Letters To The Spirit
Discord,
I demand for you presence immediately.
Quit these games you're trying to play with me. Your presence is required at once. No replies to my letters, what sort of fool do you take me for?
No reply again and I'll be forced to take it into my own hooves.
Sincerely, Twilight.
He scanned through the letter with no sense of interest in his eyes to even read it. With a sigh, he crumbled it and threw it aside.
He then laid himself back comfortably into his cotton candy cloud, in a world where nopony could possibly find him or disturb him in any way physically. His world. Ah, Chaosville. A very original name for a damn original work of art. Although it used to be just a random void of darkness times ago, he managed to further improve the world, with the help of his good friend, of course. For example, the place was now a bustling town. Well, not very bustling, but much more aesthetically pleasing to be around in. His cloud floated above a small town, specifically a water fountain. The town was detailed, and not just "paper and cardboard cutouts" type detailed, but actual shops type detailed. There was even a small bakery in the corner of town. much like......well, Ponyville.
It felt more homey after he had made the improvements. It had been awhile since he had resided in Ponyville as he had decided to finally let Fluttershy have her own space and move out. Although he never said so,he admitted to himself that Ponyville felt rather homey to him after living there with Fluttershy for so long. However, it was a fool's thinking to think that
Fluttershy's sense of personal space was the only reason he moved out. In a sense, Ponyville has been drained of.....colour. Gloomy.
Sigh, Twilight. What a mistake it was for dear Sunbutt to anoint her princess. To say he was a narcissistic ruler was a damn insult compared to who Sunbutt used to think as her brightest student and future extraordinaire. Her ideas, her plans, her visions.....blergh. Sunbutt had told him to accept Twilight's views, but he wasn't a bias fool to know that Sunbutt was probably eating her words these days. Perhaps she had pampered her too much, made her think that most of her views were right. If it's harmony related, it gotta be right.
Perhaps he had drove her insane. Well, with him around ponies are bound to become crazy. Like over-exposure to nuclear radiation. Chernobyl. It just doesn't go right. Sigh, guess he chose the wrong tree to bark up first. If he was the reason of her dismay, he had literally ruined his plans for future entertainment seeking from future victims. With Twilight bugging him all day round, he never had the interest to even bother ponies anymore. Not with fear of them bugging him too.
Sending him letters, insisting he complies, insisting he even reply, pure cease and desist motive. He knew that it probably wasn't anything good that she wanted him to be a part of, seeing as she's never been so insistent in wanting him to participate in anything so much in his life. If Fluttershy had sent him a letter that even corresponded to the letters she had sent, maybe he would believe them. But obviously, without any other ponies in the say, it was sketchy. Like, reaaaaally sketchy.
It has been days, weeks, and even months he's hung out in Ponyville. Usually with Fluttershy for regular tea parties and the occasional chatter with Zecora, but rarely had he entered town to even stir any kind of trouble, fearing he may bump into the annoying purple ass.
The old days would always consist of him stirring up trouble- or more of minor inconveniences like pepper-rain clouds or sneezing powder-infected flower bouquets. But now, oh dear God how he dreaded even the sight of the library from afar. The pure annoyance it radiates towards him. He had always been curious however on what she even wanted with him, but he didn't even want to bother with stalking her or following her around to see what's what. Not after how weird still started acting over the past few months. A crazy horse, she was.
To even suggest such remote things to him. To even say things she knew wasn't right but just wanted to do so for the sake of her lousy harmony or whatever. To try and convince him to do something he's feared of even looking at after his release. If her friends knew about her plans, what would they say? Would they agree with her idea? Would they disagree? Would he be vulnerable? Would he be invincible? No- he couldn't even think about it. They wouldn't betray him, right? R-right?
He can't go back to stone.
She's lost her mind. Trying to erase a "mistake", as she would say. Trying to undo all the progress she had done to even get her title as alicorn because she deem it unfit for her kingdom, her rule, her future of generations to come. Her happy place. A loony, she was. What would Sunbutt think? He couldn't fathom Celestia being okay with her idea. Of course, knowing Celestia, she would be against it.
O-or would she?
N-no. Celestia forgave him already. Celestia had already accepted him. She wouldn't do that to a friend. Never.
D....does Celestia even know what's going on?
Should he tell her?
W-what if she's not on his side? What if releasing him was just her taking him as a beta test for lil' ole' Twilight? What if one day after Twilight has gone fully harmonious eruptious her last test would suddenly be to seal him up again because the test was finally over and she won the big boy title prize?
She wouldn't. She couldn't. Obviously, she knew him wayyyyy before she took Twilight in under her wing. They were practically childhood chums, childhood sweethearts.....she wouldn't betray him.....
.......but then again, she betrayed him before.
Oh how cold and bitter that word tasted. Betrayal. That one perk of life he never thought he would endure under Celestia's wing. Yet he was hurt by the thing he was sworn to trust completely before.
Friendship. Was it all a ploy? Maybe this was revenge for trying to take over the world that one time. Maybe they'll do all these fun things for him just to backstab him and laugh as he falls into a state of shock and horror. Ahh, the pain! The Horror! The sorrow!
Jokes aside for him however, he really was kind of bothered by the thought. After being encased in stone for so many years, he had begun to realize just how hard differentiating what's real and what's fake in life. Perhaps to avoid any of these kinds of backlash is to.....well, stay home.
He knew he wouldn't last long cooped up there by himself, however. Funnily enough, it was all because he feared a bunch of laser strapped ponies were hungry to get him.
Fluttershy is loyal at least. He knows that she wouldn't hurt a soul, much more betraying him......right?
W...what if she was also a ploy? A trap? What if her kindness was a mere facade all along? To lure him into the abyss of friendship, gratitude and loyalty, only to be left crumbled and trampled upon soon?
He shook his head. He didn't want to dwell on the subject much longer. He shouldn't, for the sake of his own sanity, he shouldn't.
But Fluttershy....
Gah! Whatever. She can't hurt him. She won't hurt him. She-
Suddenly, a letter flashed in front of him. He sighed.
He knew what it was. And instead let it fall towards the ground below him. More letters promising empty threats, how exciting is the life of the chaos lord?
He pulled himself towards the edge of his cloud as he watched the letter fall into the fountain below him. He rolled his eyes.
"Alicorns are just average ponies plus power ups, I just know it. Like, I swear that alicorn has never heard of sleep in her life," he shook his head disappointingly. He looked away from the fountain and decided to lay back into his position. He was feeling kind of sleepy, tired from thinking all day he supposed as he chuckled slightly
His eyes were slowly falling, bringing him into slumber slowly. However, his mind raced the more everything felt drowsy. He wondered how far Twilight actually is in her little rut now. How it would affect her friends in the future.....
"Fluttershy....." he whispered to himself. The poor thing.
For him.
He remembered of when he did actually tell her of how psychotic Twilight actually is with him, although he had put it in a lighter sense instead of just "TWILIGHT WANTS ME BACK IN STONE". More of a "Dear acquaintance, I request your understanding in my situation as it seems that I have been unknowingly drafted to war against dear Starbutt and request your assistance in helping me convince her to stop pestering me".
He remembered during one of their tea parties, she had told him about her encounter with Twilight the other day where she was shut out immediately by Twillight's guards as she didn't want to talk about Discord unless he wants to talk to her himself, which made him even more annoyed. Fluttershy had also mentioned the times where she would constantly stop by to at least try to get some sense through Twilight's unknown noggin. There were a few instances where she was harass and bullied by guards that just wanted to scare her away, and she would constantly get hurt or bruised by them, which hurt the heart to hear coming from her.
Sometimes, he felt bad hearing her saying that she's trying. Because she's trying too hard. For him. And it makes him regret thinking that she was ever going to betray him because if he felt guilty he wondered how he'd be if it actually happened.
She would still try to persuade the princess no matter what. Dedication at its finest, although he had since then regretted ever telling her the issue. He hated hearing her get hurt and even see the remnants of her bruises are painful to see.
He.....he needs to do something. Anything. Not just for his sake, but for his......friends. He hoped they were his friends. Whatever the reason, it just wasn't right. Be it friends, or Celestia's rainbow minions, he was bound to try.
A look into the future of a "Kingdom of Harmony", ruined greatly by the Princess of all good things to supposedly come to them. Great. Fantastic.
Griffins, seaponies, yaks, they are all holding grudges against unrightful laws passed by the Princess and to them.
A-and also, where is Princess Celestia in all this? He had put off visiting her for the time being, thinking as if she would help him out maybe and is in the middle of helping.....or something she even aware of the situation? She should be. She does have the meetings with ambassadors of towns and stuff like that, surely the grudge holders are great snitches too.
How about the others? Luna? Cadence? That dopey brother of hers? Surely they wouldn't be alright with this, right? Are they aware? Why wouldn't they be?
For once, nothing made sense and it furiated him.
Celestia would've been furious knowing that ponies under her care are getting hurt by another rival alicorn. Yet he never heard word about them even reaching out to talk about it or show any concern towards it. Why? What are they doing? What are they thinking?
......are they okay?
There's a time for everything. He had always made sure to made himself look playful, chill, easy going and random, to hide feelings from facade and stick with it. He wanted to be an icon, an icon he'd definitely be remembered as. However, as time progressed, everything changed. Now, he must dare to show feelings. He should dare to show concern. Support for the other ponies. Worry for the dread that will come upon the in due time less she doesn't change herself.
He hoped she wasn't too far gone. She's still Twilight....the nerdy, geek, dork, weird, very purple Twilight...... she wouldn't-
His thoughts were interrupted as he felt a sudden shift of aura around him. However, he was unable to pinpoint the source. He squinted, and was soon on high alert as he scanned his area. He suddenly felt something tugging at his body. A soft, almost velvety feeling......
A white ribbon started revolving around him, he noticed. He froze, not knowing what on earth was going on. "....what in the?..." he questioned.
It tightened itself around him. He started to worry, however he didn't know what to do or what it was.
Curiously, he touched the ribbon with his talon. It took him by surprise as it suddenly grabbed at his talon and enveloped around him hastily.
"Wha-hey!" he cried as, in a flash, he poofed into sparks.
He felt a slight jolt of pain in his head, suddenly dizzy and nauseous. His talons felt the ground and it was only dirt. His eyes fluttered opened as he groaned, unable to process what had just happened. His eyes trailed around, and what he saw surprised him.
The tree of harmony, which stood without the harmonious ring in its name to bare anymore.
The leaves were shriveled, the branches old and rotten. The elements in held within it were......missing?
It is then but a mere dying tree.
Discord looked at it with both worry and reluctance. If this was before, he wouldn't have cared less. However....why? What had happened to it? Why is he here? Did.....did he this that? Did he do something.
"Oh, so you are still okay. That's nice," said a chilling voice that went up his spine.
He remained his composure however, not daring to ruin his facade and make himself vulnerable to her. He knew it was her. "....Twilight, how's it been? A few days? Weeks? Months?"
"Where were you? Why don't you ever reply to my letters?" She asked, her voice a mix of irritation and anger. It was clear that his presence not only satisfied her but frustrated her.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," he said, rather matter-o-factly. He held his head up, pretending pride. He didn't know what Twilight was planning, but he wasn't going to let her think that it'll be easy.
"Why weren't you here when I needed you to be?" she then said, this time digging her hoof into the ground in frustration.
"Pah, I haven't heard a word about your-"
"LIAR!" she spat. "Expect me to believe you? Every letter I sent you, I have planted a magic sensor in them that when open, will resend me a copy of the letter itself. Since I know you're not that dumb as to resend the letters back to me that will indicate that you have read them," she acclaimed.
Discord backed up slightly, surprised by the sudden outburst. But unfortunately, he could only back up into the dying tree.
She took a step forward, her eyes glistening an unfamiliar cold glare. "Are you trying to intimidate me?" he raised his talon. He didn't want to hurt her. Maybe just put her in time out and....talk it over? She wasn't right, he knew she wasn't. However, at a raise of his talon, he was surprised.
Nothing.
He then looked down at his talon, befuddled. He looked up at Twilight, who gave him a proud smirk. "This is for the good of Equestria, Discord. Don't you want to be useful? For once, I will stop at least one factor of what makes our world crumble," she stomped suddenly.
As if it were a signal, Disocrd noticed something seemingly coming from a distance from behind her. "....wait."
Spike popped up out of the darkness and walked towards Twilight. In his claws was.....the crown. Her element. "...how did you-"
"I have my ways, Discord," she said, retrieving the crown from his claws. Upon further notice, he realized something else. He was completely greyed out. He saw this before. He's casted something similar. He's being.....
Discord looked up at her in surprise shock. "You- why?! How could you?!"
"He wouldn't cooperate. So I had to improvise. Along with...a few others," she said as she looked at her hoof.
Discord could notice other figures walking up from the distance. He dreaded the worst, and as they came close enough to view he gasped.
The rest of her friends. Much like Spike, they were grey and dull. Colourless. Empty and void from life itself.
Rarity, her mane was a mess. There were visible small cuts around her neck and body. Almost all of them had cuts and bruises. Applejack however was seen without her hat. Rainbow's colourful facade was gone. Pinkie's hair seemed messier than her usual state. And....
Fluttershy.
His heart skipped a beat as he saw her. Bruised and cuts. There was one visible cut line by her cheek. By her neck, behind her element were visible scratches.
His friends. They're.... that's not them.
Twilight began to run closer. He had seemigly lost his sense of surrounding. That sight....his friends...... He....he wanted to do something. What can he do? What should he do? Save them- but how? Run to Celestia, but why? Save himself...... he couldn't. He couldn't leave them that way.
He slumped down suddenly, and looked up to them again to take them in. They were...so badly..... he felt tears well up. He can't.....
Rarity, although snooty for the element of generosity she was still nice to him in the end. She gifted him a scarf last Hearths Warming. Rainbow and Pinkie, the greatest prank duo he had ever come across on. Even better than the royal sisters. Pulling gags on others, including themselves had bonded them, and made him a considerable friend. Applejack, she eventually trusted him enough to ask him to help by her farm during zap apple season and such. Although he'd pull his usual chaotic stunts and feats of chaos, she was still thankful for his 'help' and would sometimes reward him with a whole pie. He'd usually share that pie with....
Fluttershy. His first and true friend. Who would always forgive him for the havoc he wrecks. Who he would always have tea parties with. Who would always be there whenever he's bored and he needs someone to talk to. Who he would always tell his stories of his numerous adventures throughout his life. Who had always defended him from bad mouth ponies. Who had faith in reforming him.
Who was always there when he needed her.
His thoughts were interrupted when he felt light tap on his shoulders. "They'll be alright once you cooperate, Discord. Now, come with me and I'll-"
Discord tackled her unexpectingly. He held her by the neck choking her simultaneuosly. "....you...." He felt himself beginning to laugh. To cry. All emotions welled up in him. ".....you little fucker...." It surprised him however when she started to laugh, and it angered him. He slashed her chest. "SHUT IT!" But she cackled maniacally. He slashed her face. "I SAID STOP!" Her face, her body, she was mauled. However, he was too angry to even notice the glow of her horn....
It flashed a blinding light throughout the cave. Blinding Discord, he yelped as he winced fro the pain of his eyes. His grip loosened, but didn't let go of the princess. As the flash faded, her laughing fit stopped slowly. And surprisingly, a new group of voices filled the air.
"Ngh....what the...." said Applejack, and like magic she blossomed back into colour. Laying groggily on the ground, she grumbled and rubbed her eyes, sore. And what she saw in front of her after that made her eyes shrink. "T-TWILIGHT?!"
The others too blossomed with life unexpectedly. And they too were shocked at the scene that enveloped in front of them. "DISCORD?!" yelled Rainbow furiously.
Fluttershy was still dazed, her vision however slowly clearing. "...w-what happened?" she asked as she put a hoof to her head. She felt dizzy, almost. But her friend's voices sobered her up a bit, especially after one had just exclaimed Discord's name.....
.....Discord?
Discord was startled by the new voices and fell back in surprise, and releasing the princess's throat. Twilight coughed violently and inhaled deeply, tears streaming from the lack of oxygen.
Applejack and Rarity raced towards Twilight worriedly as Rainbow shot at Discord quickly and kicked his muzzle, making him yelp loudly. "WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA, YOU SICKO?!"
As Fluttershy's vision finally cleared, she gasped as she saw what enveloped in front of her. Applejack and Rarity, worriedly looking over an injured looking Twilight and Rainbow, who was in action of kicking Discord. "T-Twilight!!" she said as she ran towards her bleeding and injured friend.
Discord rubbed his muzzle and yelped again as Rainbow started beating him with her hoof. "WHAT DTHE HELL WERE YOU DOING?! HUH?! WHAT'S YOU PROBLEM?!"
Fluttershy looked at her bleeding friend as she gasped. Slashes and scratches all over her face and body, bleeding heavily. She felt tears welling up as she saw her friend in said state. "How could've Discord done all this to ya?!" acclaimed Applejack.
Her heart skipped a beat as she heard that. "...D-Discord?..."
"Did I stutter?!" she yelled back as Fluttershy flinched. She won't believe it. She wouldn't believe it. She couldn't. She felt as though this was just a nightmare. She hoped it was. She faced to the direction of her other friend. Who was beating Discord.
"Rainbow!" she shouted as she shot there. "Stop!" she shouted again as she pulled Rainbow away.
Rainbow pushed her away however. "Why should I?! How blind are you?!" she said as she poked Fluttershy in her chest. "He nearly killed Twilight! I saw him choking her and everything!" she acclaimed as Discord slowly got up, shaking.
"I-I didn't-"
"Don't you move!" she warned with great anger in her voice as she pointed at him, making him silence as he cowered.
"..b-but he wouldn't-"
"What else would you need?! What evidence could you need?! There's slash marks all over her! Dash said she had saw him in action with her own two eyes!" yelled Rarity.
"This is why I never trusted you to begin with!" yelled Applejack as she marched towards Discord. "Ya were never reformed! Everything ya did, the lives of innocent ponies that were hurt by ya, ya' never really felt guilty by yer actions. We forgave ya even after your reign of chaos all over Equestria. You had your chances after Tirek's reign as well. You never learned!" she said as she stomped on his tail, making him flip her off with his tail and backing away.
"....did you really?" asked Fluttershy as she focused her gaze on his. Her teal eyes were glossy, tears streaming down. He gulped as he didn't know what to answer. "Discord," she asked again, this time more stern. "Did you hurt her?"
"Ya don't need to ask him! He's...."
"Proof is already clear! It's him! It's....
"Darling, which do you believe? Us or the ruffian...."
"We're clearly right!" "He's always been a villain!" "He's nothing but a traitor!"
The words coming from her friends closed in on her as she tried to mute them out of her mind. Her tears streaming down more stronger. But she still fixed her gazed towards him as she awaited his answer. "Discord, please." she pleaded.
"He's a monster!"
"A villain!"
"A traitor!"
He couldn't contain himself as well as he eruptedly rose up, and eyed her closely. "......I am a traitor. You're right. I will always be a traitor,' he said, and with that eyed the entrance of the cave, and walked out.
"Don't!-" said Rainbow as she tried to block, but stopped as he turned to growl at her.
"Get anymore closer and I won't hesitate the rip your princess apart limb from limb," he growled as his eyes were brimming once more. Without a thought, he sped up and ran out of the cave.
Before Rainbow could do anything about it however, somepony held onto her tail as she tried to fly. "Stop- hey?!"
"Let him go," said Twilight with a raspy voice, clinging her neck as she watched him run off. In the distance, she saw a flash of light from him, and immediately she knew that meant that the spell wore off on him too. "He'll be fine. As long as Equestria is safe. Safe from chaos."