Series:

My Little Galaxy

Saga 1:

TARDIS Academy for Gifted Tots

Side Story:

Family Day

Part 1:

Give 'em a Chance


Octavia stood beside her sister. Vinyl showing none of the etiquette or grace they were raised with. Belching as loud as she could. Which, for her, didn't exactly sound like a belch at all, but it definitely smelled like one.

"Honestly Vinyl!" Octavia waved her hoof, in front of her face, to banish the smell of half digested cheese dip and mountain dew.

Vinyl gave a cheeky grin, and made an unrepentant "Sorry," gesture with her hooves.

"Miss Octavia," a little gray colt hesitantly walked over to her. Walking in the middle of two Stallions.

This was "Family Day" after all. The school's near 1000 students were walking around the court yard. Getting reacquainted with their families, and occasionally talking to teachers. Right now was the "Breakfast Lunchin'" as the Doctor called it. This was a more casual meeting. To let the families reunite, from breakfast to just past lunch.

It wasn't until later, when the parents would sit in the home room class, with their child's head of house, to hear what the children had learned this week. From academics to power training.

Later the parents would have individual meetings with their children's elective and club teachers. Though clubs hadn't started this year's recruitment, yet, so the teachers didn't have to worry about the first years in that regard, just yet.

With how many kids joined band, this year, it was going to be a right Tartarus of a time, getting through all the meetings. The TARDIS was going to have to work overtime, in expanding the teachers days while making things seem like they are progressing naturally for the parents.

Octavia was probably going to need to take a few naps, and trust the TARDIS to hold her appointments. It might only be a day for the students and parents, but it lasted several for the teachers.

Thank Celestia the TARDIS prevented them from aging faster then normal time, and Discord only knows how that worked. Other wise Octavia would have spent most of her valuable time on this plane, in meetings with parents.

"Are these your dad's, little Rumble?" Octavia asked, looking between the two Pegasus Stallions.

She was perfectly aware, Stallions coupling may be taboo for nobility, but commoners were more accepting of the relationship. Octavia liked to think of herself as more in touch with the working ponies, to let such a thing bother her.

Both Stallions blushed, while the one, that looked surprisingly like The Doctor, got a completely scandalized face.

The Not-Doctor Stallion coughed into his hoof, "That's not... This is my son, Thunderlane. He's Rumble's biological brother. I adopted him, right before he aged out of the orphanage. That way he and Rumble wouldn't be seperated... now the colt just hangs out at my house, eating all my food." He tried to lighten the mood, after that misunderstanding. As the half grown Stallion continued to blush.

Meanwhile, Vinyl was laughing, in those odd gasp of hers... while Octavia was blushing as much as the young Stallion.

"Aaaaany way," Rumble tried to move the conversation away from THAT. "This is my dad, Crescent Moon, and his boy toy, Thun- OW!!!" But the colt couldn't resist, and got a smack upside his head for his troubles. Though when he looked back, he couldn't tell which of the Stallions hit him.

Vinyl waved at them eagerly.

Thunderlane gulped, then started hoof signing. His gestures were a tad clumsy, but Vinyl got the gist. "I'm a big fan."

Vinyl grinned eagerly, using gestures to express her gratitude. Though she preformed them slowly, in order for the, obviously still learning, colt to keep up.

Crescent Moon gave his oldest a proud nod.

Rumble interrupted, "Speak ponish!" With a rather rude demand.

Octavia automatically scolded, though her voice remained gentle... however 'stuffy' it was. "Now Rumble, don't be rude. There aren't many creatures, besides myself, that Vinyl can communicate with."

Rumble blushed, looking down, thoroughly chastised. However, he still muttered a defiant, "It's not like she's deaf." before getting his flank wacked. This time it was definitely by the colt's adoptive father.

Octavia rolled her eyes, while Vinyl smiled, just happy some creature acknowledged just because she was mute, didn't automatically make her deaf. Still she appreciated those that bothered to learn her language. Especially from fans that learned it solely for the purpose of being able to talk with her. As this young Stallion gestured he had.

He said he only started learning over summer break. After their father enrolled Rumble, as Crescent Moon taught the basics to them... which meant Rumble understood her... and chose to ignore her.

The colt was looking at the floor, looking very ashamed of himself... and obviously more then a little nervous. After all, this was the perfect opportunity, for his teachers to explain his behavior, this past week.

Instead, "Rumble is taking too the violin very nicely," Octavia informed the father. Who looked proud. Meanwhile, Thunderlane's eyes widened, as he looked down at his brother.

Rumble blushed, and gave a far too calculated shrug. "She's been teaching me to play... you know, without killing anypony." he dismissed.

Thunderlane's eyes turned sympathetic, with a touch of over protectiveness. A look Octavia knew all too well, from her own sibling.

"I heard from my boy," Crescent Moon attempted to make small talk. While patting Thunderlane's withers. "You lovely ladies are actual nobility."

Thunderlane's head snapped at his father, clearly regretting not giving the older Stallion the whole story.

Octavia just smiled, a sad smile. "Yes, it was quite the scandal for my parents. When it was revealed their unicorn blood wasn't as pure as they claimed." The 'when I was born' went unsaid... but it was obvious, by the widening of the older Stallion's eyes, that he realized he brought up a sore topic.

"My apologies," Crescent Moon tried to backtrack. "I hadn't realized..." he trailed off. Leaving them in awkward silence.

Octavia, being an Earth pony, was part of the reason she was so quick to use her bard magic on others... it was nice... having her own special kind of magic, despite not having a horn. That, combined with her Mage Class, easily allowed her to bend reality, in ways unicorns dared not dream...

Coming from a family, where your very existence was not only an embarrassment for your parents... but a scandal... it made it easy to try to force her parents to accept her... but mental magics are just a form of illusion... nothing actually changed, besides making everything so much worse.

"It was a long time ago," Octavia eased the Stallion. "And while the title was left to my younger sister," for obvious reasons, again went unsaid. "I tend to the matters of court, and delegate most of the details, in regards to the family business. Primarily as her proxy."

Crescent moon gave a hesitant nod... and Vinyl, being Vinyl, decided to make him feel worse.

"I ain't got a head for all that 'proper young mare' nonsense," Vinyl hoofed. "Our parents only named me the heir, to get a jab at Octie. She's the first born, so I let her handle that stuff. Like she was supposed to."

Octavia rolled her eyes, "My sister doesn't have the right temperament, to deal with the nobles. She is far too much of a hooligan." Vinyl burped, again.This time on purpose. "It's a toss up, which of us is the greater embarrassment." Octavia teased her sister.

Not particularly caring the older Stallion seemed even more uncomfortable. Octavia coped, with her rather tragic backstory, by making the occasional joke about it. After all, she had a rather dry wit... and laughter really was the best medicine.


At the other side of the Court yard.

Spike... was obviously worried, and just as obviously grateful, both sides of his family were here. Both the Sparkle side, and the Solar side.

Celestia really shouldn't be leaving her sun for something so trivial as "Family Day". The Avatars of living planets, had to return to their main body, every few years... But Celestia had spent nearly 2000 years off world. Her body was weak, however much raw magical power she had. She shouldn't be leaving her star, so frequently, when she should be recovering. Thankfully, Blue Blood was keeping a close eye on her.

Discord, in his pony disguise, was with them. A brown unicorn, with a grey mane and Goatee. He was posing as Celestia's royal consort. She had been known to take them, from time to time... such a union, a few hundred years ago, was actually what eventually led to Blueblood. He, like a proud few lines, would trace their lineage directly to Celestia. Though he had none of the "Living Planet" genes.

The boy beside them, a plane looking grey Unicorn, only had such abilities, because he was part Draconequus. The two magics were more compatible, and manifested in a demigod / demi Celestial, entity. The Doctor was teaching the boy control, which he desperately needed with such power.

Screwball was with them, as well... though she wasn't truly related to Celestia. She was more made on a whim, by the god of chaos... out of nothing but a piece of his own soul. Which he sculpted, literally, into a truly separate entity.

Spike's other parents, Twilight's parents, were busy marveling at just how big the TARDIS was. Being unicorns, they could more easily feel the sheer power of these impossible extension charms.

All pony homes, and even their shops, were "bigger on the inside"... it was actually Clockwork that created that enchantment, and made it easily added to the interior of any building... still the sheer size of this... not even Clockwork could have dreamed his enchantment could be pushed so far. And they were only in ONE room of the TARDIS.

It made Spike have to marvel at it, occasionally, so he didn't blame his parents. Shaking their heads, they better focused on Spike.

Shining Armor was doing his best to hide his snickers, at his parents expense. While Cadence was fussing over Flurry Heart.

Like himself, Flurry was still very much a child. Alicorns age slower then ponies, so the filly was still very much a, very young, filly. Despite her being several decades old by now... Though thankfully, and finally, out of diapers.

Spike could relate. He was still only a fledgling dragon, himself. A child, a very young child, by dragon standards... but at least he wasn't a baby anymore. Though he had only grown a few inches, since he moved to Ponyville. When he got his wings, was when he graduated from Whelp to Fledgling. It was a very big deal, in Dragon culture.

Regardless, with all the royals in Spike's family, a lot of the children were keeping their distance. Especially since Queen Twilight was with them. Many of the kids already knew who Spike was, but it was one thing to talk to a prince... quite another to approach the entire royal family of pony-kind.

"SPIKE!!!" Button Mash suddenly ran over, with two other Earth ponies trailing behind him.

Blue Blood frown distastefully. He always was one for "proper protocol", but children gleefully running up to the royal family, and hugging one of it's members, most certainly was not... especially not a MALE companion.

"I want you to meet my parents!!!" said the brown colt.

Blue Blood frown more... by the way the colt was acting around Spike... The Stallion really needed to have a talk with the scaled foal. It was one thing for a prince to have a male consort, another to flaunt him in public...

Although... Spike was a dragon. Even their males could get pregnant. It's how their population survived, with only 1 in a hundred eggs being female... the nobles might be more accepting of the boy taking a colt lover.

They were, obviously, much too young to get into anything too serious. However, it was never too early to arrange a marriage.

And a pony mate would definitely look good to the nobles... something to think about. Make it obvious Spike was keeping a hoof, errr foot, in the pony world. It be important, as Spike got older, to insure the nobles of both the dragons, and the ponies, understood Spike was fulfilling his role as ambassador between them.

Since Celestia's retirement, Blue Blood was made the head of the family. He might not be a king, but it was still his duty to look after the best interests of the royal family. Particularly where the children were involved.

He had to handle any potential scandal, and turn it to the family's advantage. He had to protect them from the tabloids, and the gossips. Such things could lead to disgruntled nobility... who might stop listening to the royal families opinions, if they lost respect for them.

In regards to ponies, the royal family didn't hold all the power. The nobles, but mostly the elected officials (who were just as stuffy), could veto any decision made by the Queen, in vice versa. Their government was dependent on all sides coming to an understanding... losing respect for another, even if that respect was based on archaic traditions... that personally injured Blue Bloods own sensibilities and desires... but he had to think of the good of the entire royal family.

That included... Scanning the courtyard, he spotted his quarry. Still, formalities must be made, before personal matters could be dealt with.

"Lady Love Tap," Blue Blood acknowledged, after being introduced to the brown colt's parents. "Sire XP Grinder." They looked like a nice couple. Not nobility, but definitely of money... Actually. "You wouldn't happen to be of the Gamer family?"

XP puffed up his chest, with clear pride. "My grandfather invented the first videogames. Though the board mostly handles the business side of things. My older sister retains the majority shares of the company. I'm just a trust fund foal."

Blue Blood nodded, that would work out nicely. Spike marrying into a merchant family, with roots going back a hundred years. It would look more acceptable then marrying a more... humble, individual.

Blue Blood would have to make a good impression, on the parents, but by the end of the month, he should have that marriage contract set up. That should be before it gets out the dragon prince of the ponies, was courting a colt.


A/N:

Oh Blue Blood, jumping to conclusions. Some colts are just touchy feeley. Doesn't mean they're dating.


Elsewhere, in the Courtyard.

Mouthy squirmed, as he was inspected by his older brother. The boy making sure he was okay. Without himself, to protect his fellow colt kit from bullies, Book Smart feared for his little brother's safety... Smart Mouth was always, accidentally, saying offensive things... that got him bucked in the face.

Book Smart was barely registering that the Doctor was speaking with their dad. Though the god had taken the man out of ear shot, for even a Hanyou's ears... or that might just be the privacy wards.

Stealthy Intellect frowned, "You got the kid in your school... and now you want to become the colt's official Mentor?"

Mentors were serious business. Before Twilight ascended to the Throne, Celestia had been her Mentor. It was a remnant of medieval times. When young ponies would train under a Master of a trade. It was like an apprenticeship, but even more meaningful. As a Mentor would guide the child, and even hold some legal rights over them. Obviously parents rights exceeded the Mentor's, but it still wasn't something to undertake so lightly.

A mentor could not be simply "Fired".

At least the Doctor wasn't wearing his goofy grin. He understood the seriousness of this request required more... delicate wording. At least more then acting like an idiot, and treating the boy like a joke. Koto, the Kitsune tutor, might occasionally overstep... but not even he asked to be any of the foals' mentor. He didn't want that sheer level of responsibility, over a child.

Parents might have more rights, but mentors shaped children in ways not even they could... it was a big deal...

But this Stallion was a god. He could teach Mouthy so much about the universe, even more then he already was sharing with the other students.

"Why?" Stealth eyed the man, wondering just what he got out of this.

"Mouthy is..." The god pondered his words. "There is no easy way to say this so-" Suddenly the Time Lord headbutted the pony.

Stealthy gasped, as his mind flooded with images and memories that weren't his own... of a-a sad little child... that grew up to do... such horrific things.

"It's a miracle his soul wasn't destroyed," The Doctor went on, as if nothing. "But as Omniva said, she went to pains to bring him back to me."

Stealth grew hard, now glaring at the god. "He's my son, not your's."

The Doctor nodded, in complete agreement. "I'm fully aware of that. I would never wish to overstep. Your his parent... Time Lord's..." trying desperately to find the words. "Merely maintain contact with those from past lives. The role is more similar to your mentorship, then a parent... I just... want to remain close to him... get to know this new incarnation... make sure history doesn't repeat itself..."

Stealth continued to glare... until a thought occurred to him. "This will put an even bigger target on his back, won't it?"

The god sighed, "The various deities, and all the god killers after me, won't care he's from before I ascended. If anything, they will see that as an easier target then my daughter. However, I can prepare him for that... if you let me..."

"Not only is my son a bloody corpse humping, half demon, with a bucking mental disorder, but he's some kinda god's illegitimate spawn..." Stealthy gave an angry sigh. "Boy just can't get a break... okay, I'll allow you to become his mentor. But I want your word, Doctor. I'm a guard, I know better then to demand you keep him safe. Nothing in this world is truly safe. But I expect you to do everything in your power to keep him that way... as best you can."

The Doctor nodded, "You have my word."


Later.

As the Doctor mingled with the families, there was one family he was doing his best to avoid... unfortunately, one particular member, would hear of it.

"If I could speak with you, in your office," Blue Blood spoke with a formal easiness... but The Doctor knew better... he could tell, Blue Blood was about to give him one of his infamous lectures on proper protocol.

Regardless of his feelings towards Celestia... the Doctor was happy to see his former brother. Still, the Clockwork in him, couldn't help but flatten his ears. The Doctor merely rolled his eyes, at the idea of Blue Blood giving him a "dressing down". With a bored sigh, he directed the Noble back to the Castle.

"Let's get the obvious out of the way," Blue Blood huffed, the moment the office doors closed.

"I'm not Clockwork," The Doctor insisted.

"Can't get more obvious then that," Blue Blood acknowledged. However, this caused the Doctor to blink. "But it is not, in fact, what I was referring to."

Blue Blood sat behind the Headmaster's desk, before pointing at the chair ment for students. The Doctor decided to humor him. It was, after all, just a chair. Blue Blood might be trying to play tough with him, but the Doctor had faced far worse then a disproving Soul Brother.

"I have been doing my research," Blue Blood informed. "Speaking with the leaders, and historians, of the Time Ponies. Learning what I could about their culture, and what they know of Time Lords. With the full Awareness that, what they know, you taught them."

He looked at the desk, disapprovingly, and began organizing the papers that were carelessly thrown about it... much as he did for Clockwork... you would never guess, Blue Blood was the younger brother. He was certainly the more responsible of the two.

"Given that," Blue Blood went on, not pausing in either his speaking, nor his organizing. "Those are the values you wish to preserve, of your race. Knowing you, you probably just neglected to tell them any of the traditions you found distasteful."

The Doctor blushed, definitely feeling like Clockwork, on the end of a dressing down.

"So please explain to me, given your people put value on maintaining relationships with past regenerations, or even past lives, just why you are distancing yourself from Clockwork's family? Why you are acting in contradiction, with the very values you instilled into your people?"

Damn it Bluey!

The Doctor just looked away.

"I realize you are no longer Clockwork," Blue Blood finished organizing the papers, and went to straightening the various knickknacks on the desk. "I will not pretend seeing you look at me, with his face, doesn't cause me a sense of grief... but that doesn't mean I want nothing to do with you.

"As you have no direct living relatives. It falls to me, as your 'Soul Brother', and head of your past family, to extend my doors to you. I don't care if your some would-be-god. By the very laws you parted to the Time Ponies, I am legally responsible for you. Whether you like it or not."

... he really did do his research. He even knew the term "Soul Brother", and used it correctly.

Bluey continued, "There are plenty of other, completely mad, entities that fall under my jurisdiction: Alicorns, and Chaos Spirits, Living Planets, Higher Born Dragons, and Demigods. You're not even the weirdest member on our family tree.

"So I will ask you again, in more blunt terms. Why are you still throwing this tantrum, and attempting to cut all ties with a family that, by your own values, is still yours?"

The Doctor stayed quiet a moment, waiting to see if Blue Blood had anything else to add, when he didn't, the Celestial sighed.

Knowing he couldn't get out of this, the Doctor answered. "Celestia... I trusted her, trusted her with a literal shard of my soul... and she just used me to advance her nation..."

Blue Blood scoffed, "Here I was hoping for an actual reason, instead of the delusions of an overly dramatic foal."

The Doctor glared at him, a glare that caused armies to flee and demons to cower... and Blue Bloods to roll their eyes.

"I've been on the recieving end of rather perturbed Elder Dragons," He reminded. "Regardless, you need to acknowledge, Celestia didn't force Clockwork to do anything. According to the stories he told, he forced Celestia's hand, through frequent tantrums and overwhelming begging.

"Perhaps Auntie should not have caved. After all, if she had been stronger, Clockwork would still be a pampered prince, and the Aliens never would have attacked... But please try to remember she gave in, not to give our nation an advantage over the others, but because she couldn't bear to see her son in pain..."

The Doctor looked down. Not being able to look at Blue Blood anymore, and remembering why the Stallion was such a great Ambassador. He knew exactly what to say. He didn't even need to activate a pony's natural singing magicks, to engage his silver tongue... and he wasn't done.

"I saw Clockwork tinker in his shop. Nothing gave him more joy. If it was creating some useless gadget, or a beautiful sculpture, Clockwork simply loves to create. It was his passion. It tore him up that so few knew he was responsible for our boom in technology, and if you recall, that was something Celestia didn't cave in. She let Clockwork do what he loved, what he needed, and took steps to protect him.

"It was not enough, and while regrettable, it was unavoidable..." Bluey finally stopped tidying the Time Lord's desk, and reached out to touch him. "Everything she did... was because she loved you. All parents make mistakes, but I don't believe she did in this instance. What you call a mistake, I see as her doing her motherly duty... in making her child happy... are you really going to condemn her for the next 10 billion years? For giving her child what he needed to be happy and healthy?"

The Doctor sighed, taking his hooves off the desk, and away from Blue Blood.

Blue Blood went in for the kill, "I'm going to die, Doctor, so will Miss Hooves, and all the students you teach here. We will ALL, inevitably, leave you... but not Celestia, not Spike, not Discord nor his own children. You might not be Clockwork anymore, but you still have a family. One you can spend the better part of eternity with. Don't reject that over a misunderstanding. I worry for you. Please Whooves, Come home."

The Doctor looked back up... the Stallion really did know far too much about him... even that he had retaken to using the name "Doctor Whooves" since reconciling with Derpy... though he dropped the "Clockwork". As that wasn't him anymore... and it would hurt Derpy to use that name... and it would hurt the timeline to go by "Time Turner"... and hurt the ponies brain to go by "John Smith," as that was just gibberish to their ears. Regardless if that was the Doctor's favorite alias.

The Doctor looked to the side. "I... I need time to consider what you said."

Blue Blood sighed.

So the Doctor added. "You'll have your answer by next Family Day."

The noble nodded, standing up. "I should get back to the gathering, make sure Spike has been keeping up with his studies."

"He's doing well. Especially with what the TARDIS has been teaching him about Dragon Culture."

"Have YOU tried teaching him something," Blue Blood didn't really ask, as he motioned for the Doctor to get up, and walk him to the door.

The Doctor didn't say anything, in regards to that. Instead, "It was nice talking with you, Bluey."

Blue Blood gave a formal nod, "Be sure to consult your wife. Miss Hooves always has been a sensible mare."

"I was planning to," The Doctor assured, as he opened the door to his office, and let Blue Blood out.

Blue Blood stepped out the door, and gave his parting words. "It was nice seeing you, Lord Whooves. Perhaps, next time, we can speak on more pleasant matters... I would love the opportunity to get to know the new you." He tipped his head, and walked down the hall.

The Doctor watched him go... before muttering to himself, "Ever the diplomat."