The World That Time Forgot

by Spike394

Ch 6: A King's Sorrow

Gaia: approx. 1004 C.E: Equestria: Ponyville: Twilight Sparkle’s Castle

Twilight was going through all the new books she had. Since Tirek had destroyed her Library. She had asked Celestia to send her collection from her old home in Canterlot. Her collection was much larger in the Canterlot library than the one she had in Ponyville. Though now her new castle had a lot of room for books and other learning materials. In fact. Celestia and Luna both gave her permission to study spell books that were previously banned from the young mare. This gave her an even wider selection to study and collect. Tonight was going to be an all nighter once again as she studied a new spell. This particular one was supposed to allow her to create clouds that were immune to Pegasi magic. She had everything set up, and all was quiet in Ponyville, so she had complete focus. Her horn began to glow a bright purple before it began to change to yellow. Puzzled she went cross eyed to stare at her horn. “Well that’s weird. Let’s try again.” She said to herself as she powered up the spell again. Her horn began to glow and change to bright purple before it became yellow. She shook her head and tried again. Concentrating really hard this time, she powered up the magic for the spell and once again it changed to a bright yellow color. “Oh what the heck is wrong with this thing!?” She violently shook her head and tried once more. She powered up her horn. This time when it changed color she ignored it. Fully charging the spell, her horn went from yellow to red and she shot the energy into the center of the room. Once she had opened her eyes she was startled by what she saw. “What in the world!?” Her entire room had turned into a cloud! Carefully moving back to her table, still not used to being able to walk on clouds, she began to read her spell book on how to reverse the spell. While she was nearing the end of the reading, her room suddenly went back to normal and she found herself face to face with two large round yellow eyes. “Ah! Discord What are you doing!” She shrieked.

He had entered the darkened home and found absolutely nobody home, no animals, no Angelbunny, and no Fluttershy. Discord had literally turned the cottage upside down and shook it furiously. Furniture and kitchenware and just about everything in the home was shaken out of the tree. Slamming the tree down he teleported straight into Twilights room and stared her right in the eyes with a look of panic. “Where did she go!”

“Wha-where did who go?” A frightened Twilight asked him.

“My dear Fluttershy! Where could she possibly have gone!? She said that she would be waiting for me when I got back to the cottage. Well guess what!”

“Um…she wasn’t there?” Twilight responded.

“Bingo! She was gone! Along with her animals and even that pest!” He yelled.

“You mean Angel Bunny?” She tried to correct him.

“That’s what I just said Twilight!” Discord had set her down and was pacing back and forth at this point. He couldn’t think straight. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong. He could feel it. Fluttershy wouldn’t just up and leave. Something was off. Something he was missing. Just then there was a knock on Twilights door. Discord snapped his fingers and Spike immediately flashed into the room. Above Twilight’s bed, Spike floated there right before he fell into the cushions. He was holding an old envelope.

“What do you have there for me Spike?” Discord heard Twilight ask the little dragon as he jumped off of the plush bed and walked over to her. Discord was still pacing back and forth. He had a lot on his mind and these two so far hadn’t helped him.

“I don’t know. It’s a letter designated to you Twilight, but it doesn’t say who from. Derpy dropped it off late this afternoon on her way back to the post office and gave me a paper with specific instructions. The instructions told me not to hand this to you until Discord was in your room.” Spike handed Twilight Sparkle the envelope and took a step back. He was eyeing Discord with suspicion. He didn’t like the way Discord had informally poofed his way into Twilights chamber like this.

Twilight opened the letter and read aloud…

“Dear Twilight. I hope its ok for you to have received this letter this late at night. I really would have hated to have inconvenienced you by sending it this late. But I had to make sure I had already disappeared. I missed all of you very deeply. I even visited Ponyville from time to time just to catch a glance of you all working and having fun. Though I wish I could have seen you some more. I lived a great life despite being displaced by those nasty Weeping Angels. I renamed myself Buttercup and met a huge Griffin named Treasure Ward. He was a lot nicer than Gilda. Speaking of which I watched her parents grow up and move away, funny how when they talked about me being their nanny to Gilda that she grew up the way she did. Anyways, I ended up marrying him and we had a son named Storm. He’s a very prolific athlete now. I lived through so many historical events. It was tough living here in Cloudesdale trying to avoid my younger form, but by then I was already a very old mare. About as old as Granny Smith. You’ll have received this letter sometime after I have died. I think the last time I will get a chance to see you all will be this upcoming Summer Sun Celebration when Luna comes back. I know it’s already happened but good luck defeating Nightmare Moon, Twi. One last thing. Please tell Discord I loved him and to take care of Angel Bunny for me. I made Angel run away with the other animals into the Everfree forest when the scary statues appeared.

Sincerely Forever,

Fluttershy Ward (Shimmer)”

Twilight was confused about what she just read. She had no Idea what this letter was saying. I mean she knew what the words were but she couldn’t figure out why it was written the way it was. Did this mean Fluttershy was on a trip, or was she sick, just what in the Hell did she just read. “Uuuuuh. So yeah that’s what it said.” Twilight mumbled. Completely confused she kind have stood there. Suddenly the letter flashed out of magic and into Discord’s claws.

He was reading the letter over and over again. His heart frozen to a halt. Twilight was trying to piece together what she just read, but he knew. Oh yes…he already knew. Outside, the stars blinked out almost at once. The bright and beautiful night sky turned dark and decrepit as if the life was sucked right out from it. A red glow engulfed the town as thunder beneath the ground began to roar. The entirety of the town became twisted and corrupt. Two Weeping Angels flashed into the center of town and Discord appeared in front of them. They both had their faces covered with their hands. “So?” Discord asked in a very sinister voice. The very air thick with hate as his body radiated his wrath. “You decided to kill Fluttershy of all ponies to choose from. Why? Was it because she lived far from the other villagers? So she was an easy Target?” Darkness began to surround the Angels as he talked. “I know what you are. I know how to make you suffer. I will put you in a dark place and torture you there until the end of time. Maybe then I’ll be satisfied with your punishment.” Summoning his throne he sat down and terrible, blood curdling screams rang out into the town of Ponyville. From the orb of shadows the Weeping Angels were being tortured mercilessly. Once in a while they would stop, as a sick joke he would heal them completely, give them a few seconds of hope, and then begin the process all over again.

Twilight was absolutely terrified of Discord. He never looked like this. Even the descriptions of his reign a thousand years ago, never depicted him as this tremendous. She wondered why he didn’t use this power against Tirek. She figured it was because this was a completely different situation than earlier that day. The town was in chaos. Inhabitants were running around trying to escape this ‘Hell on Gaia’. “Spike write a letter to Celestia and tell her that we need her and Luna to come to our help.” She was watching from her window that was slowly starting to blacken and crack. Spike wrote the letter and sent it, only to find it come back and completely fall to pieces from aging.

“Twilight! It won’t send!” Yelled spike from across the room.

“What!?” She turned around and watched as Spike repeatedly tried to send the letter to Celestia. “Try sending it to Princess Luna!”

“Ok!” Writing the letter one more time he sent it off to Luna and the page stayed gone. “Whew, well it worked that time. I wonder why it wouldn’t go to Princess Celestia.”

“I don’t know Spike. I hope something bad hasn’t happened to her.”

Gaia: approx. 1004C.E: Equestria: Sky Road: The sky above Ponyville

Luna was wondering what was going on to Ponyville as they approached the town. A large barrier had formed and the grass along the edges was smoldering. Landing with Nightshade by her side, the two ponies cautiously walked up with a slow gait. The Barrier pulsed with rage and anguish. For a split second Luna found herself wanting to break into tears. Shaking the feeling off, she put on a brave face for Nightshade. She spread her wings and her horn started to glow. Using her Alicorn magic she easily opened a hole in the barrier. Motioning to her elite, Nightshade stepped inside before her. With the hole closing, the two took a moment to watch. All around them, mass chaos was erupting everywhere. Luna watched in awe as the town continued to twist and turn under the corruption. Buildings were in spirals, flowerbeds blackened and burnt, everypony was grey and fighting each other, save the few who were the elements of harmony. “Come on Nightshade. We must calm Discord down before he decides to take this out on the rest of Equestria.” The two of them were walking towards the middle of the town where the sound of endless torture rang out into the air.

Gaia: approx. 1004 C.E: Equestria: Ponyville: Twilight Sparkle’s Castle

Twilight was terrified. Discord had snapped, and the whole town was paying for it. She could feel the corruption trying to spread to her. As an Element of Harmony she was able to fight off his chaos, but it was starting to affect her. Spike was seemingly unaffected by the corruption and was just fine except for the fact he was scared. From her blackened window she could see her friend Pinkie Pie running towards her castle. Going downstairs Twilight Sparkle found herself getting tackled by a very loud Pinkie.

“Twilight! Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God! Do you see what’s going on!?” Pinkie Pie yelled right into Twilights face.

“Yes…Pinkie…I see…what’s…happen…ing. Could you please…get off…of me?” All the air was being pushed out of her lungs as Pinkie practically jumped up and down on her.

“Oh sorry Twi.” Pinkie apologized before jumping off of her friend. “Everypony has gone crazy Twi. They’re attacking each other and fighting and just being big meanies to everyone and everypony.”

“It’s Discord’s doing. He snapped after a certain…letter…but we need to try and calm him down before he does something worse than what has happened to Ponyville. I tried to get into contact with Celestia and Luna but only the letter to Luna went through.” Twilight was looking drained of energy as she lead Pinkie out the door and they headed towards the center of town. “I fear that something terrible has happened to Celestia.”

“Yeah. That would be pretty bad.” Pinkie agreed and looked a little deflated as they approached the source of the screams.

Luna and Nightshade were about a block away from Discord when, suddenly, they were teleported to right next to his throne. Discord was still just sitting there and watching the area of shadow he created before he closed his eyes for a moment before talking to Luna.

“Beautiful isn’t it Luna? The sound of revenge?” Discord slightly opened his eyes and looked sideways at her. She was listening to the screams and turned to look into his eyes as she felt him look at her. They were dull and gray, not a speck of color shone in them. It was if he himself had become ‘Discorded’.

“N-no Discord it is not beautiful. It is horrifying. Whatever has made you do this! Who are you torturing!?” Luna demanded him to answer. As his answer he handed her an envelope and a scroll. She read Fluttershy’s letter and then Twilight’s message she was trying to send to Luna. Discord had intercepted the letter before it could get to Luna so he could hand it to her personally. Luna continued to read as the tortured yelling continued. All around her, the sound of fighting ponies and the destruction of the town filled her with such grief. Finishing the message, she looked up at Discord. He was silently sitting there now. Watching the flames engulf the town and listening to the screaming Weeping Angels inside the dark cloud of shadows, Discord shed a single tear. It slid down his cheek and dripped off his chin, hitting the ground with a loud sizzle. “Discord you must stop this at once. I may not know how you feel right now, but do you really think Fluttershy would have wanted this!?” Luna yelled at the King of Chaos, mostly out of terror of him.

Discord’s anger flared and the Princess of the night took a step back. “Do you think I care what she would have wanted!? She’s gone Luna! Dead and gone! These, these, creatures killed her! Snatched her up and killed her. While I was here in town! Making sure everything was in order! Just for her!” He stood up and loomed above the now cowering Luna. His rage was matched to nothing that had ever lived. “I helped the town for her! I agreed to reformation for her! I tried to catch Tirek for her! She believed in me and I failed her once. In the same day I failed to protect her a second time and now she is gone forever!”

Discord fell to his knees beside Luna and began to sob, just as Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie showed up. Luna wrapped herself around his neck and held him tightly. Jumping into the moment, the two ponies of the Elements of Harmony ran over and hugged Discord as well. Discord’s tears flowed down his cheeks as the three comforted him. The town around them was still deteriorating. “Discord. None of what happened was your fault tonight. Fluttershy lived a good life. You know if she was ever given the chance, she would have told you to do the same…for her sake. Please Discord. Calm yourself and save this town from this horrid state.” Luna asked him through her own set of tears. In a sudden flash of light, the town was returned to normal. The inhabitants though were still fighting, though now paused by the confusion of their town being restored and the night sky back in its proper state.

“The ponies will slowly return to normal.” Discord said, slowly standing up. “Unfortunately, I won’t…not for a long while.”

In the center of town square Luna spotted a pile of stone dust underneath where the dark cloud had been. “Oh Discord…” Was all Luna could say as she wiped her tears away. She turned to Twilight and Pinkie as Discord skulked away in the direction of Fluttersh…no…in the direction of Fluttershy’s old cottage. “I want you two, to follow him home. Make sure he gets settled in and comfort him.”

“Alright Princess Luna, we will.” Twilight replied as a silent Pinkie Pie followed her in tow, heading after Discord.

Nightshade walked up to his leader and asked. “Will you be alright my Princess?”

“Yes Nightshade. I will be fine.” With nothing els much to do here, Luna decided to help the ponies regain order before she went to go ask Twilight to raise the sun for the morning after the later hours of the night. She found herself recalling a war between the Changeling and Equestrian Empires about 700 years ago as she did boring task after boring task. It was magnificent, probably the only time she was proud to be Nightmare Moon…

Author's Note:

This was a difficult one to write. I hope I kept them all in character as well as possible. Hope y'all liked it. I wasn't too sure how this chapter was gonna play out but I think it finished rather smoothly Tell me your thoughts about it in the comments. I am interested to hear what you thought of this one.