The tremors had finally ceased. It seemed that the two Princesses had managed to contain the source of the earthquakes, much to the relief of everypony.
“Phew, Ah’m glad all this do-shakery has stopped,” said Applejack, sighing with relief.
“What do you suppose this could all mean?” asked Rarity.
“You don’t suppose it was the stallion?” inquired Fluttershy hesitantly.
The Princess was not ready to dismiss any possibility at this point. So much has happened within the last 24 hours that it was almost too much for anypony to bear. It all escalated so quickly that she hadn’t anytime to work out any theories. She was just grateful to have Princess Celestia and Princess Luna here, but wondered at what cost? I wish Starlight was here, she thought to herself.
“Twilight?”
Before she could answer, however, there was knocking on the door.
“Princess Twilight,” said Nurse Tenderheart, clearly still disturbed by the recent events.
“Yes, Nurse Tenderheart?”
“Nurse Redheart has asked all visitors and non-critically ill patients to leave the hospital for the time being,” she began to explain. “She said it while we assess the damage, and ensure everyponies safety.”
“What about Rainbow Dash?” asked Twilight.
“Doctor Horse wanted to keep her overnight for observation, but he’s busy attending to Doctor Stables at the moment. So until I am told otherwise … I guess she will have to stay here then,” she answered hesitantly.
“Don’t worry about me,” said Rainbow Dash with a brave face. “You guys go home and get some rest.”
Despite Rainbow Dash’s reassurances, Twilight looked at her friends as they nodded in silent agreement. “We understand Nurse Redheart’s concern, but-
“We’ll stay to help clean up this mess,” proposed Rarity.
“Ah can give the place a quick gloss over until the professions come,” offered Applejack.
“I don’t know much, but I do have some basic first aid training,” stammered Fluttershy.
“Plus, Dashie could use the company,” winked Pinkie Pie.
“I do not,” huffed Rainbow Dash in self-denial. Truthfully, she was glad her friends decided to stay.
“Are you sure?” asked Nurse Tenderheart, feeling her spirits rise.
“Yes, we can help organize the clean-up, help handle the public and arrange some contractor ponies to overlook the hospital.”
“Thank you, Princess Twilight,” beamed Nurse Tenderheart as leaves to report to her superior.
“Better get started,” chuckled Rarity.
“You guys go on ahead, I want to write a quick letter to Starlight and Cadence,” said Twilight.
“Sure thing, Twi,” said Applejack.
“Spike?”
“No problems, Twilight, I’ve got you covered,” grinned the dragon, quill and parchment in claw.
Meanwhile, inside the hospital room, Princess Luna wasted no time as was circled the room casting dampening spells to contain the tremors, and magical barriers to prevent outside interference, eavesdropping and anypony from entering.
Princess Celestia sat beside the bed where the stallion lay watching him intently as he groaned and cringed in pain. Even though she had cast her spells to restrain him and ease his physical pain, every so often the stallion’s body would spasm and contort.
Her attempts to sedate him with lesser spells had failed. His suffering was deeper than she could imagine. She continued to watch as he breathed slowly.
“I’ve just finished casting the last of the containment spells,” said Princess Luna wiping the sweat off her brow.
“Thank you, Luna,” she replied as she continued to observe the stallion.
She circled the two before sitting on the opposite side.
“What do you think, Sister?” asked Princess Luna.
“I am not sure, Luna,” replied Celestia. “All I know for certain is that we are not alone.”
Princess Luna eyes widened in shock as she looked around the room. “Discord, reveal yourself,” she demanded.
“Oh my,” said the draconequus as he appeared seemingly out of nowhere. “How did you know I was here?”
“You weren’t exactly subtle,” chuckled Princess Celestia.
“Why are you here?” sneered Princess Luna.
“For the exact reason you are,” replied Discord nonchalantly. “Curiosity and tremendous power.”
Princess Luna scoffed. She turned to her sister, who gave her a reassuring nod. “I’m glad you are here, Discord,” agreed Princess Celestia without a hint of irony in her voice. “Your magic may be necessary.”
“At least somepony appreciates me,” he huffed incredulously, earning a disdainful glare from Princess Luna.
“Have you seen anything like this?” asked Princess Celestia.
Discord conjured a doctor’s coat and began intently examining the stallion. “Hmmm,” he began, “I must admit that there is something familiar about him, but I can’t quite put a claw on it.”
“You don’t suppose-”
Suddenly, the stallion arched his back and groaned loudly, silencing the room as the three watched him. He struggles violently, before kicking the blankets off with his hind legs. His naked body was now on full display.
He holds his pose for a half a minute before collapsing back onto the bed and panting. He turns to one side and assumes a fetal position revealing his cutie mark. Seven orange balls covered his rump. Each ball had a different number of red stars ranging from 1 to 7. The balls glowed and pulsated every few seconds, matching the intensity of his breathing. Eventually the glowing subsides as the stallion starts to relax.
“What are those?” asked Princess Luna as she examined the cutie mark carefully. “What do they mean?”
“Discord?”
Discord floats at the end of the bed with an oversized magnifying glass as he examines the stallion’s rump intensely. After finishing his analysis, he nonchalantly throws the magnifying glass behind him, before shrugging his shoulders. “Your guess is as good as mine,” he replied as a matter-of-factly. “Rather than horsing around the possibilities, may I suggest taking a peep into his head? You are a nosy pony aren’t you, Luna?”
Princess Luna threw him a dangerous glare. The Mare of the Night took her responsibilities seriously and only entered the dreams of those she knew needed her wisdom and guidance. She snaps her head away from him before trotting towards to the stallion.
He seemed calmer than before, but this didn’t give her any reassurance. Princess Luna lowers her horn just above the stallion’s head. A dark magical light surrounds her horn as she prepares herself.
“Be careful,” warned Princess Celestia.
“I will, Tia,” replied Princess Luna as she closes her eyes and enters into his dreams.
Princess Celestia and Discord watched carefully as Princess Luna dives deeper into the stallion’s subconscious. It had seemed that everything was going well, but then a second later their faces cringe in sync. The stallion begins to stir, and trouble was brewing, but this did not discourage Princess Luna.
She was determined to learn more about this mysterious pony. His past. His origins.
But all she saw was pain, suffering and isolation.
Countless battles that resulted in the deaths of thousands of innocents civilians.
As the nightmares resurfaced, a dark aura started emitting from his body and began to pull Princess Luna in towards him. The stallion rolled onto his back started shaking his head violently from side to side, gasping for air.
Princess Luna screamed. His agony was too much to bear. His suffering was beyond measure.
His death.
“LUNA!” screamed Princess Celestia as she pulled her sister away with her magic.
The strength of her magic was too great, however, and she was thrown across the room slamming into the wall behind her. Discord and Princess Celestia rushed to her aid as she struggled to regain her senses.
“By the moon,” she gasped.
“Luna, what did you see?” asked Princess Celestia.
“No dreams,” she stammered, shivering in fear as she stared at the stallion. “Nightmares. Only nightmares.”
Princess Celestia and Discord glanced at each other questionably, shifting their gaze to the stallion, before turning to face Princess Luna.
“Is there anything else?” probed Discord.
“I don’t know,” swallowed Princess Luna. “It took a lot of my magic to reach as far as I could, and that was just the tip of it. I couldn’t delve any deeper.”
Princess Luna then shifted her gaze at her sister with a stern and foreboding warning. “Tia, I sensed a powerful evil force. It was blocking my way as I tried to get closer.”
Princess Celestia contemplated her sister’s answer for a moment. A powerful evil force? What could this mean?
“And a monster,” she added, shivering at the memory. "A terrible monster."
Princess Celestia turned her head to look at the stallion, who had his back towards them and was still cringing in agony. Could what her sister said be true? Could he really be a monster? She wasn’t sure, but something seemed amiss. She couldn’t help but think there was something more.
He turned allowing her to focus on his face as he breathed heavily. At that precise moment, her eyes shot open in shock. There, in the corner of his eyes, a tear.
A single, sad tear.
“Tia, what are you doing?” stammered Princess Luna.
“I am going to take a look for myself,” declared Princess Celestia as she walked towards the stallion.
“Tia, no don’t it’s too dangerous,” begged Princess Luna reaching a hoof out.
The sun alicorn ignored Princess Luna, lowering her horn over the same position as her sister did before her.
“Discord,” called Princess Luna as she struggles to stand, “you must stop her.”
Discord shook his head and remained silent, watching Princess Celestia as she closed her eyes. Magical energy now surrounded her horn.
“Please, Tia, I beg you sto-”
But it was too late. Princess Celestia had cast the same spell and entered the stallion’s psyche.
Princess Celestia opened her eyes. She was now inside the stallion’s mind. She shifted her head left and right to get her bearings, but all she saw was ominous clouds blocking her path.
Using her magic, her horn shines brightly illuminating the darkness. Soon the dark clouds dissipated, and she proceeded forward, diving deeper into his subconscious. Every so often she was able to catch glimpses of his memories.
Flashes of epic and fierce battles between good and evil.
She dived deeper searching for more.
Friends.
Loved ones.
A teacher.
She dived deeper still. There had to be more.
A moon?
Suddenly the image of an enormous monkey-like monster materializes. She pulls back, as the creature turns to look at the white alicorn. It’s large red eyes glared at her baring its fangs menacingly. Raising its arms high above its head, it roared at her, stunning her into position.
Bending his legs, it then launched towards her at shocking speeds. She shifted her body to the left just in the nick of time, dodging its right arm as it tries to grab her. But the monster changed the direction of its attack and slams her body with its backhand.
She smashed into the ground below. Grunting in pain, she gasped as the creature roared and lunged for her once more. She raises her hooves to defend herself, but the image dissipates as quickly as it came. Panting, she swallows. A new memory was forming around her.
She was on an island now. The sky was dark and cloudy. The sound of terrifying thunder and lightning raged near and afar as the waves came crashing irregularly into the shore. She didn’t know how or why but she knew that the planet was dying. Was that monster responsible?
It was getting too much for her. She had seen enough. Her sister was right. The stallion posed too much of a threat and needed to be removed.
Brushing away the dirt on her coat, she stood up and shakes her mane. As she prepared to leave, however, her mouth dropped agape as she stared at the sight before her. A white alien creature stood on top of a mound as its tail wavered about. The creature was panting, and its tail had been abruptly cut. It was glaring at her with murderous intent. Its face was full of hate and rage.
She had never been so frightened in her life.
She stumbled backwards, trying to distance herself but then stopped as she came to a realization. This creature wasn’t looking at her per say, but rather past her. She turned her gaze in the direction the white creature was facing. She gasped, her eyes shot open as her irises shrink.
Beside her stood another bipedal creature. It had the same hatred fill glare, but it stood defiant and stoic. A beautiful golden aura surrounded its body, and its long golden hair waved with the wind. Bruises, blood and scars covered his body, but it didn’t scare her.
Her attention was diverted however to a different sight. A short distance behind this golden creature, a child stood, petrified whilst it held onto a green alien wearing purple clothes. This green alien was bleeding profusely and had a hole in its chest. The child was obviously stunned and amazed, but it smiled, tears on its dirty and bloody face. This child’s smile was full of hope.
Hope.
Despite these fearsome circumstances in which he lay, and in the midst of what was sure to be a terrible battle, the child had smiled with hope.
Hope.
Princess Celestia begged to learn more, but all of sudden, the two beings lunged for each other, screaming. Before she could see any more, her corporeal body was pulled from the memory unable to finish.
“CELESTIA” screamed Princess Luna.
“Oh,” escaped the Mare’s lips as she tumbled backwards.
“My word, are you alright?” asked Discord offering his paw.
“Yes,” she swallowed. She wiped away the sweat from her brow, accepting his paw rising. “I’ll be fine.”
“What did you see?” asked Discord, but Princess Celestia refused to answer. Her mind was still absorbing the memories and images that she had just witnessed. Piecing together whatever little she had.
Unsatisfied with her silence, Discord instead turned to Princess Luna. “So what did you want to do with him?”
“It is simple,” proposed Princess Luna with her back turned. “We must banish this creature.”
“No,” came a defiant voice.
“What did you say?” asked Princess Luna cautiously as she shifts her head.
“No,” repeated Princess Celestia sternly and unreserved.
“Have you gone mad?”
“No. I am serious. We will not banish.”
“Surely you have seen what I saw. He is dangerous, Tia, we must send him away,” Princess Luna warned. “Please, Tia, listen to reason.”
“He is indeed powerful,” Princess Celestia began sternly, but the tone of her voice changed becoming softer. “But there is something more. Underneath that rage and hurt, there is a gentler, softer side. A warrior who has lost his way. He has been dealt a great suffering.”
Princess Luna could not believe what she was hearing. “Tia, he has the power to destroy us all,” she argued. “His powers surpass our own. And he’s asleep!”
“Or save us,” retorted Princess Celestia. “He came from one of the stars. Not only that but from Orion’s belt. Orion the Warrior.”
“A mere coincidence” dismissed Princess Luna.
“Or perhaps something more,” suggested Princess Celestia.
“He’s a monster, Tia,” she responded incredulously. “I can’t believe you would take this issue so lightly.”
“Did you see the child?” asked Princess Celestia.
“Child?”
“It was in one of the memories. A colt child. He was looking at the golden warrior.”
“I did.”
“Did you not see his face?”
“What of it?”
“It was filled with hope.”
Princess Luna turned her face and scoffed. “I’m sorry, but I was too occupied with the two monsters prepared to fight on a dying planet, and an even larger ape creature prepared to destroy me.”
Princess Celestia sighed. “Luna, I understand how you feel,” she said reassuringly.
Walking towards the dark alicorn, Princess Celestia turned her sister’s face towards hers. Princess Luna’s face remained rebellious; however, uncertainty filled her eyes at Princess Celestia’s warm and loving gaze.
“My dearest sister,” Princess Celestia began with gentility, “past the sadness and anger, there beat’s a heart of a warrior. A hero. We can not afford to dismiss this so readily. We mustn’t lose hope.”
Princess Luna contemplated her elder sister’s words for a moment but shook her head defiantly. “No, he’s too dangerous.”
“There is a darker force at play,” concurred Discord interrupting their conversation. His paw was resting on top the stallion’s forehead.
“Discord, what are you doing?” asked Princess Luna.
“Coming to my own conclusions,” he said as he removed his paw. Turning to face the two Princess, he coughed into his claw and cleared his throat. “I think you both raise some valid points.”
Placing his claw and paw, behind his back, he turned to glance at the stallion before looking at them once more. The tone of his voice and body changed, and was no longer his jovial self. “I will be honest with you both for a moment. His power is truly beyond measure. Nothing in Equestria could stop him. Not even Cerberus could contain him.”
Princess Luna’s eyes widened in shock as Discord continued.
“His mind has been twisted and tortured by an outside influence. I can’t place a claw on it but it does feel very familiar.”
“I do, however, have another solution that may save him and allow us to gain a very powerful ally.”
“What do you propose?” asked Princess Celestia.
He glances at the stallion before turning answer. “Seal his memories-”
“That’s too much / That’s not enough,” interjected the two Princesses.
“… for now,” he finished. “It’s a compromise between your different viewpoints. It will allow us to contain his powers whilst at the same time learn about his true origins and nature.”
“But-
“Listen to me, both of you. He terrifies me. Not just his powers, but where he came from and who sent him here. I am the spirit of chaos and disharmony. I do not relish in mindless destruction. If there is a higher power at play here, we need to be prepared. The elements of harmony may not be enough,” he warned.
He sighed, turning to them and bowing his head to summarize his case. “There is more to this pony than we can image,” explained Discord. “And, I can’t explain it, but I know it so.”
The room fell silent on these words. The two sisters glanced at the stallion. He had finally managed to calm, but the tears did not.
“I agree with you,” said Princess Celestia, breaking the silence.
“What, how could you-”
“Luna. Everypony deserves a chance,” argued Princess Celestia. “Even if they succumb to darkness.”
Princess Luna thought about the arguments raised for a moment. His proposition didn't entirely convince her, and there were more questions than there were answers. Her solution, was now far too simplistic, which confused her.
“Need I remind you both,” piped Discord, interrupting Luna’s train of thought. “The star broke into eight pieces. One of those pieces lies on the bed here, so what and where are the other seven?”
By the moon. How could they have forgotten? This seemed only to solidify Discord's proposal even more so. She desperately tried to come up with a counter argument, but was unable to do so. She groans in exasperation.
“Fine,” sneered Princess Luna. “I understand.”
“So we agree then?” smirked Discord.
“No, we don’t,” snapped Princess Luna. “I don’t like this plan at all, and I don’t trust this thing to be anything more than a monster.” She turns her head in shame and sighs. “But even I can’t deny the fact that I too was a monster once.”
“Luna,” said Princess Celestia remembering her sister’s former alter-ego, Nightmare Moon.
“Were it not for Twilight Sparkle and her friends, I would not be standing here beside you dear sister. Henceforth, I demand that she and her friends will be responsible for watching over him.”
“What?”
“You underestimate the powers of the Elements of Harmony, Discord,” she smirked. “They are stronger than you could possibly imagine. And now that the Elements have been restored to the Tree of Harmony, Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends have become more powerful than ever before. This pony may be just another challenge for them to overcome.”
Princess Celestia smiled and hugged her sister. She was so proud of her. “I know Twilight, and her friends will succeed no matter what happens.”
Discord merely shrugged. For him, this was all a moot point as he had already assumed that this was going to be the case anyway. Rather than fight the point, he’d let Luna have her victory ... for now at least.
“Sound fair,” said Discord, resuming his usual provocative self. “Shall we get started then?”
The two alicorns nodded, as Discord watched summoning a large bag of chips and a couch. The two Princesses stood on either side of the stallion. Another nightmare was resurfacing as the stallion’s breathing hastened.
Lowering their heads once more, their horns glowed in unison. A mix of solar and lunar energies was released and surrounded the stallion. His body was lifted above the bed, as his face continues to cringe. The dark aura returned, threatening to stop them but Discord snapped his fingers, containing the energy.
The room began to illuminate as the two Princesses focused more magical energy into their spell. The spell was working. His face started to relax, replaced with a blissful smile. His cutie mark begins to glow, indicating a new and inconsequential development. The bright red stars on the seven balls disappear, losing their orange color before becoming grey stone like orbs. His body starts to fall as the spell was nearing its completion. As soon as he lands safely on top of the bed, the magical energies dissipate, and the two princesses collapse.
“There,” said Princess Celestia, whilst panting in exhaustion and smiling. “It is done.”
Princess Luna nodded in acknowledging their efforts.
“Thank you, Discord,” added Princess Celestia to the Draconequus floating above.
“Don’t even need to mention it,” he smiled. Glazing at a sundial, he gasps. “Well must be off. I’ve got to catch Trixie’s show in Los Peagasus before it ends. Oh, and please don’t mention my involvement in this. I have a reputation to uphold you know. I’ll catch you sister’s next time.”
After a moment's rest, the doors of the hospital room are opened, startling the ponies on the other side. The two Princesses exit nonchalantly into the hallway, tired and a little sore. The sun was setting, and it would be Princess Luna’s turn to watch the night.
“Princess Celestia. Princess Luna. Is everything alright?” piped Nurse Tenderheart.
“Everything has been taken care of,” smiled Princess Celestia.
“It appears the tremors and the stallion’s screams were just a coincidence,” added Princess Luna.
“Oh thank, Celestia,” escaped her lips.
“And Luna too,” smiled Princess Celestia.
“What is everypony doing?” asked Princess Luna.
“Oh, Princess Twilight and her friends stuck around and had been helping us clean up,” beamed Nurse Tenderheart.
“Really?” asked Princess Celestia, though she was hardly surprised.
Making their way through the hall, Princess Celestia halts for a moment as she watches her former student diligently working. “Twilight?” called Princess Celestia.
“Yes, coming,” answered Twilight, a little startled. “Yes, Celestia?”
“I thought I told you to go home,” smirked Princess Celestia.
“Actually, you said I should stay with my friends,” corrected Twilight. Princess Celestia chuckled.
Twilight turns her face away for a moment before looking back at her former mentor. “Celestia, do you know what’s going on? Do you have any more information on the stallion?”
“Funny that you mention it,” smiled Princess Celestia. “Tomorrow, Twilight, I would like to talk to you and your friends.”
Twilight threw a questioning glance, eager to hear more.
“I have a new mission for you.”