Outcasts of Equestria

by Old Ben Kenobi

Chapter 8-Journey from Canterlot

The skies above the company were turning dark, as black clouds started forming above. There was a slight drizzle pouring from them, covering the friends below.
"Hey, this shouldn't be happening!" said Rainbow Dash, "The pegasus ponies' next raincloud cycle was due for tommorrow!"
"I was thinking the same thing too," said Twilight, "Blueblood must have kept the pegasi from performing their duties outside of Ponyville. He must have ordered the unicorns to create a shield around the town, like Trixie when she tried to keep Ponyville under her control."
"Oh no," squeaked Fluttershy, "Does that mean...these areas might start become more like the Everfree Forest?"
"Fluttershy," said Twilight earnestly, "If we don't find some way to restore the Princesses, all of Equestria might go the same way as the Everfree."
Fluttershy gulped. Suddenly, Rainbow Dash's stomach grumbled.
"I'm hungry," she said, "Twilight, what are we gonna eat?"
"You know ladies," said Discord, "Sometimes I feel like you ignore me. With a question like that, somepony might as well assume that I wasn't here at all!"
And with that, a floating cone of candy floss appeared in front of Rainbow Dash.
"Oh yeah, I forgot you could do that Discord!" She said, as she grabbed the cotton candy and started eating it.
"Evidently," muttered Discord, and he turned his back and floated away.
Immediately, he noticed a small, yellow shape floating near him.
"What is it, Fluttershy?" said Discord, not bothering to look around.
"Is there something wrong?" she asked, "I mean...if you don't want to tell me...that's fine...but I just thought that maybe..."
"Thank you for asking, dear Fluttershy," said Discord, "You see, I am beginning to think none of your friends have ever really trusted in me, even after I was reformed."
"They do have trust in you, Discord," she replied, "Some of them just haven't quite got used to you, that's all."
"But I think there's more to it than that," Discord said, "You remember how quickly Rarity, Applejack and that Rainbow Dash were to try and turn me back to stone the first chance they got. Do you remember when I said being turned to stone does not keep me from hearing everything I say? Imagine being frozen for a thousand years in a block of stone, with nothing to look forward to but another day in front of your capture, a simple statue to be laughed at by those who had kept you imprisoned for all those years."
Fluttershy clearly looked uncomfortable. However, she decided to press on.
"I don't think the Princesses would laugh at you, Discord. And besides, you had just taken over Equestria. I don'tbthink the Princesses would have done that unless they absolutely had to..."
This made Discord look even more dejected.
"You know Fluttershy, after I was reformed, I thought much the same as you do. But after a while I realised something; nopony had ever shown me friendship before. And then I thought to myself; had the princesses perhaps tried a little harder, perhaps if they hadn't been so quick to use the Elements against me, much could have been different."
A single tear appeared in Discord's eye. Fluttershy wiped it aside with her wing.
"There, there, Discord," said Fluttershy, "I'm sure we've all done things that we will regret, and I'm sure we will do so in the future. What matters is not what we were, it's who we choose to be now."
Fluttershy gave him a smile, and Discord gave a small smile back.
"I suppose you're right, dear Fluttershy, I suppose you're right."
Discord snapped his fingers, and a plate of cucumber sandwiches appeared in fromt of her, alongside a small framed picture of Discord and Fluttershy.
Fluttershy smiled sincerly, and she ate one of the sandwiches. However, she handed him the picture back.
"I want you to keep this," she said, "So that if you ever feel alone or in doubt, you will know that you have a friend."
Discord looked genuinely touched. He snapped his fingers, and the picture vanished.
"Thank you, Fluttershy," said Discord.
" Hey Discord!" came Rainow Dash's voice, "You got any more?"
Discord turned to face her. "Now, now Rainbow," Said Discord with his usual bouncy demenour, "I may not know that much about friendship, but I do know that it never hurts to use the word 'please'."
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes.
"In your dreams,Discord!" she said, and flew towards the sky.
Fluttershy felt confused. The way Discord had snapped back to his usual, energetic self as if nothing had happened unsettled her somewhat. She wondered if Discord had ever felt like this before, but not shown it, and just how little she knew about her friend...

Twilight suddenly stopped. She pointed forwards with her hoof.
"Look," she said, "There's the shield Blueblood must have ordered to be set up to entrap everypony in Pinyville."
Across the river in the distance, there was shhield, striped with flecks of gold and blue. It appeared to be composed of the magic of several different unicorns all combined.
"How in the hay are we supposed to get past that?" asked Applejack.
"Never mind that," said Twilight, "First we have to figure out a way to get over this river. Now, I'm not a hundred percent sure ifnthis will work, but I just learned a new spell which..."
"I'm sure Discord would be able to get us across," interrupted Fluttershy.
The mane six and Spike stared at her. None of them had heard Fluttershy interrupt anyone before. Fluttershy blushed.
"I-I mean, " she stuttered, "If you're not sure if it'll work, Twilight, maybe,um, you could perhaps let Discord do it? I mean, if-if you're nor sure if it will work, maybe it would be safer if-"
"Yes, Fluttershy, you're probably right," said Twilight, somewhat irratibly, "Fine, Discord, go ahead."
"Well, it's about time somepony actually asked for my help for a change," said Discord, "Sometimes I get the feeling many of you would rather not have me around at all!"
Everyone except Fluttershy rolled their eyes at Discord. He snapped his fingers, and an ancient looking stone bridge appeared, complete with green vines and flowers growing in the cracks. Discord smiled.
"Voila!" he said.
"Hmmm," said Rarity, "I would have made something more tasteful myself."
"Rarity, as long as it does its job and gets us across safety, who cares what the darn thing looks like?" said Applejack, "Hey, Discord, it will get us across safely, right?"
"Why ever would you think otherwise?" said Discord,a little halo appearing over his head. "I'm reformed,remember?"
"I wouldn't put anything past ya..." said Applejack.
"Everypony, I'm sure it will be safe," said Fluttershy. She tentatively placed her hoof onto the bridge, then trotted to the end. "See?"
Discord disappeared in a flash of light, then reappeared at the other end of the bridge. He grinned and waved at the ponies and Spike.
The others eyed the bridge suspiciously, but they allow followed in single file. Rainbow Dash was the last to get onto the bridge. She examined the ground in front of her before stepping forwards. She was halfway across, when she felt something tug her leg.
"Hey!" she yelled as a vine pulled her upwards.
"Discord, what are you doing?" Shouted Twilight, but Discord was floating high in the air, next to a clone of himself.
Suddenly, Rainbow Dash felt herself being enveloped by a huge, bright green jacket and a tasteless yellow scarf.
"Get it off me!" yelled Rainbow Dash
But the two Discords ignored her.
"Hmm, it's an interesting design, but it needs something more..." said the Discord on the left.
The second Discord, in an eeriely accurate imitation of Rarity, said;
"It needs more rainbows, darling, rainbows!"
"Discord!" said Fluttershy's stern voice, "Let her go!"
Discord looked at Fluttershy with disappointment, but her expression did not change. He rolled his eyes.
"Fine," he muttered, and snapped his fingers. Rainbow Dash fell to the floor.
"We don't have time for mucking around!" Said Twilight, "We need to get to Ponyville as fast as possible!"
The group made it across the bridge, which promptly melted into a cloud of small jelly beans which grew tadpole-like tails and swam downriver.
The companions looked ahead, and rising above them was the huge, blue force field encapsulating Ponyville.
Twilight gulped. "Now all we need to do is get inside."

Author's Note:

Haven't had much time to update with GCSE's and stuff, but here you go. Next chapter. Like, comment, follow etc. all that stuff.

Comments

[Magthere]

Of course Blueblood is dooming Equestria, he doesn't care if the realm turns to ashes so long as he is the king of it.