Chapter 14
Discord idly stroked his goatee while staring unblinkingly at the smooth stone wall across from him. Fluttershy laid against him, and neither of them had said anything since they awoke, both of them were content to sit there in silence, just enjoying each other's company. Both of their minds were filled with thoughts, each one struggling for dominance. Joy, happiness, regret, shame, concern, worry, confusion, tiredness, and shock.
They hadn't seen Twilight since they woke up, although if Discord focused, he could feel her presence just outside of the cave. If he focused more, he could tell that she was deep in thought, if he had more magic, he could tell what she was thinking about. Even without his magic, though, he could make a few guesses. While he normally enjoyed guessing games, he wasn't in the mood for them.
"Being trapped in stone for five years really isn't very pleasant, although it pales in comparison to being trapped in stone for millennia..." Discord mused aloud, finally breaking the silence.
Fluttershy blinked, then looked up at him. "Discord, I'm sorry that I couldn't save you... I tried, but-"
Discord turned away from the wall and looked down at the timid yellow pegasus. Despite the happiness of seeing him released, she was still upset. "Hush now," he said. "I know you tried. Thank you for finding me and... thank you for staying with me. I didn't think you would actually stay... and... it means a lot to me, Fluttershy."
Fluttershy smiled and hugged him. Discord stroked her mane with his paw and returned the hug. They broke apart after a few seconds. "Well..." she trailed off, not knowing what to say.
"Twilight is waiting on us," Discord replied in a strained voice.
After a few seconds, both of them stood up, then slowly made their way to the exit of the cave. Fluttershy couldn't help but look back a few times as they left. The cave had been her home for years, and while she was sad to know that she was leaving it behind, likely permanently, she knew it was for the better. It was time to move on.
Twilight didn't even acknowledge them as they stepped out of the cave and shielded their eyes from the bright morning sun. Both of them frowned at the alicorn's perplexed expression, and Discord could sense her unease. After a few seconds, they noticed her scanning the treeline. "What is it?" Discord asked, annoyed at his lack of magic to figure out what was disturbing the alicorn.
"This place feels wrong," Twilight stated firmly without looking away from the jungle. "And that feeling that something is wrong has only intensified ever since I got here," she explained. Her horn glowed and she cast a spell. She grunted and shook her head. "It's unnerving."
"M-maybe we should go then," Fluttershy suggested.
"Right," Twilight agreed. She looked over the edge of the jungle once more, then summoned her magic and cast her spell. The air distorted and rippled as the portal formed. She looked intently at the portal and extended both her magic and senses, making sure that nothing was wrong. She retracted her magic and senses back to the immediate area and pursed her lips. "Let's go," she commanded and motioned a hoof at the portal.
Both Fluttershy and Discord walked over to it and eyed it curiously. It was nighttime where the portal led to, and they could see a forest, one that was less lush than the jungle surrounding them. Discord licked his talon and touched the edge of the portal, then laughed. "Oooh that tickles!" he chuckled as he withdrew his talon. After a few seconds, he calmed down, and Fluttershy stepped forwards. Discord immediately impaired her movement and his expression became solemn. "I'll go first," he said. Fluttershy opened her mouth to argue, but it was too late. The draconequus darted through the portal, then turned around and motioned her through. Fluttershy didn't know what to expect, but she trusted Twilight. She stepped through and arrived on the other side.
Both Fluttershy and Discord immediately looked around, trying to place where they were. All they were able to surmise was that they were in the middle of a forest, in a clearing, with a stream running nearby. Twilight stepped through the portal, and the portal dispersed behind her. The alicorn immediately glanced around and smiled, then started walking off to her right. Fluttershy and Discord followed her with her eyes watching her ethereal mane and tail. After a few seconds, their sight was drawn to two ponies lying on a blanket. In hindsight, Twilight realized she should have left them with the tent. Fortunately, neither pony appeared worse for wear because of it.
Fluttershy and Discord watched Twilight approach the two ponies, but their gazes were focused more on the two ponies than Twilight. The pony lying on the left had a gray coat and deep mane. She looked young, and neither of them recognized her. The pony sleeping on the right was a different story. There was only one pony they knew who had that rainbow-colored mane, and the immediately recognized her sky-blue coat, even in the darkness.
Fluttershy felt better than she had in years, with the exception of seeing Discord free again. She smiled, then flew over and landed beside Twilight, falling in sync with the alicorn. Discord was more reserved, quickly walking over to the alicorn and pegasus. Twilight came to a stop just off of the blanket, then she tilted her head to Fluttershy. The pegasus looked at her questioningly, and her eyes twinkled. Twilight smiled and nodded. Fluttershy stepped onto the blanket, then lowered her head closer to the sleeping pegasus' ear. "Rainbow Dash?" she whispered.
Rainbow Dash jerked awake and was immediately on her hooves, startled. She looked around quickly and found her gaze drawn to Fluttershy. Her vision was clouded by sleep, and it took her a few seconds to recognize her. As recognition flashed through her eyes, Zenith groaned and shifted her weight. "Fluttershy!" Rainbow exclaimed joyfully. Zenith lifted her head from the blanket and blinked a couple of times.
"I'm back," Twilight said nonchalantly as Discord came to a stop beside her. Rainbow averted her gaze from Fluttershy and looked at Twilight, then frowned at Discord. "You were right," she said evenly. "Discord isn't the Inquisitor, despite it not making sense."
Discord closed his eyes and pointed his nose in the air indignantly. "As I said before, that infernal unicorn stole my magic and trapped me in stone." He folded his arms, then looked at the starry night sky. He had missed that sight, even when he was imprisoned in stone by Celestia and Luna, he could still see the sky, but the Inquisitor had stolen even that from him.
"And as I said before, that's not possible," Twilight said sharply. She winced and closed her eyes, then took a deep breath and exhaled. She turned to Discord, who looked at her patiently. "There's no way he can use chaos magic if he's not you, and yet he's using chaos magic. I can't use chaos magic, and I'm the most powerful being alive right now."
Zenith found her vision drawn to the tall figure that was a mismatch of parts. It gave her a headache just looking at him, although tiredness played a role in it. After a few seconds, she pushed herself up and yawned. She studied Discord again, then turned to Twilight. "We thought you were going to be gone longer..." she trailed off with a hint of worry.
Twilight turned her attention to the young mare. "Is something wrong?" she asked tenderly. Fluttershy and Discord both glanced at Twilight, looking at her with curiosity and wonder.
"No," Zenith answered quietly. She shifted her weight and looked at the grass. "It just... wasn't the same without you."
"We missed you," Rainbow surmised solemnly.
"I was only gone for a day," Twilight said with a frown. After a few seconds, she shook her head and smiled at them. "Well, I'm back. For now... Anything interesting happen in my absence?"
Rainbow shook her head. "Not really. Didn't really do much."
Twilight shrugged, then walked off to the side and lit her horn.
Rainbow turned her attention back to Fluttershy. Fluttershy looked back at her with a small and sweet smile, one which made Rainbow smile back at her friend. "It's been a while, huh?"
Fluttershy's smile became uneasy, and the pegasus nodded. She trailed a hoof in a circle in the grass, then walked over and laid down on the blanket beside Rainbow, laying slightly against the younger pegasus. "I-I'm sorry that I didn't tell you what happened, and that I disappeared without telling anypony, but it... it was important..." she trailed off, looking at Discord who sat idly beside Zenith, much to the filly's perplexion.
Rainbow smiled forgivingly. Fluttershy wasn't the only pony who had made mistakes, she knew that she had made big mistakes herself. "That's alright. You're okay, and that's what matters."
Fluttershy looked up at the sky. "How long have you been with her?" she asked.
"A month or so," Rainbow replied, following Fluttershy's gaze to the sky.
"Does she really control it all?" Fluttershy asked with wonder.
Rainbow tilted her head to the side and stared at the moon. "I don't know about all of it, but she controls the sun and moon now... With what happened to Celestia and Luna..." Rainbow trailed off, grimacing uncomfortably. She shot a glance towards Twilight. Finding the alicorn setting up a familiar tent, she smiled, then frowned. 'She forgot to set that up before she left... Well, neither of us thought about it either...'
"And you... you..." Fluttershy trailed off, lowering her gaze to the treeline. "You supported the Inquisitor, even after... after that happened?" She mustered her strength and turned to face Rainbow.
Rainbow was distraught and looking at the blanket. "I... did," she admitted sadly. "I... I look back now, and I don't know why I did. I feel so... so stupid!" After a few seconds, she sighed. "I... we should have trusted Twilight," she said firmly.
Fluttershy nodded in agreement.
"So..." Discord commented idly. "You're Twilight's new student," he said as he glanced at the filly sitting beside him.
Zenith glanced at him. "Yes," she answered.
Discord turned to her and looked at her thoughtfully. "Zenith Star, was it?"
She nodded. "And you're... Discord... the Spirit of Chaos..."
"And Disharmony," Discord added with a light chuckle. He looked away from Zenith. "Although that's more in the past, now..."
"Twilight thought you were the Inquisitor," Zenith commented uneasily.
Discord nodded. "She said as much, and oh the pain it caused me!" He lifted his paw to his head and fell down, lying on his back. He stared at Zenith, the mare looking back at him uncomfortably.
"The tent is ready," Twilight said loud enough for her voice to carry. She looked away and towards the ground, looking embarrassed. "I... forgot to set it up before I left... sorry," she said sheepishly. "I was... preoccupied."
Rainbow stood up, followed by Zenith, then Fluttershy and Discord. "You can't think of everything all the time, Twilight," Rainbow commented as they all made their way over to the tent. Twilight lifted the flap open for them as they proceeded inside.
"It doesn't help that..." Twilight muttered, trailing off as Rainbow walked passed, eyeing the alicorn quizzically. After the three ponies and draconequus entered the tent, she looked around cautiously, then stepped inside and sealed the tent up. Twilight looked at Discord and Fluttershy, "I know you two likely won't sleep because of just coming from halfway around the world, and having just woke up, but... you should try to rest again." She walked over to her sleeping bag and parted it with her magic, then glanced at Fluttershy and Discord. "I have a spell that can help you if you'd like."
Fluttershy and Discord both looked uneasy. "Did you sleep at all last night, Twilight?" Fluttershy asked, biting her lip as she finished.
Twilight grimaced. "No. I haven't gotten much sleep in the past couple days," she admitted. "Or years, really, although it's been worse in the past few weeks," she added dryly. "And I'm still recovering from my battle with the Inquisitor."
Discord perked up at that and walked over to Twilight. "How exactly did you lose to him? I know you're powerful, even more powerful than I was before the whole-" his face became an expression of disgust, "-'Inquisitor' incident." He looked at Twilight seriously. "You have the magic of five alicorns and a competent unicorn. Your special talent is magic, and you have five more special talents, now. The Inquisitor should be dead!"
Twilight sighed as all eyes fell on her. "Yes," she said absently, "he should be. I told you that I failed. I've had this conversation before-"
"Then why not have it again?" Discord asked. "It would be better hearing it from you, than from say... Rainbow's perspective." Rainbow eyed him evenly. He waved his talon at her dismissively.
Twilight swallowed, sat down on her haunches and tilted her head. "He hit me with an electro-maginetic pulse. I didn't recognize it until it was too late. I... knew of the existence of such a weapon, but I hadn't encountered one before. It almost killed me. After that, there was a suppression field in place," she said with annoyance.
"So, the second you encountered him, he used that weapon against you? And how did it not affect him?" Discord inquired as he stroked his goatee.
Twilight bobbed her head. "No... I fought him with..." She threw her head to the side and activated her horn, forging her magic into a blade which ignited to life in the air. "This."
Discord frowned and looked at her with surprise. "Twilight, that's... so beneath you! I know that your little blade thingy is powerful, but it's not a match for what you're capable of! You held back."
Twilight dispersed her magic and shook her head dismissively. "Yes I did," she said lightly. "And I regret that, but I would probably regret attacking him with the full force of my magic even more."
Discord looked up at the top of the tent deep in thought. "Considering that the full force of your magic would have leveled Canterlot mountain, I'm inclined to agree with you. That's no excuse for not toning your magic down and using it more effectively than how you did."
Twilight blinked. "You're not acting like the Discord I remember."
Discord smiled wryly. "A lot happened in the past few years," he said bitterly.
Twilight tentatively nodded in agreement. After a few seconds, she shook her head. "Regardless... I didn't want to damage the castle. Even if I toned it back, I likely would have damaged the castle more than I wanted. And then there is the part about me potentially losing control and accidently leveling the castle. I didn't want that to happen. And after the pulse, well, the field dispersed my magic when I used spells, and combined with being seriously drained by it..."
"Why did you go out of your way to protect the castle?" Discord asked. "The castle can be rebuilt. If you die, then you're dead. Was it really worth it?"
Twilight flexed her jaw muscles several times. "It's all I have left of Celestia and Luna. And considering that I grew up in the castle, it holds significant sentimental value to me."
Discord gawked at her. "You... sentimental value?" he asked in exasperation. "You could have crushed him! You have Celestia's magic, you could have made him into a star for pony's sake!"
Twilight said nothing and looked at him evenly for several moments. Silence filled the tent as the three other mares present stared at her. Twilight eventually broke the staring contest with Discord and glanced at the three other ponies, then sat up straighter. "I could have, yes," she said quickly and condescendingly as she looked away from Discord. She clenched her jaw. "It... did not cross my mind," she said defensively.
Discord's eyes narrowed. "It didn't cross your mind? Is that the whole truth?"
Twilight looked at him warily, and for a few seconds, she met his gaze, then she relented. "When did you become Applejack," she mumbled. She sat up straighter and took a deep breath. "No, that's not the whole truth. I did forget, but having six sets of memories, along with being isolated from everypony I once called a friend for three years and being betrayed by those same ponies... Well, it tends to make one less stable than normal... No. I did not think of doing that. And quite frankly, I still don't want to. I wanted to know why he did what he did, and how he did what he did." She paused and closed her eyes. "He took... everything from me. Turning him into a star is too good for him, I want to bleed him dry and revive him until he knows a fraction of the pain I endured."
"You wanted to torture him," Discord surmised.
"Yes... I did..." Twilight said soberly. She wasn't sure if she could honestly say that she could stop herself from torturing him even now. She blinked a couple times and looked at Fluttershy. She was surprised that the timid pegasus hadn't backed up in fear. The sight made her feel a little better, but worse at the same time. She felt condemned, despite Fluttershy looking at her with only concern, compassion, and forgiveness. "You know, when I fought him, he more or less said that insanity ran in my family, being an alicorn...." she trailed off looking at the floor.
"Twilight," Rainbow said seriously. "Out of five alicorns, only one went insane."
Twilight snorted and shook her head sadly. "Out of two alicorns several thousand years old, one of them went insane." She turned to Rainbow and looked at her thoughtfully. "He said I have a lot in common with Princess Luna and Nightmare Moon." She bobbed her head thoughtfully, "And I have her memories, and I know that having their memories influences me. The fact that I have called you my little ponies is evidence of Celestia's influence... It's... very taxing having their memories. Nopony was meant to hold six separate sets of memories, seven if you count Nightmare Moon's memories as separate from Luna's memories. And considering that..." she swallowed and looked at her hooves, "that my niece was the only one of them younger than me, and that Celestia and Luna were each several thousand years old..." Twilight lifted her gaze and saw Rainbow, Zenith, and Fluttershy all looking at her with heavy expressions. Even Discord wasn't unaffected by her tale.
Discord waved his paw at Twilight. "So what if you have six or seven different sets of memories. You're holding yourself together quite nicely. If anypony can handle it, Twilight, it's you. Celestia wouldn't have chosen you as her successor, let alone putting all of her faith in you if she didn't believe you could rise to the challenge." He smiled confidently.
"I... don't know," Twilight said in a strained voice. She shook her head. "I'm not a good pony..."
"Twilight," Rainbow said with an annoyed shake of her head, "you're a good pony. You're trying to be a good pony. You just have... problems..." She paused, searching for what to say. Her eyes lit up and she smiled, then winced. "You're a good pony, one who's doing the best they can udner the circumstances!"
Twilight groaned. "Good ponies don't want to torture other ponies to death. Repeatedly," she said dryly, then she sighed.
Rainbow shook her head. "Twilight, the Elements of Harmony let you use them. The Element of Kindness didn't try to stop you from finding Fluttershy! If they trust you, then I trust you!"
Twilight smiled weakly. "I don't know for a fact that I can use the Element of Magic... And I don't know for a fact that not just anypony can use the Elements..."
"We believe in you," Rainbow said, walking over to Twilight and hugging her. Zenith followed a second later, then Discord and Fluttershy. Twilight was taken aback and wasn't sure how to respond. After several seconds, she closed her eyes and leaned into the hug, returning it, wrapping her wings around all of them. Their action was so simple, yet it meant so much to her. It brought back memories of years prior, and with those memories came happiness and strength. The memories weren't all good, but they were reassuring. The time she spent with her five friends, the time she spent with Celestia, first as her student, then as fellow princess. Twilight smiled. "Thank you," she said sweetly.
"You're under a lot of stress," Fluttershy cooed. Twilight's mouth fell open, she was shocked that Fluttershy would so easily reason it off after not seeing her for three years.
"You're a bit of a mess, but who isn't?" Discord asked with a sly smile.
"You were betrayed by ponies you trusted, and you've been alone for three years," Rainbow added solemnly.
"You're our friend, and you're my teacher," Zenith said eagerly. "I look up to you," she chirped.
A few seconds, later, they pulled apart but stayed close. Twilight brought a hoof to her eye and wiped away a tear, smiling and snickering at herself. "Well..." she said lightly. "Alicorns are... very emotional," she responded. "And... I... was easily stressed before Celestia ascended me, but..." Her expression darkened. "When I rule Equestria, along with three other nations... I'm going to be under a lot more stress."
"We'll be right there beside you, Twilight!" Rainbow assured, leaping into the air a little and hovering there. A chorus rang out in agreement with her.
Twilight stifled a yawn. "I... need all of you, if not to protect me, at the very least to keep me sane." She bit her lip and turned to Discord, who smirked at her. "Even... you..." she said tentatively, feeling like she was going to regret saying that every day for the rest of her life.
"Well, considering that of everypony in this tent, I'll be around as long as you... I promise that I'll do my best to not make you insane," Discord chirped.
"Uh..." Rainbow's voice creaked. "Speaking of the whole long life thing..." she trailed off as everypony looked at her.
Twilight flashed her a smile, one that was halfway apologetic. "I haven't decided yet, sorry."
Fluttershy blinked and looked between them. "Decided..? Decided... what?"
"Twilight was considering ascending Rainbow to be an alicorn along with her so that she wouldn't be alone for the rest of her life," Zenith answered absently.
"You... you can do that?" Fluttershy asked, eyes widening in shock.
Twilight winced. "I... should be able to... once I figure out how..." she said hesitantly. "It's... very complicated..." she trailed off with a yawn. "Can we..." She shook her head. "Talk about this tomorrow? I'm still recovering from fighting the Inquisitor, dealing with six separate sets of memories, possibly being insane, having enough magic that I could accidently destroy a mountain, moving the sun and moon, dealing with emotional distress from being betrayed, having my mentor murdered, along with my niece, sister in law, and brother, and dealing with alicorn emotions and instincts," she listed at length, drawing blank stares from the other ponies present. She ignored them and levitated them all away at the same time, then laid down on her back, resting her head on the pillow and closing her eyes. "Sweet dreams, my little ponies," she cooed.
"I'm um... not really tired, Twilight..." Fluttershy said softly.
"Nor am I," Discord added.
Twilight pushed herself back up into a sitting position, sighing and looking at them sadly. "Do you want me to cast a spell on you to help you fall asleep?" she asked thoughtfully.
Fluttershy pursed her lips. "N-no..." she replied. She glanced at Discord, he shrugged. "I... Discord and I can go... keep watch or something..."
Twilight eyed Fluttershy curiously. "Doesn't that idea... scare you?"
Fluttershy nodded slowly. "A little, but I was on my own for three years, and Discord will be with me."
Twilight wanted to argue that she didn't need to keep watch, but she didn't. "Don't stray too far. I don't want anything to happen to either of you."
Fluttershy smiled weakly. "We'll stay in the clearing." She silently walked over to the tent exit, then left, followed by Discord, who watched Twilight for a second before stepping outside. Fluttershy walked over to the blanket on the grass, then laid down and looked up at the sky.
The stars were different from what she was used to, but it was comforting to know that she was home, even if things weren't the same as before. She closed her eyes and sighed, then felt a paw wrap around her withers. She opened her eyes and looked up at Discord. "Twilight... she's... changed so much..." she said sadly, dropping her gaze to the pale grass. "The Twilight I knew would never want to... to..." she couldn't bring herself to say it. She had changed in three years too, but not nearly as much as the alicorn had. She didn't hate Twilight, of course. The alicorn still scared her, although not as much as she startled her when she suddenly appeared yesterday, but she could still see her friend, even if she had changed a lot.
Discord looked up at the sky, frowning. "She is more unstable than I remember... And definitely more violent... But considering what she's been through, I can't say I blame her." He stroked his goatee as he looked at a particularly bright star with a pinkish hue, "She'll be fine, I have faith in her."
"How could we have been so blind?" Fluttershy asked crestfallen, turning to look at Discord. "H-he seemed like such a nice pony... I-I know that he wasn't now, but... And for Twilight to want to kill him... She's hurting badly... They were close before... that night. We should have realized that she wouldn't have claimed he was planning on taking over Equestria unless she knew for a fact... She wouldn't have said that about him unless she knew it was true, and even then... It would have taken some convincing... And now she wants to... to kill him."
Discord mulled it over. If he had his magic, he could have simply fixed almost everything. He couldn't bring back Celestia and Luna, nor the others, but he could make the Inquisitor pay. It seemed like Twilight was going to do that for him, though.
"Even Rainbow's... different," Fluttershy said softly. "She changed so much too... She's not as... her... as she was."
"If you ask me, it's an improvement," Discord chuckled softly. "If there's one constant in the universe, it's change. Believe me, I should know. I didn't think chaos could change. Chaos is the force that drives change, yet look at me..." He shook his head with a smile. "We've all changed." He grimaced sadly, "A lot of it for the worse."
"Twilight scares me... I... I know she's my friend, and I trust her, but..." Fluttershy trailed off, ashamed that she was afraid of her friend.
Discord thought it over, the need to comfort Fluttershy compelling him. "How did Twilight act before she met all of you?"
"She was... She wasn't very social, she kept to herself, and she was smart... All she really cared about was her studies and pleasing Princess Celestia..." Fluttershy looked at Discord questioningly.
"And after she became friends with all of you?" Discord continued.
"She was... well, as different as night was from day. Spike told us about how much Twilight had changed, and..." Fluttershy smiled. "She was completely different. She was still her, but she was..."
"Better," Discord answered. Fluttershy nodded. Discord smiled. "I think you see where I'm going with this, Fluttershy?"
Fluttershy thought about it for a few seconds, then nodded. It was a slow nod at first, but it became more energetic as time went on. "I... I think I do. You're saying that we're good for her and that we can help her change again?" Discord nodded. Fluttershy sighed sadly. "I don't know, Discord..." A few seconds passed and she thought about it, then she smiled. "I trust her," she said. "She wouldn't hurt anypony without a reason."
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Tirek used Discord's magic. And Twilight has addressed some ponies by the "my little ponies" moniker at least oce
"Inquisitor,"
I think one thing Twilight needs is a good cry and some hugs from her growing friend-pile. Though I have this sinking feeling that her friends themselves are some kind of booby-trap.
7785019
I'm going with the idea that, while yes, Lord Tirek had Discord's power, he didn't use chaos magic per se. Instead, he used "normal" magic, amplified by the raw energy of chaos magic, while the Inquisitor was using spells based on chaos magic. That's also along the lines of what's shown in the season 4 finale, potentially with the exception of Tirek snapping his fingers and teleporting the mane 5 + Discord... Which I forgot about that part until just now...
7786166
That mistake reminded me of this...
Thanks for pointing it out, fixed it!