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Time Is a Rarity

by Speedy Quill

Chapter 1: The Stallion And The Statue

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The Stallion And The Statue

Time Turner ran down the alleyway, never looking over his shoulder. He knew he couldn't keep up the pace for long. He couldn't outrun the beast. He ran out into the main square and turned around.

Nothing.

He slowly turned. He was staring at a fountain, a smiling statue of a pony posed in the center. Time Turner smiled back. "Wrong move." He looked around as ponies started to walk into the square. He looked back at the statue. "Open for business. Have a nice day." He turned around and walked off into the approaching crowd.

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Rarity hummed as she flipped the door sign to 'Open'. Business was steady and she expected a new shipment of fabrics today. It also helped that she had a big order being picked up today. She continued to hum as she straightened up the boutique. Her client would be here soon. She looked at her clock. 9:30. She smiled to herself. A whole half hour before her appointment.

'RING RING'

Rarity's eyes went wide in surprise. "Who in Equestria could that be?" She walked to the door and opened it. There stood Madam Hoofguard! Rarity's eyes shot to her clock and back to her client. "Madam Hoofguard! You're early."

Hoofguard smiled. "Early my dear? I do believe I'm right on time. We agreed upon ten o'clock, did we not?"

Rarity looked up at her clock again. This time she noticed that it was still 9:30. She sighed. "Do forgive me. It seems my clock has broken. I didn't think you would be here for another half hour."

Madam Hoofguard continued to smile as she stepped inside. "It's quite alright darling. I'm in no rush. I presume my order is ready?"

Rarity nodded and pointed to a stack of boxes. She levitated them over to Hoofguard and set them down. "Four lovely dresses designed to your liking. I do hope you enjoy wearing them as much as I enjoyed creating them."

Hoofguard opened the top box and gasped. "It's wonderful!" She ran her hoof along the fabric and giggled. Rarity beamed as her work was admired and praised.

Madam Hoofguard closed the box and turned to Rarity. She pulled out a small bag and handed it to Rarity. "Your payment my dear. Well deserved I should say."

Rarity thanked her and Madam Hoofguard left. Rarity set her bag of bits on a table and looked up at the clock. "That was very naughty of you to stop before an appointment." She levitated the clock down to her and examined it. Se sighed when she could not spot the problem. She'd just have to take it into a shop.

Rarity walked through town looking back and forth. There had to be a repair shop for clocks somewhere. She paused in the square and looked around at the various shops. Not one sign for clock repair. She shook her head slowly. "Honestly." She looked around again and her eyes fell on a brown stallion. He was staring at her. Rarity would have dismissed the fact as she was used to stallions glancing at her, but this stallion was different. He kept staring. And it was beginning to annoy her.

Rarity marched over to the stallion. He continued to stare. Her eyes narrowed as she stopped in front of him? "Do you know that it's rude to stare?" The stallion didn't respond. In fact, now that she looked at his eyes, he wasn't looking at her. She followed his gaze to find him staring at the statue that sat on the square's fountain. She looked back at the stallion. Why would he be-? She shook her head. It didn't matter. He was just some stallion being odd.

Rarity turned to head back into the square. She glanced at the fountain again. Her hooves froze. Was it her imagination, or had the statue switched poses?

A hoof touched her shoulders. "You shouldn't have distracted me."

Rarity turned to find the hoof belonged to the brown stallion. He was still staring at the fountain. "Follow me. Slowly." He began to back away, still staring at the fountain. Rarity stood where she was. What was going on?

The stallion's eyes locked with hers for a second. "You coming or not?" His eyes moved back to the statue. "I can fix that clock too." Now he had her attention. Rarity began following him. She glanced one more time at the fountain. The statue was staring at them.

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Time Turner opened the door to his shop and led the white mare inside. He was confident that they hadn't been followed. He shut the door behind her and walked behind the counter. "Let's see your clock." The mare pulled the clock from her saddlebag and set it on the counter. Time Turner picked it up and looked it over. He glanced at the mare. "Name's Time Turner."

The mare smiled. "I'm Rarity." Her smile faded. "What was all that about back at the square?"

Time Turner opened the back of the clock and began examining the gears. "I was keeping an eye on a Weeping Mare."

He could see Rarity's confusion. Her head tilted to the side. "A weeping what?"

Time smiled. "Mare. They're dangerous creatures. That one's been trying to get me for a day or so." He set the clock down and reached for his tools.

Rarity sat down. "What in Equestria are you going on about?"

Time sat up with a screwdriver in his mouth. He firmly gripped it and it began to glow. The clock began ticking.

Rarity gazed in amazement as Time Turner set his screwdriver down. "How did you do that?"

Time pointed to the tool. "Magic screwdriver. It can do a lot of things, including getting a clock to work. Now pay attention." He made sure that she was watching him. "That statue in the fountain wasn't a statue. It was a living creature called a Weeping Mare. They are extremely dangerous and deadly. I've been trying to get rid of it, but the real challenge is not letting it get me first."

Rarity narrowed her eyes. "Really sir, I would think you could be serious for a moment and just tell the truth."

Time Turner prepared to answer, but his eyes froze on something behind Rarity. Rarity turned around.

The statue was at the window.

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Rarity wanted to scream, but she couldn't. Time Turner stepped around the counter. "There's a blue cabinet behind us. I want you to back towards it slowly, but don't take your eyes off of that thing. Do you understand?"

Rarity nodded and took a step back. And another. And another. She could hear Time Turner putting a key into a lock. He must be opening the cabinet he was talking about. She continued to back up.

And then she blinked.

Her eyes opened and the statue was inside, next to the ow open shop door. This time Rarity let out a scream. Her eyes closed in fear.

"I told you to keep looking!"

Rarity felt herself being nudged backwards. Her flak bumped against wood.

"Get inside! Now!!"

Rarity opened her eyes just enough to find the edge of the cabinet. She jumped inside and closed her eyes again. She heard the door slam behind her. And then the pounding against the doors began. Rarity could feel tears welling up in her eyes. And then she felt a hoof.

"It's okay. We're safe in here. She won't be able to get in."

Rarity slowly opened her eyes and looked up at Time Turner. "Safe? How can we be safe from some monster inside a tiny...cabinet." Rarity's words trailed as she took notice of the cabinet interior. It was lit. And it was huge! Se gazed around at the room she was in. Shelves with books and scrolls lined the curved walls. A huge timepiece stood in the middle, the sands falling lazily through the funnel. Time Turner stepped forward and motioned around the room. "Welcome to my place."

Rarity knew she shouldn't let her mouth hang open, but she did it anyway. "This...this is impossible!"

Time Turner smiled. "Difficult. Never impossible. It's magically expanded. Found it on an expedition through the Dragon Nomads."

Rarity turned her attention from the room to the stallion in front of her. "Who are you?"

The brown stallion smiled. "My name's Time Turner, but those who know me well call me by my educationally earned name, Doctor." The pounding noise started again. Rarity's felt her fear grow. She stepped closer to the Doctor.

Time smiled. "Don't worry. I've got everything under control."

Next Chapter: The Doctor Estimated time remaining: 26 Minutes
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