Something Old, Something New

by JaelynPotons

The Beginning

Fluttershy kept to herself, as usual. Princess Celestia had just congratulated her on her success in reforming Equestria’s long-time nemesis, Discord. Princess Celestia and the others were currently talking about what to do with Discord now that he was willing to use his powers for good. Discord himself wasn’t saying a word, just watching the discussion from the ceiling. Fluttershy, in turn, was watching him. He didn’t seem as though he was really listening to the conversation, but lost deep in thought.

“Princess Celestia, when you tasked Fluttershy in reforming Discord, you said that you had use for his powers. What exactly did you have in mind?” Twilight asked, raising a goblet to her lips via magic. At the sound of both of their names, Discord’s eyes flicked over and met Fluttershy’s gaze. Almost instantly she looked away, blushing.

Celestia exchanged a knowing glance with her sister Luna before responding in a slow voice. “Luna and I both have sensed a great, impenetrable darkness radiating from a cave about three days south of PonyVille. A cave that three of us in this room find particularly familiar.” Celestia’s eyes moved to the ceiling, just as Discord’s eyes moved from Fluttershy.

Discord now seemed extremely interested in what was being discussed. “My dear Celestia, if you think for a moment that she of all ponies would choose now to make an appearance, than you seriously underestimate her clever mind. Besides, how could she possibly be alive?”

Twilight scowled at Discord for questioning Celestia. “Who is ‘she’ precisely?”

“Discord is referring to Misfortune, a powerful alicorn who proved numerous times to be more destructive than even Discord.”

“Hey now! What could possibly be more destructive than cotton candy clouds raining chocolate milk?”

“Yeah! And not a single dollop of whipped cream in sight!” Pinkie Pie chimed in, causing her friends to shake their heads affectionately.

“See? Pinkie agrees with me…” He stuck his tongue out at Celestia to reveal yet another tongue, which stuck itself out as well. Discord then crossed his arms and pretended to be hurt.

Celestia ignored them both. “Misfortune is different. She doesn’t have ‘fun’ like Discord. She sees her deeds simply as business.”

“The last time she appeared, she caused the ground to blacken, the trees to become nothing more than sticks. Nothing grew anymore, the animals slowly started dying off from lack of food, and harsh winds ravaged the entirety of Equestria. It was the longest year Equestria had ever had, and nothing has compared since.” Luna’s expression was one of terror, loathing and depression all at the same time.

“How did she manage that? If she caused nothing to grow, how in tarnation did she survive?” Applejack asked, her bright green eyes observing Discord as he made the candles on the table dance a waltz.

“Misfortune learned to feed only on other ponies suffering.”

“A dark magic indeed.” Luna commented after her sister.

“So, how did you defeat her?” Twilight had never heard of Misfortune, not even during her extensive study days in the library.

“For every pony who suffered, she became more and more powerful. When we first tried to overthrow her, she managed to banish us into her own dreamland.” Celestia looked down at the table and Luna continued her story.

“Once we were there, we had to find the lair in which she resided, and defeat her there. Time moves so much more quickly in a dreamland than that of the real world… by the time we got back, it had been a year and Equestria was nearly destroyed.

“So what happened after you defeated her?”

“We sent her into a dreamland that I created, one that I check every night so that she cannot ever escape. However, last night when I checked, she was not there. I searched all over and could not find her. That is why we think it must be her.”

“Discord said she couldn’t possibly be alive.” Twilight’s horn glowed as she saved one of the candles from tripping.

Celestia looked up from the table. “When you send someone to a dreamland, even an immortal, you force their soul to leave their body. When that happens, the body itself is left to waste away just like any other body would. It’s been thousands of years, and logic would have it that there would be nothing left of her body for her soul to go back to. However we cannot deny that she is gone from Luna’s dreamland and that the darkness is emanating from the cave that we defeated her at.”

“I thought you said you defeated her in the dreamland?”

It was Luna who answered this one. “Most dreamlands mirror that of reality, with a few minor changes. Misfortune’s dreamland was not an exception. Because she created her dreamland based on the actual Equestria, we defeated her in the cave both in reality and in her dreamland. It’s confusing, but I think you’ll understand more when you undertake this journey.

“Uhh, what do you mean by that?” Rarity was almost reluctant to ask the question.

“We can’t be sure if Misfortune will send you into a dreamland once you encounter her.”

Silence swept across the room.

Applejack gulped before breaking the silence. “So, pardon me if I’m bein’ rude, yer Highness… but why do we need Discord when we have the Elements of Harmony?”

“Now that is a good question if I ever heard one, darling. Really, I think Discord would simply slow us down with his shenanigans.” Rarity flipped her hair.

“She’s right! Besides, the Elements of Harmony kick more butt than Discord ever could!” Rainbow Dash added, shooting into the air.

“Girls, girls! Now just a minute here! I can kick some butt if I really want to!” At this point a giant boot materialized behind Rainbow Dash and kicked her rear end, sending her spiraling through the air. He then transformed into his usual self and shrugged. “See! Even Rainbow Crash couldn’t avoid me! Lucky for you ladies, I do not wish to go.”

Luna sighed. “Discord, out of the three of us, you knew Misfortune the best. The girls will need you, you must see that.”

“Wait wait wait! He knew her?? The best??” Rainbow exclaimed, rubbing her rear end and glaring at Discord with disdain.

Celestia looked at Discord, and Fluttershy could almost have mistaken it for the same sort of affection that she may look at Pinkie or Rarity with. She spoke in an amused voice, “Well, Misfortune wasn’t always called as such, and Discord wasn’t always called Discord either. Back when we were kids, they were called something entirely different.”

Twilight’s mouth nearly fell to the floor. “When you were kids? Do you mean…”

Celestia looked at her pupil. “Twilight, I haven’t always looked this way. Me, Luna, Silver Streak and—“

Discord cut Celestia off by zipping her mouth shut. “Now just a minute there, old friend. Let’s keep that piece of information between us, shall we?”

Celestia only nodded, and Discord removed the zipper. “Long story short, the four of us grew up together."

Comments

[Carnation83]

So, I'm not the only one who thought that Discord and the princesses were childhood buddies...Cool!

[Featherclaw]

Ohh! What is Discord called?