The Sunset Trilogy

by ocalhoun

Book 1 - Chapter V

Book 1: Equestria Burning
Chapter 5

Having extracted a Pinkie promise from the inventor of Pinkie promises, Applejack began untying the pink pony. Their ride was almost over in any case, with the chariot slowly coming down to ground level.

As the wheels touched pavement – not the castle entrance either, directly in the courtyard, Twilight noticed – the two royal sisters were already in evidence, waiting on the group's arrival.

Still wondering what it was they were called for, Twilight rushed up to Princess Celestia. While her other friends bowed respectfully, she ran right up and began babbling. “What's wrong Princess? We came as fast as we could! What do you need us to do? Why do –”

The princess cut her off with a look. “I've called you all here as a safeguard. My sister and I have decided that we need to speak with someone. He's very dangerous, and I believe you've met before – Discord.”

As her friends looked on in shock, Twilight realized just how desperate her mentor must be to resort to that. Was there really no other way?

Celestia continued, “I will be opening up a connection through his stone prison... It should be perfectly safe... but naturally we want to have backups in place.” She glanced to her side. “Princess Luna will be keeping an eye on me – in case I am overwhelmed.” She received a few shocked glances at the prospect of her being overwhelmed with anything. “And I want all of you keeping an eye on Discord... During this time, his prison will be weakened, and I need the six of you to ensure any escape plan of his is short lived.”

“Are you ready, my little ponies?” The princess asked.

A chorus of affirmation resounded in response, with Rainbow Dash going as far as to give a salute.

Princess Celestia paused for a moment looking slightly unsure, causing Twilight to wonder if she might actually be feeling reluctant to continue... but the moment passed, and Celestia's mask of a pleasant smile returned as she levitated out a familiar bejeweled box, eliciting a few sighs of relief when the six ponies in front of her saw the elements safe inside. “Very well then, please follow me to the gardens.”

* * *

As she approached the familiar statue, Princess Celestia's heart filled with dread. It wasn't often that the princess of the sun had occasion to feel fear... And though she strove to keep her regal mask in place, she worried that the fear was showing through.

Before long, she found herself beneath the towering statue – again an unpleasant change from usual – being quite nearly the tallest pony in Equestria, she wasn't accustomed to being towered over... and this accentuated her nervous fear all the more. Resolutely, though, she stared down the statue. Her ponies were dying from this plague, and she needed to do whatever it took – anything – to put an end to it.

She looked up at the draconequus's face. She had taken great pleasure in having a base attached to the petrified Discord, and having him placed in exactly the same spot in the gardens as before. She recalled getting a laugh out of how much the spirit of chaos would enjoy getting to look at the exact same scenery for a few thousand more years. Now, though, she almost wished she had been more kind... this was going to be difficult enough without the complication of a personal grudge.

Lost in thought, she hadn't noticed when her escorts brought themselves into position. Luna nudged her out of her reverie with a poke and a clearing of her throat. Celestia almost adopted a sheepish look – almost. Thousands of years of practice with a royal visage had her transforming that sheepish look into a regal nod, as if she had been planning to just stand and stare at the statue for a few minutes.

She glanced around. Her faithful student, Twilight Sparkle, and her friends were gathered around behind Discord, all staring back at her expectantly. Her sister was at her side, a concerned look on her face, but Celestia could see that her sister was trying to be as supportive as possible. She, for one, understood how Celestia was feeling better than anypony else could.

Her pulse racing, Celestia forced herself to take a deep breath... here it goes. She leaned in and touched her horn to the statue, calling up a simple spell to help bypass the stone barrier, and with a gasp, she saw the world around her vanish.

* * *

At the princess's gasp, Twilight ran forward to help, only to be held back by a dark blue hoof.

“Let her be, Twilight Sparkle. She is not in peril yet, and this must be done.”

With a reluctant look at her teacher's pained face, she slowly returned to her place, keeping vigilant watch over the statue along with her friends.

* * *

A cacophony of light and noise assaulted Celestia's senses... and more than that, she realized, every sense was assaulted. She could feel alternating hot and cold, electric tingling, a tickling feather, a lover's touch, and something that felt like warm pudding sliding down her neck... meanwhile, tastes and smells whisked to and through her almost too fast to recognize, the smell of lemons, and the taste of chocolate, suddenly replaced by an acrid taste and smell, and replaced again by the smell of fresh coffee and the taste of cheese, only to be replaced again. Even her magical sense was going haywire, telling her that random magic was flying all around her.

Get a hold of yourself, she thought, It's all just illusion. Ignore it. Easier said than done. Every moment was a full sensory overload, and none of it made any sense. The fear came rushing back... what if she was to be trapped like this forever? No, she thought, Luna's there, she'll get me out... now just KEEP IT TOGETHER!

Suddenly, the assault on Celestia's senses died away, leaving complete absence of any sensation at all. She languished that way for a moment, completely lost, and still reeling from the overload earlier... and then a voice came lurking from the darkness...

“Oh my... look who's come to pay us a visit! If it isn't my old friend Celestia...” The voice seemed to move right up next to Celestia's ear. “Why, you should have called first, I would have set up a better welcome. ... Still, I did the best I could on such short notice; I trust you enjoyed it?”

“Discord,” Celestia managed to say, despite the nervous tightness in her chest.

“Oh, I'm soooo honored,” The voice replied, “She remembers my name! It's just wonderful. Perhaps she'd like to stop for a spot of tea?”

Celestia couldn't let fear get the best of her. She brushed aside thoughts of Discord's previous tea party, thousands of years ago... Not a pleasant experience. “Actually, Discord, I've come to ask a question.”

The voice from the black void returned. “No, my dear, I won't marry you. You're quite nice and all, and quite the beauty, but you see, you can just be so dreadfully dull and dreary.”

Celestia sighed. Dealing with Discord was always a challenging endeavor. “No, I've come to ask you about a disease spreading through Equestria, you see it's –”

“And there you go again!” The voice interrupted. “Being all boring and serious again. Really Celly – can I call you Celly? – Really, you should learn to lighten up a bit!”

Ignoring Discord's interruption, Celestia continued, “it's killing too many ponies... it's a disease that starts with–”

“Oh, I know all about your little plague running amok out there my dear,” the voice responded. “Just because you've got your minions to lock me up in this stone doesn't mean I can't keep tabs on the world. I'm the spirit of Chaos, after all. Locking up this physical body only does so much.”

“Yes,” the princess responded, “but about the disease...”

“And you can forget about that,” the voice came back snidely, “you won't see me interfering with my dear little neice's silly corpse games.”

“Niece?” Celestia asked in shock.

“What, you didn't know?” Discord had himself a little laugh. “Oh that's just too rich.”

Realizing the import of what Discord had just let slip, Celestia began to shut down the spell, exiting his world... only to have it locked in place.

“Oh dear, leaving already?” The voice taunted, “Won't you stay just a little longer? – I made a gift for you, after all... only fitting in return for your little gift of putting me back in my accustomed place...”

Suddenly, Celestia's world again exploded into a kaleidescope of sensation in all six senses... Only this time, they were all pain and unpleasantness. The colored lights were back, so bright they burned her eyes. A staccato screeching noise pained her ears. Bitter taste filled her mouth, accompanied by the smell of sulfur, quickly replaced by the exact smell and taste of hot, fresh blood – it was making her gag. She could feel her fur being pulled out, one hair at a time, as her legs tied themselves in knots.

Celestia cried out, only to feel herself flung to the side, and find some blue monster standing over her. She instinctively struck out in fear, only to see her magic diffuse along a shield barrier. ... Slowly, she came to her senses. That wasn't a monster, it was her sister, Luna. She had pushed her Celestia aside, breaking contact at the first sign of trouble, just as planned.

Celestia looked at the singed ring of earth around her sister's feet. The attack she had lashed out with had been a powerful one... She was glad to have had her sister in this position... few other ponies could have blocked such an attack. “I'm so sorry sister, I didn't mean to–”

Luna cut her off with an embrace. “Do not mention it my sister. We – I mean, I – remember the last time we had occasion to talk to the demon Discord. It is only natural to come out a little defensive.”

Celestia glanced back up at the statue of Discord, still struggling to catch her breath. Gradually, her mask of regal serenity returned, and she turned to Twilight Sparkle and her friends. “Thank you. Thank you all. I think I've learned something helpful here, and I won't be needing to talk to Discord again anytime soon.” She suppressed a shudder at the thought. “I'm afraid we'll need you to stay here in Canterlot for a time... I think we may have need of your special talents again soon.” She summoned her sister to come along with a glance, and headed towards the royal guard's headquarters. The guard hadn't seen much action so far in this crisis, but they were about to make up for that... she would need the biggest aerial search in Equestria's history to locate this niece of Discord.

* * *

Comments

[Freescript the Bard]

biggest areal search in Equestria's history

^
*aerial
Sorry, I'm an aviation junkie. This bugs me.