//------------------------------// // Part 5 // Story: Discord's Holiday Vacation // by ManeShadow //------------------------------// Sweetie Bell tried to push herself further up the mountain. She had a feeling that Discord was at the top, it had been the home of a dragon who nearly covered Equestria in smoke, but it was empty now and it would make a perfect hideout for a depressed Draconequus. Sweetie Bell licked her chapped lips once again, even though she knew she shouldn't. Sweetie Bell looked at her satchel pack and used her magic to open it. No food left. Sweetie Bell whimpered and continued walking through the deep snow. Sweetie Bell groaned. "This was a horrible idea..." But her faith was partially restored as for a few seconds, the fog and snow in front of her cleared and she could see the cave not too far ahead. Her eyes filled with determination, she began to run toward the cave. ... Meanwhile, in Ponyville. Rarity was running around in the blizzard, desperately calling out her sister's name. "Sweetie Bell! Sweeeetie Bell! Please! Come out!" As Rarity wandered around, she heard the voice of Applejack. "What in the hay is going on out there?" Rarity turned around to see a shivering, hat less Applejack. Rarity took out Sweetie Bell's note and showed it to her. Applejack's eyes widened in fear as she read the note. "We gotta find her! I'll go get the others, you get something warm on. You'll freeze to death out here!" Rarity was about to protest, but she decided against it. She nodded and raced back to her home. Applejack turned around and went in the direction of Twilight's library, it's branches were blowing in the cold wind. She went up to the door and banged on it with her hooves with no intention to stop. At long last, the door opened and Spike peeked out. Spike stepped outside and looked at Applejack, rubbing his arms. "What's the matter Applejack? You're acting strange-" Before Spike could continue, Applejack began blurting out: "Sweetie Bell! She's gone! Rarity doesn't know where she went, she left a note saying she was going after Discord." By now, the commotion had gotten Twilight's attention, and she was hovering in the middle of the stairs. "What? Oh dear...Oh dear... I'll get a search party." In five minutes flat. Twilight had gathered all her friends outside Rarity's house. Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash were searching the area for any clues to her disappearance while Twilight, Rarity, and Applejack looked over the note. Twilight took the note and flipped it over, looking on the backside for any possible evidence. "I don't think there's anything else on the note." Twilight looked at Rarity. "You found this in the morning right? Sweetie Bell must have left sometime in the night, or else we would have found-" "I FOUND SOMETHING!" Fluttershy bounced over to the group. "There are some footprints! They lead to the mountains!" Twilight smiled and opened her wings. "Then lets get going! I think I know where she's going!" ... Sweetie Bell finally reached the cave entrance. She looked inside and called out. "Discord?" She didn't receive and answer. She walked inside and began looking around the cave. She reached the back of the cave and began to think it was a lost cause. She was about to turn around when she saw Discord sitting on a rock facing away from her. "Discord!" Discord turned around and Sweetie Bell saw his depressed eyes, he frowned and turned back towards the cave wall. "Go away, I want to be alone." Sweetie Bell tried to smile and looked at him. "But Discord! We're sorry, we didn't mean what we said. We want-" Discord signaled for her to stop talking, which she did. "Forget it, I said leave!" Discord sighed and teleported in front of Sweetie Bell, he bent down to face her face-to-face. "I can tell when I'm not wanted." Sweetie Bell felt a tear rolling down her face, and she saw it splash on the ground below her. She stepped backwards a few steps and said with a heavy heart. "Goodbye then, I'm sorry." Sweetie Bell turned around towards the way she came and slowly walked out of the cave. She reached the edge of the cliff and looked towards the horizon to at Canterlot. At least she had tried... Sweetie Bell heard a crumbling sound below her, and she instinctively looked down at her hooves. Just behind her hind legs, the stone was cracking. Sweetie Bell realized what was happening and she turned around to run, the rock under her gave way and tilted downwards, she lost her footing and slid backwards. She screamed as the rock broke off and she began falling down. Discord turned around at the sound of Sweetie Bell's scream, he quickly teleported to the edge of the cliff as the entire thing began to fall, he gasped as he saw Sweetie Bell falling. He flopped on his stomach and hastily grabbed Sweetie Bell's hoof and held on tight. He felt the rock underneath him crumble. ... The Twilight led the group up the path to the peak of the mountain when they heard a crumbling sound coming from directly above them. Rainbow Dash glanced up to see nearly a dozen giant boulders falling down towards them. Rainbow Dash turned towards the group and yelled. "Whoa! Watch out!" The group looked up, eyes wide. They scattered, trying to evade the smaller tumbling rocks. Twilight stopped and charged her horn, the remaining pieces outlined in a purple glow, Twilight stood, sweating. Right as the rocks are about to impact on the ground, they are turned into large snowballs, and harmlessly land on the ponies. Twilight sits down, satisfied and exhausted. Rarity glances up to see Sweetie Bell dangling far above them. Her eyes wide in fear. "Sweetie Bell! I'm coming! ... Discord felt the cold wind sting his face as he held on to Sweetie Bell's hoof and the snow blowing into his eyes. Sweetie Bell looked up at him terrified and close to tears, her mane covered in snow and a red bruise on her side. Discord blinked the snow and dirt out of his eyes and smiled down at her. "Sweetie Bell, I'm going to need you to hold on! Can you do that for me?" Sweetie Bell nods up at him. And Discord attempts to lift his arm as the rock begins to give way under him. Grinding his teeth together. With determination in his eyes, he throws Sweetie Bell up and over him, she lands on behind him and skids backwards. Discord spins his head around like an owl and looks into Sweetie Bell's eyes. "Back up! The ground's not stable, it'll give way any second!" Almost on cue, the ground underneath him gives away and he is caught in the collapse, he begins to plummet downwards to the rocks below. Sweetie Bell sits up and looks over the ledge, tears in her eyes. "No!" Discord knew he couldn't survive the fall, he was too tired to cast any magic, but it didn't seem to matter to him. Discord looked upwards at Sweetie Bell, he had saved her from a certain demise, and that was worth it. As he felt the cold wind blast against his skin, he feels like his heart is melting. Discord smiles, proud that his last action was saving a filly who had much more to live for. Discord noticed three moving shapes above Sweetie Bell, crying out in pain. Windigos, that was what caused the blizzard. The distrust, hatred, and fear the residents of Ponyville had for him had fed their powers, causing an almost everlasting blizzard. But he knew they were growing weak. Discord loved them, despite what had happened, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Twilight and her friends, and especially Sweetie Bell. Discord closed his eyes and felt happy as he neared the rocky ground below him.