Episode 2
Once Fluttershy had finished her chores, she decided to stop by the Ponyville market to pick up the ingredients she'd need for her tea cakes. With her saddle bag on her back, Fluttershy trotted into town, browsing the open air stalls for what she needed. The market wasn't as packed as it was during most days, making it easy for the chibi pegasus to do her shopping without worrying about the big, loud crowds.
"Fluttershy, we need to talk." Fluttershy stopped and turned to see her friends Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Twilight, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie coming toward her. She smiled and waved hello to them.
"Hello girls, what brings you here?" Her friends however weren't in the same good mood as she was in. In fact, they looked quite miffed. Applejack adjusted the brown hat she always wore, attempting to speak.
"Ah, well, you see sugarcube-"
"It's Discord." Rainbow Dash interrupted. Fluttershy sighed.
"What did he do this time?" she asked. Discord was known for his mischievous ways, and when he visited Ponyville, he would let loose whatever chaotic thought popped into his head. Leaving Fluttershy and her friends to quell the angry mob. The girls all talked at once, launching their complaints.
"He completely ruined the harvest at Sweet Apple Acres!"
"He caused an entire thunder cloud front to chase me. I've got the scorch marks to prove it!"
"He Turned my new fashion line into garish shades of plaid, polka dots and zig-zags!"
"He launched an all out cake war in the Sugercube Corner Kitchen." Pinkie Pie licked off the cake frosting that had been on her face.
"I'm sure he was only trying to help out." said Fluttershy defensively. Discord could be very helpful, even if he did make a lot of mistakes in doing so.
"I know how you and Discord are close friends," said Twilight, "But he needs to know when he's gone too far." Fluttershy nodded.
"I understand, I'll be sure to tell him once he gets back."
"Wait, he's not here?" asked Rainbow. Fluttershy shook her head.
"He was summoned to Canterlot on urgent business by the princesses." she said.
"Urgent business?" asked Twilight. "What kind of urgent business?" Fluttershy shrugged.
"The message didn't say."
"He better not mess up on this like he did the last time." grumbled Rainbow Dash. Applejack shot the cyan pegasus a look before turning to Fluttershy.
"She has a point sugarcube," said Applejack. "Discord isn't exactly the most trust worthy of ponies."
"I'll say." Pinkie interjected. "He's as tricky as they come."
"Not to mention rude." added Rarity. Twilight noticed how their comments were making the poor pegasus shrink back, trying to hide behind her long mane. Twilight laid a hoof on her shoulder.
"What we're trying to say is that Discord can get a little out of hoof sometimes, but I'm sure he'll do well on whatever assignment the Princesses are sending him on." she said trying to lift Fluttershy's spirits. But in her mind she was thinking, 'Hopefully, he'll do well.' Fluttershy smiled.
"Thanks Twilight, now if you girls will excuse me, I need to get things ready for the tea cakes for when Discord gets back."
"Doesn't really deserve it if you ask me." muttered Rainbow. Applejack elbowed her. "Hey!" Fluttershy went on her way, continuing with her shopping business.
Discord appeared in the dim yet bright realm of the astral plane.
"Now," he said to himself aloud, "if I were a hulking shadow of evil, where would I be?" Discord snapped his lion paw and appeared in a hounds-tooth cloak, cap and a magnifying glass in his eagle claw. Prepared to look for the suspicious perpetrator. There wasn't however, a lot to look at in the astral plane except a bunch of vast space stretching on for eternity.
Discord was beginning to think that he was right about the princesses worrying over nothing, until he felt it. That wiggling feeling he got whenever he sensed a magical imbalance. It went all throughout his body and stopped. His eyes darted around. Something or somepony was nearby, yet somehow hidden from his keen sight. Which considering where he was, is no easy feat to accomplish. Discord snapped the detective garb away and narrowed his eyes as he scanned for any sign to clue him on the source.
"Well, this is certainly an interesting sight." said a voice. It sounded as though it was coming from all around the Draconequus. "I'd never expect to see somepony such as you here, then again you were known to do the unexpected." Discord was confused by this.
"What do you mean were?" he asked.
"Come now Discord, we both know how low you've fallen from you're once great role as the Lord of Chaos." the voice purred. Discord frowned, he was the one who made ponies uneasy, not the other way around! The voice continued to speak.
"The spirit of chaos and disharmony who did as he pleased whenever he wished, now another insipid servant of Princess Celestia, doing all her menial errands."
Discord scoffed. "I've heard a similar speech already, so whatever you're trying to accomplish, you're out of luck." Discord planned to ignore what the voice was saying, when his attention was captured by an interesting question.
"What if you could go back, to that once great time?" Discord had given up his claim to takeover Equestria, and instead accepted the friendship of the chibi ponies (especially Fluttershy). After an incident with Lord Tirek, Discord had realized how valuable friendship was, and decided to forswear any second thoughts he had about giving up his old ways. Still, those thoughts would still linger, attracted to the idea of returning to the glorious days before being turned to stone for 1,000 years.
"What of it?" asked Discord, doing his best to sound uninterested.
"I have a way for you to return to your once great and chaotic self, I ask nothing from you in return." A teeny part of Discord was tempted by the offer, but he shook his head.
"Sorry, not interested." he said. The voice chuckled darkly.
"Oh, you will be." it said. Without warning, Discord was struck from a very strong paralyses spell. He couldn't move an inch, or focus his magic to fight against his attacker. His red and yellow eyes looked up, as he saw the source of the voice standing above him. At a glance, the perpetrator looked like and average unicorn stallion with a dark purple coat, white mane, and dark eyes. But Discord could tell that this was no unicorn. Oh no. This was something else entirely. The dark look in the unicorn's face made everything around Discord feel ice cold. His horn lit up.
"You shall thank me for this later." said the unicorn, casting the spell upon the restrained Discord.
"Do you really think Discord will listen to Fluttershy?" asked Applejack. The girls had left Fluttershy to go about her buisness, and were heading toward the friendship castle for lunch. Along the way, their thoughts had turned back to Fluttershy and Discord, and whether or not Discord would finally listen to their complaints. Twilight could only shrug.
"I can't really say, but if there's one pony that Discord will listen to, it's Fluttershy."
"That's exactly what we should be concerned about." said Rarity. The white unicorn faced the rest of the girls, her curled purple mane sweeping to the side as she turned her head.
"Fluttershy is a sweet pony, willing to trust ponies she believes to be nicer than they appear. And Discord takes great advantage of that trust." Pinkie who was bouncing alongside the group bobbed her head in response.
"Yeah! He doesn't even Pinkie Promise! What kind of friend doesn't honor a promise, Pinkie or otherwise?" said the bubbly pony. Rainbow Dash pounded her hooves together as she flew.
"Well if he even thinks about hurting Fluttershy's feelings, we'll give him a what for." said Rainbow.
"Easy there Rainbow." said Applejack, the orange pony attempting to settle the pegasus down. "Don't get too carried away now."
"Applejack's right." said Twilight. "Whether or not what kind of pony, or Draconequus he is, he is still our friend. And we need to try and be as hospitable as possible towards him. Even if he can be a real pain." The ponies muttered in agreement. Twilight smiled as it seemed that the matter had been settled once and for all...until the next time he'd get under their skin.
"Good! With that settled, I'm the mood for a nice daisy sandwich." The girls dropped the topic of Discord, instead focusing on their momentary hunger.
Fluttershy was beginning to worry. Discord hadn't returned all day, and already the sun was being lowered to the horizon, casting the sky into vibrant shades of sunset gold. 'Maybe he's still out on his assignment?' Fluttershy thought to herself. 'Or maybe he's really tired and went home to rest.' Fluttershy heaved a sigh. Whatever the reason, it was clear that her friend wasn't going to be coming back after all. She took the platter of now cold tea cakes she'd made and placed them in the kitchen cupboard. Perhaps he'd come back tomorrow. She looked to her animals, who were yawning great yawns, wanting to rest after all that cleaning.
Fluttershy gave them a maternal smile, and went to work seeing that her animals were comfortable put to bed. Making sure the bed were nice and warm, the bird nest were cozy, and said goodnight to each creature, gently kissing them on their heads. Soon, Fluttershy was the only creatures still stirring in the cottage. A quiet and soft yawn escaped from her mouth, her eyelids started to droop a little. Fluttershy made her way upstairs to her bedroom. As she snuggled into the covers of her bed, she whispered, "Goodnight, Discord."
Princess Luna looked up into the night sky, its many stars twinkling down on her. Even though she was in the real world, the cold, uncomfortable feeling that surrounded her in the astral plane still clung to her. That thing sent fear into her, and she dd not like it. She wondered how Discord was fairing in the astral plane. He hadn't returned, making Luna wonder if he too had been set upon by the shadow. Luna shook her head, her mind wasn't thinking clearly. Discord could take care of himself, he was likely still searching or slacking off. She put a hoof to her head. She hadn't got any rest since the other night, not wanting to encounter that shadow should it appear to her again. She sighed deeply. Perhaps a few minutes of rest would do her some good.
A dark gray unicorn in golden armor burst into Princess Luna's room, clearly in a panic. Luna turned and glared at the guard.
"HOW DARE YOU ENTER THE PRINCESS" ROOM WITHOUT HER PERMISSION!" she shouted in her royal Canterlot voice. SOme habits died hard, this was one of those habits.The unicorn guard bowed low.
"Forgive me Princess, but this is an issue of utmost importance!" he said.
"What is it?"
"Princess Celestia, she's...she's..."
"Out with it!"
"She's trapped in some kind of nightmare and can't seem to wake up." Luna's eyes widened. Was it the shadow? Had it gotten to her sister?
"Take me to her." said Luna. The guard bowed his head and took the Princess of the Night to Celestia's room. Inside, her dear older sister was tossing and turning, small groans escaping from her as she tried to escape from something in her dream. Luna went to her side.
"Sister? Sister, what's wrong?" But Celestia couldn't respond, unable to hear or open her eyes. Luna lit up her horn, attempting to enter her sister's dream and help her wake up, but she was pushed back. A tremendous force knocked Luna away and interrupted the spell.
"Your highness!" cried the guard. Luna looked down at poor Celestia.
"It seems that my sister doesn't want me to get involved in whatever is causing her this pain." said Luna. She wanted to help, but Celestia didn't want Luna to get dragged down with her. Luna turned the guard.
"Have this room guarded, alert everypony in the castle that Princess Celestia..." Luna felt her voice nearly crack, she needed to get the words out. "...is ill, and that until further notice, I'll assume all her duties."
"Princess." Luna said nothing more and sent the guard away. Once alone, Luna looked sadly down at her sister. The shadow said that this would happen, he'd captured Celestia and now she would be next. After that, what would happen?"
"What have we gotten ourselves into?" she asked aloud.
Trapped in endless shadow, Celestia was trying to find a way out. She needed to get back, to warn Luna of what they were up against. But no matter what she tried, she didn't seem to have any affect on the space around her. A cold laugh that Celestia thought she'd never hear again sounded, the possessor of this laugh approached from out the shadow.
"Greeting Princess Celestia." said the dark purple unicorn stallion. Celestia narrowed her eyes.
"Nightshade." she said angrily. "I should've known you'd return. Of course I thought it wouldn't be for another hundred moons or so." Nightshade circled around the princess, taunting her as she glared at him.
"You really haven't changed much over the last 1,000 years, have you? But I can see how busy you've been, all those new additions to your perfect little life. The return of your dear little sister, free from the evil that took hold of her. The marriage of your niece who now holds rule of the great Crystal Empire. And that gifted student who've you've sired as your protege and heir." Celestia stood her ground, refusing to be taken in by theses words.
"Yes, a very pleasant life, especially compared to one I've had to endure all these centuries."
"I had no other choice, you could've started anew, lived a..."
"A what?!" snapped Nightshade. The anger he'd built up toward her surfacing for a moment. "A normal life as a common unicorn, burdened by mortality and all other common afflictions? Forced to endure the pains and tragedies of life? I think not." What he said made Celestia look at him questioningly.
"How are you still here?" she questioned. Nightshade scoffed, as if the answer was simple.
"After you took away my longevity, I sought the one place that could preserve me until the time was right to strike. Here, in the astral plane. Here I've stayed, learning how to use it to hide and suit my needs up to this moment."
"You won't get away with this Nightshade!" said Princess Celestia. "You will be discovered, and once you are, you'll be sent to the dungeon for your crimes." Nightshade let out an icy laugh.
"You think the threat of a dungeon is enough to scare me? Me? Well Celestia, it seems you've forgotten that I fear nothing. For I am fear itself." Nightshade delved back into the darkness leaving Princess Celestia all alone.
"What have I gotten everypony into?" she asked aloud. Darkness was coming, and it was coming fast.
Stats
Page generated in 0.024 seconds
Total duration
871 users online
449,073 hits today, 2,244,100 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Thanks! I felt really good about this fanfic, and can't wait to see how it progresses. Those who've read my other story, I'll try to multitask between the two. Enjoy! :3
this is going to be one exciting story and a fun ride once again thanks for writing it! great idea to usethe chibis! well done!!