Starlight awoke with Twilight flying over her. “Hi, Twilight.” She said yawning and looking at the clock. 10 am. She sure slept in late. “WAIT! WHAT “TWILIGHT!?” Yelled Starlight as Twilight smiled at her. “Did you get my message?”

Ok, Discord thought to himself. Fake it till you make it, I’m sure this will work out. Twilight smiled and landed on the floor, she trotted in place excitedly. “Yes, I did! I Can’t believe you walked through dreams. I Have so many questions. But they can wait.” Discord tried to show excitement in his eyes but not too much. “We have to stop the terrible three first, unfortunately,” Discord did his best to look angry. Was he being convincing, he sure hoped so. Starlight didn’t know he had been masquerading around as Celestia. In fact, he had not talked to her at all since she had started her research. So she wouldn't suspect that he was pretending to be Twilight, right?

"Don’t worry I explained everything to all our friends. I have already talked to them, we already have a planned form. It was actually Discords, we're going to shoot them with the rainbow again." DIscord said in Twilight's body, he was going to give himself as much self-praise as he so wished. He deserved it at this point.

“Don’t worry I’ll answer all your questions and have a completed report on your desk.” Starlight said, “cross my heart hope to fly stick a cupcake in my eye.” She could see the excitement in Twilight's face. What a nerd, she missed her so much.

Discord giggled. Was he doing a good job? He had followed Twilight around enough but she was going through a lot of maturing. Which made it a bit harder to nail her character. She hadn’t grooved herself into a habit like Celestia, ironically she was more unpredictable than predictable.

“We’ll have to put waking them up on hold, I assume. I haven't found a cure yet. I guess you only got out of there by pure luck or friendship. How did you get out, I thought magic couldn’t be in the void?” Starlight asked, raising her brow something felt wrong, something felt strange.

Discord threw a somber look onto Twilights' face “I got out through the magic of friendship, I heard your message and thought of my friends, my loved ones and I got out. I tried to free the other princesses but I wasn't strong enough. The void drained whatever I poured into it.” Discord said with a hopeful smile. Or he at least hoped it looked hopeful. He hoped starlight didn't see right through him. He only saw the end of their adventure in his mirror. He had no idea what void Starlight spoke of. He just completely made it all up and hoped he was right enough.

Just then Starlight felt a shiver go down her spine. Something felt off, the answer didn’t quite make sense to her. Unless friendship could solve this and she had followed the wrong lead with Luna. The magic isn't dependent on figuring out a specific cure to a specific spell. It had been friendship, just as it always was.

“Come with me, I need you to cast a projection spell for me.” twilight said having starlight follow her. “Remember the last time we battled the three of them, we're going to try that again. Though I don't want to bring the ponies to the battlefield this time. That's where you come in starlight. You’ll cast a projection spell so they can see me, be safe, and contribute.”

That made sense to Starlight but something was still eating at her. Where was Discord? He should be around here somewhere it was quiet and not a good quiet. It was sort of looming quiet like something bad was going to happen and soon.

And as if twilight was reading her thoughts she proceeded to say. “Don't worry about discord he's fine, just exhausted resting in Celestia's room.” She said leaning the poney to the main hall. They all greeted twilight with excitement, her friends already up and they seemed relieved to see her. She took to the stand where discord had made his speech.

“Hello! I need you all to pay attention very closely. We will follow Celestia's plan to recreate our last battle with the terrible three. Starlight if you could pleas-”

“I'm on it,” she said to bring a projection up of the battle it looked like they were winning but something was off. Something was very off, who was that black shadowy alicorn with four wings. He was surrounded by red inscriptions, a rainbow was in his eyes but it poured black. Eyes were covered and gasps were heard as they saw a few ponies hit the ground dead, only to get back up. Emasculated corpses covered the battlefield but not in the normal way, they fought back.

“IS THAT NECROMANCY?” Rarity yelled, “I thought that was forbidden magic.”

An argument was about to start but then they heard a yell of pain come from the screen the shadow alicorn had gotten bigger and the ring of writing wider. Instead of four wings, he now had six. He roared “DISCORD WHERE ARE YOU I NEED A BREAK!” Tears fell down his muzzle and he picked up a branch and bit into it. He looked to be in pain.

Silence fell over them for a few moments before Starlight put two and two together “is that..is that Sombra?”

Discords heart felt if she found out his plan she wouldn’t agree and they didn’t have time to argue. “Yes, it would seem so. He seems to be the reason we are winning. I know this looks bad but you’ll be able to see me from here, think about our town, our country, our planet, think about the love between you all for those things. Think about those you love: friends, families, lovers, and anyone else. Pay attention to only that.” She said flying up so all could see her putting her arms to her chest she said “feel it rise in here and focus that energy toward me best you can. We have to help Sombra.” Discord said teleporting to the battlefield, he went instantly, he did not want there to be any questioning.

He felt bad that he had to leave Sombra like that but it was important. The troops seemed happy to see him, well I guess they were actually happy to see Twilight. Discord looked around their numbers drastically fell they were barely making it, it seemed that one-third of the army was alive and the rest was under Sombras control. Starlight ran out of time she had no cure for the princess. He'd have to do it himself just like twilight would. Quickly think like her what would she say? He refused to let this become a slaughter of the civilians as well.

“Tirek, Cozy Glow, and Crysalis your reign of terror is over. Give up now.” Discord said standing tall and defiant. He hoped to everything good they didn't see right through him.

“How-we -we.” Crysalis started to say

Discord interrupted her “with the power of friendship and of love. Love for my kingdom, for my friends, and for my citizens. They love me and I love them. I love them all and while my journey didn’t start out as seeking friendship. Friendship and love came to me. So here I am, now princess of a thing I didn’t even know I needed. And I'm so glad to have made the friends I did” Discord thought to himself, now in twilight's body, did that sound convincing enough?

He didn't really lie, he did love his friends and he was happy to have them. Did people believe him on the rest of it? Did they believe he was twilight? Harmoney if you are out there and you can hear me. Work with me, just this once. Even if it never happens again even if you have to kill me. Do it, do it for them, do it for my friends. Please. Please work. Their survival was on the line.

He felt himself lift off the ground and he felt all the love meant for twilight seep into his body. It hurt like hell, it stung his very being. He started seeing stars. He pushed through the pain and focused on the villains in front of him if Sombra could handle the pain he went through so could discord. He shot a rainbow at them hearing them scream. Oh god, it hurts so bad. How can something that's supposed to be good hurt so bad? It felt like he was going to rip apart but he did his best to focus on his task, and his friends.

He looked down on the three of them turning back into stone once again. He noticed Sombra stopped casting his spells and slump over onto the ground. He hoped Sombra would be ok in the end. Suddenly he was back on the ground, there was cheering, all ponies present happy that they stopped this before it had gotten any worse.

That's not what Discord heard, all he heard was ringing in his ears and he felt a violent turning of his stomach. Oh, Celestia, he was going to be sick, he couldn’t, he couldn’t hear anything, he couldn’t see anything. He threw up so much blood, he couldn’t hold it back then he transformed back into Discord and passed out right next to Sombra.

Shocked. That is one word that describes everypony at this moment. Shocked at what they just witnessed. What was this? What just happened? Shining armor immediately teleported Discord and Sombra back to the castle. “What on Tartarus just happened” he yelled confused about why his sister wasn’t his sister anymore. Why wasn’t he allowed to fight? Sombra had kept him under that rock when he could have been helpful to the situation. He was angry.

Starlights heart dropped “oh Celestia. Rainbow check on the princesses, now!” She said

Rainbow dash was gone and back in a blink of an eye. “They are all there, haven’t moved an inch.”

"Go get all our friends!" Starlight said as she watched Rainbow Dash bring back pinkie pie, spike, Applejack, and Fluttershy. Starlight could feel her anxiety rising. She looked down at Discord, blood covering his mouth and fur. He looked over to Sombra, his body mostly shadows and suddenly he was a six-winged alicorn. To think they would go this far, push themselves this much and all for their friends. She watched Discord threw up again, his eyes rolling back and his breath becoming labored.

The entire gang eventually gathered back into the room “DISCORD!” Fluttershy yelled as she went over to him “what is wrong with him?”

Starlight said, with tears forming in her eyes, “I don't know.”

Everypony just stared at the two villains a silence rang over them only to be disturbed by a tiny “fuck me.” They looked over to see Sombra had woken up and was now sitting up straight though he still looked the same. “I think I’m going to throw up.”

Pinkie Pie came running to him with a bucket, where she got it no pony knew. She placed it in front of Sombra and he proceeded to throw up into it. It was a rainbow but it had more red than any other color.

Fluttershy flew over to Sombra “I know you don’t feel too well but you have to tell me what Discord and you are feeling.”

Sombra said, hanging his head in shame, “but I pinkie pie promised. You all know what happens when you do that. Maybe Pinkie you could relieve me of the promise, please it could save our lives.” He said holding pinkies hoof in his own, pleading with his words and his eyes. He would have never sunk so low beforehoof but this was now and it was half his fault.

“O-okay.” She said as she sheepishly smiled, “keeping this promise isn’t worth your life Sombra, I won’t be angry. Promise. Please just tell Fluttershy.”

“Discord has been throwing up blood ever since he took over and pretended to be Celestia. I was there almost every time, I thought it wasn’t that bad it wasn’t that much blood and Discord said he was fine. Then one time he told me he was in pain and cried. I had never seen him so...desperate. We stuck it out thinking it would be fine once this was over, but the army was failing and the princesses were still asleep. I was busy fighting...I should have kept closer attention to Discord, I should have stopped him” Sombra looked towards the ground. Silence held over them once again the only thing heard was Discords' painful panting.

Fluttershy looked down at Discord tears forming in her eyes “I can’t believe he pushed himself this far.” She started cleaning the blood off of him and rolled him to an easier breathing position. He was all curled up and that wouldn’t help. Everypony else remained silent as the just stared at Fluttershy helped discord. He had them all fooled. “Could you maybe list your symptoms, tell me what it is you feel right now.”

Sombra threw up again, the rainbow was shrinking and slowly turning into only red. When he stopped he said. “Feeling and being sick, lots of stomach pain, drowsiness, dizziness, and weakness. Its been both very hot and very cold. I keep shivering. Headache, irritability, and confusion.” He looked over to discord who had not moved a single inch “and I guess a loss of consciousness.”

“What did you eat?” Fluttershy asked.

“Uhh, I'm not sure we had anything since lunch why,” Sombra asked, then threw up.

Fluttershy frowned “you have been poisoned.”

Sombra looked at her confused “what? How?”

“I’m not sure but it sounds like all the symptoms but if you didn’t eat anything then how? Can you tell me anything else?” Fluttershy said as she trailed off into deep thought.

“Well, we have just been doing how you would be doing things. I’m not sure why It would be any different.”

“Say that again?” Starlight asked.

“We have been doing things your way, you know. Serious harmony stuff like organizing and using light magic, that kind of stuff. Stuff Celestia and Twilight would normally do.”

Fluttershy and starlights face dropped as they put two and two together “you have been poisoned by harmony.” They said together.

Sombras' face dropped “I didn't know that was possible. I thought harmony was supposed to be good. Even for Discord and I, it’s not like we are evil anymore.”

They looked at one another when Starlight said “yes but you were using a lot of it. You weren’t taking any significant breaks. You just kept going until it built up in your system. You are not used to it like us.”

“He...he saved us.” Rarity said tears in her eyes as she looked around. Ponies were hurt and much of the army passed on, but due to all of Discord's efforts mortality rate of the citizens was low. The rest of the main six joined her as they shed tears, no one knew how to help him. “We have to do something.”

“Excuse me.”

The group looked back to see a pony they didn’t recognize “my name is Amber bee, celestia….well I guess discord told me he was sick but also made me promise to not tell. Pinkie promised, I had no idea it was that bad. I’ll take care of running things, you find answers.” She smiled “I have been helping them both run this thing I think I have it covered."

Starlight stood up and looked over to the pony who confessed to covering for discord ,"I need you to continue to do that. I'm taking Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Spike, Rarity, and Trixie, to the library we are going to find something to wake the princesses up with and find a cure. Fluttershy will stay here and look over discord and Sombra." They split up into different directions.

A doctor stepped up "it may be pointless but I could try and see if I can do anything."

Fluttershy just nodded and stared down at her friend.

Next Chapter: Desperation Estimated time remaining: 27 Minutes