When You Were Young

by Art Inspired

Alternative Ending: Confinement

Alternative Act Ending: Confinement

---

Discord stood amongst the hoof pillars staring in the direction of where Queen Chrysalis was shot to. Celestia and Luna laid on their sides. The draconequus looked them, his eyes now returned to their proper state and with the flick of his paw, a surge of energy was whisked to them. Just like that, their ability to move was restored. As they flew to the creature, Discord turned and faced his back to them.

“This… wasn’t supposed to happen,” he said, looking at the cracks in the floor. Slowly, tears fell from his eyes and dripped to the ground. “I’m a threat to your land… and I know this isn’t the place for me.”

Celestia asked, “What are you saying, Discord?” Her line of vision lowered to his hooves, and saw them slowly begin to turn grey. While she and her sister walked to the front of Discord, Celestia continued. “No, you can’t do this.”

“Look around!” Discord screamed in anguish. “I’ve completely given into the darkness! The clouds aren’t gone… the pillars haven’t lowed themselves!” He looked deep within Celestia’s now tearing eyes, and finished. “I’m taking the last of the power I have from this chaotic mind of mine, and using it to incarcerate myself in stone, and this time… you won’t be breaking me out!”

Celestia and Luna both felt solemn tears escape their eyes as he finished. Celestia tried to place the tracking spell on her friend only to find out he had created a force field of energy around him, preventing any magic from reaching him whatsoever. Luna begged, “You don’t have to do this! We can help you!”

Discord’s sorrowed head drooped at this statement, and claimed, “Nopony can help me… I know this now. It wouldn’t be right for me to stay, only to put your kingdom in jeopardy for my own amusement. I never should have left the void in the first place.”

Celestia watched as the stone lining inched up to his chest. As his posture lowered in a sitting position, he said, “I know this is hard for both of you, but it’s for the best of Equestria. My fate was to be sealed in stone. That’s what it will always be, and how it’s supposed to be.”

Celestia looked at him, both mares still crying, and said, “Just know, Discord… that you are our friend, and that will never change.”

His eyes blinked before he said, “I know… Good bye, forever.”

His head began turning to concrete, and while it did, his arms extended outwards as if to block something. Celestia and Luna cried harder than they were just moments ago. The draconequus’s stoned tears remained on his cheeks, and the way he stood resembled his former statue self, the form he took after being blasted by Twilight, and all her friends, too. Even though he seemed like he really didn’t want this, both the princesses knew it really was for the best of their land.

---

Discord stood on his usual pedestal, his stone eyes frantically looking onward and over the Canterlot hedge. Celestia and Luna walked together towards him. Unlike the first time he was trapped in stone, he now had an aura of good will and heroism despite still appearing the same. Celestia looked at his face, white and hard. Her lips trembled with every blink of her glossy eyes. Luna, who was just as hurt, asked, “You’re going to be alright, won’t you Celestia?”

Her highness tilted her head down, and said, “Of course I will… I hope so… I mean, he was… our friend, and now… he’s gone.”

Luna put her hoof on her sister's back for a small hug. “I know things didn’t work out the way we tried to make them, but think of it like this. He’s helped protect the kingdom. That's obviously kindness on his part in the end. In time, maybe we’ll get him out of there and try this whole thing all over again.”

Celestia looked at her sister with a small smile, and admitted, “That’d be good… but I need some time alone with him… Please, let me have that for now.”

Luna nodded her head, and understood her friend's wish, and left her there with the draconequus. As she stared at him, she asked, “You okay in there?” Her voice was quirky and hurt, but this was alright considering she knew he would hear her somehow. “I guess… things are really my fault. I should have known you were sensitive with friendship, and if I knew things would turn out like this… I would’ve taken extra measures for your inviolability. I miss you, and it’s only been a day, so how am I supposed to feel about this down the road? I wish… Oh, how I wish I could have saved you… I’m sorry this happened, and I know you can’t be the one who’s blamed for this outcome. That should be me.”

As the white alicorn walked away, Discord sat in his void staring out through a small window that showed the outside world. His tears streamed from his eyes, and though they were simple illusions, they fell like real, salty water. He formed a small puddle around him, and just watched her highness trot off.

“Don’t be delusional, Luna… this was my fate that I chose. You will learn that freeing me would be a waste of time, but then, I told you this already, and you still didn’t listen… and I should be the one who’s blamed for this. It’s my stupidity that forced that changeling to cease control of my body, and there was no way for you to figure out my mental curse… That was impossible, but then, that’s the cruel fact of life. Should've, could've and would've… If you only knew the facts ahead of time.”

It wouldn't matter anymore, anyways. The dark energy built up inside him slowly, and would return him to a former state of nostalgic corruption, and things will have seemed as if nothing had happened, but not all was lost. With his eyes closed, he saw the place where he used to live when he was young. Lush trees grew in between the hills of the valley. The sunrise always woke him in the morning, and every day was a crisp start for him. Though, those days were gone, and all the creature could do was remember these blissful childhood memories that died so many years ago... That was enough, for with him recalling the flower he gave Celestia, she entered her bedroom chambers, and remembered this as well.

"... How kind he was..." She peered over to the vase with her flower in it, and asked herself, "Kindness...?"

Comments

[dankmememaster420]

So...what comes after this?

[Art Inspired]

1254993 Good ending future chapters. I will state at the beginning that the rest of the chapters are the continuation of the good ending.

[Hellpony]

[derpyhuman]

I MADE A MISTAKE READING THIS

[Art Inspired]

1255098 Who do you think I am? Just another pony? Now then... give me your love!

[SilverFeather]

1255119 I wish I could give you all of it but, I already gave it to other awesome stories that I've read!
*gives you remaining love reserved for this story* TAKE MY LOVE! YOU DESERVE IT!

[Project-47]

Knowing that the story doesn't end like this makes it a whole lot easier too read this... but that last paragraph hit me right where it hurts
(not talking about down there)

[Art Inspired]

1255637 Oh, but that's where you're mistaken! In the multiverse theory, any outcome exists within another universe! So, with this, we can conclude that this does happen in another universe.

[Project-47]

1255663 I prefer the good universe thank you very much

[Overlordoreo555]

Right in the child hood

[walters host]

Sad endings make me happy.
Most happy endings make me angry, because they should end sad.
This way, I will always have
t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSFYiBCjzPE15s-kGprgFgoWIjUAJN6QscbeebyiFQ5ROUfMRgz

[Art Inspired]

1255715 Can I hug you?

[The Archimedes]

1255608
It's so wrong; yet it feels so good!

[walters host]

t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS3bz6XJnr_oiey84wWkevswpd7n4GNcPfupwfgxGBGUId-qt6l3A 1255723

[Little_Draco]

Ehhh...

[Art Inspired]

1255937
deviantart.com/download/274626172/pinkie_pie_hug_by_raikoh14-d4ji6ws.png

[MDSK]

Just... wow. I have no words left...

[Art Inspired]

1256315 Typical reaction... just as planned.

[MDSK]

1256322 Well, I was kind of expect the finale a bit later after the queen's defeat, but still makes me make this a bit. In fact, I personally like this outcome. Great job!

[The_Dash]

You...
You...I want to be angry at how sad this is...
But you just did such a beautiful job writing it!!!
i194.photobucket.com/albums/z116/bluemonk9/B61F848C-EB97-4203-8415-F9DE00F1B398-6321-0000021F55293FD2.jpg

[Art Inspired]

1256735
furry-direct.1d4.us/_images/3ab31f485ab4afff8ed1e1d83d4acd34/29182%20-%20blue_eyes-couple-cutie_mark-equine-friendship_is_magic-hair-horn-hug-multi-colored_hair-my_little_pony-pinkie_pie_(mlp)-raikoh-illust-smile-twilight_sparkle_(mlp)-unicorn-wink.jpg

[The_Dash]

1256743 i194.photobucket.com/albums/z116/bluemonk9/5A7E5344-0ACE-45B2-9E3E-E8F2AC85D290-6321-0000022382BDDA33.jpg

[Ditzy_Hooves_1]

beautiful loved it make a sequel!

[TheGamingBrony]

scranton.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/thumb/mlfw6232.gif
so much sad

[clopfiction]

that was to much

[Tunalock]

The only time I didn't cry at a sad ending.
AND IT WAS HARD

[Art Inspired]

1261634 Would you like to cry at a sad ending? Go read "The stallion without a mark". Try not to cry and hit me back.

[Tunalock]

1261639 Oh, I've cried at sad endings.
I've even cried in the middle of the story. But that was just mainly senseless rage at an author who shall be anonymo- [cough]therarispy[cough]

[OneTrueThigh]

cdn.crushable.com/files/2012/08/right-in-the-feels.gif But seriously though for being such a short story it hits the feels quite well, now i need hugs

[Art Inspired]

1264090
applejack.ponychan.net/chan/files/src/134691287305.png

[OneTrueThigh]

img-cache.cdn.gaiaonline.com/61abc71d46732ee81f51d053c7db1080/http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww283/Adamantyx/14381-fluttershy-yay.jpg 1264336

[The Diplomat]

I like this ending better

[Dontaskme47101]

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SAD It was so good but so sad. Best story I have read yet liking and favoriting!

[Art Inspired]

1300232 I try.

[Thorax]

NOOOOOOOOOOOO
WHY DON'T I LISTEN TO THE WARNINGS.
WHY! WHY!

Okay, I'm okay
I've still got the Happy ending to read.

[MLP BRONY 27]

now THAT'S an ending

for some reason i love sad endings. they are just awesome, they show how things can't always end with sunshine and rainbows, and that they can also end in the tragic and depressing ways. terrific job art, you are too amazingly awesome

[Fury of the Tempest]

And there is the tragic ending...

[hailetheking]

2422145 THE NAME IS WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG

That sort of went without saying. I would be surprised if there wasn't a reference to the song.

[TorontoFCBrony]

No freaking way! Are you continuing this further???

[Art Inspired]

4485134 More like 'polishing' it.

[TorontoFCBrony]

4485166 All right. Well, if you get any more ideas, please feel free to continue it

[Smiles]

A new 5th chapter?

[Art Inspired]

4485803 6th