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2. The Pegasi Take Canterlot - Arrival

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The Pegasi Take Canterlot


by Alkonium






Arrival


Letting off a couple of coughs, the Doctor stumbled out of the TARDIS and into a grassy field on the outskirts of Canterlot on a clear night.

"Good.  I made it out in one piece.  Wings are gone, but I'm definitely not bleeding.  I must have regenerated.  Now, let's see. Maya blue coat, periwinkle mane, looks like a steak of blue in there too, horn. Yes! I'm a unicorn again."  The Doctor surmised, adding "Wait, something's wrong with my voice. Tell me I didn't regenerate into a colt. No, I can't be a colt, I'm too tall, which means ..." The Doctor started to form a theory, confirming it with a shuffle of the hind legs. "I'm a mare? Yes! I'm a mare! This is new, and exciting. I've never been a mare before.”

"Are you alright, miss?" The Doctor heard, and turned around to see a bearded unicorn stallion dressed in flowing blue robes behind her.

The Doctor paused a moment, not being used to being referred to as 'miss'. “Yes, just give me a minute. Or two. Or fifteen hours." She answered.  Then, realizing she didn't know who the stallion was, she asked, "Who are you?”

“I am Star Swirl the Bearded. And who exactly are you?” The stallion introduced himself.  The Doctor's ears perked up almost immediately at the name.

Excitedly, the Doctor answered, “I'm the Doctor, but that's not important right now. You're Star Swirl the Bearded! I love your work, huge fan.”

“Oh great.  She’s one of them.” Star Swirl muttered sarcastically.  Out of concern for the strange mare, he then asked, “What happened to you?”

Having trouble coming up with a believable explanation, the Doctor simply said, “It’s a long story.”

Pointing to the TARDIS, Star Swirl asked, “Did you teleport all that with you?”

Blinking, and then quickly looking back at it, the Doctor answered, “I suppose I did.” with a slight shrug.

"I think I should take you to get your horn checked out, Doctor." Star Swirl responded, extending a hoof for the Doctor to take.

"It's nothing, really. I'm fine." The Doctor tried to assure the stallion.

"You were on the privy, and you teleported the whole thing with you.  That's a serious malfunction." Star Swirl pointed out.

"That's not what ..." The Doctor put a hoof to her face in response to Star Swirl's allegation.

"What if I told you it's been a while since I had a horn, and I'm breaking this one in?" She then suggested.  The more the Doctor said, the less sense she made to the other unicorn.

"It's a new horn?  What are you talking about?" Star Swirl inquired.

"Well, I had a horn, and then I lost it, and now I've got a new one.  I'm pretty sure that's easy to understand." The Doctor clarified.

"Ponies can't do that, so either you're delusional, or you're telling the truth, and ponies in my field could learn a lot from you.  Either way, I'm definitely taking you to the hospital now, Doctor." Star Swirl insisted, grabbing the Doctor by the hoof and dragging her back into Canterlot.

Upon arriving at the city gates, something seemed off to the Doctor, and she knew what Canterlot was supposed to look like, given the time period.  She certainly didn't remember there being so many statues everywhere.  Whatever was going on, she wouldn't be able to get to bottom of it if a bunch of unicorns were dissecting her.

"How about this? You're on good terms with the Princesses, right? So am I! Take me to see them; they'll vouch for me!" The Doctor suggested.

"Fine.  I really don't see the harm in it." Star Swirl conceded.  "I'm still not letting you out of my sight, Doctor." He then let go of the Doctor's hoof, and led her in the direction of the palace.

On the way there, the Doctor asked, "Have there always been all these statues in Canterlot?"

Thinking about it, Star Swirl answered, "I hadn't really thought about it.  They've just started showing up.  I don't know who's been making them, or putting them there."

"I see." The Doctor noted.  She still didn't know what was going on with the statues, but she was determined to get to the bottom of it sooner or later.

"Here we are, Doctor." Star Swirl announced, proceeding up the steps to the main doors.

"State your business, Star Swirl." The door guards demanded.

"My friend and I seek an audience with the princesses." Star Swirl answered.

"I'm sorry, but they are not currently receiving visitors.  Not even those of your standing." The guard responded.

Seeing an opportunity to prove herself, the Doctor cut in, and said, "Then tell them the Doctor is here to see them."

Confused, the guard asked, "Doctor who, exactly?"

"Just the Doctor.  That's all." The Doctor clarified.

Still somewhat confused, the guard answered with a, "Very well." and trotted through the door.

"Do you really need to disturb the princesses for this, Doctor?" Star Swirl asked, starting to get annoyed the mare.

"You threatened to have me dissected!" The Doctor yelled in response.

"At no point did I use the word 'dissect'." Star Swirl pointed out.

"Well, I still don't want ponies studying me.  I'm still getting used to this body as it is." The Doctor reiterated.  At that point, the guard returned from the throne room. "Alright.  The Princesses will see you now." He told them.

The Doctor and Star Swirl trotted in to find two impatient looking princesses waiting for them.

"Well? Where is the Doctor?" Celestia asked. "We were told he was here to see us."

Confused, Star Swirl asked, "He? I found this mare on the outskirts of the city.  She calls herself the Doctor."

Celestia's gaze then turned to the Doctor. "And what do you know of the Doctor?" She asked.

"The Doctor is a 650 year old Time Pony from the planet Gallopfrey, travelling through space and time in a blue box known as the TARDIS." The Doctor answered.

"How do you know of the Doctor?" Luna inquired.

"Like I told Star Swirl, I am the Doctor." She insisted.

"In her defence, I did find her stumbling how of a blue box." Star Swirl commented.

"To be fair, it's a fresh regeneration, and I've got a bit more to get used to than usual." The Doctor added.  Celestia and Luna looked to each other in deliberation, and Celestia said, "We believe you.  Now, what brings you here, Doctor?"

"Star Swirl thought I was some sort of delusional mutant, and decided to take me to get dissected." The Doctor told them.

"I said ponies could learn from her.  I didn't say anything about dissecting her." Star Swirl insisted.

"Well, he'll do no such thing." Luna responded with a slight smile.

"Thank you." The Doctor said with a bow.

"Since you're here, perhaps there is something you could help us with.  There has been a rash of disappearances, and our guards have been unable to find anything." Celestia requested.

"I'd be more than happy to investigate for you, Princess." The Doctor accepted.  "Just one thing.  I shall need access to one of the palace's dressing rooms first."

Confused, Luna asked, "What for?"

"I find a mirror does wonders for getting used to a new body, and I could really use it this time around." The Doctor explained.

"Very well, Doctor.  I trust you'll begin your investigation as soon as possible." Luna conceded.

Stumbling out of a crashed TARDIS, the Doctor arrives in Canterlot over a thousand years in the past, and quickly befriends one of the most famous unicorns of the time. At the same time, the Doctor has to recover from a regeneration, and stave off the Weeping Pegasi.
© 2013 - 2024 Alkonium
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