Duskfall knew this moment was coming from the moment she had regained lucidity after realizing Twilight’s Cutie Mark was gone. She had just got done with yet another Town Hall Forum, because she frankly couldn’t be assed to maintain an illusion spell over her flank and to tell everyone that Harmonia would be joining their little community of insanity.

So it was that she was staring down the Cutie Mark Crusaders as they vibrated like dualshock controllers with the motors broken. Really, she didn’t want to deal with them. Duskfall knew her Special Talent would likely be something to do with Magic, if she cared enough to get a Cutie Mark. Running around with the Crusaders would be a waste of time. At least they were being polite enough to wait for permission to speak.

“OK, just get it out of your systems before you explode,” Duskfall finally sighed.

“YOU’RE A BLANK FLANK JUST LIKE US!” The cried together.

“You don’t say?” Dusk’s sarcasm bounced off the three filly’s excitement.

“Now ya’ll can come with us crusadin’!” Apple Bloom shouted happily.

“An Alicorn member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders!” Sweetie Belle looked like she was about to faint from happiness.

“The only thing that would be cooler is if Rainbow Dash could be a blank flank while keeping her Cutie Mark!” The other two Crusaders looked at her, “What?”

“Ya’ll do realize that’s kinda mutually exclusive?” Apple Bloom asked with an arched eyebrow.

“I mean, if someone can steal Cutie Marks, then who knows what’s possible?” Scootaloo countered.

“Fair ‘nough,” Apple Bloom acceded.

“I’m glad this has taught you all that ‘impossible’ is merely a word,” Duskfall couldn’t stop herself from snarking. Was she bad with kids? She felt like she was bad with kids. Which was slightly odd, given Twilight was great with kids and these three in particular.

“Well of course impossible is just a word,” Scoots snarked back.

“That’s not what I meant and you know it, you sassy struthionidae,” Duskfall smirked.

“I’m not even going to try and repeat what you just said,” Scootaloo admitted defeat.

“That was a really big word, Dusk, what does it mean?” Sweetie Belle asked. Duskfall turned it over in her head. How much tree sap was the enlightenment of the CMC worth?

“Look up a scientific paper about ostriches. That should tell you what you want to know,” If the castle wound up filled with tree sap, well, maybe it was equal parts retribution on her and Harmonia.

“You know, when an adult tries to weasel out of an answer like that, it’s usually because they know the kid won’t like the answer,” Scootaloo deadpanned.

“Well aren’t you just the cutest little cynic. I’ll leave you to your research so you can decide if you want to declare a blood feud with me or not,” Duskfall happily exited the building.

“Real sporting of you, Duskfall, putting one over on three young fillies,” Discord remarked, appearing beside her as she walked to the castle.

“Sometimes you gotta remind the younger generation where they stand in the pecking order,” Duskfall replied unrepentantly. Discord chuckled.

“And I’m sure it has nothing to do with you being butthurt about the three of them just wanting to help get you your own Cutie Mark,” Discord sounded decidedly unimpressed. Duskfall had to bite her tongue. She almost said she didn’t want or need a Cutie Mark because she wouldn’t be around long enough to get one. But she was supposed to be a “healthy” fusion. She couldn’t go around saying stuff like that. They’d lock Duskfall up faster than Celestia eats cake on her birthday.

“I’ll make it up to them later. I can run around wearing one of their capes and adventuring with them if they want. Just as soon as Scootaloo decides she doesn’t want to murder me in my sleep,” Duskfall said instead.

“Alright, far be it from me to actually lecture you on friendship. I suppose everyone needs to let off some steam once in a while,” Discord remarked as he poofed a teapot with his face into existence that was spewing steam from the spout.

“Yeah, but there are better ways than scholastically dunking on a trio of fillies,” Duskfall grimaced.

“I don’t think you scholastically dunked on anyone, Duskfall. Maybe Scootaloo if you squint,” Discord said mildly.

“I used a word I was sure they wouldn’t understand on them,” Duskfall protested.

“There are two things to keep in mind. You pointed them in the direction to educate themselves and if all anyone ever used were words everyone was familiar with, no one would ever speak at all,” Discord pointed out.

“From admonishing to supportive in the same conversation… I do believe I’m actually proud of you, Discord. You’re growing into an excellent friend,” Duskfall complimented.

“That is kind of you to say, Dusk, but if you all didn’t believe in me as you do, I wouldn’t have had a reason to improve myself. I feel sorry for the Discords that are treated with mistrust by the Elements. I feel pity for the ones who choose the path of villainy,” Discord mused.

“At least you know there are other versions of you scattered across the Multiverse. I can’t help but feel I’m a one of a kind freak accident. It’s a pretty lonely feeling,” Duskfall sighed with melancholy.

“Why, of course you’re unique! Everyone is unique, even clones of the same person! Just because I share a Name and identity with others doesn’t make them me or I them. That’s the beauty of it! Every sapient being in all the Multiverse is blessed with their own Free Will. Even if I do choose the same things for the same reasons as another Discord, those choices are still mine and mine alone. Everyone has influence over everyone else, Duskfall Sparkle; it is the internalization of those influences that let us know that we’re not as alone as we think.”

Dusk and Discord had parted ways not long after that. He had given her much to think about. So she had decided to chew it over in her mind while reading a book on High Ritual since neither Spike nor Moon Dancer was home.

“The Doctor is approaching the castle,” Harmonia popped her head into the room Duskfall was reading in.

“Aren’t you busy with constructing your new body?” Duskfall asked.

“I can multitask and The Doctor seems agitated for some reason. I felt it needful to give you a…what do the mortals call it? A heads up?” Harmonia wondered.

“You are correct. The term is a ‘heads up’,” Duskfall answered as she hid the book away. Harmonia seemed pleased with herself as she dismissed the avatar.

Duskfall made it to the front door as The Doctor knocked.

“Good day, Doctor, to what do I owe the visit?” Duskfall asked politely. He was clearly bothered by something or other. Dusk hoped it wasn’t anything world ending. Instead of returning her greeting, The Doctor pulled something out of his saddlebags.

“Here,” He shoved a thick stack of papers towards Duskfall. She arched an eyebrow at The Doctor before looking at the papers. Her eyes grew huge as she read what was on them.

“Is this…data on the Universe before the Time Lords created the Web of Time?” The Doctor squirmed a bit.

“While the Web of Time imposes order on the Universe, the underlying principles of the reality before are still intact. Better you have that data and not need it than it sitting uselessly in the TARDIS’ data banks when it could be helpful,” Duskfall was shocked.

“I…thank you Doctor. I wouldn’t have expected this from you, of all people, given your distaste for Magic,” Duskfall noted. The Doctor snorted in amusement.

“In the dimensions where my adventures are television they quite often underplay my near Rhabdophobia. Some of my alternates and previous Regenerations have Rhabdophobia straight out and are utterly paralyzed in the face of Magic. I grew up on horror stories of the Madness that reigned before the Web of Time, many caused by Magic. When I gazed into the Untempered Schism I looked through Eternity’s Eye and one of the things I saw the worst of that time. That is one of the reasons why I ran and never stopped running. When I first crash landed on Equuis all those years ago and discovered the entire world was bathed in Magic, I will admit I had a minor panic attack,” The Doctor told Duskfall.

“‘A minor panic attack’?” Duskfall needled. The Doctor pouted.

“I wandered into Ponyville, saw someone doing Magic, and fled back into the Everfree, where my TARDIS had crashed. Happy? I spent many months trying to fix the TARDIS so I could escape this misbegotten world and during that time my supplies slowly dwindled. I didn’t trust the plants of such a Magic rich world nor my new body. This was long before Zecora moved in, of course. Eventually I began to succumb to starvation induced delirium. That’s when Roseluck found me.

“Roseluck? As in the Flower Triplet Roseluck?” Duskfall asked in surprise.

“The very same. When those three are together, they can panic over any little thing, but get any one of them alone and they are capable of some remarkable feats of bravery, but I digress. She found me in the Everfree and took me to her home and nursed me back to health. I rambled like a madman most of the time I was under her care, but having two hearts is hard to argue with,” The Doctor joked.

“Leave the jokes to the professionals, Mr. Time Lords Victorious,” Duskfall snarked. The Doctor’s ears splayed back.

“That was not one of my prouder moments…Anyway, when I didn’t spontaneously combust after Roseluck had a Unicorn doctor look me over, well, Roseluck started helping me see how irrational I had been about the whole thing. I’m still not completely comfortable with Magic, strictly speaking. Almost 2000 years of habit is hard to unlearn, but with the help of Roseluck, Derpy, Dinky, and maybe especially Amethyst, I’m getting better. Part of that is what I’m doing right now. I have faith that you won’t misuse the knowledge in those documents,” The Doctor smiled awkwardly.

“Thank you, Doctor. I don’t know what else to say. I’m honored you’re entrusting me with this,” Duskfall felt an impulse to hug The Doctor and followed it. She only hugged him briefly before letting go.

“Yes! Well! I’ll, uh, just leave you to it then!” He marched stiffly away for a few steps before turning around, “If you ever fancy a taste of adventure or just a really nice view, my TARDIS is open to you.” And then he left.

“I suppose he isn’t so bad,” Duskfall snarked to herself before settling in to read what The Doctor had given her.

Author's Notes:

D'aww, The Doctor is making an effort.

I wonder how The Doctor's enemies would react if they ever learned The Doctor, the Oncoming Storm, screamed like a little girl and fled in the face of cute pastel ponies.

A little bit of elaboration on this particular Doctor's history. I thought it was good, but maybe I'm just flattering myself.

I personally think the CMC are old enough to be able to handle the light teasing Duskfall used on them. She's just being super hard on herself for no reason.

I was pretty surprised when Discord butted in to talk philosophy with Duskfall, but I'm quite pleased he did. I've been reading Your Human and You as well as Discord's Pride and they gave me some interesting perspectives on how one can interpret Discord, hence my Discord's line about feeling sorry for and pitying certain other Discords.