My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Discordian Troubles

Chapter 16

Catalyst

The gang ascended the palace stairs as quick as they could to reach the tome that would get them home. Unfortunately, they had some trouble when they were forced to confront their worst fears. Everyone was devastated by having to live though those horrors. Everyone except Dash and Manni, that is. In Manni’s worst fear, which Dash experienced because she already faced hers in real life, she found out that Manni was in fact Scootaloo’s aunt and that all her attempts to take her were really her ill-attempted ways to rescue her. If she had just told someone, they could’ve avoided all of this. Despite this, Dash forgave her. Partially.

“it was… just so real…” Rarity shivered. “Spike attacking everyone. And me. It was just… too scary.”

Spike held her close, having gone though a traumatic experience himself. “I know. And you know I would never do that, right?”

Rarity nuzzled her fiancée and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “I know, Spike. But still…”

“Seems that most of your fears was someone you loved more then anything leaving.” Adolf pointed out. “guess love can really scar you for life if it works against you.”

Fluttershy whined as she nodded. “yeah. It was scary. I didn’t how I would do if Edge ever left me.”

Edge smiled and kissed her on the forehead. “and that’s something I would never do. You know that, right?”

“yeah. I know that, Edge.” she said with a smile.

Not everyone’s worst fears was their lover leaving. Req’s worst fear was one from her past; one she never wants to see again. That black cloaked abomination she called--

Begin Song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8vXYBEvSow

Caius’s Theme - Final Fantasy XIII-2 OST

Suddenly, a church bell rang, getting their attention. The earth gang froze in fear. They remember that horrid sound. That sound wasn’t connected to anything good.

Aura was the first to speak. “was that…?”

The sound came again, confirming their fears. They looked at each other then ran up the stairs as fast as they could. “Guys?” Twi called out. They didn’t respond. “guys!?” Adolf remembered it as well, and he knows what devil it belongs to. He ran after them as well, scared stiff.

everyone else looked at each other and got worried. They ran and flew as fast as they could to catch up.

Discord reappeared in Canterlot, right in front of the royalty.

“Discord!” Celestia snarled. She went into a battle pose, ready to turn him into ash.

Discord just chuckled. “I’m not here to fight.”

“you’re not?” Chrysalis asked.

“no.” he snapped his fingers, making all 6 of them, that’s including Armor and Glade, disappear. “I got something to show you.” he snapped his fingers again, making him disappear.

The gang ran up the stairs as fast as their legs or wings could carry them. The earth part of their gang had serious looks on their faces. It’s like they heard this bell sound before.

“do you know what’s going on?” Dash asked Lina.

“not a clue. This is a first for all of us.” she replied.

Light shone from above, signaling that they were near a exit.

The gang ran out of the palace and out onto a veranda that was big enough to hold them all and then some.

“whoa!” they all gasped. They were so high up, they could see the town they came from off in the distance. “that’s far.” they all exclaimed.

“and that’s 500 miles away.” Adolf, Soarin’, and Shine all said. “we must be pretty high up.”

Spyro looked over the side and whistled. “very high up.” below them were the clouds they saw obscuring the high top of the palace.

“we must be very high if we’re past the clouds.” Twi commented.

Req couldn’t shake the horrid feelings she felt when she heard those bells. There were only a few times when she heard them and it was back home on earth… and whenever HE arrived.

Discord and the royalty reappeared high above the ground, at a point where they could see the gang.

“they’re alive.” they all happily gasped.

Discord evilly snickered. “are you sure?” he sinisterly asked. He looked up, as did everyone else. “where do you think we are?”

They all thought for a moment but it was Cadence who ultimately came up with the answer. “the Lifeless Realm.”

“bingo, dingo, dango.” Discord playfully applauded her.

“but why did you bring us here?” Armor asked.

Discord evilly smiled. “to see what would happen if one were to die in the afterworld.”

Celestia gasped in terror. “no. no, you can’t.”

“already done.” Discord snickered as he snapped his fingers.

Everyone took in the view as long as they could. Not even the princess’ can get this high up. That bad feeling still lingered in Req. maybe… it was just a coincidence that they heard it. After all, it is a palace in the Afterworld, after all. Maybe it was just--

Lightning suddenly fell from above and struck all around them. One hit near Halo, making him yep.

“Look out!” Riku yelled as more came crashing down all around them.

Fireballs came from the walls, forcing them to duck and cover. “what’s going on!?” Amelia yelled.

“how should we know?” Bahamut exclaimed.

The outlines of the veranda burst into flame and spread out, cutting off all means of escape.

Discord, in surprise, looked at his hands.

“Discord, stop this now!” Celestia cried out.

“I didn’t do this.” he said. “someone else did. I just summoned a creature to take care of them. I have no clue where all that came from.”

“you didn’t?” Luna asked. She and everyone else returned their attention to the display. “then who…”

The sounds of a sword being pulled caught the group’s attention, as well as the sound of a creature yelling out in pain.

A few seconds later, the halved body of a armored behemoth from a certain sci-fi shooter came crashing down at them, right near Fox. “WHOA!” he yelled, barely avoiding it. “where did…?”

A invisible hand grabbed Req by the throat and lifted her up into the sky. She was the flopped around like a rag doll all over the area, hitting the floor at least 10 times, each one harder then the last.

A blast of fire erupted from out of nowhere and hit her, sending her into the wall of fire. She hit that and a invisible force shot her down to the ground, right near the exit that lead up.

She gasped for air and coughed up blood. “Req!” Aura yelled as he ran over. Someone snapped his fingers, causing a wall to appeared between the gang and Req.

The sound of footsteps caught their attention. They looked around and saw no one walking so where…

A part of the ring of fire dispersed, revealing a small stairway that, indeed, shows someone walking towards them ever slowly.

“well… long time no see.”

The earth part of their gang quickly pulled their weapons and took aim at the person, which has the others confused.

“I honestly never thought I’d see you again.”

Req gasped in fear. “no… no no no no no no no.” her sword shook violently in her hands. “not you…... Anyone but you…” Adolf grunted as he held his chest. The wound where the bastard killed him hurt.

The black cloaked figure approached them with a wicked smile on his face. “is that any way… to talk to your brother, my dear Serenity?”

“Serenity?” everyone other then the earth-gang asked. “who’s Serenity?”

“just who are you?” Twilight asked.

The cloaked figure snickered and swung the cape part of his cloak aside, revealing himself fully and completely. “why, the name… is Catalyst, my dear Twilight Sparkle.”

“Catalyst…” Twi softly repeated.

“wait, THE Catalyst?” Lina exclaimed. “The one that caused Requiem and her friends a lot of trouble?!”

“correct as always, Ms. Lina Inverse.” he evilly sneered at his shocked sister. “seems I’m well known.”

“we wish you were a distant memory!” Aura yelled. He swung his lance and charged at the cloaked stranger. Catalyst lightly side-stepped to the right, punched Aura right in the stomach, then karate-chopped him in the neck. Aura collapsed but didn’t hit the floor as Catalyst caught him and tossed him back into Hiccup. Both fell to the floor with Aura on top of Hiccup. The skirmish forced his hood to fall over, revealing his face. (okay. Since I’m not at that part in the Requiem Trinity where he reveals himself, I’m gonna keep calling him Catalyst. Save the reveal for Part 3: Eternal Twilight.)

Catalyst swung his arm as if their was a blade in it. “good to know I’m not rusty.” he evilly snickered.

End Song.

(for those wondering who Catalyst looks like, just look at my icon. that's him.)

Begin Song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPOrkLoNs6g

Followers of Chaos - Final Fantasy XIII-2 OST

0:00.

Req shivered in fear for a moment until she shook her head, clearing it and steeling herself. “what are you doing here Catalyst? We killed you! You shouldn’t be here!”

“I wondered that myself when I first got here, dear sister. Normally, when gods die, their souls go as well. But we’re technically Demi-Gods, Serenity. So, when we bite the dust, we end up here.” he chuckled. “it’s funny. I sought to destroy this accursed place and immortality but now it’s the only thing keeping me alive. Hmhmhm. Ironic, don’t you think?”

“it’s hilarious now get out of our way!” Jax yelled, swinging one of her chakrams like a sword.

“Ah, Jacqueline Yggdrasill. Better known as Melody Zeigler. Heh… it’s funny that your getting along so well with horses, considering what you went though.”

Jax was surprised to hear that. She never told Catalyst this. “how did you… how do you know all this stuff? How do you know who Twilight and Lina are?”

Catalyst looked back up the stairs he came down. “the tome. It can show you what’s happening and what will happen. That’s how I know everyone’s names and events. That’s how I know that Fox married that beautiful and surprisingly sexy vixen Krystal…” Fox drew his staff and pointed it at him. “… that Hiccup lost his leg when he fought the Red Death…” Toothless snarled at the cloaked sadist. “…and that Twilight was raped and is now pregnant with Starlight.” Twilight angrily frowned and powered up her magic.

Req got up and drew her sword. “what do you want, Catalyst?”

Catalyst chuckled and put his arm out.
1:20.

Darkness shrouded around it and formed into a wicked blade that would scare even the devil. “to leave this accursed place. And the only way to do that…” he swung his blade along the ground, scratching a line in with a horrible noise that made them all cover their ears.

Fire erupted out of it and covered the sky above them.

“wait. Nobody can use combat spells in the afterworld.” Adolf said. “it’ll upset the balance.”

“oh. Adolf. Didn’t see you there? How’s that stab wound treating you? Deadly, I can imagine.” Req snarled and gripped her sword hard enough to draw blood. “yes, that is true, but, technically, these are not battle spells.”

Lina sputtered and called Catalyst’s bullshit. “you have fire all around us. you have hit Req with a fireball. You called down lightning on us. I’d call these combat spells.”

Catalyst snickered. Lina’s as smart as he imagined. “okay. I lied.” he swung his wicked blade around and pointed it at the group. “I just don’t give a flying FUCK about this world.”

1:51.

Demon wings shot out of his back. The bastardo got ready and charged at them. They all barely had any time to react when Catalyst reached Req. he kneed her in the stomach, stabbed her in the shoulder, and pulled her to the floor with his blade.

He quickly side-stepped to the right to avoid Riku’s blade and blasted him in the back with a fireball.

Lloyd and Emil jumped down from above and slashed down at him. The blades met a invisible forcefield. Catalyst’s eyes glowed as energy gathered beneath him. “Wrong move.” he smugly said. The energy burst out, sending both swordsman to the ground.

A magic blast shot by Twilight shot past his head. “dang, I missed!”

Catalyst sneered and pointed his blade to her but didn’t attack. “you’re lucky you, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Trixie are with child right now, otherwise I’d make you pay for what you have done.”

“hey!” Edge rammed into his gut, making him stagger a bit. “Nobody talks about my Marefriend that way.” Spike and Halo joined with him.

Luna wanted to go help as well but Discord had erected a barrier, keeping her and her fellow Alicorn’s away. It also seems to block all sound as they were yelling but nobody below took notice.

Catalyst quickly gathered himself and fired a beam out of his sword at the trio. It hit the ground beneath them, sending them careening to the wall.

Zel and Gourry swung their blades down at the fallen god. Catalyst casually blocked them both with his own blade. The duo quickly pulled their swords back and attacked again. The 3 had a brief swordfight in which Catalyst emerged victorious by stabbing them both in the legs and blasting them into a wall.

A glyph appeared beneath Jax as she powered up a low-grade spell. If Catalyst can cast them, so can she. “Mighty Fire from the Raging Inferno; the blaze that can snuff out all life…” Catalyst heard this and fired a fireball towards her. “…I call upon thee to--” the fireball hit her, cutting her spell short and critically wounding her left arm.

Sora saw the sight and angrily growled. She drew her short-sword and charged at him. He heard this and quickly blocked her. Sora jumped onto the blade and flipped over him. She ducked from his swing and stabbed him in the gut. “that’s for my sister!”

The stab didn’t faze Catalyst in the slightest. Instead, he just laughed and grabbed her by the throat. “you were never the violent type, were you Krystal Zeigler?” he said with glowing eyes. He drew her close to his face where they could tough lips. “you were a gentle lass, weren’t you?”

“Let her go!” Ash yelled. A few Mana Bolts hit Catalyst in the back, making him roar like a monster. He dropped the girl and turned around at the gunner.

“Wrong move to make, Ashlin!” Catalyst evilly chuckled before disappearing. He reappeared behind him and stabbed Ash in the back. “as was leaving your miserable home town.”

“ASH!” Sora yelled out. Catalyst took out his blade, quickly spun in a 360, and fired at Sora. It hit her, sending her rolling into the wall of fire.

Bahamut rammed Catalyst from behind but he expected that move. It was all the Drake ever did. The demi-god quickly spun around and grabbed Bahamut by the horns. “ah, Bahamut. You would’ve made a powerful general in my army. But you choose to stay with the humans. Hmhm. Grave mistake.” Catalyst spun around as fast as a tornado and sent him careening right into the attacking Spyro, Cynder, Gilda, and Garble, sending them to the ground.

Req yelled as she flew in from behind and stabbed him in the back. Catalyst yelled out in pain as energy from Nexus Ultimus shot though his body. “That’s for hurting my friends!” Req yelled.

Req flew up, quickly pulled her blade out, cast Bind; holding Catalyst in place, spiraled around a few times, spun her blade, and swung it, yelling “Seraphim Blade!” a sword beam shot out and struck Catalyst right in the back, decapitating his wings. Catalyst yelled as he fell over the side of the castle, falling to the ground that lay far below.

End Song.

Req landed on the floor and retracted her wings. The fire dispersed and everyone took a much needed breather.

“that…. Was a whole lot easier then last time.” Req panted. Her sword turned green as she walked back to the others, ready to cast cure.

Begin Song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKDmj3llGfc

Heart of Chaos - Final Fantasy XIII-2 OST

Darkness shot up from behind Req and into the sky. Streams of the dark stuff shot out of it and hit her in the back, sending her in to the wall. More streams came out and hit the others, minus the pregnant ones.

“did you honestly expect that I would go out that easily?” Catalyst asked as he rose from below, the darkness shooting out of his back like a locomotive. “I am the God of Death and Destruction! I am the thing that causes wars to end all wars to break loose on other worlds!” his eyes glowed red as his power bulged though his body. “I am the Bringer of the End!” he roared like a monster as darkness shot out of his body and washed over them all. It retracted like a real wave from a sea, dragging the others with them.

“no you don’t!” Req yelled. She swung her sword at the darkness, cutting it before they were all dragged over the side.

Catalyst laughed evilly as he rose up higher. he summoned up a blade almost as big as the castle. He swung it down at them, ready to turn them into a distant memory.

“if you can use battle spells, then so can I!” Lina yelled as she finished powering up a spell that could take him out. “Dragon Slave!” the spell shot out her hands, cut though the sword, and hit Catalyst right in the noggin. As what one would expect from the spell, a massive explosion followed, covering Catalyst and most of his darkness.

Darkness cut though the blast like it was butter with Catalyst just laughing away. “you thought that could defeat me!?” Catalyst asked with a chuckle.

“what?” Lina gasped. “that… that should’ve killed you.”

Catalyst just chuckled. “but I’m already dead, aren’t I? besides, a weak spell like that won’t take me out?”

“w-weak?” if the Dragon Slave isn’t powerful enough to take him out, then what is?

Catalyst lightly chuckled, then laughed full on at the futility that the group was doing with all this fighting.

The dark cloud began to retracted into Catalyst in a painful way but he accepted it with a smile. “Darkness lives only to conquer. Darkness lives to corrupt…”

the cloud began to wash over him and turn into a new form, one that the group had seen before. “I am the true Scion of Chaos. I am the true Bringer of Death…”

The crab-like legs were the first to form, followed by the muscular and demonic hands.

“I exist only to bring the Light to it’s end. The Light of Existence…”

The body formed with a large hole though the neck down to the hip.

Catalyst leered at the group and smiled evilly. “I… will destroy this pathetic Afterworld and Immortality with it!” a devilish head formed around him.

Fire shot out of the hip and into the head, engulfing it in flames. This was a form Requiem knew all too well. She saw it during their final battle with Catalyst back on earth; when Nightmare Moon possessed her and extracted her memory from that fight; when Dark Chrysalis used crystals to transform into that monstrosity.

“Catalyst’s… true form…”

Chaos Catalyst reared back and roared to the sky. He dug his front legs deep into the castle’s architecture, anchoring him to the building. He bent down to the group and roared as loud as he could.

He summoned up his wings and flapped them, creating a large gust that was too powerful to fight. They were all sent careening back into the wall and hitting it hard enough to hear a few bones crack.

Chaos Catalyst roared like a distorted, demonic elephant again and powered up a beam attack.

“no.” Req grunted. Chaos Catalyst’s attack powered up even more as he continued to flap his wings. “this won’t happen again.” Catalyst fired his beam attack. “I won’t lose my friends!” Req’s eyes glowed black.

End Song.

The attack hit, causing a large explosion that covered the entire top.

Chaos Catalyst laughed at his victory. “You see… you cannot… defeat me.” he said in his demonic voice.

Suddenly, a light shone from within it, but something was… off about this. It’s like it was too dark to be normal.

Begin Song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRyMeFv1g0g

Invisible Depths - Final Fantasy XIII-2 OST

A sword beam shot out of the smoke and fire, hitting Chaos Catalyst in the chest. More and more came out, hitting him more times then he can count. “What?”

The smoke dispersed, revealing something nobody expected. “this is… unexpected.”

Darkness seeped out of a clearly mad Requiem. Her eyes glowed black as the dark power rushed though her. Everyone else was unconscious from the blast Catalyst sent them. Everyone but Twi, who was feigning unconsciousness.

Req yelled as she sent another sword beam at her demonic brother. It hit and exploded in a way that nobody ever saw before.

This was certainly a side of her Catalyst never expected to see. He never would’ve seen her accept the darkness. “this… could be a problem.” he muttered under his breath.

“you… you will pay for harming my friends!” Req yelled. She pointed her sword at him. It opened up, forming a wicked looking cannon. “I will die before I let you kill my friends! YOU HEAR ME!?!” the darkness erupted out of her, frightening Catalyst. This wasn’t the same barmaid he remembered torturing for fun.

Requiem sprouted her wings but that had taken a dark turn. They looked more… demonic then usual. She rose up into the air and charged at the beast. “AAAAHHHH!!!!” she slashed down at him.

*cut to black…*

1:38. Prematurely End Song.

“oh… dear… Faust…” Celestia shakingly gasped. The others also looked on in shock. What Req did was… was indescribable.

“that was… something I didn’t expect to happen.” Discord commented with a equally surprised by the spectacle.

He snapped his fingers and disappeared. The Alicorns were left behind in the Afterworld and began to fall.

Aura’s hand twitched as he grunted and woke up. “wha… what happened?” he groaned as he got up. Like him, everyone else groaned as they woke up.

“what… happened?” Twilight asked with a feigned moan.

“I don’t know.” Spyro groaned. “but I think we got our asses kicked.”

Aura took a quick glance around and found Req out cold in the middle of a burned section of the veranda. “Req!” he ran over to her just as she woke up. He helped her up and held her when she stumbled.

“Aura… wh--”

The screams of the royalty got their attention. They all looked up to see them fall to the ground.

“Princess Celestia!” Twilight called out. Thankfully, they were all able to spread their wings and catch air. Chrysalis caught Armor and Cadence caught Glade. “Whew.” they all landed on the veranda and looked down at the ground far below. “what are you doing here?” Twilight asked. “last we saw you, you were still back in the real world.”

“Discord happened.” Celestia said. “he took us captive and took us hear to show us your demise at his hands. But… something happened he didn’t account on.”

“Catalyst…” Req interrupted. Celestia nodded. The goddess got a headache and held her head. “ugh… do you know what happened to him?”

“You don’t remember?” a worried Luna asked.

“n-no. I remember him blasting us then… nothing. I blacked out or something. Did you take him out?”

The royalty looked at each other with worried expressions. “un… we don’t know.” Armor said, feigning ignorance. “it all happened so fast, we didn’t see what happened.”

“oh. Okay.” Req shook her head, trying to get rid of the headache. “hope you guys have Advil back at Equestria.” she moaned as she turned and walked off to join the others.

“how can’t she remember what she did?” Cadence whispered. “I know I’m not going to forget it.”

“me too.” Twilight said.

“you saw it too?” Luna asked.

“yeah. I feigned unconsciousness but I did see everything. Every… gruesome detail.” she shivered in fear. There was no way could believe that Requiem did all that. She’s always sweet and innocent but knows when to throw down; kinda like Fluttershy. But she never expected this dark side to her.

“What do we do about her?” Chrysalis asked, worried for her life.

Celestia looked at Req, who was busy curing those injured. She doesn’t believe that Req would’ve done this intentionally but still, knowing that she’s capable of doing that… “nothing. For now. She clearly doesn’t know what she did so it’s unlikely she’ll do it again. But still… we should keep a eye on her.”

Author's Notes:

i call this blatant advertising for the Requiem Trinity; i really do.