The Price You Must Pay (Doctor Whooves Fanfic)

Part One

Before the Shadow Ponies, before the torture, before the grief, it was just a simple sidestop. Not even a fully-fledged trip, just a walk around Reb'lar, a gorgeous planet "known for it's absolutely stunning sunsets, if I do say so myself, Miss Hooves." They had decided to explore some of the tunnels under ground when they were discovered by the Shadow Ponies.

Derpy had seen many strange species during her travels with the Doctor, but none chilled her bones quite like these. Even the Doctor pinned his ears and snapped his tail at the sight of them.

The Shadow Pony slippped across the wall towards them, gliding smoothly without even moving his body. Then he seemed to materialize in front of them, drawing himself up to his full hight. He was coal-black all over, except for his eyes which gleamed purple, reflecting off the light the Doctor was casting with his horn. When he spoke, his voice was hissing and echoey, snaking out his mouth to ring in Derpy's ears.

"Oh my. The Doctor... this is very flattering, meeting with such a celebrity. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Taldusk the Shadow Pony."

At first his tone was mocking, then it abruptly deepened to a growl. "Do you ever think about the lives you have stolen?"

Derpy snuck a glance at the Doctor, and saw his lip curled, almost in a snarl. Hesitantly, Derpy took a step back. She had never seen the Doctor get this angry so quickly before.

"Get ready to run faster than you ever have before," he whispered to her almost inaudiably.

Derpy kept her eyes trained on the Shadow Pony and nodded slightly, already feeling her adrenalin rise.

"The enemies you have made?" the Taldusk spat.

Suddenly the wall of the cavern gleamed with purple... the purple eyes of the Shadow Ponies.

"The day of judgement has come at last, Doc-tor."

"Derpy, run," the Doctor whispered through gritted teeth.

For a moment she stood, unable to move, staring all around her at the shimmering eyes.

"RUN!" the Doctor shouted, shoving her, and this time, she ran.

She had been traveling so long with the Doctor that the running was almost instinctive now. Run. Don't stop, don't look back. Just run.

Over her time with the Doctor, Derpy had become fleet of foot, and it was several minutes before she slowed down enough to realize that she was alone.

"Doctor?" she called out tentatively, straining her ears, trying to make out the distant sound of drumming hooves. "Doctor?!"

Nothing.

"Oh no." They must have taken him!

With that terrible thought in mind, Derpy turned and began to run once more.

At first it was nothing more than noise, the words going in one ear and out the other, but carrying no meaning. Then, slowly, the words were pieced together.

"...say the most dangerous thing about you is your voice, your words. Of course I took the precaution to make sure you won't be able to use it. Ah, the humble Equestrian duct tape. Spares me from having to listen to stupid whining, and keeps the world's most dangerous weapon contained. So useful."

The Doctor's eyes shot open, and he felt his whole body tense as he sucked in breath from his nose. He was in a room, a blank white room, with a tiled floor, strapped to a wooden table of sorts. But just where, exactly, was he? What had happened to him? Where was he? Who was talking?