//------------------------------// // Chapter 16 // Story: The Eighth Element?! // by PaisleyPerson //------------------------------// Chapter 16 “What have you done?” Ditzy couldn’t bear the sound of Acrylic’s sobbing, at least not knowing that she was the one who’d caused her this pain. “I’m sorry. I... I didn’t know this would happen.” “Why couldn’t you have just minded your own business?” Acrylic snapped. Ditzy stumbled back as she started to approach. “You and Time Turner... why couldn’t you just leave us alone?!” “I’m sorry, okay! I... I thought I was doing the right thing!” “What, by lying to me? By trying to play matchmaker? By playing God?” “If you’d seen what I’d seen, you would have done the same.” “And just what did you see?” Ditzy had been backed into a corner. Acrylic’s eyes were so full of rage, confusion and fear, that Ditzy wasn’t entirely sure that this was the same mare she knew. “What was so important that you had to come in and ruin my life?” “I saw another future.” There was no point in lying now. Chrysalis had taken Acrylic’s place, the Doctor was nowhere to be found, and she and Acrylic were trapped in some kind of crystal cave, presumably beneath Canterlot. She might as well come clean. What was left to lose? She heaved a sigh. “Time Turner... his real name is the Doctor. That’s all he’s ever told me, anyway. He’s not a regular pony like everyone thinks. He’s a Time Lord from a planet called Gallifrey. That blue box you always see around town is his. It’s actually a timeship. It’s bigger on the inside. We travel through time and space in it through the time vortex. “We’re from a different reality, one where you and Torchwood got married and had two kids. The eldest, Charcoal Stormwood, later grows up to save Equestria from a changeling invasion and a power-mad destral called Kindling Pyre. He also reforms Chrysalis, who turns out to be a crystal destral and an old friend of Princess Essence’s. Oh, she’s a destral princess you and the other six elements free by giving up your Elements to the Tree of Harmony when it gets sick. You represent an element by then, too. The Element of Forgiveness. But anyway, back to Chrysalis-” “DITZY!” “Hmm?” Acrylic just stared at her incredulously for a moment. “Do you even hear yourself?” “I know it sounds weird, but it’s the truth! I swear!” “Ditzy, WAKE UP! A psychotic changeling just took my place, and my sister is up there with her!” “So is Torchwood,” Ditzy realized. “Forget Torchwood! I’m sure he’s a nice stallion, but I’LL choose who I love. It’s my life! Not yours! You have no right to meddle in my affairs.” “I know. And I’m sorry. But right now we have to stop Chrysalis.” “And how do you suppose we do that? We have no idea where we are, and we’re trapped down here in these blasted caves!” “Actually, we should be somewhere beneath Canterlot, not too far from the palace. Almost right underneath it, actually, if memory serves.” “Did you get that from your alternate reality too?” “Yeah. But it’s also how we knew where to find your sister. And all their names. Things here are mostly the same, but a couple specific events are different. Like this. Chrysalis isn’t supposed to take Princess Cadance’s place for several more months.” “Are you trying to tell me that you’re not only from another reality, but from the future, too?” “I did mention your kids. I don’t think you have any yet, so then I must be from the future.” Acrylic threw up her hooves. This was madness! Though, in Ditzy’s defense, Acrylic probably should have worked that out on her own. Come to think of it, Ditzy did look a bit older. Actually, she looked a lot older! Was that a gray hair she saw in her mane? Wrinkles by her eyes? No, that didn’t prove anything. Maybe she was always this age and Acrylic had just never noticed. But in all the time she’d lived in Ponyville, how could she miss something like that? Acrylic still didn’t believe Ditzy’s entire story, but could it be possible that parts of it were true? What if she really was from another reality? What if Acrylic was meant to marry Torchwood? Ditzy said they had children. One of which would grow up to be a hero. What had she said his name was? Charcoal Stormwood? “...so I think that if we can just get back to them, then-” “What was the other one called?” “The other what?” “You said we had two children, Torch and I. One was Charcoal. What was the other one’s name?” Ditzy smiled. “Lilac. Lilac Bud. You were going to call her Rose, after Torchwood’s mother, but then your sister said that the baby was as pretty as one of her new lilac buds.” “And what do they look like?” “Charcoal looks more like your sister, actually. His coat is forest green, and he has a brown mane. Amber eyes. But he has Torchwood’s square features. He actually becomes a prince, you know. A destral, and he’s Princess Essence’s personal student. But after Chrysalis is reformed, she also becomes his private tutor.” “And Lilac? Tell me about her.” “She’s as pretty as can be. Light pink coat, intense purple mane, crystal blue eyes. I still think she looks kind of like you, though. She takes after Wild Flower’s gardening talent, and got her cutie mark early on. It’s a blooming lilac stem with a white lily. Charcoal had a bit of trouble getting his, but it’s a blue carbuncle gem ringed with orange fire. You and Torch are so proud of them.” “But that’s not my reality.” The tables turned when Ditzy put her hoof on Acrylic’s shoulder. “But it could be. That’s what the Doctor and I have been trying to do.” Acrylic shakily nodded. “I think I want that.” “Then we have to get out of here and find Chrysalis before she hurts anypony. But I guess we should probably find the real Princess Cadance, first.”