Author's Notes:

Can't worry about what you'll have for dinner tomorrow when you're starving today.

Warning. This chapter contains obvious steamy scenes happening behind the scene's curtains. They're neither witnessed by anyone else directly, nor are they explicitly described, however, but you don't need a lot of imagination at all to put two and two together and figure out what's going on.

He finished washing the day’s grime away, then seated himself in front of her. Ditzy was holding her head over her hooves on the table while she was waiting for him, then straightened in her seat when he entered the room. Although she was trying to appear calm, her ears gave her nervousness away.

He sighed internally. 'Let’s just get this over with,' he thought.

”I would like to talk about a few things, if you don’t mind.”

”Yeah... same here.”

He nodded. ”Before anything else, I just wanted to assure you that no, I’m not...”, he stammered, ”rejecting you. I just don’t want to risk getting attached to anyone to that extent.”

She raised an eyebrow. ”Actually, I’m pretty sure what you’re doing kind of qualifies as a rejection.”

”Okay then, allow me to rephrase my statement. I am not refusing to accept a relationship with you because I find you unatractive in any way, because I don’t. I am refusing to accept it because it spells several different types of trouble for the both of us. Long-lasting in my case, potentially life-ruining in yours.”

She allowed that information to sink in, but she didn’t take long to reply, ”So... you don’t find me unatractive?” putting emphasis on the second negative.

He gave her a deadpan. She raised her eyebrow. He shifted in his seat, propped an elbow on one of the chair’s arms, put a hoof to his temple and sighed.

’The least I could do at this point would be to tell her that I didn’t just go to bed with her because she came on to me. That the feeling wasn’t really one sided... even if giving her this knowledge would work against me cutting this relationship down. But...'

It would be best to just lie. It's the one thing he's best at, when things go south. Lying to the ones that trust him, and lying to himself when he needs to soldier on. He became so good at it, he actually almost believes it whenever he promises that everything will be okay.

He'd seen looks that made his heart wrench harder to lie. He'd said worse things to people before. He'd downright crestfallen his companions for the sake of a strategic advantage in the past. So why wouldn't the words come out of his mouth now?

Simple, really. Back then, it was either to protect someone he held dear, or save his own life. Here, however, he had absolutely no imperative. All he wanted was to keep things uncomplicated, to maintain the norm he'd become so accustomed to all of these centuries. Here, however, he didn't have any excuse to say something he could never take back.

He'd rather cripple his objective with honesty, only to do it right. After all, the least he could do would be to be honest with her now. It's what she'd want.

He put his hoof back down and faced her. ”No, Ditzy. I don’t find you unattractive.” He layed his elbows on the table and propped himself on his forelegs, looking at her more closely, hooves interlocked and eyebrows raised. ”I also do not find you average or unexceptional in any way either.”

She returned a wide-eyed, but otherwise emotionless stare at him. She closed her eyes and walked away from the table. He sighed. Suppose she didn’t really appreciate his beating around the bush that time.

He leaned his head against a hoof. He needs to figure out how to apologize to her... for failing to apologize.

<kiss>

He didn’t even notice her until after she planted a peck on his cheek. Neither did he notice the draft from her wingbeats while she approached.

”I’ll take it.” She said with a smile, landing and folding back her wings against her back, and her arms against his shoulder.

’Oh, right. They can fly.’ He thought whilst just standing there, eyeing her cluelessly with a tinge of red in his cheeks.

”...You know we can’t keep going on like this, right?”

She walked back to her seat, sighing. ”Yes, I know. I just... don’t like it.”

”Ditzy. I’m sorry. I really am. You have no idea how much I’d like to humor this relationship...”

”Then why won’t you? So you’ll miss me later on. What can you do about it? Nothing’s ever certain, no one can really do anything about the future. How do you think everyone else lives? They just hope for the best...”

”...And expect the worst. No, Ditzy, that’s not really the only reason why I don’t want to give this a try. You’re asking me to stay here with you. To wait by, try and enjoy the time we’d spend together in this town. To take it easy and smell the lilies. But as much as I’ve tried these past few days, you have no idea how uneventful it was for me. Compared to how it was for me before, it was just... limited for me!”

”So you’re saying you’re just bored? Is that why we can’t be together?”

”...Tell me, dear. What’s the average lifespan of a pony?”

”It’s a little over two hundred years. Why?”

”Two hundred years..." The Doctor repeated meaningfully. "So a little under that amount of time for me, taking it easy, seeing the same sights and meeting the same ponies... While I could be out making a difference somewhere I’d actually be needed.”

She wasn’t happy with the way this conversation was going.

”I’d be okay with that.”

That caught her by surprise.

”Honestly, taking it easy for once wouldn’t be so bad. It would actually be a change of pace for me. Especially considering the company I’d have...”

He looked her way tenderly, she nursed a slight blush.

It felt good to be honest with someone about his woes.

”However. As the years would pass, what do you think it would be like for me to stand by and watch you grow old, while I’d barely show any more than ten years? What do you think it would be like, me counting your new wrinkles while you would be envying me staying young? It would be two hundred years of slowly leaving each other behind. The worst we needed to expect, would be gaining ground right before our eyes.”

The only thing that sounded out now was the ticking of the clock on the wall in front of the stairway.

”I’m sorry, Doctor. I didn’t know...”

He started on his muffin again. ”Yeah, don’t worry about it. You’re not the first to have made this mistake. You’re just the only one that made it so persistently.” He smiled. ”I never really stuck around long enough to get attached to a lonely, widowed mother before. Sure, there was the occasional queen or noblewoman... or travel companion. But I never really depended on anyone as much as I did with you. And I certainly never had anyone else take the reins like you did last night.”

She furrowed her brows. ”So what then? You’re just going to keep on drifting around the universe, dragging along friends like stray cats? Nowhere to belong, no one to warm up your colder nights? Just keep running until you finally meet a monster you can’t run away from or reason with?”

”I make a point not to think about where my life is leading... but yeah. That pretty much sums it up. Just keep running and helping wherever I can, until something stops me. That something being either me getting myself killed, or me becoming too old to be able to move my legs fast enough to have them all off the ground at the same time.”

”And what kind of life is that?”

”...It’s however you’d want to view it.”

She wanted to say something, but he cut her off with a gesture of his hoof.

”You could view it as dangerous, lonely, overwhelming... or you could view it as an adventure. A series of destinations, each one being something you could only have been able to picture in your dreams. And along the way, you would be so fortunate to find people who truly need your help, which you would only be so fortunate as to be able to help them. So much, so, that you might actually find yourself developing quite the ego.

"Sure, it’s scary sometimes. And of course it might prove to be incredibly lonely at others. But then there are times when you get to see things... Things of beauty and wonder beyond any possible comprehension. And then you remember just how lucky you are to be able to keep traveling like that.”

”But are you happy?”

Surprise caught him like a mouse in a trap. Her question echoed in his mind, continuously dispelling any remnant of the passion he’d had in his voice just a few moments ago.

Eventually he was left destitute.

”About as happy as the last member of his race can be.”

She studied him attentively, not giving away anything in particular. She stalked her way back to his seat around the table. ”You might like to call yourself a doctor, but you certainly don’t know how to take care of yourself.” She walked behind his chair. ”Tell me. When someone goes to an actual doctor’s office with a headache, what does the doctor prescribe?”

”...Aspirin?”

She spun his chair so he could better face her. ”Exactly. Aspirin. It’s not a cure for headaches, it’s a relief. You couldn’t exactly expect the doctor to just sit idly and let his patient suffer, now could you?"

His thoughts clicked. He eyed her evenly, studying her determination. Her current persistence.

”I’m not asking you to promise me we’ll live happily ever after. I honestly never expected that from you. It would be a cure that no one ever really receives, let alone you. I’m only asking you to make due with a relief instead, even if it’s not going to last.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned her forehead against his. Her eyes wide, pupils dilated. Heart beating quickly, pumping adrenaline.

He didn’t have any retort to offer. She took the initiative.

”Just tell me what you think about me. Without thinking about it.”

”...I can’t be held responsible for what happens afterwards.”

”I’ll take my chances.”

Outside those walls were only days as far away as Sisyphus' peak. The Doctor's fear for what might happen afterwards jabbed him in the back like the Corinthian king's demons speared their victim to keep him climbing. However, her eyes jabbed him even harder from the front.

He was so tired. Tired of thinking, tired of running into dead ends... Tired of pulling any further. Right now, for all that he cared, for all that he knew, the world started and ended with whatever the woman in front of him wanted.

Elsewhere in Ponyville, at this moment, Twilight was on her way to Ditzy’s home to inquire regarding the odd message she’d received from Princess Celestia this morning.

The reason why she didn’t set out earlier was because she was asleep when Spike produced the message. He read it before her, but didn’t know what to make of it either. He tried to wake her up once already. He wasn’t going to try again. He just left it on her nightstand.

After a hangover relief spell and brushing her mane, she finally read the letter herself.

Dear Twilight Sparkle.

I would like to ask a favor of you.
There’s an old friend of mine staying in Ponyville. He’s been staying there for a little over a week now, so I assume you might have already met him. He goes by the name of the Doctor.”

At that point, Twilight allowed herself a good half a minute to dwell on the last words.
No.
Way.

At first she thought this letter had to be a prank, but then she checked the royal seal adorning the envelope. It was genuine.
She continued reading.

I would very much appreciate it if you could ask Spike to forward any messages which the Doctor might have for me in the foreseeable future, and that you forward any messages I might have for him. We haven’t talked in a long time, and I was hoping we could keep in touch as much as we could before he’d have to leave again.

I understand all of this might be confusing for you at the moment, and I apologize for not offering any more information. All will be revealed in the future, although I cannot say when yet.

Please send him my regards, and try to humor his eccentricities. It’s much more fun to argue with him than you’d think.

I’m certain you would enjoy his company as much as I have.

Your loving teacher, Princess Celestia.

Well, it appeared the princess knew him. Twilight would lie if she said she didn’t enjoy every single dispute she had so far with the Doctor.

Everything else, however, didn’t add up. What was her mentor not telling her? Why all the secrecy? Were these state affairs? What did she mean by ’not talking in a long time’ and ’keeping in touch before he’d have to leave again’? Leave where?

Eventually she decided that no matter how many times she re-read the message, she wouldn’t gain any further insight on the situation. She just climbed down the stairs, had a belated breakfast and left Spike in charge of the library while she went on to ask the Doctor what was what.

In front of the mailmare’s home, though, she found Vinyl Scratch just arriving on the scene. Apparently, the DJ was also looking to speak to the residents of the house. Oddly enough, though, she didn’t enter. She only stopped her hoof inches away from knocking at the door, then leaned her ear against it, smiled wide, and walked away, meeting her on the way.

”Hey, Twilight. How’s it going?” said the DJ in her relatively gruff and loud voice, oddly reminiscent of a spinning song.

”Hello, Vinyl. I was just going to pay the Doctor a visit. I had a few questions for him...” she answered as she watched the DJ’s smile grow slightly bigger and escape a few giggles.

”You too, huh? Well, I suggest we come back another time. From the sounds of it, him and Ditzy are going to be a little busy for a while.”

At first, the librarian was having trouble understanding what she was getting at. ”Oh.”

Then, her eyes went wide in realization, after which she nursed a bright blush. ”Oooooooh...” At which the DJ only chuckled louder.

”Come on. I’m sure they’ll tire out after a couple hours.”

”A... couple hours?” as her blush gained ground on her face.

”Yeah... they sounded like they would take a while. Seriously though, Ditzy was louder than me, and I tend to lose track of time when I start screaming.”

”Too much information!” the once lavender, now bright, luminescent red unicorn burst out. At which the DJ only guffawed in response.

She took a breath to calm down and return to her normal color. Then she took a look at the town clock tower. It was past two o’clock. She felt like she was forgetting something.

The DJ followed her gaze and started staring at the clock as well. She asked her absentmindedly before long, ”Hey, didn’t Ditzy have a kid?”

Both their eyes went wide in panic as they heard the door to the house behind them creak open. In less than an instant, they appeared between the little filly and the house’s entrance, painfully awkward smiles plastered on their faces. The DJ held on to the doorknob in the filly’s grasp with her magic, and slammed it before it could open any further. Loudly. Followed by crashing from inside the room.

”Hey there, you must be Dinky Doo!” Twilight asked the now visibly confused child.

”...Hi. You’re Twilight Sparkle, aren’t you?”

”Yes! Yes, I’m your town’s new librarian.”

”Are you... gonna make me read a book?” Vinyl guffawed again, and Twilight annoyingly rolled her eyes.

”No... I’m not going to make you read a book. I’m just here to tell you that you’re not allowed to enter the house for now.”

”Why not?”

”Well, ugh...” Twilight looked towards Vinyl, desperate for an idea. She immediately regretted her request for help.

”Your mom has spring fever.”

”WHAT?! Dont tell her that!”

”What! It’s not like she knows anything she shouldn’t know about it...”

”Wait. You mean mom and the Doctor are hugging and kissing inside?”

Before Vinyl could say anything else, Twilight beat her to the punch. ”Yes! They’re hugging and kissing, and nothing else!”

”Does this mean the Doctor’s going to be my new daddy?” Asked the little filly with her mile wide smile.

The two mares were caught off guard at that. They both looked at each other just as sadly.

Luckily before they needed to say anything further, a shaky voice came from the other side of the door.

”Yes, Dinkuns, he is.”

”Really?”

”Really.” The mother answered the eager filly. ”Just... Twilight, would you mind if you watched her for a while? I’m kind of in the middle of something...”

Ignoring Vinyl’s suppressed chuckle, she answered. ”Of course! Just come by and pick her up when you’re... ugh... done.”

”Bwahahah!”

”Vinyl!”

”What, it’s funny!”

”Not from where we’re standing...” the Doctor offered, followed by a whimper from underneath him.

Vinyl went wide eyed under her glasses and offered a sheepish smile to Twilight, as if it were directed at Ditzy. ”Sorry.”

The lavender unicorn sighed. ”Let’s just leave already.”

”Okay...” the filly answered dejectedly.

Twilight offered her hoof, at which Dinky stared at for a few seconds, then at the closed door, then at the hoof again before taking it. She turned back to the door.

”...Are you really going to be my daddy, Doctor?”

No answer. Twilight just pulled her away before they waited for too long.

”Come on. You can ask him when he’s not busy later. Why don’t you tell me what you’d like for lunch?”

Back inside, the Doctor sighed heavily.

”Are you alright?” the mare asked.

”I... don't know what to tell her.”

Ditzy didn't feel like leaving it at that. So she persuaded, "Wanna talk about it?" She received a kind of answer to that. "...O-okay, maybe later."

Back at Zecora’s hut. A newly introduced, stereotypically mysterious and cloaked character stared out the window.

”Curious.” He let out flatly.

”What is?” a familiar Zebraconian asked from across the room, laid in a meditative position.

”The Doctor’s timelines shifted again.”

”Maybe because of your dispute with him?”

”No, this is separate. It was settling ever since he left for town. Something else is happening. Something drastic. Something I’ve missed...”

Zecora opened her eyes to regard her friend curiously. ”Perhaps it is an exterior influence. After all, you are not the only friend he has...”

”I’m not his friend,” the gloomy pony cut her short. ”A friend helps you when you’re in trouble. What I’m doing is more akin to manipulation.”

”...Maybe. And maybe someone who remembers what a friend is supposed to be, can still remember what it means to be a pony.”

There remained a few moments of silence. Zecora eventually sighed and walked over to her guest. ”Perhaps you may return to the realm of the living some day?”

”Perhaps. But not before my task is done. Until then, you will have to make due with the current me.”

She smiled sadly. ”I look forward to meeting the new you.”

He got back to his brooding. ’What did I miss... It’s not logical... Wait. Perhaps...’ ”Oh.”

Zecora’s ears perked up. ”What did your sight show?”

”You were right. It was an exterior influence. That mare that his Tardis brought him to. She’s... changing his priorities.”

No new rhymes. He turned from the window towards his hostess. The zebra only stared at him dumbstruck before laughing heartily. Crossroads only stared at her, at a loss. Which only fueled the zebra’s mirth.

”Sorry, my dear friend. It is just that sometimes, your gloom is far too precious. Some rather obvious things manage to evade your scrutinies.”

”Which is why I need you.”

She quieted down. He continued.

”Same way I’m too distracted to see what’s plain and obvious to you, so is the Doctor. He needs someone to bring his feet on the ground. Someone to present him with something to lose...”

”I do not think I like the words you chose to use...”

”Like it or not, that’s the Doctor’s life. If she wanted a peaceful life, she should’ve looked for someone else.”

He shifted his sight. Before he’d look at some distant point beyond the forest vegetation. Now, he's looking at the darkness laid by the canopy in the distance.

”Though for her sake, I hope she can handle the repercussions of her choice.”

Deeper into the Everfree Forest. Far deeper, in the shadows. Within the crumbling walls of the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters. No one knows what’s happening. No one but a certain, gloomy, foresightful stranger. He doesn’t need to be there to know what’s happening. All he needs to know is the history which had been made a little over a week ago, three nights before the Doctor’s arrival. Time could only flow one way after that.

There’s a part of the Night Mare left. Something which some would consider the source of Luna’s madness, and might be right to think so.
It was purged away by the blast of the Elements of Harmony, but it wasn’t destroyed.
No, it would not allow itself to die so easily. After all, it had done so much to survive. It... he, had sacrificed everything to be by her side.

”Luna...”

The shadows reverberated again. A distant echo from within the dark. A painful soul without a body. A parasite without a host.

”...I want your night to last forever.”