Clockwork... was a Time Pony. It was the easiest thing for the God to turn himself into.
Like Thestrals, and Vulponies, Time Ponies had longevity... but unlike them, they had near immortality, able to heal from near any wound. They could still get injured, and even die, but like the Phoenix they would rise again.
Unlike the Phoenix, it was possible for them to die permanently, if they are killed during "Regeneration", they die forever... that must be how the god planned to die.
Even with most of his power locked away, he must not have been able to get rid of it all. So he was now a Time Pony.
He would die one day... but it could very well be thousands of years from now... Celestia would be with him... for perhaps even millions of years... she wouldn't lose this child for a very long time...
Celestia... could afford to truly love this child. The Doctor had given her such a gift.
• One Week After Clockwork Learned About Luna .
"I won't tell Discorded Whooves," was the first thing out of her mouth, as she entered the throne room. Minuette stood tall, though her expression was one of worry. "But I would like to know... how did it happen?"
Celestia eyed the Time Pony Mare, getting an idea of what she suspected. Looking at her guards, she gently shooed them off... their role was more to keep her company, then truly guard her. So they were used to leaving the Princess side, when she wanted to talk privately with a guest.
Once the guards were gone, Celestia turned to the blue mare, "I take it, you discovered something interesting?" the Living planet asked her fellow "immortal"... at least, as far as ponies were concerned. Such a long lifespan, was hard to comprehend for such short lived creatures, as ponies. Who lived a mere 500 plus Cycles.
Minuette gave a sigh. Celestia had hired her, to be one of her wards Tutors... to teach him his time pony magicks, given the colt was mostly self taught, and never had a chance to go to Time Pony Secondary School.
Minutte had just finished her physical of the tot, to make sure his magic wasn't too wild from never having a proper education... and found... "The tot's Chakra Signature, is a perfect match for The Doctor... yet he is mortal. I would accuse you of shackling a god, like you did Discord. If you weren't between bearers of Harmony, at the moment."
True, there had been other bearers of Harmony, since the royal sisters, but this generation had yet to find anyone worthy.
The jewels, inevitably, stopped working after a while. As whatever Harmony was looking for, in the bearers of the elements, failed to make itself known. It had even happened to Celestia and her sister.
They maintained the gifts of Harmony, the magics that it granted, but the jewels no longer recognized any of them as worthy.
Celestia had been the bearer of Kindness, Laughter, and Friendship. While her Sister, Luna, had been Knight Elemental Generosity, Loyalty, and Honesty.
The powerful magical artifacts, permanently, grafting powers they still held, to this day. As they had with all Champions, whom proved themselves worthy.
The Sun Princess had visions of the fillies that would one day do so... but it be centuries more before they were even born.
Celestia sighed, before telling the Time Pony Mare of her last encounter with the Doctor... of the Stallions request.
Minuette looked horrified, "You allowed the Doctor to give himself a death sentence!!!"
"The Doctor is millions of billions of years old," Celestia reminded. "He's old enough to have seen the universe itself die, and restart, do you really intend to make him live to see that again?"
Minuette groaned, "So... this is how the Doctor intends to escape the fates... I will honor his wishes... and the universe will be lesser for it."
"Minuette," Celestia worried.
"I mean what I said," Minuette insisted. "I will honor the Doctor's wishes... doesn't mean I have to like it."
• Some Hours Later .
Minuette walked back to the Colt, seeing her god stand before her... with all that made him a god, locked away... it was hard to see. But the boy acted like any other foal his age. A colt, on the Cuff of Stallion-hood.
Even if he was a bit more flirty then most Time Pony apprentices. A very unwanted display, from her new apprentice.
"You will stop that immediately," Minuette spoke sternly.
That caused Clockwork to flinch, and look down. Looking every bit the rejected stallion.
Minuette decided to soften the blow. "With no exaggeration. I'm roughly 10 thousand years your Senior. You're barely out of training pants, to me. Besides, I am your mentor, any relationship, outside a Teacher/Student to Parental one, is highly inappropriate."
The Doctor, with the mind of a colt, pouted. "I'm 19, practically an adult!"
"An Adult? You've got over a decade, before your legal privileges become rights," Minuette chastised. "And just because your allowed to have sex, doesn't mean you should flirt with everything that moves."
Clockwork blushed, running his hoof in a circle on the Floor. Not used to getting scolded, not after so long.
Celestia didn't scold, she didn't speak sternly... she kinda just stared, and the young Stallion felt sufficiently chastised.
Although Minuette did have a point. He really shouldn't be flirting with his Mentor... even if he did have a fantasy about the strict professor, educating him about sex.
Minuette began the start of her first lecture. As little Clockwork sat at a desk, eagerly listening... wanting to know more about his ponies. It was refreshing.
Most students she taught... were more eager about learning how to use their powers, then the history behind them. Then again, they weren't as old as this colt... nor as ignorant.
Young Clockwork was at University Age. He should actually be 3 years into university. He should be well finished with secondary school, where the tribes learn to control their racial magicks. As well as the history and culture of their ponies.
The Doctor had kept his mortal self completely ignorant of Time Ponies. He knew enough to understand he was a subpony, and had memories of reading books on his creatures... but only as far as Pony knowledge was concerned... he likely wanted to be kept away from the Time Ponies... as she could easily imagine their government trying to use this shackled god...
So Minuette swore, on the magic surrounding her very soul... she would help hide this boy, while teaching him all he needed to know of the world.
• Some time into Minuette's lecture .
"Time Lords are the Celestial gods over Time and Space," Minuette explained. "But like most species of Celestial, they were once mortal. In the universe before our own, Time Lords were the keepers of knowledge and wisdom.
"They were the first species to evolve, and the first to achieve 'Regeneration energy'. Which is a field of magic, used to restructure the body, after death. We use it a bit differently.
"Due to our regeneration energy, blending with Pony Harmony magicks, and our direct ancestry with the Doctor, himself, we can wield it more like magic. Using it to bend time and space, in numerous ways, well also seeing into time, and healing ourselves, or others.
"However, our bodies don't change, like the Time Lords did, when we heal. And while our Regeneration Energy will replenish itself, over the course of an hour, depleting it can kill us, permanently.
"It is our life force, directly connected to our magick. Much like a Changeling's love reserves."
The colt eeped, "Changelings are REAL!!!"
Minuette sighed, "That's a different lesson, let's focus on Regeneration Energy." she tapped the Colt's text book.
The Colt gave a hesitant nod, and listened to the lecture about how their magic worked, for near an hour.
He learned that Time Ponies could only survive death, if they have enough regeneration energy to sustain them. Which meant, in a fight, they had to be careful how much of their racial magicks they used.
For this reason, Time Ponies weren't suited for combat. They were more scholars and inventors, with their magicks over time and space, actually helping them in that.
Like Unicorns, they could levitate things. With their regeneration energy normally replenishing itself, as quickly as it was used, for that particular power... unless they tried lifting more then they could physically carry.
Their psychic powers, such as mind reading and seeing the future, was only a minor drain. Unless they met resistance, or wanted to see in greater detail.
Teleporting took a good amount of energy, but not as much as healing wounds. While being restored from fatal injuries, took the most... and could be destructive to what was around them.
Unlike other races, while magical exhaustion merely caused them to pass out... it would likely kill Time Ponies. In fact, when Tirek invaded Equestria, over 900 years ago... many of the time ponies, whose magic he consumed, died quite violent deaths.
Time Ponies had to be particularly worried, about magic absorption.
Clockwork was already hooked, when they moved into practical work.
• A few Moons Later.
It was Subpony Pride Day, with ponies of all kinds, celebrating in the streets.
Dignitaries from most of the Subponies, at least the ones that counted themselves citizens of Equestria, were wandering Canterlot.
This was hardly a new holiday. With the festival being an annual event for the past 300 years, but it was Clockwork's first time attending the formal dinner.
The Festival was started, as Celestia's attempt to raise awareness of the various other pony tribes, and their cultures. While it is true, she, herself, once looked down on the subpony races, she had been attempting to make up for her willful ignorance, from her youth.
Giving them each a voice on the City's Board of Governesses, as well as the very Senate of the Country.
The celebration mostly included the Subponies running games, and telling stories from their tribes. So more mundane ponies were learning, as they had fun with the more unique pony races.
At the end of the day, Celestia had a feast with the Various Subpony leaders. Where dozens of creatures all distantly descended from the three pony tribes, ate and chatted around a table.
Celestia had recognized, as a result of how well Clockwork was doing in his etiquette lessons, the colt could now start attending the formal dinners, and be presented to the world as a young Prince... but she was now regretting that decision.
As Clockwork was shamelessly flirting with the Hippogriff Dignitary's daughter. Who seemed to appreciate the advances, much to her mother's chagrin.
"You're highness," spoke a grey Pegasus. Subsequently, getting not only Celestia's attention, but Clockwork's... if only for the sheer force of his disrespectful tone.
The older Stallion had a black mane, and blue eyes. His dark colors would make him easily mistakable for a Thestral. However, he had clear feathers on his long wings. Yet his face, and even his hourglass cutie mark, were near identical to Clockwork's.
Clockwork had been eager to speak with the leader of the Time Ponies... but found the Stallion lacking. If the Colt didn't already know Minuette, he'd have gotten a poor impression of his Subponies.
The grey Stallion, held up his muzzle, in a clear attempt to look down at the far taller Princess. "Why was the Republic of Gallopfrey, not immediately informed, the moment this child lost his parents? It is our responsibility to care for him. The treaties, you yourself signed, specifically state as much."
Celestia frowned, it was subtle, others may have mistaken it for a neutral expression, but Clockwork knew his adoptive mother well enough. He could tell when she was frowning.
"Clockwork is a descendant of one of my past consorts. As a result, I am under no obligation to turn him over to any Subpony tribe. There is a clause for that, in regards to all descendants of Alicorns."
The treaties only included such, for Luna's sake. Given her younger sister had a habit of taking Thestrals as Consorts. But they were written in such a manner, that any Alicorn could lay claim to their Subpony Descendants.
The Lord President, of Gallopfrey, scoffed. It was strange, seeing a Stallion in so high a position as "Lord President", but he seemed to hold himself with more aggression then most males.
The Gray stallion, with an identical, if somewhat older, face to Clockwork, sneered. "I see now where your technological boom is coming from. You managed to find a loophole, forbidding the trading of Time Pony technologies. Using one of our colt's superior intellects, to manufacture such marvels for you."
"Hey!" Clockwork glared, "Mom didn't even WANT me to get involved with that!"
"Tsk!" The grey stallion held up his nose, "At the very least you could have taught him some manners. Regardless, I must insist, he be sent back to Gallopfrey. It is the best place for him to learn of his ancestry, and abilities."
"No," Celestia smiled, a false smile. "I believe that would go against the trading treaties as well. As Clockwork would no doubt desire to bring back the technologies you forbid us access to."
The Lord President... now looked very, VERY, angry.
Clockwork decided to play the part of a helpless colt. With Crocodile tears, which threatened to turn real when he gave his manipulation some thought, Clockwork asked, "I already lost one mother, would you really force me from another?"
The Lord President flinched back, as if just now realizing that's what he was insisting on. The other Subponies, at the table, looked at the grey Stallion in disgust.
"Lord President Discorded Whooves," The Kirin Matriarch got his attention. "I think we can agree, although it is a less then pleasing thought, that a child be kept from their heritage. You're own refusal to share your inventions is the cause.
"As a Prince of Equestria, young Clockwork has obligations to the crown. It is best not to expect him to uphold the additional obligations, of the Time Pony's isolationist ways. As they conflict with each other.
The Zebra ambassador reasoned, "The boy could not be in better care, pampered here in the Royal Palace. Do you really intend to force the issue, just for him to wind up in an Orphanage within your Empire."
The Lord President, Discorded Whooves, flushed in embarrassment, obviously wondering how he could get himself out of this.
But with the grace, of 800 years of ruling on her own, Celestia calmed the other leaders, and moved the conversation on to more pleasant matters.