Discord's Reign

by chief maximus

Ch.22 Laughter & Generosity Pt.1

DISCORD'S REIGN
Chapter 22-Laughter & Generosity Pt.1

The rope continued to fray around the trunk of the tree. Fluttershy's eyes darted from Shy to the wolf and back as she contemplated her next move. With a flick of the neck, she flung the blade expertly through the air toward its target.

The knife's tip hit the edge of the fraying rope hard, pinning it to the tree, and holding the wolf at bay for a few precious seconds. They were all she needed.

With a burst of speed, Fluttershy zipped between the wolf and her filly self, ready to defend Shy the only non-violent way she knew, the stare.

'This is my subconscious, so this thing should answer to me!' she reasoned as she squared herself toward the snarling timber wolf.

"Go! Go find food somewhere else!" Fluttershy demanded, the icy grip of her sea green eyes beginning to calm the ravenous animal. "You're not eating her!"

The wolf whimpered, baring its teeth in defiance. After what felt like eons, it finally broke eye contact and fled. Fluttershy watched it go, her confidence beginning to return. “Now let her go,” she demanded.

He obliged, although begrudgingly. Perhaps he hadn't given the timid pegasus enough credit.

“Such a pity,” Discord said, snapping his fingers and freeing the filly. “You actually had me thinking you were going to kill it for a moment.”

Fluttershy glared at the complacent draqonequus, wishing her Stare worked on him. Unfortunately, it didn’t. “Can I leave now?” she asked impatiently. Though she appreciated visiting her subconscious, Fluttershy was quite ready to be in the real world again.

"Yes, I won't stop you, but what is it you plan to do once you get back to reality?"

She raised an eyebrow in curiosity, "What do you mean? We're going to seal you back in stone...I mean...if its alright with...no, regardless of whether its alright with you!"

"Ah, right." Discord nodded taking a step aside from the archway to the outside world. "Well good luck with that!"

---

Who dared knock on her door at this hour? Didn’t anypony know she needed her beauty rest?

Rarity stirred underneath the sheets, forcing bleary eyes to focus on the door, where the incessant knocking originated from. She grimaced and pushed the silk sheets to the side, rolling out of the elegant four-poster bed.

Wait…four-poster bed? Even she couldn’t afford such a thing! For the first time, the unicorn registered her surroundings. The room’s décor was easily fit for royalty. Ornate, hoof-carved furniture and fine art was arranged tastefully around a massive stone fireplace, where embers still glowed.

"Ms Rarity!" a frantic stallions voice called from behind the door. "The grand opening is in twenty minutes!"

She hadn't recalled anything about an opening event, but when one wakes up in a hotel room one knows she can't possible afford, it's sometimes best not to ask questions.

Although she was certainly curious...

"You may come in." she instructed. After a moment, a young stallion pushed the door open, but kept his eyes tightly shut, as if it was a sin to gaze upon her.

"What is all this about a grand opening?" she asked.

The stallion frowned.

"Your casino, Ms. Rarity. After you opened your sixth boutique in Canterlot, you decided to 'expand your brand' and open a casino and entertainment complex."

Rarity sat on her flanks in awe. Did he say sixth Canterlot boutique?

"Oh! Allow me to select a formal gown and I'll be right out."

"Very good Ms. Rarity, I'll be right outside if you need anything."

The door closed softly, leaving her to peruse the closet. No doubt it was crammed with nothing but the finest in…

Rarity’s jaw dropped as she swung the door open. The walk-in closet seemed to stretch down the entire length of the room. Magnificent formal and evening wear filled it nearly to the brim, leaving little room for the dozens of tasteful accessories standing beside their respective dresses.

The unicorn slowly strode inside, examining each dress as she passed it. They were…flawless. Each one more fabulous than the last.

Rarity stopped before a glass case in the center of the closet, eyes shining to match the display lights. It was…it couldn’t be described as anything less than the perfect dress. Every stitch straight, every button and ornamental piece perfectly secured and in the proper spot. The colors blended perfectly and matched her coat and mane as if Celestia herself had commissioned the stars themselves to design it.

She let out a stream of school-filly giggles as she put it on and looked at herself in the mirror.

"Absolutely radiant!"

After a few more minutes of primping, she was ready for the public eye, her previous mission of stopping Discord with her friends now completely forgotten.

"I'm ready." she called opening the door.

A shorter unicorn stallion snapped to attention upon her appearance in the hallway. Rarity looked him over, after finally getting the chance. He was a certain shade of grey, like a heavy fog, or more like the mailmare in Ponyville. His mane was somewhat shaggy, though had a bouncy auburn color. His horn poked out through it as his similarly colored eyes met hers, only to retreat in embarrassment, as if he'd just interrupted something.

After a bit of awkward silence, the stallion spoke up, "The chariot is right outside to take you to the opening."

Rarity smiled. Though she had no idea how she had gotten into this situation, she was certain she didn't want to leave if she could help it.

"Excellent, lead the way...um...Forgive me, but what is your name again?" she asked sheepishly.

The stallion looked a bit hurt, but immediately hid his expression beneath a smile as he answered.

"Dailey Planner, Ms. Rarity. Your assistant...?"

Rarity nodded, as if it had just slipped her mind. “Of course, darling. Forgive me. It’s been a long day.”

A pair of elevator door opened before them with a dull ding, and the stepped inside. Rarity took a quick moment to admire the solid walnut paneling and mother-of-pearl inlay before realizing Dailey Planner seemed bored by it, if anything.

"Are you ready?" Dailey asked in an unfamiliar tone.

"For what?"

With that the doors opened, revealing a crowded lobby. Some ponies appeared to simply be hotel guests, but most of them had cameras around their necks. Rarity may not have been a big shot fashionista back in Ponyville, but she knew paparazzi when she saw them. Unfortunately, they apparently knew her when they saw her, too. A flood of hooves rushed the elevator as blinding flashes lit up the opulent lobby.

A pair of large stallions pushed their way through the crowd, and stood on either side, allowing her to get to the stretch chariot waiting outside.

The ponies love me! she thought happily, settling into the velvet seats. Dailey stumbled into the chariot behind her, nearly closing the door on a photographer’s hoof.

The interior was nearly as opulent as the hotel she had just left. A butler even waited inside with a tray of food and drinks.

This must be how the princessess live!

After a brief half hour, the limo pulled up in front of a red carpet, all manner of celebrities walking it, greeting fans and taking pictures before all eyes turned to the stretch chariot that had just arrived.

"Ms. Rarity, once you enter the casino, you'll play the inaugural hand of a game of your choice, and Lady Rarity's will be officially open for business!" Dailey added, confirming what he had said with a small black notebook he'd produced.

"Right. How do I look?" she smiled, wanting one last check before she graces the public with her presence.

Her assistant's jaw hung slack as he took her in. She could tell he was impressed, even though he had to have been at least five years her junior.

"Beautiful..."

Her door opened, the driver of the chariots white gloves holding the door for her as screams and camera flashes enveloped her.

"Fabulous," she said to nopony in particular as she stepped out of the vehicle and instantly became the center of attention. She absolutely loved the feeling of adoration that came with her apparent celebrity status. Every pony in Canterlot that mattered was represented at her opening, all of which stopped by at one point or another to give their congratulations on the opening of her newest enterprise.

This night was everything she could have ever wanted. It was perfect, almost like a dream of some kind.

After a few more minutes of basking in the love of her fans, she decided her hooves were tired of walking in such uncomfortable hoof-wear. Just because her ensemble looked fantastic, didn't mean it was comfortable.

The two door ponies opened the large double doors and allowed her onto the gaming floor, the neon lights and colorful games stretched as far back as the eye could see, though the peculiarity of such a building was lost on Rarity's unconscious mind.

A larger looking stallion in a snappy suit who identified himself as the 'pit boss' acted as her guide, showing her the games and asking if she was ready to try her hoof at any that struck her fancy. Rarity had never been much of a gambler, but she was at least somewhat familiar with table games.

Blackjack was always a pretty easy game, in fact she recalled her friend Rainbow Dash was quite good at it, and she had lost enough bits to her rainbow maned buddy to prove it. Still, if she had to play one game...

"Blackjack will do nicely."

"Excellent choice Ms. Rarity. Right this way..."

She followed the stallion to a table behind a velvet rope. Four other ponies had already been seated and appeared to be waiting on her to arrive so they could play.

She took the last available seat as the pit boss produced a stack of chips for her to use.

The dealer had his back to her, appearing to be shuffling the cards. He looked to be about her age, with a light green coat and purple mane.

Certainly an odd combination...

"Are you ready for your first hoof, Ms. Rarity?" he asked, still turned away from her.

"Yes darling." she added, as a server deposited a vodka and lemon martini beside her.

Rarity took a slow sip of the martini, closing her eyes in delight. Somepony was quite good at mixing drinks!

She looked back at the dealer to see if he was done yet, taking another sip.

She blinked. Discord grinned back at her, wearing a matching suit and bow tie. Rarity spit out her mouthful of martini in shock, although Discord simply reflected it back at her, soaking her mane.

Now it all made sense. The inexplicable hotel room, amazing dress and casino, all of it. The memories of the six of them and Luna teleporting to Canterlot to fight the deity before her all came flooding back.

"Discord!" she growled, indignant at not only being tricked, but also having her mane ruined. "I should have known!"

The embodiment of chaos chuckled. “Of all your friends, that reaction had to be the best.”

Rarity glared at him, barely registering that the other four players had suddenly vanished, along with the casino, leaving them alone at the table in an endless black void.

“Why the long face?” he asked, effortlessly juggling the cards. Several landed on his shoulder, where they flowed down his sleeve like water to rejoin the deck. After another moment, he slapped the deck onto the table.

"Care to cut the deck before we get started?" he grinned.

Glancing around her, Rarity realized she didn't have much of a choice but to go along with Discord's scheme.

"Fine."

She removed the top half of the cards and set them under the bottom half before quickly withdrawing her hooves, as if the god of chaos were likely to take them if she wasn't hasty enough.

Rarity held her glare, not daring to let him out of her sight even for a second.

"Alright then, lets play."

---

The unmistakeable echo of carnival music pricked up a set of pink ears as an earth pony with a penchant for parties stirred from an uneasy sleep. Napping wasn't something Pinkie was known for, or even liked to do. Abundant energy rarely allowed her any time for sleeping, not that she needed it.

A few hours of sleep seemed to always be more than enough for her. The smell of fried foods and funnel cake drew her to her hooves as she surveyed the bright tents and booths of a carnival in the distance, set in a huge open field. The weather was perfect for a few rides and some cheap food, and soon Pinkie found herself bouncing merrily towards the sound of laughing foals.

As she entered the fairgrounds ready to have fun, something struck her as odd. The moment she crossed the gate, all the joyful sounds and smells that beckoned her stopped, as if cut off from her senses. The park was full of ponies of all species and ages, but they weren't moving. In fact, they seemed to be frozen in place. Their colors still stood out, so Pinkie knew they weren't stone, but they simply held still, frozen in their actions. Some were even frozen in impossible positions, such as the pair of foals now suspended in the air, frozen in the midst of a jump of joy.

"Hello?" she asked, waving a hoof in front of the pony selling tickets. The unicorn stared blankly ahead, face frozen in a yawn.

"What is with everypony?" she wondered aloud as she moved deeper into the carnival. After she took a few steps, an eerie feeling began to crawl up her spine. She glanced over her shoulder, her heart skipped a beat. The ponies she thought had been frozen in place now craned their necks in her direction, their soulless eyes staring right through her.

The black pits boring into her soul put a lump in her throat as she continued to walk backwards, relived that they didn't appear to be moving while she looked at them.

She quickly looked back around and saw the ponies in front of her staring too, closer than she remembered them being when she had first turned. They were moving towards her while her back was turned! Realizing this, she whipped around only to see the first few ponies inches from her face.

Now she could get a good look at these...things.

She gasped.

They weren't ponies, that much she knew. No irises, pupils or even whites. Just large, impossibly dark orbs.

Pinkie shrank back in terror, unwilling to turn her back on them for fear of what they might do. Eventually, horror won out, and she fled through the first gap she spotted.

As she ran through the crowd of…things, she noticed with a dull sort of horror that they all sported the same cutie mark, if it could be called that: a capital ‘P’ that looked as though it had been carved into their flanks, through it had no depth or blood.

Pinkie fled farther into the carnival, passing hordes more of frozen patrons. As she galloped past, their eyes blackened, and their necks slowly turned to follow her.

As she ran, she could hear the thunder of hooves on ground behind her. A quick glance back and the mob of terror appeared frozen mid sprint, unmoving. Pinkie thought about keeping her eyes on them so she could run, but she knew she had to watch where she was going or-

She collided with a snack stand, sending the powdered sugar to cover the funnel cakes into her face.

Unable to see anything, she scrambled to rub the debris from her eyes.

As she kept her blurry eyes on the mob still frozen behind her, the organ music began again, only this time it carried with it a sense of comfort, of safety, on the breeze it floated. Pinkie felt drawn to it. After getting to her hooves, she continued her sprint, picking up even more followers as she went. She had no idea what they wanted, but did not want to stay and find out. Unfortunately, she feared just giggling at these particular ghosties wasn't going to cut it.

After a few more alleyways between stalls and tents, she found the source of the music, a big top in the center of the carnival.

Glancing behind her, she sighed having lost the mob. She didn't want to stay out in the open any longer than she had to, so the earth pony gladly ducked into the tent, a welcome reprieve from this bizarre circus.

The interior of the tent was quite musty, the smell of sawdust on the ground greeted her nose as well as the blasting of light into the main ring via unseen spotlights.

"Hello Pinkie Pie!" a voice echoed through the canvas castle.

The spotlight focused on Discord dressed in a ringmaster's outfit.

"I've been looking forward to this!" he added clapping his hands together.

Pinkie raised a confused eyebrow. "Discord? Oh..." All her memories came back to her, realizing this was most likely a result of the fog. Luckily for her, Pinkie had some experience delving into her subconscious. She had done so when she was very young to subdue a certain aspect of her personality that most found...rather unpleasant.

In her dreams she fought to hide what was arguably another persona all together. One that Discord had taken immediate interest in upon his arrival.

"Why are you in my head?"

"The fog, remember?" he asked producing one of Pinkies beloved pink clouds. "Thirsty?"

She wasn't sure how often she would get the chance to enjoy this particular treat once they locked Discord up again, so she took him up on the offer.

"How come you've been looking forward to me?" she asked in between gulps, not too concerned about her overall situation or the creepy pony-like things that had been chasing her earlier.

"Because my dear, you and I are the most alike!"

"I like making ponies happy, silly!" she informed him smiling. "You make ponies miserable, we're pretty opposite."

"Well, our professions not withstanding, I found a certain somepony imprisoned here and I thought you might enjoy a reunion with your childhood friend."

Pinkies ice blue eyes shot open. Her usually joyful expression now twisted into a furious glare. "I know, you didn't release her," she said gravely.

Discord simply smiled, "I'm afraid I did, but she's been wanting to talk with you for a while now, so being the good hearted fellow I am, I let her out. She did a wonderful job with your welcoming committee wouldn't you say?"

With that, another spotlight focused high above them, where a pink earth pony with a straight pink mane slowly descended on a tightrope.

Pinkie's eyes narrowed. "Pinkamena." she spat.

"Pinkie." the identical pony stepped off the rope smiling wryly. Her voice held similar to Pinkies, only with a much more somber tone and air about her. Not like the normally bubbly party planner at all. "It's been a long time."

"Not long enough, if you ask me." Pinkie huffed.

Pinkie had struggled for years to keep this little mental 'splinter' in check, and once she had, she decided to leave her parents rock farm for a life with a bit more excitement. Now, thanks to Discord, all that work would have to be redone. For the first time in her life, she felt a genuine anger build toward the two of them.

Pinkamena's grin widened, a feral glint in her eye, "You keep telling yourself that. You can push me back into the shadows, bury me in the deepest recesses of your mind and yet...I persist." she paused, taking in the full form of her identical counterpart.

"Why do you try to hide me? Are you ashamed of me? Ashamed of the part of you that helped shape who you are?"

"You did nothing but put me down!" Pinkie growled, "I'm a better pony because I got rid of you!"

"Is that right?" Pinkamena purred, sliding around behind her twin. "What is hiding beneath all that laughter, and that ridiculous, poofy mane of yours?"

Pinkie was transfixed by her voice, not speaking or moving as Pinkamena returned to face her. The straight maned pony stared into her eyes, as though into her very soul.

"Oh right. I, am what's hiding beneath the laughter. Just below the surface I've waited for the chance to finally get you on my terms, and here you are."

Pinkie finally found her voice. “You weren’t hiding anywhere! You’re just a Voice in my head! You. Aren’t. Real!

Pinkamena giggled maliciously at her rebuttal, "Deny all you want, you naive little filly. You know without me, you'd be nothing. It was I who drove you to move off your parents rock farm, it was I, who drove you to seek out something better than what we had, and you repay me by attempting to purge me from your consciousness?

"Well, that's gratitude, I guess." Pinkamena added.

"Nopony liked you Pinkamena, that's why you had to go!"

"I didn't care whether anypony else liked me!" the straight maned earth pony stepped forward, her teeth barred in anger, "I only cared that you did." she hissed.

Discord smiled. He’d known there was some history between the two, but never realized it would be quite this…colourful. Or that Pinkamena’s history would mirror his so closely.

“We were best friends back then!” the repressed figment continued. “We didn’t need anypony! But you sent me away, never to see you again…”

"Until now." Pinkie completed.

For a moment, she felt a pang of guilt. What she had done seemed a lot more mean-spirited now, when she was confronted by a face, with actual feelings, instead of just a whispering voice in the back of her head.

Then she remembered why she had banished Pinkamena in the first place. Any time Pinkie had felt proud of an accomplishment, or felt happy in any way, she heard Pinkamena’s voice in the back of her mind, a nagging negativity that always tried to pawn off her accomplishments, and generally rain on her parade. It had pushed her nearly to the point of depression before she finally decided enough was enough and drove the figment into the depths of her subconscious.

"Now you've got your real friends. Applejack, Twilight, Rainbow and the like." she added, coming closer to Pinkie, the party pony unfazed by her advances.

"I see them. All the fun times, the happiness, the laughter. I've seen it all. I know everything you do.All the adventures, all the good memories…things I’m only allowed to see from the inside looking out."

Pinkie bit her lip. “Would it…would it help if I said I was sorry?”

Her counterpart actually seemed amused by the idea. “Sorry? You’re sorry? That’s just supposed to make everything better?”

“I just-“

“Do you have any idea what it’s been like in here? Watching you laugh, play, party the night away…while being cut off from it all?”

“Pinkamena, listen to me-“

“No, you listen,” Pinkamena snarled. “I’ve watched you carry on, oblivious to my pain, for nineteen years. Discord here’s offering me an opportunity to escape. And you know what? I’m going to take it!”

Pinkie stiffened. “What? No! You can’t do that!”

“I don’t think you have a say in the matter,” Pinkamena snarled. “I sure didn’t.”

“But…then Discord will win.”

The repressed figment snorted. “As if I care. He promised me freedom. You just promised me a prison.”

“I’m sorry for what I did to you, really!” Pinkie yelled, tears starting to track down her cheeks. “But Discord’s going to destroy Equestria! What’s the point in controlling my body if everything’s going crazy?”

That gave Pinkamena pause. “Is this true?” she asked the draconequus.

Discord shrugged. “In a sense. What does it matter? I help you, you help me.”

Pinkamena’s eyes narrowed. “Letting the world burn was not part of my plan.”

“Since when did your plan have anything to do with it? You’ve never been in control.”

The repressed figment glared at the deity, her rage reaching a slow boil. “You…you played me for a fool! Did you even plan on helping me?”

Discord shrugged. “Well, I may as well come clean. I was only planning on helping you as long as it benefitted me.”

“Well, not any more!” Pinkamena snapped. “We’re done!”

Discord frowned. This certainly wasn't going according to plan. But as the old saying goes, when a door closes, a window opens.

“Well, you two are no fun,” he complained, snapping his fingers, and bringing up the house lights in the circus tent. “Looks like I’ll have to start the party myself.”

To both pink ponies’ horror, the stands were crammed with the things that had chased Pinkie on the way in. A swarm of black eyes slowly turned toward them, and they began shuffling toward the center of the ring.

Before long they found themselves surrounded on all sides by a horde of ravenous monsters.

"Pinkamena, you can stop them whenever you feel like it!" Pinkie said getting more and more nervous as they approached.

"I've been trying! They aren't listening to me anymore!"

"Well this is an interesting scenario isn't it? Can one be mauled to death by figments of ones imagination?"

Discord smiled, clapping his hands together happily, "Lets find out!"

Comments

[Nommirga]

The ponies in Pinkies subconscious are eerily similar to the weeping angels from Doctor Who.

[ImTheDoctor]

314370
I was thinking the same thing.

[Boredom Z]

314370

Please, for the love of all that is holy, don't talk about the weeping angels

[Evil-Lovieness]

Out of all the visits to the subconscious... Pinkie's is the best. But I was hoping for more dialog between her and Discord... Oh well we have Pinkamina now... hurray!!!!

314370 Holy crap!!! They do!! :pinkiegasp :I was just thinking about that, and not only that but I JUST watched that episode... Spooky