//------------------------------// // An Old Friend // Story: The Tale of the Three Sided Medallion // by FlareGun45 //------------------------------// ACT 2: The Return of Scorpan Over at Canterlot castle, Princess Celestia was having a meeting with Filthy Rich as she signed her signature on a piece of paper. “Here you go, Mr. Filthy Rich. My permission to rename the Canterlot stadium, Barnyard Bargains Arena has now been accepted!” “Why thank you, your majesty!” Filthy Rich said as he laughed his dorkish rich-pony laugh. “I do hope the name change would help me sponsor my business, but I also hope to not make life any different for the folks in Canterlot! The rodeos and the Wonderbolt shows shall remain untouched!” “I do hope so.” Celestia nodded. “It was a pleasure doing business with you, your majesty!” Filthy Rich bows to Celestia, and then he walks out of the throne room, just as the Mane Six, Spike, and Starlight walk in. “Ah, Twilight Sparkle and her friends!” Celestia said with glee. “You truly are a sight for sore eyes!” “It’s honor to hear that, Princess Celestia!” Twilight said. “Why would you say that though?” Rainbow asked. Everypony glares at Rainbow once she said that. “What?” “Oh it’s just that Equestria is starting to turn into less of the land of friendship and more of the land of business.” Celestia said upsettingly. She then smiles and says, “But that’s a story for another time. To what do I owe the pleasure?” “Actually, your majesty, we have a very special V.I.P. guest for you!” Rarity said. “Oh?” Celestia asked. “And who might it be?” “It’s-“ Twilight was about to say but gets interrupted by Pinkie. “Guess!” Pinkie shouts in excitement. “Pinkie!” Twilight said angrily at Pinkie. “Ooo, I love guessing games!” Celestia said in excitement. “Hmm… it’s not Discord, right?” “Nope! Try again!” Pinkie said. “Actually it is!” Discord said as he poofs right next to Celestia on his very own throne while wearing a king’s crown and a gold scepter with his head on top. “Surprise! I am the new King of Equestria! Aren’t you surprised to be overthrown, Celestia… again?” Discord sighs and rolls his eyes at Discord. “Hello, Discord.” Celestia said with an ‘oh you’ kind of smile. “Hello, pony formerly known as Princess Celestia!” Discord said just before his throne tips over towards the edge and the throne along with Discord himself falls into the fountain below. “Oh don’t worry! I am okay, thanks for asking! I landed softly in this fruit punch fountain!” He poofs up a cup onto his claw, fills it with fruit punch, and gulps it all down, and then eats the cup shortly after. “Uh, no, it’s not him.” Twilight said. “Hmm… can I have a hint?” Celestia asked. “He’s got a really cool belt!” Pinkie said. “Oh yes, Scorpan has a VERY fabulous looking belt with those diamonds on it!” Rarity agrees. “Wait, did you just say… Scorpan?!” Celestia asked, feeling surprised. “Rarity!” Pinkie whined. “You ruined the game!” “Woopsy!” Rarity blushed in embarrassment. “Sorry! It sort of slipped out.” “Oh believe me, I know exactly how it feels to accidently have things slip out!” Discord said. “Like just the other day, Twilight claimed that she enjoyed the dinner Starlight made for her, but she told Spike that she thought it was disgusting.” Starlight gasps and shouts, “TWILIGHT!” “What? I, err, never said that!” Twilight said embarrassingly. “I just said it… could’ve been better.” “Oh woops! I guess I let it slip out!” Discord said as his tongue slips out of his mouth. “Ew!” Rarity commented. “Relax, its taffy!” Discord said as he takes a bite of his tongue that turned out to be taffy. “Just to let you know, Starlight, I liked your food!” Spike admitted to Starlight. Just then, Scorpan walks through the throne room doors and reveals himself to Celestia. “Hello, Princess Celestia!” He greeted. “Scorpan! My old friend.” Celestia said happily as she flew over towards him to give him a hug. “It has been too long.” “So wait, they know each other?” Applejack asked. “I’ve known Scorpan for a very long time.” Celestia said. “He was a dear friend to the ponies of long ago!” “Yeah, but I couldn’t stay after what my brother planned.” Scorpan said. “It’s okay, Scorpan.” Celestia said. “You are always welcome here! However, I must ask, what made you want to return yet again?” “We actually found him in the caves we saw in our dreams.” Fluttershy said. “Right, Luna told me about that.” Celestia said. “Where is Luna anyway?” Scorpan asked. “She went to a gathering over at Vanhoover, but she will be most pleased to see you once she returns!” Celestia said. “So why were you inside the caves in Everfree Forest? We could’ve given you a room here to take shelter in. How is your people?” “Oh my people?” Scorpan asked, feeling stunned. “Well… I… umm…” “You didn’t know, Celestia?” Twilight asked. “What did I not know?” Celestia asked as she looked at Scorpan. “Scorpan, what is she trying to say?” Scorpan sighs as he decides to tell Celestia the truth, “After I abandoned my brother here, I was no longer welcome amongst my people. My father banished me, and I had nowhere to go, so Star Swirl let me stay in his private den. I’ve been meditating ever since.” Celestia was surprised when he explained that, and she felt really bad. “Scorpan… why didn’t you tell me? I could’ve helped you.” “You already had problems of your own.” Scorpan said. “By the time I was banished, you and Luna were fighting Discord. He was a big problem during the time, I heard.” Discord overhears the conversation as he was sitting and relaxing in a bubbly hot tub. He lowers his sunglasses and asks, “Excuse me? Who was a big problem during the time?” “I didn’t want to bother you during the time. It was a very stressful time a thousand years ago for you.” Scorpan said as he comforts Celestia. “I thought it was best to just mind my own business, and be left alone with my thoughts, and Star Swirl.” “Wait, was Star Swirl with you?” Twilight asked. “I can communicate with his spirit telepathically!” Scorpan said. “I was never alone in there.” Twilight could barely breathe because she was so excited. “So, what you’re saying is… you can talk to Star Swirl right now? What is he saying?! Does he know anything about me?! Does he know I’m a huuuuuuuge fan?!” “You are not a huge fan, Twilight.” Discord said as he turns himself into a giant desk fan. “I am; and it proves that I am much ‘cooler’ than you!” Fluttershy giggles after he says that. “Wasn’t that funny.” Applejack mumbles to her. “Yes, he knows all about you, Twilight!” Scorpan said. “He thanks you for completing his spell, and he’s so proud of how far you’ve gone because of his knowledge for magic.” “He’s proud of… ME?!” Twilight asks in a squeaky voice. She then starts shaking around all derp-eyed as she was about to faint. Rarity uses her magic to place her fainting couch on the correct spot so Twilight can faint on it. “I always come prepared!” Rarity said. “Where did you even GET that?” Applejack asked. Pinkie gasps and whispers nervously, “She knows my secret!” “Uh, what secret?” Applejack asked. “Uhhh, forget I said anything!” Pinkie said. “Don’t worry, I’m on it, girlfriend!” Discord said as he puts on sunglasses and uses a mind-wiping flashing device to erase Applejack’s memory. “Well, Scorpan,” Celestia starts, “now that my friends have brought you here, and we’re now in good terms again, what is your plan now? You want me or Twilight and her friends to talk to your father for you? Think about accepting you back home?” “I would love for that, Celestia!” Scorpan said. “But there’s nothing you can do to persuade my people to change their minds of me not being accepted.” “I’m sure there is something we can do.” Celestia thought. “There might be only one way to do it.” Scorpan said. “And what might it be?” Celestia asked. “I have to make peace with my brother.” Scorpan said. “I’m sorry?” Celestia asked curiously. “I’m going to reform him, and bring him home with me.” Scorpan said. Celestia was pretty surprised to hear that. “But… didn’t you try reasoning with him already?” She asked. “Also I don’t think you have noticed, but he broke out of Tartarus and drained the magic of almost every pony in Equestria! He hasn’t changed a bit.” “I am well-aware of what my brother did during my absence.” Scorpan said. “However, he is my brother, and it was foolish of me to leave him here. Twilight and her friends here are going to teach me how to reform him.” “Uh huh.” Celestia nodded. “Twilight, may I have a word with you in private?” “Uh, of course, Princess Celestia!” Twilight said as she smiled. “We’ll be over there if y’all need us.” Applejack informed her as she and the rest of her friends walked over the other end of the throne room while Celestia and Twilight talked in private. “So what do you want to speak with me about?” Twilight asked as a fly flew over and buzzed towards them. “Twilight, I am very pleased to see Scorpan again, and I am really glad you found him!” Celestia said. “However, you met Tirek, and you know what he’s capable of.” “I do know.” Twilight nodded. “Twilight, I hope you can understand that not every villain can be redeemable.” Celestia said. “But we’ve done it so many times in the past!” Twilight reminded her. Twilight then sighs and says, “Even though we should’ve just let SOME OF THEM stay imprisoned as a statue… Discord!” Twilight glares at the fly. Discord, as the fly, raspberries Twilight and says, “You’re just too good, you Mary-Sue.” He then vanishes. “I know about all the reformings that you did in the past, Twilight.” Celestia said. “I’m not saying that reforming Tirek is impossible, but… if he doesn’t reform, the consequences can be severe, and… I’m just worried about Scorpan.” She looks over at Scorpan talking to Spike and laughing with him. “If he fails, it could break his heart. He will be filled in so much regret, much like I was when I had to banish my sister.” “But we DID reform her!” Twilight reminded her. “She was the first one we reformed, and you two have reunited in perfect harmony! Scorpan and Tirek… it’s no different than what you and Luna had to go through. Trust me, I’m scared too, but if we could reform those who seem impossible like Discord…” “Uh, I have EARS like a HAWK!” Discord said as he flies in hawk-form around above Celestia and Twilight. “Actually, hawks don’t have ears.” Discord snaps his wing and poofs up some elephant ears. “There we go! That’s better!” “DISCORD!” Twilight and Celestia both yell at him. “UGH, FINE!” Discord yells as he turns back to his regular form, and begins stomping his feet on the ground as he marches away, leaving cracks on the floor from every step. “As I was saying,” Twilight continues, “if we could reform villains like him, or even Starlight, I think we might have a chance with Tirek! Trust me, I wouldn’t be doing my job as the Princess of Friendship if I didn’t do this.” Celestia looks over at Scorpan again, and she sighs and then smiles, “Okay, Twilight. I trust you! I trust Scorpan too! I don’t know what I was thinking. I guess… I just don’t want to see my subjects in Equestria get their magic drained again. I could somewhat tolerate Nightmare Moon’s or even Discord’s plots since they weren’t that dangerous to ponykind. Nightmare Moon just wanted forever night, and Discord just wanted to fool around and cause chaos, but he wasn’t physically harming anypony; but Tirek… he’s a monster.” “And it’s up to us to make sure he doesn’t stay that way.” Twilight said. Celestia smiles at Twilight and says, “You’ve grown to be very bold in your young age, my faithful student!” She puts her wing around Twilight. “Very well, Twilight, you have my permission. Help Scorpan redeem his brother, so he doesn’t have to live with the same regrets I’ve made in the past.”