The pounding had subsided, but there was no way to be sure if the Weeping Mare had gone. Time Turner was near the door listening while Rarity was walking around the cabinet. She looked at the books and scrolls stored on the shelves. They seemed to be of every subject known, and some Rarity had never heard of. Her exploration took her behind the center timepiece and she discovered a desk. A large book was opened to a page with large letters:

THE WEEPING MARES

Rarity looked down at the page and began to read:

The Weeping Mares are creatures that are seemingly made of stone. Nothing is known of their origin. They have an interesting, if not frightening, disability that allows them to move only when they are not being watched. They hunt mostly at night. It is not known what happens to ponies that are caught by a Weeping Mare.

The door being pounded again brought Rarity back to the present. She walked around the timepiece to find Time Turner pacing near the door. Rarity walked over and sat down. "Why is it after us?"

Time Turner stopped his pacing and sat down next to her. "Maybe it's hungry. Maybe it's angry. Nopony really knows what the Mares want with us."

Rarity nodded towards the shelves. "You seem to know everything and then some, judging by your collection."

Time Turner smiled and looked around the room. "I've had more than enough time to learn everything. And only a fraction of that was Equestrian knowledge."

Rarity studied the stallion for a moment. "You don't mean to say you've read everything in here, do you?"

Time Turner nodded. "Took me close to a century. Ninety-seven years to be exact."

Rarity looked unconvinced. "You must be kidding. You can't be much older than me."

Time Turner sighed. "I know I look young, but thats only because this is what I looked like when I found the spell."

Now Rarity was interested. "What spell?"

Time stood up and walked to one of the shelves. He pointed to a glass case. Rarity stood up and walked over to look inside. There were two scrolls. She glanced at Time Turner.

Time nodded to the scrolls. "These scrolls were in the cabinet when I first discovered it. They contain some of the most powerful and impossible magic in all the world. There used to be three scrolls."

Rarity eyes narrowed in confusion. "So where's the third scroll?"

Another sigh escaped Time Turner. "I destroyed it."

Rarity stared at him in shock. "But you said it contained powerful magic!"

Time nodded. "It contained a spell to slow aging down to a snail's pace. I've only aged one day for every year since the spell was cast."

Rarity stepped closer to the stallion and looked at him. He looked so young. And yet...his eyes reflected a wisdom that was far older. She stepped back. "How old are you?"

Time chuckled. "Let's just say I knew Princess Luna before she was Nightmare Moon."

Rarity's eyes seemed to lock open. All she could do was stare at the pony in front of her. He looked her age and yet he was over a thousand years old!

Time Turner tried not to meet Rarity's gaze, but he found himself lost in her eyes. He had never had a mare look at him in such a way. "Um... Anyways I...I destroyed the scroll after it was used. I couldn't risk letting anypony getting their hooves on such magic."

Rarity blinked as his words sunk in. "Rather selfish don't you think? To keep near immortality to yourself?"

Time Turner sighed. "I know. But it wasn't entirely my decision. Celestia was the one that gave the final word."

Rarity shook her head slightly. It hardly surprised her that the Doctor should know the Princess. "So she had you destroy it."

Time Turner nodded. "If that spell had fallen into the hooves of a pony with...darker intentions, I cannot imagine what damage could have been done."

Rarity slowly nodded. "I understand." She looked into the eyes of the stallion before her. Eyes that held centuries of memory, knowledge, and experience. Eyes that were really the most lovely shade of blue.... Rarity realized that she had been staring for far too long. She looked down at the floor.

Time Turner wondered what was going on in the mare's head. She had stared at him for some time before looking down. What was she thinking? A second question popped into his head.

What had happened to the pounding on the door?

Time Turner rushed to the door and put his ear against it. He couldn't hear anything. He looked to Rarity. "I do believe our unwelcome guest may have left the shop." He slowly unlocked the latch, took a deep breath, and threw the cabinet doors open. He stepped back, placing himself between Rarity and the shop.

Nothing.

The Weeping Mare wasn't at the cabinet. In fact, it wasn't in the shop. Not that there much of a shop left. Time Turner stepped out of the cabinet and looked around. There had been dozens of beautiful timepieces on display. Now the shop floor was covered in glass, sand, gears, and wood. "Careful when you step out."

Rarity followed behind him slowly. "You're sure it's gone?"

Time Turner walked around the shop and nodded. "Gone." He turned to Rarity. "May I escort you home?"

Rarity smiled. "Thank you."

Time Turner stood inside Carousel Boutique and admired some of the dresses. "You do beautiful work."

Rarity blushed. "Thank you. These aren't even my best designs though."

Time Turner smiled. "If these aren't the best, then you must be the finest designer in all of Equestria. And trust me, I've met quite a few over the years. Especially the famous ones. Their designs haven't a thing on yours."

Rarity felt herself blushing all the more. She smiled. "Thank you Doctor."

Time Turner looked at her. "I like the way that sounds coming from you. Doctor."

Rarity giggled. "Then you wouldn't mind if I called you that more often?"

The Doctor chuckled and bowed his head. "I would love that Miss Rarity."

Without any warning, Rarity embraced him. "Thank you for saving me."

The Doctor returned the hug. "Anytime. Remind me to take you on a real adventure sometime. One without Weeping Mares chasing us."

They shared a laugh.

-------------------------

The Weeping Mare stood still as a stallion and mare passed her.

The mare stopped and looked up at the creature. "I don't recall a statue in the middle of this square."

The stallion shrugged. "I guess Canterlot can never have too many statues."

The couple continued on their way. The Weeping Mare wanted to go after them, but she knew she had to warn her sisters.

She passed the message on to every statue she saw.

The Doctor

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