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THYME AFTER TIME - part 20

"Stolen it?" asked the Professor.

"Well... maybe stolen isn't exactly the right word," the Doctor admitted. "Obfuscated it might be a more accurate description."

"Accurate, but not much clearer," Cassia observed.

"How else in Equestria could I describe it? Muddled? Confused? Befuddled? You know, language is really cumbersome, having to pick and choose the right words all the time. It would be so much easier if more intelligent species had telepathy, though I suppose that could possibly lead to a lot of intergalactic wars."

"Doctor... could we please keep to the issue at hand?" asked Celestia. "How could your... TARDIS... be confused?"

"Well... whoever has it must have made it think they were me."

"So this time-machine is sentient... like Cymbalaria," the Professor suggested.

"Well, I wouldn't limit the TARDIS like that, but your basic understanding is correct," the Doctor said. "And, having listened to your description of the Maestro, I'd say there was a 99.9 percent probability that she is the culprit, but it's not certain."

"There's only a point one percent chance she didn't take it?" observed Twilight. "That sounds rather certain."

"Yes... but it's a VERY big point one percent."

"Okay, for argument's sake, if the Maestro has this TARDIS, why is she sending monsters to conquer Equestria and not using it herself to escape?" asked Clover.

"Well, that goes back to the reason why I've set up shop in Ponyville," the Doctor said.

Celestia looked at him. "And that would be...?

"To be brutally honest, the TARDIS is just slightly broken."

"Can thou define 'broken?" asked Luna.

"When I first arrived I passed through some kind of continuity field that not only changed me to a pony, but it fried the Continuum Insertion circuitry. I can bounce around on your world with no problem, but at present the TARDIS can't move temporally; though it can be used to open dimensional holes and bring things INTO Equestria; something I think the Maestro has already discovered."

"Why doesn't she fix it herself?" asked Twilight.

"Would you expect a Neanderthal Pony to repair a steam engine?"

"Point taken," said the Professor.

"So you've been stranded in Ponyville for the last three years?" asked Rarity.

"Well, not so much stranded as on an enforced vacation, at least until I can cobble together a replacement Insertion circuit. With Equestria's current technology it should only take me another four years."

"You've been here for three whole years! I don't think I've ever thrown you a Welcome to Ponyville party... Or a Birthday party for that matter," said Pinky Pie.

"Well, that's probably because I tend to keep to myself pretty much. Besides, you couldn't fit enough candles on a cake to celebrate my birthday," the Doctor chuckled.

"Just how old are you?" Twilight asked.

"Well, it's all relative to the dimension one is in, of course. Let's just say I was around when Luna and Celestia's great, great, great, great grandparents were in diapers and leave it at that. The room went silent for a moment as everypony tried to digest Tic-Tock's last statement. It was broken when Cyanide spoke for the first time during the meeting.

"I know you..." he muttered to no one in particular.

"What'd y'all say, sugar cube?" asked Applejack.

"I said I know him. I know all about the Doctor, and he isn't real." Everypony's head turned to look at him.

"Not real? But here I am, standing before you in the horse-flesh, as it were. How can you think I'm not real?"

"He does have a point," the farm pony said. "If he were makin' this all up, Ah'd know."

"But he can't be real," the chimera insisted. "The Doctor is a fictional character from a really old T.V. series back home."

"A fictional character? Whatever are you talking...?" The brown furred stallion's eyes suddenly lit with understanding. "OH! I see what you mean! You're talking about that cheeky little series that exists on a couple dozen alternate versions of your world; supposedly based upon my exploits. Serves me right for telling those three British BBC boffins about time travel. So... who is your favorite version of me, Sean Connery, William Shatner or Judy Dench?"

"Uh... I'm only up to the Tenth Doctor."

"Oh, then the best is yet to come. Wait until you get to Doctor Number 42. He really is the answer to life, the universe and everything."

"This is worse than talking to Discord," Rainbow Dash said, slapping a hoof to her head.

"We need to get to the point. How are we going to deal with the Maestro?" Twilight asked.

Cassia reached into her saddlebags and pulled out a long, cylindrical device. "Before we came here Rekooh gave me this so I could find Cyanide and the Maestro." She carefully used her hoof to activate the tracking function. A holographic map of Equestria appeared, then zoomed onto an area south and east of Ponyville.

"That looks like Mare Island," Celestia said.

"Mare Island?" asked Cinnamon.

Twilight turned and levitated a large book from a nearby shelf. Holding it in front of her, she telekinetically flipped through the pages until she reached the one she wanted. "Here it is. Mare Island." She began to read aloud. "A lush, volcanic island of about 9,100 square kilometers, located approximately 142 kilometers off the southeast coast of Equestria. It is an independent nation-state and home to the legendary warrior ponies known as..." The lavender unicorn suddenly stopped reading and looked at the other ponies. "Amarezons."

"Yoo hoo!" cheered Pinky. "Road trip party."

"I don't think this qualifies as a road trip, sugar cube."

"Indeed," said Celestia. "The Amarezons don't like visitors and they aren't to be underestimated. Their warriors are among the best in the world and can match any stallion strength for strength."

"And that is unique because...?" asked Cassia.

"Amarezon warriors are all fillies," Twilight explained. She looked over at the Princesses. "You don't suppose this Maestro has made an alliance with the Amarezon queen?"

"We cannot imagine why they would ally themselves with her. They dislike outsiders intensely."

"If such a thing had happened I believe our ambassador would have informed us immediately," Celestia replied.

"Well, whether or not the Amarezons are working with her is a minor detail. If we're going to stop any further attacks by the Maestro, then we had better grab our scarves and start trotting there straightaway," the Doctor said. He pulled out the device he'd used earlier on Cymbalaria and used it again. The cybernetic pony blinked her eyes and looked around in confusion.

"Why am I on the floor?"

"No time for folderol... We can talk on the way. Anypony who's going can meet me next to the mechanical monstrosity at the center of town in an hour." He opened the door then turned and looked back at the ponies gathered around the table. "Oh, and by the way, you provide the transportation." With that he cantered outside, closing the door behind him.

Everypony looked around the room at each other for a moment. "Did we just miss something, sister?" Luna asked. "We don't recall putting Mr. Tock in charge of any expedition... or forming one in the first place."

"We didn't. Except for having jumped the gun the good 'Doctor' has a point," Celestia said. "We need to send somepony to Mare Island and find the Maestro as soon as possible."

The Professor looked over at the Princess. "Since she's really our problem to begin with, my family and I volunteer."

"I believe that is a given," the Sun Princess said. "However I would like to send Twilight along with you as guide and councilor, since you do not know our world well."

"Yes, your highness," the lavender unicorn replied.

"Well, dang it; if Twi's goin' then Ah am too," asserted Applejack.

"As am I, your majesty," Rarity said.

Rainbow Dash jumped up from her seat. "Hey! I'm the Element of Loyalty here. If they're in, I'm in!"

"Yeah... Search Partee!" cheered Pinky.

"What about Fluttershy?" asked Luna. "Shouldn't we include all the Elements?"

"Don't y'all worry, Princess. Once we tell her what's goin' on she'll have her saddlebags packed before any of us can sneeze."

"Good," said Celestia. I'll arrange for your transportation and leave the remaining details to you, Twilight. I know with you leading the mission is in capable hooves." Both princesses rose from the table. Everypony stood out of respect until they had left the library.

"Alright girls," let's get packed. We'll meet back here in forty-five minutes," announced the lavender unicorn.

"I'll get Fluttershy," Rainbow announced, trotting out the door with her friends.

Twilight looked over at the Power Puff Ponies. "Why don't you guys wait here? If you want, there's some fresh carrot, apple and cabbage salad in the kitchen. Feel free to help yourselves. She then vanished in a small pop of air. A second later her voice could be heard coming from upstairs. "Spike... Where are my quills?"

Cassia looked over at the Professor. "Don't you think it's kind of risky involving them against the Maestro?"

"This is their world," he responded. "They were involved the moment she set foot in Equestria."

"We'll just have to keep an eye out for them," said Cyanide. "Besides, I'd feel a whole lot better with Twilight in charge than that faux Time Lord."

Cinnamon sneered "You've got that right. I don't think he could lead a worm to an apple."

"I'd be careful about pre-judging him," the Professor said. "If he really can travel between dimensions he might be as dangerous as the Maestro."

**********

An hour later everyone was packed and gathered on the town square. The sun was just descending below the horizon when they were joined by the Doctor.

"Alright... Shop's all locked up, my pockets are full and I've even got some snacks. Now, where's our ride?"

"Pockets?" asked Rarity. "But you're not even wearing a vest. How can you have pockets?"

"My dear Miss Belle. Don't think for even a moment that fabric is a necessary accommodation for pockets. As a matter of fact, cloth tends to inhibit one's access to them at the most critical of times."

The fashionista opened her mouth intending to argue the point when she was stopped by Applejack. "Don't bother, sugar cube. Ah don't think he'd make sense even if we did know what he was talkin' about."

"Okay, that's ten, eleven, twelve and thirteen," said the Doctor, pointing a hoof at each pony in turn. "Fourteen if you count the little purple lizard thingy."

"I'm a dragon... not a lizard," Spike growled.

"Whatever... Now that everypony's here we can get going." The self-proclaimed Time Lord looked around. "Um, who has our ride?"

"Princes Celestia said she would provide the transportation," said Rainbow, "But I don't see any sky chariots or anything?"

"That's 'cause I don't hold with them fancy royal carriages."

Everypony turned and looked at the source of the comment. Before them stood an earth pony with faded sky blue fur. His mane and tail were gray from age, though one couldn't be certain what age that was. He wore a black duster and a brown Stetson hat, somewhat different in design than Applejack's. A thick, handlebar moustache sprouted from his muzzle. It was as gray as his mane. Over his back he carried a Winchester repeating rifle, its lever action modified for ponies. No one could see his cutie mark because of the duster.

The stranger walked up to Twilight and shook her hoof. "Evening, ma'am. The princess contracted with me to give you and your friends a fast ride south."

"And you are?"

The pony took off his hat. "Leighland Sour-Bee; at your service, ma'am." He looked over the group of ponies before him. "This everypony?"

"Yes," replied Twilight, "but I don't see our ride. How are you going to transport all these ponies?"

The earth pony chuckled. "The answer's sitting just outside of town. If you will all be kind enough to follow me." He led them passed the town hall and down a short side street until they reached the edge of Ponyville. There, sitting in a clearing was an enormous airship. The cigar-shaped gasbag was over two-hundred feet in length. Under it was a large, boat-shaped open gondola. It had a small steam engine and two propellers, one jutting out from each side. Each was mounted on a rotating frame, allowing them to swing through a 300 degree arc. On the side of the gasbag was painted a large, flint arrowhead pointing upwards. Centered on it was a rather complex square knot. Two silver wings jutted out from the symbol.

"Behold the ARROWKNOT," Sour-Bee said proudly.

The Doctor smiled with amusement upon seeing the contraption. "A dirigible! How quaint."

"Don't tell me we're flying in that... Wreck?" muttered Rainbow.

Sour-Bee grinned in a knowing way. "I wouldn't underrate her any, missy. That there is the ship that made the Canterlot run in less than twelve furlongs. She'll accommodate all of you and all your belongings with room to spare for a squad of armored Guard Ponies. Now if you'll all settle yourselves onboard, we've got some fast traveling to do."

"What do you think, Professor?" Clover asked.

"Well... at least it beats walking."

"But not by much," grumbled Cinnamon.