My Original Plan For A Rather Large Adventure · 2:56pm May 7th, 2021
The story you know as A Rather Large Adventure was not always like that at first. My original plan for the story was wildly different. At the time this idea was formed, it was just a daydream. But as the details got more and more complicated and vivid, I resolved upon myself to craft a coherent story and look for similar examples, which is how I got onto this website in the first place.
I hadn't decided on a title, but the title is always pretty tough. This story takes place a little bit after Season 4, but before Season 5. It would open with around half a dozen emaciated, thin, starving hounds prowling around in the middle of a rocky wilderness. They would voice their hatred of this place and of each other to some extent. These are special hounds, servants of the ultimate force of darkness, and they were cast out from their master’s presence when their master was beaten and broken many years ago. But amidst their bickering, a thunderous boom shakes the sky, and a shining blue line, like the Northern Lights, wavers in the sky to the west. Their differences are put aside in the realization that their master is calling them, and they bound away in search of their master’s bidding.
Meanwhile, in Equestria, this same blue wavy line is also seen, and many wonder what it could mean. But Princess Celestia is concerned. A servant soon reports to Princess Celestia that It has been found in the mountains of the Crystal Empire. Celestia puts two and two together and immediately calls for a special celebration to be held, where It will be unveiled to the world. The Mane Six get the news and begin to speculate what could cause such an event to occur.
At the banquet a few weeks later, Celestia reveals to all assembled that a powerful artifact has been discovered which can protect Equestria for time and all eternity, even after Celestia and Luna are gone. The princesses unveil a mighty sword, easily bigger than any of the ponies and impossible to wield. It’s broad and silvery, without stain or blemish, and in the pommel is a white diamond. Celestia warns, however, that with the rise of the great power of good, evil will rise up to challenge it.
As if to prove her point, the celebration is crashed momentarily by a bipedal wolf-being, slavering, bloodthirsty, and oddly composed. Celestia and Luna warily address him as Belomet, who greets them casually, even as the crowd parts before him like the sea before Moses. Belomet inspects the sword and remarks that it would serve his master well, but Luna declares that only a being free of impurity, without a disposition to do evil, can wild the sword’s true power and not die. Intrigued by the implication of a pure heart, Belomet snatches a filly from the crowd with bubbling, black magic and forces her to bear the sword. Two other fillies try to rescue her, but Belomet simply takes them with him. As you may have guessed, these would be the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Their respective guardians cry out and try to get them back, but Belomet threatens death upon one of them if they resist. Celestia fires upon him, but it just drives him to escape with the sword and the fillies.
The Mane Six insist on going after him, which Celestia begrudgingly grants, but only with the aid of Discord, because their task is one of grave peril. Belomet is only one of six horrible servants of King Eclipse, the father of King Sombra, which explained the similar magic Belomet used. Eclipse was thought to be dead, but upon hearing the news of King Sombra’s death, Eclipse arose from his hiding place in the undiscovered western countries and began calling all evil towards him. Once he has amassed enough power, and obtained that particular sword, he could smite the chains of Tartarus to unleash the hordes within to wipe the earth clean and get revenge for the death of his son.
Part of that evil would be all evil magic, which means Discord, who at this point is still very much not trustworthy, is severely weakened, so he cannot teleport or alter reality into their circumstances. Very much put out by this, Discord reluctantly accepts his duty when he realizes Fluttershy could be in danger. The seven of them depart, following the strange blue line to the west. Celestia prepares for war, with Spike as her main assistant.
The details in the middle I haven’t worked out very much, but it would be typical adventure stuff, like going through haunted woods, facing terrible beasts under Eclipse’s influence, spelunking, picking around ancient ruins, and confronting the Hounds of the Eclipse on their way, which all are uniquely powerful and have control over the weather, animals, dreams, shadows, fire, and dark magic. Along the way, Discord would learn the values of friendship and grow into his role as a good guy.
After rescuing the fillies and the sword and Twilight kills Belomet, Discord touches the sword but doesn’t die. To the contrary, he is ordained as the true wielder of the sword. Which makes sense; none of the ponies could wield the sword. They’re too small, and they don’t have the digits to properly wield one anyway.
Discord is thunderstruck by the implications of what he has to do now. He must be the one to strike down Eclipse, and he must do it alone. The Mane Six protest, but Discord is adamant about their safety. Now that their mission is done, Discord must do his. Besides, they must get the fillies back.
The group reluctantly split up. Twilight, Discord, and Fluttershy depart for Eclipse’s castle, while Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie, and Rainbow head back to Equestria with the Cutie Mark Crusaders to fight in the imminent war.
Throughout the trip to Eclipse’s castle in the undiscovered west, Discord, Fluttershy, and Twilight are plagued by doubt, fear, and utter evil in all shapes and forms. But still they press on.
Eclipse’s forces have been on the move, and these ravenous beats from every member of the animal kingdom, and hybrids from the darkest recesses of the earth and of Eclipse’s own experimental making, are infected with dark magic and eager to follow his commands. There have been skirmishes and small battles while they were out, but they are amassing for an assault on Canterlot. So the re-Mane-der (ha ha) of them don battle gear to fight on the plains leading to Canterlot.
Twilight, Discord, and Fluttershy reach the bare ruins of Eclipse’s castle, where the terrible forces of Tartarus are pouring out from beneath. Eclipse had given Tirek some of his magic, enough for him to break the doors from the inside out. Tirek leads the forces through a dark portal, where they descend upon the Equestrian forces holding back the beasts. But before he himself can pass through, Tirek senses the presence of Twilight, and in revenge for what she had done for him, he engages with her in another climactic fight at the same time Discord furiously clashes with the penumbral form of Eclipse after Eclipse kills Fluttershy. The forces of Tartarus nearly overwhelm Equestria’s army.
Everything’s going poorly and stuff, but Discord gets over his raging grief and tells Umbra he understands exactly how he feels. Both of them lost a pony they hold very dear to them. He urges Eclipse to let it go, which he initially refuses, but reluctantly accepts after Discord delivers him a mortal wound. Eclipse reasons that he’ll be with Sombra in the afterlife, so he can accept his loss in this world. Before ultimately dying, Eclipse expresses his thanks by sending his life force into Fluttershy to revive her, and he disappears from the world in a hazy fog of darkness.
Tirek is immediately weakened, since Eclipse’s magic was the only thing keeping him strong, and Twilight overpowers him. Similarly, Eclipse’s magic was the only thing keeping the beasts and demons going, so they either return to normal or they disappear and go back into Tartarus. Discord’s full powers are restored, so he takes Twilight and Fluttershy back to Canterlot, where everything is normal once more.
Discord is pronounced a protector of Equestria beside the Element Bearers, and even gets his own throne around Twilight’s castle, too. Everyone laughs and dances and holds a party. The end.
Good to see ya again! *hugs*