Chapter 9 - A Choice Called Destiny
Scion of Chaos – Chapter 9: A Choice Called Destiny
By: SilentBelle
Sweetie Belle hunkered down in her hiding place--a thick shrubbery, whose actual name was a mystery of little significance to the filly, for she had deemed to think of it simply as, 'Annoying Bush'. Its stiff branches prodded at Sweetie Belle, causing multiple itches that she dared not attempt to relieve, lest her cover be blown.
She attempted to swallow her nervousness, but it seemed to remain as a lump in her throat. The filly wondered at how she hadn't been found yet. Her own heartbeat sounded as loud as a shout, her breath echoed like thunder in her eardrums, and she silently cringed at every slight movement she made as she adjusted her position in the bush.
Why is it that only when you need to be quiet, that you become so loud?
From her makeshift refuge, the unicorn looked up at the source of her current dilemma. Not fifteen feet away, she could see Rainbow Dash hovering back and forth, pausing to squint at nearby plants. To Sweetie Belle's eyes the pegasus glowed contrastingly to the surrounding plant life; Rainbow Dash held the form of a pale and refined shadow, that slipped between the wild energies about her, with the natural grace of an athlete.
“I could have sworn I heard something around here,” the pegasus muttered to herself as she landed and looked off into the distance. “How the heck am I supposed to find a filly in here? I can barely see and it's the middle of the day!”
A slight feeling of relief washed over Sweetie Belle, perhaps she wasn't making as much noise as she thought.
“Ah, if it isn't Rainbow Dash,” Scoddri chimed in, much to Sweetie Belle's dismay.
Panic swept over her in an instant. What if other ponies can hear him, what if he tells Rainbow Dash that I'm here? Her thoughts quickly began to flood her mind as she awaited Rainbow Dash's reaction.
“Wait a sec,” the pegasus said in mild excitement, turning about face and sniffing at the air. “What's that smell?”
“Oh, I wonder if she's caught the scent of a travel-stained filly.”
“It smells like,” the cyan mare paused before giving another sniff, “lightning.” She turned her eyes to examine the bark of a nearby tree. “Hmm, no storm clouds out here, even with the freaky, random weather. But this tree was definitely hit by lightning, and that would add up with the sound I heard earlier. Then that must mean, it was a monster. Show yourself! I know you're out there, whoever you are!”
“You make a most terrifying monster, my dear,” the voice mocked with a laugh, as Sweetie Belle's anxiety swiftly turned to irritation, with a single roll of her eyes.
“Won't show yourself, huh? Well, it only makes sense that any monster in this place would be stunned by my sheer awesomeness.”
“Oh, is it true? Are you hiding yourself from her overflowing elegance and poise? Are you so jealous of a pony as perfect as the greatest flier in all of Equestria, that you, a courageous Cutie Mark Crusader, would rather brave the brambles of a bush than be subjected to her stunning superiority?”
“Oh, come on,” the words slipped out from the filly's mouth before she could catch them.
“Woah!” the rainbow-maned mare jumped at the sound, but recovered quickly, and turned directly toward the unicorn's hiding spot. “Sweetie Belle, is that you? What are you doing in a bush?”
The filly huffed her derision as she pulled herself free from the bush, which was a tougher task than entering it had been. With a half minute of scrambling and a few pulled hairs, Sweetie Belle managed to free herself from her impromptu bluff and stared at Rainbow Dash indignantly.
“This is all your fault!” the unicorn said accusingly.
“Must I always be blamed for other ponies' shortcomings?” the voice retorted in good spirit.
“Um, sorry? Sweetie Belle, are you okay?” Rainbow Dash asked, with a quirked eyebrow. “You look kinda... well... messy.”
“I wasn't talking to you!”
“Oh, that's good to hear, for a second I thought that you were angry with me.”
“Uh, we're the only ponies around. Who else would you be talking to? A tree?” A nervous confusion settled into the pegasus' voice.
“I was talking to...” Sweetie Belle let out a sigh of frustration. “You know what? Forget it. You wouldn't understand.”
With that retort, the filly quickly turned and stomped off into the surrounding forest in her frustration.
“Oh, but I do understand, my dear, you just wanted someone else to blame for your own mistake. It's a completely understandable situation.”
Rainbow Dash's look of confusion only deepened as the filly laboriously made her way through the undergrowth. With a rainbow streak, and a rush of wind, Sweetie Belle's path became obstructed in an instant.
“Woah, hold it squirt. Where do you think you're going? I'm here to bring you back to the others, I think you've spent enough time in this creepy forest.”
“And who asked you to bring me back, huh? Oh, wait, let me guess. Could it have been Rarity? 'Oh, Rainbow Dash, please you must bring my sister back, you must, you MUST!' Well did it ever occur to you that I don't want to or even need to be rescued?”
“I do suspect that you wouldn't mind being rescued from Rainbow Dash, though,” the voice quipped in amusement. “Oh, the irony.”
“Look, kid,” Rainbow Dash said levelly, as her gaze darkened. “I don't know what sort of squabble you got into with your sister, or even why you ran away in the first place. But I promised Rarity that I would bring you back,” she said as she flared her wings out in emphasis, “and that's exactly what I intend to do. So come on, I'll take you back to the others.”
“No,” the filly stated, just as levelly. “I made my choice just like you made yours and I'm not going home yet.”
“Oh for the love of- Look, Sweetie Belle, this isn't some kind of game that you think it is. You could get hurt out here, in fact it's a miracle that you're still in one piece after a whole day. Besides, your sister is worried sick, I've never seen Rarity so upset, honestly, it's horrible. How do you think she'll feel if you don't come back?”
“I know how she feels,” Sweetie Belle muttered.
“Oh, do you now?”
Sweetie Belle opted not to respond to the irksome voice and followed up. “But that just means that you can go back and tell her I'm fine, and that I promise I'll be back soon.”
“I'm sorry, but that's not gonna cut it. I made a promise, kid, and I never go back on a promise.”
“And what makes you think I'd go back on mine?!” the filly seethed in indignation. “Is my promise worth less than yours, because I'm still a filly? Because I'm just some dumb kid who doesn't need to keep her promises?”
“Woah, settle down. What promise are you talking about?”
“The promise I made to myself,” she replied fiercely, her emerald eyes gazing directly at the pegasus. “I promised to follow through, and I will. I left for a reason, and I'll be back when I'm done. And not a moment sooner!”
Rainbow Dash looked down at Sweetie Belle. The pegasus' expression turned slightly pensive as she studied Sweetie Belle, but the unicorn only redoubled her resolve and stared her down unflinchingly.
With a bow of her head to the smaller pony, Rainbow Dash brought forth her own look of determination and a small smirk. “It's decided then. I'll just have to bring you back, whether you want to or not.”
Before Sweetie Belle could so much as blink, the pegasus before her sprung into action. In a sweeping dash of colour that swept past her periphery, she felt the mare grab her firmly from behind. With quick and powerful wing-beats, the two rose from the ground. In a mere moment they were amongst the heavy canopy of the forest.
Sweetie Belle felt panic well up inside her with each passing second as they rose in altitude. As soon as she recovered from the moment of surprise, she began acting with nervous energy. She started to flail about in Rainbow Dash's firm grip, attempting to break free from her powerful hold; however it proved to be futile, as the unicorn's bucks and kicks were met with naught but open air and leaves.
“Rainbow Dash, let me go!” she shouted, which seemed to produce the same effect as her flailing did.
I have to escape before we get too high, she thought, as the thick, vibrant, glow of branches and leaves began thinning out. Even if I fall from here it could be too far.
Out of desperation, Sweetie Belle stopped her struggling and hurriedly focused upon her magic. As quickly as she could, the unicorn grasped at the numerous leaves that surrounded her, and pulled at their magic, gathering it and holding it tightly.
Then suddenly, the blinding light of day caught the unicorn in the eyes as they burst through the canopy. In a sea of endless green, the forest stretched on as far as she could see. With a rush of wind, she became suddenly aware that that there was nothing between her and the sea of trees beneath her, and were it not for Rainbow Dash's vice-grip, the filly would have already fallen to her demise.
In that moment, she knew with certainty that she was going to fall. The forest below called up to her as thousands of beckoning spikes. Quivering from the sudden height, Sweetie Belle held tightly upon the only thing she could, the forest's magic that she had gathered just moments before.
“No, put me down,” she demanded weakly.
“I will when we get back to the others, and not a moment sooner.”
Sweetie Belle shut her eyes, hoping she could forget she was hundreds of feet above the ground. But it was no use, the rhythmic pulse of wing-beats only sharpened her keen awareness that she was so far above the ground.
I just want to be on the ground again.
She tried her best, through gritted teeth and tightly pressed eyelids, she told herself that she was on the ground, in the forest. She wasn't hundreds of feet in the air, she was in the shade of the trees, standing amongst the bushes. The sound of thousands of blowing branches and leaves were coming from above her, not below.
In the next moment, a shiver rippled through her body, causing her to gasp and open her eyes. Before her, the world melted and swirled together. The sky, the treeline, the sun and the clouds. They spun around her until she could no longer tell which direction was up or down, and she could no longer be sure of where she was.
Sweetie Belle looked down to her hooves, wondering if she was standing on solid ground, or if she was still in the air. Or she attempted to, but the array of shifting colours before her moved all of their own accord. She couldn't tell the colours apart any more, she could just feel them, as a swirling vortex around her, dizzying and disorienting.
“Girl! Remember where you are!” a voice echoed through her.
Whose voice is that? Where am I?
“The forest, girl, remember the forest!”
The trees, glowing vibrant against the darkness, she began to remember, as the image began building itself around her. The colours reformed, shifting into place as if she were watching a master painter over the course of a month of solid working. More trees, bushes, grasses, the hidden birds, the burble of distant stream. And me, I'm sitting in the grass there, on the edge of the forest looking at a thorny shrub, all of its berries plucked free.
With a gasp, she felt air fill her lungs, as the image around her solidified. The scents, the sounds, the taste of fresh forest air, they all assailed her at once, knocking her off-balance. She lost her footing and rolled onto her side, coming to rest amongst the forest floor.
“Ugh,” the filly groaned as she blinked a few times. “What happened?”
“Hah! That was just priceless, you should have seen the look on Rainbow Dash's face when you teleported away like that.” Scoddri said with a hearty guffaw. “For that matter you should take a look at yourself. Your mane-style is the spitting image of primordial chaos.”
“I teleported? What do you mean?”
“A very practical, and exceedingly dangerous skill. How fortunate that you were able to piece yourself back together.”
“Piece myself back together?” she questioned the voice while rubbing her forehead. A severe sense of dizziness had befallen the filly. “Woah, why's everything spinning so fast?
“It's a minor side-effect of teleportation I am afraid. After all, you did just lose your body for a short while. Having all your senses disappear, then reappear, can prove to be quite the jarring experience. Many who try it are never quite the same afterward.”
“So then, will the spinning stop?” she asked fearfully. She didn't want to think about living the rest of her life feeling like the ground was moving underneath her.
“Oh, that's just vertigo, it will go away soon enough. Though it seems your other problem won't, my dear.”
“What's that supposed to mean?” the unicorn inquired while blinking repeatedly. Blinking seemed to help.
“Well, unless I am mistaken, a certain filly recently declared, quite defiantly, that she was going to stay away from Ponyville until she learned how to control her magic.”
“Yeah, and I just got away from Rainbow. I said I wouldn't return until I've learned how to use my magic properly, and I'm sticking to that.”
“Indeed, and that forms crux of your problem, my dear. Rainbow Dash knows where you were, and it won't take too long for her to lead the rest of her friends over here,” the voice warned in dark amusement. “I do wonder, where are you planning on running to next? You won't be able to stay at the ruins, they'll find you there for sure.”
“Um, I don't know,” Sweetie Belle admitted as she tried to stop her eyes from tracking the movement of the trees. “I don't even know where I am. I mean I know I'm in the Everfree, but if I had to find my way back home all alone, I don't think I could.” With a colouring of shame lighting her cheeks, the filly blinked a few more times before continuing. “But I know that you know where we are, so that means that you can lead us away from Ponyville.”
“So you turn to the voice inside of your head to lead you in the right direction? My girl, you continue to amuse me. Very well then. Once again, I shall guide you with my abundant wisdom and knowledge. I hope you enjoyed your little siesta in the grass, girl, because that's the last bit of rest you'll be getting before sundown. Now on your hooves!”
Sweetie Belle groaned as she pulled herself upright. Though, much to her surprise, the world wasn't spinning nearly as much as it had been only moments ago, and after a few small steps, the feeling all but vanished.
“Well, at least I'm on the ground. I don't think I ever want to go flying again.”
“Could this brave filly, the one who faced down a mighty owlbear, be afraid of heights?” the voice called out in mock-astonishment, “the terrors of gravity truly are terrifying indeed.”
“I'm not afraid of heights, I just don't like flying,” Sweetie Belle clarified. “I'm just fine climbing up a mountain or tree, but with flying, I have no control over it. It just feels like I'm going to fall.” The feeling was still fresh in her mind: her hooves dangling in the open space above the sea of green trees; the tree tops churning in the breeze, ready to swallow her whole. No! She refused to think about it any further.
“Say, Scoddri, which way are we going anyway?” the unicorn asked, trying to distract herself.
“Away from Ponyville,” he said plainly. “I will tell you when you need to change directions, until then, just straight ahead. Oh, and do make sure to keep in mind where the river is, unless you think it prudent that you march onward while facing the plight of dehydration.”
Sweetie Belle simply nodded, though inside, she was secretly glad that she didn't have to figure out where she was headed. She knew that without Scoddri, snide and cruel as he could be, she would be lost and alone. In places like this, she thought to herself, friends make all the difference.
End of Chapter 9
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A monkey wrench thrown into her plans? Yes! Now things shall get interesting once again! Great chapter!
Just finished reading this and all the previous chapters, I'm quite delighted that I found this story.
996391
I am very pleased that you find it worthwhile. Thank you for reading.
In places like this, she thought to herself, friends make all the difference.
ooh, poor Sweetie Belle. Discord, you troll, driving her away from her friends and into the god-forsaken jungle.
So what does Discord hope to accomplish with this? That's the major question here.
He could be angling for his freedom. Maybe. But one would think that if that was truly his goal, he'd have mentioned it by now (aside from that story). He might just be trying to bring more chaos, in which case, it's certainly working. Or maybe, just maybe, he's just doing it because he wants to teach, and Sweetie Belle happens to be the first potential student. Or perhaps a combination of those last two: added chaos with a student to boot. This last, as unlikely as it sounds, I think may well be the case, in which case bravo, you have made me actually like the idea of a somewhat lighter and softer Discord.
1018572 You fail to realize that he also may get small revenge on two of those dratted Element Bearers: Twilight by helping Sweetie to learn a type of magic that even Twilight, who's special talent itself is magic, doesn't even know of and is unable to use. Rarity by taking her beloved sister away from her and making her worry, even if only for a short time.
Then again, he could just be bored.
It seems that by insisting on keeping her promise, Rainbow Dash has unwittingly driven Sweetie Bell away from the relative safety of the ruins, and back into danger within the Everfree Forrest.
1018572
Not sure where the author's going with this, but if Discord used to be a pony, perhaps he saw magic like this Sweetie Belle does. Or maybe he's transferring some of his abilities over for fun. Or maybe he's just altering her perception of reality.
Whatever the case may be, I think he's doing this because he's genuinely bored and/or forever alone.
Syntax dictates you still need the 's' after the apostrophe unless the name ends in an 's'.
Society of Syntax Socialists,
-Onyx
I finally got off of my butt and got this review done. I actually had gone ahead and finished the story beforehand because I had gotten tired of myself waiting til days or weeks later to get the dang chapter review done. I find that this chapter has its major strong points but a bit of a weakness in it that threw me off track a pit with Sweetie’s character.
1) You kept to Rainbow Dash’s personality from the show and her history to jumping to the wrong conclusion when she wondered if lightning on the tree was caused by a monster like when she called Twilight a spy in the first episode of the show.
1) I don’t know if it was because of Sweetie arguing with Discord and was getting angry over it at the same time of talking to Rainbow, but I found Sweetie’s treatment of Dash was a bit too far because it was almost like she didn’t care how Dash felt, which we know is not the case. I can’t give an example because you do this really well later on but I can’t say anything without spoiling it for people who have yet to read further on.
1) Hearing Sweetie Belle comment to Rainbow saying that her promise wasn't as good as Rarity’s reminded me a lot about my OC Crystal.
2) From Sweetie talking to herself, I think Rainbow would think that Sweetie was going a little crazy.
Other than the conclusion of Rainbow Dash’s cliffhanger, it showed that Sweetie was adamant about not returning to Ponyville until her magic was under control and that is the whole point of this story in the first place and it kept to it.
I’m going to give this chapter a 9.2/10.
2779238 The question still stands: for what nationality could Twilight owe her allegiance if not Equestria, and if so, what nation is she spying for?
my fav chapter so far. the dash and sweetie moments were great and discords comments were funny. sweeties developments are getting good. great work as always.
Wow. Shock and awe is the pegasus motto.
I think dash may be on the brunt end of shock.
While sweetie belle is all in awe.
Indent
_________
This AU of Sweets is one of the greatest versions of sweets.
I like this version of Discord
8026741
Yes so do I, although I like Discord a lot as a character in general so maybe I'm a little biased.
9226662 I-
What?