Another explosion rocked the space station as the Doctor stared down the half dozen or so armed unicorns pointing their silly guns at him.

"It's over, Rayne!" he shouted at the red unicorn mare that led the others. "Now give up and leave in peace!"

"It's never over, Doctor!" the blond maned unicorn spat. "Everything you have destroyed here can be rebuilt or replaced!"

The Doctor snorted in disgust. "And how do your followers feel about being ever so replaceable?"

"They know the risks and gladly give their lives to a higher purpose!"

"A higher madness, perhaps!" the Doctor's expression softened. "Please Rayne, give up this fantasy, come with me, all of you! I can drop you off at a nice resort planet. One with bright sandy beaches or one where the beaches have red sands that taste of snozzeberries!"

Rayne laughed ruefully. "Lies, Doctor, all lies! False visions and empty promises!"

Another explosion rocked the station, causing those standing with Rayne to glance uneasily between each other and the inviting safety of the Tardis.

"Boss, we should take the offer." one dared to say.

"It can't be worse than here." said another.

"What do snozzeberries taste like?" a third wondered aloud.

Rayne growled at them. "No! my dream is here! All our dreams are here!"

"Your 'dreams' are about to burn up in the atmosphere!" the Doctor shouted as fire spread into the corridor.

"If I give up, all they will have all died for nothing!" Rayne all but screamed at the brown earth pony and his blue box. Another explosion caused her to stumble, quickly losing her balance.

He was next to her in a flash, catching her before she hit the floor, paying not the least bit of mind to the various weapons pointed at him.

"And if you die, what then?" he asked her.

She jammed the barrel of her pistol against his head, tears in her eyes. "I... I don't want to go." she said.

"No one ever does." he said sadly.

She blinked away tears, seriously considering blowing his head off and dooming herself and what remained of her extended family. But there was something in his eyes, eyes far too old for such a young face. The gun fell from her hooves.

"Save us." she whispered.

Suddenly that damned goofy grin was back on his face. "No can do!" he said cheerfully as he released her an popped back up to his standing height. "But you all can certainly save yourselves. All you have to do is run as fast as you can to that blue box because we have roughly sixty-seven seconds until we're all nothing but ash!"

They all stared at him as though he were mad.

"Well come on!" he shouted, galloping towards the Tardis. "And leave the guns, if you don't mind!" he called over his shoulder.

Rayne sighed as her supposed loyal soldiers dropped their weapons and scrambled after him, barely sparing her a glance. She swallowed her pride and followed after them, slipping inside the box just as the doors closed. Rayne had expected the inside to be small and cramped, but was shocked into silence by the massive interior of the box.

"It's... it's..." she stammered, looking around in wonder.

"Bigger on the inside, I know!" the Doctor said as he dashed between her similarly stunned followers, pushing buttons, throwing leavers, and turning wheels seemingly at random. "Aaaaaaaaaaand..... we're off!" he shouted triumphantly as the whole place rocked again, the roar of the wind as the station broke apart almost drowning out the groaning wheeze of the machine.

"You promised me white sandy beaches!" Rayne shouted irritably at the Doctor as the two stood on a beach where the water was crystal blue and all the birds looked like rocks.

"I promised you bright sandy beaches." the Doctor said, ducking a thrown bottle of sunscreen.

"It glows in the dark!" Rayne said, reaching for another object to throw. "And now so do I!"

"At least you can read in the dark now!" the Doctor said cheerfully as he leaped into the safety of the Tardis.

The Doctor sighed with relief as the Tardis whooshed away, saving him from what was likely to be more scorn from Rayne when she discovered exactly what a snozzeberry tasted like. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he hummed happily to himself as he threw a few switches on the console, setting the Tardis to lazily drift through the space near Equestria. After the excitement of dealing with Madam Rayne and her merry band of not-quite vampires, he could do with a day or two of watching movies with the Tardis. Even when she did spoil the endings.

Suddenly the Tardis jolted and began to rock wildly, like she was encountering something unpleasant.

"Whoa there!" the Doctor said, hastily checking readings and reading checks. "What's the matter old girl?" he asked.

A toaster on the console spat out some severely burnt toast. The Doctor stared quizzically at the ruined breakfast item.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

The Tardis rocked wildly again.

"Okay, okay!" he shouted, snatching up the still smoking former bread slices. He winced as he tossed them from one hoof to the next before managing to get them onto a plate.

Once that was done, the Doctor noticed a bright flash blinding him.

"My eyes!" he cried, falling backwards.

Once his vision returned, he was greeted by the sight of a black alicorn wearing a tux and looking around bewildered.

"What?" she squeaked.

"What?" the Doctor responded, rubbing his head.

The alicorn focused on him. "Who are you?"

"Bwa?" the Doctor sputtered, squinting at her.

"What's going on?" she asked, glancing around.

"It can't be..." the Doctor said, more to himself than the alicorn.

The alicorn stamped her hoof. "My name is Nightmare-Moon, I am to be wed to Princess Celestia this very day, and I demand to know what the Tartarus is this place!"

The Doctor could only gape at her. "What!?!"