//------------------------------// // #447. Legend of Twilight: The Sonorous Stones // Story: Gone in 1800 Seconds // by True Blue Spark //------------------------------// The Prompt: Fluttershy! You are the hero chosen by destiny! ------ Fluttershy’s breath came fast as she sprinted down the cold, dark corridor, necklace bouncing against her chest. Her hooves pounded against the stone, their echo the only sound that broke the silence. Ahead of her she could see a massive door, encrusted with black gemstones. “This is it... isn’t it?” she panted. “It certainly is,” came a voice from behind her. Discord floated up by her side, no larger than a parasprite, his expression more serious than she’d ever seen it before. “The final showdown, as it were. The last battle to save your friends... and more importantly, to save me!” He held up his mismatched arms, displaying the black crystals clinging to his wrists, the ones that had sealed his power away and left him trapped in an undersized form. Fluttershy knew he wasn’t able to transform, but the teary puppy eyes he gave her still seemed far larger than they should be. “I’ll do my best,” Fluttershy promised him, but she couldn’t keep the quaver out of her voice. “I know you will,” Discord replied. “And as strange as it must sound coming out of my mouth... I believe in you, Fluttershy.” She smiled weakly. “Thank you.” Only privately did she add, ‘I wish I did.’ The door was unlocked, sliding open silently to reveal the room they sought. Fluttershy took in the vast throne room in pieces: gleaming stained glass windows depicting the fall of Equestria, and then the Crystal Empire. Her friends locked in cages hanging from the ceiling—Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and even poor Spike. Twilight Sparkle, frozen wide-eyed in an enormous crystal with a terrifying black tint to it. And below the crystal... King Sombra. His back was to Fluttershy, but she could still hear his cruel laughter as he looked up at Twilight. “My plan is almost complete, at long last... When the moon reaches its zenith, the light will charge my dark crystal, and your precious princess’s powers will be drained out of her... and into me. Nopony can stop me now!” “Oh dear,” Discord drawled, leaning against Fluttershy’s wing. “Someone’s dreadfully behind the times. Do you want to tell him, or should I?” “Fluttershy!!” her friends gasped in unison. “What?! Who goes there?” Sombra spun around, face twisted in a snarl. But he immediately calmed when he saw the intruders. “Oh, it’s only you. The supposed ‘Hero of Courage’. I hope you don’t think you can stop me.” “I do,” Fluttershy lied. “That’s why I’m here. I can’t let you do this.” Sombra cackled. “Are you serious? I can taste the fear washing off of you, little pony! Some courage!” “Hmph!” Rarity scoffed from above. “Actually, I do believe dear Fluttershy is the most courageous of us all.” Applejack nodded firmly. “She’s plum terrified, but it ain’t stopped her from doin’ what she’s gotta do,” she said proudly. “If that ain’t the textbook definition of courage, why, I’d like to know what is.” “Silence!” Sombra shook the cages with a single stomp; the ponies and dragon scowled, but quieted for the moment. “It matters not. This foolish little weakling couldn’t even kill a single one of my minions! There’s no possible way she... could...” The self-styled king paused, then turned toward Fluttershy again. “Wait a minute. You haven’t killed any of my minions. I would have sensed it if you had. So how did you get in here?” Despite her fear, Fluttershy smiled. “Oh, they let me in. They were very courteous about it, too.” “WHAT?!” “It’s the funniest thing, Sombra, old boy!” Discord purred. “Dragging a race of monsters out of their home, forcing them to follow your orders under threat of death... It really doesn’t do a thing for morale! I don’t believe you have a single loyal one left.” Sombra snarled furiously. “Impossible! You can’t have turned all of my minions! No pony could possibly be that selfless!” Discord rested his chin on one hand, grinning madly. “You must be new here. Let me introduce you to Fluttershy, bearer of the Element of Kindness. She couldn’t be cruel if she tried!” He shook his hands out, crystals glittering on his wrists. “Of course, if I had my powers, I could give her a little help on that front—” “Sombra.” Fluttershy stepped forward, eyes on the evil king before her. “Won’t you stop this? There’s still time. Think how much better off Equestria would be if you used your magic to help us instead of harm us. Won’t you reconsider?” Sombra stared at Fluttershy for a long moment. “...No,” he finally said. “I think, instead, I’ll kill you.” The king stomped the ground, and a dozen razor-sharp crystals burst forth around him. He spun and kicked in Fluttershy’s direction, and the crystals broke free, flying at her at speeds that rivaled Rainbow Dash at her fastest. Her friends screamed for her to run, but she closed her eyes, gathering herself for an instant... ...and sang. It was just one note, a note that vibrated at first but quickly smoothed out. Her voice was quiet, but as the stones that hung from her necklace began to glow, the note grew louder, the vibrations grew stronger. The crystals flying at her wobbled, vibrating with her voice, and before they could reach her, they shattered into harmless little shards. Sombra’s jaw dropped. He stared in undisguised shock at the three rocks Fluttershy wore around her neck—the first one round, the other two shaped like little waves emanating out from it. “The Sonorous Stones...” he whispered. “How... Where did you... Inconceivable!” “You keep using that word, Sombra...” Discord laughed. But he stopped when Fluttershy took another step forward. “Discord was wrong, Sombra,” she said. Discord’s brow furrowed. “What? When?” Fluttershy stood up straight, staring at Sombra. “I can be cruel. It’s surprisingly easy, actually, which is why the thought terrifies me so much. But to protect my friends... to protect Equestria... I won’t hesitate any more. “This is your last chance. Give up now... or I’ll do whatever I have to do... to stop you.” Sombra’s face twisted again, anger turning his not-unattractive features hideous.* “As if you could, you wretched little pest! Even with the Stones, I’ll crush you like a bug!” He slammed his hooves against the ground and dashed forward, eyes and horn glowing with his ugly black power. Discord buzzed against her ear, actually sounding genuinely concerned. “Here he comes, Fluttershy! Are you ready?” Her wings flared out. Her eyes fixed on her enemy. The fear was there, just as it always was... but she wouldn’t let it stop her. There was far too much at stake. “Yes.”