A Slice of Afterlife

by -Lackluster

I. Shadow on the Horizon

The forest’s edge stood silent as a dark mass of clouds above cast a supernaturally dark shadow over the land, as if threatening to swallow any who dared to come within its reach. No light permeated the blackness, and not a single sound broke through the ominous calm. All the creatures of the Everfree had vacated this area well in advance of the coming nightmare. They had not come close enough to see it, nor were they within reach of its eerie groans… but they could sense it. The moment it came into existence, a cold swept throughout the land that frightened the wildlife of the forest in a way that these current inhabitants had never known. Instincts trumping curiosity, they ran for their lives from a monster they had no tangible knowledge of. They knew deep in their souls that something very wrong - very unnatural - had spawned from the depths of the wood, and its only goal was to make the world suffer for its animation. And they were certainly not going to be first in line to face this abomination of existence.

Following moments that, were any soul watching, would have seemingly dragged for an eternity, the deceptive calm was broken. The forest’s shadows twisted and advanced outward, as if trying to cling to - or perhaps contain, even - what was emerging. Nothing could be seen, the shadows simply expanding in a manner defying all logic, until a hoof suddenly pierced through the darkness. In that instant, the shadows broke and began to recede as a disturbing screech emanating from the bowels of the Everfree itself pierced the air. Gradually, an equine form was revealed.

From a distance, it could understandably be mistaken for a general earth pony. Its dull brown coat and pale yellow mane were rather drab in comparison to the average denizen of Equestria, but not unnatural. However, upon closer inspection one would be made frighteningly aware of the true distinction between this creature and the fair ponies that resided nearby. The creature’s hooves were chipped, showing an abundance of dry cracks stretching across the bottoms of all four legs. Its coat was incomplete; patches were balding or missing to reveal a deathly gray-blue skin underneath. More importantly, upon both sides of its flank the areas were entirely burned off; two wrinkled scars were visible in the positions where one would expect to find a cutie mark. Its unkempt, straw-like mane drooped over its shoulders, splitting off at their ends to curl sideways and upward as if of their own will. Its torso appeared to be shrunken inward, the imprint of all its ribs showing prominently through its skin. Its right ear was noticeably missing a chunk, coagulated blood clotting up the outline of what appeared to be a bite mark of some sort. To complete the effect were two soulless black eyes that pierced the distance with no sign of emotion or thought. The creature pressed forward, moving with a limp; its back right leg was bent slightly outward at its ankle, causing this broken appendage to drag on the ground as it stepped with the remaining three. It moved with slow persistence, failing to give the slightest acknowledgment to its injury and not deviating from its current trajectory: straight toward a cottage where a yellow pegasus was busy happily feeding an impatient white rabbit.

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The skies darkened and air cooled as the two continued a debate that had already consumed much more time than necessary. Fluttershy wore a patient smile as she inched the plate of assorted greens toward her deviant little pet. Her soft blue eyes pleaded for the rabbit to accept her offer, but deep down she knew that, like usual, being this direct was a lost cause. This suspicion was solidified as Angel turned his head defiantly upward once again from the proposed lunch as he crossed both arms disapprovingly.

“Oh, come now Angel, don’t you want some tasty lettuce and carrots?”

The rabbit shook his head indignantly.

Fluttershy rolled her eyes with an innocent smirk on her face. “Perhaps I even threw something special into the mix for you!”

Angel’s ears perked. He gave the plate a second glance, eying over the surface in great detail. After seeing nothing out of the ordinary, he stared at his master with a suspicious frown and pointed toward the meal.

“That’s right, it looks just like an ordinary, everyday salad on the outside, but who knows what’s lying beneath the surface! Maybe I whipped up something special for my super special Angel bunny today,” Fluttershy finished with an earnest smile.

Angel contemplated her words, unsure of how to proceed. On one hand, he knew that Fluttershy was kind and giving, and it was very likely that she had in fact hidden some scrumptious morsel within the presented arrangement. However, he also had experience with her manipulative side, and it could just as likely be a ploy to trick him into eating an assortment of bland and vile ingredients. Should he call her bluff, or was the risk worth the reward? He was at a complete loss!

Fluttershy read the indecision on his face and knew she had him teetering on the edge. “Maybe there’s even a cherry in the middle!” exclaimed the pale Pegasus with a sly grin.

Well, that settled that! Angel immediately picked up the necessary utensils and dug into the meal with the rapidity of a starving animal. Within seconds, half the plate was devoured, and a spherical red fruit peeked out from its innards with, in the eyes of the rabbit, a heavenly glow surrounding it in golden glory. Angel’s eyes widened as an ear-splitting grin crossed his face.

Fluttershy chuckled and gave a motherly nod of approval. “See, Angel, you should never judge a book by its cover. You’ll never know what incredible component may lie deep down if you don’t even attempt to look past the surface.”

Entirely ignoring this valuable piece of life advice, the rabbit ferociously stabbed the red morsel with his fork and brought it to his lips. It was then that his ears picked up a strange shuffle of grass and he cranked his head sideways to peer behind the mare standing before him. What he saw was a decrepit husk of an equine, its cold glaze focused on the Pegasus. Angel dropped his fork and frantically worked to get Fluttershy’s attention, taking shelter behind her front legs and pointing in the beast’s direction.

“What is it, Angel? I thought cherries were your favorite. Oh dear, did I make a mistake?” Fluttershy’s eyes sank as she thought she had hurt her friend’s feelings, but thanks to his persistence she noticed that his attention lay elsewhere. The mare began to turn toward where the white paw below directed her.

“What’s wrong? Do you need to-EEP!” Fluttershy cut her own question off as she met the gaze of two blank pupils; picking up her pet with remarkable care, she turned and flew toward her home in a flash of yellow and pink. She swung open the front door, shut it with a soft click, and took cover under her front window.

“What was that?” she questioned the white creature in her arms as she lay trembling on the floor. Angel pushed himself out of her grasp and jumped toward the windowsill, unable to reach the height necessary to peek out. He tapped the mare’s hoof and pointed toward the window worriedly.

“You want me to… check on it?” Fluttershy gulped, looking toward the window. She pushed her neck forward to comply but found her body paralyzed with fear. “Um… maybe we can wait here until somepony like Rainbow Dash or Twilight comes by. I’m sure they’ll know how to handle the situation,” she replied with a wan, almost pleading smile.

Angel responded with a pair of crossed arms and a tapping of his right foot.

“I was worried that you would say that,” she sighed.

Fluttershy took a deep breath, mustering up all the strength she could. "Okay, Fluttershy. Think strong. Think courageous!" The mare thought back to her lessons in asserting herself and all the times she had faced the impossible without letting her fear shine through. “Okay, I can do this. I am a brave mare,” she exhaled with a noticeable tremble in her voice. After summoning enough courage, she forced herself over to the window and lifted her head just high enough for her eyes to be level with the sill. Angel climbed up her leg and took position clinging to her mane, his eyes just peering over her head.

The scene before her had not changed very much; the creature from before was limping down the path, inching slowly closer to her home.

“Oh… oh dear. Is that a pony?” Fluttershy asked with a new type of concern.Angel shrugged in response. After taking in her full situation and studying the movement patterns of the creature, years of animal caretaking rushed back her mind as another thought popped into her head. “Oh my, the poor fellow is injured! Maybe I should go and see if he needs any help.”

As Fluttershy trotted over to her front door, Angel leapt to tackle her back right hoof in an attempt to restrain his protector. Fluttershy glanced down at him with a comforting smile. “It’s okay, Angel, what lesson did I teach you just moments ago?”

Angel searched into his memory banks, and the only thing he could come up with was an image of a fork plus a cherry equaling a happy bunny. What did that have to do with anything?

“You can’t judge a book by its cover, Angel bunny. He may end up being pretty sweet, or maybe he needs our help. I have to practice what I preach, after all,” she continued as she casually trotted onward, Angel dragging behind. She opened the door and peeked out with a friendly, “Hello there!”

In return, the creature stopped his movement and stared blankly.

Fluttershy continued in an attempt to ease the awkwardness of the situation. “Um, I’m Fluttershy. Welcome to my home. I apologize for running earlier, I’m just a bit jumpy. Please don’t be mad," said the mare as she poked at the ground with a hoof.

The thousand-yard stare continued.

“Oh… well, um, I noticed that your leg is hurt. I have some experience with animal wounds, at least. If it’s really bad I can show you the way to Nurse Redheart, that is, if you don’t mind…”

Nothing.

“Um… okay then. I’ll just take a peek and see what I can do.” Fluttershy trotted slowly over with her head toward the ground. Simultaneously, Angel moved along the perimeter toward her chicken coop to watch from afar, not wanting to get anywhere near the beast but feeling a need to keep an eye out for her safety. She walked a large radius around the side of the creature and came closer to surmise the condition of the leg. “I’m not an earth pony doctor, but I don’t believe legs are meant to bend that way. Or bone is supposed to be visible. Oh my.”

The creature sent his gaze toward her neck. Fluttershy pulled out a bandage. “Well, I’ve discovered this works surprisingly well on most of my animal friends’ boo-boos, so maybe it will help ease things while I get you to the hospital.” As she bent inward to place the healing agent on the cold, dead skin of the creature, he seized his opportunity to snap at the side of the yellow mare.

Angel, sensing what was to happen next, picked up a fallen branch and banged against the side of the chicken coop. The noise alerted Fluttershy in time for her to glance upward and quickly duck as the creature crunched down on its own teeth.

Fluttershy backed away frantically and began speaking without pause. “Oh, I’m so sorry! I understand: You don’t want a non-professional like myself to take a look at this. You seem to be getting along without too much trouble anyway, so I’m sure it can wait if you think you'll be alright. Plus, you must be famished - just look at those ribs! I’ll go cook up something nice and tasty, and once you’re done eating we’ll go straight off to the doctor for some real medical assistance!” Fluttershy said nervously but ended with a squee. “Don’t go anywhere!” She trotted off back to her cottage to prepare a delightful meal for her guest.

Angel sprinted to stop her and pointed at her guest, mimicking the beast by taking on a ghostly visage and making gnawing sounds as he snapped toward the air.

“Angel, it’s rude to point! This is our honored guest and we will treat him as such!” Fluttershy replied as she retreated into her home. Angel looked onward in baffled anger. He looked back and forth between the creature and the location of his master in worry, until he finally put on a brave face. Angel knew what he had to do.

With all the intimidation that could be created by a tiny ball of white fluff, Angel charged the beast with stick in tow. As he grew nearer, the creature took notice and bowed his head, ready to strike. The rabbit slid under his legs, his weapon launching upward to slap the deathly looking pony across the nose. The creature stepped backward in shock. The armed rabbit repeatedly banged on the shins of the beast until he turned around and followed out of an instinctual hunger and hatred, picking up speed now that he had a fleeing target. The two crossed the hillside, out of view of Fluttershy’s cottage.

The crimson liquid splattered across the morning dew, contrasting the bright green of the grass.

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A lone multi-animal conglomeration sat on a hillside on the outskirts of the Everfree Forest, longingly gazing toward nowhere in particular. The darkness accumulating in the distance intrigued him, but his mood was far too apathetic to investigate. Discord waved his arm up and down as a stream of red erupted out of the ground below.

“Oh, cherry geyser, did I make a mistake? What am I to do? Celestia gives me a day off and all I can think to do is visit Fluttershy. I’m the spirit of chaos, for Luna’s sake! I should be accomplishing so much more! And yet I’m stuck here with nothing better to do than to watch you in a dreadfully dull and eternal cycle.”

As the geyser erupted once more, a face mirroring that of the draconequus coagulated in the red stream. “But Discord, I’m just the representation of the limits of your creative ability and self-induced restrictions!” came a statement in what could be described as an ineffectively hidden higher pitched version of Discord’s own voice. “You’re in complete control here.”

Discord replied to himself, “Well, that much is obvious. I’m not delusional. But what more can I do with my time? Chaos was all I knew and loved! Any hobby I can think of would be strictly forbidden by Her Highness.” He emphasized the last two words with a sickened look on his face and an outstretched tongue.

The animated form scoffed in response. “Bah, to hay with the princess! You are the master of your own destiny. Besides, who would be able to stop you? The yellow one has vowed never to use her element against you, and without her they may as well be throwing stones!”

“Yes, ponies of old did figure out quickly that stones are highly ineffective against me,” Discord contemplated the proposal by the mountain of red liquid. A moment later, he came to terms with his situation and pushed the liquid back into its hole, sealing the earth behind it.

He took a dramatic pose, the back of his paw pressed against his forehead as he looked toward the heavens. “But I am ‘good’ now… and I am a draconequus of my word. This life has not been too unbearable. It’s certainly less cramped than the statue,” he muttered tom himself. “Still, it doesn’t mean I can’t have a little fun once in a while…”

Discord scanned the vicinity, seeing that he was all alone. A self-humiliated realization spread across his face.

“…these ponies drive me to conversations with myself.”

At that moment a white rabbit ran up clenching a stick in his jaws and fear looming in his eyes. He zoomed past Discord before retracing his path and turning to desperately grab the spirit’s attention.

“Oh, it’s you. What do you want, rabbit?” spat Discord.

Angel waved his arms back and forth, pointing every which way behind the towering hybrid before him and attempting to mimic the creature that was chasing him across the field above.

“Listen, I don’t have time for charades, Angel. Can’t you see that I’m very busy right now?” Discord replied with arms stretched wide.

Angel stared blankly at the empty field around him and returned his glance up to Discord, who was managing to hold a sincere straight face.

“Don’t you make that face at me, or I’ll turn it upside down, literally. You know I ca-“ Discord was cut off by a gnawing sound coming from below. He peered down to see Angel’s hunter hungrily chewing at his scaled leg. Angel froze in disbelief, Discord took on a pondered expression, and the creature gnawed to its heart’s delight (or would have been if it possessed such an organ).

This scene lasted for a solid ten seconds as neither of the conscious members of the group new how to approach the situation. They slowly stared at one another and back down to the creature. Drool slowly ran down Discord's leg.

Discord broke the pause. “Well, what’s this?” He pinched the creature by its mane and lifted it level to his face. The beast lazily tried to outstretch his neck to reach his teeth to the nose just out of biting distance.

A nostalgic feeling came rushing to the ancient spirit. “Why, hello there, you magnificent little creature! Where did you come from? I don’t recall having made one of you for eons!” The creature only continued its desperate attempt to take a chunk out of the form holding him. “Ah, yes, your type were never much for talking, were they? Hmmm… I think I can fix that.”

Discord snapped his fingers; despite the usual result of this action, nothing went through a noticeable physical alteration.
“Well. what do you have to say for yourself now?” Discord said, egging the creature on to speak.

For the first time, the creature opened its mouth and something other than a growl or groan escaped its lips. “Brrrrb… brrraaaaiiiinnsssss.”

Discord looked annoyed. “Oh, yes, now I remember why I stopped granting you speech. I can only manipulate your abilities, not manifest intelligence.” Discord sighed and looked down as he felt a tapping at his leg. Angel was bucking it with all the power he could muster. When the attention was grabbed, he pointed to the creature with his right paw, formed it into a fist, and smashed it down into the plain of his left paw.

“Smash him? But just look at him, how could I ever bring myself to crush a thing of such beauty?” Discord said with puppy eyes as he brought the undead creature close down to rabbit. The creature hung blankly, brown drool pouring out of the right side of his jaw. Angel flinched in return.

Discord yanked the creature back up and looked toward Angel in frustration. “You just can’t appreciate good art when you see it! You know, I still don’t understand why the yellow one even puts up with you!” Angel looked up at him in genuine concern.

Discord’s gaze slightly softened as he thought over various consequences of his actions for once. “Alright, I suppose he is a danger to the inhabitants around here… but it’s been so long since I had the opportunity for this sort of fun! I can’t just let it go to waste.” He reached his birdlike hand up to his chin and rubbed it in concentration. “Would this break the bounds of my ‘goodness’?”

Angel stared up at the conniving spirit and nodded his head up and down furiously. “Well, you may be right,” responded Discord, "but there’s no harm in letting him go free a little while longer under the condition that I don’t allow things to get out of control, right?” Angle shook his head immediately. “Great, I’m glad you agree!” exclaimed the draconequus, making Angel’s jaw drop.

Discord let go of the creature in his grasp, keeping him levitated and subsequently spinning him around to face toward Ponyville proper. “Well, my little abomination, let’s see what minor chaos you can spread.” With that, Discord dropped the creature and gave him a firm push in the right direction.

He then materialized a couch, a bag of popcorn, and a pair of 3D glasses to enjoy the show. “Sometimes life just works itself out when you’re doing right, I suppose. This must be what those goody goody ponies feel like all the time,” he pondered to himself as he watched the creature limp steadily toward the horizon.

Angel stared at Discord, annoyed, but gave up his plight and returned home to Fluttershy; at least she was safe from this menace of creation.

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The desolate road under a gloomy overcast sky was a rather fitting setting for the descent of a diabolical creature upon Ponyville. The usual morning songbirds that populated the area had known to flee long before he arrived. The creature limped its signature style, creating an audible pattern in the stillness of the morning.

*pat pat pat chhhh… pat pat pat chhhhh*

It was coming upon the town now, readying to cross the bridge across its outer creek. As it reached the center, a fish jumped out of the water going upstream in a frantic attempt to escape the darkness emanating from the undead. The splashing momentarily averted its gaze, but the creature returned its attention after understanding that the fish was a prey it did not desire.

As it turned its head frontward, a large mass of pink blocked its view.

“HIYA!”