Part 3 in my take on Doctor Whoof: Vale Decem Equis, by Andrew J. Talo. I hope you people like it!

And hopefully, I will write more!

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction, I do not own My Little Pony, Friendship is Magic or Doctor Who.

"Doctor!", said Ditzy approaching the colt on the other table. "Mister Brunswick just told us…"

"Ponies left Equestria!", Dinky Doo quickly completed.

The Doctor heard his Companions' explanations – at least, what he could understand from the filly's speedy phrases cutting in her mother's explanations – and nodded, in understanding.

"Not unlike what I've seen before. Back where I come from, there has been lots of cases where entire populations had to leave planets because of a problem or two", he explained, turning towards the other ponies at the table. "What happened in your case?"

"What? Aren't you supposed to know, being a time-travelling group and all?", asked Phyllisha, suspecting the stranger colt.

"Oh, like we could keep track of everything that ever did and would happen in just one civilization's history!", the Doctor complained. "Let me guess, solar radiation? That would explain the strange readings I've been getting ever since we landed here."

The crew looked at each other and nodded in return. "Gaia had been experiencing a new age of scientific progress and social enlightenment", Captain Minyonette explained. "Then, one thousand years ago, give it or take, ponies started getting sick. They were not isolated cases, all through the planet, creatures big and small showed signs of discomfort, nausea, fever and skin rash. Elite scientists gathered to solve this problem – and they did."

"The Sun, our Sun, started emanating a new form of radiation, dangerous to our health", added Phyllisha. "Medical analysis showed that, without protection or treatment, everyone in the planet would be dead in half a decade. With the aid of planetary satellites, the solar radiation was held back for as long as it could, but conditions would reach lethal levels in fifty years."

"Oh, my!", Carrot Top spoke, in surprise. She wondered how did the Princesses let something like that happen, seeing as they controlled the power of both the Sun and the Moon.

"Luckily, that was more than enough time to build spaceships to take everypony and everybody else out of Gaia and out of our Solar system", added a growling voice, Brunswick annoyingly joining the conversation after being left alone at his table. "We took all those we could, nobody left behind… and I mean it, just imagine the trouble they must have had herding the dragons, though!", he gave a gruff laugh.

The Doctor's interests peaked at the word 'dragons'.

"It's what came to be known as the Great Exile, the departure of ponies from our home planet to form the new Equestrian Colonies", Minyonette said, in a mixed tone.

"And now, you're back here", Ditzy Doo spoke, her leg over her daughter. "Back to Gaia."

"It's our mission", the captain agreed. "The Icarus is the first ship specially fitted to fly close enough to a star and return."

The Time Lord nodded in approval. The level of technology these ponies had achieved was far beyond what he would expect in just half million years. "Stars are not just hot, they are incredibly dense, with a considerable gravity pull of…", the Doctor explained, catching the look on his companions' faces. "Er, the closer you get to a star, the hotter it gets and more difficult it is to get away from it."

"Oh", they answered in understanding.

"Is that why there's only five of you?", asked Carrot Top. "I mean, I counted four ponies and a griffon, and you all don't look like scientists."

"It's like the Captain said, we are here to get new information and leave", Swarty Colton responded, feeling confident to speak up again. "We are the pioneers, the first expedition. Later, using all the gathered data, bigger and better ships will be built."

"Bigger, maybe? Better? Not a chance", said the black coated technician.

"Brunswick was the Chief Designer and Master Builder of the Icarus", Colton explained.

"I'm retiring after this adventure here, Icarus is going to be the last ship I put my hooves on", Brunswick added. "But I am not sad, I did my part, made the best ship there is, and got to fly in it to boot."

The Doctor gave a knowing smile, and saw his friends were also smiling. They could feel the hope and courage in these crew's words, they were flying towards their Sun not only for the achievement of being the first, but to start the efforts of ponies, griffons and everybody else to return to their home planet.

The Doctor could not feel happier for finding such astounding creatures.

"Frankly, this has been quite a fun travel, wasn't it, Miss Doo?", the Doctor said, Ditzy nodding in return, smiling to her daughter. "Captain Minyonette, allow me to congratulate you and your crew on this amazing enterpr…"

The Doctor lurched over, his head hitting the floor, while he groaned loudly.

"Doctor!", yelled Ditzy, reaching the Time Lord quicker than any other pony. "What's wrong?!"

"Ditzy… help… there's…", he said, his eyes closed in pain. "… help… so much pain…"

Ditzy felt the pink hoof of Doctor Phyllisha push her a bit to the side, trying to reach the hurt colt.

"He's heating up fast", Phyllisha quickly assessed, a hoof on the lurched Doctor's forehead, another checking his front leg. "Pulse is erratic, too erratic! Somepony get my tools, I think he's having a cardiac arrest!"

"Two…", was his weak response.

"What?", asked the physician.

"Two… hearts…", the Doctor explained, with a weak smile. Phyllisha took a second before her eyes opened wide.

Using his free leg to pull out his sonic screwdriver, and with some amount of difficulty, the colt buzzed over his own chest and head. "Hearts rate normal, core temperature increasing ten degrees Celsius – hope you guys use Celsius here too – nothing too extreme for my species, can handle it just fine."

The pink pegasus took a slight step back. "Your species… you mean…"

"Not important, right now", he replied.

"Doctor, are you okay?", asked the little filly, full of worry.

"You said you were in pain, Doctor", Ditzy spoke, also worried about him.

"Me? No, not me", he replied, his face showing pain, but a lot of resolve. "Psychic feedback, like a flashback of a dejà vu - I picked the echo of somepony else's pain. No!", the Doctor spun around, a bit more worried. "Some one!"

The colt, who was on the floor a moment ago, writhing in pain, shot out of the cafeteria, running so fast that it took a moment to the rest of the ponies on the room to register.

The captain was the first one to speed up after him, Phyllisha flying after.

"Is it… that radiation thing?", asked Carrot Top, who was helping Ditzy up.

"No, our shields are still fully effective, must be something else… who is that colt, anyway?", asked the light blue unicorn.

"He's… complicated", Ditzy admitted, with half a smile.

To be continued…