The only thing following them was the grey of dawn.
They trudged on and on through the corrupted forest, never looking back. They went as far as they could, and then rested a while at the edge of a small clearing. Once their strength crawled back into their bodies, Radagast, Twilight Sparkle, and Fluttershy took to the sky.
Radagast was once more an old hawk, flapping his wings in a rhythmic cadence with Fluttershy and Twilight. He flew up front, leading the way towards Rhosgobel, his little cottage in the woods. The morning sun shone behind them, casting a somber light over the forest, covered in morning mist. Radagast tried not to look down more than was necessary, because the sight of the forest made him sad.
Twilight and Starlight didn’t know where they were going. In the book there had only been a vague description of Rhosgobel. But they didn’t really care that much. The more miles that separated them from Dol Guldur, the better.
The weather became more friendly the farther they flew. It looked as if the rage and intensity flew out of the sky now that the battle was over. Clouds started to retreat, the sun dared to look behind them, and the wind became easier and easier to fly on.
And flying they did. They flew on and on, even though they became dead tired. Only once did they pause, but not because of exhaustion. A black cloud seemed to follow them for a while, and when it came closer, the call of the crows could be heard in the morning sky. Fluttershy suddenly dived down into the foliage and urged the others to do the same, her eyes and voice filled with fear. But upon asking her about it, Fluttershy didn’t want to tell why.
When the sun almost reached its apex, they were finally flying over the good part of the Greenwood again. Then, Radagast’s hawk eyes revealed surprise, as he noticed where they were; they were almost at Rhosgobel. There’s just no stopping it, he thought with a shake of his head. Indeed, the shadow of the Dark Lord had grown and festered further and further into the Greenwood, and the sight of it lay heavy on the wizard’s mind. He wondered whether even the elves would be powerful enough to heal the forest.
At last, they saw a brown dot in the middle of a green clearing, looking like a small eye from their height. Flying in circles, the three creatures swooped down and down and down, until they landed in the clearing, its grass still wet with dew.
Radagast dispelled his animal form, and looked around his home. There were still no animals to be seen at the clearing or around the cottage. No birds flew in or out of their houses, no bees zoomed through the air, no rabbits were scurrying around; even the chickens had deserted their pens. Radagast shook his head with a deep sigh. “Let’s go inside.”
Radagast shared some of his food and made some tea for the ponies, which they gratefully accepted. Twilight, Starlight, and Radagast felt dead tired, but strangely enough, it was Fluttershy who fell asleep first. Radagast laid her down upon his bed and hoped that she would have nice dreams.
Then he sat down with Twilight and Starlight. He offered to stay awake in order to keep watch, although Radagast knew that the enemy would probably stay quiet during the day, when black magic would be less potent. But Twilight and Starlight were unable to sleep either, so they all stayed awake. Together, they started discussing many matters—primarily matters concerned with magic. Their talks were grim, and they spoke in hushed voices, and never uttered the name of the Dark Lord out loud.
“I am the warden of the Greenwood,” Radagast said, “and still I am unable to do anything about the foul corruption of dark magic. I feel so incredibly powerless.”
Twilight and Starlight exchanged a glance, as they knew very well what Radagast would do; they had read it in the book, after all. Still, they weren’t sure whether to tell that to Radagast. They were from another world, so interfering with Middle Earth might have big consequences on the fictional world Radagast lived in. Nevertheless, they had to say something. “Well, you saw what happened during our battle,” Twilight Sparkle said, carefully choosing her words. “You’re stronger together. Perhaps you should get some help in defeating the shadow, because facing the Nine and their Dark Lord together is impossible for one wizard.”
Radagast frowned his bristly eyebrows in thought. “Yes… I think you’re right. I will need all the magical help I can get. Perhaps the elves will help me, or… or perhaps the other wizards. Yes! Saruman the White would know what to do.”
To that name, Starlight Glimmer flinched. She knew what would happen with Saruman later on in the story, and what fate lay in store for the wizards. Just when she opened her mouth to speak, Twilight cut her off.
“That’s a wonderful idea,” Twilight said, glancing at Starlight with a glare that said, ‘Don’t worry.’
Radagast’s eyes darted about, as a plan filled his head. “I shall go to him at once and inform him on my findings. The White Council has to be assembled and make plans to banish this evil. Surely Saruman the White will know a way, and Gandalf too will undoubtedly have many wise ideas. Maybe together we will be able to lift the curse off the Greenwood. I’m sure we can do that.”
Twilight and Starlight looked at each other uncomfortably, for they knew that the Greenwood would never be the same again. It was a painful decision, but they decided not to tell Radagast about that.
Radagast asked a few more questions to which the two ponies couldn’t give an answer, and then the conversation shifted. It took a more merry turn, as they sliced the subject of Equestria and magic. At first Twilight was reluctant to tell Radagast much about their own world, afraid as she was that it would affect Middle Earth and the story of The Lord of the Rings. But when Radagast kept asking and asking, and she recognized that curious sparkle in his eyes, which she herself often possessed as well, Twilight reckoned that it probably couldn’t hurt, and she told him what he wanted to know. Especially the magic of friendship intrigued the old wizard, as he had gotten a taste of it during their battle. “So your whole world depends on the magic of friendship?” He asked.
Twilight and Starlight nodded. “In essence it does. The elements of harmony create the magic of friendship.”
Radagast closed his eyes in thought and nodded slowly. “Your world sounds like a wonderful place, after everything I’ve heard from it.”
A wonderful world it was indeed. A world where the ponies belonged, and a world to which they would soon return. Twilight and Starlight had agreed with their friends that Applejack and Spike would flick the switch at midnight the next day, and the afternoon was already ripening. Radagast knew this too. He threw a glance at the sleeping Fluttershy. With a sigh he said, “And what a wonderful friend you have. I… I would love to have her around longer. Together we could sing songs and watch sunsets. We could make hikes and care for the animals. We could laugh and cry together, and learn so much from each other. But I understand that without her, your world would not be complete.”
Twilight and Starlight said nothing, but looked the wizard in the eyes.
“And I too, have things to do in my own world,” Radagast said. “Things of grave importance, which will affect the Greenwood, and maybe all of Middle Earth as well.”
To that, the ponies couldn’t do anything but agree.
Radagast sighed once again; a sad smile appeared on his lips. “Funny how similar we are, and yet so different.”
Deep in their hearts, Starlight and Twilight felt sorry for the wizard. They felt sorry to separate such good friends. But they knew that what the wizard said was true. Without the element of kindness, Equestria wouldn’t be complete.
Suddenly, Radagast stood up. “I will wake her up, then we can share one last meal together.”
They had an early dinner. Radagast made some delicious vegetable hotchpot with bread and butter, using up almost every ingredient he had. Despite the incoming goodbye, the conversation was merry, and even without all of the animals, they didn’t feel lonely in each other’s company. Fluttershy sung a few of her favorite songs, and Radagast quickly sprang up and grabbed some quill and ink to write them down. After the songs came riddles, which Starlight Glimmer proved to be especially good at, and they thought and smiled and filled Rhosgobel with merry laughter, whisking away all of the lingering bits of fear they had felt during their horrible battle.
But when the light grew a pale orange and then vanished altogether, when stars peeped through the clouds, they knew the time had come.
Without a word, Radagast shoved his chair aside and began packing up things. Books, food, water, jars with mysterious content, quills, paper, blankets, cooking gear, maps; all things that were necessary on a long journey. “I will walk with you to the clearing where you will depart,” he said as he rummaged through a box. “Then I can protect you if something goes wrong along the way, although I don’t think anything will; the Greenwood has grown silent.” Radagast swallowed hard. “And after your… eh… departure, I will return to Rhosgobel and begin my errand at once.”
To that they agreed, and helped the wizard to find what he needed. In a matter of minutes he was done with his preparations, and walked outside with Starlight Glimmer and Twilight Sparkle behind. But Fluttershy didn’t follow immediately. Radagast, Twilight, and Starlight stood upon the clearing, gazing at the little cottage between the trees. Radagast knew that this might be one of the last times he laid eyes upon the place he called home, and a small tear fell on his greying beard.
Just when Radagast was about to walk back in to ask if everything was ok, Fluttershy trotted back outside. She too, glanced one more time at Rhosgobel, then back at the wizard. “Let’s go,” Radagast said, but his voice sounded pained.
They advanced very quickly through the Greenwood. Radagast led them past a gurgling stream for a long time, over its rocky banks where the trees didn’t hinder them. The stars and the moon flickered and twinkled in the clear water, accompanying the peaceful sound with an ever-changing picture. Fluttershy thought that if they would stand still, she would be able to gaze into that stream forever without getting bored.
After following the stream for an hour or two, they plunged back into the forest. They kept to game trails made by the hunting creatures of the forest, which zigzagged between the tree trunks. It offered them a steady footing and they advanced quickly. With the forest quietly rustling at their sides, it felt like a leisurely walk in the bright little woods surrounding the valley in which Ponyville lay. Forever would those forests make Fluttershy remember the beautiful, yet wild Greenwood.
As they walked, they didn’t speak. Not only because they had to watch their step, but also because they were not at all in the mood. Radagast had no idea how to say goodbye to a friend, when he knew he would never see her again; Twilight and Starlight offered him enough silence to do so; and Fluttershy became filled with sadness as she thought of the moment that would soon come. Yet there was also a feeling, deep down inside, of tranquility. She knew she would soon be back in her own world, in her own town, in her own cottage and surrounded by her own animal friends. When she first plunged into the world of Middle Earth there was nothing she wanted more, but now that feeling of homesickness was as weak as a day fly. Yes, she would be back with her friends… but not all of her friends.
Bald Boris the hill lay before them, and they climbed its tree-crowned head. Radagast wanted to tell Fluttershy the name of the hill, to make her laugh one more time. But somehow he felt that now was not the time for jokes, so instead he listened as the trees whispered. Then he turned to Twilight. “How much time do you have left?”
Twilight looked up at the moon, which was steadily climbing to its apex. “Not much.”
“I see…” Radagast let out a sigh. He wanted to have a little break on Bald Boris to have a sandwich. Like an after party he wanted to rekindle the merry glow in their hearts, as the goodbye drew near—it would have been a surprise. When he saw that that wouldn’t happen, he reassigned the food to be an extra supply; perhaps he would need it.
After another patch of dense shrubs, which the wizard parted for them, they came upon the burned-out clearing. The moonlight shone bright through the gnarled and twisted branches. Their footsteps and hoofsteps made small clouds of ash rise, which then settled down silently. Everything was quiet, as if the scorched trees waited for something to happen. Radagast looked around and noticed some new groups of heather growing here and there. Their flowery leaves looked pale in the moonlight. New life, Radagast thought, but how will it stand against the shadow?
They crossed the burned part of the Greenwood, arriving at its green edge. Radagast knew they were close now. It looked as if the trees and the undergrowth made way for them, as they marched on. Suddenly, the trees withdrew, and the strange clearing, twice struck by lightning now, revealed itself. They had reached their destination.
The burned leaves lay scattered on the forest floor, already covered by new ones from the balding trees that surrounded the clearing. Radagast would remember that spot forever. He stood still at the edge of the black, scorched circle. Twilight and Starlight trotted to the center of it. Far above their heads, the moon shone in a cloudless sky. From where they stood, they had a perfect view on it, so they could see when the time would come.
“It’s not long now,” Twilight said, after throwing a glance into the sky. “It’s almost midnight.” But when she lowered her gaze she saw that Fluttershy wasn’t among herself and Starlight, but was standing with Radagast at the edge of the spot instead. Twilight’s expression grew worried. “Fluttershy? Are you coming?”
Fluttershy looked down at the ground, then at the small crater, then at Radagast. “I… eh…” She swallowed. “Yes. I’m coming.” With hesitation in every step, Fluttershy walked over to stand in front of her friends.
Then, a silence fell upon them, as neither of them knew what to say. Starlight Glimmer looked up at the moon, and then nudged Fluttershy. “You should say goodbye, Fluttershy. We don’t have much time left.”
Fluttershy nodded, barely noticeable. She looked down at the ground, and started tracing circles on the fallen leaves. She didn’t look up; not until she would find the right words to say. At last, after some pensive minutes, she said with a voice as soft as a butterfly’s wingbeat, “Radagast…”
“Fluttershy…” answered the voice of the wizard.
Suddenly, her head jerked up. She knew she had to say something. She knew that this would be the last time they would ever see each other, and that was not a time to be shy. Fluttershy breathed in, felt tears well up in her eyes, and spoke. “Radagast… Thank you so much for everything.” But in her mind, she scolded herself for such a weak goodbye. Fluttershy just couldn’t find the right words. In a few moments, she would lose Radagast forever. He would stop to exist in flesh and blood, and only be with her as those few lines in those few paragraphs in The Fellowship of the Ring. It almost felt as if he would be dead. And what do you say to someone who you will lose forever? Fluttershy had no idea.
Radagast had the same feeling. Quite often he had said hopeful words to an animal sick and dying, even though he knew that it would not get better. Quite often he had said words at funerals to comfort the brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews of animals whose lives were shorter than his own. He could always say the right things; the things that would comfort and help the animals in their lives or their deaths. But now, he was as dumbstruck as Fluttershy. As the silence became unbearable, and he felt nervous and anxious, he looked his friend in the eyes and spoke. “Fluttershy, I will miss you. We had such a lovely time together, but know that I will always be in your thoughts, and you will be in mine. We will be friends forever, whatever happens. And… maybe… If Miss Sparkle would approve, we can see each other again… right?” He threw a hopeful glance at Twilight Sparkle, who carefully shook her head, careful enough not to let Fluttershy see it. Radagast had expected as much.
Then, Fluttershy couldn’t hold it anymore. She flung all shyness and awkwardness and uncomfortable feelings aside, and looked the wizard straight in the eyes, although hers were streaked with tears. “I’ll miss you too, Radagast. I will not forget you. You will forever be an element in my heart, and… and… I will write down our adventures, so I won’t forget, and you will exist on more pages with more words.“
Radagast the Brown smiled. Tears fell down his cheeks. “That looks like a wonderful idea to me, Fluttershy. I will do the same, and your songs will forever be remembered by all my animals, and your beautiful voice will forever be remembered by me.”
Another silence. Fluttershy wept; Radagast was barely able to contain his tears himself. Starlight tapped Twilight on the shoulder and pointed upwards. “It is time.”
Wiping the tears away, Radagast tossed his hat towards Fluttershy, where it landed squarely on her head. It wasn’t even too big. “This is goodbye and farewell, Fluttershy. Goodbye and farewell to you, and goodbye and farewell to Miss Twilight Sparkle and Miss Starlight Glimmer too. I cannot thank you enough for your help.”
“Goodbye, Radagast.” Fluttershy’s voice was hoarse with crying. “Goodbye to you and to Alexander and Theodulfus and Malfegor and all your other animals. If you ever see them again, tell them that I said thank you, and that they have taught me to be brave and make difficult decisions.”
“I will tell them,” Radagast said. And now he himself was wondering if he would see his animals again.
Suddenly, Fluttershy felt Twilight Sparkle’s hoof on her back. “Close your eyes, Fluttershy. The teleportation will soon begin.”
She couldn’t have asked for a more difficult thing to do. Fluttershy unfurled her wing and waved at Radagast. Radagast waved back. They both closed their eyes, but still kept waving. They all closed their eyes, and waited for the ride home.
* *
“What do you mean ‘the machine doesn’t work?!’” Discord’s eyes were flaring red as he paced around and stamped his hoof and his foot loud enough for everypony else to hear.
Rainbow Dash looked up from the window. “Jeez, calm down, Discord. That’s just what you’re making of it. For the last time, we don’t know why the machine didn’t teleport you. Do we look like teleportation professors?”
Discord let out a snort and turned around to pace to the other end of the study. He was not in the mood to argue with Rainbow Dash; he would argue with Twilight and Starlight, once they would come back.
If they would come back.
That was the question which lingered in everypony’s mind. The first few hours after the teleportation, they had stood together and talked and talked about what would happen and what could possibly go wrong. Luckily Pinkie Pie had made sure that they remained hopeful as well, with her never-ending optimism. When the hours passed and they had realized there was nothing they could do, each of them tried to find her own way of killing time without leaving the room. Rainbow Dash flied to and fro, Discord did sentry-go, Rarity lay on a comfortable couch she had ordered Spike to carry from her boutique, and Pinkie Pie and Spike were playing chess, while Applejack watched, as she had no idea how to play that game.
But they didn’t leave the room.
All of them felt comfortable while they were together (save Discord), and needed each other for support. Sometimes they had spoken to each other about their travels. They hadn’t left a single detail out as they recounted the adventures they had had in order to get the parts for the teleportation machine. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Discord had gone first, because Discord insisted. Their tale was surprisingly short, as the Draconequus told with all the pride in his heart how the ponies had made a promise; and he spoke with all the anger in his voice, as he told the ponies exactly how he felt during Starlight’s and Twilight’s ‘betrayal,’ elaborating and elaborating, until they heard it a dozen times. He then started to point fingers and accusing everypony of a sneaky collaboration with Starlight and Twilight, but of course, none of them had helped Starlight or Twilight to carry out that plan in any way.
Next had been Rarity, whose tale was a little longer. She elaborated on the beauty of the Crystal Empire, and the joy she felt at being able to visit the Empire once more. Her meeting with Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor also received much attention, as she told her pony friends that all was well with them. Next came her dealings in the mine, and finding the Flutterite. As she felt a blush trying to spread on her face when she thought of Whistle Tone, she decided to leave him out of the story—but not out of her memory.
Rainbow Dash’s and Spike’s tale had been the longest by far. Everypony became struck with amazement as they recounted all of their adventures, ordeals, and battles in the Dragon Lands. Sometimes Rarity would snort and say, “You’re making this up, Rainbow Dash!” But then Dash would give her an angry stare, and turn to Spike, who would nod his head. Applejack listened with wide-open eyes, as she realized that everything Rainbow Dash told was the truth; she couldn’t spot a single lie.
But now they were all silent, thinking, doing their things to kill time. Rarity had become desperate and was actually reading one of the Lord of the Rings books on the couch.
Time crept by as slowly as it could. Evening came; moonlight shone. But Applejack didn’t need to watch the time, as Rainbow Dash did that for her. Often, when she came back from her flying trip around the castle, Rainbow Dash would fly up to the room and peer outside, her eyes aimed at the moon. Applejack tried to keep it together, and tried to distract herself by watching all of the black and white figurines darting about on the chessboard. She had no idea who was winning. Pinkie Pie looked quite cheerful all the time, so she guessed she was—but then again, Pinkie was almost always cheerful.
Suddenly, Rainbow Dash let out a cry. “A.J., it’s time!”
Applejack jumped up and trotted towards the window, but then remembered that there was also a grandfather clock and threw a glance towards it. Both hands were almost pointing at the top. Twelve o’clock. Midnight.
“Checkmate!” Pinkie Pie yelled.
“Alright, everypony,” Applejack called. “It’s time to fire up the machine. Spike, come with me. The rest of y’all should take cover.”
Rarity jolted awake; the book fell off her face. “Oh, Applejack, do you really need to—“ but then she saw the time, and she recomposed herself. “Oh, excuse me there,” she said, turning to Applejack, who was already standing behind the computer.
The controls looked quite daunting with all their screens, lights, and buttons. But actually it was quite simple, because everything had been pre-programmed. The only things Applejack and Spike needed to do were to check the time and the place, double check them, and then pull the lever.
“And I think that I should be the one who must pull it,” Discord said, slithering up from behind.
Applejack turned her head around. “No way, Discord. Twilight assigned us to do it. No offense towards you, but if she said we must do it, then we’ll do it.”
Discord let out a snort. “Oh, please. You have all broken your promise and betrayed my invaluable trust. The least you can do to make it up to me is giving me a chance to be the hero; to get our friends back to Equestria.”
“No can’t do, Discord. Sorry,” Applejack said, and turned around to face the controls once more. But before she could lay a hoof on the lever, Discord jumped up from behind, and tried to push Applejack aside. Applejack saw him coming in the reflection of the screen and twirled around. Now she was standing on her hind legs, holding Discord off the controls with her front legs. “Come on, Discord! Don’t be so foalish!”
Discord’s arms grasped and grasped, but they only grasped empty air. The two fighting creatures blocked the way, so Spike couldn’t reach the controls himself. Applejack was bent on keeping her promise to Twilight, and didn’t budge. Discord was bent on being at least some kind of hero, and didn’t stop reaching and grasping. Then, the matter became settled, as Applejack swung her tail up, around the lever, and pulled.
“NO!”
With a low, rumbling sound, the machine woke up from its slumber. The remaining shard of Flutterite shone a bright yellow. On and off and on and off it went. With a sizzle, two sparks of electricity sprung from the stone, and started swirling around the metal arch. Faster and faster and faster they raced, popping and crackling with echoes through the study.
Everypony was forced to make a choice between hiding from the sizzling electricity and the roaring sound like a dragon’s cry, or trying to watch through the blinding light for a sign of three ponies. Spike and Applejack jumped behind the computers as quickly as they could. Summoning up a welder’s mask, Discord walked to a corner of the room, sat down, and crossed his arms while not taking his eyes off the machine.
Then, as Twilight had been afraid of, the Flutterite gave way underneath the immense strain of the magical energy, and exploded. An enormous bang added to the chorus of roaring machinery. Shards of stone shot across the room; one landed right in the middle of the chessboard, which Pinkie held in front of her to shield her eyes and take quick peeks. A window shattered. Rainbow Dash heard a whizz and looked at her wing, where a severed feather fell on the ground.
The halo of light, produced by the failing crystal, flashed downwards into an enormous column of light. It went from the top of the arc to the bottom, and touched down on the pedestal, where it stayed as if it supported the machine.
Behind the computers, Spike and Applejack looked at each other. Both gazes betrayed their concern. “This ain’t good!” Applejack shouted above the rumble of the machine. Whether Spike heard her or not, he shook his head. Applejack shuffled towards the controls, stood up, and watched the screens. Many numbers and diagrams flashed by before her eyes, and she couldn’t make much out of it. One screen showed a diagram with a red line, snaking from left to right. At one point, right in the middle, it spiked up. Applejack didn’t need anypony to tell her that that wasn’t good.
The column of light shone brighter and brighter, and to his amazement Discord found that his welder’s mask didn’t even help. Blinking against the light, he summoned three more, and then all was ok again.
The roar swelled to the sound of a hurricane, and everypony, Spike, and Discord covered their ears. Still the rumble became louder and louder. The windows rattled. The floor shook. Applejack swore she could hear the crystal of the castle creak through the incredible noise. “The whole castle is gonna come down!” she yelled to Spike, but Spike couldn’t hear her, lying on the ground with his claws over his ears and his eyes shut. Applejack had to do something. If the whole castle would collapse, they would be buried alive—all of them.
Or she could turn off the machine.
The thought hadn’t come up in Applejack’s mind, but as the machine kept roaring and shaking, it wrestled itself to the front of her mind. Save three friends, or save five?
She felt herself looking at the big, red kill switch. She felt her hoof leaving her ear and creeping towards it. Slowly, slowly. She knew she would never forgive herself. Maybe her friends would never forgive her too.
But there was no other way.
In Applejack’s mind, two wild animals were fighting for control. The two wolves of doubt. She felt a headache coming up, and it wasn’t because of the sound.
A crack appeared in the wall opposite of Applejack. She watched it go towards the roof; pieces of crystal came off the wall and rained down in a purple dust.
At last, one of the wolves won. Applejack made a decision. She hoped her friends would understand.
“Here goes nothing…”
With one last wave of sound, the pillar of light flung its residual energy across the room. Just as during the accident, everything flew everywhere. Tables flipped, books flew like bouncing balls all across the room, bookcases fell down. Everypony got hold of something that was nailed down; some got flung away nonetheless.
From the machine, a torrent of red and golden autumn leaves erupted from the pedestal. In a split second, Twilight Sparkle’s study looked like a forest without trees. Then, everything went silent.
For a moment, there was no sound to be heard. Everypony’s ears ringed. Only Discord, who had quickly teleported himself away from the machine, returned in a small cloud of magic. He was the first to see the result of the precarious teleportation, and he was the first to say,
“Fluttershy!”
Without waiting for the machine to cool down, without waiting for anypony to get their bearings again, Discord rushed to the pedestal, picked up Fluttershy, and hugged her as tightly as he could.
Fluttershy thought she saw the room spinning, which was true, because Discord twirled around with joy. “Fluttershy, you’re back! Oh, I knew you could do it, even without my help. Mission accomplished!”
Twilight Sparkle and Starlight Glimmer recovered quickly from the interdimensional trip. They had some experience, after all, so a quick shake of the head was enough to gather their wits again. Twilight Sparkle jumped from the pedestal and behind the computer to start the cool down sequence. As she looked upon the energy level screen, her eyes tripled in size and she let out a cry. “What?!”
“Eh, Twilight?” came Starlight Glimmer’s voice from the other side of the machine. “I think something went wrong.”
Twilight turned her head and saw how her study was in complete disarray for the second time. “Oh my!” With one jump and a flap of her wings, she was over the pedestal and stood next to Starlight. “Where are the others? We have to find them!”
Starlight nodded and began combing out the study for the rest of her friends. Twilight followed suit, but not before glancing at the machine for a second. When she saw the vacant socket and the crystal shards protruding from them, she knew enough. “Oh my!”
While Discord kept petting and stroking Fluttershy as if she were his long lost puppy which had finally found its way home, Twilight and Starlight reassembled their friends. They were a little better off than the first time. Only Applejack and Spike were quite battered and shaken, as they were the ones who had stood closest to the machine. Pinkie looked fine, Rarity’s mane was once again ruined, and Rainbow Dash said she was ok too, and almost seemed insulted when Twilight asked her if she was hurt. But then she realized who was talking to her. “Twilight! You’re back!”
“Indeed I am,” Twilight said with a smile. “Now we’re all complete again.”
Rainbow Dash’s rose eyes twinkled. “You mean you…”
Twilight closed her eyes and nodded. “Mission accomplished.”
When everypony heard that, they all went back to Twilight’s study, to find Discord and Fluttershy together, with Fluttershy already telling Discord about her adventures.
“Hey! Wait up!” Rainbow Dash yelled with a smile. “We want to know what happened too!”
At the sound of Rainbow’s voice and many hooves cantering on the floor, Discord’s head jerked up. Suddenly, he forgot all about Fluttershy for a moment, shot through the room, and grabbed Twilight and Starlight in his claws. “Excuse us for a moment, I want to know what happened too,” he hissed towards the others, before flying to the other corner of the study. He put both ponies down, put his claws to his hips, and gave them the angriest stare he could paint on his face. His cheeks turned red with rage, and steam literally whistled out of his ears like an old cartoon character.
Starlight and Twilight exchanged a glance. Are you going to tell it, or shall I tell it? they both thought. In the end, it had been Twilight’s plan, so she felt obliged to tell it. After a quick swallow, trying not to look in the enraged eyes of Discord, she said, “We can explain…”
“Well, start explaining,” Discord snapped.
“We… eh…” How do I say this nicely, Twilight thought. “I… eh…”
Discord folded his arms and raised a bristly eyebrow. “Come on, say it, don’t be shy.” His voice was nice, but bore a heavy threat.
“I… well…”
“Spit it out, Twilight Sparkle!”
“I calibrated the machine so it would only recognize pony DNA so that it would only teleport Starlight and me,” Twilight blurted out. There was no use in hiding it anyway, and Discord wanted an explanation—quickly.
Discord began to tremble over his whole body. He looked like he might explode just like the teleporter, but with an energy level twice as high as the machine. He gritted his teeth against each other; Twilight thought he would grind them to pulp. Bringing his claws together, threading and unthreading them, screaming in his head, Discord didn’t hear the sound of soft hoofsteps on the floor. He didn’t hear the flap of tiny, delicate wings. He didn’t hear the silky soft voice whisper in his ear. Only when Fluttershy tapped him on the shoulder did the enraged draconequus turn around.
“Please don’t be angry, Discord,” Fluttershy said.
To the sight of his closest friend, Discord let a small steam cloud of rage slip through his mind, but he looked far from calm.
Fluttershy didn’t give up. “I don’t really know what happened here between you, Twilight, and Starlight, but it can’t be that bad now, can it? Why don’t you just calm down and count to twenty. I’m sure there is no reason at all to be angry.”
Discord couldn’t refuse to that lovely, soothing voice. As he was counting, Fluttershy quickly flew over to the rest of her friends to ask them what had happened. Applejack told her.
“Oh my!” The way Fluttershy saw it, Discord actually had all the right to be angry. Starlight and Twilight had broken promises that Applejack and Pinkie Pie had made. This one would be quite complicated to solve.
“Fifteen, sixteen…”
She had to come up with something quickly. Frowning in thought, a solution shot into her mind.
“Eighteen, nineteen...”
Before Discord got to ‘twenty,’ Fluttershy was back and got his attention. Goodness knows what would have happened if Discord would have turned to Starlight and Twilight again. Fluttershy was the only barrier between the bull and the red flag. “Discord, look at me. I have heard the whole story, and I understand that you are very angry. But you have to let it go. Anger is such a waste of energy, which you could spend on other things. Why don’t you spend your energy on your ears, so you can listen to my story about the things that happened in Middle Earth?”
“But… but…” Discord looked much more soothed now; Fluttershy always knew how to handle the draconequus’s tantrums. He pouted his lips as if he were about to cry. “But… they broke their promise.”
“Indeed they did,” Fluttershy said. “And for that, they are very sorry. But is that promise really so important?”
“I… well…” Discord’s mind took in the words and weighed them. Then, with a sigh, he realized that Fluttershy was right; the promise was perhaps not so important as he thought. With another sigh, he admitted his defeat. “I guess you’re right, Fluttershy. You know, it doesn’t really matter that I couldn’t be the hero; I could be the hero in your next adventure, right?”
Fluttershy looked at Starlight and Twilight below, who looked at each other and then shook their heads. “Eh… maybe,” Fluttershy said.
But Discord wasn’t even listening to her answer. He grabbed hold of Fluttershy and pulled her close into a tight embrace. “It doesn’t matter, Fluttershy. The only thing that matters is that you are back, alive and well.”
Everypony else heard the draconequus’s words, and they all gathered around and laughed, as Discord took the words right out of their mouths.