The Constant Drums
by tom117z
Chapters
1 - Prologue
Skaro
“I said run!” Shouted The Doctor in anger as he tried to disconnect Clara from the Dalek travel machine.
“It was always you who ran Doctor, not me,” The Master casually stated as she walked away from the pair.
The Dalek city rumbled as previously inert liquefied Dalek mutants crawled up the pipes to attack their still whole counterparts. The shaking intensified as the Dalek city began to buckle under the pressure pushing The Master to pick up the pace lest she dies with the grotesque mutants which she hated so.
Nearly stumbling The Master turned a corner only to be met with the form of a silver and blue Dalek.
“HALT,” The Dalek ordered.
Looking around her The Master could see several more Daleks of varying design surrounding her.
“YOU ARE A TIME LORD!” one of them observed as the group surrounded the still calm Master preparing to kill her.
“You know what?” Missy said smugly, “I just had a really clever idea”.
“EXTERMINATE,” The Daleks yelled in unison as they fired on the stationary Master.
Acting quickly The Master pressed a few buttons on her vortex manipulator, that she may have lied to Clara about them being blown up, setting it to absorb the incoming energy projectiles and teleport her out. It was an old trick but a useful one.
The bolts hit her and to the Daleks it seemed she vanished into thin air as she was disintegrated.
To The Master however the vortex manipulator activated and began to teleport her away.
But something was wrong.
“What’s wrong with you?” The Master growled at her vortex manipulator as she span out of control through the time vortex and then... out of the time vortex?
The Master had no words as she witnessed herself being hurled out of one universe into another, no less because the stresses on her body were agonizing and she physically could not speak, the journey was killing her!
Finally it was over.
Popping into existence the vortex manipulator exploded on materialization, for real this time, and The Master fell to the floor.
She was dead.
But she was a Time Lord.
For them, death is but a barrier to cross.
She slowly got up as her body began to glow, hands first, then the rest of her followed. She held it off just to get a look at where she was. She was on a simple stone road on a mountainside, in the distance she could see what seemed to be a city surrounding a huge castle.
“Where the hell am I? Another universe for sure, but I suppose that’s a mystery for after… rebirth.”
With that her arms lurched outwards as golden energy exploded out of her arms and head, she was regenerating.
The energy could be seen for miles causing concern to many of the native inhabitants, but soon enough it dies away.
The Master was on the floor again, slowly she tried to get up onto her two legs, but quickly fell again, something felt off. Then she noticed it.
“You have got to be kidding me…” The Master deadpanned in a rather squeaky childlike voice.
She was equine! Four legs, fur, mane and tail. A pony!
“Seriously… I’m both equine, and a child, about five years of age I believe. I really drew the short straw this time, wait…”
The Master felt her forehead with one of her hooves, there was a horn.
“I’m a unicorn! Ha! Maybe this won’t be so bad after all, wonder if I can use magic or something?”
Next to her were the scattered remains of what were her clothes, inside of which she fished out a watch, and somehow she held it with he hooves.
But that was a mystery for later, as a child her options were severely limited, so she decided the best option was to hide. She would hide and live among the inhabitants of this planet until the day she had the body and knowledge to be productive in this new world. It wasn't the first time she had done this, she had done it before at the end of the Last Great Time War. And then just like before she would return as her true self, and the world would burn.
Possibly.
It would kind of depend on how she was feeling at the time.
Sighing The Master readied the watch, and opened it.
2 - Drums
Fourteen years later, Crystal Castle, Ponyville
Princess Twilight Sparkle walked through the crystal halls of her castle in the direction of the throne room. Or that's where she should have ended up. That didn't happen however when she realised she was lost... again.
A rustling sound from one of the rooms to her right caught her attention, it was coming from the storeroom where most of the things from Twilight's time in Canterlot were kept, or at least the things that had survived the destruction of the Golden Oak Library.
Cautiously Twilight approached the room, opening it as quietly as she could.
"Spike?"
Somewhere in the time vortex
The TARDIS hummed softly as The Doctor placed in some final controls.
"So it's decided, the beaches of planet Barcelona! Honestly picture my surprise when I find out that planet exists in this universe! I was going to visit with Rose once but regeneration got in the way of those plans, oh and killer Santa's."
Derpy finished trying on her diving gear and looked up at The Doctor, "Huh? Did you say something?", her voice was muffled by the diving mask.
"What are you wearing that for?"
Derpy took of her mask, "We're going to the beach aren't we?"
"Yes but if you want to go diving surely you should wait until we're actually there before putting on the suit?"
Derpy shrugged with an innocent and completely adorable smile.
All of a sudden the TARDIS began to make it's signature wheezing sound as it materialized at it's destination.
The Pegasus and Time Lord quickly rushed to the door, that is after The Doctor helped Derpy out of her suit, and exited the TARDIS.
"Hello Barcelona!" The Doctor shouted happily.
...
"Um Doctor?"
"Yes Derpy?"
"This isn't the planet Barcelona is it?"
"No... it's Canterlot castle... which means the TARDIS has once again brought me where I'm needed and not where I want to go," He gave an annoyed glance at his oldest companion.
"Which means adventure!" Derpy shouted excitedly.
"Which means adventure!" The Doctor agreed.
"Spike?" Princess Twilight Sparkle approached her assistant who was half way into an old cardboard box.
“Yeah?” He responded.
“What are you doing?”
“Oh not much, just going through a bunch of old Knick knacks from your fillyhood.
“Spike, don’t you think you should ask permission before going through my things?”
“Oh come on Twilight there’s a bunch of cool stuff in here!”
Spike dug through the box and brought out a clay statuette of Starswirl the Bearded, “See!”
“Huh, forgot I even made that…”
“You see? It’s good to go through memorabilia like this every now and… what’s this?”
At the very bottom there was a small cardboard box, slowly Spike picked up the box and showed it to Twilight.
“What’s in here?” Spike asked.
Twilight examined the box momentarily, before shrugging, “No idea, open it.”
Spike undid the tape with his claws and opened the box excited to see what treasure this ancient and mysterious box could hold, the flaps coming apart when he did so due to their age.
Spike frowned in disappointment, “Oh, it’s just some old fob-watch, a family heirloom or something?”
Spike looked up from the watch and saw Twilight staring intently at the watch as if in a trance.
“Twilight?”
“I... don’t know Spike, I’ve never seen it before but… I feel like I should know it," Twilight near-whispered.
"Open it..." A voice lightly reverberated through the air.
"Wait, do you hear that?”
Spike was a bit worried now, “Hear… what?”
Twilight shook her head coming out of the trance, “Oh, nothing. Just give it here and we’ll see what other secrets this old box holds!”
Spike nodded and passed the watch to Twilight who hung it around her neck.
As they continued to dig through Twilight's old junk a beating began in the back of her mind.
Drumming
‘Bang’, ‘Bang’, ‘Bang’, ‘Bang’,
3 - Visions and Trains
Canterlot Castle
All was quiet in Canterlot Castle as Luna's moon glistened wonderfully in the sky. Most of the city below was asleep aside from the few enjoying the night life. Among the sleeping was Princess Celestia, but her slumber was anything but peaceful this night...
Fire crackled as buildings collapsed, unmoving ponies lay around Celestia as she stared in shock at the carnage. A giant white crack burned brightly in the sky through the orange haze produced by the flames, a crack that was consuming all.
"Hello?" Celestia called out hoping beyond hope for survivors.
Through the haze a figure began to emerge, Celestia couldn't make out much but it was the unmistakable silhouette of a mare.
"Here my little pony, I'm here!" Celestia called out to the lone figure.
"Celestia," A distorted sound comprised of several different voices projected from the figure, "How do you like the fireworks?"
Drums began to sound around them in beats of four.
"You? You did this?"
"Yep," The voice sounded almost proud, Celestia could make out several unidentified male voices and one female voice with an odd accent, the last voice was almost recognisable but Celestia couldn't quite pin how.
"Who are you?" Celestia demanded of the figure.
"Oh Celestia, have you forgotten me already? After all these years we've know each other? I am hurt... but that no longer matters. She is gone now along with her pathetic ideals of friendship and I have returned as Master of all!"
"And what is that?" Celestia pointed a hoof at a crack.
"Oh nothing major, just a crack in reality that erases everything it touches. Consider it my going away present! Goodbye Princess, just remember to say something nice."
Before Celestia could do anything the figure disappeared. Above the crack began to widen threatening to swallow Celestia whole as a blue figure watched from a distance in shock.
Celestia awoke with a start, it was all a dream! No... it was a vision.
Immediately Celestia jumped out of her bed quickly applying her regalia and paced out of her room aiming to find her sister.
She didn't have to look far for as Celestia walked down the hallway she almost stumbled right into a blue alicorn walking in the opposite direction.
"Celestia!"
"Luna? Judging from your urgent manor I assume you witnessed what I did?"
"I did sister, I was performing my duties in the realm of dreams when I saw yours were giving off some unusual qualities. While I assure you I do not usually sift through your dreams this time I made an exception, and was met with fire."
"That was no dream, much like when Tirek returned it was a vision. However, this time it was of what could come to pass rather than what is."
"That mare? Who was she?" Luna inquired
"I do not know, but we must be vigilant lest she unleashes whatever that strange crack may be. I want you to send a message to Twilight requesting her presence at once."
"And what of Cadance?"
"She may be a bit out of reach to be of any use that far north, but send her a letter never-the-less to make her aware of the situation."
"At once Tia"
"Can I help?" Another voice sounded behind the pair, a voice belonging to a brown Earth stallion who was standing with a grey Pegasus mare.
Dear Princess Twilight
It has come to our attention that a yet unknown enemy will soon threaten Equestria and we request your aid in discovering this threat before it can be realised. You may bring the other element bearers if you wish but that will be off your own initiative as they may not be required should we act quickly.
Your friend
Princess Luna
Twilight read over the letter again. She and her friends were currently situated in a private carriage on the friendship express bound for Canterlot. She was trying to distract herself from the pounding headache that was resultant from the odd drumming noise that had been plaguing her since the previous day.
"So do you think it's going to be a giant monster we get to fight?" Rainbow said in excitement punching the air with her hooves.
"Ah hope not, hopefully it's jus' some evil shadow pony who we can simply apprehend before any trouble begins," Applejack said.
"You're no fun AJ, where's your sense of adventure!"
"My idea of adventure and yours are quite different Rainbow..."
"I agree with Applejack, no monsters would be nice..." Fluttershy said shyly.
"Well Princess Luna did say we possibly wouldn't be needed darling so I wouldn't worry too much," Rarity comforted her timid friend.
The four kept talking among themselves while Twilight looked over some guard reports she had Celestia send over to see if there was anything subtly out of the ordinary.
Twilight finally noticed what Pinkie Pie had been doing for the past hour.
Pinkie was looking between Twilight and the watch that hung around her neck with a unusually stoic expression. It made Twilight uneasy to see Pinkie act in such a way.
"Are you okay Pinkie?" Twilight asked her friend.
The other four stopped talking, all noticing Pinkie's demeanor for the first time.
"The watch, where did you get it?" Pinkie asked in an almost accusing manner.
"Um, I don't remember. Spike found it among a bunch of my old things from fillyhood."
"You're hiding something..."
"Huh?"
"You may not know it but you are, my Pinkie sense from last night is much clearer now."
"Do you know something we don't sugarcube?" Applejack asked
"I don't know, but I suspect." Pinkie explained.
"Pinkie you're freaking me out," Twilight said nervously.
Pinkie didn't answer, but just continued to stare. She remained this way for the entire journey and the other five sat in confused silence each pondering over Pinkie's out of character behavior.
Finally the train pulled into Canterlot station, a small escort of Solar Guards waiting to escort the Princess to the castle not taking any chances with Canterlot on high alert.
Above them a blue shield descended around Canterlot, it was at this moment the six element bearers realised the threat they faced was perhaps a bit more dire than Luna had described.
4 - The Watch
Things were silent between the group during the walk up to Canterlot Castle, that was aside from the occasional ramble from Pinkie about something or other, that girl seemed to have reverted back to her usual self.
Twilight thought back to how Pinkie had acted towards her on the train, she seemed almost... hostile. And it all revolved around the watch she wore around her neck.
Twilight was so deep in thought that she almost didn't notice they had arrived at their destination. There seemed to be a tense atmosphere at the castle, everypony figured something bad was going to happen due to the shield but nopony knew anything, several tried to stop Twilight to ask her what was happening but they were prevented from doing so by the guards. Twilight herself wished she could give them an answer but in truth she didn't currently have any, she just hoped Celestia and Luna would.
With a giant creak the throne room doors opened to reveal two regal alicorns as well as two other familiar pony's, Ponyville's timekeeper Time Turner as well as the towns mail-mare Derpy.
"Twilight, it's good to see you," Celestia greeted her former student with a warm nuzzle before turning to the guards, "You may leave us."
The guards saluted before turning and exiting the throne room, closing the massive doors behind them.
"Celestia? Why is Time Turner and Derpy here?" Twilight asked her mentor.
The brown stallion walked up to Twilight, "Hello! I'm The Doctor!"
"The Doctor?"
"Yes, Time Turner was just a cover, a bit like John Smith but that name stands out in this universe so I had to use a different one! Might I say Princess Twilight it is a pleasure to see you again!"
"Again?" Twilight raised an eyebrow, "The only other encounters we've had have been briefly walking past each other back in Ponyville."
"Time Travel, we had quite an in-depth discussion about a century from now about the quirks of temporal mechanics. And might I say the tea was lovely."
"Time Travel... The Doctor..." Twilight suddenly went deep into thought, why was this all familiar to her?
"Well it's nice t' meet ya Doctor, but might ah ask is the name 'Derpy' a cover too?" Applejack shook The Doctors hoof.
Derpy chuckled, "No, that is my name, he's the alien from another universe while I'm just a plain old Pegasus."
"Wait wait wait... alien?" Rainbow blurted out.
"Another universe?" Rarity said in a shocked manor.
Celestia chuckled lightly at their confusion while Luna addressed them next.
"Yes indeed he is, Time Lord I believe his species is called. We last met him during the first reign of Discord, if it wasn't for him we never would have found the tree of harmony, well that and the Cybermen."
"Yes well that's a story for another day!" The Doctor interrupted, "We are here because something is about to attack Canterlot and it's bad enough that my TARDIS believes I should be involved lest disaster strikes you all. Now, what do we know so far, Celestia?"
Everypony's attention moved to Celestia as she prepared to answer The Doctor's question.
"Not much I am afraid, all I have to go on is a vision both me and my sister experienced. I saw... fire. Equestria was burning and there was a single mare among it all, I couldn't see who and her voice was distorted, it was if over a dozen different voices spoke at once all around me. She said that I knew her... aside from that it was mostly just her taunting me."
An uneasy silence befell the group.
"That was it?" The Doctor asked, "Just a lone mare and a lot of fire?"
Celestia thought back to the vision, "There was one other thing... a crack."
This brought The Doctor's undivided attention.
"A giant white crack, the figure said it was a crack in reality that..."
"Erased everything it touches..." The Doctor finished Celestia's sentence.
All eyes turned to The Doctor.
The Doctor had a grim look on his face, gone was the excitable stallion they had seen moments ago, "Oh, I'm so sorry..."
Luna approached The Doctor, "You know of this crack?"
"Yes, but it shouldn't be here, it CAN'T be here. You see a long time ago in my home universe a group called The Silence destroyed my TARDIS, which for those of you who don't yet know stands for Time And Relative Dimensions In Space, it's my ship and time machine. Anyway they blew it up in such a way that it created a hole in the universe and while normally the Time Lords would fix such a thing easy there were no other Time Lords by that point. The crack swallowed everything, nearly erasing every moment in history until I re-booted the universe. But the crack remained, scar tissue left over from that event, following me throughout my entire eleventh life. If it's here then that mare must have done something very, very bad to get it. Not to mention the understanding required to do such a thing would likely require the intellect of a..."
"Doctor?" Derpy was concerned over how pale The Doctor suddenly became, "The intellect of what?"
"...A Time Lord."
Silence fell over the room again.
"I'm guessing that's bad..." Squeaked Fluttershy.
"Well... it might not be a Time Lord, but if it is we are in serious danger." The Doctor said pensively, before returning to his lighter attitude with a smile, "Well never mind that's what I'm here aren't I! We just need to find whomever the culprit is before she has the chance to fulfill her plan and then me and Derpy can got on our way to Barcelona!"
Celestia gave a sigh, "I hope you are right Doctor, now my little ponies the moon is due to rise soon and we most certainly have a long day ahead tomorrow. Twilight, I have had rooms prepared for your friends, I assume you remember where yours is?"
Twilight nodded in confirmation.
"OK then, I suggest you get some rest."
Quietly aside from some light internal discussion about the days event the six ponies and one dragon walked out of the room, the guards went to escort the five not-royal element bearers to their prepared rooms while Spike and Twilight walked in the other direction towards their own room in the castle.
In the throne room Derpy gave a yawn, "Actually Doc, I'm pretty beat so I think I'll head back to the TARDIS and get some sleep myself."
Derpy left the room leaving only two alicorns and a Time lord left. Celestia noticed The Doctor had gone back into deep thought.
"Thinking about the crack Doctor?" Celestia asked him.
"Not quite, I'm thinking back on the discussion we just had, specifically the ponies we were discussing with."
"The element bearers? Why?"
"I just feel like... I missed something incredibly obvious and very, very crucial.
The Watch.
It seemed to grow heavier with every step Twilight took, and the voices along with that maddening drumming also increased.
Twilight was more than ready just to put her head down and sleep, that is why it was a great relief to finally come to the door with Twilight's Cutie Mark embedded at the top of the frame. It was situated in the Royal wing right next to another which held the mark of Princess Cadance and down the hallway from where Celestia and Luna's bedrooms were situated.
Entering room Twilight immediately collapsed on the bed with a groan.
"You OK Twilight?" Spike asked her out of concern.
"I'm fine Spike... just exhausted."
"You want me to get you anything?"
"No I... actually, some water would be nice."
"Well your number one assistant is on the case!"
Spike quickly left the room to fetch Twilight water, Twilight watched him leave. Sitting up Twilight levitated the watch with her magic to examine it, the more she examined it the louder the whispering became.
"What are you?" Twilight muttered.
Twilight got off the bed and took the watch off her neck holding it out in front of her. For the first time she noticed the odd symbols on the front. Some sort of language?
She had to know, the whispering, the drums, The Doctor. All the things she had witnessed the past two days were driving her to do one thing, open this watch. She had to know... what lay within? What made this watch so compelling? Why had Pinkie acted the way she did?
Twilight had to know...
Twilight stood there for a few, very tense moments with the watch just levitating in front of her. Then with her magic she found a small button on top, the release mechanism.
She pressed it.
The watch swung open and brilliant golden energy began to swirl out of it free at last! It made contact with Twilight and began to engulf her, and then be absorbed into her.
The drumming became louder and louder as memories came flooding back, Gallifrey... The Daleks... The Doctor....
The Doctor...
And of course, The Master.
A second heart began to beat.
The golden energy died down just as Spike walked back into the room.
"I've got your water, hey... are you OK?" Spike saw Twilight standing in the centre of the room with an open watch on the floor in front of her, she was smiling, and not a warm smile or a friendly smile, a cold sinister smile.
"I'm fine Spike...oh I am so fine it blows my mind..."
5 - Time lord
The Doctor sat in the TARDIS console room reading through multiple scans, his search was less for the culprit who was threatening Canterlot but more for a certain crack in reality and any signs of is (re)appearance.
"Why can't that chapter of my life just close... even here I must run from some segment of my previous actions it would seem."
The last time he had seen that crack was Trenzalore, the Time Lords planned to use it to return to the universe but ended up using it to grant him a new regeneration cycle.
"Could they be trying again? But if so that wouldn't explain why the crack appeared her and not where it's supposed to, and I really don't think this world is ready for a planet full of Time Lords straight out of the pits of hell that was the Time War."
*Dong*
The cloister bell rang out throughout the TARDIS.
"Hang on, what's wrong now?"
The Doctor was about to move from the display when a huge energy spike was recorded and appeared on screen.
"And what are you then?"
The Doctor tried to clear the signal and identify the energy, but it was gone just as quickly as it appeared.
*Dong*
The cloister bell still rang, something terrible had just happened.
The Doctor scanned again for any sign of the crack, any temporal anomalies that could be responsible for the crack or anything else out of the ordinary. Nothing. Everything seemed normal.
The Doctor shut off the cloister bell, he was worried. The scanner may not be able to detect anything but The Doctor already knew their mysterious culprit was making their move, it wouldn't be long before they would strike.
But not if The Doctor could help it.
All ten Ponies and a Dragon gathered in the castle throne room, it had been a quiet morning and the group had all shared breakfast together, all except for Twilight. When Celestia had inquired about Twilight's absence Spike had said how Twilight had been acting oddly smug about something or other the night before, and how that morning she had declined going to breakfast because she had 'stuff' to do.
Twilight however did eventually meet up with the group on the way to the throne room, while the group now stood almost in a circle discussing any possible place this threat may come from Twilight stood off to the side, watching.
"I checked in with my guard captain and yet he reports no unusual activity, the only abnormality on the streets is the air of uncertainty that surrounds our people due to the sudden appearance of the shield" Luna explained to the group.
"Did they check the caverns?"
"Tia my Lunar Guard have always been thorough, yes they checked the cavern. Nothing down there except broken mine equipment and a long dead bouquet of flowers."
"What about you Doctor? You certainly seem pensive about something," Celestia addressed the Time Lord.
The Doctor nodded, "Last night my ship seemed to... panic about something. Alongside the alarm I detected some sort of energy signature, but it disappeared before I could get a better read on it. After that all was normal."
"Could you tell what kind of magic it was at least?"
"I don't think it was magic..."
"Oh?"
"My TARDIS would never be worried about some random magic, it's temporal energies that worry her, the kind of thing usually associated with a paradox or a temporal disturbance.
"Her?" Applejack raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, her. Didn't I mention the TARDIS is a living sentient being."
"Say what now?"
"It's true!" Derpy interjected, "She's moved my bedroom more times than I can count..."
"Well we don't have much to go on..." Celestia started, "So we should start to come up with preemptive measures against any possible attack.
*Tap*, *Tap*, *Tap*, *Tap*
The Doctor moved into the centre of the group, "Right then! Since I'm the expert of temporal mechanics and am possibly, no actually definitely the smartest thing in this room might I make a few suggestions?"
Celestia seemed wholly bemused by The Doctors comment, Luna on the other hand snickered into her hoof.
*Tap*, *Tap*, *Tap*, *Tap*
"Well I think we should call in support from..."
*Tap*, *Tap*, *Tap*, *Tap*
Fluttershy heard the noise and turned to see it's source.
"Um... guys?" Fluttershy squeaked.
Nopony heard her.
"I think that..."
Everypony kept on talking strategy and temporal mechanics all giving idea's on how to protect Canterlot.
"Seriously I..."
Still nopony heard poor Fluttershy.
*BANG*, *BANG*, *BANG*, *BANG*
This got everypony's attention, and they all turned to see what was trying to get their attention.
It was Twilight.
"Twilight? What do you have to add?" Celestia asked her student slightly taken aback by the violent attention grab, the floor had been cracked where Twilight had stamped.
Twilight simply smiled and gave a small laugh.
"Twilight?"
"La la la, you so fine" Twilight said in a sing song voice.
"I beg you pardon?" Celestia was now a little confused by her former Protégé's actions, as were all the others.
"You blow my mind..."
The Doctors face darkened as cogs began to turn in his brain.
Twilight leaned forwards and sung in an almost whisper, "Hey Missy!".
The Doctor's world shattered.
"Oh..."
"Hey Missy! You so fine, you blow my mind! Hey MISSY!"
Twilight giggled before coughing lightly, "Sorry, got a bit carried away to the drum beats".
Twilight looked between the confused mares and dragon, and one horrified stallion.
"So..." Twilight smiled creepily, "Who wants to die first?"
...
Twilight's friends recoiled at her words, Celestia seemed to almost panic, the look in Twilight's eyes is one she had seen before.
"Twilight... what are you doing?" Celesta said in an almost whisper, this couldn't happen again could it? How could history repeat itself again? Celestia's thoughts briefly turned to Sunset Shimmer and Nightmare Moon.
"Oh what I always do, have fun!"
"I know your sort of fun... this isn't possible," The Doctor near growled.
"Oh so you recognise me then! Took you long enough!" Twilight half-skipped around The Doctor in twisted glee, "To fool you once... but to fool you twice... in the same way... it was a pleasure."
"Yes, I get that more than I would like to admit..."
"Doctor?" Luna looked at the horrified Time Lord, "Do you know something about Twilight we don't?"
"That's not my name, Twilight was a cover! A disguise so perfect I forgot it was even a disguise!"
"What?" Celestia blurted, her mind was going haywire trying to process what was going on, the others were too shell-shocked to speak.
"I know now that is a surprise isn't it," 'Twilight' feigned shock to mock the group.
"But you can't! You are Princess Twilight Sparkle! Hero of Equestria and friendship made manifest you can't be her!" The Doctor blurted out.
"Yes friendship... you were hardly a model friend when we last met, abandoning me on Skaro at the mercy of crazed tin cans."
"You tried to kill Clara!"
"No... I tried to get you to kill Clara, there's clearly a difference. Not that it matters I have already forgiven you, besides trying to kill each other is basically how we text."
"It was you, you who my vision warned me about..." Celestia tone turned bitter, betrayed.
"Yup! And none of it would have been possible without little Spikey Wikey"
"What did I do?" Spike squeaked out.
"The watch, everything I was, and am once more was stored within. And all I had to do was open it and I returned!"
"So who are you exactly? Missy sounds more of an abbreviation than a name," Luna approached angrily.
"Very clever Lulu..."
Luna seemed ready to tear her head off at being called 'Lulu'.
"She's like me..." The Doctor deadpanned, "A Time Lord".
The princesses stood with their angry expressions while Spike, Derpy and the element bearers stood trembling, no more shock left to give. Fluttershy was the exception, she was crying.
"Time Lady..." 'Twilight' corrected, "And 'Missy' stands for Mistress, but even that's not my real name, the one I chose within Time Lord tradition."
"So what is it then?" Luna snarled.
"Go on Doctor, tell them... I love it when you say my name..."
The Doctor grimaced, but complied.
"The Master"
"Well then Missy, you have pretended to be somepony you aren't and now intend on widespread destruction, and thus have declared a one mare war against Equestria!" Luna declared, the betrayal and hate evident in her voice.
"Oh I know... and I have one thing to say... Doctor..."
The Master approached her old friend until they stood face-to-face.
"HERE... COME... THE DRUMS!"
With a flash of her horn everypony in the room was blinded momentarily, when vision returned the former princess was nowhere to be found.
Silence reigned throughout the hall... within a few minutes their reality's had been smashed, utterly destroyed. It had happened so quickly that nopony knew how to react.
And they saw something that most in that room had never seen, or thought they would see.
Princess Celestia began to cry.