Rainbowdash cowered and waited for the creature to attack, but instead she heard a voice

"This is emergency program two" the voice belonged to the Doctor; a hologram of him to be accurate, "A dangerous creature has been let inside the TARDIS. You must go to the console room and press a red flashing button."

"What is that thing?" Rainbowdash asked

"An unknown." The hologram said, "You must press the button, and good luck."

The hologram vanished

"Oh, and emergency defenses have been activated, the TARDIS is fixed to this spot until the Doctor gets back and turns them off, You may have a hard time getting around."

Rainbowdash trotted down the corridors of the TARDIS, it was silent and the sound of her own breathing was deafening

The only time she heard a voice was when she started to talk to herself, the Pegasus wondered if she was going mad.

It was an hour at least before she came across a corridor she recognized, she began to trot down that path. It lead directly to the console room, at which she saw the doors open…

The Doctor was walking through the town, looking for Clock Crasher or for the humans. It was silent ever since the Maria attack, not even a whisper.

"Where could they have all gone?" the Doctor thought aloud, "People don't just vanish into thin air."

The familiar screech came from above, the Doctor quickly jumped to the right and avoided a swing from Maria, which shattered a wooden stall that was behind him.

He quickly attempted to grab a piece of the broken stall, which was a sharp stick. Maria lunged and pushed him into the wall, at which he had little opportunity to do much.

Maria let out the pained wail that seemed signature

Then a large rock blindsided her, knocking her across the pathway

The Doctor landed and looked over to who threw it

"Doctor!" Clock Crasher ran up next to him, "What's that thing?"

The Doctor picked up the stick, and assumed a fighting position

"There are corners of the universe that have bred the most terrible things, things that act against everything we believe in. They, must be fought."

Clock Crasher rolled his eyes at the remark, mentioning his past incarnation

The Doctor was ready, but Maria didn't strike, it seemed as if she was listening… Then she turned, and faded into the shadows

"Good thing I caught up with you Doctor" Clock Crasher said

The Doctor looked focused, "The TARDIS, something's wrong."

The Doctor started to run, he ran all the way to the TARDIS. He felt as if something was there, and it was going to get worse if he didn't intervene.

Rainbowdash looked at the figure in the doorway

"Wha-What?"

"Rainbowdash!" the Doctor looked completely surprised to see her, "What are you doing here?"

"That's not it Doctor!" Rainbowdash said, "There was this shadow! And emergency program two! And-"

"Did you say emergency program two?" Clock Crasher asked

"Yeah, the shadow thing."

"Something got inside the TARDIS, I knew I should have locked it!" the Doctor slapped his forehead

"How did you get here anyway?" Clock Crasher asked

"I kind of… stowed away." Rainbowdash looked sheepish

Then there was a clang on the wall, the trio turned and attempted to see in the darkened TARDIS

"Did you hit the button?" The Doctor asked

"No… I wasn't able to yet." Rainbowdash said

The Doctor ran up to the console, examined it and breathed a sigh of relief

"It seems to be intact"

There was a shriek and a shadow jumped out of the darkness, almost landing on Rainbowdash

Once it landed, it took on the shape of a pony, but seemed very liquid and unsure of what it was meant to be shaped like

"Equestria will suffer for this indignity!"

"What?" Rainbowdash asked

"You can talk, good." The Doctor said, "You can talk to me."

"The time of talk is over" the Shadow said, "Now it is the time of action."

"Why does nobody ever listen to me?" the Doctor complained

"Equestria will return to blood and dust and simplicity. The Shadows are coming Doctor, and not even you can stop it."

The Shadow leapt out the door

The Doctor made an explosive sighing sound, meanwhile Clock Crasher hit a button on the console, it was flashing red.

The console lit up, and the Doctor sat down on a plush cream colored chair that was affixed to the metal grating

"I'm sorry about sneaking on to the TARDIS" Rainbowdash apologized, "But I just wanted to see what's out there."

"I have to take you home" the Doctor said, "Your family will be missing you."

"That's just it." Rainbowdash said, "I… don't have a family."

Clock Crasher looked surprised, "You never talked about them."

"Nopony has seen them, except Fluttershy. But that was years ago, and I don't have anyone to go back to."

"Right so!" the Doctor leapt to his feet, "Strange shadows that have a bone to pick with Equestria, what's so important about there?"

"Or" the Doctor shrugged, "We can go and do something else."

Rainbowdash smiled, "So I can come?"

"I don't see any other reason why not." The Doctor sighed, "Fine, but I did warn you."

"To adventure then?" Clock Crasher asked

"Oh yes!" the Doctor smiled brightly, "All of everything. Every bit of existence, every time and place that existed, from the beginning of this universe to the end, where shall we begin?"

"In the TARDIS" Rainbowdash said, "Surprise me."

"You asked for it now Rainbow!" the Doctor ran around, flipping switches, "This is a little surprise, and it'll be quite dangerous and stupid!"

"It is always like that with you?" Rainbowdash asked

"Always has been" Clock Crasher said, "You should see him in the morning."

And with that, the TARDIS was off

NEXT TIME:

"Welcome to the city of the sky!" the Doctor said

"This is just Cloudsdale" Rainbowdash scoffed

"Not your Cloudsdale" the Doctor said, "I picked a random alternate, can't wait to see what we have here!"

"The timelord has found us" a shadowed voice said, her coat covered in spectra, "The Doctor has finally come."