Celestia's sun was high in the sky as Nexus sat alone in the Canterlot Archives surrounded by mountains of reference books. It was clear that Chrysalis wasn't behind this, clearly. She wouldn't have gone with a full assault unless she'd been discovered. And since Orion can feel Chrysalis from a mile away (literally), that wasn't what happened. The answer had to lie in the symbol on the piece of metal. It was unlike anything Nexus had ever seen before. He ran through books like they were going out of style searching for the symbol.

He'd almost gone through half of the Archives at this point and found nothing. Nexus slammed the book he had finished going through and threw it across the room in frustration.

"God Damn it!" Nexus shouted. "There has to be something somewhere that has this fucking mark!"

"Lunarus!" A mare gasped.

Nexus turned quickly and saw his mother standing in the open door of the archives. She glared at him with disgust. But that's not what caught his attention. She was holding a plate of still steaming chocolate chip cookies in her magical grasp. He was amazed he didn't smell her coming a mile away.

"Ma? What are you doing here? More importantly, how'd you even get in here?" Nexus asked trying not to let his sweet tooth control his eyes.

"I heard you were going back into the library, so I was bringing you something to eat."

"Was?"

"You may be all grown up, but that doesn't mean you can curse in front of me."

"In my defense, I didn’t know you were there. So can I still have one?"

"I brought you the whole plate for a reason son."

"Thanks, but I only need one. You can take the rest up to Dust if you want. I'm sure she's got a hankering for some sugar right about now."

"I heard. Congratulations by the way."

"Okay, does Storm Cloud have to ruin the surprise for everypony?"

"And you can take them up there yourself when you're done down here Lunarus. No way I'm taking those stairs again."

"You know I don't like when you call me that Ma."

"Princess Luna calls you that all the time."

"That's because it's proper. You on the other hoof are my mother so you don't really have to. Just call me Lunar."

"And yet only Dust Strom calls you Lunar."

"Considering everyone else calls me Nexus anyways it doesn't matter. Anything else you need before you go?"

"Why are you in such a rush to get rid of me?"

"I just need to get back to work ASAP. I have to look through militia factions next and they have a strangely large section on their own. I can't tell you much more than that Ma. I love you, but I need to get to work."

"Alright." she said setting the plate of chocolate chip cookies on the table next to him and kissing him on the cheek. "You be good son. I don't want to hear you curse again."

"No promises."

"Bye."

"See-ya."

Nexus sat back with a sigh and levitated a cookie from the plate. Before he could take a bite though, a sound he'd never heard caught his attention. Without dropping the cookie, he started towards the sound in the back corner of the archives. It was similar to the sound of a crank engine trying to start without batteries. It started getting louder as he approached. The sound stopped as suddenly as it started and he heard a door open.

"Alright," a stallion with a Baltimare accent said. "Let's finish this game."

Nexus started moving slowly towards the corner covered by a book shelf. Nexus wasn't sure what he was about to see, but he was sure he wouldn't like it. Fortunately it was just confusing. As he peaked around, he saw Discord sitting at a table opposite a light brown earth pony with a blown back brown mane and blue eyes. He wore a dress collar with a tie. His cutie mark was an hourglass. He also had some kind of pen with a blue light on the end in his teeth. Between the two, a chess board sat. Nexus could see the kings were copies of Discord and the pony. And that wasn't the strangest part. Completely out of place, a large blue phone booth sat in the corner like it had been built there.

Discord saw him out of the corner of his eye and looked up to meet Nexus' confused look. "Ah! Good afternoon Commander. It's so nice to see you outside of royal business."

"What the hell is going on here?" Nexus asked walking up to the two.

"Ah!" the earth pony said taking his cookie from his magical grasp."Thank you very much. I was a tad peckish."

"Um, I'm sorry. Who the hell are you?"

"I'm the Doctor." He said with a mouth full of chocolate cookie.

"Doctor who?"

"If you wish."

"Doctor, I'll have to reschedule this game."

"Oh again?! I've waited weeks for this. I've had you right where I wanted you for years now."

"Time Lords have nothing but time last I checked. I'll see you next month."

"Fine. You owe me more of these cookies when I come back."

Discord game Nexus a puppy dog look along with The Doctor. "Ugh, I'll see what I can do for ya Doc."

"Alright! I'll see you next week if nothing comes up. Ditzy!"

"Yeah Doctor?" A familiar gray pegasus with a dandelion mane said from the phone booth.

"Derpy?" Nexus asked.

"Oh! I remember you! I never forget a face. You're…Nexus!"

"Yeaaaah. What's uh…?"

"Oh, it's a spaceship and a time machine call Tardis! You should come in and see it! It's much bigger on the inside!"

"Perhaps another time Ditzy. Let's go."

"Aw… Next time though right, Doctor?"

"Sure, if he's up to it." The Doctor said walking in. "Nice meeting you Commander."

"Y-you too, Doc." Nexus said still a bit confused. "Later Derpy."

"Bye." she replied a bit sad.

When the door shut the sound of the engine started again and the "Tardis" started fading in and out until it was gone. Nexus was dumbstruck at what he'd just seen happen.

"What just-"

"Don't ask. You're head 'll explode if you even try. What seems to be the issue?" Discord asked.

"I have a feeling you know. You troll."

"What? Me? That's absolutely true."

"What wisdomdo you have for me today."

"Well, I couldn't help but hear you were having trouble placing that symbol on the metal piece."

"So?"

"So, I know where you can find that information."

"Where in the Everfree Forest is it?"

"Oh not there. It's much too valuable to be in a book somewhere."

"Then where is it?"

"I'll tell you. But it will require many rules to be broken."

"I'm willing to do what it takes."

"Good. Then you'll be happy to know it's nowhere on a map."

"You're making needlessly complicated Discord."

"Let me finish. It's deep in the Frozen North, past the Crystal Empire."

"But that's-"

"Griffon territory."

"Why is what I'm looking for there?"

"Because you're looking for a griffon you twit! Who else would you be looking for in the Griffon Kingdom?"

"So who am I looking for."

"Just keep going north until you find a mountain range. When you're that far, walk towards the mountains. I'd tell you more but I'll ruin the surprise."

"When do you?"

"All I can say is that you have more reason to be afraid of the future."

"I don't know fear."

"We'll see. Good luck."

"That's it? No other warning?"

"No, that's it. You'll get a proper warning from the one you have to find. Just show who you find this" Discord snapped his fingers and an amulet appeared around Nexus' neck.

Nexus lifted it up to his eyes and studied it closely. It was an old, worn, silver coin with a brass ring holding it in place. On one side, there was a shield and the other a raging griffon. The coin looked like it was a molded into the shape by a press instead of a mold.

"What is it?"

"You'll find out. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a city to help rebuild."

"Weren't you just playing chess instead of helping?"

"Thanks to you I have nothing better to do. Good luck." Discord snapped his fingers and vanished.

Nexus rolled his eyes and tucked the coin into his shirt with his dog tags. He trotted back to his table and started levitating all of the books and scrolls he'd taken from the archives back where he found them.

Author's Notes:

Nexus isn't talking to since I put the Doctor in here so it's just us until he cools off.