Origin of the Prince

The Doctor did everything in his power to look after the damaged mare, going between adventuring on his own and getting into all sorts of trouble, to coming back to her as quickly as possible to make sure she didn't go damaging herself more. It was a rush to be taking care of another pony other than himself. It was like in days long gone when he was still just a young time pony with his granddaughter as a companion, watching over her, keeping her close and protected until he finally let her go. But this was not her, this was somepony much much different and that life seemed ages ago, or was it yesterday? It was hard to tell some times, being a being who moved non-linearly.

It was this day after such an adventure that he trotted into the room cheerfully to find her gone. His imagination ran wild with him and he ran in circles. "Not good, not good, where did she go? I told her to stay put."

"That was a week ago... you were out for awhile Doctor." Her voice came from the doorway.

He turned and gave a sigh of relief. "Was it a week? I'm sorry Miss Star, I didn't realize."

"It's alright, you have things to do as well, I can't expect to keep you all to myself now can I?" She smiled softly at him as she made her way over.

"Right well, let me help you back into bed." He trotted over to her and behind her, where he slid himself under her body to lift her onto his back. He bounced up a bit and gave a childish grin at the noise she made.

"Doctor this isn't necessary any more. I was able to get up and out a few times while you were gone all on my own you know."

"Bah, give a stallion a chance to do what he wants Miss Star. I said I would take care of you, now let me."

Star's burned skin and fur had healed quite nicely over the few weeks she had been here with him, smooth and soft to the touch as it ever was, her wings however were slow going and although she seemed alright, it worried her. They had taken so much damage in her lifetime that she inwardly feared that this was the time when they wouldn't heal. "Doctor please."

He ignored her as he got her into bed as gently as possible. "Shh, I need to make sure you're alright."

She frowned at him, only to get ignored as he ran off. She sighed. Doesn't he get tired of always running.

He came back with supplies and examined her healing process. "You know, it's amazing how quickly you've healed from these burns. It's almost like it didn't happen." He reached to check one of her wings. She hissed with pain when he pushed up to it. "Sorry! Sorry!" He let go and opted to just lean close, rather then grab at them. "They're healing quite slow," he observed, "it doesn't normally take this long for you does it? I mean, the rest of you has healed almost completely."

She shook her head. "Whenever I got a broken wing the most it would take is a week." She wasn't about to tell him how many times her wings had been broken, some part of her knew that he would likely get angry about it.

"Hm... I see." He continued to look over the wing, "your feathers... they've fallen out a lot in the past?" He glanced at her.

"W-why would you ask that?" Her left wing twitched in nervousness despite the pain she was in.

"There are small scars in the skin," he told her softly as he still watched her, he leaned closer, almost muzzle to muzzle with her, scanning her face, "almost as if they were ripped out." He trailed off.

She blinked a bit at him before looking away. He couldn't possibly know that...

"You're running too, aren't you Miss Star." It wasn't a question, he spoke it as if it was pure fact, plain as the cutie marks on her flanks which had seemed to glow softly since the incident, "but from what is the question." He continued to gaze at her, as if searching her soul, and the twitching in her left wing told him that he was on the right track. "What, no that's not right, who are you running from Starstrike?"

She wouldn't look at him or answer him.

"I need to know. What aren't you telling me?" He was getting closer, if that was even possible with how close he had already been to her. "If you want me to help you, if you want my protection, I need to know who you're running from."

She turned her head away. "Doctor, I- I can't."

"Damn it Rose!" He blinked a bit and pulled away, smacking himself in the face. "Nevermind, I'm sorry Miss Star." He trotted away, leaving her alone. He had to think.

Rose? She sat up and sighed. Well... that could have gone better, but who is this... Rose? Another mare? She shook her head and laid back. She gently ran a hoof over her wing. "Why are you taking so long?"

He paced around the TARDIS console when it started to beep, the results from the initial tests were complete. He sighed as he mentally reprimanded himself. She's not Rose. No matter how stubborn she might be like her, she's her own pony. He pressed a few buttons and started to look over the report. "What?" He looked back over towards the hallway he came from, then back to the monitor. "What?" He looked back at the hallway, "what?" He shook his head, "that's not possible, that's impossible, no no but it is, oh that's beautiful. That's brilliant! I knew that mare was a special one!" He couldn't help but bounce around in his excitement. He stopped abruptly and ran his hooves through his mane, but how could he tell her, explain to her, that what happened to her was changing her, changing her genetic code into something much more magnificent then she already was? He shook his head. I just won't tell her. That would be better. For all I know it won't change her too much and she'll be the same once she's fully healed. This explains why she was able to absorb the energy from the impact. Such scientific wonder! Are all alicorns built like this? Or is it just her? He was excited by the results. Star's genetic makeup was a wonder. Although she was an alicorn mare, she had the molecular structure of something much more complex, a living star with a body and conscious. His excitement at the discovery had him giddy enough to hop around the TARDIS, grinning ear to ear. Is that why her talent has to do with stars? Because she herself has the genetic makeup of one? Was he even on the right track? He started to doubt the results then.

She was born in Equestria, not out there in space, how was this even possible? The damn mare was an enigma, he decided to run the tests again, this time with newer samples. It was possible that the results were from the star that hit her, rather then the mare herself. At the very thought of that he sighed. A false positive, yes that has to be it. No use getting excited now Doctor. He started the sequence again from the samples he got from her during his questioning without her noticing. His mind began to wander with him. She did seem... nervous when I asked her what she was running from. Something in his hearts told him that even in Equestria, some ponies didn't live lives full of sugar, happiness and rainbows. And for some reason that hurt, to know that this mare, who had been nothing but sweet to the few she kept as friends had to have had a horrible life.

As he remained there thinking, Star was trying to open her wings. It was nothing short of excruciating pain, but it had to be done, it was the only way to see the full damage. She was in tears by the time she extended them both. Her horn glowed and she leaned forward to one of her wings, trying to heal it with her magic. It relieved some of the pain, but it yielded little results.

The Doctor entered the room and stared at her, horrified by what she was trying to do to herself. Part of her wings had become skeletal, with few feathers hanging off them. Even Chrysalis' wings weren't this horrible to look at despite the fact that they looked like swish cheese as Star had pointed out. His hearts were heavy with shame, she didn't know he had even entered the room yet.

She was sobbing as she finally dropped her wings. "Why... why won't you heal right? As much trouble as you gave me as a filly, why are you doing this now?"

The Doctor quickly backed out of the room and listened in. Is this a clue? He frowned a little and went back to the TARDIS console. Time for investigation. He stroked the console. Take me to the right place this time. He pushed a few buttons and ran around the console before pulling the lever, springing the TARDIS into action.

When he stepped out of the TARDIS, fourty-seven years into her past, he found himself in Ponyville General. The Hospital? He took a glance around when he noticed a suspicious looking mare, making her way to the nursery room. He followed from afar. Once she was in the room, he watched her make the switch and he felt dread take hold. He moved quickly back to the TARDIS. I need more information, this isn't enough to go on. Again he went through Star's timeline until he reached ten years later, and landed behind some trees in a school yard. He stepped out and saw a black filly, sitting under the shadow of the trees, not far from where he was positioned. There was no mistake, the Alicorn was none other than his charge. He listened to her cry as she tried to nurse a broken wing. In the distance he saw a brown earth pony followed closely by a green earth pony.

"There you are you stupid filly." The brown earth pony growled out at her before reaching over and grabbing her by her broken wing with his mouth. He tugged and she cried out in pain.

The Doctor had to stop himself from intervening as he watched the scene unfold in front of him. Oh Star... This is what you're running from isn't it?

Starstrike dug her hooves into the ground and clenched her teeth through the pain as her feathers were ripped.

"You're a blank flank loser Starstrike." Her mother spat out the feathers in her mouth. "Come." She walked off with her husband in tow, expecting the young Alicorn to follow.

The Doctor kept his distance as he followed them, eye trained on the filly who was trying desperately to keep a straight face. You've had to be strong for a long time... The more he watched, the sadder and angrier he got. When they reached their home, the Doctor made his was towards it, making sure they were settled in as he made a point to make himself scarce while maintaining a good view on the poor excuse of a family.

"What are you waiting for blank flank, make us dinner. And don't screw it up this time." The green mare spat at the black filly.

"Y...Yes mama."

The Doctor watched as little Starstrike worked the kitchen, the food smelled wonderful from the window. He wondered if she'd ever cook like that for him when she got better. He couldn't help the dreamy sort of look he got on his face at the thought of it. He shook it off quickly and returned his gaze to her, watching as her little hooves struggled to move heavy pots and pans on the stove. He watched as she tried to sneak in a bit of levitation magic, which only resulted in her getting caught and beaten with one of the hot pans.

Her mother made a point to aim for an already injured wing as she yelled at her. "I told you none of that magic you stupid filly!"

He dug his hooves in the ground as he watched her get burned and beaten, some feathers fell to the floor, he had to fight hard not to run in and grab her then, to take her with him to the stars, to be with him where she would at least be safe and cared for. Why didn't anypony in this town do anything about this?

The night went on however. After her beating Star worked to make dinner without magic to help her and was sent to her room without any for her disobedience. Once in her room up in the attic, she went to her drawer and pulled out the first aid to at least apply the burn salve and some bandages. She pushed it away from her weakly as she flopped onto the sad excuse for a bed, a bunch of really old used up pillows that were falling apart that were haphazardly filled with black feathers to at least give them some fluff.

The Doctor positioned himself in a tree and watched her. He took note of the feathers and the condition she was living in. He watched as she took out a notebook and a pencil. She began to draw as she looked up at the stars. He listened to her talk to herself.

"The stars moved a quarter to the left this time." She documented the change and the Doctor felt his hearts brimming with pride at how passionate she was as she openly named each one as she drew them.

He watched as her cutie mark then appeared and saw how quickly she got excited. She trotted around the room, a large smile on her face. He smiled, warmed at how happy she got over such simple things. He never expected the two earth ponies to tear her happiness away. He watched with bated breath as they beat her for waking them, each taking a turn at diminishing her joy. He watched them go and listened to her sob softly. He could no longer contain himself. He jumped over to her window and managed to climb up into the room. He moved closer to her slowly as to not startle her. He accidentally kicked her notebook, alerting her to his presence.

She gasped and sat up, trying to get away and to a corner. "P...please don't hurt me." She squeaked as her voice trembled.

"I would never dream of it." He said softly as her searched for her. Finding her in the corner he sat down just a few inches from her as to not intimidate the already frightened filly. She was shaking and he fought to not scoop her up and cradle her. He sighed. "I'm not going to hurt you." He laid down and stared at her. "I promise."

She sniffed and stared at him, into his bright blue eyes. She seemed to search them for a bit before slowly moving closer to him, sliding towards him while on her stomach.

He gave her a kind smile. "It's alright Star."

"H...How do you know my name?" She looked surprised.

"I know a bit about you." Still he smiled as he watched her. "You're a very pretty filly." Gently, he reached out and touched her head, he saw her left wing twitch and he moved even slower to reassure her. "It's alright." He leaned forward and gave her a gentle nuzzle, the first bit of affection she would ever feel from anyone at this age. "I'm sorry you're living like this Star. But one day... one day it's all going to be better. One day, you'll get to go out and see the stars yourself."

"How do you know that?" She asked with a tone of awe as she stared up at him.

"We're going to go together. You 'n me."

"A...are you... my prince?" She asked meekly as a blush colored her cheeks.

Why is she this adorable? She's going to give me a heart attack... both of them. He smiled a bit and hid the chuckle with a soft cough. "Maybe. But know this Star... you are brilliant. The most brilliant Star I have ever seen and I mean it from the bottom of my hearts." He couldn't help but nuzzle her again, he had to give her some sort of hope for her future, he was already risking a lot by being here with her face to face in her timeline. He wondered if she would remember this at all. "You're going to be the most beautiful mare anypony will ever lay eyes on, and you're going to be free." He wondered why he told her that. True he found her attractive before, but he never thought twice about acting upon it, not with his hearts still broken over Rose. And of course the tiny little fact that he wasn't actually a pony at all...

Apparently she had gotten comfortable enough with him, because no sooner that he had been lost in thought, did he feel her move to him, where she settled herself under his chin, curled up as if to sleep. He gave a weak smile. Far bolder as a child. He left that thought in the back of his mind as he nuzzled her a third time. "It's going to take time, but you will survive this."

She looked up at him. "How do you know?"

He gave her a charming smile, one that reached his eyes and made them sparkle. "Well that's cause you 'n me, we're gonna dance with the stars one day."

She smiled at that as she settled sleepily into his warmth.

"Rest, you've got a lot ahead of you, but it's going to be worth it in the end. I promise." He watched as she fell asleep, nestled into him. When some time passed, he slowly pulled away and brought some of her pillows and covers over to her. He couldn't help but watch her a bit before climbing out of the window. As he walked off, back to the TARDIS, he realized just what all of this could mean to Star, did she ever find out that she had been switched at birth or did she go through all this time thinking these ponies were her parents. He frowned as he finally reached the TARDIS and sent it flying back to space. He glanced to the tests to see they were still taking place before going to check on her once more. But when he found her his hearts sank once more.

She was in a corner shaking.

He rushed to her side. "Star!"

She didn't look at him, her eyes were glazed over.

He grabbed at her face and made her look at him before shaking her. "Star, snap out of it."

She blinked a few times and looked at him. "Why? Why would you come here?" Her voice was weak and trembling.

He leaned back from her a bit in surprise. "Star... did you... follow me out?"

She shuddered. "When you took too long I went outside to see if I could spot you. When I came out... you were following..."

He winced and looked at her. "I'm sorry... I am so so sorry. But I needed to know. Oh Star why didn't you tell me?" He asked her softly as he forced her to turn to him.

"You know what I'm running from now, so why even ask me that?"

He shook her a little. "What they did to you isn't acceptable by any means, do you understand that? How am I going to protect you from anypony hurting you like that again if you don't tell me what you're hurting from?"

She cried then and buried her face into her hooves.

"Oh oh Star no, please. Please I didn't... I didn't mean..." He bit down on his bottom lip and turned her to him again, pulling her hooves away. He stared into her eyes. "Star, I promise you, right here, right now, nopony will ever, I repeat, ever, hurt you like that again." He couldn't help the emotions as he leaned close. "I promised you the stars, and I'm gonna give you each and every one. I meant it when I said you were the most brilliant Star I had ever seen." He whispered against her neck as he nuzzled her.

Her lips parted as her eyes widened, recognition dawned on her. "All this time... I thought it was a dream..." She teared again.

"Mm?" He leaned back to look at her. "A dream?"

"The night I got my cutie marks... they... beat me... and I had a dream." She paused, "at least I thought it was a dream. It was of a brown earth pony and he told me we would dance with the stars someday." She looked at him. "All those years ago and it was you... You that I dreamed of and held hope for."

He gave her a goofy grin. "Good to know I left an impression."

She frowned and pushed him back.

"Oof!" He fell onto his back and looked up at her. He still kept the grin.

She pouted and turned away from him.

"Oi, Star, don't act like that. I wouldn't have had to do it if you had been honest."

She looked at him. "But if I had been honest, you would have never came to give me hope... now would you have?"

He smiled. "Heeeyy now." He sounded pretty impressed. "That's right. I suppose it had to happen this way." He grinned. "Keep the continuity going and all."

She rolled her eyes and stood up, leaving him sitting on the ground. "I'm getting back into bed..." She mumbled as she brought herself back to it.

He watched her as she settled. "Everything's going to be alright." He tried to reassure her.

She heaved a soft sigh. "You keep saying that."

"It's true. It always seems bad before it gets better."

She looked over at him and watched as he stood and went to her side.

He pulled the covers up to her. "Your wings too. They're being slow, but they're gonna get better." He leaned closer to her.

Her cheeks colored at the sudden lack of personal space.

"Rest well, you're safe now. And if anypony tries to get to you they have to go through me." He gave her a cheeky grin.

She pressed her hoof against his muzzle and pushed his face back before rolling to her side. She grabbed the pillow and pulled it over her head to hide how red her face had gotten.

He chuckled and trotted out of the room, feeling just a little bit lighter.