//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: piloting // Story: they deserved it and much more // by MidnightFMare //------------------------------// “You know, the fact that the crumpets weren’t crumpets at all but parasite pods was a shock to me. Neighpoleon being a jerk was expected… I wonder just what went wrong at times like this” The Doctor says, stepping out of the TARDIS shower “…” Ditzy just stares at the console, a hoof under her chin “Ms. Doo?” he asks “We don’t have enough ponies to pilot this thing” she states, not looking away from it “Whatever do you mean?” The doctor asks “The console would take at least 4 more ponies to drive it right and one to tell them what to do. So unless you have some kind of duplication spell, we might end up in the wrong place or time” she explains, typing in co-ordinates “Don’t touch her! She is a very- Oh, really now? You want her to drive?” The Doctor looks at a screen above him and sighs “Fine… I’ll be making non-parasite filled crumpets in the kitchen” he sulks off but Ditzy is still typing as she flies around the console Now that I think about it, why am I so calm with what’s been going on? Ditzy thinks to herself, lowering a few levers I mean, I just travelled through space and time inside a box with a stallion whose sanity is questionable at best, and thwarted an invasion of space parasites. Maybe this is heaven or tartarus or something and I’m dead. But, I don’t feel dead… at least, I don’t think so- “Is something the matter Ms. Doo?” The Doctor asks, a plate on his back “No, just… thinking about how I’m taking this whole ‘Space and time travel’ thing so well… almost as if it’s natural” she replies, pressing the start button “… I understand the feeling, you’re running away from something" he asks, setting the plate down "What wouldn't I be running from? I set a whole town on fire and have been possibly branded a criminal of high caliber. I can never go home without having to answer for my justified actions... and I'd be pitied. I don't want pity, I've had pity for years and it never made anything better... so I'm going to where I was never pitied" Ditzy says, walking towards the TARDIS's doors “Something must be wrong. It isn’t making the brilliant sound” The Doctor looks over the console "We're here doctor" “What?” He sticks his head out looks both ways “There’s nothing here” Ditzy pushes the other door and steps out “To you, maybe” She trots towards a house, narrowly dodging a small grey Pegasus “Ditzy? Where did you go?” a feminine voice calls, followed by hoofbeats The Doctor watches the little filly fly around a tree and dart towards the voice “I’m coming mommy!” He trots up to Ditzy “So… that was a younger you?” “Yeah… Back then my eyes were fine, it was only a couple of years ago that they changed because of an accident. I miss those silly days and sunshine. But I can’t go out there, the sun is not for one like me; one who is broken beyond repair. It‘s funny, back then I was afraid of fire, now fire cleansed me of the hate” She laughs lightly before returning to the TARDIS The Doctor closes the door and taps Ditzy's shoulder "We aren't all that different, you and I. Well, besides obvious differences..." he narrows his eyes "What was I saying?" "That we aren't all that different; and if you are trying to make me feel better, it's not working" Ditzy replies, and looks around "Do you have a spare bed or something? I could use some sleep" "Down the corridor, to the left, down the corridor, to the left, down the corridor-" Ditzy holds up a hoof "To the left?" he shakes his head "No, then on your right and there should be a medical kit across from the door*" Ditzy nods and disappears into the corridor The Doctor sighs and sits in his chair, pondering his companion She didn't flinch when the parasites attacked so she either has no preservation instinct or instinctively knew what was going to happen... "I suppose that's a good thing" he muses But she also has many personal problems to work through... she must have a darkness in her... "Look at me, thinking like The Cat... I must be tired" and so The Doctor walked off to bed, the back of his mind wondering how Ditzy could have been so close to her past self