Chapter 5: Hiding in the Desert
“Okay, sweetheart, are you ready?” Twilight asked.
“I think so,” Aurora replied. She was bit nervous, though.
She had been in this room a few times before, but she doubted she would ever get used to it. It was something about the way her horn felt, surrounded by the maudrainium chamber. Her mom told her the magic negating mineral would make sure no accidents happened, which Aurora liked. The last thing she wanted was to accidentally mana drain somepony, but being cut off from the world's magic was not very pleasant.
“Alright, go ahead,” Twilight said from the safety of the observation room.
Aurora turned toward the large, glowing ruby resting on the pedestal. While she couldn't see magic like her big sis, Scootaloo, she could feel it, and the gem before her was loaded with it. It was that feeling that she focused on.
“Remember the feeling,” Twilight said. “Remember how it felt to pull in magic.”
Aurora could never forget. That big, scary monster hurting her daddy and mommy. Seeing everyone she cared about hurt. She focuses that feeling on the ruby. Pouring all her will into getting her 'bad magic' under control.
However hard she focused, though, the ruby remained charged. There was no flood of power, no burning sensation in her horn. There was nothing but the building sense of failure.
“It's okay, sweetheart. We'll figure it out, eventually,” Twilight reassured her daughter. “Try something a little different.”
Aurora lifted her head, clenched her teeth, and narrowed her eyes at the gem. She wasn't going to let a pretty rock get the better of her. With renewed vigor and determination, she got back to trying to drain her new foe.
One of Twilight's ears swiveled around at the sound of the door to the observation room opening.
“How's it looking?” asked Midnight as he moved to stand beside Twilight.
“Still no progress,” Twilight replied, “but she has my thirst for knowledge and your stubbornness, so she's not letting it stop her.”
“It's not stubbornness, it's determination,” Midnight playfully chided.
Twilight shrugged. “Eh, you say tomato, I say solanum lycopersicum.”
Midnight rolled his eyes and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Anyway, you're going to have to cut this a little short.”
“Why?” Twilight looked over at him, a little upset by that.
“Our scouts found where Starswirl is hiding.”
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“Alright,” Blue Streak began as he placed a small, pen-like crystal in the console in the center of the table. “So, we were able to track that kinda-but-not-really-windigo magic into the badlands. After about three days, we found this.”
He pressed a couple buttons and a holographic image appeared. It showed a massive fissure in the side of a mountain, and nestled with was what looked like an ancient fortress carved from the stone itself.
“That looks Lupine in origin,” Twilight observed. “That would make it older than Equestria itself.”
“Lupine?” Jacob inquired.
“Like diamond dogs, but wolves. We were at war with 'em way back before the unification,” Applejack answered plainly. “Ah don't really know no details, but Ah'm pretty sure they were wiped out.”
“We can talk history later, what else did you find?” Midnight said, steering everyone back on track.
“Well, we were able to confirm he's there,” Blue said as he pressed another button and the fortress was replaced by a single tower with a balcony, on which there target stood.
“Are you sure that's him?” Jacob asked.
“He matches Discord's description,” Twilight answered. “How many are with him?”
“Ponies? Only three, but... Well, take a look.” He once again manipulated the controls and a group of three... things appeared.
“What in tarnation are those?!” Applejack asked, looking disgusted.
“I was hoping one of you knew,” Blue replied.
“I've never seen those before,” Twilight said. “Look at the faces and manes. They look almost like ponies.”
“Ponies pulled straight outta a nightmare,” Applejack added. “How many of them were there?”
“We couldn't tell, but it's a lot,” Blue answered. “However, they aren't the worst.”
That drew everyone's attention as AJ asked “What could be worse than the Friday Crueler ponies?”
“Thing is, I'm not sure if he is of not,” Blue pushed a few more buttons. “but he just gives me this feeling of dread.”
The image flicked to that of another creature.
“A diamond dog?” Applejack asked.
“I don't think so,” Twilight said. “The proportions are off. The arms are too short and its torso is too narrow. Plus, diamond dogs don't have horns.”
“What about him felt off?” Midnight asked.
“This.”
The next image appeared with the dog being turned toward them, smirking. It was a smirk that sent chills down Midnight's spine.
“I don't like this,” Midnight said what everyone was thinking. “He knew you were there, yet he let you continue. Why?”
“Could he be playing Starswirl?” Jacob asked.
“Doubtful,” Twilight said. “If this really is Starswirl, I doubt he would let something like that happen.”
“That your smart side talkin', or the part that looks up to 'em?” Applejack asked.
“I...” Twilight was about to retort, but stopped and sighed. “I don't know. I still don't want to believe he's evil, but...”
“Twilight,” Midnight said, his voice severe. “I need to know that even if this is the same Starswirl the Bearded that you look up to that you will be able to do what's necessary.”
Twilight took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “I don't want it to be, but if it is the Starswirl... Then I would want nothing more than to see him fall. No one so evil as to try to kill their own child deserves to be seen as a hero.”
Midnight sighed. “What do you think, Applejack?” he asked as he turned to his second in command.
“Ah think we should be able to trust her, but if somethin' else comes up and one of us gotta take care of it, Twi should, just to keep that stress off'a her.”
“What do you think about that, Twilight?” Midnight asked.
Twilight winced. “I really want to take this guy down, but I can't argue with that logic. I can agree to that.”
“Alright, then,” Midnight said. “Let's start planning our assault.”
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Rarity was in tears as she hugged her pups. “Oh, I'm going to miss you so much. Mommy will come back as soon as she can.”
Twilight giggled at the sight, as it mirrored another so closely.
“-and beat up the bad guy quick, so we can get ice cream,” Aurora said from her father's embrace.
“Double scoop,” Midnight added. “Me you and mommy.”
“And Applebloom!” Aurora said. “If she's gonna be my other mommy, she needs to come on family ice cream outings.”
“Daww.” Applebloom moved in to join the hug. “That's so sweet of you. You really want me ta be your other momma?”
Aurora smiled up at her. “Yeah, you can be the fun mommy!”
“Hey,” Twilight said. Indignantly. “I'm fun!”
“Well, you're fun to learn with, but Applebloom's fun to play with,” Aurora explained.
“You can't argue with the facts,” Midnight said with a chuckle.
“Oh, shut it,”Twilight shot back.
“Alright, everyone!” Jacob called from one of the trucks. “We're ready to move out!”
“Alright, fall in!” Midnight commanded.
A chorus of goodbyes and well wishes echoed from friends and family alike as the members of Dawn Shield filed into their assigned vehicles.
“Rarity!” Midnight called to the dawdling mare. “I know it's hard, but we have to go.”
Rarity finally managed to pull herself away.
“My apologies,” she said as she approached. “This is so much harder than I thought it would be. I've never been apart from them for even one day, much less however long this operation will take.”
Midnight nodded as the two made their way to the lead truck. “It's still hard for me, too. I just have to remind myself that Aurora's the reason I do this.”
Rarity sighed, giving one last look back. “I'm leaving my babies so I can kill others. This is no life for a mother.”
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Discord watched as the trucks pulled away. His emotions were in turmoil. On one hand, they were going to stop a mad pony from doing something horrible. On the other, said mad pony was his father.
What was he supposed to feel.
The past few weeks had been great. He almost felt like his old self again, smiling and laughing, messing with ponies, though with a few rules.
He was happy.
And the ponies responsible for said happiness were gone. What was he supposed to do, now?
“Mister Discord?” said a little voice.
Discord looked down at the little filly, Twilight Sparkle's daughter. “May I help you?”
“Um... do you want to play with us?”
Discord was taken back by that. Somepony had just asked him to spent time with them other than Rainbow Dash or Pinkie Pie.
“Y-you want to play with me?” Discord asked, skeptically.
“Yeah,” the filly said.
“We seen you playing pranks with Rainbow and Aunt Pinkie,” said a little pegasus colt Discord had seen spending time with Pinkie.
“And it looks like fun!,” added the earth pony filly he didn't really know.
“Are your parents okay with you playing with... well, me?” Discord asked.
“We've seen you with Pinkie, too,” said the chubby pony Pinkie worked for. “We think you've come a long way from your... old days. Just nothing dangerous.”
Pride welled up in Discord's chest at the trust they were showing him. It was funny. He didn't even realize that was something he wanted.
“I would be honored to instruct you three... er... four? Is she with you?” Discord asked, noticing the fourth, the unicorn filly that he had seen with the colt hanging back a little ways.
“Yeah, come on, Pumpkin,” the colt beckoned.
The filly just rolled her eyes and said, “I'm right here, duffus. I don't need to be right at his hooves, you know.”
“Alright then, is there anything in particular you want to do?” Discord asked.
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Discord flopped onto his bed, utterly exhausted. He knew foals were energetic, but those four were on a level all their own. Then again, that could just be par for the course. It's not like he had spent a lot of time around children.
Still, it was an experience he wouldn't mind having again. Maybe he could get a job in daycare or at the school?
“Now isn't that just sweet?” a mare's voice came.
Discord shot to his hooves, ready to defend himself. “Who's there?!” he called, looking around the dark room, trying to find the speaker
“Aww, he doesn't know us,” said another, this one bubbly.
“Well, duh. We've never met him before,” a third, surly voice.
“I'm not asking twice?!” Discord called. “Who are you, and what do you want?!”
From the shadows, three mares stepped forward, smirking evilly with scaled snouts.
“Hello, little brother.”