Twilight could feel the cave before her eyes could see it. She felt the cool, wet stone and heard the dripping water far into the depths. She smelt the musty odor of stale air and stagnate water.
With a cough she forced herself up, her eyes blinking rapidly.
“I’m so, so sorry. But they won’t hurt you. Really they won’t.”
Twilight’s eyes shot around her for the source of the voice. The cave she was in was small, but it was obviously connected to more than a few other caves and passageways, if the echoes were any indicator. The green coated princess of Sheon was standing in the doorway, a light green film between them, making even the whites of her eyes seem ghoulish.
“You’re the princess who went missing,” Twilight stated, looking around the room again. There was nothing in it but rocks and the cold. “Where’s Silverline?”
The alicorn looked behind her and then back. “He’s… safe. They put him in another room. They’re tending to him.”
“Tending?” Panic flooded her, slamming into her chest like a wall. She saw her brother’s dead eyes. She ran up to the wall, her eyes wild. “They can’t! Don’t let them!”
The princess blinked, confused. “They… they’re healing his wounds…”
It was Twilight’s turn to be confused. “But they’re the ones that hurt him…”
The princess shook her head rapidly. “Oh, no. He attacked Statin first. Poor Statin was only trying to get away. They ended up falling and getting hurt crashing through the trees.”
“Statin?”
The slender eyes blinked again, her head beginning to tilt. She looked like Silverline. “Yes. The small darkling that crashed with Silverline.”
“They have names?” Twilight flinched at the accusing tone in her voice. A part of her hated what she had just implied.
“Of course,” the princess replied, her tone sounding off, as if she was beginning to feel offended herself.
Twilight looked back at her wings. Her left was wrapped up in the green substance she had seen before, except this time it was fully hardened.
“Your wing was fractured. They healed the main breaks, but the muscles were strained badly. You can’t move it for a few hours.”
Twilight looked back at the princess. “Did you do this?”
She smiled. It was peaceful. All at once Twilight knew she was no captive. It hit the bottom of her stomach like a rock.
“No. Sally did. She’s good with any injury. She makes potions, too. Oh,” she blinked, her smile replaced with concern. “Are you hungry?” Before Twilight could answer, she turned away. “I’ll get you something!”
“Wait! Why are you here?” Twilight’s call echoed off the walls, meeting air.
For a few moments there was nothing but silence. Twilight tried to think of a spell, but couldn’t. Her body and mind were exhausted. She slumped to the floor, pressing her cheek against the cold stone. The sound of dripping water and the darkness pressed against her and filled her with dread. She sighed, trying not to cry. She had failed. In everything. She didn’t know where she was, she had insulted the emperor, she had gotten Silverline and herself injured and she could already see Spike pacing back in her room, worried and desperate.
A loud pop rang into her ears, snapping her eyes open again, tears drying in an instant.
“Well, this is unexpected.”
Twilight stared open mouthed at the large creature standing before her.
He blinked.
She blinked.
He smiled. “Twilight Sparkle? Oh, I’m sorry. Princess Twilight. I always forget. No offense meant, my dear.”
“Di-Discord?”
Sure enough, the daconiquus was standing there in the semidarkness, looking down upon her with a highly amused expression on his face.
“How… How did you get here?” she stumbled, attempting to get up, her legs unsteady.
He chuckled. “Well, that’s easy. After the desert stopped being such a pain, I simply wished I could see what kinds of fun you might be having and zoom! I was off!” He tilted his head. “Isn’t that how everypony gets around?”
Twilight rolled her eyes. “Of course not,” she chided, though her voice held no venom. She had never felt so grateful to see such a dangerous creature before. She smiled. “But thank you for coming Discord.”
The draconiquus blinked in surprise and he looked away. “Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not here to do everything you say. I was just curious.” He looked back at her. “But I didn’t think you’d be in a cave.” He eyed the green magic in the doorway. “A strange cave, at that.”
“It’s Queen Chrysalis. She’s here and Silverline is somewhere in here and so is the princess and-“
“Woah, there,” Discord lifted up his hands in surrender, though his eyes glowed in excitement. “Sounds like you’ve been busy these last few days. But first things first.” A pair of dark rimmed glasses appeared on his face and he adjusted them dramatically. “I trust you discovered the desert’s trick and stopped it, yes?”
“Oh, well, that wasn’t me, actually,” Twilight admitted with a light blush.
Discord blinked through the frames. “Oh? Then who?” He grinned. “Was it Fluttershy? She tends to notice things before anypony else.”
Twilight couldn’t help smiling at the pride in the draconiquus’ voice when speaking of his first friend. “Rainbow Dash was actually the one to break the magic tower causing all those problems.”
His eyes dropped along with his shoulders. “Seriously? Great.” He gave an exaggerated sigh, the glasses disappearing, and gave Twilight a sideways glance. “I suppose I should do something to thank her.”
“Not picking a fight with her would be nice.”
The creature blinked and put his paw to his chest in shock. “Me? Pick a fight?”
Twilight gave him a look.
“Alright, fine,” he admitted. “I’ll be nice. But no guarantees on how she treats me.”
Twilight grinned. “Fair enough. Now,” she glared over at the green magic wall. “Let’s get out of here, shall we?”