Avatar: The Last Alicorn. Book 4: Alicorn

by Jeweled Pen

Chapter 28: Everytime

It was just like old times, though it didn't feel like it. Twilight and her friends huddled for warmth as the surprise snow storm beat against them, sending strawberry slushies into their faces while they trekked across the desert. Spike was on her back, huddled inside her cloak as he occasionally sent out little streams of flame in the air, helping to keep them a little warm. She was tempted to fire bend as well, but didn't want to push herself too hard yet. There was no telling when the weather would warm up again and she'd need all the energy she could keep.

It had been a few days, she assumed, since they'd left Manehatten. They had not been good days. The weather changed on the hour, from sub zero temperatures to near boiling. On the up side, they still had plenty to eat and drink, even if none of it was healthy. On the down side, morale was at an all time low. The only thing really keeping them going was the fact that Pinkie was there to offer her words of encouragement. Talking about what they would do when all this was over, when they defeated Discord for real. When their families and friends were back the way they were supposed to be. The small glimmer of hope was enough to keep them going even through the fierce torrents of erratic weather.

But Twilight couldn't keep other doubts from entering her mind. They had come face to face with Discord, yet he hadn't looked worried or surprised in the least. He'd almost seemed happy to see them. As if they were old friends, rather than the ponies trying to destroy him. She'd have loved to just base that on the fact that he was completely insane and therefore it didn't have to make sense. Even so, she had a bad feeling about it.

He'd orchestrated so many things to ensure his escape. Over a hundred years he waited, not counting how long it took him to make his first appearance against Starswirl. He had to be intelligent, even if he was a complete lunatic. And therein lied the problem. He was intelligent. Possibly even a genius. He probably saw things three or four steps ahead of them. What if everything she was doing was all part of his plan? What if the reason he wasn't scared of them was because he'd already won? The elements were damaged, but not broken as far as they knew. They were removing Discord's influence from them, one by one. But what if they still weren't enough? What if they couldn't stop him, even with the six elements?

Even worse, what if what he said before was true? 'I always have a backup plan.' What if this was all a game to him and she was fighting a hopeless battle? What if he was as powerful as he seemed and the elements just weren't enough anymore? Just because they were removing the corruption from each one didn't mean he didn't have something else up his sleeve. But worst of all was the fact these might not even be her thoughts or doubts. He'd already shown the capability to alter their thoughts and minds. What if this was all another trap? What if she was under his control still? What if none of this was even happening? It all felt so hopeless. As if they were destined to lose. She glanced at her friends and she could see the same looks of worry and fear that were on her own. All except one.

“We're going to win,” Pinkie said with a giggle. “I don't know why you're all looking so down.”

“Pinkie...” Rainbow muttered.

“What? We've gotten this far. We've taken on the entire Water Nation, beaten Trixie before, taken down Nightmare Moon, saved the Fire Tribes hiding in the Everfree Forest. Not to mention the countless other things we've done.” The pink mare glanced towards Twilight. “Not to mention beaten up the changeling queen. It's not like this is the first time we've fought a spirit, after all. So what if he's big, bad and cheats? We're together. We'll have Rarity soon and then we'll go and kick his flank. For real this time.”

“Of course we will,” Applejack grumbled, her heart not really in it.

“So what if we lost once? We've lost plenty of times. But that doesn't matter,” Pinkie said before hopping around and bumping each of them together. “We've always come back. We've never let it defeat us. Even if we crack, we never, ever break. That's why we're going to win. That's why we're going to set everything right. Just like we always have.” She took a deep breath. “Besides. We know what to expect this time. He's not going to be able to trick us again. We won't fall for the whole... different worlds thing. Not again. As long as we're together, there's nothing we can't do.”

The group didn't respond for a few minutes, before finally Rainbow nodded. “You know what? Yeah. She's right. It doesn't matter what happens, we're going to still kick his butt. We're together. Even without the elements, we're still some of the best benders there ever were. We'll slam him so far into the ground even the earth benders can't dig him up.”

“Y-yeah,” Fluttershy said weakly. “We... we c-can't let that... that big meanie win. W-we've come too far. We've done too much. Pinkie... Pinkie's right.”

“Eeyup,” Applejack said with a nod. “It... it ain't gonna be easy, but the lot of us never shied away from a lil hard work. Ah don't see why we'd start now. Discord is as good as beaten.”

Twilight couldn't keep the smile from her lips as she started walking a little faster. “Right. We're going to do this, easy. We've worked too hard and too long to just give up now. Rarity, we're coming for you and together we're going to send that spirit back where he came from.”

Spike shivered. “R-right. But... l-let's go a little faster. It's kind of really co--” Suddenly the snow almost melted and it turned to a near blistering heat. “Never mind.”

“Come on girls, let's give our triumphant battle cry! I hate Discord!” Pinkie said with a giggle. The others soon joined in on the chuckle.

“I hate Discord!” they called out as one.

------

“Holy buck. That's quite the whopper,” Applejack said as they stared up. They had managed to make it to the border between the Water Nation and the Fire Tribe lands. The tall mountainous peaks had a few additions made to them.

“That's a bit egotistical, even for Trixie,” Spike said. “I can see carving her face in one of them, but she did it to at least six of those mountains up there.”

“Well, that's great,” Fluttershy grumbled. “We have to walk through the valley of the blabbering air head.”

All the ponies turned towards her, shock in their eyes. “S-sorry, w-was that too mean?”

“Just a little startling,” Twilight mumbled as they kept walking. “We just need to get to Canterlot for now. Or someplace with an airship. If we can get out from there we'll have no--”

Applejack suddenly grabbed the alicorn's tail and pulled her back. “Hold up. There's somethin' ahead of us! Somepony!”

The group came to a sharp halt. “Who?” Rainbow asked.

“Ah don't know, but there's a few of them. They're... settin' somethin' up an' they got a coach hidden behind some trees. Ah think...” She frowned. “Ah think they're in the midst of settin' up an ambush.”

Twilight groaned and shook her head. “Wonderful. It figures, we just get here and nearly walk right into an ambush.”

“Ah... ah don't know,” Applejack said with a shake of her head before tapping the ground. “Ah don't think it's soldiers. Ah could be wrong, but ah don't think ah can feel Trixie amongst them. We left her behind us, too. Ah don't think she could have gotten here yet.”

Twilight frowned and rubbed her chin. “So, something new?”

“Ah don't know. Maybe we should try goin' around?”

“I think it would be for the best. Ah think they're havin' lunch. They're...” Applejack frowned and stomped her hooves twice more. “Okay, I think whatever Discord is doin' with the world is affectin' mah sensin'. That can't be right.”

“What is it?” Twilight asked.

“Ah... ah think they're all gathered around... okay, this has tah be wrong. A sammich.”

There was a pregnant pause. Then Pinkie let out a shriek and galloped off over the hill.

“Pinkie, stop!” Twilight yelled, running after her friend. Within a moment the ambush came into sight. A few ponies were sitting in a small circle around a cheese sandwich. Which somehow managed to look surprised as the pink mare suddenly skidded through the crowd, picked it up and gave it a hug.

“Cheese Sandwich! I knew you had to be okay!”

“Pinkie? Pinkie, is that you?” the sandwich asked. “Everypony stand down, this is a friend! One of the elements of harmony I was telling you about. Pinkie, where are your friends?”

“Right here!” Twilight yelled as she skidded to a stop. The ponies surrounding the sandwich tensed up, but slowly relaxed and parted ways. The alicorn stared at the sandwich and sighed. “Really? He turned you into somepony's lunch? That's... that's a lame joke even for him.”

“Indeed, it's very cheesy,” Cheese said, drawing a snort from Rainbow and Pinkie. “But I'm holding myself together, if you'll parmesan the pun. He really makes me curd sometimes though.”

“Ouch,” Applejack said with a cringe. “Please, knock off the puns.”

“Sorry, couldn't resist.”

“Be thankful, we've heard them all a thousand times,” one of the earth pony's grumbled.

“What is all this?” Pinkie asked with a light giggle. “Are you preparing an ambush?”

“Of course!” the sandwich said. “We've heard of your adventures and knew you'd come this way soon. I'd of come to meet you in Manehatten, but I'd of been toast.” There was a light groan from the gathered ponies. “Oh, come on, that one was great. However, when Trixie flies through here, we'll be ready for her.”

“No you won't,” Twilight mumbled. “We've delayed her, for now. When we left she was still preparing to leave, her airship was wrecked. However, she has plenty of ponies who can pull her carriages. I don't know how long she'll be, but fighting her is suicide now. She has Solar Flare, Nightmare Moon, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Flowerbloom all on her side. Any one of them would be a dangerous threat, together it's suicide.” She paused and then sighed. “She has Righteous Knight as well, but he's not as much a threat.”

“Righteous Knight? So he met with you? Did he inform you of--”

“Yes, I know.” She took a deep, slow breath. “But we don't know how to get to the South Pole. We need an airship. Even if we get one, there's no telling if we'll be able to find the base. Even worse, Trixie is going to know we're headed there.”

The sandwich nodded. “Of course. This is quite the pickle. But the resistance has been ready and waiting for you. I'll have to come with you to Canterlot, but if we move fast our plan may work.” Cheese turned towards the ponies. “I... realize what I'm going to ask you is dangerous, but--”

“Don't,” one of the unicorn's said. “We were well aware that we'd be risking our lives on this. If you're needed to help the avatar succeed, then we'll do this without you. We'll delay Trixie as long as we can.”

“Very well.” The cheese sandwich saluted. Sorta. He more just wiggled his crust a bit. “It was very gouda to work with all of you.”

There was another groan from the group. “Really?” Rainbow asked with a shake of her head. “These ponies are offering to lay down their lives for us and--”

“Oh, well, we're not going to do that,” one of the earth ponies said with a chuckle. “What we're doing is dangerous, but we have no intention of dying. We're going to delay her and then run like the dickens.” There were quick nods and agreements from the ponies.

“... Fine. They're offering to risk their lives for us, and you make another pun?”

“What can I say? I've always been a little cheesy,” the sandwich said.

“Not even new puns, thats the same one you used already,” Rainbow muttered with a shake of her head.

“Anyway, time is of the essence! We must make it swiftly to Canterlot, before they can find and stop us!” Cheese motioned forward with a crusty wave.

“Now that one was bad,” Pinkie said with a giggle. “What does a crusty wave even look like?”

Rainbow let out a groan. “Are we going to have to hear sandwich and cheese puns the entire time?”

Pinkie looked to the sandwich. It nodded. “It's going to be... jam packed,” she said firmly.

Everypony groaned then.

------

“How many resistance groups are there?” Twilight asked as they walked, occasionally glancing at the sandwich riding on top of Pinkie's head.

“Dozens. Why, we all got a sli--”

“No puns,” she said firmly.

The sandwich sighed. “Fine. There are dozens of us out there. After you disappeared and the war... kind of ended, plenty of ponies were trying to make their own resistances. Discord... didn't let it work very well.”

“He kept crashing the meetings, right?” Pinkie asked.

“Yes! And he was so rude, too. I think he backwashed into one of the punch bowls and turned our cups into chocolate syrup. Just a huge mess all around. There was very, very little we could do, at first.”

“At first?” Twilight asked, cocking an eye.

“Yes. Many of our members were changed, as well. Entire resistance groups just disappeared overnight, their members... well, I'm sure you know.”

“We've seen what Discord's magic can do,” she said softly. “It isn't pretty. But after we were released, ponies returned to normal, right?”

“Exactly. Once that happened, the resistances started up in full swing as far as I can tell. Granted, I've only seen a few, but we're out there, doing our best to stall. We know you're our best hope, so we'll do everything we can to ensure that they can't stop you.”

“Is Discord still causing problems with meetings and such?”

There were a few seconds of silence before the sandwich sighed. “No. It's... been quiet. I'd say too quiet. He hasn't interfered in anything. Aside from when Trixie went to him directly, we haven't seen him do a single thing to interfere with the war effort. He's been in the desert, preparing... something, as far as we know. If he's up to something, he's making sure none of the information gets out.”

Twilight nodded. “Oh, we met him,” she said bitterly. “He mocked us a lot, but didn't really... well, do anything. It was as if he was toying with us. I don't think he sees us as a threat now.” She glanced back the way they had come. “Or he has something else planned.”

“Really? What did you see around the spirit?”

“Not much,” the alicorn said with a shrug. “To be honest, he took up most of our attention. Just a lot of empty space and, well, chaos. He's... definitely not a normal... thing.”

Pinkie gasped. “W-why didn't you tell me you met him? What happened? What did he say? Did he do anything special? Did he turn into a giant rubber mallet?”

Twilight shrugged. “Well it... it kind of slipped my mind.” She frowned. “Actually, that's not good. Something that important shouldn't be slipping my mind. He mostly just made fun of us, talked condescending, asked how we were doing. Made a few vague hints towards Rarity's location.” She stopped for a second and nodded. “I... think he did turn into a giant rubber mallet at some point. How did you know that?”

“He's Discord, it's just the kind of thing he'd do,” Pinkie said with a frown. “He's probably waiting for us to get Rarity before he makes his move. That or whatever he has her trapped in is so fiendishly clever and impossible to defeat that he thinks we can't beat it! OR!” She let out a gasp. “He's... just being himself and doesn't see us as much of a threat yet.”

Twilight sighed and nodded. “I'm thinking it's that last one. You know, I really thought the spirit of chaos we'd been fighting so long to stop would be more...”

“Openly evil?” Rainbow asked.

“Yeah. This is just... annoying a lot of the time.”

“It ain't annoyin' what happened tah mah little sister,” Applejack grumbled. “So, Cheese. Yah mentioned resistance groups. How many yah know about personally?”

“Only a few. Some have fallen apart while others have formed. The Water Nation has at least five I can think of. Trixie is not the most... popular of rulers.”

Twilight nodded. “I can't imagine she is. We've passed about ten different statues in her honor.”

“You should see what she does in the towns,” the sandwich muttered. “Marching bands, songs, murals. I've never seen a pony with her head so far up her--”

“Cheese!” Pinkie snapped.

“Sorry.”

“She was pretty bad before,” Twilight muttered. “But, as much as I hate to admit it, part of this might be Discord's influence. Ponies who are good and kind, like Celestia, are being turned into wicked evil pawns. I don't even want to image what his influence is doing to a pony like Trixie.”

Rainbow chuckled. “Yeah, who knows. If he changes her enough, she might actually be likable. That would be a real drastic shift in her character.”

Twilight nodded. “Who knows? But Cheese, this is very good news. It feels great to know that, well... we aren't alone. We still have support.” She let out a soft, delighted sigh. “It's good to know that there are ponies out there still rooting for us.”

“Of course. Almost everypony knows how hard and long you've been working. I'm happy to know it makes you feel so gou--”

“If you say gouda I will turn you into toast. You've used that one already, I will not abide it a second time.”

“... Makes you feel so happy.” He paused. “I can get you onto a ship to the Shadowsbolts. But... I'm afraid I cannot tell you what to expect.”

“Why?”

“There has been very little information in and out. As far as I can tell, the gates have been closed. You'll need to sneak in once you get there.”

Twilight nodded. “Well... at least that means they probably won't be listening to Trixie and expecting us. Getting there will be enough.” She stared at the road ahead of them, paved with chocolate eggs.

They'd get to Rarity soon and end this nightmare. They were ahead of Trixie, had ponies delaying her and now had a way to get there. So why did she have this feeling of foreboding?

Comments

[eric-emanwu]

Discord, as twilight pointed out, is exceedingly clever. [[thank you]] Well, it is the truth. As I pointed out back in book 3, his yearlong plan to get himself released was subtle, methodical, and even included a couple unwinnable situations for team avatar harmony. For being a spirit of chaos, he makes a great planner. I guess he's kinda like the joker in that regard. He says he's all of disorder and chaos, but that doesn't change the fact how crazily intelligent he can be with his planning sometimes. And besides, since he permits a government to run, he's not an anarchist in that regard. Probably because as he pointed out, he's not interested in killing anyone.

With twilight in the worry zone, she was freaked out by how good Discord was doing, how far reaching his influence could be, and even how she had a shred of doubt in her mind that discord could be controlling her right now and she'd never know. However, thankfully Ziggy set them straight. (Ziggy? Am I a pony ranger now?) Well, not exactly, but you do share many of his traits. Outgoing and personable, innovative and with unique bits of logic, great at making friends, optimistic, loving how great your job is, and of course, the self awareness. I'd say you and Ziggy share quite a few traits. Particularly with you talking about being the good guys and have overcome and pressed on no matter how bad it all got. That's what you do. You're a hope bringer, even in the worst of times.

However, it seems for the next ally, discord used a visual pun: turning cheese sandwich into literally his namesake. BTW, is the sandwich hovering ever, or just shuffling some to go place? So, he had a plan to get the team to an airship to save rarity. Pinkie though was unnerved that they met discord, but didn't mention it to her. This must be what discord meant when he told the author "You should have gotten pinkie by now." She'd be able to sift through his fastforwarding the story. And figure out which of his 3 potential options makes the most sense. waiting for them all to come back together to spring another trap? Creating an alcatrez for Rarity's prison? Or just overconfidence? Well, we'll soon find out. It seems that while twilight was working, she also managed to breathe new life into fighting back. Just like before, the mere mention of the Avatar will rally the nations to hope and war.

And oh yes, I do suspect there's going to be at least 1 more trap before the end. Perhaps we can use the avatar state again during this time? Get them out of danger? All that jazz. Well, let's see where the cheese leads us onto.

[Crensler]

“Well, that's great,” Fluttershy grumbled. “We have to walk through the valley of the blabbering air head.”

This just had me laughing so hard my ribs still hurt. Man, I can't wait to read more of this