Remember When
by Criticul
Chapters
The Beginning
The Princess had decided to take a walk through the gardens today, without the company of her guards, of course. She hated how her security force wanted to follow her everywhere. She liked to constantly remind them that while she was a princess; she was certainly no school filly. Celestia had dealt with many horrors in the past, none of which will be found in the local gardens.
“Honestly, sometimes they believe me to be the same little filly from my father’s rule. I am a grown mare, and can defend myself. I shouldn’t have such a wonderful day ruined by an overprotective ensemble.” Celestia took a deep breath, enjoying the smell of sweet flowers and fresh air. She was in the most wondrous section of the gardens. Celestia’s sister had commissioned this particular plot to be grown by the best gardeners in all Equestria. The flowers were actually planted to grow in colourful designs. There were pink Delilahs in the form of a magnificent butterfly, red roses that spelled out a beautiful poem, and the best of all, a patch of white daisies made to resemble Celestia herself.
“Truly remarkable...Luna, you amaze me sometimes...” Celestia approached the large portrait of herself. “Though...was this really necessary? I mean...why me?” Celestia asked quietly to herself. A gentle, yet familiar voice answered.
“Because Tia, I think you’re gorgeous. Your beauty does this place wonders. It was so drab before I asked them to put that in...” Celestia grinned and started to chuckle softly.
“Oh, how did I know you would follow me here Lulu?” A gentle breeze drifted through the gardens, producing a calming rustling sound through the flowers.
“Celestia! I can’t believe you could even think that I would follow you. Honestly, I thought you were better than that...” Luna grinned deviously and picked one of the daisies that formed the solar Princess’ likeness.
“Honestly Luna, I know you well enough to know that this is exactly the kind of thing you would do.” Luna snickered and reached up to place the flower into her sister’s mane.
“You know me too well, sister.”
Celestia turned to admire the floral patterns once more. “I wish you knew me well enough to know that I don’t...really like daisies.” Celestia smiled sheepishly as Luna sighed loudly.
“Awww, Tia! I went through all this trouble, and you don’t even like it?” Luna pouted and turned her head to the side, doing her utmost to pull her sister into a guilt trip. Over the years, Luna had been able to discover exactly what makes her sister tick, all the way from the food she likes, to how to get her to say “yes” to just about anything.
Celestia sighed and hugged her sister gently. “Come now, you know I love it. I’m just not a fan of daisies...I haven’t been for as long as I can remember.”
Luna giggled and returned the embrace. “Yes, I know...I’m just teasing you Tia.”
“You enjoy that too much, Lulu. It’s not right to tease your sister so much...” Celestia nuzzled Luna’s neck in playful manner.
“It’s so fun though...Hey Celestia, can I ask you a question?”
“Lulu you can always ask me anything. Now what it is...?” Luna grinned and tapped Celestia lightly with her hoof.
“How fast can you run...? You’re it!” Luna took off towards the green hedges of the Canterlot maze gardens. “Come on Tia, catch me!” She called out to Celestia, who was standing dumbfounded by herself.
“H-hey! No fair!” Celestia extended her wings and used them to propel herself towards her fleeing sister. She turned sharply into the maze’s entrance.
The maze was made of huge, green hedges that seemed to reach towards the sky. Despite their huge size, they were perfectly maintained; they had not a single branch or twig sticking out of place. Much like the rest of the gardens, the maze was more a work of art than a garden.
Celestia carefully maneuvered around tight corners, just barely following the dark blue trail her mischievous sister left behind. “You can’t get away from me that easily!” Celestia cried out through the maze, hoping to distract Luna just enough to catch up to her.
“I think I can!” The powerful boom of Luna’s Royal Canterlot voice roared from in front of Celestia.
“Sister! I told you, nopony speaks like that anymore!” Celestia realized her plan was working. She could see her sister’s trail becoming more and more distinct, signaling the distance was being closed. After another sharp turn she was finally able to see Luna. Her sister was running on her hooves, a great disadvantage to Celestia’s powerful wings. “Why is she running? It’s almost like the silly filly wants me to catch her...”
Celestia continued to draw closer to Luna until, *Splat*, she ran headfirst into the rear end of the Lunar Princess, sending them both tumbling along the cool grass. They continued to roll, one over the other, casually giggling as they did so. They came to a stop in front of the remains of an ancient, petrified creature.
“Luna! What are you doing!?” Luna giggled and used her back hooves to push Celestia off of her.
“Oh Celly, you don’t know how to have fun anymore! You’re always in the court, or these silly gardens. Don’t get me wrong, they’re stunning to say the least...but you need to learn to be a little more sporadic.” Luna got back on her hooves, and aided her sister off the ground. “There’s nothing more sporadic than a game of good old fashioned tag, right?”
“Luna...sometimes I wonder how you and I are related.” Celestia chuckled and turned to the large statue behind them.
“You know we used to be a lot alike. When we were foals...”
Celestia stared up at the frozen image of the once proud Discord. The years had not been kind to the once gentle draconequus. Hate, lies, and deceit had corrupted the poor creature to the point he was no longer himself. He had been transformed into something menacing. Some knew him as the demon of chaos, others as the devil himself, but to Celestia, he had always been just Discord, the kind soul she met so many years ago.
“Well...a lot has changed Luna.”
~Flash Back~
Celestia casually waited outside the gates of the Everfree Castle. Today was the day her father was supposed to take her to meet with the Draconequus ambassador, Rashlah, and his son, Discord. It was the first step in coming to a continued diplomatic peace with the kingdom of the Draconequuii, and Celestia had been honoured with the opportunity to come along. If everything went as planned today, Equestria would be assured for maintain the calm they had struggled to hold over the years.
Celestia leaned against the large metal frame that made up the gate. She had been waiting for over half an hour, and her hooves were starting to get sore. If her father didn’t arrive soon, she would just have to go looking for him. “Fatthhherrrr!” She whined, “Where are you?”
A powerful, yet smooth voice answered her. “Calm down Celly, I’m right here. Sorry to keep you waiting dear, but you know how the maids can be sometimes.” Celestia laughed at her father’s joke. She knew it was probably true; it seemed as if whenever he went out for a diplomatic meeting, the servants would all of a sudden need all kinds of supplies.
Celestia raised an eyebrow as she searched around her father. “Where is Luna? Will she not be accompanying us today?” King Nightrend chuckled and nudged Celestia with his neck.
“She is still much to young to go on such missions. Your mother would kill me if I took her along. It was a hassle just to get her to let you come...you’re still just a filly after all.” Celestia shot her father an irritated glance and huffed.
“I am not a foal! I am a Princess, father!” Nightrend laughed and gently nuzzled his daughter’s face.
“Of course Celestia. Now come, I have arranged for a chariot to take us to the Draconequus’ castle.” Celestia grinned and started skipping towards the chariot. She had noticed it long before her father arrived, and had been waiting patiently. Celestia absolutely adored riding in the chariot. She loved how the wind flowed through her long, elegant, pink mane when they soared through the open sky. Celestia enjoyed it more than flying, which was nothing more than work to her.
Nightrend followed his daughter to the escort, and took a seat in the large cabin. One of the perks of being King was that luxury was in no shortage. He had the most exquisite forms of travel, ponies could hope to buy. It held only the finest materials: velvet seats, imported wines, and even a casting station, which unicorns could use to communicate with each other through telepathy.
Nightrend and Celestia were seated in the back of the cabin, eagerly discussing their plans for diplomacy with the Draconequus. “Father, do you think I can handle this...?”
“Celestia I don’t think I’ve ever heard you doubt yourself before...it’s almost frightening, really. While I know this is a big job for your first mission, I have full trust in you. I’ll be doing most of the talking anyway...”
Celestia hugged her father’s leg tightly. “Thank you daddy... it means a lot to me that you took me along.” Nightrend chuckled and ruffled Celestia’s mane.
“I know dear...now why don’t you go get some rest? It’s going to be a long flight...”
--------------------
After a long and boring flight the two finally made it to the land of the draconequus. When Celestia and Nightrend exited the chariot, they were greeted by an elderly male. Celestia figured him to be Rashlah. He was a tall, with a slender body, which appeared as if it was stitched together from a variety of different species. He had the tail of a dragon, the head of a pony, cheetah’s paws, and the body of a bear. A long, snow white beard hung from his masculine chin. “Ahhh, it is good to see you have made it alright. I hope your journey treated you well?”
Nightrend casually trotted over to Rashlah and extended a hoof in warm greeting. “Still a smooth-talker, I see.”
“As always, old friend. But please, let us not carry on out here in the cold. This mountain breeze can be unforgiving.” Nightrend searched his surroundings. He hated the mountains. He would avoid them as best he could, but the Draconequus’ demanded that the meeting be held in their home.
“I agree... I fear I don’t get along with the cold weather. I trust your castle is adequately heated?” Nightrend snickered and turned to the large castle.
“Well...if it’s not, I hope you brought your thickest blankets.” The two older males shared a hearty laugh and proceeded to walk side by side towards the castle. Celestia lagged behind them, gagging at the dry humor of the old friends.
“Nightrend, my son will be at the door to greet us. I should warn you, he can be a tad...strange. But I assure you he’s harmless.”
Nightrend nodded and smiled gently. “I suppose I could say the same for my own daughter...” Celestia’s ears perked up. Truthfully she had not been listening since the lame joke about blankets, but she recognized her presence in the conversation and was now curious.
“I’m sure she’ll get along perfectly with young Discord then...” Nightrend shrugged and looked at Celestia with a cheery smile.
“I’m sure she’d love to meet him.”
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Discord sat on the royal throne, throwing a blue bouncing ball up in the air. Midway up, he would change it into something crazy, like a scorpion, and attempt to change it back before it fell onto him. It was a fun game he had invented after he learned of his abilities to alter reality. Discord’s father would often scold him for it; he often said that a draconequus’ ability should be only be used to better their community, not to amuse oneself. Not that Discord ever listened, he believed in fun, and he would do anything to entertain himself.
“This pathetic little meeting couldn’t pass quicker. Shouldn’t they at least be here by now?...ugh.” He threw the ball up high and turned it into a scorpion once again, only to be interrupted by the sound of the door swinging open. He turned his attention to the door and was instantly mesmerized. There in the doorway stood what could only be described as an angel. She had a shining white coat, with a glorious flowing pink mane. Discord couldn’t help but to examine every inch of her perfect form, his eyes caressing every curve on her body. He was in such a trance, he didn’t even notice when the scorpion failed to be transformed back into a ball and then proceeded to land on his head. All he could see was the beautiful creature standing before him.
“Um...son. You have a scorpion on your head.” Rashlah was eyeing his son, who appeared to be locked in a reverie of sorts.
“O-oh...my bad, father. I got a little distracted...” Discord grabbed the scorpion from his head and transformed it back into a ball. He twisted his body to sit upright, and began stroking his beard. It was frail in comparison to his fathers, but he was still a child and had much growing to do.
“Were you playing that ridiculous game again? What did I tell you about using your powers for entertainment?” Rashlah hissed. Discord sighed and laid back in the chair.
Celestia stayed behind her father, in awe at the castle the draconequuii took residence in. It was much different than the one she was used to. The castle was almost gloomy, being painted with a grim gray color. There were oddities hung all around, ranging from strange masks, to mysterious paintings. The room was also just a tad bit cool, adding to the ambiance.
“Well in a place like this I imagine one would have to find some way to have a bit of fun” Celestia whispered, still attempting to make herself look small behind her father.
Rashlah peered around Nightrend to give Celestia a curious look, while Discord burst out into a fit of laughter. “You know, I said the exact same thing! This place feels more like a morgue than a cast-”
Rashlah held up his large cheetah paw, issuing his son to be quiet. “Please, Discord. Trust me, by now you have told me numerous times about your dislike for our living quarters, you do not need to tell me again.” Discord sighed and turned away from his father in protest.
“Ahh yes, the rebellious youth strike again.” Nightrend joked, attempting to ease the awkwardness of family tension.
“A fact us older folk understand all too well. Come, we have much to discuss. Discord, why don’t stay here and entertain Miss Celestia here?” Celestia and Discord both exclaimed “what” simultaneously.
“Father, you said I’d be by your side to help with the delegation!”
“Yeah! You said I’d be the front runner! Now I’m not even allowed in the room!?”
Rashlah sighed and grabbed Discord by the shoulder. “Look son, you know I love you...but I can’t leave the fate of two kingdoms in the hands of a child. You understand, right?”
Nightrend bend down on his front knees and hugged Celestia tightly. “Believe me, I wish you could be in there with me, but Mr. Rashlah believes this is a very delicate matter and should be handled by only us.”
Celestia and Discord both scowled, but offered no further resistance. The two fathers had more in common then they thought, they were both immovable once they came to a decision. For now, this battle was lost for the both of them.
“Good...Discord, just stay out here and socialize. It’ll do you good...perhaps you’ll make a friend for once.”
Discord blushed slightly and coughed. “Right...I’ll do my best.” He had not thought of that, all this meant was that he could spend more time with the beautiful creature known as Celestia. He casually floated over towards Celestia and extended his paw out in greeting. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Celestia.”
Celestia blushed slightly and placed her hoof in Discord’s paw. “The same...er...Discord?”
“You two play nice now. If you need us we’ll be in the Grand Hall discussing civil matters. Have fun!” Nightrend and Rashlah exited the room in the direction of the Grand Hall.
“So...wanna have some fun?” Discord said, with his arm around Celestia’s shoulders.
“Um...what do you mean?” Discord chuckled and placed a finger on Celestia’s chest.
“I mean why don’t we go out and do something fun. You said it yourself, this castle can be so boring. There’s this amazing spot up in the mountains where the fireflies literally dance all through the night. And guess what? The suns setting...”
Celestia smiled slightly. “You consider fireflies to be fun? Come on now, I’m sure you can do better.”
Discord exaggeratedly gasped, placing his paw over his mouth. “Oh my, dear Celestia...you obviously have never seen these magnificent creatures at night. It is truly a sight to behold.”
“If it makes you happy, I’ll go see your little bugs...” Celestia said sarcastically.
“Wonderful! Now, if you’ll follow me, I’ll be happy to be your guide on this beautiful evening.” Discord held his arm out, ushering Celestia to the door. “And do not worry about our fathers, they will be in there for a long time.”
“That’s good to hear, I suppose. Father wouldn’t be too happy if he knew I was taking a little trip through the mountains. Speaking of which, this place isn’t too far away is it?” Celestia smiled and casually bumped into Discord’s side. “I can’t fly all that well, and not everypony can hover.”
“Not at all, we should be able to get there in about thirty minutes. Putting us there right at sunset...amazing, huh?”
“Let’s just go...” Celestia shook her head, smiling ever so slightly. “You’re so cheesy, you know that?”
------------
After a short trek up a small cliff, Discord and Celestia finally reached the knoll. It was an open space, surrounded by a ring of perfect managed evergreen trees. They lined up at equal heights to form a perfect circle. The whole scene appeared as if it was from an old story, but Celestia was unimpressed.
“I don’t see the big deal, why did you drag me all the way out here for some trees...?” Discord chuckled loudly as he pretended to swim through the air. Celestia looked at him quizzically as she watched the eager draconequus do a backstroke through mid air.
“Come on, I told you I like to have fun didn’t I? Would I bring you out to a clearing if it wasn’t going to be amazing? Have some patience, Miss Celestia.” Discord flew through the air with a loop and landed right next to Celestia. “Look, the sun is going down! It won’t be long now, I promise.”
“Fine...well, can we at least lie down now? My hooves hurt from all that climbing...” Celestia dangled her hoof in front of her and grimaced. Her hooves were all dirty and ruffled from the journey.
“Certainly, certainly.” Discord snapped his fingers and a large, comfortable looking cotton blanket appeared on the ground before them. It was embroidered with a variety of flower designs. There was one that stood out the most to Celestia, a white flower with a large yellow center. It was so simplistic, yet unlike anything Celestia had seen in Equestria before. It appeared as if it could symbolize beauty itself.
“Wh-...what is that one called? The white one?” Celestia asked, in awe at the overall beauty of a simply quilt.
“The white one? That is a daisy, my fair lass. It is a flower native to my land. It is said that this flower was created from the tears of the Maker herself. That is why it can be so simple, yet hold extraordinary beauty...” Discord smiled as he carefully watched the alicorn stand in wonder at his creation. He had not made this with his power; no, he had crafted this by hand after the passing of his mother. She loved daisies, so Discord made it in honour of her memory. "But please, let us lie down. I understand your hooves need rest?"
“I never picked you for a gentlestallion- er..draconequus.” Celestia laid down on the blanket, making sure to face the sunset. Discord did a back-flip and landed on his back so he was looking at Celestia upside down.
“I can be when the time arises.” Discord rolled over and put his paw and claw under his chin. “Look...the sun is setting. Right after this you’ll see the magic.”
The sun was just on the tip of the horizon, it’s orange glow laboring to surpass the mountain tops that threatened to overtake it. Rays of amber light poured in between the separate mountains, illuminating the cloud cover. Celestia had seen sunsets before, but this one was the most beautiful she had ever witnessed; it was so full of color and warmth. As the sun slowly retreated below the peaks, and it’s light vanished with it, Celestia was almost disheartened. She wanted to hold onto that moment forever, to cherish this beautiful sight she had been blessed to enjoy. But then something happened. A single bright yellow speck of light flickered through the darkness. Then another, and another, until there seemed to be an endless number floating around the night. Their elegant movement made them appear as if they were dancing all around her. Celestia had never seen so many fireflies in one place.
“Wow...maybe I was wrong about this place. It has so many wonders I’ve never been able to see in Equestria...” Celestia’s mouth was agape as her eyes wandered around the clearing.
“Yeah...fun, right?” Discord smiled and rolled over onto his back, placing his arms behind his head. “I know it’s not exactly our castle, but this place can be pretty cool.” Celestia giggled lightly and rolled over so she was looking at Discord. He noticed this and turned his head so he could look Celestia in the eyes.
“Thank you for showing me this...” She whispered, “I really misjudged you earlier... I took you as more of a know it all jerk than...than this.”
“Not many do know the true me...but hey, I’m not done yet!” Discord snapped his fingers and a single white daisy appeared in Celestia’s mane. “I figured you’d like to see one for yourself...the real thing, not an embroidery.”
Celestia smiled and pulled the flower from her mane. She put her nose to it and gently inhaled, admiring the light, sweet scent it carried.
“Be glad I picked that particular type of daisy. Some of them don’t exactly smell...pleasant.” said Discord with a chuckle.
“It’s wonderful...thank you again. I didn’t expect to make a friend on this little trip...but you’re pretty amazing. It’s a shame I have to go back to Equestria after this.” Discord frowned. He forgot all about Celestia’s stay here. She would have to return home immediately after the conference.
Discord did his best to smile, though was only able to put on a weak half-smile. “Yeah...then we should make the best of the time we do have together. I don’t exactly have many friends...but I really like you. But enough of that...it’s getting late, we should probably return to the castle, they’ll be done with their meeting soon.” Celestia attempted to say something, but Discord had already started making his way back towards the castle, slowly hovering down the cliff.
“W-wait for me!” Celestia called out to Discord, but he was already out of range to hear her. She scampered to her hooves, and took off after him. “Discord, wait up!”
A/N: Well, here I am. Posting yet another story. But hey, this will be seen through till completion, you have my word. Also, hope you enjoy. This chapter is a little less attention grabbing than I would like, but the coming chapters will have you on the edge of your seats.
Poem (Intermission)
Remember when at first we met,
When first you caught my eye?
Remember when we climbed a mountain,
And together watched the sky?
Remember when we waited,
And laughed,
And watched,
Watched the sun begin to set.
And then that sky,
that big dark sky,
It danced with fireflies.
What happened to those days my love?
They seem so long ago.
What happened to those days of peace?
Of this I wish to know.
For I remember when we first met,
When first I caught your eye.
I remember when everything changed,
And today it makes me cry.
For the longest time,
I could not imagine,
Could not comprehend,
Could not believe,
Believe what you’d become.
But now I ask,
just beg to ask;
Why, my love,
just why?
Coming Together
~Flashback Continued~
Discord pushed open the large wooden doors of the castle and casually hovered in, followed by a frantic Celestia. He wore a blank look across his face, as he usually did. Celestia, on the other hoof, was gasping for breath. “D-Discord, why did you run off like that? I had to run to keep up!”
The draconequus replied with a light chuckle and flew back beside her. He decided he could have a little more fun with the little alicorn before she had to leave. “What, couldn’t keep up with little old me? That’s too bad.” He grabbed one of Celestia’s wings and extended it. “Perhaps you should learn how to use these then?”
Celestia gasped and pulled her wing from his grasps. “Father says I should learn at my own pace! There is nothing wrong with the fact that I can’t fly!” She poked him in the chest with her hoof and grinned. “Besides! I don’t need to fly. I could outrun you any day!” Discord chuckled as he patted Celestia on the head, which only worked to infuriate her.
“Maybe I’ll take you up on that challenge one day. For now, I fear it will have to wait. It appears our fathers have finished their meeting.” Discord smiled and pointed his eagle claw towards the large oak double doors that now hung open. The two older creatures walked side by side out of the door, sharing a hearty laugh.
“I’m glad to have this tricky business out of the way...now we can all move on. I see great things in our future!” Nightrend had his hoof wrapped around Rashlah’s shoulder as they walked. They appeared as old friends rather than opposing diplomats.
“Father. I see everything went well.” The disappointment was evident on Discord’s face. He was still upset that he wasn’t even allowed in the room, when he was originally promised to be the main negotiator.
Rashlah chuckled. He carefully glided his large paw towards Discord and gently patted him on the head. “Don’t be so down son. Today is a great day for all of the world! We have come to terms with Equestria, once and for all.” Discord gave him a curious glance before he turned away from his father.
Celestia, who was just as upset as Discord, chimed in. “Terms? What terms?” Her snout scrunched up as she said this. Her own father had told her this meeting was to discuss borders between the two nations. For many years, the opposing countries had shed innocent blood over simple lines on a map, and today it would hopefully cease. Celestia was curious as to how centuries of war had come to a close.
Nightrend smiled gently and stroked his long, gray beard. “Well, we came to three terms. The first is that Equestria would take over part of Dracone, and in return we would pull our soldiers out of their territory in Dragon Country. The second is that Equestria will offer Dracone unicorn magic to power their homes. The third is,” His expression turned sour, and his voice trailed to a whisper. Rashlah realized he was having trouble saying it, and decided to interject for him.
“The third is that little Celestia here will remain in the castle to learn of our culture. I find that too few ponies actually know anything about the draconequus.” The atmosphere in the room was heavy with tension. Celestia collapsed upon her haunches, speechless.
“Yes...I do not wish it, but he’s right. It is a great opportunity for you Celestia...your mother isn’t going to be too happy though.” Nightrend chuckled slightly, though the displeasure was still obvious in his voice.
“This is amazing! This place has so many wonders to discover, father! I will surely miss you but...but I couldn’t possibly pass up on an opportunity like this!” Celestia saw this as her chance to expand on the adventures she had earlier today. Surely there was more to this place then a sunset and fireflies. Celestia had the strangest feeling that during her stay here she was going to experience something magical.
Nightrend slowly approached his daughter and knelt down in front of her. Tears were streaming down his face, though he had the biggest smile. “I wish I had your strength Celestia. You really have grown up so much... I’ll miss you. Make sure to write to me everyday, okay?”
The elderly alicorn sighed as he wrapped his front hooves around Celestia’s neck. He was saddened to leave Celestia behind, but he could see this was something she really wanted to do. It would be good for to learn of other cultures, and perhaps she could even grow as a pony. “Her mother is going to murder me though...”
~Flashback End~
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A light breeze swept through the maze, gently blowing Celestia’s mane around. She stood in utter awe looking up at the statue. She raised her hoof up to touch Discord’s icy face, it was frozen in a look of hate. A look Celestia knew all too well. “Why did you have to change?” Celestia whispered, tears now welling up in her eyes. Seeing Discord like this only served to bring back beautiful, yet painful memories of her past. Discord was her best friend, and her mortal enemy.
“Sister?” Luna said calmly, tapping her sister lightly on the shoulder. “Are you alright?” Luna’s expression showed deep concern. She was worried about Celestia, who had been staring at Discord’s statue for several minutes now, never uttering a word.
“Huh?” Celestia said drearily. “Oh, yes...just thinking about the mistakes I’ve made in my life...” She closed her eyes and allowed the memories she had come to love so much wash over her.
~Flashback~
Discord slumped in the throne. He hated having to sit on the throne for his father, it’s not like anypony ever showed up to complain anyway. He rested his head on his paw and sighed loudly. The sooner the clock struck the twelve, the sooner he could find Celestia. Today was her one year anniversary in Dracone, and he was determined to show her a good time. He had spent the last week thinking of the best place to take her. Discord decided that since Celestia loved to explore the more natural side of the country, that he should show her the grandest spectacle in all Dracone; the Fire Skies. As luck would have it, the spectral showing was tonight.
Discord grinned, and decided while he waited he could have a little fun. With the snap of his fingers an entire circus appeared in front of him. All the members looked rather confused, resulting in a small chuckle from the estranged draconequus. “Tonight then...”
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It was late in the afternoon, and the smooth orange glow of the setting sun was just beginning to wash over the land. Discord smiled as he watched the elegant alicorn casually glide towards him, with the same grace and poise as she always carried herself with. Every time he saw her, he felt his heart pound his chest, and his wings would go weak.
“Good evening, my lady,” he said coolly, grasping her hoof and kissing it. Celestia giggled as she felt his gruff beard brush against her fur. “I hope you’re ready for the most amazing time tonight. You are going to get to see something nopony has ever seen.” Celestia’s eyes brightened at the thought of seeing something so rare.
“That incredible huh? I’ll take you up on that Discord. It better be as good as you say though.” She playfully placed her hoof on his chest. “Or you’re going to get it!” Discord responded with a gentle chuckle and wrapped his warm paw around the eccentric mare.
“Oh please Celestia. When have I ever let you down? If anypony in this world knows how to have fun, it’s me.” A grin swept across his wise face as an idea came to mind. “Plus, the trek there will be half the fun. You see, to get to this phenomenon we must climb to the peak of Mount Burlashk, our tallest mountain.”
“M-Mount Burlashk? But that is so dangerous! Everypony knows that the cliff sides aren’t safe to walk on.” Discord chuckled again and ran his paw through Celestia’s mane.
“The best things in life are not free, dearest Celestia. You must earn the right to experience the greatest aspects of life.” Discord released Celestia from his grip and turned to the massive, snow capped mountain before them. “Now you see why I brought you here...”
Celestia gulped as she felt Discord’s paw glide across her coat as he let her go. “Are you sure it’s safe though? I told father I wouldn’t do anything too dangerous while I was here.”
“I would never let anything happen to you Celestia.” Discord smiled and turned to face the mountainside. A frown overtook his face as he examined the lush forestry that accompanied the snowy surface. “Regular trees can be so boring, don’t you think?” His frown turned to a wide smirk as he raised his eagle claw. A quick snap, and all the trees were transformed into a enticing forest of sparkling candy canes. “Much better!”
Celestia face hoofed and did her best to stifle a giggle. “Yes, it’s simply magnificent. We should go before you begin turning the birds into party favors.”
“Don’t give me any ideas...” Discord extended his arm, beckoning for Celestia to go on ahead of him. “Shall we?” Celestia smiled eagerly and skipped ahead of him through the sugary entrance. She felt it much easier to scale the mountain now that the atmosphere was less ominous.
Discord swiftly followed suit, mimicking her trail up the steep cliff side. The path followed the same consistency for about another half mile. Then the cliff side suddenly became jagged and narrow, coming dangerously close to drop-offs. Celestia gulped as she looked over the edge to see the tiny specks of red and white that formed the candy cane forest.
“It’s best if you don’t look over the edge.” Discord gently nudged Celestia away from the edge and issued her to keep walking. “Once you start looking over the edge you’ll get nervous, and up here that’s a death sentence.”
“Celestia, the things you’ve gotten me into with my father are far worse than this. It’s easy, as long as you keep walking.” Celestia shot the draconequus an angry glare and jabbed him with her horn.
“Don’t push it, Discord!” He responded with a light chuckle and took the lead. Celestia huffed loudly, but decided to follow him. “How can he be so confident? It’s actually amazing how calm he is in situations like this...” She stared at him, as he carefully glided over the rocky surface. This instantly reminded her of her own insecurities. If it weren’t for her inability to fly, they could already be at the peak by now. She became so caught up in her thoughts, she failed to notice the dip in elevation. Her hooves got caught up on each other and she stumbled clumsily towards the edge. Celestia managed to catch herself just before falling off the path. “Discord!” she called out, hoping to catch his attention.
Discord heard the gravely call, and turned to find the source. Celestia was standing dangerously close to then end of trail; a shocked looked plastered on her face. He was about to call back, but as he opened his mouth to speak, the ground beneath Celestia gave way and she fell out of his sight. Discord felt his heart stop as her swishing pink mane plunged beneath the rocky edge. “Celestia!” He screamed as he shot through the air after her.
He dove over the edge and started free-falling. Almost instantly he could see the falling alicorn, who was desperately flapping her wings in an attempt to slow her descent. Discord steadied himself and began flying top speed after her. Slowly he gained distance on her until he was able to wrap his arms around her and tuck her into his chest. At this point he was going too fast to be able to pull out of the dive, so he did the only thing he could. He rolled over mid-air, so his back was facing the ground, and prepared for a rough impact.
Discord closed his eyes and prepared for whatever was about to happen. He could hear Celestia whimpering quietly, though he wasn’t exactly sure what she was saying. After a few more moments of falling he felt the harsh sting of gravel pierce his back. He had landed on a slope, which had helped ease the impact, but he slid painfully for several feet across loose rocks and dirt. He came to a skidding stop several feet from the initial impact. The young draconequus groaned and released his powerful grip over Celestia.
Celestia grunted and rolled over. She now faced Discord, who had his eyes shut tight from the discomfort. “Discord...” She whispered, pressing her snout to his. He felt the coolness of her nose and slowly opened his eyes. He blushed as he realized how close the alicorn’s muzzle was to his own.
“Y-yes?” He managed to stutter through gritted teeth. His back was bruised and had suffered minor lacerations, but overall he was okay; just in a lot of pain. He was able to escape the fall largely injury free thanks to Celestia’s wings. She had extended them at the last moment and that greatly slowed them down before making impact.
“Why didn’t you just teleport back to the top once you got a hold of me?” Celestia spoke dimly. She was both confused and grateful at the estranged Draconequus’ actions.
Discord responded with an attempted chuckle, though it sounded more like a throaty cough than laughter. “I would have had to let go...” As Celestia gazed into the eyes of the draconequus that had just saved her, there was a fluttering in her chest that she couldn’t explain. Her muzzle lowered closer and closer to his as if by impulse. A blush grew across her cheeks as she drew close enough to feel his soft breath. Before she could react though, Discord pushed his muzzle into hers locking the two in a passionate kiss.Celestia was hesitant at first, but this felt right to her. She pushed back with her own lips while shivers rocketed up her spine. The white alicorn jerked back slightly at first, taken by surprise, but then hugged him closer, wishing the feeling would last forever.
Discord pulled away from the kiss, leaving an awestruck Celestia to stare down at him again. “I told you, all you ever do is get me in more trouble.” He said between chuckles.
------------------
In the hope of avoiding another accident, Discord decided it would be wise to just teleport the two up to the top of the mountain. Celestia agreed, having no desire to ever return to the treacherous paths of the mountain. She had more than enough adventure in that department, and only wanted to see whatever it was that had Discord in such a good mood. In the year she had been there, Discord had shown her many wonders, but none have had such a profound effect on him as this one did.
The two appeared out of Discord’s teleportation onto a plateau overlooking the snow-capped ranges. They were on the southeast edge of the mountain, overlooking one of the many small villages that dotted Dracone. That, however, was not the reason they chose this spot. Once every five years a very rare phenomenon occurred, and this was the prime spot to enjoy the magnificent spectacle.
“What exactly are we waiting for, Discord?” Celestia was leaning on Discord, occasionally nuzzling his side. The daring rescue he made showed her just how much he really cared for her. The two had created a bond unlike any other she ever had in just one year. In his case, Discord had known all along that this was the mare he wanted to be with. Ever since he first saw Celestia with her father, he knew he was going to be with her. The year they spent together only served to solidify his determinations.
“If you have patience you’ll soon find out. Just look out upon the night sky. It is a simple thing, but I enjoy it nonetheless.” Discord grinned and wrapped his arm around Celestia. “I’m sure you’ll like it as well...”
Celestia giggled and turned her attention to the young night sky. “Well I’ll just have to trust you. It’d be a shame if we came all the way out here for nothing.”
Discord brought his muzzle closer to Celestia’s. “I wouldn’t say for nothing,” He gently kissed her cheek and returned to the indigo heavens. “Look! it’s beginning!”
The expanse above them began to erupt in minuscule splotches of red light, like a painter, flicking paint across his heavenly canvas. As Celestia watched, the infinitesimal specks engorged into glowing embers of spectacular color, dancing across the sky; frivolous and fickle, they were unearthly and alien. A spectacle that served no purpose but was adored by all.
As the celestial artist crafted his divine mural, the glorious full moon shone behind the embers, casting its radiant glow across the mountains. It was as an orb, beaming upon the earth, whilst ruby flickering phantoms pranced about it, casting their illustrious glow across the ranges below.
All around the new-found lovers, tiny woodland creatures had hopped out to investigate the strange light show. Celestia giggled as one of the bunnies playfully nuzzled her leg. The whole scene reminded her of the books her father would read to her before bed as a child. “This is so amazing, do you know where everything happens?”
“I didn’t know where I’d find you.” Discord had a huge grin plastered on his face as he watched the embers race across the sky.
Celestia chuckled and rested her head on the draconequus’. “You’re still cheesy.”
~Flashback End~
A Broken Heart Serves No Purpose
~Flashback~
A sparkling layer of fresh dew coated the grass in front of the chariot. A sweet scent that could only be enjoyed in the crisp morning air was brought in by a gentle breeze. Celestia’s mane careless waved in front of her eyes. Better it did though; this way Discord didn’t have to see her cry.
Today was the day Celestia was to return to Equestria to join her father at the castle. It was difficult for the alicorn to leave, as she had developed a very deep relationship with a certain draconequus over the past five years. She had been madly in love with Discord ever since the first time they kissed. It killed her inside to leave him, but she really had no choice. This was always bound to happen; such is the life of a diplomat after all.
As Celestia went to board the chariot, she was suddenly pulled into an unexpected, tight embrace from behind. Discord had wrapped his arms around her neck and wouldn’t let go. He lowered his head, so his lips just barely touched her ear and whispered, “Please, don’t go.”
Celestia stood still for a bit, pondering what one could possibly say in a situation like this. Finally, she came to the conclusion that there was no right thing to say. She turned around to get one final look at him. Discord’s eyes were gleaming from a thin film of tears that had yet to fall. She placed her hoof on his cheek and kissed him lightly, hoping that her actions could say what her words could not.
“I fear for our future...” Discord whispered, nuzzling his face against hers. “If you leave...something terrible will happen, I just know it.”
“Discord...-”
“Celestia...goodbye.” Discord released his hold of the alicorn and extended his paw towards the chariot. “I’m sorry...I shouldn’t keep you from your father.”
Celestia smiled weakly and gently kissed Discord on the cheek before retreating to the chariot. It broke Discord’s heart to watch her walk away. He knew this was truly the end between the two of them.
One by one, the pegasi who ponied the chariot began flapping their wings until they had enough power to lift the chariot, and fly off towards Equestria.
“For a second there I really thought you were about to ruin everything we’ve worked for just to be with that mare...” A mystic voice came from the shadows, sending shivers down Discord’s spine.
“Of course not, father.” The slender figure of Rashlah emerged from the shadows. He casually floated through the air and landed on his paws next to Discord.
“Good, good. One must always put their country first, correct?” Discord rotated his head to meet his father’s gaze. A single tear rolled off Discord’s cheek onto the ground below.
“Always.”
--------
Celestia landed at the gates of the castle three days after leaving Dracone. She was thoroughly surprised when she was not greeted by her father. In fact, the entire area seemed to be void of pony life at all. There were no gardeners, no passing town ponies, not a single pony other than herself.
She pushed open the gate and began her lonely journey down the abandoned path that led to her home. Something was up, though Celestia couldn’t figure out what it was. Perhaps her father had planned some kind of surprise party for her return. As she made her way into the gardens, she quickly realized this was not the case. Several of the hedges had been ripped to shreds, and numerous plants had been completely uprooted. There were obvious signs of trouble all around. She instantly began to worry about her family, and galloped off towards the castle as fast she could.
When she made it to the grand doors, it became abundantly clear that the castle had been attacked. Two of the guards lay dead, and the other three were missing. Celestia gagged as the smell of blood infiltrated her nostrils. Fearing the worst, she eased her way through the corridors. A soft sobbing sound could be heard coming from the direction of the main hall. As she entered the main hall that housed the two thrones, the sobbing became predominately louder.
Celestia searched the room for the source until she spotted a light blue mass far away, huddled on the floor, clutching something tightly in their hooves. She felt her chest tighten as the warm glow of a torch slowly illuminated the mass, revealing a hideous sight. Her little sister, Luna, lay covered in blood, wrapped tightly around the dead body of their father, Nightrend. Breath escaped her and every muscle in her body went numb. “L-Luna...what h-happened?” Celestia said, tears streaming from her eyes.
The wreck of a mare that was Luna gently raised her head from Nightrend’s body. Her eyes had huge bags underneath them from crying, and her mane was disheveled. She opened her mouth to speak, but words eluded her and she began to sob again.
Celestia, understanding Luna’s pain, quickly wrapped her hooves around the tiny mare. She was a fair amount older than her Luna, so was more equipped to handle a situation like this, though her heart still ached. She gentle ran her hooves through Luna’s mane in an attempt to calm the frantic alicorn. Finally, after what seemed like hours of this, Luna managed to find words. “It was the draconequus..."
Celestia felt her heart drop out of her chest at the mention of the draconequus. “D-don’t be silly Luna...they’re our allies, they would never betray us like that.”
“I know what I saw Celestia...I entered the room to greet father for our morning breakfast, and I see one of those...freaks standing over his body. When he saw me, he fled.” Tears once again began to fill up in the young mare’s eyes. “Th-then when I went to check on mama...I found that she was...she was-” Celestia wrapped her hooves around Luna and pulled her tightly into her chest.
“Shh Luna...it’s okay now.” Celestia wanted to break down and cry herself, but somepony had to be strong -- for Luna.
---------
Discord hovered over the bloody figure of his father, Rashlah. He had a peculiar grin plastered across his face, yet his eyes showed great sorrow. With his last remaining strength, his father raised his head to be face to face with his son.
“Wh-why...would you do this? We had so much going...why would you throw it away for her?” Discord chuckled slightly and turned away from his father.
“I did it not for her, but because I am dog without honour. I...allowed you to proceed with your cowardly plans, and even went along with it. I am worthless, and as such do not deserve her.” His father grimaced in pain and spat in Discord’s direction.
“Then why?! Why would you betray me!?” Discord’s guffawed and snapped his fingers. A cage apparated next to the two of them, a tiger nestled asleep in it.
“Have I not answered that? Because I am a dog without honour. You see, you’ve taken almost everything from me. You know what I’m left with?” Rashlah generously shook his head.
Discord responded by smacking the tiger cage loudly, waking it up. The entire frame of the crate shook from the violent smack, causing the tiger to awaken. “Chaos,” he chuckled. “It’s all I have left to call my own now.” Another snap of his fingers, and the cage door swung open, allowing the angry tiger to roam towards a downed Rashlah.
“Goodbye, father.”
----------
The two sisters had finally been able to compose themselves enough to confront the national tragedy with their advisers. An elderly unicorn, with a long grey beard entered the room holding a large text book in a magical aura. “You called for my aid, Celestia?”
“Ahh, Starswirl. As you know we have suffered a great...tragedy. The draconequuis have betrayed us. As my father’s most trusted adviser, I look for your aid in this delicate matter.” Celestia smiled weakly, and waved a hoof, inviting Starswirl to the adjacent seat. He returned the smile, and took a seat next to her.
“Well then, I’m afraid you’re not going to like what I have to say. Not only have we suffered the loss of our king, but several of our cities have fallen under siege. We are doing the best we can to hold them off, but their numbers are staggering. I’m still not sure how they managed to move such a massive number of troops right under our noses.”
Celestia cringed. She knew it had to do with the time she had spending with Discord. With everything that had happened, she could help but she had been used by him. Over two years she had fallen completely in love with him, and he had betrayed her beyond reason. To her, the sting of heartbreak was almost as bad as her fathers death. “So, this is war then?” she said, grimly.
Starswirl casually shifted his gaze to the cover of the book he had brought in. “Yes, m’lady.”
“Well, I’d say so as well,” chimed Luna, “but the real question is what are we going to do about it? I know their species, they will fight until one side is completely destroyed.”
Celestia frowned and closed her eyes. “Then we must fight for our survival. They be more powerful than us, but our fighting force is much larger...”
“What about Discord?” Luna said, boldly. “He had to have a big part in this. You have told me so much about him, how could he do something like this?”
Celestia’s frown deepened. “I do not know sister...” The saddened Princess looked down to the necklace that hung lazily across her breast. “I must retreat to my quarters. Luna, you are fit, please discuss the upcoming matters with Starswirl...”
She hastily stumbled out of her chair, and ran out of the room, tears escaping from her eyes. Starswirl, who was greatly confused by the whole ordeal, turned to Luna with raised brow.
“I fear she has suffered the most from this. It surprises me that she would actually allow me to handle the situation, though I am most grateful for the opportunity.” Starswirl acknowledged the Princess by grinning slightly through his large, tangled beard.
“Age is just a number; it is the state of one’s mind that is the measure of experience,” he said, mystically, “so I imagine it is now you that I must rely on.” He flipped the book open to the first chapter and cleared his throat. “Let us go over some plans then.”
---------
Celestia flung herself to her bed, and rolled over so she could face the ceiling. There was a burden in her heart heavier than any other she had felt before. She felt a burning desire to go and find Discord to confront him. So many questions lingered in her head that she felt could never be answered unless she met him face to face, alone.
She grasped her necklace in her hooves and squeezed it tightly. Discord had given it to her shortly after they began dating. He told her that whenever she needed him, all she would have to do is give it a squeeze, and think of him. “I wonder if he knew about all this when he gave it to me...” Burning questions tempted her to go ahead and use the gem, yet another gave her pause. What would actually happen once they were together?
“I’ll need to confront him eventually anyway...” Celestia looked down at the topaz crystal, “why not now?” She closed her eyes tight and whispered her ex-lover’s name. Almost instantly, she could feel the gem in her hooves warm, and slowly the warmth spread all throughout her body. The feathers on her wings began to tingle, forcing her to extend them. She opened her eyes to see what was happening, only to find herself on the edge of a large cliff, standing next to the very same draconequus she had been searching for.
Celestia’s gaze fell upon the pensive figure of Discord, who was simply staring out at the great ocean that lay before them. Whether or not he even knew of her presence was still unknown to her, which was a good thing. Now that she was face to face with him, all words eluded her. As hard as she tried, she couldn’t envision a heartless monster; just the kind, caring Discord that she had grown to love.
She felt her knees grow weak as she glanced across his features. She felt like there was a great pressure pushing down on her, forcing her to become smaller and smaller. Finally, Discord released her from her torment with a simple question. “Celestia, what is the meaning of our existence?”
Celestia raised her head so she could stare into Discord’s shining eyes. “How do you mean?” she questioned, softly.
“Why is it that we wake every morning? What is your motive for crawling out of your warm bed each and every morning?”
Celestia exhaled, and took a deep breath of the fresh ocean air that was rolling in from the beach. “I used to believe it was for you. The knowledge that I would be seeing you in the day allowed me to move on...but now-”
“Tell me, how well has this turned out for you? How bad have I hurt you? That is the flaw in trusting your soul with another; they are ultimately bound to tear it to shreds.” He spoke with an unwavering stillness in his voice that Celestia had never seen before. It wasn’t as if he was sad, but rather, empty inside; like everything that made him, him, had vanished.
“Well, why? Why did you choose to do this to me? Did you ever even love me!?” she shouted, causing a flock of nesting birds nearby to fly away in fear.
“It is not always our choice to make, Celestia. But know this, I have always loved you, and always will. This world just isn’t meant for us, and honestly, we should have seen this coming from the start.”
“We always have a choice, and you chose to take everything from me.”
Discord chuckled, his gaze never faltering from the falling sun on the horizon. “Where have I heard that before?” he asked while chuckling. A silence loomed over the two, allowing break for the sound of the waves crashing below against the cliff base. Celestia closed her eyes and allowed her body to rock to the calming sounds of the ocean.
“So, where do we go from here?” Discord asked, snapping Celestia out of her daze.
“I do whatever it takes to stop you and your father, I suppose...”
“Such uncertainty in your voice. Could you really face me? As for my father, well...let’s just say he is no longer in the picture. I have handled him.” Celestia gasped and stood wide eyed.
“You k-killed your own father? You are a monster! Why are you doing all this!? What are you hoping to gain? Power?”
“As you said, I am just a mindless monster in search of the one thing he can honestly still say is his own; chaos.” Discord extended his arms out towards the ocean, and closed his eyes. The ocean and surrounding rocks turned to jello; green jello. “There is nothing more invigorating than creating something that is truly yours. This is just the tip of the iceberg though, I have much bigger plans for this world.”
Celestia was awestruck. She had seen him perform such stunts on a much smaller scale, and they had always simply amused her. However, this was an entire section of the ocean, something ponies and draconequus alike needed for survival, and he acted as if it was nothing. “When did you change...?” she asked, tears now making her eyes glisten in the dimming light of the sunset.
“I have always been this way, my dear. It has always been you that kept me in line; that prevented me from doing what I was born to. I truly cared for you, so I allowed myself to succumb to the inner desires of my heart, and withstand from causing chaos. It was for you I lied to myself each and every day. But please, this conversation grows dull. Close your eyes...and be gone from this place.”
Celestia watched as the sun continued to descend, until only the faintest traces of it’s glimmering light remained. She wanted to stay, and stop Discord, but she knew she alone would not have the power. Celestia obliged, slowly allowing her eyelids to drop over her watered eyes. As she did so she could swear tears were beginning to fall from the draconequus’ face, but the time went by too fast for her to be sure. The alicorn once again experienced the warmth she had felt when first coming here. As she traveled between locations, she heard the faintest whisper, “Perhaps the truth shall shine through in a distant future...”
~Flashback End~
A Cold Desire
A whisper, a single eclipse of what could have been. If only Celestia had taken the time, perhaps she could have seen it sooner. Yet, over a thousand years later, here she was, staring in complete shock at nothing more than a memory. Many years had come and gone since then, and Celestia was more mature than she was way back then. She wasn’t a filly anymore, yet something was telling her to do something crazy. A tiny voice, a whisper in the back of her mind, slowly pushing her forward. “Perhaps the truth shall shine through in a distant future...”
It was the burning desire to learn of the ‘truth’ Discord mentioned all those years ago that pushed her to do something that would reverse all that Twilight and her friends worked towards. It would not be easy, however, even for an alicorn reversing the elements’ powerful effects. This impulse caused Celestia’s horn to begin to glow involuntarily with a faint pink. A few feet behind her, a concerned Luna began to inch towards her. “S-sister? Is everything alright?”
Lost in a complete trance, Celestia offered no response. She only gave up the empty silence that ravaged her mind, and continued to allow magic to flood from her horn. Eventually the magic traversed to the statue, wrapping it in a warm glow. Growing fearful of Celestia’s intent, Luna raised her voice. She did not want to physically stop her sister, but if Celestia did not stop, she would be left with no choice.
“Celestia! Snap out of it!” Luna screamed in a last attempt at breaking Celestia’s trance; with little success of course. Fittingly, Celestia was lost in the world she used to know.
*Crack!*
A tiny fissure opened up in the face of the statue, giving way to gray fur. Taking notice of Celestia’s attempts to free Discord, Luna decided she had no choice. She flung herself at her sister, tackling her to the ground. The sudden shock knocked her out of her trance, releasing the magic.
“L-Luna?” Celestia lay, pinned, beneath her sister in a daze. Her mind was foggy, and she couldn’t remember anything from the past few minutes. “What...what happened?”
Sensing that her sister had snapped out of whatever trance held her, Luna rolled from atop her sister. “I’m not really sure, ‘Tia.”
“Neither am I.” Celestia rolled over to face her sister, who was gasping slightly to catch her breath. “Perhaps we should just return to the castle...”
“Sounds good.”
-----------
A crack; day’s first light, shining through to illuminate the age old darkness. For the first time since Twilight and her friends trapped him, he could feel the warmth of sunlight on his face. Though there was something different this time; it was not chaos that released him, but love. The magic that touched the statue was unlike any other he had experienced. It resurfaced ancient memories, painful memories that he had long since cast aside for better days.
He focused his powers into the palm of his paw, and released it, shattering the statue around it. Now free to snap his fingers, he was able to magic the rest of the statue away, freeing him completely.
“Free again!” he giggled, “Oh, what to do this ti-” Discord gasped as the vision of Celestia crying on the cliff flashed in his mind. He could see the pain on her face as he told her that what they had was all for nought. He collapsed to his knees as the memory flooded every sense, blocking out all other thoughts from his chaotic mind. Finally, after several agonizing moments, the memory subsided leaving only an eerie silence.
“What sorcery is this?” he barked. This was among the many memories that were stricken from time. An emotion that had become all but redundant to the draconequus surfaced in his heart; sadness.
“I-...I will not have this!” he roared, and a dozen clouds above him instantly transformed to fluffy pink balls of cotton candy. “This place, it reminds me so much of her.” He turned his attention to a small patch of daisies to his right. “Pathetic, at best. I should leave, before this place begins to wear off on me.”
He examined his surroundings to find that he had not been moved since he was last incarcerated in stone. It appeared to him as if they had turned the place into some sort of shrine to his defeat. It was filled with all kinds of flowers, and greatly resembled the gardens he frequented as a child. It made him sick.
“It’s just like Celestia to do this, the bright colors and elegant design are just like her. I think I will make my way to the forest now. I must regain my strength before rushing into chaos this time. Don’t want another...incident with Twilight Sparkle and her little friends.” Discord groaned and began floating towards the forest. “This time...”
-----------
“So much to do, so little time! Spike, do you have the checklist for things to do today?” A groan could be heard coming from the bottom of a rather large pile of books. Twilight giggled as she realized that her little assistant had become trapped under a massive pile of scrolls. Having mercy on the frail dragon, she began to levitate the pile of parchment upwards, revealing the purple scales of the disoriented dragon.
“Thanks Twilight...ughh” Spike brushed himself off and hopped from underneath the pile. It collapsed with a mighty thump and a plume of dust erupted from underneath it. “Say, where are we going today? Some kind of epic adventure?” The little dragon began to happily bounce up and down with a mighty gleam in his eye. Twilight responded with a innocent giggle and nudged Spike lightly.
“Not exactly, Spike. We’re just going to the forest to do a little research on the animals that come out in the daytime. There should be no danger...but if there were, I’d be glad to have my little protector with me.” Twilight smiled as Spike flexed his muscles, admiring himself in the mirror.
“Yeah, yeah! Glad to help Twi!”
“Hehe, come on Spike! We want to get out before nightfall!”
------------
Despite it being the middle of the day, the forest was still rather dark and damp. Any normal pony would succumb to superstition and fear, but Twilight was a mare of science. She knew that all the dangerous animals of the forest usually kept farther in, or only came out at night. This knowledge didn’t ease her assistant’s nerves. Spike would jump slightly at every creak and moan of the forest, each time inciting a light chuckle from Twilight.
“Come on Spike, we’re almost at the clearing! I promise it won’t be so scary once we get to an opening.” Spike gulped, and nervously searched around the perimeter of the forest.
“I-I’m not scared!” Spike chuckled and started whistling. “It’s just these loud noises catch me off guard!”
“Oh, of course Spike!” Twilight shook her head and returned her attention back in front of her. A thin trickle of light poured in from in between two trees. The closer they got to it, the warmer the air became. “Oh! We must be getting close Spike. Walk slowly, we don’t want to scare any of the creatures that will be there.”
Spike motioned over his mouth as if he was locking it and throwing away the key. The two silently approached the clearing until they could see clearly into it. In the middle of it was a huddled mass that Twilight could not identify. “Do you see that Spike?”
----------
In the middle of the clearing stood Discord, lying on the wet grass, a daisy clutched tightly to his chest. Silent tears stained his cheeks, and he was obviously troubled. The gentle atmosphere of the familiar clearing brought back even more of the painful memories. It was the gentle breeze that blew in from the east, the warmth that flooded across his body, the lone daisy that grew in the center. It was perfect; except one thing, Celestia was not there.
“I cannot escape you...I remove any essence of you from my mind, and yet you find a way to return.” He twirled the flower in between his finger, being careful not to fray the petals. “All these years, and here I sit, as pathetic as the day I turned you away. I thought-...I thought chaos was the answer; the way to end the pain.” Discord sighed and laid down on his back so he could stare up at the powerful afternoon sky through the clearing. “You were to be my last mistake.”
Just outside of the clearing stood a frightened Twilight Sparkle, accompanied by Spike. “Wh-what do we do Twilight?” Spike whispered, not even attempting to hide his fear any longer. Twilight could only respond with a series of simple nods and short, incoherent muttering.
“Twilight!” Spike said, raising his voice slightly. This time Twilight snapped out of her daze.
“I’m...not sure Spike. There is no way we can handle this ourselves, but how could we just walk away? We have to get a letter to the Princess, but we’d have to return to the library.” Twilight lurched forward, as if she was going to advance. “I don’t see any choice Spike, we have to go out there!”
Twilight spoke frantically. Though she tried to hide it behind a facade of bravery, she was very frightened. She gently nudged Spike with her hoof, urging him to walk forward. Though his mind told him this was a terrible idea, his love for Twilight, and the instinct to do right by her led him forward to Equestria’s most infamous war criminal.
Though he was in a distraught state, Discord was able to detect Spike and Twilight’s presence long before they made it to the center. He made no attempt to hide his current condition. For the moment, he did not care what two measly creatures thought of him. There was only one who he gifted with such honour, and he already knew what she thought of him.
“Twilight Sparkle and her assistant. Spike was it? Tell me, how do you find yourself out in such dark places on a day like this?”
Discord’s voice was as cold as ice, and was literally echoing off of the circle of trees. The effect sent chills up Spike’s spine, causing him to bolt in the opposite direction. He didn’t make it very far, however, as he ran straight into the chest of Twilight Sparkle. Despite his obvious fear, she urged him forward. She knew she could not do this alone, and Spike was all she had out here.
“No, what are you doing out here? I thought we trapped you the last time you escaped!” Discord scoffed. He could hardly believe that someone as weak as Twilight Sparkle would dare raise her voice to him, Then again, he thought, she is the protege of Celestia. He had first hand experience at how temperamental she could be.
“How, or why, I am free is of no importance. Leave me be; go bother some other sad soul. I have no time for it.” Discord waved Twilight away, but she didn’t move a muscle. She simply monitored him, analyzing his precarious condition. He seemed less carefree, and more somber than usual.
“What’s wrong?” she asked. Even she was taken back by the question. Never in a million years had she ever thought that she would be asking Discord what was wrong. Spike felt the same way; he examined Twilight out of curiosity, and concern.
“Pfaw! You expect me to believe that you care? Or that you actually believe me foolish enough to tell you? Leave me be!” Discord clasped his hands together and a bright pink cloud appeared over Twilight’s head. She knew what was coming, and tried to move out of the way, but was too slow. In a matter of a few milliseconds she was soaked in chocolate milk.
“I...should have seen that coming.”
“Yes, you should have.” said Spike. “At least it tastes good!” Spike uncoiled is tongue and wrapped it around himself, licking off every drop of the chocolate milk. “Tasty!”
“I’m not leaving!” Twilight proclaimed, ignoring Spike’s odd displays. “It is my duty to get to the bottom of this!”
“Then tell me, dearest Twilight, what is it you wish to know?” Once again he clapped his hands. This time, however, the forest around them melted away revealing what Twilight could only guess was a therapist office. “How can you help me?”
Twilight could feel beads of sweat develop on her forward as Discord’s icy stare perforated her inner being. He was sharpened in its art; Twilight could only imagine what one would have to go through to obtain such an empty glare. “I...I wish to understand.”
Discord’s eye weakened, and the the office around them melted back into the lush forest that it originally was. “As if you could...” he said, weakly, “but if you so desire, I suppose I could spare a few passing moments. Only a few though. After all, I have chaos to attend to, right?”
“Of course you do...I’m sure you can accomplish that in this dark corner of the forest, right?” Twilight smiled at her little crack. Spike on the other hoof continued to cower behind Twilight, somehow still attempting to make himself look bigger.
“You dare doubt me, pony?” Discord scowled, though at this point Twilight no longer feared him. She felt for him, the pain emanating from him was almost palpable.
“No...it wouldn’t be right to doubt the demon of chaos would it? Why are you even here though, I figured the first place you would go was Ponyville to cause disorder.”
“That is...a reasonable assumption.” Discord turned away from the young unicorn.
“Are you going to answer me?” Silence loomed over the two, and only the chattering of Spike’s teeth could be heard over the shrill sound of the blowing wind.
“I’ve come here because it reminds me of better days. Satisfied?”
Twilight could not think of what ‘better times’ would consist of for somepony who only found joy in chaos. “You mean when you ruled over the land?”
“No.” Discord allowed his gaze to follow a single leaf that had fallen from a nearby tree. He watched a gentle robin flew in and took the place of the leaf on the lone branch. “Such times are behind me.”
“Then wha-”
“Miss Sparkle.” Twilight was taken back by the sudden interruption. “I will sate your desires with a riddle; if you wish. I will do this, and then you shall leave me.”
“A...riddle?” She knew Discord to love games, but this hardly seemed the time for a riddle. “Sure...?” she said, hesitantly.
“Why does a caged bird sing?” said Discord.
Twilight, having studied much poetry over her many years recalled a poem she read a few years ago. It was over this very same matter, and was in fact, one of her favorites. “Oh, that’s an easy one! It sings because it wishes for freedom! This idea can actually be placed into pony psychology, an-”
Discord chuckled and looked back at the robin sitting on the branch. He raised his hand to silence the eccentric unicorn. Just as I thought; just like her.
“I used to believe the same thing.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “But wouldn’t it be safer to assume that the bird is crying out for those on the outside? I think you’ll find that a caged bird sings a much different tune, if you place his companion in the cage as well.”
“How does that answer my question?” said Twilight, who was staring at Discord with raised brow.
“Honestly, did you expect me to just tell you the answer? Now, honor my deal and leave.” Discord grumbled and waved his hand, shooing Twilight away.
“Come on Twilight, I think he’s made his point. Let’s just go tell the Princess and we c-”
“The Princess...” said Discord, as he tapped his chin with a long finger. “Ahhh yes, Celestia. Or perhaps you mean her sister, Luna. Either way it does not matter. Tell them, I shall remain here and wait for your return.” Discord grinned and clapped his hands. A throne appeared in the clearing, which Discord aptly took a seat in.
“You...want me to get the Princess? What are you planning!?” Twilight growled.
“Nothing, I just wish to speak with them. Now, chop chop!” He clapped his hands again, and a rows of bamboo shot up from the ground creating a barrier around him. “Time is wasting, my dear!”
Twilight stared at the demon through one of the cracks of the barrier and groaned. “Come on Spike...we can’t do this alone.” The two turned from the draconequus, and began making their way out of the forest. They would have to go to the castle right away to tell Celestia that Discord had once again freed himself.