A Final Act Of Love
Numb. All he felt was numbness and betrayal as he watched Tirek's retreating back, clutching the medallion tightly in his hand. He could feel the ponies staring at him, but for once it wasn't with disgust. It was with...pity. They knew what it was like to have someone they thought was their friend turn their back on them. They knew what it was like because of him.
He weakly pushed himself up on all fours, almost too afraid to meet their eyes. They all looked at him with such betrayal and he swallowed hard as he approached the cage. He was just inches away from Fluttershy and he felt the tears start to roll. Their eyes conveyed the words not said as she reached out and gently cupped his face with her hoof.
He leaned his cheek into her hoof and never wanted her to let go of him, but he pushed the hoof gently away after a moment and stepped backwards. He eyed the cage with trepidation and then all ponies gasped in horror as he suddenly latched himself to the bars, biting at them and snarling as he shook them desperately.
“D-Discord...” Fluttershy whispered, trying to get him to calm down. Again and again the spirit lunged at the cage, and again and again he only collapsed in exhaustion before repeating the process. Finally, Discord reared back and charged, head butting into the bars. The entire structure and the girls rattled, but Discord only collapsed from the effort, his forehead bleeding.
“Discord....” Fluttershy soothed, reaching to him. “Discord...please stop it.”
He took her hooves, barely able to speak through the tears. “I can't do it.”
“I know...”
He rose himself up to the bars and laid his forehead gently against hers. She caressed his face like a mother would their child and pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead. He looked up at her, watery scarlet meeting watery cyan. “I-I'll find a way to make this right."
Before any pony could question him, the spirit shakily pushed himself back up and stalked towards Tirek and Twilight. The centaur was just rearing back to suck the princess's magic when Discord leaped in front of a stunned Twilight, taking a protective stance.
“Stay away from her!” he snarled.
“Well well, isn't this cute,” Tirek sneered. “The ponies' little pet wants to protect his masters.”
“If you want to hurt her, you'll have to go through me,” the spirit seethed. Twilight took a step backwards, absolutely taken-aback.
“Funny,” Tirek chuckled. “I thought I already had.”
Discord snapped at the air like a wild animal. “Well now you physically have to! You want the little princess's magic? You'll have to kill me first!”
“D-Discord...” Twilight whispered in awe. “Discord, get away from him!” The spirit had no defence. He had no magic and he looked quite worse for the wear.
“Kill you?” Tirek laughed. “Is that a challenge or an invitation, Discord?”
“I suppose it's whatever you want to make of it,” Discord smirked. “After all, I should be no trouble to you now.”
“Indeed you shouldn't,” Tirek droned coolly and trapped Discord in a paralysing field of magic, jerking the spirit up to him. He struggled futilely and Twilight, who was recovering from her shock, sent a colossal blast at Tirek, making him drop the creature.
“Come on!” she shouted, running with Discord. The spirit stumbled to keep up, but it wasn't long until he fell back and Tirek caught him again. “Discord!!”
“It's no use, Twilight!” Discord shouted back down to her, gasping in pain as he was slammed against a rock. “I'm not strong enough to outrun him!” He let out an agonized cry as Tirek captured him in his fist and began to slowly squeeze. He could hear terrified screams coming from the cage twenty feet away.
“STOP IT!” Twilight yelled to the monster. “You're going to kill him!”
“That's the plan,” Tirek sneered, intent on slowly crushing the spirit to death. The world grayed around Discord and everything he could see and hear was blotted out by pain. He was losing consciousness.
A spectrum of colors flashed across Twilight's eyes and she stomped her hoof. “ENOUGH!” she roared. “I will give you my magic! Just release him!”
“Twilight...n...no,” Discord gasped out, choking. He felt himself be released instantly and fell a hundred feet, slamming into the earth.
“If only you realized what you're giving up and for who,” Tirek laughed as he started sucking away the tremendous amount of energy from Twilight's horn.
“I...I do,” Twilight gritted out, falling to the ground in exhaustion. A deep rumble shook the monster—a horrible, sickening laugh of victory. Discord just stared in horror at the weak alicorn laying on the ground and the helpless faces gazing up at him from behind the bars.
Tirek continued to laugh, mocking him, mocking them, and Discord felt an anger like no other burn him up deep inside. He shook with rage and just focused his gaze on the ponies and little dragon in the cage. Crimson eyes met tearful blue and that's when a yowl tore from Discord's throat.
When a friendship is strong enough...
An abrupt blast of power shot from his claws and targeted the silver bars. The blast careened into the metal cage and the girls could only stand there in a dumbfounded stupor as the shards were scattered around their hooves.
...Sometimes the magic...
“What?!” Tirek snarled, staring at the scene in shock.
...Is simply within you...
“Girls!” Discord yelped and bolted over the singed and damaged land on all fours, skidding in front of them. “Girls!” he repeated, a plea to his tone that his friends were alright.
“Discord, your...your magic?” Twilight asked, stunned. His talon was still glowing gold—nowhere near as bright as it was before, but it was there. “How...?”
“I don't know,” he said and he honestly didn't. “But there isn't any time to ponder on that.” He yanked every dizzy pony to their hooves. “You have to go—get to the tree. It might be your only chance. It's alive by the magic of the elements. Find a way to activate them again.”
They nodded shakily but eyed the spirit, instantly sensing something wasn't right. “Aren't you coming?” Flutteshy asked, reaching a hoof out to him. He wouldn't take it. “You can't just stay here!" Spike chimed in.
“Someone needs to distract him. If he sees you all running off he'll capture you again. I can keep him busy long enough for you all to escape to the tree.” They stared at him in horror.
“Discord, he has all the magic of Equestria on his side! All of the princesses'!” Twilight protested desperately. “You don't have the power to fight him for long! You won't survive if you go up against him!” They nodded in unison, but Discord just gave the most melancholic smile they had ever seen. A smile of acceptance.
“A fitting end for a creature as horrible as myself, wouldn't you say?”
Seven pairs of eyes prickled at once and they shook their heads. “You...you aren't horrible,” Twilight somehow choked out, her heart twisting with pain and pride. Glistening eyes looked up at him and they all nodded in agreement.
“I'm sorry,” was all the spirit said and their hearts sunk further. “I'm sorry—for everything. From today, to when I broke free...” He smiled somewhat playfully at the young alicorn and slipped the medallion over her head, recalling when he gave her another what seemed so long ago. “...To even crashing your little party with your sister, Twilight.”
The princess gazed mournfully up at him and the medallion flashed rainbow, lighting up her eyes. Instantly she knew she had the last of the puzzle. “We're going to come back,” Twilight promised as she watched Discord and Fluttershy embrace each other tightly. “And you're going to be fine.” There was so much more that needed to be said, but they didn't have the time.
“Go,” the spirit said urgently, ignoring her. Tirek was almost here. “GO!”
The ponies threw a final look over their shoulders at him and took off. Discord heard the footsteps shift and spun around to glare hatefully at the monster towering before him, obscuring the view of the retreating mares. Snake-like eyes targeted him as Tirek sneered.
It was a hoof that cracked against the spirit's face and sent him slamming back against the cliff side. He peeled down the cliff and slammed into the ground, certain he heard many bones crack. Regardless, he powered a strong bolt of lightning and sent it hurtling into Tirek's face, invoking a loud shriek of pain.
Sneering, Discord shakily rose into the air, deflecting a fireball that was flung at him. Tirek sent it right back and the two engaged in a twisted game of tennis that finally ended when the embers were shot at top speed into Discord's abdomen. He flew back onto the ground, his skin singed and raw. He rolled out of the way of another crack of lightning.
“Give it up, you fool,” Tirek snarled. “Without your full strength and my combined alicorn and chaos magic you have no chance.”
“I don't need a chance!” Discord snarled back, on all fours with his hair raised like a savage lion. “I just need some time!” He clapped his hands together and sent a large orb of magic flying at Tirek, but the creature locked his arms together and it deflected to Discord. The blast engulfed the spirit's form and sent him at lightning speed in the air, throwing him against a house at the edge of Ponyville.
The draconequus cried out in agony as he flopped uselessly to the ground, this time having issues standing.
“Was it worth it, Discord?” Tirek taunted, shooting another attack at the spirit. He couldn't dodge it and this time wasn't able to get up. “Was it worth it to die for these equines that gave you nothing?!”
“They...gave me...so much more ...than you ever could,” the spirit spat with all the venom flowing through his veins.
“And yet in the end it's all for naught,” Tirek laughed. “You're going to die...and so will they.”
His strength and magic was fading and Discord couldn't even sit up. It didn't stop him from glaring boldly up at the monster that towered hundreds of feet above him. “You...you won't win, you know,” he panted breathlessly. “You'll never beat them. Their love they have for each other...it's stronger than any power combined. I got to witness that...first hand. Nothing will break that.” He bared his teeth, true hatred in his eyes. “Not even a pathetic l...low life like you.”
Tirek stared at the spirit in shock, rage, and amusement. “Bold statement for someone in your position, worm.” The orb between his horns glowed at lethal intensity and Discord bowed his head in acceptance.
“I only speak the truth.” He felt the last dwindling bit of magic he had left get sucked right out of him and his head fell.
“You've been trouble,” Tirek growled as he prepared to finish him. “Far more than you were ever worth.”
Ugly self loathing curled around Dicord's heart. “I was never worth much anyway.”
“Glad you realize it,” Tirek chuckled darkly. “And really, I'm being kind. You know you're going to die anyway without your power. I know how your kind is; your being can't survive without its magic. This saves you from slavery as well. Any last words, Discord?”
Discord felt the tears brim. “Just please tell Fluttershy it was never her fault. She was always a wonderful friend and she...she was always enough. I realize that now. I never needed anything more. Tell them all I'm sorry, and please...tell the princesses as well.”
Tirek chuckled. “I'll think about it.” The killing blast unleashed from his horns, but just as he went to aim it at Discord a blinding orb above him caught his attention. The blast hit just above Discord and the building fell apart, crushing him under pieces of debris.
Even under the wreckage Discord somehow didn't feel pain. He didn't feel anything. His extremities were numb. He saw the light through the cracks of rubble and heard Tirek give a shriek. Then...there were frenzied voices.
“Discord!!” Fluttershy screamed and all six ponies bolted to the wreckage. Applejack and Rainbow Dash started hastily bucking off the smaller pieces of the roof and walls and Twilight's magic lifted the larger pieces of debris off the spirit. Discord was almost completely motionless.
“Discord!” He heard Fluttershy's voice fill with sobs and felt her warm hooves lift his head. He very weakly nuzzled her tears away. “Fluttershy...” he whispered with a smile.
“Discord,” the pegasus sobbed, holding him close. He tried to reach a paw to wrap around her, but he couldn't even feel it. “Oh Discord...”
“Fluttershy...” His voice was so thin and fading fast. “I'm so sorry... I've made...so many mistakes in my life...but the biggest was giving you up.”
The pegasus felt her heart breaking, but she still gave him a smile of absolute maternal pride. “You saved us, sweetie. You saved us all...”
“I had to...” Discord whispered. “I couldn't...let him get to you.. I had to make up for it in the end.”
“Don't you be saying nothing about an end!” Applejack tried to snap, her voice choked and shaking. “This ain't no end! You're gonna be back to your annoying self and raising hay again in no time!”
“I wish that were true,” he said softly. “But I...I can't feel most of my body right now...”
Twilight's horn shone desperately, trying every healing spell she knew. Several minor scrapes were mended, but it was no use. She didn't know how to heal what was surely many internal injuries. “I-I can't do anything." What kind of princess was she, when she couldn't save the life of her friend? "I..I can't help."
Discord was having a hard time just keeping his eyes opened. “Save your magic, Twilight,” he told her. “You're going to have to use it...for when you try to repair...this town.” He glanced almost playfully at the wreckage. “And the building...that fell on me.” His eyes fluttered again.
“Keep your eyes open!” Rainbow snarled at him, trying to clear all the rocks away. “Don't you dare go to sleep! You're the Spirit Of Chaos and nothing is going to get rid of you! I mean--!” She gave a choked laugh. “If we couldn't this can't!”
“You're stronger than this, darling,” Rarity whispered. “Just hold on.” Pinkie Pie said nothing and Discord just felt her slip her hoof into his paw, eyes shimmering with tears.
“Fluttershy, thank you....” Discord whispered, eyes brimming. “Thank you....for showing me what friendship was like...and that it was something that was meant for me too.”
Fluttershy broke down, sobbing into his face. He summoned a reserve a strength from Equestria knows where and pulled her tighter. “I love you...”
“I know...” he said quietly. “I love you too.”
Through blurry eyes Discord saw a pale shape suddenly in front of him, with her flowing mane and stricken, pained expression.
“Princess!” Twilight pleaded, choking on a sob. “Princess, you have to do something!”
Celestia felt her voice tighten in grief and the tearful princesses behind her bowed their heads. “I....I don't think I can, Twilight.” She didn't know a healing spell that was strong enough for this and if one even existed she'd have to find it. Discord didn't have that kind of time. Everyone's power had a limit. Unfortunately...this was Celestia's. She bent down next to Discord and he gazed sadly and softly at her.
“Celestia.... I'm sorry.”
“I know,” the princess whispered tearfully, bowing her head so deeply forward that their foreheads barely bumped. “I know you are.” Everyone bowed their head in grief as Discord grew limp in Flutteshy's hold and all was silent but Flutershy's sobs and soft, broken humming...as if she was simply lulling him to sleep.
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I'm moved, like to the left slightly.
4458639 I was so honestly confused at first but that made me laugh. Thank you! XD
wow that was good. I may cry.
HOW COME I CAN SIT THROUGH A MILLION CREEPY PASTA WITH A NEUTRAL EXPRESSION YET PONY FICS MAKE ME TEAR UP????????
4459172 PONIES INVOKE A LOT OF EMOTIONS MAN I FEEL YOU
4459209 SERIOUSLY I CAN READ CUPCAKES WITH A SMILE BUT THIS JERKS TEARS????
I'm not entirely sure what emotion I'm feeling right now, but I don't enjoy it.
You monster, you've made me like Discord more than I did before. How did you even do that, like really...?
... Why didn't Discord jump Tirek as he was draining the magic?
4459664 His magic? He was far too weak. He'd just been beaten
4459714
No, Twilight's magic... even if he can't physically jump onto his back, he can at least stab his claws into his hooves, right?
I admit it, that really touched me. Deeply inside. Not enough to cry, but I still can feel a lump in my throat while I write these lines. That was amazing. Action and emotion all at once. Seriously, great job.
4459830 Well he was being kinda crushed to death and was losing consciousness. And I'm quite certain with Tirek's size it would only feel like a mosquito bite
OMFG!!
aaaall those tears in my eyes slipped down on my bed ... everythings wet now
OOOOH GOOOOOOOOOOD
MY FEEEEEEEEEEEELLS
Might wanna fix that.
Otherwise? Very good effort.
This certainly brought the feels. I think this is probably one of my favorite of the finale-inspired stories. I do kinda wish you'd done the version where he survived, because I really do like your hurt/comfort fanfics, but sometimes stories should end tragically, and I applaud you for having the courage to do it.
4461094
... How is he being crushed to death? Tirek's completely ignoring him.
4461486 Oh I thought you meant when he was in his fist. Bear in mind Discord was just dropped from quite a height and he's already weak. Plus Tirek's size at this point is hundreds of feet above him and Discord is the size of a hamster. He wouldn't even be able to inflict damage with no magic (as at this point he has none). Even if he did bite him it'd be no more than a mosquito bite through hooves that big and thick
4461471 It somehow felt like it would have more of an impact if he did die, horrible as I felt writing it. I expected to get a lot of hate for killing a character (and I kinda have) so I was scared to put this story up tbh. xD; Because I know how much Discord is loved..
This story hit me right in the feels. You've got good aim. But... if I put the feels aside there are some issues.
Characterization was... off. Discord was the Self Sacrificial Knight and was much too consistent for a Spirit of Chaos. Even if he felt a need to redeem himself he's not stupidly chivalrous. If he has a debt to pay back I don't believe that he would attempt to compensate through a seemingly useless gesture. What is the point of trying to pay someone back if you fail? No - I believe the episode was more in character for him. Then again I believe he was manipulating everyone throughout the entire episode (and planned to have his power stolen), so it is what it is.
Overall I liked the fic, I just think you idealized things too much.
The Opinion of
- A simple Extra
4461836
Yeah... still. Better than standing in front of him imo... but Discod never did make sense.
4461845
I feel like there's three ways to kill a character. If a character is killed because the author doesn't like them, that's hateful, and I despise it. Even if the character is a villain, it is generally quite hateful. If the character is killed as an afterthought, or as part of someone else's story (the infamous "women in refrigerators" issue, though in MLP fandom it would be more likely a guy in a refrigerator), I would expect fans of that character to be up in arms, although those who are not fans of that specific character probably wouldn't care. But if the character is killed by an author who loves the character, who is trying to write an emotionally satisfying or heartwrenching death for that character, that's entirely different. I love those stories, even if they are very painful. (As long as they're well written. I've seen a few where the author's sympathy was obviously with the character who died, but the whole thing was just written so badly or with so little regard for the character's abilities... like a fan-written sequel to Cupcakes where Pinkie kills Fluttershy and Discord, in which apparently you can disable Discord's powers by tying his fingers together so he can't snap them. Funny how often I see Discord use his powers without snapping his fingers, then... That one was just terrible.)
You're probably right that the whole sacrifice thing is stronger if he dies. It's hard to do; I know from personal experience. I killed off Q in a fanfic once as a heroic sacrifice and he wouldn't shut up about it afterward. (I had to do a followup where he wrote a letter to Picard just before he died, because otherwise the character kept nagging me in my head, complaining about being dead. :-))
That almost made me cry =(
Friends to the end... the end
And Discord's head went limp, falling backwards until his horns dragged upon the dirt. His body held up entirely by the minor strength of a crying, butter yellow pegasus. His tongue shot out of his mouth and lolled to the side, making a 'blegh' sound as it did so. The simple act seemed to confuse the girls, silencing their tears.
"I can't help him," Princess Celestia said "because he isn't hurt."
Discord groaned. "Thanks a lot Tia! You always know how to ruin my fun..."
AND THEY ALL LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER!
AND NO ONE DIED!
EXCEPT TIREK!
BECAUSE HE IS A MEANY POOPY BUTT!
AND I AM NOT CRYING!
The feels...(cries)
THEEEEE FEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELS!!!
*Sniff*
NO, I'M NOT GONNA DO IT, DAMMIT!
Third story I've seen that has this cover image. Here's to hoping that the fandom doesn't turn this into another "crying Rainbow Dash."
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(source)
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Bravo, well written and tear producing. Bravo!
Nope, you have not fazed me, I have a heart of steel!
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Fluttercord.....
Way to put me in shock and want to cry for hours on end... Well done.
So sad
. And ... and they loved each other
4469307
Maybe not. It could be friend-love. I prefer it that way. And see? No romance tag.
4468690 Ditto, baby.
awww sad D:
but it was really well written like all your stories and honestly i could not think of another ending for this. but don't let that stop you from making a sequel to bring him back :P
now excuse me while i go cry in the corner for a bit.
Dem feels man...
Hello. This is a very good story. Very well written. I have but one question. Could I by any chance write a small Alternate Ending story? One in which Discord survives, albeit badly wounded, to be cared for by the Bearers? It's alright if you say no.
Watch Discord come back up and yelled "HA GOT YOU GOOD!"
4860623 You may~
Okay. Okay. I approve.
I cried big ol baby tears I love discord he's my favorite charicter rip equs discord 312.4157.5671 you will be missed
I watched the episode before I directly read this in order for me to invest more.................
....................this hit me in the feels at the appropriate moments, especially that last sentence. Tears roll from my eyes as I write this. Well written, Chrissy. Well written.
HELPME
I'M
FEEEELING
8999221
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9O1GLZ-mYsI