her eyes, "No! I beg of you, hear me out."
"What're you talking about?" she asked.
"Your husband is not who he says he is," Headliner explained grimly. "I'm sorry, but it's a lie, everything's a lie."
"I'm voting for Clockwise! We know exactly what makes him tick."
"Go Counter Clockwise! Win this thing!"
The Doctor frowned as the videos finished, scrolling through the website. Behind him, Jack cleared his throat, "Former Minister of Defense, came into prominence when he shot down the Racnoss on Hearth's Warming Eve, nice work by the way."
"Oh? Oh thanks."
"But he goes back years," Nightengale protested, coming into the room freshly dressed and showered. "He's famous! Everypony knows his story. Look." Using her magic, she clicked on an icon on the laptop. "Canterlot University, soccer champ, won the athletics thing, wrote a novel, went into business, marriage, everything. He's got a whole life!"
"All of it, the school days, his degree, even his mother and father, it's all invented," Headliner explained, holding papers for Opal to see. "Look, Counter Clockwise never even lived in Canterlot, there was no Counter Clockwise. The thing is, it's so obvious but nopony's noticed, it's as if he's mesmerized the entire world."
"I, I think you should go now," Opal stammered, looking dazed and scared.
"Eighteen months ago, he became real," she continued, pulling out a picture of him in suit and tie. "This is his first honest to stars appearance, just after Parliament was kicked out of office. And at the exact same time, they launched the Hydra Network."
"miss Headliner, stop it please," Opal said harshly.
"Even now they've said the cabinet has gone into seclusion! What does that mean, seclusion?"
"How should I know?" Headliner pulled out even more files, still talking away, starting to sound frantic, "I've got plenty of research on you though, good family, excellent dressmakers, but pretty much harmless. And that's why I'm asking you Opal, no, I am begging you, if you have seen or heard anything, even the slightest thing that would cause you to doubt him, please tell me." Opal stared at the reporter, and somethign changed.
She stiffened a little, the dazed look clearing slightly, "I, think-" Headlinder leaned forward, "Yes?"
"There, was a time, when we first met," Opal explained quietly. "I had wondered, but he was so good to my parents, and he said..."
"What? Please tell me Opal," Headlinder insisted, setting her papers aside.
"The thing is, I made my choice," her gaze hardened again, "For better or for worse. Isn't that right Clockwise?"
"My faithful companion." Headliner looked up in surprise, to where th Prime Minister was standing, leaning against the wall, a slight smile on his lips. Headliner jumped to her hooves, "Oh! Prime Minister, Mister Clockwise, I was just h-having a little joke with Op-pal," she stammered, collecting her things rapidly. "I didn't mean-"
"Oh, but you're right," he said, walking around the room's couch, standing in front of the window instead. Headliner stopped and stared at him uneasily. "Counter Clockwise doesn't exist."
"Then tell me," the reporter began, "who are you?"
"I am the Master," he said simply, the smile never faltering. He lifted a hoof, "And these are my friends." Three black orbs appeared out of nowhere, hovering around his head. Each one's surface was covered with carved lines in maze like patterns, large cuts divided it into two halves, and the top half in two as well. Glowing blue blight seeped out of these cuts, and tinkling little voices laughed. Headliner did a double take, "Wh-what?"
"Can't you hear it, Headliner," asked the Master, his smile dropping.
"What do you mean?"
"The drumbeat," he answered grimly. "The drums, coming closer, and closer." Headliner backed away, her papers left behind. THe orbs followed, "The pony doesn't like us," one said sadly.
"Silly pony," chattered another as long silver spikes extended from it's bottom half, the others followed suit.
"Dead, pony," snapped the last one. The Master grabbed Opal and pulled her out of the room as the orbs began their task, and Headliner began screaming. He pulled the door shut, the sound shut off, Opal was pale and breathing heavily. He glanced at the door, and pushed it open a little, only to wince and shut it when the screams were still going.
"Clockwise, she knew!" gasped Opal. "She knew everything! You promised, you said Hydra was one hundred percent!"
"Ninety nine," he replied, hurt. "Er, ninety eight."
"But if she's asking questions, then who else?" she asked desperately. "How long have we got?" The Master frowned, then held out his hoof. Opal took it and he wrapped her in a hug, kissing her forehead, "Tomorrow morning, I promise. That's when everything ends."
Jack pulled the tea bags out of the three mugs, then balanced them carefully on his wing, bringing them into the other room. "But he's got the Tardis, maybe the Master went back in time and has been living here for decades."
"No," replied the Doctor, still looking at the computer. Jack handed a mug to Gale, "Why not? It worked for me." He passed a mug to the Doctor, who took a sip and began explaining. "When he was stealing the Tardis, I did the only thing I could and sealed the coordinates. Permanently. So now he can only travel between the year one hundred trillion and the last place the Tardis landed, which is right here right now."
"Yeah, right now," Jack said sarcastically. "Little leeway perhaps?"
"Uh, eighteen months, the longest he could've been here is eighteen months," the Doctor replied, a bit miffed. He looked back at the laptop, shaking his head, "But how has he managed all this? The Master was always sort of, hypnotic. But this is on a massive scale."
"I was going to vote for him," Gale said softly. The Doctor looked over, so did Jack. "Really?"
"Well it was before I even met you, I liked him."
"Me too," admitted Jack.
"Why do you say that?" asked the Time-Pony curiously, "What was his policy? What did he stand for?" Gale thought for a moment, then a look of surprised dawned on her face, "I don't know. He just, sounded good." She started tapping her hoof in thought, taptaptap-tap. "Like you could trust him. Just nice." taptaptap-tap. "He spoke about, well, I can't really remember. But it was good." taptaptap-tap. "Just the sound of his voice."
"What's that?!" snapped the Doctor suddenly, noticing what she was doing with her hoof. She stopped, shocked, "What?"
"That tapping, with your hoof, that rhythm!"
"It's just, I don't know!" she protested. "It's nothing!" Suddenly, a loud trumpeting fanfare blared from the laptop, a message popped up that read: "Clockwise broadcast on all channels." Jack flicked on Gale's radio, she didn't have a TV, and a familiar voice began speaking.
"Our lord and master is speaking to his kingdom," muttered the Doctor.
"Fillies and gentle colts," the Master said, you could almost hear his smile, "what extraordinary times we've had! Just a few years ago we were so small. Then they came, falling from the skies, you've seen it just as I have. Clockwork's Tower destroyed the spaceship of Hoofdon, those ghosts and metal ponies, the star that came to kill, time and time again and you were told nothing.
"But not now, not Counter Clockwose, because my purpose here today is to tell you this. Citizens of Hoofdon and Equestria, I have been contacted." The voice changed to a more feminine voice, laced with static.
"Ponies of Gaia," it sang, "we come in peace. We bring gifts! Technology and wisdom! All we ask in return is your friendship."
"Aw bless," said the Master. "The species has identified themselves, they're called the Toclafane."
"What?" scoffed the Doctor.
"And tomorrow morning they will appear, not in secret, but to every one of you. A diplomatic relationship with a new species will begin. A new age for every school teacher, scientist and Mage. Every farmer, racer, and dress maker. To every, oh, I don't know, every medical student, captain and doctor!"
The radio began to spark violently. "Out!" shouted the Doctor. They grabbe the necessities, laptop included, and made a break for the front door. Just as they'd raced outside the whole room exploded, flames leaping out the window. Gale skidded to a stop, eyes wide with utter shock. She whipped out her special phone and dialed her mum's house.
"Alright?" asked the Doctor worriedly. Jack nodded, "Yeah."
"Gale what're you doing?"
"He knows about me, what about my family?" she replied, waiting for the phone to pick up.
"You can't tell them anything-"
"I'll do what I like," she snapped as the other line picked up. "Mum! Oh my goodness, you're alright!"
"Course I'm alright," her mother Cardinal replied, sounding concerned, "are you okay sweet heart."
"Fine," Gale lied. "Has anypony been asking about me?" There was a pause, a very not good kind of pause. "Nightengale, I think perhaps you should come round."
"I can't, not now," she glanced at her friends.
"No, but, it's your father, we've been talking and, well, decided we might give it another go." Gale laughed, "Dont be ridiculous! Since when?"
"Just come round, we can talk about it and, celebrate."
"But you said you'd never get back with him, not in a million years."
"He's right here. Ask him yourself." There was a shuffling sound and her father, Eagle, spoke. "Gale, it's me." Something sounded off.
"Dad? What're you doing there?"
"It's, like you mother said," he explained, a bit stiffly, "Come round we can explain everything." Gale sighed, biting her lip, "Dad, just say yes or no, is somepony there?" Another silence, "Yes! Gale, run!" The other line was consumed with the sound of shouting, then the line went dead. Gale growled and put in her pocket, "I've got to help them."
"That's exactly what they want, it's a trap," the Doctor warned her.
"I don't care," she snapped. She turned and galloped down the road full speed, the Doctor and Jack shared an uneasy glance before running after her. They wove through traffic, dodging carts and taxi carriages through the city.
Soon, Gale rounded the corner just down the street from her mother's house, and skidded to a stop. A large metal carriage was parked outside the house, armed soldiers with crossbows stood at the ready, a mare in a tight black suit was watching as two of the guards shoved Gale's mother into the steel carriage. The Doctor and Jack joined her just as they were noticed.
"Gale!" screamed Cardinal, "Get out of here now!"
"Target identified," the mare in the suit said. The soldier raised their crossbows. The Doctor put a hoof on Gale's shoulder, "Gale, come on, we've got to go."
"Take aim!"
"Gale, now!" She scowled, but nodded.
"Fire!" As the arrows were released they turned and ran again, the soldiers not pursuing.
"This is all your fault!" Gale shouted as they ran. "Only place he go is Gaia! Brilliant Doctor!" Jack stopped flying and looked over the side of a bridge, "Guys! We should ditch the roads, this way!" They ran down under the small bridge just in time to hear police sirens race by overhead. Gale pulled out her phone again, rapidly dialing her brother's house. When that didn't pick up, she tried his best friend Boxer's, this one actually rang.
"Gale, come on," urged Jack. She shushed him as it picked up.
"Hello?"
"Hawk! Oh my gosh you're okay. Where are you?"
"At Boxer's, in Manehatten. Hey did you see that thing about the aliens on the news?"
"Yeah, but, just listen to me, don't go home, don't call mum or dad, you've got to hide."
"Gale, c'mon, stop fooling around."
"On my life, you've got to believe me."
"Ooh, a nice game of hide and seek." Gale froze, she knew that voice. "But I will find you Nightengale. It's been a long time since we've seen each other. What, one hundred trillion years?"
"You let them go," she growled, "you let them go or so help me I'll-" the Doctor snatched the phone from her, earning an angry look, but he answered it instead, "I'm here." There was a moment of silence, as if the Master was totally shocked his archnemises had the phone.
"Doctor," he said.
"Master."
"Heh, I like it when you use my name." The Doctor rolled his eyes, partially glad Jack hadn't heard that. "You were the one who picked it, psychiatrist's field day."
"As you chose yours, a pony who helps others. How sanctimonious is that?" The Doctor didn't reply for a moment, "So, Prime Minister."
"It's good isn't it?"
"Who are those creatures? Because there's no such thing as the Toclafane, they're just a made up story."
"Do you remember the stories about the Toclafane Doctor?" asked the Master, dodging the question. His voice changed, becoming bitter. "From when we were foals, back home. Where is it?"
"Gone."
"How can Gallopfrey be gone?" the other Time-Pony demanded.
"It burned."
"And the Time-Ponies?"
"Dead. And the Daleks, more or less. But what happened to you?"
"I was only resurrected because they knew I'd be the perfect warrior for a Time War. I was there when Dalek Emperor took the cruciform. I saw it and, I ran. I ran so far and hid. Making myself equine so they'd never ever find me, because I was scared."
"I know."
"...All of them? But, not you... So that means-"
"I was the only one who could do it," he admitted, "and I tried everything I really did."
"What did it feel like though?" asked the Master teasingly. "Two almighty civilizations burning at your hoof."
"Stop it," snapped the Doctor.
"You must've been like an alicorn!"
"But I've been alone ever since! Not anymore though, don't you see? We've only got each other now."
"Are you asking me out on a date?"
"You could stop this right now, we could fight anywhere across the stars but not here, not Equestria." He could almost hear the Master's smile, "Too late."
"Why do you say that?"
"The drumming," the Master replied darkly. "Can't you hear it? I thought it would stop, but it never, ever does. Inside my head, the drumming Doctor! The constant drumming."
"Please," said the Docotr, "Let me help you."
"It's everywhere," the madpony continued. "Listen, listen!" Not too far away, a young colt listening to music began to tap his hoof against the pavement. taptaptap-tap. taptaptap-tap. The Doctor stepped back in shock, "What have you done? Tell me how you've done this! What are those creatures?" The Master laughed, "Oh look, you're on TV, and the radio!"
"Stop it. Answer me!"
"No, really. You're on telly, you and your little band which, by the way, has currently earned a seat at the 'Most Wanted' table." Sure enough, the TV's in a nearby store were showing all three of them under the banner, "Armed and Extremely dangerous." Gale was watching, eyes wide with shock. Jack looked at the Doctor, hoping for answer, but he was just as surprised.
"You're public enemies numbers one, two, and three," the Master continued casually. "And you can tell handsome Jack that I've sent his little team of on a wild goose chase through the Everfree forest, he won't be getting any help from them. So run along you three, but why don't you start by turning to the right."
The Doctor looked to his right, where a bulky security camera was mounted on the walll. He whipped out the sonic and disabled it, "He can see us!"
"Oo you public menace! Better start running."
"He's got control of everything," the Doctor muttered.
"What do we do?" asked Gale.
"We've got nowhere to go," Jack added.
"Doctor, what do we do?"
"Run Doctor! Run for your life!"
"We, run."
"I said, run!" He returned the cell phone to Gale, and with no plan in mind, they took off down an alley. Galloping to who knew where, but away from the eyes of the Master.
"The Princesses are said to be irritated that Hoofdon alone has taken unilateral ac~"
"Tomorrow morning, Hoofdon will be welcoming~"
The Master clicked through the channels, quite bored of all this political stuff. Until he reached on channel, with a foal's show on it about an explorer and a monkey. Curious, he watched it alittle, it was actually quite amusing, even when he didn't reply to the character's questions. After a few minutes of watching, one of his Toclafane appeared behind him. He glanced back, "Have you seen this? This planet's amazing. Young pegasi doing whatever they want, and she's what, six? That's parenting done well."
"Is the machine ready?" asked the orb, worriedly, flitting back and forth.
"Tomorrow morning," he replied, sipping his drink, "It reaches critical at eight oh two precisely."
"We have to escape!" it begged, "because it's coming sir! The darkness, the horrible never ending darkness. The terrible terrible cold! We have to run and run and run!"
"Eight o'clock tomorrow," he said again. "Go tell your ponies the world is waiting." The sphere vanished, taking the message with it.
Warm bags floated in Nightengale's magic as she galloped through the drizzling night rain into an abandoned warehouse. In the center, a fire glowed in the darkness, the Doctor was sitting on the ground, using the laptop to research as much on the Master as he could, trying to put the pieces together. Jack was sitting too, messing with his vortex manipulator, but when Gale walked up her jumped to his hooves. "How was it?"
"I don't think anypony saw me," she said, handing him one of the bags. "Anything new?"
"I've got this tuned into government wavelengths so we can follow what the Master is doing," he replied, tapping his wrist device.
"Yeah, I meant about my family," she said stiffly, handing the Doctor the third bag.
"It still says they were taken in for questioning," the Doctor explained, "tell you what though, no mention of Hawk."
"Not as daft as he looks," she said with a slight smile, which vanished a second later. "I'm talking about my brother, on the run. How did this happen?"
"Nice chips," Jack said, mouth full of food.
"They're not bad," the Doctor agreed. Gale rolled her eyes and sat down, digging into her own bag.
"So Doctor," asked Jack, "who is he? How come the ancient society of the Time-Ponies created a psycho?"
"And what is he to you?" asked Gale. "A colleague or-"
"A friend, at first," he answered.
"I thought you were going to say he was your secret brother or something." The Doctor stared at her, "You've been watching too much TV."
"All the legends of Gallopfrey made it sound so perfect," Jack said, confused.
"Well, perfect to look at maybe," the Doctor admitted. "And it was, absolutely beautiful. They used to call it the Shining world of the Seven Systems. And on the continent of Wild Endeavor, in the Mountains of Solace and Solitude, there stood the City of the Time-Ponies, the oldest and mightiest race in the universe, looking down upon galaxies below. Sworn never to interfere, only to watch."
Jack snickered, as if the Doctor had ever done that, and got a glare from Gale. The Doctor cleared his throat continued, "Foals of Gallopfrey, taken from their families at eight years old to enter The Acedemy. And some say that's where it all started, when he was a foal. That's when the Master saw eternity. As a novice, he was taken for initiation, the Equestrian equivalent to earning a cutie mark. He stood in front of the Untempered Schism, it's a gap in the fabric of reality through which can be seen the raw power of the Time Vortex. You stand there, just eight years old, staring at the massive power of time and space, just a foal. Some would be inspired, some would run away, and some, would go mad." He shivered and sat up, "I don't know."
"What about you?" asked Gale, gesturing to his hourglass. The Doctor smiled, "Oh, the ones that ran away. I never stopped." A beeping sound made them all jump in surprise, Jack scowled when he realized it was only his manipulator. He set his food aside and tapped it with a hoof, "Encrypted channel with files attached, don't recognize it."
"Patch it through the laptop," the Doctor suggested, setting his food aside as well. Jack looked up at him, "Since we're telling stories, there's something I haven't told you." It was obvious once he connected to the computer, the screen turned black and the familiar Torchwood logo appeared. The Doctor stiffened, "You work for Torchwood."
"I swear to you it's different, it's changed, there's only half a dozen of us now," Jack explained.
"Everything Torchwood did and you're part of it?" the Doctor snapped.
"The old regime was destroyed at the Observatory, I rebuilt it, changed it, and when I did that I did it in your honor." A video popped up on the screen, the Doctor took one last look at Jack and hit the play button. The screen changed, a mare was sitting in her cluttered office, it was Headliner.
"If I haven't returned to my desk by 20:200, this file will be emailed to Torchwood," she said, looking into the camera. "Which means, if you're watching this then I'm... Anyway, the Clockwise Files are attached. But take a look at the Hydra document, that's when it all started, when Counter Clockwise became the Minister in charge of the Hydra project."
"What's the Hyrda Network?" asked the Doctor.
"I've got Hydra, everypony's got it," Gale said.
"It's an Internet and phone network," Jack explained. "It's gone worldwide, they've got fifteen satellites in orbit, even other networks, they're all carried by Hydra." The Doctor's eyes widened, "It's in the phones!"
He snatched Gale's mobile out of her magic and pulled out the sonic, "Oh I said he was a hypnotist. Wait wait wait, hold on." He smacked it once on the table, beepbeepbeep-beep. There it was again, "There we go, that rhythm, it's everywhere. Ticking away in the subconscious."
"What is it?" asked Gale, "Mind control?"
"No, no no no, it's subtler than that," he said excitedly, "any louder and ponies would question it. But contained in this rhythm, under layers of code, 'Vote Clockwise'. Whispering to the world. Oh yes! That's how he hid from me, because I should've sensed another Time-Pony on Gaia, but the signal canceled him out!"
"Anyway to stop it?" asked Jack.
"Not from down here. But now we know how he's doing it."
"And we can fight back," Gale added.
"Oh yes!" He didn't explain his plan, except for apologizing to Gale, before he began taking her laptop and special phone apart. Using the pieces from the machines, and each of their Tardis keys, he began to make something, using the sonic to weld the parts together. Once each was made, he put them on lengths of twine, or back on their original chain.
"What, exactly are you doing?" asked Jack after watching him work. The Doctor glanced up, "Making us a way to go undetected. Three Tardis keys, three pieces of the Tardis, all with low level perception properties because the Tardis is designed to blend in. Sort of. But now, the Hydra Network's got a second low level signal. Weld the key to the network."
He picked up a key and looked at Nightengale, "Gale you can see me right?"
"Yep."
"What about now?" he slipped the key on. Gale looked at him, but her eyes were pushed away. She blinked in confusion, looking back but having her sight dragged away a second time. It was starting to give her a headache.
"Up, hello! Over here!"
"It's like, I know you're there," she said, trying to keep her gaze straight on him, "But I don't want to know."
"And, back again," he pulled off the key and it stopped. "See? Just shifts your perception a tiny little bit. Doesn't make us invisible, just unnoticed." He grabbed his longcoat and pulled it on, "Oh! It's like when you fancy somepony but they don't even know you exist. Come on!" He put the key back on and took off. Gale watched him go, hurting because of what he'd just said. Jack shot her a glance as he put on his own key-necklace. "You too huh?" She nodded, put on the third key, and they chased after the Time-Pony.
He was waiting for them at the exit of an alley, once they'd caught up, they walked out into the public. Just as he'd promised, no one gave them a second look. "Don't run, don't shout," the Doctor warned, "keep your voices down. Draw attention to ourselves and the spell is broken. Just lay low."
"Like ghosts," said Jack as he dodged a couple out for a night on the town.
"Yeah, that's what we are. Ghosts."
Just outside the city, in a secret location, the Master, Opal, and about fourty guards were awaiting the arrival of the Princesses. He bowed as Princess Luna trotted forward, "Your majesty."
"Mister Clockwise," she said coolly. "I'm afraid my sister was not able to make it. But the Hoofdon Brigade will stand down, from here on out ERAD has control of this operation." (In case you missed it in series one, ERAD is Equestrian Research and Defense, just an fyi.)
"You make it sound like an invasion," the Master said.
"The First contact policy was decided in 989, yet you've gone and ignored it," she scolded.
"Well, you know what it's like, new job with all that paperwork," he joked. "I think it's down behind the couch. I did look, found a reciept, a sweet, a quill, and er," Luna was clearly getting impatient, "Er, have you met the wife?" Opal smiled awkwardly.
Princess Luna sighed, "Counter Clockwise, I am not sure what your game is, but there are policies to have you removed from office unless you are very very careful. Is that understood?" He nodded. "Good, to business, we've accessed your files on the Toclafane-" As the two of them discussed, they were not aware of the three ponies watching them from not far away.
"First Contact cannot happen within a kingdom, the sky base Valiant is enroute," explained Luna. "The rendevous will take place at Eight A.M."
"Soooo, you and Celestia are completely in charge?" he asked, bouncing slightly on his hooves.
"Since Hoofdon elected a foal, yes."
"It, still will be broadcast though won't it?" the Master asked hopefully. "I did promise and everypony will be watching."
"Of course, it is too late to pull out, so they will be watching Celestia and I, not you." Luna nodded once more, then turned and trotted away. The Master and Opal shared a smile, "Enjoy your last night dear princess," he whispered, earning a giggle from his wife. "We have a private carriage ready and waiting, and will be at the Valiant within the hour, my darling." Opal nodded then left with her security guard.
The Master spun around and sighed. He looked towards the trio, but slightly to the left and made a curious face. But as he did, a large armored carriage pulled up and his face lit up with a smile. The doors were pulled open and the ponies inside shoved out, Eagle and Cardinal, Gale's parent. She gasped and started to move forward, the Doctor placed a hoof in front of her, stopping her.
"But they-"
"Don't." She watched as they were pushed into another car, the Master laughing and taunting them the whole time. "I'm going to kill him," she muttered darkly.
"What say I use this perception filter to go over there and knock him out?" asked Jack.
"That sounds like Torchwood," the Doctor replied quietly.
"Still a good plan."
"He's a Time-Pony, that makes him my responsibility. I'm not here to kill him, I'm here to save him." Jack rolled his eyes, just as his manipulator device beep again. HE checked it and read off the information, "Sky base Valiant, it's an ERAD ship at 58.02 north, 10.02 east."
"How do we get on board?" asked Gale.
"Does that thing work as a teleport?" added the Doctor.
"Since you revamped it, yeah," Jack answered, typing in the data. "Coordinates set." He held out his hoof and they all grabbed hold, a second later, they blinked out of existence.
And reappeared miles away in the belly of a ship. Surrounded by metal and steam, it seemed as if they'd popped right into the engine room. Of course, thrown in three directions by celestia awful manipulator travel. Gale clutched her head, massaging it with a hoof as she stood, "Oh that thing is rough!"
"I've had worse nights," Jack said, brushing himself off. "Welcome to the Valiant." Gale looked around and happened to spy a conveniently placed porthole, bright morning light streamed in. "Hold on, I thought it was night, and that the Valiant was a base, where's the land?"
"It's a base for a new era," Jack explained. "Protecting the skies of Equestria." Spanning out all around them, were clouds in all directions. The base itself seemed like a large metal box hanging between a pair of blimps with large propellers on them. It truly was a sky base.
After a moment of staring in shock, the Doctor insisted that they set off and they began galloping through the underbelly towards the upper floors. Passing large machines with dials and switches, hoping somepony didn't spot them. Suddenly, the Doctor skid to a stop, ears up and alert. Jack stopped too, "We've no time for sightseeing Doctor."
"No, wait, shh!" he snapped. "Can't you hear it?"
"Hear what?" asked Jack.
"Doctor, my family's on board," Gale insisted. The Doctor broke into a smile, "Brilliant. This way!" He turned and galloped down another corridor, faster than before. Jack and Gale shared a glanced then raced after him, bursting through a pair of doors into an area full of boxes. At the end of the way, a familiar blue box was waiting.
"Ah ha! At last!" shouted the Doctor happily.
"Yes!" Gale whooped. Only Jack was suspicious, "What's it doing on the Valiant?" They ran through the blue doors and, were met with angry red lights and broken clanging bells. They stopped dead. Before them the familiar console had been barricaded behind a metal wall with small holes in it, hiding an ugly mass of wires.
"What the hell's he done?!" asked Jack.
"Don't touch it," warned the Doctor. Carefully, they walked towards it.
"What's he done?" asked Gale. "Sounds like it's sick." The Doctor examined his time machine, or what was left of it, muttering worriedly. "It can't be..."
"Doctor, what is it?" persisted Gale.
"He's cannibalized the Tardis," he growled.
"Is this what I think it is?" asked Jack uneasily.
"It's a paradox machine."
Two floors up, in a fancy conference room, cameras were being set up fro the broadcast. One end of the room, the ship's bridge, with it's computers and steering wheel, were raised up from the rest with two small flights of stairs and was all wood paneled. A long round table with comfortable looking chairs was set up on the level below next to big circle windows. Celestia and Luna were chatting with one of the camera ponies when the Master and Opal walked in.
"Anything I can do?" he asked cheerfully. "I could make tea, or something."
"That's quite alright," said Celestia with a smile.
"Just take your seat," said Luna stiffly, earning a curious look from her sister. The Master shrugged and turned, leading Opal to their seats, "Miser," he muttered. "So, what do you think? It's good isn't it?"
"It's lovely," Opal said, sitting down in one of the seats.
"Some of my best work," the Master boasted, ploping down into the one next to her, "Ministry of defense. I helped design this place, every detail."
"Two minutes everypony!" called one of the camera crew. Celestia and Luna took their place on top of the deck. Celestia cleared her throat, "According to the treaty, armed personell are requested to leave the flight deck. Thank you though and please keep an eye out." The guards bowed and left the room as instructed. Somepony began counting down. The Master pulled a small paper bag out of his pocket and offered it to Opal, "Jelly foal?" She smirked and pulled one out.
The Doctor tapped his hoof against a metal gauge on the machine, it's needle with about a centimeter from the red zone. "As soon as this hits red, it activates. And at this speed, it'll trigger at two minutes past eight."
"First contact is at eight," Jack said in realization.
"What's it for though?" asked Gale, confused. "What does a paradox machine do?"
"More importantly, can you stop it?"
"Not until I know what it's doing," he said honestly. "Touch the wrong bit, blow up the sun."
"Then we've got to get the Master," Gale reasoned.
"Yeah, how're we going to stop him?" The Doctor looked up at them, "Oh, I've got a way. Sorry, didn't I mention?" He smiled a little, time for them to stop this.
"My fellow Equestrians," Celestia began, cameras rolling. "Griffins, Zebras, creatures of the world. Luna and I stand before you today as ambassador for our planet, a role we have undertaken with utmost respect to our fellow leaders. Perhaps our Toclafane friends can offer us much, but what is important is not that we gain material benefits, but that we learn to see ourselves another way."
At the back of the room, an agent entered the room, unknowingly allowing the three stoaways to enter unseen.
"This plan, you going to tell us Doctor?" whispered Jack.
"If I slip this around his neck, cancel out his perception, they'll see him for real," he explained. "It's just hard to go unnoticed when everypony's on red alert. If I fail, you've both got keys."
"Yes sir," said Jack.
"I'll get him," muttered Gale.
"And now, we ask you to join us in welcoming the Toclafane!" Celestia finished. Four black spheres appeared around the royal sisters. Luna audibly gasped, Celestia put a hoof on her sister's shoulder. She looked up at the Toclafane, "Welcome friends. I am Princess Celestia and this is my sister Princess Luna. Welcome to Gaia."
"You two aren't the Master," sniped one of the Toclafane angrily.
"We like the mister Master," chirped another.
"We don't like you."
"We could be your masters if you so wish," Celestia replied uneasily.
"Princesses are stupid."
"We want the Master!"
"Where's my Master, pretty please?"
"Oh alright then!" came a voice. All eyes turned to the. Master as he jumped out of his seat, "it's me! Tada! Sorry, I just sort of have this effect on ponies! Is it the aftershave? The ability to laugh at myself? I don't know, it's cr-azy!"
"Counter Clockwise, explain yourself!" snapped Luna.
"I'm taking over," he said simply. "Starting with you two. Freeze 'em." Faster than you could say: "Elements of Harmony" the Toclafane had frozen both Celestia and Luna into stone statues. The Master laughed and applauded, guards pull their crossbows, aiming them at the remaining leaders at the table.
"Nopony move!" one of them ordered. The Master turned, and looked each camera in the eye, "Creatures of Gaia! Listen up!"
"Stop him!" The Master looked over, to where three guards had pinned down the Doctor, key hanging from his mouth. He laughed again, "Hello Doctor, we meet again. I love saying that!"
"Stop it! Stop it now!" the Doctor shouted.
"As if a perception filter is going to work on me," he snapped. "And oh look! It's the filly and the freak, though I can't tell which one's which." Everypony looked to where Gale and Jack were standing. Jack scowled and ran forward, the Master rolled his eyes, pulled something out of his pocket and zapped him dead then and there.
"Laser screwdriver," he said nonchalantly, "who'd have sonic? Luckily he's not dead for long I can kill him again!"
"Master calm down!" the Doctor begged. "Just look at what you're doing! Just stop!"
"Excuse me everypony, just some personal business," the Master said to the cameras. "let him go." The guards released the Doctor, throwing him forward. He climbed back onto his hooves, "It's that sound, that sound in you're head. What if I could help?"
"Oh how to shut him up?" the Master mused, taking a seat on the top of the staircase. "I know! Memory lane! Professor Laserus, remember him and his genetic manipulation device? You think little Sparrow got that job on accident? I've been laying traps for you this whole time Doctor! And what if I could concentrate all that technology into one little screwdriver? But oh deary me, if only I had the Doctor's biological code. Oh wait, I do!" He grabbed a metal briefcase in his mouth and leapt up, the front flipped open to reveal the hoof-in-jar.
"I've got his hoof!" the Master continued, putting it down. "Laserus made himself younger, and better, but what if I reversed it? Say, add a hundred years or so?" With a smile he aimed the laser screwdriver at the Doctr and pulled the trigger. Nopony couldn't see the Doctor, his whole shape became a blur as time accelerated for him, making him age faster than possible and twitch randomly. His screams could be heard all the way on the lower decks.
Gale rushed to Jack's side as he revived, trying not to watch as her friend was tortured. Jack pulled off his manipulator and pressed it into her hooves, "Take it." She shook her head desperately, "I'm not leaving you."
"We can't stop him, get out of here." The screaming stopped, Gale looked over and gasped. The Doctor, who the Master had stopped zapping, now looked at least a hundred years old. She'd seen some old ponies but this was ridiculous, he could barely move. She ran over and helped him up, the Master sighed, "Oh look, she's a would-be doctor. But tonight, Nightengale, we've flown them here, all the way from prison!"
The door at the back of the room was thrown open, a guard walked in, pulling three ponies behind him. Gale froze, it was her family. Sparrow, Eagle, and Cardinal, all wearing the chains or criminals.
"Mum-"
"I'm sorry Gale!"
"The, Toclafane," growled the Doctor. "What are they? Who are they?"
"Oh Doctor, if I told you, your hearts would break," the Master said.
"Is it time?" asked one of them suddenly, "is it ready?"
"Is the machine singing?" asked another. The Master checked his watch and smirked, "Two minutes past eight." He looked over at the cameras, "Well Gaia, basically, end of the world. Here come the drums!"
Music began to play over the ship's speakers-"Here come the drums here come the drums!" From deep within the bowels of the Valiant the Tardis screamed and sparked in protest as the paradox machine went into effect, and a large jagged rad gash tore open the sky. Toclafane flooded through the gap, swarming into the sky, spinning, dancing, and charging towards and unsuspecting planet. The Master grabbed Opal by the hoof and they danced to the music, spinning in front of one of the windows.
"How many do you think?" the Time-Pony asked.
"I, I don't know," Opal replied excitedly.
"Six billion, down you go fillies!" Now the music was mixed with distant screams as the Toclafane opened fire on cities and towns below. "Shall we decimate them? That's a nice word, decimate." He pressed a button on his jacket, "Remove one tenth of the population!" Ponies in the room gasped in shock, the Toclafane giggled in response and killed even faster. Reports began flooding in from cities across the country, across the whole world!
Slowly, while they were distracted, Nightengale got to her hooves, Jack's teleported clutched in her magic. She looked at her friends, then her family, "I'm sorry." Bz-zap! She teleported off the Valiant in a flash of blue, leaving them behind as she reappeared on the ground below. Before her, the city was wreathed in smoke and fire, and she could still hear the screams. New anger at the Master formed in her mind, "I'm coming back, just wait." Then she turned, and galloped away.
"And so it came to pass that Equestria was destroyed," the Master was saying proudly. "And Gaia was no more. And I looked out upon y new dominion as Master of All Races, and thought it good."
To be continued in, "Last of the Time-Ponies"...
Me: I literally have no excuses this chapter except for school. Master, you do the credits because I am done.
Master: Really? Me? Aw you shouldn't.
Me: yeah, I really shouldn't. Never mind. MLP Friendship is Magic is copyright of Hasbro.
Master: but-
Me: and doctor who is copyright of the BBC. Now, I bid you a farewell, chao, and hope those of you that saw it liked the new Doctor. Bye!