Being Chaos Malcontent

by Digodragon

Chapter 6 – It Helps if We Sing About It

Discord gasped for air in between violent coughing fits from his water-filled lungs. He splashed around in the shallow lake as he tried to find the shoreline, but his vision was too blurry to see anything in detail. Several unseen forces grabbed Discord’s body and pulled him out of the water. He felt his body drift through the air for a few seconds before warm dry grass brushed up against his back.

The coughing fit finally relented and Discord’s vision started to sharpen. He made out the hazy forms of Princess Celestia, Twilight, and at least a dozen other servants and guards from the castle. They all gathered around him. Even Princess Luna was here instead of sleeping through the day shift as she usually did.

Discord wondered if Luna threw any sofas at the servant who woke her up.

The draconequus’ lungs wheezed heavily for air. “Never again,” he whispered with a horrified expression.

Celestia put a hoof on Discord’s shoulder, but he only curled up in response.

“What happened?” Twilight finally asked. “Where did you go?”

Discord blinked his eyes as he tried to recall the vivid scene, but the image of the overly friendly ponies that tried to suffocate him still haunted his mind. He slowly sat up, but remained visibly shaken from the traumatic experience. “Chocolate milk ponies everywhere,” Discord said cryptically.

“I think he’s broken,” Blades stated casually.

“He is not broken,” Celestia countered. The princess gently took Discord’s hand and stood him up. “You don’t have to tell us what happened if you don’t want to.” She gave Discord a motherly smile which assured him that he was in safe hooves now.

Discord calmed down and regained some composure. He then attained the often underappreciated ability to form complete sentences. “I’m not sure how to even explain it. Where exactly does that trap door lead to?” he asked Celestia.

Princess Celestia’s crestfallen expression showed hints of regret upon her face. “I just explained it to everyone here, but you most of all should know this. Whenever one of us has entered that door, we end up in your mind, able to see and feel through you. In a way, it is like we possess you. When Luna threw that sofa at you and when you were at the bottom of a chocolate milk-soaked tree, that was because of me.”

Luna nodded in agreement. “Your awakening in the royal kitchen was when I had accidentally fallen into your mind. It can be a very baffling sensation for us. We can only imagine based on your current state that what you witnessed was your own chaotic mind turned against you.”

Discord backtracked through his memories. He thought about the instances he had yesterday and today where his memory was blank and he awoke in those strange situations. Also, he thought about the pain. There was always pain with each situation.

“Excuse me,” Discord finally said sourly, “But if I’m not mistaken, I believe Celestia was quite clear that all these shenanigans were attributed to me sleepwalking. Now you are telling me that I didn’t cause any of these problems?” Discord folded his arms together, a sign that he was not enjoying the belated truth just given to him.

Celestia lowered her ears sheepishly. “I may have fibbed a little,” she admitted. “I didn’t know how you’d react to finding the trap door, so I kept it a secret as long as I could, but then I had to protect you as well since these incidents were not your fault. I-I should have been honest with you from the beginning.”

Discord wasn’t sure if he was supposed to be angry or proud of Celestia for actually weaving such an intricate web of lies. He mused that he could have done both, but the captain of the guard stepped up to Celestia’s side in her defense before Discord could make that decision.

“I have my best soldiers posted by the door to ensure it is not used again,” Steel Shield added.

“That isn’t good enough,” Discord stated with a frown. “A few of you here could easily weasel your way past them. Even worse, Celestia could just order them aside if she wanted to. How will I know that some of you won't use my glorious chaotic powers to your advantage?”

“Do not flatter yourself,” Luna interjected. “I’d sooner court a diamond dog than impersonate you.”

Discord snapped his fingers. In a flash of white light he transformed into a small, hunched-over dog with a long chin and a short tail that ended in several nubs. “I can arrange that!” Discord barked back.

Twilight spoke next. “Your highness, Discord’s point has some merit. Now that word is getting around about that trap door, we should make a decision soon on a more permanent solution.”

Celestia nodded, but was not quite sure how to proceed. There were still unanswered questions about the mysterious door and it was difficult to know who could be trusted to guard against its usage. Celestia was only able to glance around in thought.

Discord got impatient and transformed himself back to his usual draconequus form. “Well don’t just do something, Celestia, stand there!” Discord taunted. With a stern huff, Discord turned away from the group and began to walk toward the castle.

“Discord, wait!” Celestia shouted.

The draconequus ignored her command and snapped his fingers. He vanished in the familiar flash of white light. The small crowd of ponies looked at each other nervously. They weren’t sure what Discord was going to do, but whatever it was, the self-proclaimed Prince of Chaos never did anything half-heartedly.

There was a deep ‘boom’ sound that came from the castle. The crowd saw one of the stain-glass windows on the ground floor shatter as dark gray smoke poured out of it. This was followed in quick succession by a loud splash in the lake behind them.

The crowd turned around and saw Discord sitting in the lake. He was soaked completely, save for his face which was covered in black soot.

Celestia approached the lake’s edge to address him. “What happened?” she asked with concern.

“Did you fail to mention that the trap door is heavily warded?” Discord countered as he winced in pain. “I’m pretty sure I wasn’t told that important detail.”

“Pray tell us what you did,” Luna demanded.

Discord slogged out of the lake. “I tried to turn the trap door into something not like a door at all.”

“And?” Twilight asked inquisitively.

“It took offense to that,” Discord responded flatly. He conjured a small towel from the air and wiped himself dry. The towel vanished shortly thereafter back into the air.

Celestia let out a distressing sigh. “It seems the best idea then is to seal it away as Luna proposed earlier,” she said. “We should call the royal builders quickly and fill that passage with sand.”

“I don’t want sand leaking into my head!” Discord argued.

“It is not like you use that space for anything productive,” Luna rebutted.

Celestia put her hoof down. “Be still, all of you!” she shouted angrily. “We don’t know what we’re dealing with here. Sealing the passage is the best option we have right now and I decree to make it so.”

“Your majesty, don’t forget that you have some dignitaries to host,” Twilight pointed out.

“Indeed,” Luna agreed with a yawn. “I shall delegate the task of sealing the passage in your stead.”

Discord folded his arms together. “By the way, I did not enjoy being your puppet,” he said seriously. “I should be the sole puppet master here!” He snapped his fingers and several puppet strings appeared around Blades’ legs. The Pegasus guard was unable to resist the pull of the ropes that made him dance in place.

“Discord, please calm down,” Celestia pleaded.

The draconequus snapped his fingers and the puppetry act ended as Blades was released from the binding ropes. Discord then took off into the air toward the castle.

“I’m off to oversee the guards on that basement watch,” Discord said. “No more ponies are going to get into my head again! My mind is to remain vacant at all times!” He quickly sailed to the castle and disappeared through the broken, still smoking window.

“Remind me again, dear sister, how many times he’s been hit in the head today?” Luna asked.

Celestia took in a deep breath and calmed her nerves. “Alright, everyone return to business as usual. Luna, I’ll leave sealing the basement passage to you. I shall get back to the griffons and complete the negotiations for the trade agreement.”

Several screams emanated from the castle. The guards quickly took a defensive stance while everyone else flinched from the shrieks of fear.

Twilight was the first to break the stunned silence. “What was that?”

“The griffons,” Celestia said with a horrified look.

The group of ponies raced back to the castle, but Celestia, Luna, and Twilight teleported themselves to the front entrance. The three Alicorns together pushed the two large doors open. Inside the castle vestibule they saw the red carpets wrapped tightly around the two griffon guards, as well as a Unicorn guard.

The victims were slowly being strangled by the floor coverings.

Celestia pointed her magical horn at the carpet and a beam of bright-white light sprung forth. She directed the magical beam to slice the carpets open. The captive guards tumbled out of their bindings, saved from asphyxiation by the deadly red berber.

“What happened?” Celestia asked the guards.

“The shadows in the hall, they… came to life,” one of the surprised griffons wheezed out.

“Your highness, the dignitaries were taken by the shadows!” the Unicorn guard added in between deep breaths. “They were dragged off to the basement!”

Shadows began to creep toward the princesses from the corners of the vestibule. As the dark shades approached the lit candles that hung from the walls, they snuffed out the tiny flames. Twilight lit her horn with a bright yellow-white light and took up a defensive position by the still recovering guards. She then fired a beam of light at the shadows.

The magical light struck and dissolved a hole in the strange darkness. It halted its advance almost as if it was aware that the light was harmful.

“I’ll hold the shadows here!” Twilight said with determination. “You two go and save the dignitaries!”

Celestia nodded proudly and then waved at Luna to follow. The two sisters jumped over the encroaching shadows and galloped towards the basement. Other shadows oozed out of the dark corners of the castle. The darkness consumed the candles and torches that lit the hallways, both magical and mundane.

“So who do you think is possessing Discord now?” Celestia asked her sister.

A wall of shadow sprung forth from the ground and the sisters skidded to a halt before they collided with the darkness. The wall reached out slowly to Celestia with long fingers made of shadow. The princess could feel an aura of freezing coldness as the shade tried to touch her.

Luna summoned forth her own magical shadow and blocked the dark fingers. The two dark forms pressed against each other as if they were solid bodies. The red carpet behind Celestia then began to rise from the floor, intent on the sisters.

Luna stomped the carpet down against the floor while Celestia reared up and fired her magical beam of light at the shadowy fingers. The warm rays of sunlight cut through the appendages all the way to the shadow wall. The darkness bubbled and burned away as the hallway was opened up once more. The two princesses leaped through the wide opening and continued toward the basement.

“Sister,” Luna said with concern, “I don’t believe it is a ‘who’ that is manifesting these shadows.”

Celestia gave Luna a confused glance. However, she quickly understood the meaning in her sister’s eyes. This revelation only frightened Celestia even more.

“The darkness in the basement?” she whispered.

Luna only nodded as they reached the entrance to the basement. Celestia turned on her magical light, but increased its brightness as a matter of caution. Luna opened the doors and the sisters gazed down the steps into what appeared to be less a staircase and more a dark maw.

“This would make for a lovely Nightmare Night activity,” Luna commented thoughtfully.

Celestia snorted. “Sure, if you can keep the shadows from eating the guests.”

They descended the stairs together. The darkness embraced them as the sisters navigated their way deep into the basement. Celestia’s light held the shadows at bay, but she was unable to see past the wall of darkness. However, Luna saw the path clearly and directed her sister forward. They found the stairs down to the second basement and with it, the voice of the darkness.

“The light…” came a whispering echo from below.

“Did the darkness just speak to us?” Celestia asked her sister.

Luna nodded. “It would appear that this errant magic is capable of sound mimicry.”

“Are you certain that it isn’t a spirit?” Celestia inquired.

“My dear sister,” Luna explained, “There are three things I do not believe in; the tooth fairy, weight-loss supplements, and ghosts. We are simply hearing echoes from the guards further down warped by this magical effect.”

Luna continued down the stairs, unfazed by the darkness.

“Echoes don’t bunch up the royal carpets,” Celestia mumbled to herself as she followed.

The sisters reached the ground of the second basement. The air down here was noticeably cold and extremely dry. Up ahead, a dim yellow light flickered for survival. The sisters sped up their pace and saw before them Discord with three Unicorn guards and the two griffon dignitaries.

The group was huddled in front of the trap door. Discord held the last active lantern under his arm. He conjured lights from his outstretched hand, but the darkness repeatedly swallowed up his magic hungrily. The Unicorns had lit orbs on the tips of their own horns, but the shadows were slowly converging upon them like a panther stalking prey, ready to devour their magical light as well.

Celestia dashed forward as her light cut through the shadows. “Come, I’ll bring you to safety!” she shouted.

The guards protected the griffons as they quickly moved towards Celestia. Discord followed last as the light in the lantern he held wavered and then died. The shadows darted out of the small hallway, but they were not after the retreating group. The darkness wanted Celestia.

Luna stepped forward to block the shadows with her own magical darkness. The dark shades pressed forward against the young sister’s night as it vied to touch the light of Celestia’s magic. The shadows grew closer to Celestia's light and began to burn as a moth would to a candle flame.

Celestia expected to hear a reaction, maybe pain or agony, from the darkness. However, it felt no pain, no suffering. Just as Luna had explained it earlier, this wasn’t a living entity. It was just a magical imprint of something tragic.

Still, Celestia just wasn't convinced.

“Sister, we must retreat from here,” Luna advised sternly.

“No, not yet,” Celestia responded. “I think I know how to stop it!”

“Pray tell what your idea is?” Luna asked. She shoved her magical darkness harder against the coming shadows to give the group more time to escape the basement.

“Discord,” Celestia called out, “I need to use the trap door on last time.”

“What, you want permission now?” Discord asked. “After you took a few joyrides in my head, behind my back?” He conjured three candles shaped like himself and held them out in one hand.

“Please!” Celestia pleaded.

Discord snapped his fingers. Sparks sprung forth and lit the candles. The darkness barely slowed down from the new light sources. “Fine, but make it quick!” Discord shouted.

Celestia continued forward until she reached the low ceiling of the enigmatic hallway. “Luna, when I jump into the trap door, I want you to collapse the hallway!”

“I do not see merit in this plan,” Luna stated as she strained to hold back the dark forces around her.

“Don’t argue!” Celestia snapped back. She then dimmed her light as she ducked her head. Celestia crawled into the low hallway toward the trap door. The darkness surrounded and latched onto her. Its cold, icy grip burning against her sides.

Celestia reached the trap door, but the darkness tried to pull her away. She crawled inside slowly as she fought the unseen force that did not wish her to disappear.

Luna conjured several more shadows to pound against the walls of the small hallway. The darkness attempted to resist her as well. A wall of darkness formed in front of Luna.

“No…” the whispering shadows said.

“No?” Luna asked angrily. “No?! You cannot defy me! You are nothing but shadows, illusions!” Luna’s anger began to boil. Her eyes took on a white glow as she continued to increase the size of her own dark shades.

“You are only darkness and I am your master!” Luna commanded. “I am Luna, Princess of the Night!”

With all her might, Luna plunged her magical force forward. The wall of darkness shattered against the immense power. Luna’s shade pounded through the corridor. The stone masonry was ripped from the foundations, the brickwork crumbled off the walls and the ceiling was torn down upon the miniature hallway.

The rumble shook dust and loose pieces of stone from the ceiling above. The debris rained upon the ponies and griffons alike. The moments drifted slowly along the clouds of dust. The noise faded to silence that hung heavily on the ears of everyone here.

The guards led the weary griffons out of the basement, but Discord remained behind to ensure Luna was alright. He began to worry, for he felt no different even though he saw Celestia crawl into the trap door.

“Luna, I,” Discord fumbled, “I don’t know where Celestia is. I don’t think she’s in my mind.”

The younger sister looked Discord in the eyes, but she appeared to believe him. Luna only nodded. “Perhaps my sister was cast into the lake prematurely. I am sure she is alright. Let us locate her post haste.”

The draconequus nodded and followed her up the stairs. As the two climbed the steps, Luna turned to meet Discord’s gaze again.

“Discord,” Luna began, “I want to apologize for my behavior yesterday. It was wrong of me to have thrown that sofa at you.”

The draconequus smiled. “Really? You are apologizing to me?”

“Yes,” Luna said. “I know it was my sister controlling your body, but even if it was you at my window, I should have given you a fair chance to explain yourself. A friend should be forgiving and understanding.”

Discord put an arm around Luna. “Apology accepted, friend!” he said happily. “In return, I apologize for the itching powder I snuck into those pink socks you borrowed from Celestia.”

“I didn’t borrow my sister’s pink socks,” Luna responded with confusion. “I had borrowed her purple ones.”

Discord stopped in his tracks. “You didn’t? Oh, well then, why don’t you look for Celestia at the lake and I’ll check upstairs. You know, in case she already flew back to the castle.” Discord picked up his pace and hurried up the stairs to exit the basement.

“I think I shall place a heavy magical ward on my dresser from now on,” Luna whispered to herself.

Author's Note:

Originally I had it written that Discord was to jump back through the trap door with the darkness, but I decided to instead bring it full circle with Celestia.

Comments

[Verdigris]

My mind is to remain vacant at all times!

dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Discord.png
Best Discord line ever. Not only can he deliver a line like that, only he could.
What, first?

[Limedog]

2433551
For some reason, I stopped getting e-mail alert for continued stories on FIMFiction.
No matter, I still talk to Digo in e-mail, so it was just a matter of time before I finally came back around and just read the rest of his story, myself!