“Are you sure you remember the way to the castle?” Scratch asked, casually stepping around and over any obsticales her cane pointed out to her.

“I'm sure of it! I'm the only one that paid attention, really. The Doctor was staring off into space.” Octavia smirked. She was a bit unsettled by the feeling in the forest, and the oppressive darkness. She sort of envied Scratch for not being able to see the potential terrors.

Bubbly remembered, and flew up to survey the area. She pointed a hoof in the direction of the castle, and the others followed.

Luna saw them approach and smiled. “I see you are ready. But where is your griffon friend?”

“She had a personal matter to tend to. We all agreed to wait for her.” Octavia explained.

“I see.” Luna nodded. “And the Doctor?”

“He said he'll be here soon.” Scratch added. “Said he had to do some research.”

Luna nodded again, growing a bit impatient. Her thoughts began to wander back to when her and Celestia were on better terms, and she could barely remember the Doctor walking around Canterlot prior to the events that would unfold.

She shook such nonsense out of her head. She picked him herself, no way he could be the cause of all of this.

Is there?

“There's no use in hiding it, you know.” a nasialy voice spoke, snapping the Doctor from his thoughts.

He turned to see a Pegasus with the same color scheme and mark as him, smirking a confident smirk.

“What do you want...” the Doctor muttered, wondering how he could be here and now.

“His power makes me be. He brings out the darkness in all of us...Doctor.” the Pegasus replied.

“Look, I don't have time for this right now. So come back later, when I'm a bit more depressed.”

“I liked you better in a fez. What happened to you? Why are you a pony now? Am I a pony too?” he looked at his reflection in a mirror nearby. “Gads! I am a pony! Such tawdry taste! I never figured you for a little girl...”

“I'm very busy here, can't hear you! Got to stop evil forces and all that, you know the drill.”

“I'm not here because of Tirek.”

The Doctor stopped and now gave the Pegasus his undivided attention. “It's him...isn't it?”

“The darkness in us all can only be revealed in the darkness we create, Doctor. You're fate will soon befall everyone else.”

“Everypony else, actually.”

“What?”

“See, in this world they say....well, never mind....point is....that's not possible.”

“Oh but it's very possible. Just as relics from the old universe can survive, so too can the darkness before it's creation. Face it, Doctor, you're in over your head on this one.”

“No...no I always figure out a solution! Allons-y!”

“Forever the optimist, aren't you? That will become annoying when I'm stuck with you for eternity.”

“Well, better cue up the theme music then!” the Doctor mused, returning to his busy work.

The Pegasus sighed. “You have to sleep sometime you know.”

“Maybe I already am. You taught me that.” the Doctor winked.

“Such insufferable nonsense. I don't see how some...pony who has a conscience like me, can be so carefree! It's madness!”

“Madness...?”

“Don't start.”

“Maybe my robot dog can beat you at chess!”

The Pegasus gave a fustrated sigh, and disappeared.

The Doctor let out a relieved sigh, and began to realize how dire the situation was. He had to find Trixie, rather Twilight helped him or not. If she was in sercvice of him now...there may be no hope for her.

Anypony who saw Trixie now, would be slightly horrified at what she has become. She was now a raving pony, constantly scribbling arcane symbols in the dirt and muttering to herself, her horn trying to conjure magic but getting nothing. She curse to herself angerly, and repeat the process, over and over and over again.

Gilda had seen this strange behavior on her way to Appleloosa, and decided to drop in to try to help. The Doctor did tell her to be a better person, whatever that meant.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“TWILIGHT! TWILIGHT SPARKLE! WHERE IS SHE?”

“Uh, last I saw her she was in the Ponyville library. Not that I hang out there or anything...” Gilda shook her head slightly to ruffle her head feathers produdly.

Trixie didn't respond with her normal vitrol, but instead, laughed and shoved her way past the griffon.

“What a lame-o.”