//------------------------------//
// 52. 
// Story: 8-Bit Pony 
// by Dawn Flower 
//------------------------------//

“So, anyway,” Black Mage spoke up, stepping closer to Discord. “These ponies seem to think that you can help us track down Nightmare Moon, so why don’t we save ourselves time and possibly pain and just skip the not-so-pleasantries and you just do it?”

“Oh, and why exactly should I help you?” Discord asked, now for some reason dressed like Bob Ross.

“Okay, let me break this down for you,” Black Mage began, turning his back to Discord as he spoke. “There’s a psychotic alicorn princess on the loose…” He then turned back around to face him. “… and she’s gonna kill me if you don’t tell me where Nightmare Moon is.”

Looking to the side, at the at-first-glance-normal-appearance-but-witholding-the-tranquil-fury-underneath of Twilight Sparkle, Discord gulped but quickly regained himself. “Alright, tell you what,” he began, tapping his two index fingers together. “I’ll tell you exactly what you want to know if you do something or me.”

“Okay, I can see where this is going,” Black Mage immediately responded, with his arms in the air. “You are a Dark God after all. So, how big a sacrifice are we talking? Thirteen orphans? One hundred virgins? I can get you more depending on the time limit – even more if you can deal with the pesky law enforcement for me, so that I don’t get in trouble.” He then looked down in thought. “But then again, a deal like that, I’d be willing to do for nothing if it means I get to kill with impunity, without having to worry about those meddlesome guards.”

He then turned away from Discord whilst he continued speaking. “Why, just think of the kill count I could rack up in even an hour if I didn’t have to worry about the legal ramifications.”

He then turned back around again to face Discord. The Draconequus simply stared back at him silence for a few seconds before responding.

“Wow, and ponies think I’m evil.”