Chapter 2
Questionable Authority
Gaia; Equestria; Canterlot; Canterlot Castle, Royal Guard's Holding Cells; =Date Unknown or Erased from Record=
Twilight shot a blast of red light at the stone walls, but it bounced off and shot around the room a few times before dissolving in the air.
Twilight groaned, "This is not how I was planning in spending my time this afternoon."
She turned around and she saw the Doctor staring intently at a spot in the rock formation.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
He told her to shush, "I'm listening."
"She want's to see them both."
"Really? Now? We have to set the guard schedules for the celebration, immediately."
"No, she ordered us, so no questions asked, okay."
"Alright. But if you ask me, she's been too paranoid and demanding lately."
"Just do your job. Now, come on, let's get them out."
A few seconds later, the two guards opened a door in the cell and stepped in.
The captain addressed the time travelers, "You will come with me, now. If you step out of line, you will be detained immediately. If you resist, you will be detained immediately. If you try to escape, you-"
"Will be detained immediately, we get it," Twilight finished.
The guard gave her a piercing glare that gave Twilight a chill.
"Now, come."
The Doctor exited first and Twilight followed. They were met by a small escort of about eight guards, four for each of them.
"What a unique system," the Doctor mused.
On their way to wherever they were being led, the Doctor asked, "Pardon my intrusion, but what's the date?"
The captain responded, "The year 297 in the reign of Celestia."
"Oh. Interesting."
Twilight overheard this and thought, 297. I know there's something important, but where have I heard that before?
Gaia; Equestria; Canterlot; Canterlot Castle, Celestia's Chamber; 297 C.E.
The doors opened and the small group entered the room.
The Doctor marveled at the decoration, "Superb, I love what you've done with the curtains."
"Silence, Doctor." Celestia stepped towards them slowly.
Twilight was prepared to greet the Princess, but thought twice. The Doctor said that they had traveled in time, right. So that meant that Celestia wouldn't know her. Twilight just stood there as Celestia approached the Doctor.
"Now, I wish to know what you two are doing in my castle, Doctor."
"Ah, yes. Well," he started his explanation, "you see, my TARDIS ended up here because of a slight malfunction. I think. Still, my colleague and I-"
"I'm not your colleague," Twilight corrected.
"Alright, my non-colleague and I accidentally landed here, but we'll be going as soon as possible if need be."
Twilight noticed a slight glint in Celestia's eyes, kind of like a mirror.
"I'm sorry," Celestia apologized, and Twilight thought that she was overdoing it a little, "I'm just very anxious about the Sun Celebration. I haven't felt like myself lately."
The Doctor understood, "That's perfectly logical, Princess..."
"Celestia."
"Princess Celestia," the Doctor finished.
"Listen, I'm quite sorry for the inconvenience. Please, let me allow you some rooms as an apology for my misunderstanding."
"We'd be delighted."
Twilight rolled her eyes. This crazy stallion wasn't getting her home anytime soon.
Celestia addressed the guards, "Please bring the Doctor and Twilight to the west corner suites."
The small party turned around and headed outward, but not before Twilight thought that she heard muffled cries coming from the far corner of the room.
Gaia; Equestria; Canterlot; Canterlot Castle, West Corner Suites; 297 C.E.
It wasn't until they reached the rooms and settled in, that Twilight noticed something.
Celestia knew her name.
Twilight tried thinking back to a moment that she may have given it, but thought of no such instance.
How does she know who I am? she thought.
Luckily, their rooms were right across from each other, so Twilight knocked on the Doctor's door, ran in and said, "She knows me."
The Doctor was holding a small metal cylinder, with a blue light on the tip, in his mouth, and was pointing it at the walls. He moved it around the room a bit before placing it back in the pocket of the new suit that he was wearing. It was a dark grey, pinstripe jacket with matching pants, a white, collared undershirt, and a dark blue tie.
"Sonic screwdriver," the Doctor answered her confused stare, "I was checking to see if anyone was spying on us."
"Anypony," Twilight corrected.
"What?"
"You said anybody not anypony."
The Doctor was deep in thought for a moment, but he quickly understood, "Ah-ha, I get it, you being ponies and all."
"Yes, but answer my first question: Celestia knows me."
"I know," he said.
"Then, why didn't you say anything? Was it going to destroy the universe or something?"
"No."
"Then why didn't you say anything?!"
"Because," the Doctor said in a prideful tone, "Whoofever that was would have known we were on to her."
"Wait, did you just say 'whoofever?'"
"Yes."
"We don't talk like that."
"But you just told me to say anypony-"
"Because it makes sense," Twilight concluded. "Sheesh, where are you from anyway?"
"Gallifrey."
Twilight ignored his answer. She headed out the doors, but the Doctor stopped her before she entered her room.
"How do you feel about an investigation?"
Twilight saw where this was going and grinned, "Let me think about it."
Gaia; Equestria; Canterlot; Canterlot Castle, Celestia's Chambers; 297 C.E.
The false Celestia realized her slip immediately after the words left her mouth, but she continued like nothing had been wrong.
"Damn, my mouth!" she silently fumed.
She went over to the mirror and raised the sheet, revealing the real and utterly exhausted Princess Celestia.
"Oh, are you giving up?" the impostor asked in false concern.
"I have not yet given up. I have simply resorted to patience."
"How sweet. Now, tell me what spell I must use."
Celestia just turned her head away.
"Your sticking with the 'iron resolve' tactic, eh? Well, I have ways of making you talk."
Suddenly, Celestia began to scream in agony. It felt as though every bone in her body was breaking ever so slowly.
"Fine!" she screamed, "Fine!"
The false Celestia smiled wickedly, "Now tell me, my dear. How do I control the sun?"