The Eighth Element?!

by PaisleyPerson

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

“Worst Gala ever? Everypony seems to be having a high old time,” the Doctor muttered, tugging at his uncomfortable collar yet again. “When exactly does the trouble start?” He turned to Ditzy, who was happily chomping down on a muffin beside him.

“I don’t know. I told you, I wasn’t here the first time around,” came the muffled response.

“Hmm,” he irritably hummed. “Well, do you know what caused the trouble?”

“I heard something about Fluttershy bursting into an angry rage because she was having difficulty befriending the local animals,” Ditzy shrugged, “but I can never see Fluttershy doing a thing like that. It must have been a rumor.”

“What else did you hear? Think, Ditzy! Think hard!”

“Uh...” she tried to recall past conversations with Princess Twilight’s friends. “Rainbow’s attempts to impress the Wonderbolts were said to have gone sour. And Rarity was pretty worked up when her ‘prince charming’ wasn’t all she chalked him up to be. Ooh! Speaking of prince charming’s, this is the gala Acrylic and Torchwood first met! Do you think they kissed? Do we get to watch their first kiss?”

“Forget the first kiss! We’re trying to stop the first mistake that sends Equestria’s timeline tumbling into oblivion!”

“Oh. Okay,” she disappointedly plopped back down, and winced when she heard the chair creak. She could be such a klutz. She just hoped it didn’t break like so many others had, especially not right here at the gala in front of so many high-class ponies. When the stool remained intact, she still craned her neck, secretly hoping to catch a glimpse of the two lovers. Maybe the romantic vibes they cast would spark something between her and the Doctor like she’d read in those corny romance novels of hers.

She kept careful watch, and eventually spotted Acrylic in earth pony form with a couple other prestigious artists sketching out in the gardens, but there was still no sign of Torchwood. She frowned. Where was he? The clock ticked by, but the tall brown thestral in disguise was nowhere to be found. She did, however, recognize the bright pink pony who obnoxiously clambered up onto the stage later in the evening.

“Come on, everypony! You wanted a partay? Now it's paaartaaay! Yeah! Uh! Now that's a beat, yeah! Uh! C'mon, dance! Yeah, woo hoo!”

“Okay, all you high-class ponies. Here's a highfalutin apple cake for your hoity-toity taste buds.” The cowpony pushed in a cart, transporting an immense apple cake.

“STAGE DIVE!” As luck would have it, the pink pony dove right into Applejack’s cart, sending delicious debris in the direction of Rarity and Prince Blueblood. The prince didn’t have time to move, so he improvised and used his date as a living shield.

“You, sir, are the most uncharming prince I have ever met! In fact, the only thing royal about you is that you are a royal pain!”

“Ewww...! Uh, stay back! I just had myself groomed!”

“Afraid to get dirty?!” She shook violently in a similar manner to a dog, flinging icing all over Blueblood. Whimpering and whining, he forgot to watch where he was going, and bowled into a statue on the way.

“This is my chance!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, ducking under it in time to land the thing on her back. “Yes! Whoa!” Alas, the weight was too much, and she and the statue stumbled into every other pillar and decoration in the ballroom. Princess Celestia and Twilight both appeared at the top of the stairs.

“Well... it can't get any worse.” Twilight grumbled. No sooner had the words escaped her lips than a familiar (and typically quiet) pegasus mare stormed into the room, herding a stampede of woodland critters.

“You're... going to LOVE ME!”

Everything and everyone was thrown into chaos. Ponies fled for their lives, and if you didn’t follow the crowd, you’d be trampled. So, what other choice did Ditzy and the Doctor have but to join in?

Ditzy almost lost her companion in the confusion, but they regrouped outside the TARDIS, parked within the palace garden. “Well, that certainly was the worst gala ever,” the Doctor cackled. “So if tonight was still the worst gala ever, what threw time so off course?” Ditzy’s eyes bulged with realization.

“Torchwood!” she cried. “Torchwood wasn’t there! Tonight was supposed to be the night he and Acrylic first met!” The Doctor’s pupils also constricted.

“If Torchwood and Acrylic don’t meet, then they won’t get married, they won’t have Charcoal Stormwood, destined to defeat Kindling Pyre and become a Prince of the Everfree!”

“It’s more than that! Torchwood started the second thestral uprising because of his love for Acrylic! But he doesn’t even know who she is! And who knows what this will do to the return of the thestrals... what if they don’t come back at all?!”

“Ditzy...” the Doctor’s expression was grim, “this is bigger than we thought.”