Chapter 4

The Doctor went up to the rubble of the castle, stepping over the barriers preventing him from entering. The castle was in quite a sorry state, it wasn't even a castle anymore, just a pile of rocks and dust

Now the Doctor distinctly remembered a secret chamber behind the throne, it was built deep under the mountain and was where he first faced off with the Univore

As he searched he found a small hatch, hidden behind a throne nobody dare move

The spiral staircase seemed old even now, and as the Doctor descended he knew to be quiet, lest anyone on top hear him

The lights were freshly lit, and it seemed as if he was being watched, which he put down to being watched

Before he reached the bottom he stopped to listen in

"I told you I think I heard somepony!" a young voice said, Luna

"It's fine Luna" a more mature but higher pitched voice said, "We're safe down here."

"You really think so?" Luna asked

"Of course we are, nopony would think to look here." Celestia soothed

"Okay, if you say so." Luna conceded

StarSwirl cooed

The Doctor winced as everything at attention was now fixed on the stairwell, he had forgotten about the foal he had been carrying on his wing

"Sorry about that" the Doctor poked his head around the corner, "It appears as if StarSwirl isn't very comfortable down here, how are you?"

"Who are you?" Celestia asked, her mane hadn't the rainbow tone it had before, and was now pink

Luna was smaller as well, neither of their manes were flowing and instead simple

"I'm the Doctor" he answered, "And it appears you have a chaotic god infestation."

"Doctor who?" Luna asked

"Just the Doctor, anyway about that Discord fellow." The Doctor pulled a chair over and let StarSwirl on his head, "He's made a mess of things hasn't he?"

"What do you mean?" Celestia asked suspicious

"Well with the total chaos going on up top, I figured I might help." The Doctor explained, "How long has it been?"

"We've been down here for about a year" Luna admitted

"Then I'm late" the Doctor said simply, "You need something to combat Discord's chaotic abilities, any plans already in progress?"

He let himself to the papers it seemed Luna and Celestia had been working on

"No, No, That would never work, No…" the Doctor threw plan after plan behind him, "Yes!"

"What plan have you deemed worthy?" Celestia asked, unamused

"This one!" the Doctor turned the paper so they could see it, "Its special artifacts that allow you to utilize the opposite of chaos within yourself, Harmony!"

"Luna came up with that one" Celestia admitted, "It took her a few days to work out the details."

"Ah but what material should they be made out of?" the Doctor mused, "It would have to be durable, reliable and receptive…"

"We've found gems that react in certain ways to those harmonious feelings within oneself" Luna sounded all business now, "But for the metal we haven't worked that out."

The Doctor grinned, "Oh I know exactly what material to use, give me a bit."

[…]

StarSwirl had been left with Celestia and Luna, while the Doctor trotted back through Canterlot, or whatever Discord renamed it

He entered the TARDIS, and quickly set about gathering metal from various planets. All of this had to be specific, as all of this metal was specially chosen for the elements

As he carried it back to the castle he was almost caught in a hail storm of ice cream, and nearly creamed by a giant rolling ball of cream

"This Discord fellow, sure likes his desserts." The Doctor smiled a bit

[…]

Once he had gotten the metal into the right place he had to forge it into the shape, they used a mold to keep every element necklace in place, although he had chosen a tiara for the sixth element

"Why a tiara, why not another necklace?" Luna asked

"It's the only compatible shape for this specific metal" the Doctor fibbed

At last the crystals and necklaces had been finished, all of the elements of harmony had been successfully forged

"I hope this was worth the trouble" Celestia said, worried

"We'll need six ponies who have the harmony between them strongest." The Doctor mused, "Or some ponies that can wear two necklaces together."

It was decided that Luna would wear laughter and kindness, Celestia got honesty and generosity, the Doctor was offered the last two

"Are you sure?" the Doctor asked, "I'm not sure if it'll work."

"We had special crystals placed in your foal when you were gone" Luna smiled, "Only those two reacted to you."

The Doctor equipped Laughter and the Sixth Element

"Now comes the final part" the Doctor looked at the both of them, "We have to confront Discord and put a stop to him."

"Can we do this?" Luna sounded more than a bit nervous

"We have to" Celestia asserted, "We're more prepared now than we ever will be."

"Well said" the Doctor looked at the stairs, "And I know how to get Discord over here."

[…]

The Doctor was standing in an alleyway, Luna and Celestia were across the street from him

The plan was simple, Discord liked chaos so how to get him over here? Well you'd disrupt your harmonious abilities if you caused chaos, so they had to get him to try and make more chaos

Therefore there had to be an open spot

It quickly became a cleanup of royal guards and the two alicorns, the Doctor stood back and watched as Discord appeared with an annoyed look

"You two again?" he saw the Doctor and the necklaces, "Oh what now? Are you going to stop me with the power of jewelry?"

"Discord, I present you with a choice" the Doctor kept an even tone, "Restore Equestria, and leave peacefully, I can find you a new planet to use chaotically."

"And what if I like it here?"

"Then I'm going to have to stop you" the Doctor signaled Luna and Celestia, "I'm the Doctor."

"The Doctor?" if Discord was alarmed he didn't show it, "A wonderful name, makes you want to ask questions."

Discord then sipped some root beer from a carrot

"You had your warning" the Doctor flicked out his wings, "And I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. But you wrought this on yourself."

The elements began to glow, as the Doctor felt a rush of power surge through him, and then he felt Discord's resistance of chaos, fighting off the harmony

It wasn't strong enough, the Doctor still had ill feelings towards Celestia, leaving the elements weakened

He knew that even though Celestia was the cause of quite a bit of trouble she still did what she thought was right for her subjects, and for that he couldn't hold that grudge any longer

It was as if a mental dam had burst forth, and the elements shot a rainbow right at Discord as he yawned

Discord didn't feel the effects at first but they were evident, he was now a statue, and Equestria was back to normal

Celestia and Luna rushed over to the castle to see their parents

[…]

The Doctor got there to see a panicking pair of princesses, and they both looked at the Doctor

"Discord's magic didn't kill your parents, the building collapse did" the Doctor looked at them both, "I truly am so sorry, there's nothing I can do."

He turned over the elements and right before he left he handed Celestia a little foal

"Take care of StarSwirl, teach him magic or something." He had said, "I know you're a capable teacher."

"How old are you?" Celestia asked

"I'm 1,846" the Doctor answered, "It's been quite a few birthdays since I saw my friends."

He had caught what he was saying, those versions of the ponies were dead, died because of the Univore. He was alone now

[…]

The Doctor was getting ready to exit on the TARDIS but Luna had caught up to him

"Here Doctor, we gift you with this." Luna floated him a necklace

It was sort of an element of his own, a crystal hourglass in some spare metal, the Doctor was astonished

"What element is this one?" the Doctor asked

"We don't know, but it's only ever reacted to you." Luna smiled, "It's the least we can do to say thank you."

"Aw, you don't have to say thank you" the Doctor said, "I defend this place a lot, it's just how things end up."

The Doctor and Luna exchanged a hug and then he was off, bearing his new necklace

[…]

He had gotten it wrong, it wasn't Discord's reign that it happened, so when did the Earth burn?

There were no answers to the many questions the Doctor had

What now?

Where to next?

Who will he meet?

And lastly, what does the Shadow have to do with all this?