Doctor Whooves - Part 3: Discorded

Worried

Derpy paced back and forth at the bottom of the stairs. After the Doctor had passed out, Mist helped bring him back to Derpy's house. It was the morning after the party, and Nurse Redheart had agreed to come check on the Doctor. The nurse had asked the others to stay downstairs while she checked on the Doctor in his room upstairs. Now, waiting at the bottom of the stairs were Derpy, Black Mist, Fluttershy, Dinky, and Sparkler.

Derpy was worried. She didn't know why, but she had certain feelings for the Doctor. Feelings she hadn't felt in a long time. She felt it the first time she saw him. He had also stirred some thoughts in her mind. Some memories, long ago forgotten, almost as if she had met him before. But that was impossible. He hadn't even been a pony before. Still...

"Mommy," a soft voice pulled Derpy from her thoughts. She looked over at her younger daughter.

"What is it, muffin?" Derpy asked the young unicorn.

"Is the Doctor going to be okay?" Dinky replied in question.

Derpy looked into her daughter's eyes. They were filled with innocence, with worry. Derpy knew Dinky really liked the Doctor, and she showed it. In the short time the Doctor had been with them, Dinky had spent a lot of time with him. She would go with him when he went to work on his TARDIS, and she would talk with him while he worked. She loved his stories about other worlds, strange creatures, adventure.

Derpy allowed a slight smile to appear on her face. "I hope so," she said.

"I just don't understand it," Mist said. "They said he was perfectly healthy. Why would a pony who is perfectly healthy just pass out like that?"

"Maybe his pony form can't sustain him," Sparkler cut in.

Derpy and the others looked at her. Derpy was especially surprised. Sparkler hadn't shown much interest in the Doctor or his stories. In fact, she didn't seem to really believe him about him being from another world, another dimension.

"What?" Sparkler said, defensively. "He said himself that he had never been a pony before. If he really is some kind of alien lifeform from another dimension, and that's a big if, isn't it possible that the body he has now doesn't fit his needs."

There was a shocked silence, then Mist finally stammered, "That... That actually... would make sense."

Just then, they heard a door open upstairs, and hoofsteps sounded in the upstairs hall. The group all turned their attention to the top of the stairs.

When Nurse Redheart appeared, Derpy quickly asked, "How is he?"

"Well," the nurse said, starting down the stairs. "He still seems to be in normal health, but..."

"But what?" Mist asked.

At this point, Redheart joined the group at the bottom of the stairs. "But," she repeated. "He does show some obvious, should I say, physical changes."

"What kind of physical changes?" asked a voice from the top of the stairs.

The group simultaneously looked to the source of the question. When Derpy saw the Doctor, she couldn't help but let out a gasp.

"What is it?" the Doctor asked.

Derpy look on, to in shock to say anything. The Doctor's mane and tail had dark grey hairs, and his coat was peppered with light grey.

"Well," Mist said after a short silence. "On the bright side, you're not sick."