Somewhere else, within the confines of a different plane of existence, Disdain watched a techmaturgically generated window towards the realm of Feyraltia, regarding what had happened tonight.

"An interesting outcome." Said the dark figure, laying at his desk in front of the screen with multiple plans and schematics strewn about underneath his head and forelimbs, and a half full glass of hard liquor beside its bottle a small ways in the corner of the platform. Multiple empty bottles strewn about throughout the room.

He was laying his head between his front hooves, one of them replaced with a robotic limb. The right side of his face replaced with cybernetic augmentations.

If his features weren’t hidden in the dark room, then his positively wretched disposition would’ve been clear.

He didn't need to search for the energies now spiking abundantly across all radars, nor did he need to check the history books as they were being rewritten this very moment. All he needed to do was to trace the Tardis's psychic link back to the Doctor.

He's been fully aware of what's been happening so far. He just had no means of taking any kind of action without risking everything. Without risking to be found by the Mad Lord.

He didn't owe carefulness to himself, but to his goal. He owed taking a more responsible approach for his followers' sake. They trusted him to become their leader for a reason, and he was not about to betray that trust.

"It would seem that we need to re-adapt our original plan."

He got up and closed the screen. Then he brushed a few papers away, and uncovered and pressed a button on his intercom.

“Please tell Wavelength he has the all-clear for his proposal. He may do with the Tardis as he wishes.”

The cold night air was silent. The citizens of Ponyville had received word of none other than the Princesses’ intervention, and were asked to return to their homes and rest peacefully, as all would be taken care of with due diligence.

The Equestrian politicians had yet to be offered any reason to start their inevitable, mad and wild fussing, as they’ve yet to find out about Celestia’s attitude adjustment.

It was going to be a nightmare for them to not only adjust every single decree and order for the newly, severely downgraded sovereign, since it was clearly the end of the world that their lead representative was now a couple heads shorter. But also, it was undoubtedly going to cause all and utter pandemonium within the common folk, unless they managed to somehow spin the facts according to their liking, and keep them subdued under the impression that Tia was still, indeed, their idol of perfection, leaving Luna with her well-deserved mark of Cain…

Yeah, Celestia did not take well to the nobleponies even suggesting that.

It was far too long since the sun princess had used the Royal Equestrian Voice anyway. Suffice to say, they needed to redecorate the meeting room afterwards. And a few of the politicians needed to take a few days off for hospitalization.

Because fuck politicians, everything they’re made of and everything remotely akin to them.

Luna gave her sister the biggest hug ever, after all of that had been dealt with.

As of yet, however, Luna still hadn’t received answer to the request for a chariot to return her, her sister and her Black Knight to Canterlot. For now, they were still only a small ways left from arriving to Ponyville, accompanying the rest of the ones involved in today’s events.

A fact which she and her sister were more than happy about. Any extra moment spent with their old mentor and friend, the Doctor, was a treasured one, even if they were both unable to tell him anything regarding his future.

Spoilers, after all.

They were more than content with just seeing him be happy with the mare he’d decided to choose as his significant other, as well as with getting to know the current Bearers of the Elements of Harmony.

Twilight, Celestia’s former apprentice who had until lately been looking up to her mentor with unbridled reverence and admiration, was understandably the one who needed a talk with them the most at the moment.

While she did so, however, the others were doing their own thing.

“How you holding up?” The Doctor asked the former shade.

“…I never needed to walk before.”

Yes, the poor sucker was, indeed, tired from walking for about twenty minutes.

“You?” Knight asked back.

The time lord lightly brushed against the mare at his side and answered. He had since managed to regain hold of his emotions, now fondly looking forward to finally getting the chance to lay to rest. “I’ve certainly had worse than today during my time, but I’m also most certainly still alive, so I can’t complain.”

“What do you mean?” The shade asked confusedly.

“…Long story. Or rather, stories.”

“Hmm. I did notice quite the mass of memories in your mind. I can’t say I quite enjoyed moving through most of the ones I did.” A tentative pause, but the shade couldn’t help it. He needed to know. “How do you manage…”

The Doctor interrupted him before he could finish, however. “Say, how about we meet up sometime? Chat a bit, chew the fat, maybe even play some poker?”

“Chew the… fat? What is poker?”

Luna decided to eavesdrop upon hearing the last question. “I do hope you’re not thinking about corrupting Knight now, Doctor!”

The Time Lord rolled his eyes. “You ladies do know you don’t own us, right?”

They laughed, relief from today’s happenings only causing everyone to indulge more heartily. Knight, on the other hand, was clearly having trouble keeping up with what was being said as Luna clasped her head tenderly under his. He could only oblige.

Ditzy decided to intervene into the conversation. “I was wondering, though. What were you and Celestia talking about before you managed to get away into the catacombs? It kind of seemed like you two had already met.”

Noose tightening. “I…ugh…”

“…Doctor? Is there something you forgot to tell me?”

“…Maybe?”

The group laughed again, harder. Most of them, anyway.

Celestia, for one, seemed distracted by something. She stopped, studying the Doctor’s leg intently.

“Tell me, Doctor. During our meeting, was there a spell which I’ve cast on you?”

He stopped as well, followed by the others. “Oh, right. You did cast a tracking spell on me. Supposedly a failsafe making sure I behave and keep a low profile, however I assume there’s not much point in doing that anymore, right?”

“I suppose not…” Tia agreed, glowing her horn and causing the runes on his arm to appear. Attracting the attention of everyone else, and drawing the fascination of the student.

“Those are dragon runes!”

“Very good, Twilight,” Celestia smiled. “I see you truly are as diligent as I’ve expected. These are indeed dragon runes. Though I don’t think I like the formula they’re forming…”

Luna read the runes as well, biting her lower lip. Celestia was growing more and more perturbed the more she read.

“Did I really write these?” the sun princess asked, crestfallen.

“You were in a dark place, Tia. Please don’t think about it too much.”

Before her sister could answer, the princess of the night decided to take the initiative in adding her own touch to the runes. She walked forward, bowed down and lay her shining horn against the Doctor’s shoulder, shining silver light in the forest clearing.

Once she was done, new bluish-silver markings had appeared on his left arm, intertwining with the golden ones along his shoulder and upper arm area. The golden sun markings had also changed in the process and became identical, much to Luna’s satisfaction and Celestia’s reserved relief.

“You’ve given unto me more than I could ever possibly give back, Doctor. Please let me and my sister be there whenever you might need our help. All you need to do is speak our names in sequence, and we will answer.”

He studied his new tattoos curiously, before deciding to test that promise. “Celestia. Luna.”

Surely enough, his markings started shining, and the sovereigns’ voices could be heard from within. “Yes?” the sisters asked in unison.

It elicited a small smile from the Time Lord. “Could we please go home? I’m tired.”

They all said their goodbyes. Fluttershy running off with Angel tucked under her wing, concerned because she hadn’t renewed the chickens’ feed, although it was sufficient for another week.

The two sisters and former shade climbing onto a carriage which had been waiting for them in front of town hall.

Applejack and Big Mac rejoining with their worried family back on the farm. Pinkie quickly calming the Cakes’ worries. Twilight tucking her already asleep assistant in.

Rainbow, in contrast, was just happy to crash into her bed after everything that happened today. She was intent on sleeping most of the days following, on the clouds, in the sun, for the following week.

Ditzy wanted to talk to the Doctor, but he seemed far too tired. She just opened the door to their house, and was greeted by her sister waiting anxiously at the dining room table.

“Dotes, you’re still awake?”

She didn’t receive a verbal answer, though. Her own younger sister was busy walking towards them tiredly, and before she realized what she was thinking of doing, she reeled back and delivered the Doctor a haymaker.

“Doseydotes!”

“Where have you been!?”

“I can’t believe this.” Ditzy answered, exasperated, beside the still crouching Time Lord. “The Doctor went through Fel today to get the missing girls back! He fought Celestia herself and won! And here you are, hitting him when he’s tired and weak!”

Dotes looked confused. What was her sister on about? Nothing she was saying made any sense…

“I’m going to bed.” the Doctor offered as he got up.

His path was cut off by the younger sibling, however.

“I don’t know what happened today, but I don’t want you in our house anymore!”

<Slap>

Her eyes were wide in surprise. Why did her sister hit her?

She looked back to her sibling, only finding a sad and disappointed glare in return. She was speechless.

Only then did she finally look to find the Doctor in the eye.

He looked like he was dead.

He didn’t wait for her to move aside. He just brushed past. Dotes’ mouth was left hanging, trying to find some way to get back on top of the fleeting confrontation. Her sister brushed past as well, without a word.

She was left alone, nothing but questions and betrayal for company.

He crashed in his bed, wanting never to wake up again.

He heard the door silently close and lock behind him, and managed to look up to see Ditzy look back at him.

She walked over and lied beside him in bed. “What’s going through your head right now?” she asked him quietly, brushing through his hair. “And please don’t try to lie to me.”

He would’ve smiled at the last remark. She'd really grown to know him, hasn’t she?

He wrapped an arm around her head, and drew her head forward. Their lips met, their kiss flowing for a millennia across their now shared woes.

She had asked him to tell her what he thought about her at one point. Repeating exactly what it was that he’d said would never come close to expressing their connection at the time.

What was she to him? What was the world to him? He had told someone once, what his life is like.

“We’re falling…”

“I know.”

He could feel the ground under his feet spinning around the planet’s axis, around the Sun, through the cold, unrelenting void of space within the Milky Way in our universe. An unending expanse of nothingness, with only a few planets and stars to tell the tale of infinity’s mercilessness. Furthermore, slipping through time like the blink of an eye to a star’s lifespan.

Now, however, he felt nothing. No Coriolis, no Sun, no Milky Way… This wasn’t his timeline either. He was an estranged cell on the tissue of an alien being.

That was what he was. Yet, now he needed someone to hold on to for dear life.

He was an intruder, he didn't belong where he was. What was worse, he wasn't falling through space anymore. He was falling through void.

“I’m scared.”

“I’m here.”

At least before, he could safely rely on who he was. He was who he wanted to be.

Needing a new name, he called himself the Doctor. The man who makes people better. Who fixes problems and always finds a peaceful solution. Ideal, right? You could even call it childish.

However, there comes a time when you need to grow up. Ironically, though, it had to happen in the lands of fairy tale.

Maybe that's what it took. Maybe that's what it always took. For him to look around, to see how unreal his life is. The irony reflecting the world he'd found himself in. In a world where the sun always shines and the colors are always bright, there's always so much grief. Quite simply, it's too good to be true.

He'd grown up a long time ago. He just regressed after the Time War. However, memories never remain buried for long. Especially the bad ones.

"Please. Make me forget."

What happened the night the Earth had been stolen, reminded him. That the Doctor was just something he made up. Maybe in time, others believed it to be true, but that was only by those hopeless and desperate enough to need that hope to hold on to.

He even bought his own lie, in his own desperation. But what happened then reminded him...

'The man who abhors violence, never carrying a gun. But this is the truth, Doctor. You take ordinary people and fashion them into weapons.'

...that there's a reason why he himself had once started running.

He looked into time itself, and got scared. Not because of how vast it was, no. But by what he learned from it.

It was a maelstrom. No order to it. No mercy. Just a force that couldn't be controlled.

And he was in it.

He was a drop of rain in the winds of a Black Hole. No way to control where he lead. Nothing for him to do but accept wherever he'd be lead.
He refused to admit that fact.

He wanted to outrun time. To outrun the winds that carried him, and gain the chance to move on his own path. He didn't want to... he refused to let time decide for him! To decide his fate!

...But such are the laws of the world. How do you know if you're truly ahead of the current, or if your own initiative is not just another kind of wind? Just another shackle to the laws of causality?

How did he know if he really had freedom, or if he was bound by fate without him knowing?

That's why he always refused to follow the norm. To be the exception. To be the only Time Lord who actually dared to dream that he was free.

Why he refused to resort to violence whenever it was his only option.

He never carried a weapon because in doing so he went against all the laws of the universe! Where they'd demand 'be or be killed', he rebelled and demanded a third option! Where they'd deny another's right to live, not only were they rendering their own right to the wind, but they were giving in to fate! They were admitting that fate could decide when another's time had come!!

He refused. He refused because he believed that he could fight it...

But that night, he started having doubts.

All of his actions were for the sake of saving lives, for the sake of proving his freedom. But it turned out that he had inadvertently turned his followers and friends into killers. It turned out that by sparing Davros long ago, hoping that he could save him, all he did was supply the Universe with the one who started the Last Great Time War.

He thought he could change something, if only he could be the Doctor enough times again. Tonight, however, he failed.

Turns out he had been dancing to an unheard song all along.

He wanted to forget. He wanted to lose himself in his significant other.

“We're both here.” his lover continued to soothe him. "We're safe. That's all that matters."

Dinky was sleeping soundly in her room. She might've shifted when her mother and aunt were fighting, but otherwise, didn't wake up.

Doseydotes, however, was not going to stay in that house any longer.

She packed her bags and left.

She walked through the moonlit night up to a rather wealthy-looking house, up a hill overlooking the town. Quite large, it seemed like an estate compared to the other houses. However, no one really knew what happened behind those walls...

It appeared that the owner was still awake, having one of the rooms lit up with arcane lamps. No cheap venture, mind you.

She knocked at the door and waited for a unicorn stallion to answer.

"Dotes? What's wrong?"

She threw herself at him for comfort, tired and sad.

"I just don't understand!" she cried. "My sister's boyfriend is brainwashing her. She just doesn't care about what he's doing to her anymore!"

"Shh shh... it's okay. Everything's going to be fine."

He directed her inside, and went to carry her luggage. His blue coat and blond mane shining in the moonlight, an hourglass with two drumsticks on his sides.

He looked around carefully, his placid guise momentarily giving way for a mad smile hiding malevolent intent. He was looking on, satisfied, down the houses of the town.

He put his façade back on, turning back around and leading Doseydotes into his lair.

"Trust me, I'll take care of everything. I already have a plan in the works."

Author's Notes:

To be continued in the next part.