//------------------------------// // 2. All Roads Lead to Home // Story: Lessons of Differing Realities // by Uncle Death //------------------------------// After their new friend, Disney, had left, the twin sisters had sent out letters to both Ponyville and the Crystal Empire to fetch the beings requested by the dark user. Even though they would soon use the new gift from Disney, Celestia was still tempted to use the orb to see how her kingdom was doing, luckily, she had her sister to stop her from becoming to enthralled with peering into the future. Before she could continue in her thoughts an annoyance had announced itself. A puff of pink clouds and that grating voice sounded. “Sunshine, I’m home!” the annoying tick known as Discord had appeared, with all the ponies requested as well. “Hello to you to Discord.” Even though he was reformed, he still annoyed the shit out of her. “Oh, don’t be such a grumpy pants Tia, especially not in front of the kids.” Discord knew he was pissing off Celestia and was loving every minute of it. “If you don’t have anything else to do then annoy me Discord, go and get Luna from her room so that I we can start the viewing.” Hopefully he will annoy Luna instead of me, Celestia thought. The only response from Discord was to raise one elegant eyebrow and click his claws to teleport away. Turning back to Twilight and the others, did Celestia finally greet them. “Hello every-pony, I apologise for my outburst, but it’s been a very trying week for my sister and I, so please forgive me.” Celestia wasn’t lying about it being a trying week, after Disney had left, her magic researchers had felt the dark aura that had appeared when he arrived and had activated the magic defence systems that locked Canterlot down. It had been hell to reset everything back to normal and it had been hell on both Luna’s and her nerves. “Don’t worry Celestia, we understand, don’t we girls?” Twilight got various responses, but they all confirmed her question. “But why are we here Princess, your letter only said that we were to arrive with all haste, but there wasn’t any danger.” Twilight asked, looking for an explanation. “Yes, I would like to know as well aunty?” Cadance had spoken for the first time since both her and her husband’s arrival. “The reason that I called for all of you begins with a meeting with a figure known as Disney…” Halfway into her explanation of meeting her new friend and the gift he had given, both her sister and Discord had arrived by walking into the large lounge room that they had chosen for the viewings. After quickly skimming over the missed bits for Discord, she had tailed off with an explanation on how the orb worked. “So, we just crush the orb while thinking about a subject to get a projection about it, oh I’m so excited!” Twilight squealed in delight at this new device, just the thought of all the new things to learn and study had gotten her into a spastic wiggle. “Is it really safe?” Whispered Fluttershy. “So, these things we see won’t hurt us?” “Of course not young Fluttershy and even if they could they would have to get through my sister and I to even attempt to hurt any of our little ponies.” Answered Luna. “I can’t wait to see what kind of monsters and hero’s they have, what are you girls looking forward to most?” Rainbow dash was the one to talk now. All the ponies answered the question in different ways. Twilight wants to see the beginning of a new race of beings, Applejack wanted to see a feat of great heroism, Pinkie wanted to see a party of such likes that she had never seen, Rarity of course wanted to see a new kind of fashion to inspire herself with. Cadance wants a story of great love, Shining, a show of martial power to see if he could replicate them in any way and the princesses themselves had a secret yearning to see both the power to truly forgive another for a great trespass and to truly forgive oneself for stooping to a lower level. Discord just wanted to watch something entertaining. “Before we begin Celestia, what was the name of your new friend again?” Discord asked, surprisingly serious for once. “Disney, why ask twice, you surely heard what I said the first time.” Celestia answered. “Oh nothing, I just wanted to make sure I heard right, you see I my thoughts were on that lovely cake I was bak…ing…. Oh gosh, I left the oven on, don’t mind me, start the first viewing without me while I stop my cake from burning.” And with a click of his talons he was gone. “Well that was weird, but that discord for you. So, who wants to go first?” question Celestia. “Can I princess, please, if we start with mine we can learn the beginnings of a new race.” Twilight practically begged to be the first to use the orb. “Is every-pony fine with allowing Twilight to go first?” Celestia asked, receiving positives from all the others assembled in front of her the princess gave her permission to use the orb. Every-pony was excited, because they were about to see something never seen before. But unknown to them was the horrors they were about to witness. Twilight thought that touching the orb of darkness with her magic would unsettle her, thanks to her encounters with both dark energy and magic, she was surprised by how pleasant it was to feel, it didn’t feel icky, slimy or sickly like the usual breed of darkness. It was like feeling water, as if she had put her hoof in a cool lake, something completely in tune with nature, she had never felt like this before. She didn’t know how long she sat there, holding the relaxing orb of darkness before she remembered what she was there for. Gathering her thoughts specifically the beginning of a new race of beings, she crushed the orb. Immediately the orb broke and turned into wisps of darkness that formed a large screen of fog-like substance, colours coming into play and fusing to form a grey wasteland with gigantic grey trees. Suddenly a voice sounded from the dark screen, it was the voice of an old crone, wise beyond her years. “In the age of ancients, the world was unformed, shrouded with fog…” With Discord Popping into existence was not a new thing for discord, in fact it was getting quite old, maybe he should change it up a little. Bah, no matter, let’s just get this over with. Looking up, discords eyes landed on something that brought a true genuine smile to his face. In front of him stood a crooked tower, coloured yellows, blues and greens sprinkled with stars and a crescent moon. Just seeing the tower that was is home in his younger years brought those happy memories to the fore, a time were everything was easier. Before he could move further towards the tower, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Discord didn’t need to look at the figure to know who had grabbed him. “You always were the grabby type, weren’t you.” He received a chuckle in return. “I couldn’t help it, you were just so cute as toddler you know, like a little plush doll. I remember you use to come to my room when Master Yen-Sid would scold you for your pranks. You’d jump in my bed and hide under the blankets while saying the ‘bad wizard’ was coming for you.” The figure teased back. Blushing a little, Discord decided to get serious. “So, Disney is your new name I take it, why did you decide to interfere with my realm, we had a deal.” He gravely asked. “Truthfully, two reason: A) the veil to your realm is breaking down. Your one thousand year being stoned weakened the chaotic magic that was tethering our protections to your realm, your little ponies need some way to get knowledge of the outside to at least have a chance and B) you haven’t come home in over a thousand years, I was angry at you for missing our monthly dinners you know.” Disney said, before laughing at his little joke. “You do know that I’m sorry for not seeing you for a thousand years, right?” surprisingly Discord was a little shamed at that question. “Don’t worry, I understand. Now come on, old Gramps hasn’t seen you even longer then I have.” And together both Discord and Disney walked towards the Mysterious Tower.