REVISED: September 2022.
Cut out a lot of Lore from this chapter. As not only is it irrelevant, it is no longer accurate.
The Doctor's head was spinning. Looking around, he found the usual sights... fire and death. That seemed to be the most likely outcome to his travels.
He was newly regenerated. A skill Time Lords had to cheat death.
Struggling to his feet, he walked through the battlefield. Unable to ignore the smell of charred flesh.
His mind was a bit scrambled. As it always was after regenerating... but he knew, being surrounded by death was typical for him.
His past faces were used to it. They hardly thought about it... which could only sicken this new face of his. He was much more sensitive this time, and that was never a good thing, not for one in his line of work.
There were still many enemies about, all of them backing away from him... in fear of him. Let them cower in their holes. The previous him would have killed them all with out a thought.
They had their chance to surrender, and chose not to take it. Their lives were now forfeit...
However, this face found a scrap of rare mercy... and decided to let them go.
Stepping into a blue shrine, the double doors of the small box closed behind him. Before the box faded out of existence.
Waking up with a new face can be confusing, not to mention the experience of regenerating, is essentially bursting into golden flames, which change the body at a cellular level. Even the Time Lord's brain changed. As a result they remember everything, about all their lives, but with fresh eyes... and this new pony face saw it as one big mistake.
• Year 800 of Celestia's Rule.
The Doctor looked up at the 'Princess', on her throne of gold and cushions. She had a deep aversion to Queens, thanks to her efforts against the Alicorn Dynasty, some thousand years ago.
The Doctor found himself staring down the avatar of a living planet, Celestia, herself.
Starswirl chose her name to relate to a planetary body. While also playing up the "Divine" nature of such an entity. Though this Avatar was much weaker then her real body, it was still very powerful.
Celestia simply raised an amused eyebrow, at the true Celestial being before her.
The Doctor looked at the false pony... although they were both pretending to be ponies, they recognized the other as strangers to this world.
"You owe me a favor." The Doctor calmly informed the avatar. "I plan to live as a mortal, and so I need you to hide me, and possibly keep me in check." The Doctor pulled out a fob watch, "My mind, and my power, will be trapped in here. Never open it unless the situation is truly dire."
Celestia gave a teasing smile, "And I should agree to this because?- You have many enemies Doctor. Just attempting to hide you could draw them here."
The Doctor lowered the watch and glared, "You're a living planet. This pony shell of yours may have become weak, from spending too long away from your true body, but if you wanted, your sun could blast a fleet from the sky long before it reached the planet."
That was a lie, Celestia couldn't handle a fleet like the one coming for him. However, it was unlikely they would think to look for him here.
He prefered to let his Refugee planets develop naturally, without his interference... even if he did maintain divine rights, over the 42 Star Clusters he helped build.
Planet Equus was, by far, the most peaceful planet he had ever known. Largely in part because of Celestia's rule.
But also because, the naturally evolved species of Equine, were blessed by Harmony magics. By a goddess of Harmony, in truth.
Given the Doctor's current face, looked like a pony, he could easily hide here.
"Besides, you owe me. I saved you, and your sister, from certain death during the Time War! I'm calling that in."
Celestia stiffened, her face becoming serious, "That's a rather large favor to cash in." She was only a child, during those times... and while the Doctor saved her and her sister, the rest of their family was lost.
"I realize that." The Doctor looked so stern. Celestia knew she didn't actually have a choice. "What I'm asking for is equal payment."
"How long do you plan to stay?" asked the living planet.
"... Until I die,"
Celestia tried to contain her shock, "You... wish to die..."
"I want to live one final life. A real life. I'm tired of living forever, of constantly making a mess of things... I want to take my place on the great wheel. See this life to it's proper end...
"If I die, while in mortal form, with the godly power locked away in here... I will die permanently. Will even get reincarnated as something new eventually, with no memories of my previous life, just like the rest of you...
"Just so long as you never open this watch, while I'm living. Once I pass, the power in the watch will fade, and I'll be truly mortal again...
"... please... I need this."
Celestia sighed. She never could resist a plea for help. "Very well Doctor... but I have one question... What, is a Watch?"