Outcasts of Equestria

by Old Ben Kenobi

Chapter 11 - Home is Behind

Blueblood tried to get to sleep on what was once Princess Celestia's Royal bed, but he couldn't. The noise from the tower was just too loud.

"Urgh," He muttered 'Does that vulgar serpent ever rest? How am I supposed to recover from having to deal with all these ridiculous commoners without my beauty sleep?" He thought about sending another guard to stop him, but decided against it. There were already too many guards with spaghetti for manes in the Hospital Ward without having to add more to their number. Irritated, he put a cushion over his head to try muffle out the constant roars and shrieks coming from Discord's jail cell.

Discord lay on his couch, surrounded by beasts and creatures that looked as if they had been taken from the deepest and darkest pits of the imagination. The Draconequus seemed oblivious to their yammering as he absent mindedly clicked his fingers to change the images on the screen in front of him whilst using his paw to eat kernels of popcorn.

"No, I am your father!"

* Snap! *

*I will take the Ring to Mordor!"

* Snap *

*Yer a wizard, Harry!"

With one final snap of his claw, the screen turned off. The moment it did so, the beasts that were fighting and roaring vanished instantly. This moment of silence was short lived, however, as Discord produced a grammarphone and it started playing the sounds of the beasts no more quietly than before.

"Don't want our friend downstairs getting too comfortable, now do we?" He muttered to himself.

Discord got off the couch and started pacing up and down his cell, with rubber boots on that made a squeaking noise with every hoofstep he made.

This is worse than being encased in stone, he thought. At least when he had been in stone, he had had some sort of a plan to get himself out. The elements' power wanes after a few millennia, and he needed only to be patient to free himself. Now, however, it was different. With a battalion of mages enchanting his cage every night, there was precious little chance of ever getting out without help. Discord reflected on how ironic it was that he, the spirit of Disorder and Strife needed to rely on the bearers of the Elements of Harmony to save him. But deep in his octarine heart, he knew there was no hope for them to save him. He summoned a bed and fell asleep, with his last thoughts before unconsciousness being a vague hope that Flutterhshy at least would not be resigned to a similar fate to his.

"Halt!" Shouted an earth pony guard to an orange pegasus flying towards Canterlot. "You are currently flying in restricted

airspace! Land in the designated zone and prepare to be taken to Prince Blueblood!''

"Relax," called the pegasus. "I'm here to see Blueblood anyway. This mangy flea-bag attacked me and I want it destroyed under section 287 of the diseased animal act!'

"Hmm..." the guard lent down and saw the white rabbit sitting in the cage with his paws folded and not looking too impressed by the situation.'

"He doesn't look diseased," the guard said, sceptically. "I say we let it go!"

Flash scowled at him.

"Need I remind you that I outrank you and if I want this beast taken to Blueblood, then that is my right under section-"

"Fine, whatever," the guard grumbled. "Take it to Blueblood. But it's not my fault if you get imprisoned for interrupting his 'beauty sleep'!"

The pegausus grinned and trotted to the palace, carrying the cage containing angel bunny in his teeth.

The pegasus knocked upon Blueblood's door fur times. As he did so, a very messy maned princes opened the door.

"What is it that you want?" The prince replied gruffly. "Have you come to deliver my new tail extensions? They should have arrived 3 hours ago!"

"No, Your Majesty," Said the pegasus, " I have come to have this beast put down. He is diseased and-"

"Whatever," Groaned the irate Prince as he levitated angel's cage. "I'll put this...thing on my dresser."

"But Your Majesty,2 the Prince said desperately, "It needs to be put down imme-"

The door slammed in his face and he heard the door bolt.

Disgruntled, he flew into the skies of Canterlot and headed home.

Fluttershy awoke at dawn. She rubbed her eyes with a hoof and trotted out of the tent. There was a thick mist in the air and Fluttershy squinted, hoping to see the form of Discord somewhere in the mist to greet her. There was nothing but cold, blank space wherever she looked. She felt a hoof on her shoulder and jumped, only to see it was Twilight Sparkle, looking at her with a grave face.

"Oh, it's you Twilight," Fluttershy muttered softly "You...startled me."

"I'm sorry about this Fluttershy," Said Twilight in her most sympathetic tone, "But Discord still hasn't come back. We're going to have to go t the Hollow Shades without him."

"But Twilight," Protested Fluttershy, "He has the book! How are we going to get there without him?"

"I already have a rough idea as to where it is," Said Twilight. "And it looks like we have no alternative. Blueblood's troops will be marching out of Ponyville soon, and if we don't leave now, they could catch us. And Discord's sacrifice would have been for nothing."

Fluttershy's worried look turned into a scowl.

"Well, then you can take our friends and go, but I'm not leaving until Discord comes back."

Twilight sighed.

"I know this is hard for you, Fluttershy, but I do not think Discord would want for you to get captured, too."

Fluttershy looked unconvinced.

"Perhaps if we just stay a few more hours-" she started, but Twilight silenced her.

"In the end, I cannot force you to come with us." Twilight said, "The decision to stay here or leave must be yours. But please, Fluttershy, do not make a decision on the spur of the moment. Think of what would be best for everypony, Discord included."

Fluttershy looked into the mist one more time. She could just make out the houses of Ponyville, looking familiar yet somehow different, like they were asleep in the gloom. Her heart sank as she realised that she would not only be leaving her home if she went with Twilight, but Discord and her animal friends. But what other choice did she have? She turned to face Twilight, dejected.

"You're right, Twilight. Let's go."

Author's Note:

Here's the next chapter, still technically released in the same year as the last. I hope to update a little more frequently as its the hiatus, but really I have no idea when the next chapter will come out.